Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 440 Meng Shu Gives Birth (2)

The long nights in the palace are always harder to endure than anywhere else.

Behind the tightly closed doors of Lingcui Palace, a new beginning is brewing. Some are calculating and waiting for the outcome, while others are worried and hoping for peace.

The news of Meng Shu's impending childbirth was like a pebble, creating ripples in the recently calmed imperial harem.

That night, not only did Consort Chun, who was in the imperial palace, toss and turn and couldn't sleep, but all the concubines in the harem also didn't get a good night's rest.

As the Empress, she naturally had to go and visit him after receiving the message.

Upon hearing the news, Consort Qi grabbed a moon-white cloak and wrapped it around herself before leaving Dieqiong Pavilion with Huajin. On the way, she happened to meet Yun Baolin, who was also on her way, and the two went together to Lingcui Palace.

A while later, the head maid of Cining Palace and Consort Qu arrived one after the other.

Apart from the Empress, they all followed the rules and waited in the front hall, not daring to go to the rear hall, Cuiyu Hall.

Inside the delivery room.

Meng Shu endured wave after wave of sharp, stinging pain. The plain silk nightgown that Green Willow had just changed her into was soon soaked with sweat again.

She was in a daze, her vision blurred, and she felt all her strength being drained away by the pain.

At this moment, only Green Willow remained by his side; Winter Melon must have gone to the small kitchen to fetch the ginseng soup. Bright Moon hadn't closed his eyes for the past two days; since returning from reporting the news at Funing Palace, he had been keeping watch in the outer room, coordinating matters.

Of all the people in Lingcui Palace, only these three could truly be entrusted with Meng Shu's life.

New moxa wool was added to the bronze incense burner, and wisps of warm smoke drifted out, instantly filling the room with a humid and hot atmosphere.

The voices of the two midwives rose and fell, mingling with the crisp sound of copper basins colliding as they changed water, making one's eardrums ache.

The cork that Meng Shu was biting cracked, and even though she was usually calm, she was now being tormented by the endless pain and her mind was scattered. She just hoped that this torment would end soon.

An hour felt like half a day.

"Your Highness, would you like another sip of ginseng soup?"

Green Willow knelt by the bed and carefully brought the rim of the bowl to Meng Shu's lips. The labor pains were intense; Meng Shu's knuckles were white as she gripped the quilt. She forced herself to drink two sips.

Donggua used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and then gently massaged her waist as instructed by the nanny. "Your Highness, don't worry, hold your breath. The imperial physicians and the nannies all say the baby is in the correct position, it's just that the first pregnancy is bound to be a bit difficult..."

Help me up.

Meng Shu's lips were tightly pursed. Perhaps the ginseng soup was working, because a faint tinge of color finally appeared on her pale cheeks.

The two midwives turned pale upon hearing this.

The older one said urgently, "Your Highness, you mustn't! This is the time to conserve your energy, how can you get up?"

"Lying down for too long makes my body feel heavy and I can't muster any strength," Meng Shu said, already bracing herself on the edge of the bed with her elbows, her soaked undergarment clinging to her swollen belly. "Green willows, bright moon—"

Mingyue, who was outside, had been listening intently to the noise. Upon hearing it, she immediately lifted the curtain and rushed in, taking Green Willow's arms on either side of her.

Neither of them dared to use brute force. They simply followed Meng Shu's strength and slowly helped her into a half-sitting position, then helped her up little by little. Dong Gua carefully protected her from the side, and the master and servants moved slowly in the delivery room to assist with the birth.

Outside the Cuiyu Hall.

The palace servants and eunuchs in front of the emperor carried ram's horn lanterns, casting shadows of the emperor and empress that appeared to be sometimes long and sometimes short.

The emperor paced back and forth in the corridor unconsciously, his hands clenched into fists behind his back, and his usually expressionless face showed a rare hint of anxiety.

Fifteen minutes later, Xia'er, who was waiting at the door of the delivery room, gently lifted the curtain and leaned out.

The Emperor immediately stopped in his tracks, and the Empress asked anxiously, "How is it inside? Is Consort Jin alright?"

Xia'er curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, Donggua just brought in a bowl of ginseng soup, and Your Majesty forced herself to drink half of it. The midwives said that although Your Majesty is very tired, she is still clear-headed."

The Emperor hummed in agreement, his fingertips tracing the jade pendant at his waist, and asked again, "Is she... in a lot of pain?"

The Empress was taken aback upon hearing this.

Xia'er quickly curtsied and said, "Green Willow and Winter Melon Bright Moon are with Your Majesty in the delivery room. They may be a little tired, but Your Majesty has not uttered a single cry of pain."

The emperor said nothing more and turned to pace back to his seat.

The night breeze blew through the corridor, causing the palace lanterns to flicker.

