Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 450 Freshmen
The palace lanterns swayed.

The shadows of people rushing back and forth stretched out, sometimes long, sometimes short.

In the wind and snow, a blue-curtained carriage, having received a special imperial decree, sped into the palace gates and arrived directly outside the Jiaofang Palace.

Xue Sui arrived very quickly, dressed in a plain velvet jacket and skirt, without any makeup, her short hair simply tied back. As soon as she stepped into the inner hall, she smelled a strong stench of blood.

Several imperial physicians were whispering and discussing outside the room, their faces grave. Inside and outside the palace, the servants were in a flurry of activity, with people falling over and horses stumbling.

She strode forward, her eyes meeting Li Zhao's.

No further words were needed; he simply nodded slightly.

"Sixth Miss Xue." The palace maid Linglong, seeing her arrive, rushed towards her as if she were a savior, and hurriedly led her into the inner room. "Her Majesty has been calling out for you, Miss. Please come with me to see Her Majesty..."

Xue Sui nodded and followed her inside without stopping.

The inner palace was even more chaotic.

Two young palace maids knelt down to wipe the bloodstains on the floor. Another maid, carrying a hot water bottle, accidentally spilled the water and was scolded in a low voice by the head maid, Aunt Yu.

The midwife knelt at the head of the bed, her forehead covered in sweat, her voice trembling: "Your Majesty the Empress... suddenly suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, the womb is weak, and the young master is still in a transverse position... I'm afraid... I'm afraid we can't save him..."

Xue Sui bent down, placed his fingers on the Empress's wrist, and quickly checked the situation.

"All irrelevant people, step back! Just leave two capable midwives and two maids to help."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a calming power.

No one raised any objection.

Xue Sui said no more, and gestured for Xiao Zhao to open the small medicine box she had brought with her, take out the gold needles, quickly place several porcelain bottles on the small table by the bedside, and then pry open Empress Xie's mouth and put a pill under her tongue.

"Your Majesty, please steady your breathing and just get through this."

Her technique was extremely fast, and her needlework was steady and accurate.

As time passed, Empress Xie's pain seemed to subside slightly. Her groans were sometimes loud and sometimes faint, and tears and sweat mingled, soaking her pillowcase.

Giving birth is already a life-threatening ordeal for women, let alone premature or difficult births.

An hour passed, and the child still hadn't been delivered.

Empress Xie seemed to have exhausted all her strength; her eyes were tightly closed, her lips were purple, and she could barely make a sound.

The midwife turned ashen-faced with fright and said in a trembling voice, "Sixth Miss, Her Majesty the Empress is exhausted... I'm afraid she won't be able to hold on..."

"It's not time to give up yet." Xue Sui leaned down, getting close to the dazed Empress Xie.

"Your Majesty, you must hold on. His Highness the Crown Prince is still waiting for you outside... The young prince cannot be without his mother..."

The empress's eyelids trembled violently, and a faint sob escaped her throat.

"I...I'm...going to die..."

She was barely breathing and fainted several times, only to be revived each time by Xue Sui using needles.

Over and over again, she thought she was going to die. Grabbing Xue Sui's hand, she said haltingly, "Tell...tell Zhao'er...Mother...is worried about him...Sixth Miss, the Crown Prince...is pitiful...In the future...please cherish him..."

"Your Majesty, you will be alright." Xue Sui's forehead was also covered in sweat, but her eyes were calm and her hands moved without any slackening.

“Your Majesty, listen to my rhythm. Inhale… the bleeding has stopped, and the little prince is alright. Your Majesty, for His Highness, for the little prince, do it one more time, inhale… push…”

Empress Xie bit her lower lip, and two lines of tears slid down her cheeks.

About fifteen minutes later, the midwife shouted, "The baby's head is down! Your Highness, push!"

Perhaps it was her maternal instincts that were triggered, or perhaps it was Xue Sui's words that had an effect; Empress Xie suddenly held her breath, her body stiffened, and she let out a low growl, using up her last bit of strength—

"Wow--"

Finally, a faint cry of a newborn baby, like heavenly music, broke the suffocating silence of the Jiaofang Palace.

"It's a baby! It's a baby girl..."

The midwife wept with joy, her voice filled with excitement and lingering fear.

"Amitabha……"

"Sixth Miss Xue, you are truly a living Bodhisattva... Her Majesty and the little princess are both safe and sound."

Having witnessed many women giving birth, she had already prepared for the worst based on her experience.

Unexpectedly, for more than two hours, Xue Sui used a variety of methods to pull Empress Xie back from the brink of death.

Xue Sui exhaled softly, straightened up, took the hot handkerchief handed to him by the palace maid, wiped his hands, and smiled knowingly.

"It's good that you're safe and sound."

Her voice was hoarse, revealing a deep weariness.

After explaining the postpartum care and confirming that Empress Xie was sound asleep, she finally relaxed completely.

"Xiao Zhao, let's go."

She packed her medicine kit and was about to get up when suddenly everything went black, and she swayed as if all her strength had left her.

