His swollen belly made his movements a bit cumbersome. Apart from the necessary daily activities, Qin Yuanxi rarely went out. The cold weather, recent snowfall, and slippery streets, along with Zhao Tuo’s concerns for his safety, made him even lazier to go out.
The heated room made him yawn. The memorials, with their lengthy and headache-inducing content, offered nothing important. Qin Yuanxi found them tiresome; perhaps the writers wanted to showcase their writing skills, but it was genuinely painful for the reader. After a few consecutive reads, he lost interest.
Wrapping himself in a blanket, he decided to take a nap.
He indulged himself completely now, living by his whims. What made him comfortable was how he lived.
Originally planning for a short nap, he dozed off deeply, entering a dream.
In his dream, he saw Lu Bohuan—clad in a white robe, disheveled hair, and a somewhat dejected demeanor. Lu Bohuan’s eyes held a hint of sorrow as he looked at Qin Yuanxi from a distance. Qin Yuanxi wanted to approach and talk to him, but with each step forward, Lu Bohuan seemed to move farther away. Frustrated, Qin Yuanxi quickened his pace, only for Lu Bohuan to become transparent, visible but untouchable. He felt a sense of urgency, wanting to speak to Lu Bohuan, wanting to call out to him. Yet, he could only watch as Lu Bohuan smiled weakly, a pale smile that hinted at some illness.
Qin Yuanxi wanted to ask him what was going on. Before he could open his mouth, he heard someone behind him calling his name. Qin Yuanxi turned around and saw someone who looked exactly like Lu Bohuan standing behind him.
Same clothes, same style, same pale face, but a completely different feeling.
It was Zhao Tuo. Qin Yuanxi knew in his heart that the person calling him was Zhao Tuo, but he couldn’t be sure. Zhao Tuo looked too much like Lu Bohuan, so much so that if Qin Yuanxi only looked at this person, he couldn’t tell who was Lu Bohuan and who was Zhao Tuo. Even though Zhao Tuo and Lu Bohuan were so different, at this moment, he couldn’t distinguish between the two.
As Qin Yuanxi hesitated and felt lost, he suddenly saw Zhao Tuo holding a long bow in his hand, an arrow resting on it. He pulled the bowstring tight, aiming the arrow at Qin Yuanxi. All he had to do was release it, and the arrow would shoot straight towards Qin Yuanxi’s heart.
“Zhao Tuo, what are you doing!”
In panic, Qin Yuanxi shouted, then woke up, sweat covering his back.
“Having a nightmare?” Zhao Tuo held him in his arms, gently patting Qin Yuanxi’s back. “It’s okay now, you’re awake, everything’s fine.”
“When did you come back?” Qin Yuanxi’s consciousness was still a bit hazy. Leaning on Zhao Tuo’s shoulder, his heart was still pounding incessantly. The frantic feeling didn’t decrease much just because he woke up from the dream. Instead, there was a suffocating sensation, pressing on his chest, making breathing a bit difficult.
“It’s been a while. I saw you still sleeping, so I didn’t wake you up.”
“Really? I slept too heavily.” Qin Yuanxi casually replied, then asked Zhao Tuo, “What were you doing? I didn’t see you when I woke up this morning. Where did you go for so long?”
“Forgot, Your Majesty?” Zhao Tuo combed his hair for him, explaining calmly, “A few days ago, there was heavy snow, and the wall outside the palace wasn’t very stable. It’s being repaired these days. I went to check the situation.”
Qin Yuanxi felt a bit irritated. “Is it necessary for you to personally supervise the repair of a wall? How lazy are those people?”
“It’s not about laziness.” Zhao Tuo held his hand, continuing to explain, “The personnel coming and going are quite chaotic. It’s a critical period, and Your Majesty’s safety is the top priority. In case any suspicious individuals sneak in, wouldn’t that be a big problem?”
“Who could sneak in? Do they want to assassinate me? Even if they get in, you’re by my side, nothing will happen.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll guard Your Majesty from now on. What did Your Majesty dream about just now? I see sweat on your forehead.”
“I dreamt…” Qin Yuanxi recalled the scene in his dream, hesitated for a moment, leaned on Zhao Tuo’s shoulder, and sighed, “I dreamt that you were beating our son so harshly. How could you be so ruthless, hitting him so hard that his little butt turned red? Is this still a father? It infuriated me, and I woke up angry.”
“You’re exaggerating, really.”
“I hit the kid? How could I hit a child?” Zhao Tuo hurriedly defended himself, “I definitely wouldn’t hit him. He’s the Emperor’s own flesh and blood. I love him so much; why would I ever want to hit him?”
