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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 111: The Dragon and Phoenix Omen
Inside the delivery room, six screens shielded a scene of controlled chaos. Gu Han gripped the bedding beneath her, her entire body rigid with pain. Seeing her state, an experienced midwife spoke up quickly:
"Your Ladyship’s water hasn't broken yet. Have them bring some food in from outside."
It wasn't even noon yet, and Gu Han hadn't had a chance to eat lunch. No one knew how long this labor would last; she needed to eat to maintain her strength.
"Can Your Ladyship endure it? Can you get up and walk around a bit?"
Gu Han was trembling so violently she felt as if her bones might shatter. Hearing the midwife’s suggestion felt like a bolt from the blue. She wanted nothing more than to faint and leave this world behind; where was she supposed to find the strength to walk?
Normally, Gu Han was the picture of calm, but in truth, she was as pampered as any other high-born lady in the harem. She had never known physical suffering. However, one sentence from the midwife made her grit her teeth and stand.
"Walking a few steps now will help shorten the labor time."
Gu Han said no more. Supported by Jiu Nian, she leaned into the maid’s arms, her legs shaking so hard they could barely hold her weight. Tears fell in silent rhythm with her pain as she circled the room.
Outside, Lu Yu heard the midwife's request and barked an order: "Prepare it immediately!"
When the food arrived, it wasn't sent straight in. It was first checked by Physician Shan, and only after he confirmed it was safe did Jiu Si personally carry it into the room. By then, Gu Han was drenched in sweat and utterly drained.
The midwife didn't waste words and had the maids feed her.
Gu Han had no appetite, but she forced herself to swallow. She would do anything—not just for the child, but for her own survival. She chewed and swallowed mechanically, unable to taste a thing.
The midwife breathed a sigh of relief. In their profession, the most terrifying thing was a mistress who refused to cooperate, screaming in pain and lashing out before it was time.
The pain wasn't a constant tide; it came in waves. Just as Gu Han would adjust to the agony, it would recede, only to return with even greater ferocity. She found herself wishing for a continuous, numbing pain instead of this agonizing cycle.
When the midwife finally let her lie back down, Gu Han covered her eyes with her hand and sobbed. Her mind was a buzzing hum of pure pain.
Standing just outside, Lu Yu heard her cries. He knew Gu Han didn't like to cry. Usually, when her eyes reddened in his presence, there was a calculated motive behind it. He had never heard her weep with such raw, unshielded distress. Those thin, fragile sobs tore at his heart.
When the Empress arrived, she saw him looking as though he wished he could step inside and endure the labor for her. It was a sight that made her heart sink. She hesitated for a moment before walking forward, catching a cold, sideways glance from Consort Shu.
Lu Yu heard her approach. When he turned to see her, his eyes darkened with a chilling, murderous intensity.
"The Empress is truly a master of calculation," he said, his voice ice-cold. He addressed her formally as "Empress," a sign of his growing distance.
The Empress had never faced the full force of his enmity. Even when he scolded or punished her, there had always been a trace of protection, even lifting up Consort Shu was often just a way to distract her. But now, looking into his eyes, she felt a sudden, terrifying realization:
‘For a split second, he looked as though he wanted her dead.’
The thought vanished as quickly as it came, but it left her stunned. Lu Yu turned his face away, his final look one of pure disgust.
The Empress stood frozen until a sharp scream erupted from the delivery room, followed by the midwives' voices: "It's broken! The water has broken!"
Startled back to reality, the Empress forced a smile and stepped closer. "Why does Your Majesty say such things?" she asked, referring to his earlier accusation.
But Lu Yu had no patience for her. "What you have done, you know best in your own heart!" he snapped. "If anything happens to Zhao Xiūróng today, I will not let this matter rest!"
His gaze lingered on her for a beat. Even without further words, his bottled rage was palpable. The Empress didn't doubt him for a second.