Xiao Zhao caught her in time, and when she touched her, she felt that her fingertips were icy cold.

"girl……"

"Don't make a fuss. I'm just a little tired." Xue Sui took a breath and then saw Li Zhao walk around the screen and come in.

Seeing her pale face, Li Zhao felt a surge of emotions welling up in his throat, and finally whispered, "Peace... thank you."

Xue Sui shook his head, his tone indifferent.

"Your Majesty is blessed with good fortune, and the little princess is also very lucky. I only did what I should do. Your Majesty is weak after childbirth and needs to rest, think less, and get angry less... The imperial physicians and nannies will take care of the rest. There is no need for me here..." She turned to look at the little princess who was being held by the wet nurse and smiled gently.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, you have a younger sister now..."

Li Zhao's throat bobbed, and he glanced at the tiny swaddled baby with a complicated expression.

The child was as weak as a kitten, his cries were faint, and his brows and eyes were furrowed; he was hardly a pretty child...

Compared to his unfamiliar younger sister, he felt more sorry for Xue Sui.

"You look terrible. Can your body handle this?"

Xue Sui shook his head and smiled, and a clear sense of sorrow could be seen in his eyes.

That night, the infighting and scheming within the vermilion palace walls nearly cost the lives of two of his loved ones.

The so-called wealth and glory of the imperial family is nothing more than this.

"Your Highness," Xue Sui said softly, her heart aching for him, "It will be alright. Everything will be alright."

"I know."

Li Zhao narrowed his dark eyes, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. He looked out at the deep night outside the palace and called out, "Lai Fu."

“I’m here.” Laifu stepped forward.

"You escort the young lady to the side hall's warm pavilion to rest, and order someone to prepare some hot soup and clean clothes. Without my orders, no one is to disturb her."

Lai Fu bowed and said, "Yes."

He then looked at Xue Sui, his tone leaving no room for refusal: "It's almost dawn, and the snow is raging outside. You should stay in the palace, and we'll discuss everything tomorrow."

Xue Sui was indeed extremely exhausted, so he no longer refused, "Alright."

Li Zhao watched her figure disappear into the distance before his expression darkened.

He turned around and strode into the adjacent side room.

There, Yuan Cang was already waiting as ordered.

"Tell Night Owl to investigate..."

Li Zhao's voice was extremely low and filled with coldness.

"I want to know everything about that Xuanjizi. How did he enter the palace? How did he come into contact with His Majesty? Who recommended and guided him? I want to know every single detail."

"Yes."

Yuan Cang accepted the order and withdrew.

The baby's cries shattered the tranquility of the Jiaofang Palace.

The sound of firecrackers in the capital gradually subsided.

Daylight broke, and the new year quietly arrived amidst this blood-soaked rebirth.
-
The first day of the first month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhao.

Xue Sui was awakened by the clear chirping of birds after the snow.

She slept very soundly, but also very restlessly. In her dream, she repeatedly saw blood everywhere and Li Zhao's pale, handsome face. She suddenly opened her eyes and saw Li Zhao sitting by the bed.

For a moment, she realized that she was in a side hall of the Jiaofang Palace.

"Your Highness..."

Li Zhao turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, and a bluish stubble on his chin, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

"Awake?" he asked, looking down at her softly. "Is anything bothering you?"

Xue Sui shook his head and smiled, then sat up. "How is Her Majesty the Empress? I'll go check on her."

“It’s cold outside, don’t rush to get up.” Li Zhao reached out and draped the cloak over her shoulders, then helped her adjust her collar. “Have some hot porridge first, then you can go.”

His fingertips were cool as they brushed against her neck. Xue Sui instinctively flinched, but did not pull away.

A glint flashed in Li Zhao's eyes, and he pursed his thin lips slightly. "Be obedient."

Xue Sui's heart softened slightly, and he nodded.

After having breakfast, the two walked side by side to the main hall.

The snow under the eaves had been swept away, and the palace maids moved with light steps.

The atmosphere of the entire Jiaofang Palace seemed to be brightened by the arrival of the new life.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince, Aunt Yu hurried over to pay her respects, beaming with joy, and said, "Her Majesty has awakened. She was just asking about His Highness and the Sixth Miss..."

Li Zhao nodded, glanced at Xue Sui, and said softly, "How is Your Highness?"

"Your Majesty looks much better. She even drank half a bowl of ginseng and chicken porridge this morning. But she is still weak and cannot overexert herself."

"Where is the little princess?"

"She just finished breastfeeding and fell asleep in her wet nurse's arms." Aunt Yu's voice was tinged with laughter, her gaze subtly shifting between the two. "Her Majesty said she wanted to thank Miss Xue in person, and specifically instructed me that if His Highness and Miss Xue come, there's no need to announce their arrival; just lead them in directly..."

Li Zhao raised an eyebrow slightly: "So solemn? Is there something strange about it?"

Aunt Yu chuckled, "It's a joyous occasion. His Highness will know once he sees the Empress..."

　Let's watch the military parade together, ladies!

　　Cheer up, be happy! Mwah!

　　(End of this chapter)