Chapter 718 - Ugly Heir
“Then…do you know why I’m giving birth prematurely? Will this have a bad effect on my child?” Although the child had yet to be born, as a mother, Xiaocao’s heart was full of worries for the child’s health.
[Melons fall when ripe, and you’ll naturally give birth when it’s time! As I told you, the child is fine, so stop overthinking and scaring yourself!] The little divine stone rolled its eyes at her.
Yu Xiaocao completely relaxed after hearing its words. However, she still grumbled in her heart, ‘Others are pregnant for ten months, but how come I’m ready for labor in just eight months?’
With the ‘painkiller’, the little divine stone, here, Xiaocao didn’t have to suffer much pain during the process. In order to not arouse the suspicion of the servants outside, Xiaocao pretended to groan every once in a while.
Zhu Junyang knelt on one knee beside the bed and held his wife’s hand. He had more sweat on his face than Xiaocao, who was in labor. From time to time, he would yell out, “Where’s the midwife? Why isn’t she here yet? Are you guys crawling over to fetch her?”
They had already found a midwife, and they planned on bringing her into the estate in the fifth month, to be on standby. Who would have thought that contractions would start so early for the princess consort. Fortunately, the midwife, who had a great reputation in the capital, didn’t get called to another household. Otherwise, it would be problematic!
The midwife, who was in her fifties, was basically carried over by Hou Xiaoliang. There was no choice because her bound feet made it difficult for her to walk. Hou Xiaoliang was afraid that his masters couldn’t wait for too long, so he half-dragged and half-carried her for most of the trip. Even so, he was still scolded by his master, “Are you a snail or a tortoise? How can you be so slow when you’re just going to fetch someone?!”
Hou Xiaoliang felt wronged in his heart. He drove the carriage at top speed all the way to the north side of city and dragged the midwife away without wasting any time. He was almost taken as a bandit and reported to the yamen. This was the fastest speed, okay? Another person may not even be as fast as him.
Fortunately, he was comforted by Wutong, “His Highness is worried about the princess consort. Even if you flew over, the prince would still think that you’re too slow. No matter who went on this trip, he would still be scolded. Take a sip of pear juice to moisten your throat. Look at all the sweat on your head!”
Hou Xiaoliang lowered his head and let Wutong wipe off the sweat on his face, enjoying the rare gentleness of his fiancée. He had originally wanted to set the wedding date in the second or third month, but Wutong insisted on waiting until her mistress gave birth and finished her post-natal confinement period before she was willing to marry him. Therefore, the date was set for autumn of this year.
Hou Xiaoliang and Wutong had reached a consensus that after they got married, it was up to her whether she wanted to enjoy her happiness at home or stay beside her mistress. He would respect her decision. Wutong intended to wait until her subordinating maidservants were capable of handling matters themselves, and then she would shift her attention to taking care of her family.
“Wahhhh——” A loud cry of the baby indicated that the young heir of the Imperial Prince Xu’s Estate was born.
Hou Xiaoliang hadn’t even finished drinking his cup of pear juice. He looked at Wutong with a dumbfounded expression and foolishly asked, “She gave birth so quickly? The midwife just went inside…”
“Shhh——don’t let His Highness hear what you just said. Otherwise, you’ll be thrown to the Xishan Barracks to train for half a year. What would you do then?!” Wutong glanced at the imperial prince who had been driven out by the midwife and pacing back and forth. At this time, the imperial prince must feel that time was passing very slowly. Who would dare to say the word ‘quick’ in front of him?
The door of the delivery room opened and Meixiang came out with a basin of bloody water. Zhu Junyang was alarmed, “Why is there so much blood? Is the princess consort alright?”
Meixiang reported the good news with a smile on her face, “Congratulations, Your Highness! The princess consort gave birth to a little heir. Both mother and son are safe…ay, ay, ay! You can’t go inside right now. We have to clean up before you can go in. Don’t worry, Her Highness is fine!”
Senior Servant Li came out with a tightly swaddled newborn in her arms. With a joyous expression, she said, “Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness! The young heir weighs 3.4 kilograms. His cry sounds very strong, and one wouldn’t be able to tell that he was born prematurely. Your Highness, look at his big eyes and tall nose. He will definitely be a beautiful young man when he grows up.”
Zhu Junyang looked over and couldn’t see the word ‘beautiful’ from the wrinkle-faced red monkey. He thought in his heart, ‘So ugly!’ But he said, “What’s the point in a boy being so beautiful? Such a waste!”
Senior Servant Li suddenly recalled that this prince hated when others complimented him on his looks. So she hastily changed the subject, “Your Highness, would you like to carry the little heir?”
“Uh…as the eldest son, he will inherit the household in the future, so we can’t spoil him.” The little baby was delicate, soft, and tiny. Zhu Junyang wouldn’t admit that he was afraid that he couldn’t control his strength and ended up hurting the child painstakingly birthed by his wife. Thus, he simply pretended to be a ‘strict father’.
Senior Servant Li thought, ‘How old is the little heir? He doesn’t know anything, so how would holding him be spoiling him?’ However, as a servant, she couldn’t refute the master’s words, and could only echo in agreement.
The midwife came out and informed them that they could enter the room. Before she had finished speaking, a figure had flashed past her, walked around the screen, and entered the inner room of the delivery room.