“Well, that’s for you to answer,” Qin Yuanxi spoke with a parental tone, educating Zhao Tuo on parenting, “Dealing with this child’s issues requires good communication. Be clear, hitting a child is a big no-no. Don’t give me any nonsense about raising a filial son with a stick. Let me tell you, that’s not our style. If the child has a problem, talk to him; if I have a problem, talk to me. Family violence is absolutely off the table. I’m telling you this now. If you dare lay a finger on my child, if you dare hit him, we’re going to have serious problems, got it?”
“I got it.”
“You promise.”
“I promise, I absolutely won’t touch the child, not even a finger. Is that okay?”
Qin Yuanxi’s lips curled slightly, “Well, it’ll have to do. If you want to be a good dad, you’ve got a lot to learn. When you have some free time, I’ll write you a manual. You better read it well; you need to keep up with the times to raise an outstanding child.”
“And let me tell you,” Qin Yuanxi hadn’t even started his long lecture when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He grabbed Zhao Tuo’s hand, his face instantly pale, “I—I feel a bit of pain. What should I do? Could it be—no, it’s too early for childbirth, right? Hurry, my stomach hurts, it hurts.”
Qin Yuanxi’s sudden stomach ache left Zhao Tuo at a loss. He comforted and urged the royal physician to come quickly. To avoid any mishaps, the physician lived nearby and arrived promptly. Qin Yuanxi was still in pain, and the physicians lined up to examine him. After a night of bustling activity, when the fetus finally stabilized, the sky was already getting light.
After all the commotion, Qin Yuanxi felt drained, especially when the physician prescribed a labor-stabilizing medicine. It was a dark, bitter concoction. Qin Yuanxi forced himself to take a sip, but because of the strong taste, he ended up vomiting most of it. Essentially, it was like not drinking it at all.
Seeing Zhao Tuo bringing another bowl, Qin Yuanxi’s face showed reluctance, “Drink more?”
Zhao Tuo couldn’t bear it either, but his hand holding the bowl remained steady, “Your Majesty just vomited; you didn’t take much. The medicine won’t be effective if you don’t consume enough. For the sake of the child, endure a bit more, Your Majesty.”
“It’s not about enduring or not. The problem is, I really can’t swallow this medicine.” Qin Yuanxi’s eyebrows knitted into a mountain, staring at the dark potion. Suddenly, he realized something.
The taste of this medicine was off. Though all medicine is unpleasant, the degree of bitterness was a bit different.
He remembered the bitter tonic he had in the palace before, not pleasant, but it didn’t taste as awful as this one. Why is the medicine this time so disgustingly bad?
There was a ‘cluck’ in his heart, and Qin Yuanxi’s face paled a bit more. Taking the medicine bowl, he sipped a bit and casually asked Zhao Tuo, “Why hasn’t the divine physician arrived yet? Didn’t he say he’d be here soon? How much preparation does he need? It shouldn’t take this long.”
“I’ve reminded him several times already. Perhaps the divine physician has more rules to follow and needs more complicated preparations,” Zhao Tuo replied, handing over some candied fruit. Qin Yuanxi, struggling with the medicine, appreciated the sweet touch, quite considerate.
“The palace’s imperial physicians are experienced. If your Majesty needs him, I’ll personally pay a visit tomorrow. I’ll drag him here if needed. Just because he carries the title of a divine physician doesn’t mean he can take his time. If the Emperor calls, he shouldn’t be so neglectful. It seems these people from Jiang Hu have no sense of discipline.”
“Don’t,” Qin Yuanxi swallowed the candied fruit. No matter how sweet it was, the medicine was still hard to swallow. Even with the sweetness, the bitterness persisted. Yet, thinking about the child in his belly, no matter how bitter, he had to force it down, holding his nose.
“Divine physician probably has his own plans. Anyway, there’s still some time before delivery. Waiting a bit longer won’t hurt.”
Qin Yuanxi didn’t know why, but he felt a sense of trust in Yan Shaoning. Perhaps because Yan Shaoning seemed more reliable. Maybe it was because he never used official language with Qin Yuanxi, speaking freely due to his Jiang Hu identity. He didn’t care about the Emperor’s status, saying whatever he wanted. Qin Yuanxi liked that attitude.
Moreover, Yan Shaoning was one of the few who knew the secret of Prince Lu. Anyone Prince Lu kept close must have exceptional qualities. Not to mention, he was trustworthy and skilled in medicine. Having him by his side during childbirth gave Qin Yuanxi some psychological assurance.
Childbirth was like a trip to the underworld, especially for a man giving birth. When they cut into the stomach, it was like a modern cesarean section, technically safe and reliable. But here, it was a different story. A cut in the belly meant risking half a life. With a divine physician by his side, even during the stitching, Qin Yuanxi felt reassured. In case of any unexpected situation, Yan Shaoning might save his life.
That was quite crucial!
What Qin Yuanxi never expected was that while eagerly awaiting Yan Shaoning, he never anticipated Yan Shaoning’s arrival in a way that completely surprised him, nearly shocking half of Qin Yuanxi’s soul!
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
