by La Mi Tu
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Wang/wangye: the prince of first rank
Wangfu: the residence of the prince of first rank
Wangfei: main wife of the prince of first rank
Chapter 182: Giving Birth (2) Part 1
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Feng Cang was stopped by Feng Yu. Wanyan Ming Yue, Su Mei and Su Yue entered Tingsong building.
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen to Qi Qi! It’s hard on women when they give birth. However, the child was so well-behaved before. This time, he also wouldn’t let it be hard on his mother!” Dongfang Lan saw that Feng Cang was anxious, she comforted Feng Cang.
“That’s right! Cousin brother, heavens will help the worthy! It would be fine! Don’t worry!”
Wanyan Kang had just finished speaking when he found out that everyone was glaring murderously at him, ‘scaring’ him that he almost became mute. “It has nothing to do with me. It really has nothing to do with me!”
The only person on the scene who was excited was Wanyan Jie. “Great-grandmother, the moment I spoke, little brother was born. Is my mouth not like gold and my words like jade?”
Mouth like gold, words like jade: what one says will come true, usually used by the emperor.
Wanyan Jie’s innocent words helped Wanyan Kang get out of trouble and also let the atmosphere become a bit more relaxed.
Inside the room, Feng Qi Qi laid on the big bed. The hair on her forehead was already wet and sticking to her head. Now, it was just the contraction phase. The pain spread from the lower part of her body. Feng Qi Qi clenched her teeth and didn’t let herself scream. Seeing her daughter like this, Wanyan Ming Yue turned her face to a side and wiped away her tears.
“Woowoo, give me something to eat!” After a burst of pain passed, Feng Qi Qi let Su Mei bring out the already steamed egg and fed her. Feng Qi Qi knew that this was only the beginning. The real time-consuming and energy-consuming pain has yet to come.
Time slowly passed by. The hearts of everyone waiting outside were in their throats. Feng Cang’s expression was grave like never before. From the moment Feng Qi Qi went into the room until now, his lips had been in a straight line. He hadn’t said a word. How scary that appearance could be was how scary that appearance was. It was as if the one giving birth wasn’t Feng Qi Qi but him.
“I feel that you all don’t have to be so tense. Cousin in law is hurting inside. If all of us are nervous, wouldn’t we be putting more pressure on her?”
Although Wanyan Kang’s argument was somewhat far-fetched, but as long as it was good to Feng Qi Qi, Feng Cang would try. After hearing him (WK) say this, Feng Cang relaxed a bit. He didn’t stand anymore but sat on a chair. However, the coldness emitting from his body didn’t decrease for a moment.
“That, Ming Yue Cheng, it’s the new year. Why did you run to our Bei Zhou? What about your country?”
Wanyan Kang wanted to let the atmosphere relax a bit, so he looked for a topic of discussion. It just so happened that Ming Yue Cheng’s state wasn’t much better than Feng Cang’s. He kept frowning and staring at Tingsong building. That gaze was like it wanted to burn a hole into the window.
Seeing that Ming Yue Cheng didn’t answer, Wanyan Kang was a bit embarrassed. Instead, it was Gu Yun Wan who answered Wanyan Kang’s question. “He, ah, threw everything to my father! It’s like my family owns him!”
“You are?” Only now did Wanyan Kang discover that there was one more beauty around him.
“My name is Gu Yun Wan!” Gu Yun Wan introduced herself. Wanyan Kang was surprised. “You’re Nan Feng’s empress dowager? Then, aren’t you Ming Yue Cheng’s empress mother? Heavens, you’re the youngest and most beautiful empress dowager I’ve ever seen!”
Wanyan Kang’s words amused Gu Yun Wan. “You’re also very funny!”
“Thanks!” Wanyan Kang cupped his hands and was about to say more when Ming Yue Cheng’s murderous eyes glared at him, making Wanyan Kang shudder.
“Alright, alright, alright, I won’t speak anymore! I will shut up!”
Wanyan Kang knew that everyone blamed him for what had happened to Feng Qi Qi at the New Year’s Eve dinner. This made Wanyan Kang feel very wronged. However, when he thought about what Ming Yue Cheng said, that this little nephew or niece had fate with him, Wanyan Kang’s mood became a lot better.
