"It has been half a year since we last met. The Prince seems to have lost quite a bit of weight. It seems this inspection tour out of the capital must have been quite arduous."
Facing Song Jinzhao's sarcastic remarks, Xiao Rongyan did not back down.
"It is all thanks to you, County Princess. During the half year I was away from the capital, I thought of you often. Now that I have returned and finally seen you, let's wait and see."
The clattering sound of hooves approached from a distance.
Seeing Song Jinzhao, Qingshuang shouted at the top of her lungs, "County Princess, news has come from the palace that Low-Rank Concubine Yan is about to give birth! They need you to enter the palace immediately."
Everyone in the convoy froze for a moment, instinctively turning their gazes toward Xiao Rongyan, who was sitting in the carriage.
Song Jinzhao furrowed her brows.
Low-Rank Concubine Yan was still half a month away from her due date. Why was she giving birth now?
"The palace summons me. I shall take my leave first."
Song Qiming and the others immediately mounted their horses and followed Song Jinzhao as she rode away.
Watching the receding figures of Song Jinzhao and her group galloping away, Xiao Rongyan's face darkened, and he angrily slammed his fist against the carriage.
A guard riding beside him said, "Your Highness, do not worry. It might be a princess."
As he gritted his back teeth tightly, the muscles in his jaw bulged and twisted.
"There is no way all thirteen will be princesses. This is all Song Jinzhao's fault."
By the time Song Jinzhao rushed to the palace on horseback, several imperial physicians were already standing in the Bamboo Leaf Pavilion.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and to all the consorts."
Standing beneath the eaves, Noble Consort Rong and Concubine Jin rolled their eyes at Song Jinzhao.
Xiao Chengjing's brows were tightly knitted, and two sharp glares shot from his dark eyes, landing on Song Jinzhao's face.
"No matter what, save the child first. Nothing must happen to the child."
Inside the room was a woman's heart-wrenching screams, while outside was Xiao Chengjing's cold and ruthless command.
Song Jinzhao found it incredibly grating to her ears.
It served him right to be impotent for so many years; he should have just been a eunuch.
With a cold face, she stepped over the threshold. Several imperial physicians stood inside, and Gu Jupu had also arrived.
"What is the situation?"
Imperial Physician Xu, who was responsible for caring for Low-Rank Concubine Yan, was sweating profusely from anxiety. Seeing Song Jinzhao enter, he hurriedly scrambled up from the floor.
"An hour ago, Low-Rank Concubine Yan accidentally slipped in the courtyard. Her stomach hit a rock, and she started bleeding immediately."
"She is bleeding more and more, and she is feeling dizzy. I have already prescribed medication and had Low-Rank Concubine Yan take it, but the child just won't come out."
Song Jinzhao took the prescription from Imperial Physician Xu and skimmed it quickly.
The prescription was fine.
She decisively took off her outer coat and bypassed the folding screen separating the inner and outer rooms to walk inside.
The three midwives squatting at the foot of the bed were momentarily stunned to see Song Jinzhao enter, but then hurriedly made way for her.
Song Jinzhao picked up a hot towel from the tray and wiped her hands clean.
The cervix was contracting too slowly, and the mother was almost out of strength.
"Bring a bowl of ginseng soup," she ordered while opening her medical box to prepare for acupuncture.
"Bite on this, save your strength to deliver the child."
She stuffed a silk handkerchief into Low-Rank Concubine Yan's mouth. If this continued, the concubine would bite right through her own teeth.
The commotion inside gradually quieted down. The concubines waiting outside whispered with a hint of worry, "Why is there no sound?"
Another concubine, over forty years old, clutched her handkerchief over her racing heart.
"County Princess Linghui is inside; everything should be fine."
Many concubines stood in the courtyard, but aside from Noble Consort Rong and Concubine Jin, none of the others had ever even been pregnant, let alone given birth.
Having listened to an hour of agonizing wails, many of them were feeling a bit panicked, as if they too would face this one day.
Stimulated by the silver needles, the semi-conscious Low-Rank Concubine Yan gasped and widened her eyes.
Her pupils cleared up, and the pain in her lower body became even more pronounced, feeling as if she were being torn in half.
Song Jinzhao held her hand and comforted her, "Stay awake. Now, take a deep breath, hold it, and push all your strength downwards from your chest."
Sweat poured down Low-Rank Concubine Yan's forehead like heavy rain, and the pain brought tears to her eyes.
She bit down hard on the silk handkerchief in her mouth. As a muffled groan sounded, all the veins on her forehead bulged.
"Hold it, don't lose your breath. Good. Now exhale slowly, and let's do it again."
Another half hour passed. The woman's constantly straining hands left a row of nail marks on the back of Song Jinzhao's hand.
The silk handkerchief slipped from her mouth. With a near-collapsing scream, something slipped out from her body below.
The midwife squatting at the foot of the bed caught the wet child with both hands and cried out in pleasant surprise.
"It is a little prince."
The child's cries rang out in the room. With a faint smile on her lips, Low-Rank Concubine Yan fainted from exhaustion.
Song Jinzhao performed a check and only felt relieved after confirming she was fine.
Outside the door, hearing the baby's cry, Xiao Chengjing stood up excitedly.
The midwife who ran out to report knelt on the ground and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. The young mistress has given birth to a little prince."
Hearing that it was a prince, Xiao Chengjing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Remembering that Low-Rank Concubine Yan had given birth prematurely, the Empress asked nervously, "How is the Third Prince's health?"
The midwife replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty the Empress. The Third Prince has a loud cry, strong limbs, and is very healthy."
Hearing that the prince was healthy, Noble Consort Rong and Concubine Jin, standing under the eaves, disappointedly tightened their grip on their handkerchiefs.
The news of the Third Prince's birth spread quickly. The restless Xiao Rongyan closed his eyes with a heavy heart upon receiving the news, feeling utterly exhausted.
This was only the first. From now on, his imperial father would have more princes than just him and Xiao Rongche.
By the time Song Jinzhao returned from the palace, it was already night.
Walking through the courtyard gate, bright firelight greeted her eyes.
The flames illuminated the faces of Song Qiming and the others, the warmth making her feel very at peace.
"Eldest Sister, why are you only back now? My rabbit is almost burnt."
Song Jinzhao reached out and wiped the corner of her younger brother's mouth. "Your mouth is full of oil. Is it good?"
Song Anhao guiltily pinched his fingers together.
"Eldest Brother and Second Sister said we had to wait for you, but I really couldn't resist, so I just had a tiny bite."
Song Jinzhao took his hand and walked to the fire. "You don't have to wait for me next time. Eat when you are hungry."
Today's delivery had actually been quite fast; longer ones could drag on until midnight.
A spicy roasted rabbit leg was handed to her by Song Shixue. Song Jinzhao took it and took a bite.
The tenderness was just right, and the spiciness was exactly how she liked it.
Song Qiming placed a few roasted rabbits from a nearby rack back over the fire to reheat them.
"Sister, did Low-Rank Concubine Yan deliver safely?"
Song Jinzhao nodded. "It is a prince. Both mother and child are safe."
Song Qiming made two slices on a rabbit leg with a small knife.
"Our teacher will definitely be very happy when he finds out. He has been longing for princes to be born, even saying the more the better."
Song Jinzhao stopped chewing, thinking of the nine princes fighting for the throne.
Emperor Kangxi was at least a wise ruler; Xiao Chengjing fell short of him by a hundred thousand miles.
With the moral character of Xiao Rongche and Xiao Rongyan laid bare, what would happen in the future was truly uncertain.
