Chapter 179

Imperial physician Zhou's question had really put Xiao Jingheng in a difficult position.

Perhaps seeing his dilemma, Imperial physician Zhou quickly added another sentence:

"This servant has examined and found that Her Majesty the Empress is carrying a princess this time."

Hearing this, Song Zhao glimpsed the troubled look on Xiao Jingheng's face change suddenly.

He cleared his throat, just about to speak, when Song Zhao quickly cut in ahead of him. She glared at Imperial physician Zhou,

"What nonsense are you saying, Imperial physician Zhou? Of course the lives of both Her Majesty the Empress and the little princess must be preserved! Otherwise, it would be dereliction of duty by the Imperial Medical Bureau!"

Xiao Jingheng fell silent for a moment before echoing:

"What Yi Consort said is right. You must try your utmost to ensure the safety of the Empress and princess! Otherwise, I will have your heads!"

The Son of Heaven's fury made his subjects break out in cold sweat.

Imperial physician Zhou was scared half to death. He quickly acknowledged Xiao Jingheng's words and was just about to crawl back to the inner court,

when as soon as he pushed open the door, he heard the Empress scream from inside,

"The dragon child must be preserved no matter what! I will stake my life to give birth to a rightful heir for His Majesty! No one can harm my child!"

Hearing her desperate cries, even Xiao Jingheng could not help but be moved.

But the birthing room was bloody, so it was not suitable for him to enter. He could only anxiously pace back and forth outside the door.

In his heart, there was also something he could not figure out: Imperial Physician Chu had previously told him that both the Empress and Consort Xiao were carrying princes, so how did the Empress give birth to a princess instead?

However, diagnosing the sex of the fetus from the pulses could not guarantee one hundred percent accuracy, so occasional deviations were nothing serious.

No matter if it was a boy or girl, as long as his child was born safely, it would be fine.

Later, the screams from the inner court gradually weakened, indicating the Empress's condition had stabilized.

Only then did Xiao Jingheng realize Song Zhao had been standing with him the entire time.

He quickly took Song Zhao’s hand and said, “Keeping you standing here with me for so long must have tired you out. Please sit.”

Xiao Jingheng led her to the heated cushion.

Song Zhao could clearly feel the thin layer of sweat that had emerged on his palm.

After sitting down, she comforted Xiao Jingheng, saying

“Your Majesty, please don’t worry. Her Majesty the Empress is blessed by the heavens and will surely give birth safely with her daughter.”

Xiao Jingheng nodded heavily, his gaze still fixed tightly on the direction of the inner court.

Song Zhao glanced at him, her emotions extremely complicated.

Earlier, when Imperial Physician Zhou had said the Empress was carrying a princess this time, Song Zhao had glimpsed his change in expression and figured out what he was thinking.

He probably had already considered getting rid of the princess to preserve the Empress.

If Song Zhao had not said they must preserve both lives prematurely, Xiao Jingheng might have really ordered the princess removed...

To be honest, Song Zhao hated the Empress bitterly,

hating her for scheming to harm her and her son’s lives, hating her for nearly causing Yun Shan’s death.

Song Zhao wished for the Empress to die from her difficult labor, but she had never thought of harming the Empress's child.

After all, she would soon be a mother herself, so how could she do something so malicious like the Empress to harm an infant?

After some time, faint cries of a newborn baby were vaguely heard from the inner court.

Soon after, a wet nurse came running out with a happy look on her face, carrying a swaddled infant,

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Her Majesty the Empress has safely given birth to a little princess!" An unstoppable smile spread across Xiao Jingheng’s face.

Song Zhao also went up to take a look at the commotion.

The baby in the swaddle was fair-skinned and soft, but perhaps because the wet nurse was in a hurry to share the joyous news with Xiao Jingheng, she had not yet cleaned the birth fluids staining the little princess’s body.

Seeing this, the child was dirty all over and gave off a strong garlicky odor.

Song Zhao knew this smell was likely the amniotic fluid, and a newborn that had just come out bawling loudly would have scrunched up features that made it hard to discern attractiveness.

But Song Zhao still smiled and arched her brows at the little princess, praising her: "The princess has His Majesty’s eyes and brows, with more resemblance to Her Majesty the Empress’s nose and chin. She is extremely beautiful."

Xiao Jingheng laughed and said, "Good, even a princess is fine."

Song Zhao then asked, "Would Your Majesty like to hold the little princess?"

But Xiao Jingheng only perfunctorily stroked the little princess's cheeks before saying, "The Empress went through much hardship. I will go see her first.”

Song Zhao did not know if it was because he was anxious to check on the Empress or if he felt the birth fluids staining the little princess were too dirty and might soil his bright and gorgeous dragon robes...

She instructed the wet nurses to first bring the little princess down to get her cleaned up. Song Zhao then followed Xiao Jingheng’s footsteps into the inner court to visit the Empress.

At this moment, Xiao Jingheng was sitting by the Empress’s couch, tightly clutching her hand and solemnly saying:

“Empress, you have suffered much on my behalf and given birth to a daughter.”

The Empress said somewhat despondently: “Unable to bear you a son, it is a sign that your concubine is unworthy..."

“Son or daughter, after all, she is my first child. I like her all the same.”

Song Zhao saw that the premature labor had nearly taken half the Empress’s life this time.

She had suffered heart illness and barely clung to life to give birth to her child, so she had astounding luck to survive.

At this moment, frail and exhausted, she struggled to even say a few more words and looked extremely haggard.

Imperial Physician Zhou said: "Your Majesty the Empress had a tiring labor. You should properly rest and recuperate now to restore your vitality. Perhaps it would be better for His Majesty to come visit Your Majesty later?”

Xiao Jingheng then tidied the Empress’s quilt and urged her to rest well. But just as he had turned to leave, Xiao Yinzhi rushed in, unable to hide his delight as he kneeled and kowtowed:

“Reporting to Your Majesty! There is news from Yonghe Palace! Consort Xiao has gone into labor!”