Chapter 1596 -1589: Rejoicing at the Birth of the Crown Prince

After Rong Yun’s screams of agony, came the loud cries of a newborn baby.

“Wah—— Wah—— Wah——”

The entire Zhi Luo Palace was enveloped by the child’s cries, which were hoarse and piercing.

Madam Yan, cradling the freshly cleaned baby, knelt excitedly in front of Qin Muyan and presented the child to him, “Congratulations, emperor, on the joyous arrival of… a prince!”

“A prince… a prince!” Qin Muyan’s eyes were bloodshot as he gingerly took the baby into his arms, his heart pounding tumultuously in his chest.

The tender warmth in his arms reminded him, he had a child now, he had an heir!

“The Imperial family of the Great Wei Dynasty… has an heir now!”

Overwhelmed with joy, Qin Muyan wept. Cradling the child, he stepped into the courtyard and announced loudly, “Empress Rong Yun bore me a son, the prince shall be immediately bestowed the title of Crown Prince, and be named Qin Yu, the hope of our Great Wei!”

Wei Jue led everyone in kneeling and echoed loudly, “Congratulations to the emperor, and congratulations to the empress, long live the Crown Prince for a thousand, ten thousand years!”

“Congratulations to the emperor! Congratulations to the empress! Long live the Crown Prince for a thousand, ten thousand years!”

“…”

The entire imperial palace was abuzz on this night. Qin Muyan, carrying the child all night, performed rituals at the ancestral temple, reporting to the spirits of Qin Rulie and the late empress in heaven. Relatives of the Great Wei’s imperial clan entered the palace throughout the night to offer congratulations, the hope of Great Wei rising like the brightest star in the night sky.

Inside Zhi Luo Palace, Madam Yan and the others worked tirelessly all night. Despite being completely exhausted, they were filled with joy. Hong Xiu and Xiao Xiang had red-rimmed eyes, both staying by Rong Yun’s side, watching over the medicine, motionless.

After attending to the small matters, Madam Yan recalled that Xie Qingyi was waiting in the side hall. She hurried over and knelt down, “This servant deeply thanks Miss Xie for your life-saving grace! Miss Xie’s kindness is a blessing to all under Zhi Luo Palace!”

“Please stand, Madam.” Xie Qingyi bent her knees to help her up.

After resting in the side hall for a while, she too sensed the fervor of the night, the importance and affection Qin Muyan had for the child.

Just a moment ago, she knelt within the palace as well, paying homage to the Crown Prince of their Great Wei.

“Miss, please allow this servant to express my deepest gratitude.” Madam Yan insisted on bowing thrice to Xie Qingyi, and only with tearful eyes did she rise.

She slightly bowed before Xie Qingyi, her eyes brimming with gratitude, “This servant never imagined, in the critical hour of Her Highness’ labor difficulties, Miss Xie would rush here. The lullaby from Beiling City that you sang is often sung by Noble Consort to the princess. Hearing this lullaby, the princess must have been reminded of Noble Consort, allowing her to give birth safely!

This time, Miss Xie saved both the empress and the little Crown Prince. Miss Xie should rightly receive the main credit!”

Qin Muyan left in such a hurry with the child, Madam Yan didn’t even have time to assist Xie Qingyi with her lightness skill. Once everything settles down, she would definitely report this matter to Rong Yun and Qin Muyan.

“Madam, there is no rush. With the current chaos, there is no need to mention my role in this. I also did not wish to see the empress and the little Crown Prince harmed. Now, the situation couldn’t be better, only…”

Xie Qingyi’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, “I have a question that I’m curious about, could you let me know, Madam?”

Madam Yan, already placing great trust in Xie Qingyi, wiped her tears and spoke hoarsely, “Miss Xie, please ask.”

Xie Qingyi pursed her lips, “The empress was due to give birth in a few days, why would she suddenly encounter such a traumatic event today causing difficult labor?”

There seemed to be something fishy about it.

