Mu Zhan had always had an expressionless face and an intimidating, tyrannical aura. In front of Wen Mingyu, though, he would be much softer. However, he currently displayed a rare emotion in his face, gravely anxious and even with obvious panic.
Reason seemed to collapse for a moment, and his mind ceased working. Mu Zhan froze for a beat before hastily turning around and ordering someone to summon the imperial physician and the midwife over.
A tense atmosphere hovered over Taiji Hall.
Because Wen Mingyu was already closer to his due date, the imperial physician and the midwife had been mentally prepared to be called upon at any moment. They hurried over, thinking it was time for the delivery. But when they examined the situation, they realized that there were only traces of dark, sticky blood on the cushion.
The midwife respectfully explained, “Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This is the sighting of red, a sign of impending labor. It is not yet time to give birth, but it will be in the following twelve hours.”
Hearing this, Mu Zhan finally breathed a sigh of relief and regained some composure. In fact, he had read the books on the topic before and had some understanding of it, but when he saw that bright bloodstain on the white, fluffy cushion, he uncontrollably panicked instantly. His mind blanked, and he forgot all he had read.
Wen Mingyu then realized that his water hadn’t broken yet. He was only getting ready to give birth. As first-time parents, he and Mu Zhan were clearly less cool than the midwife, who had seen countless deliveries. Their knowledge on the matter was limited, and they had scared themselves.
As the strain subsided, Wen Mingyu’s body felt a little weak. He slumped into his chair with a limp.
Although it wasn’t an immediate birth, it was close. So instead of leaving, the imperial physician and the midwife waited in the side hall.
Mu Zhan, meanwhile, moved forward to help Wen Mingyu in getting out of his dirty clothes.
Before the midwife withdrew from the hall, she vaguely heard these words from His Majesty. Her eyes widened in shock. The emperor and empress were truly in love with each other. She had heard rumors before that His Majesty personally cared for the pregnant empress, but she doubted that was true. After all, emperors were notorious for their flimsy love. Who would believe that to be real.
Wen Mingyu extended his arms, allowing Mu Zhan to help him change into clean clothes. Then he scooped him up one more time and gently put him on the bed.
Mu Zhan sat down on the bed’s edge, his lips drawn into a thin line, his face stiff. He looked a little scary.
Wen Mingyu tilted his head to look at him. He reached out and touched his hand. Instead of being warm, it carried an unusual coolness. He could tell that Mu Zhan was extremely nervous, perhaps much more than he was.
“Why are you acting more frantic than I am?” Wen Mingyu used a playful tone as his lips curled into a small smile.
During their pregnancy, Wen Mingyu had worried and feared that the delivery would be painful, but he was surprisingly at ease when it really came. He wasn’t as afraid as he had thought he would be.
And looking at Mu Zhan now, it seemed as though Mu Zhan had assumed all the anxiety for the both of them.
Mu Zhan didn’t reply and just stared at him intently, as though the moment he blinked, he would vanish. His hand also gripped Wen Mingyu’s hand unconsciously and tightly. Then, as if realizing he might be hurting Wen Mingyu, he loosened his hold but still held his hand and didn’t let go.
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Wen Mingyu was carefully helped to a sitting position. At first, he preferred to eat without anyone’s help, but Mu Zhan refused to let go and insisted on feeding him. Left with no choice, Wen Mingyu obediently opened his mouth and accepted the tyrant’s serving, but he couldn’t help complaining internally, feeling that he wasn’t pregnant but was paralyzed.
After eating, Wen Mingyu patted the spot next to him, inviting Mu Zhan to join him in reading a novel together. He laughed as they discussed the plot, showing no signs of prelabor anxiety. Gradually, Mu Zhan was influenced by Wen Mingyu’s easygoing manner and calmed down as well.
Two hours later, a sudden tightness gripped Wen Mingyu’s lower abdomen. His expression shifted, and he nearly dropped the book in his hands. Mu Zhan subconsciously held his hand as he prepared to summon help.
But Wen Mingyu remained his reason and said, “It should be the contractions starting. It’s useless to call someone.”
Mu Zhan was aware of that too, but witnessing his suffering made it impossible to suppress his nervousness. After a little period of silence, he put Wen Mingyu’s hand on his arm. “If it hurts, just pinch me. Don’t hold back.”
Wen Mingyu laughed. Wouldn’t that be painful for both of us?
“It’s fine for now, but when the pain starts to get to me, I won’t be polite,” Wen Mingyu gave a cheeky smile.
Saying this might help ease some of the tension in Mu Zhan’s heart. He was too tense.
The rhythmic tightening in his abdomen gradually became more frequent, the intervals getting shorter, and the pain getting worse. He even seemed to feel a distinct sensation of something pressing downward.
Midway during Wen Mingyu’s contractions, the midwife had come in, assessing his condition and soothing Wen Mingyu, saying that everything was normal and there was nothing to fear.
Wen Mingyu endured labor pains for two more hours until his water finally broke. The midwife immediately began with the delivery, while palace servants bustled back and forth to bring hot water. They worked in an organized but nervous atmosphere.
When Wen Mingyu’s contractions grew so frequent that the breaks were hardly perceptible, the midwife had to respectfully request Mu Zhan to leave. After all, a delivery room was filled with blood and considered inauspicious.
But Mu Zhan ignored her and turned to face Wen Mingyu instead. His voice was soft as he asked him, “Do you want this one to go?”
