Page 388

Xiao Jinyan laughed, "You worked hard tonight, get some rest first."

Shen Chuwei only fell back to sleep with peace of mind after checking on the baby.

Fengyi Palace

The Emperor tossed and turned unable to sleep; the reason was he hadn’t seen his grandson and granddaughter.

He turned over, wrapping his arms around the Empress’s waist, and couldn’t help but ask, "Lingling, are the grandson and granddaughter fun?"

The Empress, who had just drifted off to sleep, was woken up and was extremely annoyed, "They are incredibly adorable."

The Emperor also felt the grandson and granddaughter must be very cute; he couldn’t help but ask again, "Lingling, who does the granddaughter resemble?"

There’s no need to guess about the grandson; he surely looks like the Crown Prince.

He had seen the Crown Prince as a child, so he wasn’t curious.

With her eyes closed, the Empress replied carelessly, "She looks like Lady Shen."

She hummed in her heart; they’re so small, how can you tell who they look like?

Using the appearance of Lady Shen as a guide, the Emperor imagined his granddaughter’s face and felt she must be extremely cute, possibly even cuter than Yuyu was as a baby.

"Lingling, you say about the granddaughter..."

The utterly exhausted Empress finally couldn’t stand it any longer, "Your Majesty, this concubine is dead tired; can the rest of the conversation wait until tomorrow?"

The Emperor patted the Empress’s shoulder in a soothing manner, "Then let’s talk tomorrow. Let’s talk tomorrow."

The next morning, Shen Chuwei was woken up by the loud cries of the two babies.

Shen Chuwei, groggy from sleep and hearing the wailing, reluctantly opened her eyes and saw Xiao Jinyan and Chun Xi each holding a baby to console them.

"What’s wrong?"

Xiao Jinyan, holding his daughter, came beside Shen Chuwei and said while comforting her, "This palace doesn’t know why, but the daughter is crying fiercely."

Shen Chuwei, seeing her daughter crying so pitifully, firmly decided, "My daughter must be hungry, right?"

Xiao Jinyan suddenly realized, "Right, find the wet nurse."

The wet nurse had been selected in advance; they were all young women, strictly chosen for their good health in all areas.

Upon learning the son and daughter were hungry, they prompted the wet nurses to come and take the children away to breastfeed.

The breastfeeding spot was just in the Side Hall, a wall’s distance away.

Gradually, the children’s cries stopped, and suddenly the hall quieted down.

Shen Chuwei had her morning meal, having slept for so long, she had also recovered quite a bit of her strength.

Even though Shen Chuwei herself was skilled in medicine, Xiao Jinyan still summoned Imperial Doctor Wen to take her pulse and help regulate her body.

Pregnant women who give birth are weakened in both qi and blood; they need replenishment to recover their vitality.

When Concubine Xu and Lady Tao arrived, the two little ones had already had their fill and gone back to sleep.

"Lady Shen, you almost scared me to death yesterday." Concubine Xu took Shen Chuwei’s hand and whispered close to her ear, "Giving birth is too terrifying; I shall never have children."

Shen Chuwei, thinking back to last night’s birthing scene, originally wanted to give herself an epidural, but the contractions were too overpowering, and there was no one to help her.

The agony of it all, just—

"It is terrifying, but after it’s over, it’s over."

"I can’t get through that kind of ordeal; I’d rather not get married at all." Concubine Xu had already made up her mind; once she had enough of staying in the East Palace, she’d return home, since she hadn’t shared the Emperor’s bed anyway.

As for marriage and having children—just thinking about Shen Chuwei’s heart-wrenching screams terrified her greatly.

Lady Tao said, "Stop it, I’m scared too."

"I’m going to see the babies." Concubine Xu stood up, walked to the crib, and looked down at the little ones inside.

Lady Tao followed and, looking at the two babies, said with a smile, "Yesterday we were still wondering why you hadn’t gone into labor, and in just one night, they were born."

Concubine Xu slid her handkerchief into her sleeve pocket and carefully picked up one, cradling it gently.

"They are too small, you can’t even play with them."

Seeing Concubine Xu holding one baby, Lady Tao felt an irresistible urge and carefully picked up the other one.

At that moment, the shrill voice of Steward Ren came from outside, "The Empress arrives."

Upon hearing of the Empress’s arrival, Concubine Xu and Lady Tao hurriedly put the babies back in the crib, then stepped forward to greet her.

"Greetings to the Empress, may you enjoy peace and happiness."

"Rise." The Empress went first to the bedside of Shen Chuwei, who was awake, and asked with a gentle voice, "How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"

Shen Chuwei told the truth, "I feel so weak, and it still hurts even now."

"Just lie down and don’t sit; it’s not good for your back," the Empress said as she helped her lie back down.

After giving a few instructions, the Empress then went to see her precious grandson and granddaughter.

Concubine Xu and Lady Tao stood by, watching.

One of the babies, who was originally sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes as if curious about why the adults were staring at her.

In a display of curiosity, she opened her mouth and let out a cry with a loud "wah."

Upon hearing the baby’s cry, the Empress, with a pained heart, picked up the granddaughter, soothing her and asking, "Precious one, what’s wrong? Are you hungry?"

Chun Xi reminded, "Empress, the wet nurse has just fed her."

As the Empress saw the little one crying so heartbreakingly, her heart ached, "Then why is the treasure crying?"

Meanwhile, at Jinluan Hall

At this moment, the Emperor was eagerly longing to visit his grandson and granddaughter, but he was stuck with these ministers who were endlessly debating, one after another, leaving him no chance to interject.

Usually, when he asked them for ideas and strategies, they had nothing to say.

Today, it was just because of a minor issue that the officials couldn’t stop arguing.

The Emperor watched the two spit-flying officials before him and, seizing their moment to catch their breath, immediately interjected, "Enough, let’s discuss this issue later."

"Your Majesty," one persisted, "this cannot be delayed; harsh punishment must be meted out."

"Your Majesty," another said, "this servant feels this issue does not warrant such a drastic response."

The debate was reignited before they could say much more.

The Emperor, feeling a headache coming on, angrily slammed his hand on the imperial desk, "You all, come back to me after you’ve reached a consensus. Court is dismissed!"

Without giving them any further opportunity to speak, he stood up and left.