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Shen Chuwei bit into it and realized it was chocolate, so she indulged in a few more pieces.

When the Emperor set foot in the Hehuan Hall, he heard the loud cries of an infant. Striding in, he saw the Crown Prince looking as tense as he himself had been years ago, waiting outside while the Empress gave birth to the Crown Prince.

"Is it a grandson or a granddaughter?"

Xiao Jinyan, hearing the familiar voice, turned to see the Emperor standing beside him. He hadn’t expected his father to come.

He was so nervous just now that he hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.

"Reporting to Father, it’s a grandson."

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, "A grandson is good as well."

At that moment, another cry rang out across the East Palace, louder than before, as if someone had snatched her candy and she was wailing with all her might.

The Emperor heard the crying again and felt puzzled. Hadn’t the baby just cried? Why was there another bout of crying?

Xiao Jinyan silently exhaled in relief. Both babies had finally been born safely.

Inside the room at that time, Shen Chuwei used up the last of her energy and then fainted.

The midwife checked the gender of the baby, and seeing it was a girl, was even more excited than before. In all her years as a midwife, she had never helped deliver boy and girl twins.

"Congratulations to the Empress, it’s a granddaughter, a dragon and phoenix!

The blessings are double now for Your Majesty!"

The Empress, who was wiping sweat off Shen Chuwei’s forehead, heard the midwife’s words and took a while to comprehend.

"You’re saying boy and girl twins? This one is a granddaughter?"

"Absolutely certain, Your Ladyship. Just look."

The midwife eagerly brought the baby to the Empress.

The Empress looked down and was shocked into silence. She suddenly had both a grandson and a granddaughter?

When Chun Xi learned it was boy and girl twins, she was even more excited than before. She flung open the door, ran out, and bowed to the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, the young master has given birth to another princess. It’s double happiness with the dragon and phoenix."

Xiao Jinyan was stunned. He had been praying for boy and girl twins, but to think it really happened. He smiled suddenly. Now he had a reason to confirm Lady Nine as the Crown Princess.

The Emperor had been clueless from the beginning that Lady Shen Chuwei was carrying twins. Now suddenly hearing of the double joy of boy and girl twins, he was taken aback for a long while.

He had a granddaughter?

While the Emperor was still astonished, Xiao Jinyan couldn’t wait to stride to the door and forcefully pushed it open to enter.

Inside, charcoal was burned, making it much warmer than outside.

Besides that, there was a strong smell of blood.

Xiao Jinyan, who had been on battlefields, was more sensitive to the scent of blood than anyone.

After entering, Xiao Jinyan closed the door.

The midwife was startled to see His Highness the Crown Prince enter, "Your Highness, you cannot come in now, we haven’t tidied up yet."

Xiao Jinyan paid no attention to the midwife’s words as he strode to the bedside.

Seeing the Crown Prince enter, the Empress gestured to the midwife, "Tidy up and leave. You may collect your reward afterwards."

"Thank you, Empress," said the three midwives after they had cleaned up and left.

The Empress looked at the grandchildren who, having cried a few times after being born, were now peacefully asleep with their eyes shut.

Although just born and their little faces wrinkled, their skin was fair and clear, and they looked quite lovely.

The Empress, watching the two babies, found it hard to leave.

Considering it was late, she decided to return first thing in the morning.

The Empress opened the door and saw the Emperor standing there, surprised at first. She hadn’t expected the Emperor to come, and that’s why she was startled.

The Emperor, actually wanting to see his grandchildren, was about to knock when the door opened and he saw the Empress. He smiled.

"Empress, Lady Shen gave birth to boy and girl twins, didn’t she?"

The Empress gave the Emperor a disdainful look, wasn’t this asking the obvious?

Chun Xi had announced the news so loudly, how could the Emperor have missed it?

The Empress offered a politely restrained smile, "Indeed, I am now blessed with both a grandson and a granddaughter; I’m very happy."

The Emperor had heard clearly but was simply finding an excuse to speak with the Empress intentionally.

He looked expectantly towards the room, "Empress, bring the grandchildren out for me to see."

"Your Majesty, the night is so cold. What if they catch a chill? They are so small; they cannot withstand the chilly night wind," the Empress huffed. To see the grandchildren? Wishful thinking!

The Emperor, eager to see the grandchildren, had overlooked the fact that it was late at night, with the frost cold and the dew heavy. Adults could easily catch a chill, let alone infants.

"The Empress is right; I was thoughtless. Then let me just take a quick look inside."

The Empress firmly stopped the Emperor from entering, "Lady Shen is exhausted from the whole night, and she and the babies have just settled down. The Crown Prince is currently inside; would it really be appropriate for Your Majesty to enter?"

The Emperor paused, his gaze drifting over the Empress’s shoulder into the room. It was quiet inside, indicating that the grandchildren were asleep.

He then turned his gaze back to the Empress, "You make a fair point, Your Ladyship. I shall return tomorrow to visit."

The Empress huffed softly, decided not to let him visit tomorrow and to let him be self-important!

The Emperor reluctantly returned to Fengyi Palace with the Empress.

Lady Xu and Lady Tao also desired to see Shen Chuwei and the adorable babies.

Seeing even the Emperor couldn’t enter, they decided to withdraw for the time being.

As they left, they saw Concubine Xue. Lady Xu scoffed, flipping her handkerchief and adjusting her hairpin, "Concubine Xue has come too. Lady Shen has given birth to boy and girl twins. Such an occurrence has never happened before in the Royal Family; this is the first time."

Concubine Xue was quite upset about Lady Shen having boy and girl twins, mostly out of jealousy. Boy and girl twins, really?

"So what? That’s Lady Shen’s good fortune, not yours. Why are you so smug?"

Lady Xu smiled smugly, "I am the godmother of those babies, of course I’m pleased. I’m not like someone, eaten up with envy."

Lady Tao understood Lady Xu’s temper all too well; she tended to instigate resentment in others.

"Lady Xu, let’s go back," she urged.