The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 56

Zhong Zheng Lin has been anxiously waiting outside. The painful cries of Mu Xi Yao rang in his ears for already two hours. Just as he was about to let the imperial physician think of a way to help her in childbirth, he suddenly heard a disruption and miscellaneous noises coming from the inside, mixed with the little woman’s vigorous and furious berating.

Immediately, Zhong Zheng Lin raised the hem of his robe and stepped forward, about to go in and see the bottom of the matter. How dare they! Could it be that some servant didn’t attend properly and made the little woman angry at such a critical moment?

The chief steward, seeing that his Highness was going to lift the curtain and burst in, hastily rushed to stop him, kept saying that he mustn’t do so.

Zhong Zheng Lin was impatient. As he was about to push the person away, he saw a momo whose forehead was drenched with sweat rush out, updating him quickly about Mu cefei’s situation.

Learning that there was no incident inside, just that the little woman lost her temper and delayed childbirth, Zhong Zheng Lin was so angry his chest rose and fell quickly. He slammed his fist down on the table at the side, making the teacup on it bounce as a result. 

The sixth Highness was overcome with fury. He has clearly instructed her gently, yet she has, in a blink of an eye, forgot about it completely.

Since appeasing was useless, he narrowed his eyes, he might as well change a method. He indeed cannot be lenient in handling Mu Xi Yao this woman.

The man’s clear and firm voice sounded. He warned sternly the one inside, “Cefei of Mu House. If you dare to make a fuss again, you shall be put under house arrest for half a year after the childbirth. Touring the lake in suburbs of the capital will be canceled!” 

Zhong Zheng Lin was very firm in his decision this time. He used her most disdained house arrest and the recreation she longed for a long time to threaten her. 

Zhong Zheng Lin was too angered. He had never heard of any child birthing woman act this way, that he had to rely on threats to make her do what she’s told. 

After a moment of silence, a woman’s penetrating yell rang from the inside, “Zhong Zheng Lin, you jerk!” Her voice was full of vigor and very steady. 

Subsequently, she has, to one’s surprise, calmed down. Evidently, the previous warning took effect. 

Seeing that Mu Xi Yao was put under a control, Zhong Zheng Lin secretly let out a sigh of relief. 

Women giving birth was like crossing the gates of Hell¹. There was no room for her to being difficult. Nowadays, he kind of understood a bit better the way how to handle her.  One could only suppress that woman’s temper. Otherwise, she would climb all over you².

As for that “jerk”? The corners of Zhong Zheng Lin’s mouth hooked up. He snorted softly. He had more scores to settle with her! On the contrary, he didn’t feel unwell with the fact that Mu Xi Yao has committed a taboo by calling his name. His expression remained unreadable.

The two crossed swords without the care of the people around who were scared to death by them.  

Outside, the imperial physician’s sweat poured down like a rain. In his ear still echoed cefei’s “jerk”. He stood there with a blank expression, obviously being terrified to the extreme. 

This sixth Highness’s estate was just too frightening. Cefei was so shrewish, yet his Highness was no better. 

It was the most common childbearing. Even so, they still went through numerous twists and turns, scaring people till their hearts trembled. The many offenses and taboos in those words, it was unusual that his Highness didn’t flare out on the spot. 

The chief steward Tian Fu Shan longed to bury himself. His Highness was currently too busy to heed them. However, if in the future his Highness came to his sense and recalled this incident, they would likely have to suffer. 

People attending inside were pale, the sweat drenched their lapels. 

During the childbirth, cefei was so muddle-headed she dared to even speak out such words!

One wondered, how would his Highness punish this outrageous mistress later. They also won’t fare well. That being the case, the most dependable thing, for now, was to give birth to a son. They hoped that his Highness, in the temporary moment of happiness, would forget about this matter.

Using the courage from the anger, Mu Xi Yao screamed for the last time. Since she lost the previous boldness, and was also lectured and threatened by Zhong Zheng Lin, she could only lie back on the bed and obediently continue with labor.

Hence, Mo Lan and Hui Lan could finally let out a sigh of relief. Bumping into such a master was just too worrisome.

Another half an hour has passed. Suddenly, a baby’s ear splitting weeping sounded from the delivery room.

Mu Xi Yao felt her lower body relax. Hearing the child’s first cry, unable to bear anymore, she passed out from the exhaustion.

Outside, Zhong Zheng Lin squeezed tightly the back of the chair with one hand. He stood there with brows knitted into a frown. Abruptly, he heard an infant’s weeping and servants’ congratulations. He immediately corrected his standing posture and fixed his gaze on the door to the room without batting an eyelid.

Zhao momo lifted the curtain of the hanging screen and came out. Her face was beaming with smiles. She kept congratulating Zhong Zheng Lin, saying that both mother and child were well. Zhong Zheng Lin could finally let down his worries he has harbored for half a day.

His gaze fell on the bundle cradled in Zhao momo’s arms. He reached out. Stiffly yet carefully he took the baby to hold him in his bosom, looking attentively at the infant.

The child was very healthy. At the moment, he was crying loudly. His voice was clear and full of vigor. The wrinkles on his face were very shallow. He was quite chubby. One could tell he was sturdy. Zhong Zheng Lin softly patted the child, after which the child slowly quietened, pouted its lips, arched a little his little head and stopped making fuss.

