nucmednet Chapter 127 Imperial Concubine
Chapter 127 Imperial Concubine
Consort Li sat quietly on the bed, her gaze following Bai Zhi and Fu Ling's receding figures until they disappeared outside the door. Then, she slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on Ye Qingchen beside her, a surge of gratitude welling up in her heart. If it weren't for the assistance of these two loyal maids, she would likely have perished at the hands of the treacherous Empress, at the mercy of the midwife.
However, Consort Li was unaware that she had unknowingly and fortunately avoided countless potential dangers and conspiracies. The delivery was exceptionally smooth, with the baby arriving almost effortlessly. As a result, Consort Li herself suffered little physical harm. However, despite the relatively easy delivery, the process of cervical dilation inevitably caused some loss of energy and blood.
Knowing this well, Ye Qingchen dared not slacken in the slightest. She quickly retrieved the most precious and finest Ganoderma lucidum and carefully selected several other medicinal herbs known for their blood-nourishing properties. She placed all the ingredients into a pot and slowly simmered them into a fragrant millet porridge. When the porridge had reached the perfect consistency, Ye Qingchen carefully ladled out a bowl, gently blew away the steam, and then presented it to Consort Li.
Meanwhile, Ye Qingchen secretly preserved the placenta after the child's birth. She knew that the placenta would be extremely beneficial for postpartum recovery. However, the thought of explaining its use to Consort Li made her hesitant. Therefore, she secretly decided to grind the placenta into a fine powder and mix it into pills for Consort Li to take later. This method would both utilize the placenta's nourishing effects and avoid causing unnecessary trouble and distress.
Ye Qingchen also kept all the children's umbilical cord blood. She put the umbilical cord blood into her space so that if anyone had any problems in the future, she could use this last resort to protect them. She also kept Xiao Lu'er's umbilical cord blood. She turned the placenta into medicine powder for Princess Qi to eat, which is why she was able to recover faster.
Just then, the experienced midwife hurried out, her face beaming with relief at having accomplished her mission. Ye Qingchen kept his promise and personally arranged for the midwife to be transferred to Prince Chen's residence, allowing her to reunite with her long-separated family. From then on, no one could harm them anymore.
This perilous childbirth journey, initially fraught with danger, was ultimately averted one by one. Meanwhile, deep within the palace, the Empress eagerly awaited news of Consort Li's demise due to severe postpartum hemorrhage. However, contrary to her expectations, instead of receiving the devastating news, she heard something that shocked and enraged her—Consort Li had successfully given birth to a son and a daughter, and not just any twins, but a boy and a girl! In the Great Xia Dynasty, twins were considered an auspicious sign, and mothers of twins were believed to rise in status through their offspring.
This sudden turn of events struck the Empress like a bolt from the blue. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to the trembling reports from the palace maids, her anger flaring instantly. With a soft "pfft," the Empress, overwhelmed by rage, coughed up blood, staining her handkerchief red. Then, she felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground. The Crown Princess, seeing this, was startled. She immediately ordered a maid to fetch the imperial physician, while she had other maids help the Empress to bed. She herself couldn't kneel down; she was already quite far along in her pregnancy.
Meanwhile, on the other side, when the Emperor learned that Consort Li had successfully given birth to adorable twins, a boy and a girl, his joy was beyond words. It's important to understand that in the Great Xia Dynasty, there has always been an ancient tradition—a mother's status rises with the birth of her son. However, now that there is already an Empress in the palace, according to the rules, even if the Emperor favors Consort Li greatly, he cannot directly elevate her to the position of Empress; she can only be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort at most. Thinking of this, the Emperor couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, but this regret quickly transformed into boundless love and anticipation for the two little ones.
Thus, these two newly born, still innocent and ignorant, instantly became the focus of everyone's attention and the recipients of gifts. The Emperor, overjoyed, personally issued an edict: "Today the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun shines brightly, as if heaven has bestowed an auspicious omen. I am fortunate to have welcomed a pair of children, a golden dragon and a jade phoenix, with my beloved Consort Li. This is truly a great blessing for our dynasty! Therefore, I hereby bestow upon the prince the title of Prince Lin and the princess the title of Princess Lingxi, to proclaim this to the world. Furthermore, I have decided to hold a grand celebration, so that all may rejoice in this joyous occasion. Not only that, but numerous soup kitchens will be set up inside and outside the capital to relieve the poor; at the same time, a general amnesty will be granted, so that all those who have committed crimes may be forgiven and given the opportunity to reform!"
Immediately afterward, the Emperor hastily finished reading the imperial edict and strode into the room, heading straight for the presence of the Imperial Concubine Li. The room had been tidied up, filled with a warm atmosphere, completely devoid of the previous chilling atmosphere of bloodshed. Two small, exquisite babies lay peacefully in two small cradles meticulously crafted by Ye Qingchen, sleeping soundly.
The Emperor first strode to Consort Li's side, carefully examining her slightly pale yet still beautiful face, his eyes filled with concern and tenderness. He gently said to her, "Lan'er, you've worked hard!" Seeing that Consort Li was indeed alright, he paused briefly before slowly turning to the two small cradles. The first to catch his eye was his son, dressed in a bright red jacket; the little one's eyes were closed, his rosy cheeks as adorable as a ripe apple. On the other side, his daughter wore a charming pink jacket, looking as delicate and beautiful as a budding flower. This pair of golden boys and jade girls were truly adorable, making one want to gently stroke their silky soft skin.
The Emperor said to Ye Qingchen, "Qingchen, what rewards do you and Chen'er desire?" Ye Qingchen hurriedly bowed and said, "Qingchen doesn't need any rewards, only that my mother is healthy and my younger siblings grow up happily!" The Emperor said, "Very well! My Chen'er has the world in his heart and possesses great talent; you will surely be blessed in the future! Now, I wish to rest for a few days, and Yun'er has just given birth to his eldest son, so I will have Chen'er assist in handling affairs of the court! You will stay in the palace for a while longer and help me take care of your mother and these two children. Let Xiao Yue'er play at her elder sister's house for now. Prince Qi will be directly promoted to Chess King, and his two sons will each be granted the title of Prince, and his daughter will be directly changed to Princess! Qingchen will be granted the title of Princess!" Ye Qingchen bowed again upon hearing this, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"