He gazed at the candlelight streaming into the delivery room, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice hoarse: "Tell Green Willow and Winter Melon to keep her company and talk to her more, so that Consort Jin doesn't feel lonely."

"Yes." Xia'er responded and withdrew. Just as she was about to go inside, she heard the Emperor's voice behind her: "If she asks about me, tell her that I have been waiting here all along."

Jingming stood to the side with his head down, only daring to steal glances at the emperor pacing back and forth out of the corner of his eye.

Even the Empress, skilled at disguise, gasped sharply as her chest heaved. Zhixue quickly stepped forward, seemingly adjusting her cloak, but actually gently pressing her arm with her fingertips as a silent reminder.

Just then, Dong Ming rushed over to report: "Your Majesty, Consort Chun's maid, Aunt Mei, has arrived outside the Yanxi Gate..."

The emperor looked up at the sky.

As the first hint of dawn appeared in the east, estimating it was almost dawn and the palace gates were not yet ready to open, "Jingming, go and fetch them yourself."

Jingming bowed and accepted the order, then quickly left Lingcui Palace.

The reason why Aunt Mei came in such a hurry was because Consort Chun urged her so much.

When she saw Jingming and heard him say, "Consort Jin has been in the delivery room for more than an hour," Aunt Mei moved her legs so fast that even Jingming, who was used to walking the palace roads, almost fell behind.

She rushed to the outside of Cuiyu Hall, first curtsied to the Emperor in the corridor, and just after announcing, "Her Highness Consort Chun is concerned about Consort Jin and has specially ordered this servant to come and take care of her," she was led by Xia'er to the delivery room.

After changing into a clean outer garment outside the door, Aunt Mei immediately spotted Meng Shu on the couch. Her hair looked like it had been soaked in water, sticking wetly to her cheeks. Her once beautiful eyebrows were now furrowed, and she leaned against the brocade quilt as if she had lost all her strength.

Aunt Mei had never seen her so disheveled. Her nose suddenly stung with tears, and she quickly stepped forward, speaking in a very soft voice: "Your Highness, Consort Chun asked me to convey a message that she wants everything to go smoothly for you. During her stay at the temporary palace, Your Highness personally embroidered tiger-head shoes and is waiting to hold your child in her arms after returning to the palace."

As she spoke, she took out a small item wrapped in red cloth from her sleeve, and whispered a few words into Meng Shu's ear.

Meng Shu's previously unfocused eyes brightened, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and she reached out to take the red envelope and held it in her palm.

"Your Majesty..." Green Willow suddenly felt a weight on her arm, and Meng Shu let out a painful sob, her hand that was gripping Green Willow clenching tightly.

The midwife finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Bring another basin of hot water! Your Highness is dilated to three centimeters. Give it your all!"

Meng Shu lay on the folded brocade quilt, her fingers covered in cold sweat.

“Your Highness, don’t be afraid,” Aunt Mei wiped her lips, her voice steady as a reassurance, “The first three fingers are the hardest to endure, but hold on to this strength, and it will be over soon.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Shu let out a muffled groan, her body tensing up suddenly. A new round of contractions came quickly and violently, as if a hand was squeezing her abdomen hard.

The older midwife immediately pressed down on her waist: "Yes! Now! Don't let go!" She gently pushed down on Meng Shu's lower abdomen with her other hand, "Your Highness, can you feel it? Push along this force, don't hold your breath!"

Seeing this, Aunt Mei whispered to Donggua, who came in to change the water, "Her Majesty's strength is almost gone. Bring another bowl of ginseng soup and feed it to her after this pain subsides."

Meng Shu clutched the red cloth bag tightly in her palm. Inside, a jade pendant pressed against her hand, and her fingertips inexplicably gained a bit of strength. So much time had passed, and she could feel her child drawing ever closer to this world.

The sun climbed above the eaves outside the window, and the smoke from the moxa in the delivery room thinned. Just before noon, the nanny finally called out, "Full dilation! Your Highness, give it your all!"

This shout, mixed with Meng Shu's muffled groan as she exerted all her strength, was finally completely drowned out by a clear cry.

"Wow--!"

The cry was loud and clear, filled with the freshness of new life, instantly drowning out all other sounds.

"It's a baby! It's a prince!"

The midwife wrapped the rosy-cheeked baby in a clean cloth, her voice trembling with joy: "Congratulations, Consort Jin! It's a healthy little prince!"

Meng Shu's unfocused gaze slowly focused. She turned her head to look at the pink and tender little life in the swaddling clothes. The red cloth bundle she had been clutching for a long time finally loosened, and her palm was now slightly bruised by the jade pendant.

Her throat tightened, and although she tried to force a smile, tears welled up in her eyes first.