Zhong Zheng Lin watching his son who was only a tiny bit and whose facial features were quite similar to his felt his heart became very soft. The joy of being the first time father was all displayed on his face which bared a smile that rarely appeared in front of the people. 

As Zhao momo watched his Highness’s face lit up with joy, she sighed inwardly that the two were indeed connected by blood. A person as indifferent as his Highness also had a tender side. She softly said that the child could not bear the wind and took the child and carried it back to the delivery room.

Zhong Zheng Lin clenched hands that have just held his son. He was very content inside. He finally had a son born from her. More so, the estate’s firstborn son. It could be considered as a satisfactory result.

He had Tian Fu Shan reward everyone. Subsequently, he attentively instructed him to look carefully after cefei and little master. Only then he could be at ease and return to the main house to freshen up and take a rest. The sixth Highness has ridden a horse consecutively for two days. Afterward, he had watched over cefei for half a night, waiting til till Mu Xi Yao has smoothly given birth before he could let out a sigh of relief.

When consort Shu woke up in the morning, she’s received the good news. She was taken aback by both the surprise and joy. A smile could be seen on her face for the entire day. She kept praising that lady Mu lived up to her expectation and did a great job. More so, Yuancheng Emperor laughed heartily while praising good. He promised that he will visit at newborn’s bathing ceremony³.

The imperial princes who have received the news were immediately dissatisfied. How come the old man⁴ cares only about the sixth’s firstborn son? What’s more, he wants to make a visit in person. This is a good fortune that even the crown prince’s firsborn son hasn’t enjoyed. Could it be that firstborn son born of lady Mu could transcend the crown prince’s firstborn son? For a moment, they all kept speculating about the old man’s intention.

Yuancheng Emperor was sincerely concerned about Zhong Zheng Lin’s offspring. Nowadays, his dream has finally been realized. Engulfed momentarily by cheerful mood, he naturally needed to go and take a look at this imperial grandson of his whom he has hoped for for such a long time.

Using the pretext of the bathing ceremony, he will probe a little that pack of servants. Those capable ones, he ought to place on suitable  positions  earlier on as a preparation for the Northwest war next year.

When Mu Xi Yao woke up, it was already the afternoon of the second day. When she opened lids, she saw Zhong Zheng Lin sitting at the side, resting with eyes closed. Beside the bed was a baby cradle she has specially ordered people to make. She didn’t see the child, only Zhong Zheng Lin’s big hand that was holding onto it. 

“Are you awake?” Zhong Zheng Lin heard Mu Xi Yao’s movement. As soon as he opened the eyes he has spotted the joy and tenderness inside her pupils. 

“Your Highness.” Mu Xi Yao’s voice was a bit hoarse. The corners of her mouth raised up as she watched the man’s focused gaze. 

She didn’t feel uncomfortable about raising children together with such a man. At least, in an era like Great Wei, having a husband who could be considerate of her and care for her was already a rare thing. There were so many noblewomen who couldn’t obtain the man’s favor for their whole lifetime, withering away and live an empty life. What a sorrowful fate it was. 

Zhong Zheng Lin gently helped up Mu Xi Yao up and called people to come in, attending her in freshening up. Afterward, he fed her lukewarm water and fish soup before carrying over the baby to let her have a look. /before showing her the baby. 

“A son or a daughter?” She fussed too much and didn’t know anything after she passed out.  

Zhong Zheng Lin looked at her with a smile, “Naturally a son.” 

This woman was confident it would be a daughter. All the objects she made were thus either pink or light yellow. In addition, she didn’t like to listen to his admonishes. Well, now he will see how she will sort things out. 

Mu Xi Yao stared at the tightly wrapped bundle with a dumbfounded expression. She pulled a long face. Empiricism kills people!

Why didn’t she think about it? She had favor as soon as she entered the estate, soon after she was pregnant with child. Can this be compared with her previous lifetime? 

Mu Xi Yao very carefully took the bundle. She attentively seized up the chubby boy in her arms, only to feel he looked completely like Zhong Zheng Lin. She pouted, dissatisfied. Why did she have to carry a child in the womb for ten months, bear all the hardships, yet the son whom she gave birth to had to look so much like Zhong Zheng Lin? 

“Why the child looks so much like your Highness, yet there’s no resemblance with qie?” Mu Xi Yao looked at Zhong Zheng Lin aggrievedly. Her beautiful eyes were watery, appearing very pitiful. 

The sixth Highness’s face twitched. Which woman wasn’t ecstatic because the child she gave birth to looked more like the father, and thus she received more favor? Only she needed to compete for superiority in such matter. How aggravating. 

Taking into consideration that she has gone through a difficult labor and also helpless, he could only console her, “Our son’s earlobe is mellow and full, resembles you.” 

Translation notes: 

[1]Like crossing the gates of Hell means you’re in a situation where you’re close to death

[2] Climb all over somebody means fig. to take advantage of sb’s weakness 

[3] Bathing Ceremony was a very important ceremony for newborns in ancient China. Mainly after the third day of birth of baby, family and friends would get together to hold a bathing ceremony for baby. For one meaning is to wash dirty and relieve disaster; the second is to pray for good luck.

[4] Old man in this context means respectable and polite appellation for an elderly male (couldn’t find English equation to this word

 Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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