Chapter 422

What?

Twins!

Consort Shu and Noble Consort Ye were startled, clutching their chests: "How could it be twins? Didn’t the imperial physician detect it?"

Yan the Imperial Physician quickly responded, "This... how could this be? Your Majesty, let this old servant review Her Majesty's medical records again."

Twins... it must be a boy and a girl to be auspicious!

The Empress was already at the center of envy and resentment. In her efforts to implement new reforms, the aristocratic officials were practically foaming at the mouth to tear her apart.

If she gave birth to two princes...

The common folk would surely start spreading rumors again, calling her a calamitous seductress who brought ruin to the nation.

Odd numbers are yang, while even numbers are yin.

And yin represents inauspiciousness.

For example, the gates of the Forbidden City—Wu Gate, Xihua Gate, and Shenwu Gate—all have nine rows and nine columns of nails, totaling eighty-one, an odd number, representing yang.

Only Donghua Gate uses an even number, with nine vertical rows and eight horizontal rows, totaling seventy-two nails.

Legend has it that a defeated emperor once walked out through this gate to end his life, so Donghua Gate became a place of ill omen.

Twin princes would disrupt the nation's fortune.

Because even numbers are inauspicious, in the past, once twins were born, the imperial physician would, under the Emperor's orders, kill the weaker child.

This also confirms the royal saying: "When twins are born in the imperial family, one must depart while the other remains."

Even if the Emperor were willing to cover it up and have one prince raised by another consort, it would still be impossible to silence the public.

Everyone would know that the Empress had been warned by heaven, giving birth to twins.

"May heaven bless Her Majesty!"

The Emperor's expression was grave: "Wang Dequan, Tang Shiliang, seal off Kunning Palace. Not even a fly is to be let out."

If Jiang Xinyue were to give birth to twins, he would immediately hand one over to Consort Shu, recording the child under her name and having her raise it.

Jiang Xinyue gritted her teeth and exerted herself once more.

The soreness in her lower body eased as the child was delivered, and Jiang Xinyue, drenched in sweat, weakly raised her hand: "Is it a boy... or a girl?"

Only by knowing the gender could she determine her next steps. How could she keep both children by her side?

The Emperor meant well by considering sacrificing one of the twins, but Jiang Xinyue didn’t believe twins were inauspicious—it was all feudal superstition.

She had even raised other people’s children to be healthy and plump. Why couldn’t she raise her own?

"Your Majesty!"

Xi Que’s face was filled with joy: "It’s a princess! Your Majesty, you’ve given birth to a princess!"

In her excitement, her voice turned shrill: "A boy and a girl, Your Majesty!"

Jiang Xinyue tilted her head back, relieved, and finally let go, closing her eyes as she fainted.

Outside the room, the Emperor heard Xi Que’s voice. He was stunned at first, then overwhelmed with immense joy, nearly staggering from the intensity of it.

He turned to Concubine Shi beside him, incredulous: "Did I hear correctly? What did Xi Que just say? Did Jiang Xinyue give birth to twins? Did she give me a princess?"

Before Concubine Shi, whose smile had become forced, could respond, Consort Liang and Consort Shu stepped forward, pushing her aside: "Your Majesty, you heard correctly. Xi Que said it was twins. It seems heaven also approves of the Empress, sending a golden boy and a fairy girl to Your Majesty and Her Majesty."

"I always wondered why the Seventh Prince was so handsome. It turns out he takes after our Third Princess! That must be it—the Third Princess must be exceptionally beautiful."

"Why haven’t they brought her out yet? I’m dying of anticipation. If the Third Princess takes after Her Majesty, she’ll be extraordinary."

The Emperor began pacing at the door again, his hands clasped together, pounding them in a mix of anxiety and joy.

Xi Que cleaned the little princess thoroughly, wrapped her in a beautiful swaddle, tied a lovely princess bow, and then carried the Third Princess out as if holding a rare treasure.

Nanny Xiang chuckled behind her: "His Majesty must be getting impatient."

Several wet nurses stood in a row. To avoid a repeat of the previous incident where a wet nurse met with an accident, four had been selected this time, all originally intended for the Seventh Prince.

Now, with the Seventh Prince and the Third Princess, each would have two, which would suffice.

The little princess was born frail, having absorbed little nutrition in the womb, and her tiny, kitten-like cries were heartbreaking.

As soon as Xi Que carried the Third Princess out, before she could deliver the good news, the Emperor extended his hands: "Give the princess to me."

Xi Que was cautious, fearing the Emperor might not hold her properly, and kept her hands beneath his, following him as he moved left and right.

The Emperor, still not entirely lost in his joy, remembered to ask: "How is Her Majesty? Is she alright? No tearing, right?"

He remembered when she gave birth to the Crown Prince, a midwife had wanted to use scissors to cut her, fearing tearing.

Xi Que bowed her head: "Your Majesty, there’s only slight swelling. The medical attendant said it’s because the Seventh Prince and the Third Princess were both small. A few days of medicinal treatment will suffice. Your Majesty need not worry."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"How can I not worry? Her Majesty has just given birth to two children in succession. It must have been extremely taxing. Xi Que, is Her Majesty downplaying it to keep the Emperor from worrying?"

Xi Que chuckled softly: "Consort Liang, you’ve given birth to the Eldest Princess, so you must know the hardships involved. Only those who’ve never given birth would think it’s easy. Don’t you agree, Your Majesty?"

This maid had quite the audacity, daring to tease the Emperor.

Wait!

Concubine Shi realized that Xi Que must have overheard her earlier attempt to comfort the Emperor. She wasn’t teasing the Emperor—she was subtly mocking her for speaking out of turn about something she knew nothing about.

"You little..."

The Emperor glared at her, but as he looked down at the tiny, frail Third Princess in his arms, a warm feeling surged in his chest, softening his gaze.

He reached out a hand to touch the Third Princess’s cheek, but before he could fully enjoy the moment, Nanny Xiang stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the Third Princess needs to be fed. Please hand her over to me."

The Xuanwu Emperor reluctantly released her, placing the little princess into Nanny Xiang’s arms: "May I go in to see Jiang Xinyue now?"

Nanny Xiang nodded: "You may, but Her Majesty has fainted from exhaustion. I’ve already had the kitchen prepare some fish soup to help her recover."

The Emperor nodded and, before following her inside, turned to Consort Liang, Consort Shu, Concubine Shi, and Noble Consort Ye: "For the next few days, none of you are to disturb Jiang Xinyue’s rest. Understood?"

Consort Liang suppressed the urge to curse, kneeling with the others: "We obey your command."

As if only you, this dog of a man, care about Her Majesty! Don’t we care too?

Her Majesty might even prefer to see us!

In her sleep, Jiang Xinyue dreamed of shadowy figures drifting in and out, sometimes of towering skyscrapers, sometimes of neon-lit revelry, making her wonder if her years in The Great Yan Dynasty had been nothing but a fleeting dream.

"Jiang Xinyue? Jiang Xinyue?"

"Jiang Xinyue? Wake up..."