A Beauty In Troubled Times

Chapter 95: I have always been chaste and sincere (2)

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As soon as I stepped into the palace, I saw a busy scene. It was rare for the palace to be so noisy, with people shouting everywhere.

Xiao Yi frowned, and walked straight to the east courtyard without changing his half-wet clothes. Shui Niang was about to come out on the road, holding a basin of hot water and about to push the door open. Xiao Yi hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong?"

Shui Niang's forehead was already covered in sweat. She said, "Your Highness, please wait." and went into the house.

The room was tightly shut, as if not a breath of air could get in. He could only hear Zhao Pei's heart-wrenching screams: "Ah! Xiao Yi! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you!"

She yelled, scolded, and cried, she was in so much pain that she wanted to die. The cry was like a sharp sword, piercing his chest. His eyebrows moved slightly, and he took a few steps forward to push the door. Qiao Yu hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: "My lord, you can't go in."

Xiao Yi said nothing and looked at him coldly.

Qiao Yu still stopped him and said kindly, "Your Majesty, this is how women give birth."

Xiao Yi tilted his head: "Really?" Then the door was pushed open again, and Shui Niang came out with the basin of water. A basin of blood, thick and red. His eyes flashed, and he felt like he was dreaming.

Without saying a word, he opened the door and walked in. Shui Niang grabbed Xiao Yi from behind and shouted, "My Lord, this room is unlucky. You must not enter."

Xiao Yi snorted coldly: "Bad luck?" With a cold glance, Shui Niang and Qiao Yu had to keep silent and lower their heads.

The heat waves rolled in the room, and the bloody smell came in waves. Xiao Yi walked into the gauze tent calmly. "Pei Pei..." He called softly, staring blankly at the pale face on the couch, and saw that the originally snow-white quilt under her body was stained with deep red, even more gorgeous than her usual clothes, gorgeous to the point of being weird.

He even felt that he was dreaming, and it was a nightmare.

"Xiao Yi! I'm going to kill you!" Zhao Pei howled and cried as she was entangled in pain. She had never known how painful it was to give birth to a child. At this moment, she felt as if she was being torn apart alive. The pain became more and more intense and clear. Every inch of her skin was screaming and aching. She felt that she could fall into darkness and be free at any time.

"Princess, you have to push harder. Push harder!" The midwife was so anxious that her face was covered in sweat.

Zhao Pei held the edge of the couch tightly and clenched her teeth in confusion. She had no place to rely on or comfort herself from the pain. Besides the pain, there was also a feeling of helplessness and uneasiness that spread to her heart: "I have no strength left..."

"No, Princess, you have to use more force. Use more force!"

"It's so noisy! How can I use more force!" After she howled, another wave of overwhelming pain came over her. She was shaking all over and clenching her teeth, almost biting off her tongue.

"I'm going to kill you... I'm going to chop you into pieces..."

A faint laugh came from her ear: "If you want to kill me, you should have the strength first." Zhao Pei forced her eyes open and dimly saw Xiao Yi's face. He carefully held her in his arms and smiled softly. Still laughing? Dare to laugh? Furious, she bit down hard on the back of his hand, transferring the pain from her body and reducing it a little.

Xiao Yi groaned, but said nothing and let her bite him.

"Princess, push harder! The head is already out, push harder!"

Zhao Pei's mouth was full of sweetness, but she still didn't try hard. "Push harder, Pei Pei." In a daze, someone whispered in her ear, "Pe Pei, do you want a daughter or a son?"

"Daughter..." Zhao Pei answered in a daze.

"I said it's a son." Xiao Yi said softly.

"Daughter!" Zhao Pei shouted at him.

"How about a bet? The loser agrees to win something." Xiao Yi smiled and said, "If you try hard and bear it a little longer, you can win or lose by one point."

"Let's bet!" Zhao Pei was a little annoyed. Xiao Yi knew that she was a very competitive person.

She used up all her strength, tightly holding Xiao Yi's warm hand, trembling constantly. "Ah..." After the heart-wrenching scream, the sound of a baby crying came, which was particularly loud and clear.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, it's a girl!" The midwife smiled and held the baby and handed it to the maid beside her to wash it.

Hearing this, Zhao Pei relaxed and collapsed on the couch. Sweat blurred her eyes, and Zhao Pei looked at Xiao Yi's smiling face and smiled weakly: "I won, you are not allowed to cheat."

"Okay." He smiled softly and gently stroked the black hair on her face, "Thank you." This was the second time I heard him say this to me. On the edge of sleep, I murmured back, "You're welcome..."