But this fury was reserved solely for her. When he looked back toward the delivery room, his eyes held nothing but frantic worry.
The Empress looked down. She had thought she no longer cared about his heart, but seeing him like this—so raw and vulnerable for another woman, was still a stinging blow.
Her maid, Mu Qiu, saw her mistress's distress and Lu Yu's mounting rage. She stepped forward to explain: "Your Majesty, this matter has nothing to do with the Empress—"
Before she could finish, a heavy kick landed squarely on her chest. Mu Qiu collapsed, trembling, the metallic taste of blood rising in her throat. She looked up in shock.
Lu Yu looked down at her, his eyes frigid. He was protecting the heir in Gu Han's womb; anyone who dared to provoke him now was walking into a hornets' nest.
The Empress hadn't expected him to resort to violence. Seeing Mu Qiu's pale, pained face, she cried out, "Your Majesty?!"
Mu Qiu had been with her since childhood. The bond was deeper than any other. The Empress's face turned cold as she leaned down to help her maid. "Before the matter is even investigated, Your Majesty has already decided I am at fault?"
"Shut up!"
Lu Yu almost laughed in his fury. She showed no remorse, yet she dared to question him for the sake of a servant. He pointed a finger at her. "Instead of worrying about your servant, you should reflect on what you have been doing lately!"
"If you do not want to sit on the throne of the Empress, there are plenty of people who do!"
The hall went deathly silent. The Empress’s mind went blank for a moment. When she came to, she looked up in disbelief.
The weight of those words settled over everyone. Even Consort Shu was stunned. Every person in the room held their breath, watching the confrontation between the Emperor and his Queen.
Mu Qiu, clutching her chest, wanted to beg for mercy, but she feared her voice would only stoke the fires of the Emperor's rage.
Lu Yu didn't care about the shockwaves he had caused. He watched the delivery room, glancing at the hourglass as the minutes ticked by.
Inside, Gu Han’s consciousness was drifting until the sounds of the Emperor’s fury outside jolted her awake. She heard his threat to the Empress and felt a strange sense of clarity return to her mind.
"My Lady! I can see the Prince's head!" the midwife cried. "Don't hold back now!"
The room was a blur of activity—servants carrying water, wiping sweat, checking Gu Han's vitals. Behind the screen, the physician waited. Jiu Nian was on her knees, praying to every god she knew.
Gu Han felt a final, tearing contraction that made her face go white. She let out one last, piercing scream. After the wave of agony passed, there was a sudden lightness—but only for a second. The pain in her abdomen didn't stop. It came back in renewed waves.
She was too dazed to understand, but the midwives were jubilant: "He's born! He's born! It's a Prince!"
The news reached the courtyard. Lu Yu finally exhaled. Liu An checked the hourglass, only an hour had passed. Compared to Lady Yu’s labor, this had been incredibly smooth.
But Liu An’s relief vanished when he heard Jiu Nian’s panicked voice from inside: "Why is the Mistress still screaming in pain?!"
Lu Yu’s heart leaped back into his throat. He took a step toward the room, but Liu An threw himself down and grabbed the Emperor's legs. "Your Majesty! You mustn't! The Lady cannot be exposed to the draft!"
Just as Lu Yu was about to kick him away, the midwife’s voice rang out:
"Your Majesty! Her Ladyship is carrying twins!"
There was joy in her voice, but also a hint of unspoken fear. The servants in the courtyard exchanged glances. In the imperial family, twins were not always considered a good omen.
Lu Yu froze. Inside, the midwives heard his low, gravelly voice: "I want both mother and children safe!"
The midwife took a breath and turned back to the task. Perhaps because the first child had paved the way, the second birth was smoother, though the physical toll on Gu Han was no less severe.
"My Lady, the little one is coming! One more push!"
Gu Han felt as though the world was nothing but noise. She gripped the bedsheets so hard the veins on the back of her hands bulged. She summoned every ounce of strength she had left. Then, she felt a sudden release, and her strength vanished. Her eyes lost focus, staring blankly at nothing.
