Chapter 691: Giving Birth

Editor: Atlas Studios

Fan Zijin couldn’t throw a tantrum at Little Madam Xia and could only keep a grumpy face outside. After knowing that Mu Yangling and Little Madam Xia had sent Princess Dali away, he only snorted coldly to express his understanding and didn’t appear personally.

Qi Haoran was still in the military camp, so the officials of Ju Prefecture used Fan Zijin as a benchmark. Seeing that he did not appear, those officials who’d wanted to appear immediately changed their mind and only asked their family members to send them off.

The officials did not think that Fan Zijin was deliberately neglecting Princess Dali. They only thought that he was deliberately keeping a distance from Duan Yuqing since she was about to become the Emperor’s concubine.

The highest-ranking magistrate in Ju Prefecture was a fourth-grade magistrate. Although the officials below wanted to curry favor with Duan Yuqing, the future Consort Xian, they did not dare to make it too obvious. After all, Mu Yangling and Little Madam Xia were there.

Especially Mu Yangling. It was said that she had a good relationship with the Empress. No one dared to please Consort Xian, lest they offended the Empress.

Therefore, this time, they kept a low profile. A group of women sent the Dali Princess and her guards out of the city.

However, it was also very grand. As it was only women, the carriages occupied the entire five-kilometer-long street. When Mu Yangling sent Princess Dali off and turned around to take a look, she was shocked to see that the street was filled with carriages and heads. It was even grander than the head of a country going on a trip.

The corners of Mu Yangling’s mouth twitched. “Our Ju Prefecture has so many officials?”

Spring said with a smile, “Your Highness, you don’t know, but all the state and county officials under Ju Prefecture have also come to join in the fun. Although they can’t follow us here, they’re already satisfied with just taking a look from outside.”

“What can they see amidst the sea of human heads?” Mu Yangling turned around and looked for Little Madam Xia. She held her hand and said, “Come ride with me in the same carriage.”

A little tired after standing for the entire morning, Little Madam Xia couldn’t be bothered to walk over and she nodded. “Okay.”

Mu Yangling helped her into the carriage. Seeing that her hands were trembling slightly and her forehead was covered in sweat, she frowned. After getting into the carriage, she wiped her sweat with a handkerchief and asked, “Are you still eating the medicinal cuisine prescribed by Imperial Physician Wang?”

Little Madam Xia nodded. “I’ve been eating. Recently, the baby has become much more obedient and I don’t feel much discomfort anymore.”

“Then why are you still sweating? I saw that your limbs were trembling after standing for only two hours.” How could she give birth like this?

Little Madam Xia said nonchalantly, “Isn’t that par for the course for pregnant women? In addition, my health isn’t good to begin with.”

Mu Yangling was silent. When she returned, she found Imperial Physician Wang and asked about Little Madam Xia’s health.

Imperial Physician Wang thought for a moment and said, “Your Highness, although Madam’s body is weak, it’s not to that extent. I once suggested letting Madam take a walk in the garden more often, but her fetal qi has always been unstable, so she’s very afraid of walking outside. She’s always either lying down or sitting. With her sudden exhaustion, it’s inevitable that she sweats a little.”

Mu Yangling nodded slightly. “Thank you, Imperial Physician Wang. Please prescribe a few more suitable medicinal cuisines for her. I’ll have to trouble you when we return to the capital this time.”

After Imperial Physician Wang left, Mu Yangling asked someone to invite Nanny Xia over and asked her about Little Madam Xia’s schedule in detail. Nanny Xia didn’t hide it from Mu Yangling. After chatting for a while, Nanny Xia also knew Mu Yangling’s worry. Sighing, she said, “Like Your Highness, I am also very worried. However, our Madam has a weak personality and the fetus has always been unstable. Thus she worries about walking outside. Seeing her like that, I was also worried that she would lose her footing and fall, so I didn’t dare to force her to go out. In the past, when Princess Duan was around, our Madam would always come in a palanquin and ask someone to carry her directly to the door. She could still walk a few steps inside. Now that Princess Duan has left, our Madam is even more unwilling to move.”

Mu Yangling had the same concerns back when she was pregnant with Little Bear. She would walk very carefully step by step, afraid that she would alarm the baby in her stomach.

Mu Yangling thought for a moment and said, “Let me think of a way. You can go back first. Don’t persuade her too harshly, lest she gets annoyed and becomes even more reluctant to move around. Since she’s only five months into her pregnancy, it’s still relatively early.”

Nanny Xia nodded.

Mu Yangling asked Fan Zijin if Little Madam Xia had to enter the capital. “She’s not in good health and can’t tolerate a bumpy journey. However, if she stays here while we all enter the capital, I’m afraid that there won’t be anyone here to take charge when she gives birth.”

Fan Zijin said calmly, “She’ll enter the capital. I’ll make some arrangements. When the time comes, you guys can set off early. Take your time on the road. We’ll just follow behind.”

Mu Yangling knew what to do. The next day, she went to look for Little Madam Xia and said to her directly, “Since Cousin is worried about you staying in Ju Prefecture alone, I have to bring you along. However, although your pregnancy has stabilized, your health is still very poor, becoming tired after standing for merely two hours. How are you going to travel in such a state? Therefore, Cousin asked me to take care of you. Now, you have to adapt in advance and focus on recuperating. We’ll travel slowly.” After saying that, she whispered into her ear, “I see that Cousin’s heart aches for you. He’d rather we go late than tire you out.”

Blushing, Little Madam Xia pushed her. “You can’t say that. If the imperial censor finds out, Master will be impeached.”

Mu Yangling said with a smile, “It’s just a private conversation between the two of us. How would the imperial censor know? Don’t tell me you’ll tell the imperial censor?”

“Nonsense.” Little Madam Xia glared at her and asked after some thought, “Then what should I do?”

“I’ve already arranged everything. Imperial Physician Wang prescribed a few new medicinal cuisines for you. Eat them according to the prescription first. I’ll pick you up every morning and bring you to the courtyard to take a walk. We’ll leave after I’ve packed my luggage.”

Little Madam Xia nodded, indicating that she would follow Mu Yangling’s arrangements.

Early the next morning, Mu Yangling brought Little Bear over to look for Little Madam Xia. The three of them took a walk in the garden after breakfast. After walking for about 15 minutes, Mu Yangling would stop to rest. After doing this twice, Little Bear unhappily broke free from Mu Yangling’s hand and rushed out to have fun on his own.

Little Madam Xia said enviously, “Little Bear is in such great health. I wonder what the one in my stomach will be like.”

“Seeing as he’s so active, I’m sure he’ll be in great health too.”

Little Madam Xia smiled and held Mu Yangling’s hand. “Ah Ling, I have a request.”

“Tell me.”

“I heard that one will be blessed with a baby boy if she places the clothes of a boy with good fortune under her pillow. I want to borrow some of the clothes Little Bear wore when he was younger.” Little Madam Xia touched her stomach and said sadly, “Judging from my sharp stomach, they all say that I’m carrying a baby girl. I’ve asked Nanny Xia. Although Nanny Xia initially assured that this baby must be a boy, she later said that it might be better if the flower blooms first before bearing fruit later. It’s not that I don’t like girls. A daughter is a mother’s darling and she’d also be my own flesh and blood. How can I not dote on my daughter? But I still want a boy first. I’ve been married to your cousin for three years. For all that pressure that he endured on my behalf, I should give birth to a son for him.”

Mu Yangling was silent for a moment before asking, “Is it too late to do the pillow thing now?”

Little Madam Xia smiled and said, “Gives me more hope.”

“Alright, I’ll pack it up for you when I get back.”

Chapter end