Fortunately, it was Xie Qingyou in the palace, who upon hearing the dreadful news, had someone bring her into the palace. She remembered her visit to Beiling City and the local folk songs she’d heard. Singing one at Rong Yun’s bedside, she steadied Rong Yun’s nerves with the lullaby. Otherwise, the consequences might have been unthinkable.

But the sudden alarm for Rong Yun…

Xie Qingyi’s mind wandered to less than pleasant possibilities.

Knowing Xie Qingyi was not the kind to sow discord, Madam Yan shared softly, “The news from Beiling City had been brought in by Li Yunshu. We thought the empress was unaware of it. When going to Fengxi Palace to demand items, we didn’t realize it was a ruse to lure the tiger away from the mountain.”

She now regretted it deeply, for her intense homesickness had led her straight into someone else’s trap.

“After you’ve left, someone went to the empress and spread the terrible news of the Noble Consort from Beiling City and the Crown Prince?” Xie Qingyi bit her lip slightly, all too familiar with such tactics.

The constant scheming and struggles in the inner courtyards of the concubines were always despicable and underhanded.

It was the same in the palace.

Except this time, Rong Yun nearly lost both her life and her child’s.

It was simply too malicious.

And the person who stands to benefit from all this, in the end, is only one.

Li Yunshu.

“For now, nanny, just stay calm and take good care of the empress. It’s most important to recover your health. The ceremony for the Crown Prince and the empress’s coronation has been set. As long as nothing happens before the ceremony, the empress will still be safe,” Xie Qingyi said as she held Nanny Yan’s hands and gently patted them.

With a heart filled with unrest, Nanny Yan found Xie Qingyi’s words reassuring and comforting.

She then paid her respects to Xie Qingyi.

She had intended to keep Xie Qingyi in the palace until Rong Yun awoke to meet her, but Xie Qingyi said that as an outsider, she should not stay for too long, and thus left with Xie Qingyou.

Xie Qingyou had waited outside Zhi Luo Palace for an entire night, shivering from the cold, his nose red from the frost.

“Sister… you finally came out. I thought you were going to stay in the palace!” Xie Qingyou rubbed his arms and then draped his cloak over Xie Qingyi.

Xie Qingyi asked him, “Do you also have sources of information within the palace?”

Xie Qingyou was momentarily taken aback, “Well, there are a few palace guards and palace maids… we occasionally chat together.”

He was easygoing and unpretentious. Having entered the palace countless times since his childhood, he had come to know quite a few people, making it convenient for him to find out whatever he wanted.

“Go and find out, through whom Li Yunshu maintains contact with the family of the Duke, what their recent messages and visits have been. Be cautious and discreet, and make sure nobody gets hurt because of it,” Xie Qingyi instructed softly.

Xie Qingyou nodded; he always listened to Xie Qingyi’s words.

But he felt that the things his sister had been inquiring about lately were quite profound, some of which even their father couldn’t quite grasp.

However, he did as Xie Qingyi had instructed.

Within Zhi Luo Palace.

Rong Yun had been unconscious for a full three days before she finally woke up.

Qin Muyan had come to keep vigil beside her as soon as court had adjourned, and it was only in the deep of the night that he heard her faint crying. In her dream, she was calling for Consort Yu.

Qin Muyan held her tenderly, “Jingjing, don’t be afraid, I am here.”

“Mother, brother…”

Rong Yun began to cry inconsolably as soon as she woke up, and no amount of persuading could calm her.

The court physician examined her and said she was weak from childbirth. If she continued to cry, it could cause her harm.

Unable to comfort her, Qin Muyan placed the child into her arms, “Jingjing, look at you, you are a mother now. If not for me, you should also take care of yourself for the child’s sake. Do you want our child to grow up without a mother’s love?”

“The child…” Rong Yun finally managed to compose herself. The child in her arms was soft and cuddly, with its little arms and legs well wrapped up. The round little face would even occasionally blow spit bubbles for her to see.

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