Chapter 116: C99. Gave Birth.

Chapter 99

Zhao Heng did not nap either; she sat in the sleeping hall, as if she could hear the bustle of Chongming Hall, just sitting there, Lin Mama stood by her side, not daring to say much.

After a while, Zhao Heng stood up and told Lin Mama, "Go to Chongming Hall."

Zhao Heng walked to the foot of the high steps outside Chongming Hall, with a fine layer of sweat on her temples. She looked up at the majestic palace.

Li Wenjian walked out of the hall and saw her at the foot of the steps.

Upon seeing him, Zhao Heng quickly picked up her skirts and hurried up the steps.

The late summer breeze still carried some warmth, blowing her sweat-damp hair. The glistening droplets sparkled in the sunlight as she climbed a few steps and then stopped halfway.

"Wasn't I supposed to come and watch the dance with you this afternoon?"

Seeing her sweating, Li Wenjian took the handkerchief from Lian Zhou's hands, wiped the sweat from her face, and asked in a low voice, "Why did you come over now?"

"I was planning to take a nap." Zhao Heng grabbed his arm, wanting to ask him something, but with his cold fingertips occasionally touching her forehead, she couldn't help but look into his eyes, with so much to say but not knowing how to express it, she just tightened her grip on his sleeve.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Li Wenjian held Zhao Heng's shoulders and hid her in the shade.

"No," Zhao Heng shook her head.

"I'll take you back." Li Wenjian held her hand and led her back.

Zhao Heng pursed her lips and followed him, walking towards the white jade steps. She stared at his profile for a moment, hesitated to speak several times but couldn't bring herself to.

"What's wrong?" Li Wenjian squeezed her hand.

"I heard a ridiculous thing." She lowered her head and asked, "They said that the Princess of the North Sea likes you, and the King of the North Sea wants her to be your crown princess."

Li Wenjian walked towards the East Palace as he spoke, "Who told you that?"

Zhao Heng lowered her head, continued to fiddle with her clothes, but didn't mention Ye Chaoyang's name.

Li Wenjian glanced at her, "It's true."

Suddenly, she let go of his hand, stopped walking, and after a moment, she continued forward, saying, "I understand."

Li Wenjian looked at her for a moment, then reached out and held her hand hidden in her sleeve, walking with her in the red palace path.

The afternoon found the East Palace deserted, with only the cicadas' shrill song filtering down from the treetops. Their footsteps echoed through the empty courtyards, a lonely rhythm in this world that seemed theirs alone.

As they walked deeper, the air grew heavy with a sense of neglect. Li Wenjian gently lifted the pearl curtain, its pale hue catching the fading light. He ushered Zhao Heng to the couch before her and then, kneeling beside her, removed her shoes.

Replacing them with soft slippers, he asked with concern, "Your feet... are they bothering you? I noticed they've been swollen lately."

In the quiet and cool bedroom, a ray of sunlight shone through the thin gauze, casting dancing dust particles.

Li Wenjian's chin rested on Zhao Heng's forehead, the faint blue stubble tickling her slightly. He reached out and touched her face, about to speak, but Zhao Heng shook her head, "You can't."

She turned and embraced him, holding him quietly, "A heart cannot hold two people."

In the endless silence, she heard Li Wenjian chuckle softly, and the cicadas outside the hall were like waves.

"Yes, I know." He lowered his head, his cool lips touching the back of her hand, "So I didn't agree."

Zhao Heng swiveled her head, catching a playful glint in his eyes. A jolt of realization struck her – she'd been hoodwinked by this man.

"If Duan Cunxin were the one, I wouldn't have waited this long," Li Wenjian countered, leaning closer as he began to massage her slender neck. "Love isn't a reward for prolonged companionship, a prize earned after years of waiting."

"Before you," he continued, his voice a soothing murmur, "love was a foreign concept to me. I envisioned my crown princess as someone elegant and magnanimous, just like my mother."

Li Wenjian's gaze softened as he met hers. "Then you came along, and all those preordained conditions went out the window. You don't need to be graceful, selfless, or highborn. As long as you're you, that's all that matters."

Zhao Heng turned her head to look at the man standing behind her, her face slightly red but chin raised as she asked, "You could have the whole world, but you only take a spoonful, do you regret it?"

"I don't regret it." Li Wenjian's lips curved with a hint of casual smile, "Ah Heng, your presence by my side is a gift from heaven."

As these words fell into her ears, Zhao Heng's face grew even redder.

"So you were teasing me on purpose." Zhao Heng realized that she had been deceived by this man.

"No." Li Wenjian shook his head, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "I've never seen you angry, and it's quite charming."

Angry, Zhao Heng retorted, "But I'm about to get angry at you."

Li Wenjian laughed heartily, his shoulders shaking, "You made me angry first."

"Why would I anger you?" Zhao Heng was confused.

Li Wenjian raised an eyebrow, "Didn't I say? I wouldn't give a single strand of my hair to anyone else. We have a commitment that transcends life and death, but you forgot that, and braved the scorching sun to come find me."

"It's not to challenge you." Zhao Heng hugged his neck, wanting to argue but couldn't find the right words, so she apologized, "I'm sorry, I was impulsive."

"What do you think I would say?" Li Wenjian's voice was calm and steady.

Suddenly, Zhao Heng turned her head to look at the square sky outside the window, "I thought you would say I was delusional, a mere palace maid daring to inquire about the affairs in the Crown Prince's harem."

"Is that what you thought?" Li Wenjian poked her cheek.

Lian Zhou, holding a tray of hot tea, walked to the door and happened to hear Li Wenjian's voice inside.