"She’s born! She’s born! It’s a Princess! Congratulations, My Lady! A Dragon and Phoenix pair!"
Gu Han could no longer hear them. Only when the sound of the second infant's cry filled the room did her fingers, resting limply on the edge of the bed, give a slight twitch.
The doors were opened. Lu Yu tried to peer inside, but the screens still blocked his view. He refocused on the two bundles the midwives were carrying out.
The midwife knelt, her face beaming. "Congratulations, Your Majesty. Her Ladyship has given birth to a Dragon and Phoenix pair. Both mother and children are safe. She has now fallen asleep."
Hearing "safe" finally brought Lu Yu back to himself. He let out a long breath. "And Zhao Xiūróng?"
"Her Ladyship was exhausted and had lost consciousness," the midwife whispered.
Lu Yu frowned and looked at Physician Shan. "Go in and check on her at once!"
Since the midwife had come out, it meant the room had been cleaned. Lu Yu moved to follow the physician, but the midwife stopped him. "Your Majesty, will you not look at the little ones?"
Lu Yu paused. The midwife held up the little Princess for him to see. "The Princess was born second; she is a bit smaller and weaker than the Prince."
Seeing the Emperor’s frown, she added quickly, "But Her Ladyship was well-nourished during the pregnancy. The Princess has no deficiencies; she simply needs careful nurturing."
Lu Yu looked at the Princess—a red, wrinkled little creature, smaller than his two palms. She had just finished crying and was still hiccuping slightly, her eyes shut tight. She was, frankly, a bit ugly. The midwife, fearing he might be disappointed, said, "The Princess has Your Majesty's brow, but those eyes are exactly like Her Ladyship's. She will surely be a peerless beauty."
Lu Yu couldn't see it yet, but it didn't stop his heart from turning to mush. He reached out and took the bundle into his arms. A ripple of surprise went through the onlookers as he spoke:
"The Princess was not easily won; she is a Dragon and Phoenix auspicious omen. I am deeply pleased. I bestow upon her the title **Feng'an (凤安)**. May her life be one of smooth paths and lasting peace."
---
Author's Note:
Kunning Palace: Empress
Yi'an Palace: Consort Shu
Xianleng Palace: Imperial Consort De
Zhaoyang Palace → Main Hall: Xiuyi He
Zhaoyang Palace → Side Hall: Rong Baolin
Yihe Palace → Changchun Pavilion: Female Lead
Rongcui Hall: Beauty Miao
Cuizhu Pavilion: Beauty Lin
Changning Courtyard: Zhou Meiren
Hanleng Palace → (Main Hall transferred to Side Hall): Talented Lady Yuan
Also appearing: Noble Lady Lin, Liu Baolin
Here are the ranks of imperial consorts:
- Empress (皇后 Huánghoù) — Head of the Imperial Harem
- Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) — Rank 1
- Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort (贵妃、淑妃、德妃、贤妃 Guìfēi, Shūfēi, Défēi, Xiánfēi)** — Senior Rank 1 (The Four Consorts, with Noble Consort as the highest)
- Consort (妃 Fēi) — Junior Rank 2
- Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance (昭仪、昭容 Zhāoyí, Zhāoróng) — Senior Rank 3
- Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance (修仪、修容 Xiūyí, Xiūróng) — Junior Rank 3
- Noble Lady (贵嫔 Guìpín) — Senior Rank 4
- Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín) — Junior Rank 4
- Beauty (美人 Měirén) — Senior Rank 5
- Talented Lady (才人 Cáirén) — Junior Rank 5
- Precious Grove (宝林 Bǎolín) — Senior Rank 6
- Imperial Woman (御女 Yùnǚ) — Junior Rank 6
- Palace Maid (宫女子 Gōngnǚzǐ) — Senior Rank 7
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