“Qi Qi, if it’s painful, shout it out!” Inside the room, Wanyan Ming Yue carefully wiped the sweat from Feng Qi Qi’s forehead with a warm towel. “Or, should I bring something to let you bite on it?”
“Give me a towel to bite on!” Feng Qi Qi took deep breaths. Her hands tightly clutched the satin cloth hanging from the top. She had long heard that giving birth was very painful, but she didn’t expect that this kind of pain was unimaginable to ordinary people. It seemed that the saying giving birth to a life, the mother would cross death indeed made some sense.
“Miss, here!” Su Yue brought a clean towel and handed it to Feng Qi Qi. Feng Qi Qi bit on the towel. She felt a lot better.
Seeing Feng Qi Qi like this, Wanyan Ming Yue knew that she was afraid that if she screamed, it would let the people who were waiting, especially Feng Cang, feel heartache. So, she preferred to bite down on the towel and not make a sound.
Foolish child…Wanyan Ming Yue didn’t say it out loud. She could only silently wipe away the sweat of her daughter and do everything in her power.
The midwives were ready. Hot water, clean towels, everything was ready. Everyone was waiting for that crucial moment.
“Why isn’t there any noise?” Outside the room, Feng Xie walked back and forth. From time to time, he would look at the room. When Wanyan Ming Yue gave birth to Feng Qi Qi, he wasn’t able to be there. Now, he could finally be there when his daughter gave birth to his grandson, but the room was so quiet that it felt out of the ordinary! Could it be that it wasn’t painful?
After Feng Xie said that, the others also noticed something strange. Su Mei came out at the right time. Wanyan Kang immediately stopped her. “Little Mei er,1 why didn’t anything happen yet?”
Su Mei felt heartache for Feng Qi Qi. After she saw Wanyan Kang and thought about how he’d incited little emperor to say that sentence, Su Mei’s expression immediately sank. “What do you think women giving birth is, ah?! Miss is biting the towel! What kind of sound do you want miss to make?”
After dropping these hard sentences, Su Mei left without turning back. Wanyan Kang stood there, feeling a bit embarrassed. It was not right to laugh nor cry.
“She’s worried about Feng Qi Qi and isn’t intentionally targeting you! Don’t put it in your heart!” Gu Yun Wan comforted Wanyan Kang after seeing him like this.
“I know…”
Although he was saying this, but Wanyan Kang wished he could slap himself two times. Su Mei said that Feng Qi Qi was biting on a towel. It was definitely very painful, but she didn’t want people to be worried. That’s why she was like that. After getting everyone’s ‘blame’, Wanyan Kang actively took up the reputation of ‘villain’. He squatted at a side and didn’t speak anymore.
After Feng Cang heard that Feng Qi Qi was biting on a towel, his fingers went into his palm. She was definitely hurting very much now! It was all his fault for letting her get pregnant. Now, she was enduring a torture inside, and he couldn’t be of any help. He’s really useless!
Naturally, Feng Qi Qi didn’t know Feng Cang’s thoughts. Now, she was being tortured by the pain. Giving birth to a child was really no ordinary hardship!
“Wangfei,2 four fingers are open. Continue on!” At this time, the four midwives were also very nervous. Although they were the most experienced palace maids, but at this time, they were also so anxious that they sweated.
The one lying here was one of the most noble women of Bei Zhou. Now, the emperor and the grand empress dowager were waiting outside. The regent was also waiting outside. If something happened to Feng Qi Qi…then, wouldn’t it be as simple as their heads landing on the ground.
“Yes, ah! Wangfei, l
ittle shizi3 is about to come out! Have a bit more strength!”
“I know, but, mother…I feel so painful!” The towel in Feng Qi Qi’s mouth fell. She finally shouted, “Pain”.
“Mother is here. Qi Qi, don’t be afraid. Mother will stay here with you!” Wanyan Ming Yue held Feng Qi Qi’s hand. “If you’re hurting, hold onto mother’s hand!”
“No…” Feng Qi Qi withdrew her hand and continued to hold on the white satin cloth. She knew how great her strength is. What if she broke Wanyan Ming Yue’s hand?
Inside the room, Feng Qi Qi felt that she had passed through a century. Outside the room, the night was replaced by the day. Today was the first day of the year. It was a sunny day and the weather was good.
Dongfang Lan took Wanyan Jie to rest for a while. Early in the morning, Wanyan Jie woke up. After washing up and having breakfast, he immediately grabbed Dongfang Lan and came to Tingsong building.