Wen Mingyu found his hand and gripped it tightly. It could be said that he already gave his answer. He wished for Mu Zhan to remain.
Mu Zhan cast a cold glance at the midwife. “Perform your duties. Don’t bother about other things.”
The midwife responded right away and dared not push it anymore. The emperor had spoken after all, so there was no place for her to intervene. Moreover, the empress was giving birth on the imperial dragon itself, a clear testament to his status in the emperor’s heart. It was not something a mere midwife like her could question. Nevertheless, as she watched the scene before her, she couldn’t help but be moved. She had delivered babies for countless families, with most men only caring about the infant’s condition. Very few displayed genuine concern for the mother’s suffering, especially within the imperial family, where such tenderness was practically unheard of.
Fortunately, the labor proceeded smoothly. Half an hour after the water broke, the midwife finally held up a newborn baby, her face lighting up with joy. “Congratulations, Your Majesty, it’s a little prince!”
But Mu Zhan’s expression didn’t relax in joy over this. He ordered the midwife in a steady voice, “Continue.”
The midwife was momentarily stunned, nearly lost on what this meant. But when she looked down, she realized another baby was on the way. Quickly, she passed the little prince to a palace maid beside her and carried on with the birth.
Even though she had surmised that there might be more than one imperial heir judging from the empress’s situation, why was His Majesty so certain, as if he had known all along and was more experienced than she was.
There was no time to ponder it. The midwife hurriedly got back to business, delivering another baby, a little princess, without a hitch. Yet, before she could extend her second round of congratulations, she saw that His Majesty was still not persuaded. The words got choked back, and she hesitated.
“Your Majesty, this… the delivery has ended well.”
“No more children? Only two?”
The midwife stood dumbfounded. A dragon and phoenix twin birth were already an incredible blessing, and the emperor was expecting more? The more there were, the more perilous it would be. The fact that both newborns had been delivered safely was already a rare stroke of luck.Don’t be too greedy, Your Majesty, ah. You can have another baby next time!
What she didn’t know was that Mu Zhan, knowing the rabbit’s capacity for reproduction, had psychologically prepared himself for at least eight babies. So now that there were only two, he was really surprised.
Once the midwife confirmed that the delivery was indeed over, Mu Zhan didn’t press further. Instead, he immediately instructed the midwife and imperial physicians to arrange for the postpartum care, making sure that Wen Mingyu’s body was nourished back.
After several hours of labor, it was already midnight.
Mu Zhan gazed at Wen Mingyu’s pallid face, his neck and cheeks that were covered in sweaty, sticky black hair. His heart ached so much. He deeply regretted not taking contraception at the time. The saying that giving birth was a journey through the gates of hell was too accurate.
As Mu Zhan was feeling distressed over Wen Mingyu’s suffering, Wen Mingyu was also gazing at him. In reality, Mu Zan’s condition was no better than his. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was startlingly pale, stripped of all color. It was as if the person who had gone through labor was not him but Mu Zhan.
Wen Mingyu’s lips curled as he murmured, “I’m okay now.”
But Mu Zhan didn’t appear to believe him. He was still caught in that horrible labor just now. Abasin of bloody water, and Wen Mingyu’s face that was so white that it seemed as though he would not breathe at any time. His heart had nearly stopped countless times.
Wen Mingyu felt somehow helpless. He wasn’t lying and really felt relaxed after giving birth. Apart from some lingering pain, he was doing well. If not for the lack of strength in his body, he felt like he could get out of bed and walk two laps to prove to Mu Zhan to see.
Mu Zhan suddenly knelt on one knee at the bedside and lay down next to him.
Wen Mingyu hastily said, “I’m sweaty.”
Although the quilt and everything else had been replaced with clean ones, with his current condition, he couldn’t bathe yet. Sweat still clung to his body. He felt uncomfortable, feeling a bit dirty and smelly.
But Mu Zhan unusually insisted, still lying down anyway. He would have liked to embrace Wen Mingyu, but worrying that he would be hurt, he hesitated, his hand reaching out only to retract again.
Wen Mingyu saw this and gently took Mu Zhan’s hand, placing it on his waist. He smiled softly and reassured him, “This is fine. I don’t hurt anymore.”
It was at this point that a faint, shallow arc appeared at the corner of Mu Zhan’s lips, which quickly disappeared again. He gingerly leaned closer, his chin lightly brushing his face as he clung to him like a big, insecure dog desperately seeking comfort from its master.
Wen Mingyu put his arms around Mu Zhan’s arm in return and released his pheromones, letting the sweet, fruity scent blend with the smell of rich liquor.
Like this, the two of them finally felt at ease. They couldn’t help but close their eyes due to the exhaustion.
Just as they were about to drift off, a sudden thought flashed through Wen Mingyu’s mind. As of…he had forgotten to look at the babies?
As soon as the thought came to him, Wen Mingyu immediately became alert, and his body unconsciously moved.
“What’s wrong?”
“I haven’t seen the babies yet.”
Mu Zhan and Wen Mingyu’s voices sounded almost simultaneously. It was only then that Mu Zhan also seemed to remember that he had just become a father of two children. He got up and wanted someone to bring the children over, and it was at this exact moment that the voice of the midwife rang through the screen, informing them that it was time for the first breastfeeding.
Mu Zhan then allowed them to enter.
ChiFu: Yay! Mu Zhan’s reaction was so funny haha. I heard of stories where dads paled, gagged, or fainted because they couldn’t take the scene before them. Imagining the dragon fainting makes my day XD