"If you give birth to the Emperor's eldest grandson, I will appoint you as the Crown Prince's Imperial Concubine (tài zǐ pín). But your status will be no more than a Crown Prince's Imperial Concubine, don't think too much about it, understand?"

Zhao Heng softly replied, "Yes."

Lian Zhou took a deep breath, feeling her blood rush to her head in an instant. Her hands trembled, and the cups almost spilled.

But before she could compose herself, she heard laughter coming from inside. She looked inside in surprise and saw Zhao Heng leaning in Li Wenjian's arms, both with smiles on their faces.

Her brows furrowed, what were these two doing?

*

On August 14th, a cool autumn breeze blew, and Zhao Heng woke up early feeling her abdomen starting to ache - she knew the child in her womb was ready to come out.

Li Wenjian was about to attend court in his morning attire when she held his hand with her white fingers, looking at him with furrowed brows. Before she could speak, his face changed, his voice tinged with restrained tremor, "Is it starting?"

Zhao Heng blinked and nodded, "Yes."

Her gaze remained on his crown, the pain causing fine beads of sweat to form on her forehead. Li Wenjian rubbed her hair, took off his crown, placed it on the table, and soothingly said, "Ah Heng, don't be afraid, I'm here with you."

Though she didn't say anything, he could see the fear in her eyes.

Zhao Heng is not a pretentious woman, she does not like to act spoiled or show weakness. She is accustomed to burying all difficulties in her heart and seeking solutions within her capabilities.

She always faces the pains fate has given her with optimism and composure.

She rarely shows a look of confusion or fear towards him.

At this moment, her tightly furrowed brows, shimmering eyes, all show her fear of the unknown.

He bent down and gently kissed her forehead, patiently soothing her emotions, "I'm not going anywhere, I will always be with you."

Before long, Lin Mama invited the midwife and the imperial physician over, and she pushed Li Wenjian out of the door.

He stood outside the chamber in a daze, anxiously waiting.

Later, Li Junning also came over, bringing the specialist in gynecology, Yang Pozi, to wait outside with Li Wenjian.

Li Wenjian was almost restless, every half hour sitting he would stand up and nervously look inside the chamber, even when Li Junning spoke to him, he absentmindedly replied.

"Imperial brother," Li Junning called out earnestly to him.

He turned to look at her, "What did you say?"

Li Junning pursed her lips and smiled, saying. "I said you should go have some food first, Ah Heng is having her first child, it might take some time."

Li Wenjian's mind was in turmoil, thinking about how Zhao Heng was still suffering inside, he had no thoughts of having a meal. He had someone prepare a meal for Li Junning, while he himself ate two pieces of pastries, then continued to stand guard in front of the door.

As night fell, Zhao Heng had not yet given birth. He couldn't sit still anymore, so he bathed and offered prayers at the incense altar; when he came back, he thought of the custom of offering blessings, so he had the Mu Gui send paper and pen, and personally wrote the edict appointing her as the Crown Prince's Imperial Concubine.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, the full moon was high in the sky, casting a pure and bright light, elongating Li Wenjian's figure as he paced back and forth in front of the heavy crimson gate.

Hot water was constantly being brought into the chamber, and what came out next was a basin of fresh red blood. Li Wenjian watched with alarm at the sight of the shocking blood, his mind restless.

Zhao Heng's mouth was covered with coarse cloth, and her muffled groans of pain continuously echoed from her throat like thunder, striking Li Wenjian's eardrums.

“Niangniang, push harder, don't give up,” he heard the midwife's pleading voice.

“My Lady, My Lady…”

It was Lian Zhou crying out.

Zhao Heng had always been sensible, almost never causing worry for others, she knew when to retreat and the severity of situations. She hardly ever made those around her break down in tears.

Li Wenjian asked for very little, he just wanted her to safely give birth to their child without any pain, he never thought this simple request would be so difficult to fulfill.

“How is she?” a palace maid came out of the room, he hurriedly asked.

Her voice trembled, “Lady Liangdi is showing signs of difficult labor.”

Li Wenjian was momentarily stunned, his legs uncontrollably walked towards the chamber, Lin Mama hurriedly stepped forward to pull him back, “Your Highness, the room is filled with blood, you cannot go in…”

Before she finished speaking, Li Wenjian broke free from her and walked straight into the chamber.

Zhao Heng was in intense pain, when her stomach began to ache in the morning, she felt a bit proud, thinking that the pain of childbirth couldn't be that bad.

It wasn't until the midwife told her she was dilated to three fingers that she truly understood the severity of the pain, it was so excruciating, the world around her was darkening, her consciousness was fading, she couldn't hear the sounds outside, and even holding onto the midwife's hand was slowly losing strength and slipping away.

A pair of large hands clasped her hand, feeling a slight chill on the back of her hand, in a daze, Zhao Heng heard Li Wenjian calling out to her.

She groggily opened her eyes, and indeed saw him right in front of her. Li Wenjian tightly held her hand, constantly kissing it, saying, “Ah Heng, I'm here, don't be afraid.”

Zhao Heng looked at him with a vacant gaze, igniting her fighting spirit once again, biting her lip forcefully, making her lips bleed slightly.

He pried open her mouth and placed his arm in it, saying, “Bite me.”

She couldn't distinguish dream from reality, and really bit down hard. Her sharp teeth pierced through his flesh, but he didn't make a sound.

A baby's cry broke the silence before dawn.

The midwife carried the baby over with joy to Li Wenjian, announcing, “Congratulations, Your Highness, it's the Emperor's first grandson.”

However, Li Wenjian had no interest in the child, he leaned down and kissed Zhao Heng's wet forehead, “You're amazing.”

Zhao Heng, still groggy, opened her eyes, reached out to touch his reddened eyes, and laughed, “I'm really hopeless.”