“Little brother still hasn’t come out? Is it that he doesn’t like me? Doesn’t like to play with me?” When he heard that Feng Qi Qi’s child hasn’t been born yet, Wanyan Jie pouted and felt a bit sad.
“Emperor, little brother is also doing his best. Your little aunty is also doing her best!” Dongfang Lan gently rubbed Wanyan Jie’s head. “Wait a bit. Perhaps little brother would come out soon!”
“Mm!” Only after listening to great-grandmother’s words did Wanyan Jie reveal an innocent smile. From dawn till now, it had already been more than eight hours. Feng Cang felt that his patience was disappearing little by little. Although he didn’t hear Feng Qi Qi’s screams, but Feng Cang knew that she must’ve been very uncomfortable these eight hours.
‘Zhiya…’ The door opened. The maid came out with a brass pan that was covered with a towel. Inside it was used water and it smelled of blood. She was afraid that people would see it, so she covered it with a towel.
“How’s wangfei? How’s it inside the room?” Feng Cang stopped the maid and questioned her.
Don’t know if she was scared by Feng Cang’s aura, this little girl stuttered a long time and only when Feng Cang shouted, “Talk!”, did she open her mouth, “Wangfei is petite, so it is more difficult to give birth…”
‘Boom…’
Feng Cang’s palm hit the pillar. He’d actually hit the pillar that was thick as a child and let it become a few pieces of stone.
“Wangye,4 spare me!” This maid was only fourteen or fifteen years old. Now, after seeing Feng Cang flip out, her legs went soft and her hands lost strength. The brass pan fell on the ground and the bloody water spilled all over.
When Feng Cang saw that red bloody water, his expression became worse. When the maid saw that she stirred up trouble, she immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed. “Wangye, spare me! This slave didn’t do it on purpose!”
“Enough, go on with what you were doing!” When Dongfang Lan saw this, she stepped forward to help the maid. “Go, they’re still waiting for your help inside the room!”
“Thanking grand empress dowager! Thanking grand empress dowager!” The maid picked up the brass pan and quickly entered Tingsong building. Dongfang Lan comforted Feng Cang. “Don’t be so nervous. Qi Qi would have a lot of pressure with you being like this! Relax a bit. Nothing will happen to Qi Qi!”
In fact, after Dongfang Lan heard the maid’s words, she was also very nervous. Feng Qi Qi didn’t have a big physique and a narrow pelvis. If the fetus was too large, presumably she would suffer some pain.
“I’m a bit worried.”
Feng Cang’s body went cold and there was sweat on his palms. He had never been so helpless! Although he had been tortured by illnesses in the past, he hadn’t been scared as he was now. The bloody water had condensed on the ground. The red color irritated Feng Cang’s eyes and heart. He could not imagine how Feng Qi Qi would be after bleeding so much.
Inside Tingsong building, Feng Qi Qi had long heard that loud sound. After she got to know from Su Mei that Feng Cang was angry, Feng Qi Qi let Wanyan Ming Yue ask Feng Cang to come in.
“Qi Qi, when a woman gives birth, man cannot enter the delivery room!” After all, Wanyan Ming Yue was a traditional woman. She somewhat couldn’t accept Feng Qi Qi’s request for Feng Cang to stay with her during the labor.
“Mother, I really can’t hold it anymore…” Feng Qi Qi’s originally bright red lips had turned pale. She looked pitifully at Wanyan Ming Yue and used the cuteness of a little girl to beg her.
“Princess, if the time is prolonged, it wouldn’t be good for neither the adult nor the child! Princess’s pelvis is really too narrow…”
The midwives were also at their wit’s end. They were tormented the whole night. Now, the sky had already become bright, but there was still no indication that the child was about to come out. They were also afraid; afraid that they would be responsible for a human life. Traditionally, it was indeed said that men couldn’t enter the delivery room. However, Feng Qi Qi couldn’t give birth. If wangye is at her side, it would give her strength.
Hearing the midwife say this, Wanyan Ming Yue also panicked. “Quickly, quickly go ask wangye to come in!”
Su Yue hurriedly went out. After paying her respect to Dongfang Lan, Su Yue turned to Feng Cang. “Guye,5 miss wants to see you!”