The midwife stuttered slightly, “That…that…Your Highness??”
Wutong quickly handed a pouch to her and said with a smile, “Many thanks to Matron Liu! You have worked hard today!”
The midwife squeezed the pouch. It was very light, so it was obviously not gold or silver ingots. When she thought of all the businesses under the princess consort’s hands, she reckoned that she definitely wouldn’t be stingy. A bright smile immediately appeared on Matron Liu’s old face, and she hurriedly said in a polite manner, “Her Highness is blessed, and the young heir is also a filial one. This old lady has never delivered a baby so smoothly for someone giving birth for the first time! The princess consort and the heir will surely be blessed for a long time in the future…”
“Thank you for your well wishes. These pastries are for your young grandson. Yingtao, escort Matron Liu back.” Wutong considerately handed a paper box to her.
Matron Liu smiled so much that her teeth were showing. Who didn’t know that Princess Consort Xu was famous for her skills in making pastries ah? It was said that any one of her maidservants could make pastries that didn’t lose to those sold in pastry shops. She thanked her repeatedly, “Aiyo, Young Maiden, you are so considerate. Then this old lady will shamelessly accept it.”
After getting on the carriage, she eagerly opened the box, took out a small piece of cake, and stuffed it into her mouth. The cake melted in her mouth, and the enticing fragrant spread inside her mouth. Matron Liu felt as if she was floating and intoxicated. Matron Liu was afraid that she couldn’t resist the temptation and eat all the remaining pastries, so she quickly closed the lid.
She smacked her lips a few times, and then took out the pouch that was given by Imperial Prince Xu’s Estate from her sleeve. Sure enough, it was a hundred taels banknote! She helped deliver babies for rich and influential noble madams all year round, so it wasn’t that she hadn’t received such a heavy reward for her service. However, she seldom encountered a situation like today, in which she easily earned a hundred taels by just going into the delivery room for less than an hour. Furthermore, it would cost at least several dozen taels to buy this box of pastries at ‘Jinan Pastries Shop’.
Needless to say, when Matron Liu got home, her family all held the box of pastries in high regard. As for Zhu Junyang, he was currently staring fixedly at his wife’s sleeping face, for fear that she would leave him if he blinked his eyes.
Many people in the capital privately gossiped about Princess Consort Xu being an immortal girl descended from the heavens. How could Zhu Junyang, who had seen her extraordinary abilities, not also think the same? But, no one could understand the uneasiness in his heart. There was also a time when Imperial Prince Xu, who others viewed as omnipotent and fearless, was afraid. Yes, he was afraid! He was afraid that his little wife would return to her world one day and leave him alone in this world.
Looking at the nearly transparent face on the bed, he grasped onto her hands tightly, for fear that his wife would leave him as soon as he loosened his hold. He shifted his gaze to the small, delicate bundle beside his wife. He was their son! Although the child’s little face was bright red, wrinkled, and very ugly, his heart still instantly softened.
His little wife had once said that the child was the fruit of their love, the proof of their love, and the continuation of their blood. Alright, he had decided to accept the fact that their son was ugly. After all, his wife gave birth to him so he wouldn’t dislike him.
When the little heir grew up, he inherited the good looks of his parents and was hailed as the ‘most beautiful youth in the capital’. He never knew that when he was just born, his lord father had ‘scorned’ him for being outrageously ugly.
When Yu Xiaocao woke up, her mother, her godmother, her mother-in-law, and Auntie Zhao had all received the good news and came to see her.
They had supposedly come to see her, but they were all currently circled around the newborn. Even a minor frowning expression would cause them to fawn over him. Yu Xiaocao expressed that she was jealous!
Princess Consort Jing carried the little monkey-like heir and happily said, “Look, come look! These eyes and this nose…look exactly like his lord father’s. He looks so handsome!”
Zhu Junyang, who was the first to notice that his wife had woken up, was currently feeding brown sugar water to his wife. When he heard his lady mother’s words, he couldn’t help but curl up his lips. Lady Mother was seriously lying with her eyes wide open. The little fellow looked like an ugly monkey, yet she said that he resembled him. If he looked like that, would his wife, who liked good-looking people, take a fancy to him?
Lady Fang echoed in agreement, “Yes, that’s right! Look at his skin. He must have taken after his mother. It’s so smooth and fair ah!”
Lady Fang, could your words be more fake? The little fellow’s skin was bright red and his face was full of wrinkles. How exactly did you see that he looked fair and delicate? It was completely different to that of his wife’s skin ah!
“In-law, let me hold him!” Had it not been for her identity of Princess Consort Jing, Madam Liu would have long snatched the little bundle from her. When the little guy was transferred from his paternal grandmother’s hands to his maternal grandmother’s hands, he seemed to be slightly annoyed that his sleep was disturbed. He frowned, slightly opened his eyes, and then continued to sleep.
“This child, it’s apparent that he has a good temper.” Auntie Zhao commented on the side.
Princess Consort Jing quickly agreed, “Isn’t that so! Senior Servant Li said that when the child was just born, he only cried when they patted his bottoms and remained quiet throughout the rest of the time.”
“A quiet child is easy to take care of! Our Cao’er is blessed.” Madam Liu touched the little guy’s face and liked him even more.