Chapter 180

Xiao Jingheng was so busy today that his busyness almost reached the level when he ascended the throne.

Kun Ning Palace finally breathed a sigh of relief, then had to hurry to Yonghe Palace to keep Consort Chen company.

The Empress needed to recuperate quietly, so it was not good to keep servants around her. Thus, Song Zhao also went along with Xiao Jingheng to Yonghe Palace.

Counting the days, it had been almost two months since Song Zhao last set foot in this palace, after Consort Chen imposed the Inner Palace Prohibitions on Yonghe Palace.

As she entered the palace gate today, she immediately felt that Yonghe Palace was refreshingly cool.

Walking through the courtyard towards the inner part, she saw several large vats placed in the yard, all filled with ice.

Kang Yubin was also shouting at the palace maids from the side, "Don't you see the ice in the vat has somewhat melted? Go collect new ones to serve!"

Song Zhao had heard from Little Fu Zi earlier that Consort Chen had moved one-third of the ice from the Palace Affairs Department to her own palace.

Except for the Empress and Song Zhao who did not lack ice to use during this hot summer day, the other concubines' palaces had far from enough ice supply.

Although they complained a lot, when had Consort Chen ever cared about these things?

Right now what she cared most was that Noble Consort Xiao could safely give birth to the Crown Prince.

Lifting the door curtain and entering the outer chambers, Song Zhao saw that Consort Chen was talking with Xiao Jingheng.

Song Zhao greeted Consort Chen from afar, but Consort Chen only glanced at her and ignored her, continuing to say to Xiao Jingheng:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. Doctor Qi said that Noble Consort Xiao's delivery went very smoothly and will certainly safely give birth to the little Prince for Your Majesty."

Hearing the sounds coming from Noble Consort Xiao's inner chamber, which was slightly lesser than that from the Empress's, Xiao Jingheng felt slightly relieved and said:

"Earlier, the Empress was in so much pain during labor, compared to the sounds here, she truly encountered a formidable one."

Consort Chen's eyes flashed, then quickly smiled and said,

"Then congratulations to Your Majesty! I suppose the Empress has already safely given birth to a little Prince for You?" Xiao Jingheng rubbed his hands and also smiled, "It's a Princess, but that is also good."

Hearing this, Consort Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and her eyes and brows revealed a trace of pride.

"Waa--waa--"

Loud cries of a baby suddenly came from the inner chamber, interrupting the conversation between the two.

Consort Chen's bright eyes lit up, "Your Majesty, listen! This crying sound is so loud, it must be a little Prince!"

The slightly nervous look that was on Xiao Jingheng's face just now instantly disappeared, and delight swiftly climbed onto his brows.

He strode to the entrance of the inner chamber and asked Doctor Qi who walked out:

"Is it a Prince?"

Strangely though, this Doctor Qi's complexion looked even more unpleasant than Imperial Physician Zhou earlier.

It was as if his face was covered with an iron-blue color, without a trace of blood.

Hearing Xiao Jingheng's question, he was even more frightened, his knees went soft and he knelt on the ground, not even daring to raise his head, shivering without saying a word.

The delighted look on Xiao Jingheng's face instantly froze, "It's a Princess?"

Doctor Qi still did not speak, only trembled more severely.

He was specially responsible for attending to Consort Chen. Seeing him like this, Consort Chen felt she could not keep face, so she scolded:

"What is the matter? Speak!"

"Replying... Replying to Your Majesty... Noble Consort Xiao... she... she..."

He stammered and could not utter a complete sentence.

Consort Chen was annoyed, she simply bypassed him and directly entered the inner chamber.

She saw two midwives standing in front of Xiao Noble Consort's couch, holding a baby and whispering to each other.

Having just given birth, Noble Consort Xiao was also very weak.

She seemed to have not seen her child yet either, and weakly asked:

"How is it? Is it a Prince? Or a Princess?"

The midwives did not answer her. Consort Chen scolded them:

"What's the matter with you all? I'm asking you a question!" Frightened by her yell, the midwife finally stammered, "Replying... Replying to Consort Chen... Noble Consort Xiao gave birth to a little Prince..."

Hearing this, the stone in Consort Chen's heart finally settled.

She let out a long sigh of relief, smiling radiantly, "What great joy! You all look as if you are silly with delight?"

Then she turned around and saw Xiao Jingheng, who also had a smiling face. She quickly knelt down on one knee and congratulated,

"This servant congratulates Your Majesty for happily gaining a noble son!"

"Good! Good!"

Unlike when he learned the Empress had given birth to a Princess earlier,

Xiao Jingheng was clearly much more excited this time, even his tone rose unwittingly,

"Bring him here and let me take a look."

"Yes!"

Consort Chen acknowledged loudly, then took the swaddling clothes from the midwife's arms,

"This child is really..." Ah!"

But after Consort Chen took just one glance into the swaddling clothes, she was so frightened that she screamed, and accidentally dropped the swaddling clothes she was holding.

Fortunately, the midwives were not far away and reacted quickly to catch the swaddling clothes.

"Consort Chen! What's with your clumsiness, how improper!"

Xiao Jingheng scolded Consort Chen, but Consort Chen still stared wide-eyed and froze in place.

She seemed to have been scared silly, not saying a word.

Sensing something wrong, Xiao Jingheng strode forward and lifted a corner of the swaddling clothes.

Unexpectedly, everything that met his eyes also made Xiao Jingheng shudder involuntarily and stumble back...

And at this moment, Song Zhao also saw the appearance of this much anticipated "Imperial Noble Son"...

The skin on this child was extremely dry and cracked, peeling off in flakes, almost covering his whole body in a scaly, dense pattern!

Even his upper eyelids were stretched very tight due to the excessive dryness,

which caused him to be unable to close his eyes at all, the pair of eyes bulging out bloodshot!

This horrifying appearance was just like a human infant wearing snake skin!