Later, in her sleep, she realized that she had said the wrong thing. She gave birth to the child herself, so why should she accept his thanks

———————

Fireworks bloom and fade one by one.

The changing scene in front of her made her dizzy and her beauty trembled. But it seemed as if something was scratching her eyebrows gently, which was a little itchy but very caring.

Zhao Pei struggled for a few times and slowly opened her eyes, and saw Xiao Yi's face only a few inches away from her. He looked very tired, with tiny bloodshot eyes and even blue stubble on his chin. Seeing her open her eyes and staring at him without saying a word, he relaxed at first and then scolded: "Lazy girl, I've never seen anyone who can sleep as long as you."

"Have I slept for a long time?" Zhao Pei asked, touching his stubble. "Why are you so messy?"

Xiao Yi naturally waved her hand away, but seeing that Zhao Pei was a little annoyed, he had to take advantage of the situation and hold it in his palm: "I slept for two days and three nights."

Zhao Pei was still in pain, and she was still afraid of childbirth. She thought for a while before saying, "Did you lose a bet with me?"

"Yeah." He responded.

"Then I don't want to have any more children in the future. It hurts." Zhao Pei muttered.

Xiao Yi was stunned, and his expression immediately darkened: "What did you say?" Zhao Pei saw his suppressed anger and his coldness, and her voice gradually weakened: "It really hurts. It's not like you carry the baby for ten months and then give birth..."

He stared at her coldly, but then he remembered the basin of blood and her now pale face, and suddenly softened. He pursed his lips and said, "This matter..."

"Your Highness, Princess, may I come in?" Shui Niang's voice came from the door.

"What's the matter?" Xiao Yi's voice was still cold, obviously he was angry at Zhao Pei's request just now.

"The maid has brought the young lady here."

"Hmm?" Zhao Pei heard it and immediately regained her strength to half-stand up: "Come in, come in!" But she was exhausted and fell back into the quilt. Xiao Yi reached out and lifted her up to lean against his chest, watching Shui Niang walk forward with a small red quilt in her arms.

She knelt down beside the couch and carefully handed the child to Xiao Yi.

The child was shorter than half his arm, and slightly larger than his palm. He was sleeping peacefully, sipping his food.

Zhao Pei quickly leaned forward to take a look, but frowned and said, "Why does it look like a little mouse?"

The man beside him was very dissatisfied with this evaluation, but he did not raise any objection. Shui Niang laughed and said, "Princess, this is what the child looks like when he is just born. It will be fine when he grows up. But according to my experience, this child will definitely be a beauty when he grows up."

Zhao Pei smiled lightly: "That's for sure, it depends on who her mother is."

Xiao Yi looked at her mockingly, and then turned his gaze to the child in his arms. He held the child in his arms and weighed him, and he didn't know where he learned it from. After all, it was useless to be full of joy and excitement for the first time as a father. Xiao Yi's movements of holding the child were awkward, which made her feel uncomfortable and started to cry.

It was the first time that Shui Niang saw him at a loss when faced with a crying child. Just as she was about to go over and pick the child up, Zhao Pei stretched out her hand and said, "Let me hold you."

She carefully stretched out her arms and held the small, soft body in her arms, and her heart suddenly surged with infinite tenderness. That tenderness was different from the tenderness she had when she held Yao Yunshang and Du Yuerong's child. For the first time, she felt that this child belonged to her, was her blood and flesh, and was born to be cherished and loved. That tenderness made her feel that she would not hesitate to sacrifice her own life for this little life in her arms.

Zhao Pei reached out and touched her cheek, then gave her a gentle kiss. Then she understood that this was her mother. She had been pregnant for ten months, going through so much pain and suffering, and it was so worth it to have such a lovely little life in her arms.

She raised her head and looked at Xiao Yi with a smile, then she started to giggle. As a woman, this might be the happiest moment in her life.

At this moment, she had no pink rouge, no green rouge, and no fragrant spices. But in Xiao Yi's memory, she was the most beautiful and moving. Many years later, when he recalled her as his mother, she was like a beautiful jade without carving, with a simple and innocent beauty.

"Qi Fu, what should the child be named?" Zhao Pei just remembered this.

He smiled as he looked at the baby sleeping soundly in her arms, and stroked her soft lips with his fingers. He hesitated for a long time before saying, "How is 'Hanzhen'?"

"Hanzhen?" Zhao Pei tilted her head, thought for a while, then her eyebrows narrowed and she smiled and said, "Hanzhen Yangsu? This name is very good."

"Okay, then let's call her Hanzhen." Xiao Yi looked at Hanzhen in the cradle and leaned over to kiss her face. From this moment on, he made up his mind to give this child all the best. (To be continued)