“What?” Feng Cang’s heart sank. From Su Yue’s tone it was like Feng Qi Qi wanted to make her ‘dying words’ clear. Not waiting for Su Yue to finish, Feng Cang rushed into Tingsong building like a gust of wind.
“This…”
Dongfang Lan could only say one word. Her outstretched hand stopped there. Forget it. At this time, why care about that so much?! The most important thing was to keep the mother and child safe and sound!
“Qing Qing, I came!”
Feng Cang wanted to approach Feng Qi Qi but was stopped by Su Mei. “Guye, go wash first!”
Feng Cang quickly washed his face with warm water before he came to Feng Qi Qi.
“Qing Qing…” After seeing Feng Qi Qi’s wet clothes because of the sweat, Feng Cang felt a deep pain in his heart. When he saw Wanyan Ming Yue’s tired look, Feng Cang quickly replaced Wanyan Ming Yue to let her rest at a side.
“Cang, we lost for sure this time!” When Feng Qi Qi saw Feng Cang, the discomfort in her heart disappeared.
She let go of the white satin cloth in her hands and clutched Feng Cang’s hand tightly. “What to do? This child is so naughty; it’s definitely a boy! We, we bet on a girl. This time, we definitely lost!”
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Er: term of endearment
Wangfei: main wife of first-rank prince
Shizi: first son of a first-rank prince or crown prince and the main wife/ usually the heir of the family
Wang/wangye: first-rank prince
Guye: son-in-law, used by wife’s family
Chapter 182: Giving Birth (2) Part 2
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At this time, Feng Qi Qi still could joke. This made Feng Cang relax a bit. He gently kissed the sweat on her cheek and held her hand to give her strength. “It doesn’t matter. We lost this time. Next time, we will win the double of it! Moreover, instead of being happy alone, it’s better to let everyone be happy. Isn’t this what you used to say in the past?! It’s better to let those who gambles get a small fortune!”
“Hehe, I knew you…would say this! Ah…”
Another round of pain came. This time, Feng Qi Qi didn’t endure it like before. Instead, she screamed hysterically.
Only when the pain reached its limit would one scream. This made Wanyan Kang shudder. It turned out that women giving birth was so scary. Wanyan Kang stared at the bloody water on the ground. Then, would Su Mei also be like this in the future?
The expression of Ming Yue Cheng who stood next to Wanyan Kang became extremely bad. The usual sloppy smile disappeared. Ming Yue Cheng’s whole face was tensed. Feng Qi Qi was suffering inside. He really wanted to stay with her and tell her that he would take care of everything, but who is he? Her real husband already entered.
Even if he was worried, he could only wait anxiously here.
“Wangfei,1 little shizi’s2 head could already be seen. Wangfei, use more strength, ah!”
Feng Cang’s presence pressured the midwives even more. Fortunately, Feng Cang didn’t personally put pressure on them let the midwives relax a bit. They put all their attention on Feng Qi Qi.
“Amitabha, buddha bless my Qi Qi! Amitabha!” Wanyan Ming Yue prayed to Buddha and prayed for buddha to let Feng Qi Qi suffer less.
“Ah…,” Feng Qi Qi once again screamed from pain. Now, the pain reached a point where it was unbearable for Feng Qi Qi. Now, she no longer cared about the things she thought before. She screamed repeatedly as if she wanted to dispel the pain through her screams.
“Cang, it hurts!” Feng Qi Qi’s tears fell. Aside from wiping her face, Feng Cang couldn’t do anything else. He could only watch Feng Qi Qi tremble from pain.
“I’m here! After this baby is born, let’s not have more children!” Now, Feng Cang hated the child inside Feng Qi Qi’s belly a bit. He actually dared to let her feel so much pain. “After this brat come out, I will slap his butt to relieve your anger for you!”
When Feng Cang’s words reached the other people’s ears, making them want to laugh but didn’t dare to make a sound. Everyone finally saw the appearance of this wangye3 loving his wife.
“No…you, you have to compensate all the money I lost!”
Feng Qi Qi gritted her teeth and clutched Feng Cang’s hand.
“Good, good, good. I will make it up to you! It is all yours! My everything is yours!”
At this time, the two people were still saying such loving words that would make people blush. Not too mention those young maids, even those elder maids felt that it was too corny.
Inside the room, because of the pain, Feng Qi Qi had forgotten about the time. Outside the room, the people watched the sun rise until noon.