Extra Chapter One

「In the Fifth Year of Peace.」

Upon entering the Prime Minister's Mansion, one would see servants rushing about. All the servants in the mansion wore expressions of anxiety, for today, the Prime Minister's wife was due to give birth! For this reason, the Prime Minister had even taken a day off.

Outside the delivery room, Qiao Muchen paced anxiously back and forth by the door. From within the room, Zhao Zhitong's agonized screams could be heard, each more heart-wrenching than the last.

Is giving birth this painful? Qiao Muchen finally couldn't bear it any longer and rushed to the delivery room door, banging on it and shouting, "Why is she screaming so loudly? Tongtong, Tongtong, are you okay?"

Immediately, Zhao Zhitong screamed back, "Ah! You ask if I'm all right? This is all your fault!"

Qiao Muchen's forehead was slick with sweat. "Yes, yes, it's all my fault, all my fault," he stammered. "It's so painful, maybe... maybe we shouldn't have the baby?"

The midwife in the room was aghast. What on earth is he saying?

Zhao Yue and Wei Shulan, who had just arrived after hearing the news, were utterly speechless.

Zhao Zhitong retorted, "Do you think my belly is some kind of storage box? That I can just decide not to give birth when I please?"

Qiao Muchen grew even more frantic, asking, "Then what do we do?"

"AARGH! It hurts me so much!" another scream tore from the delivery room.

Wei Shulan, who was also heavily pregnant, turned pale. "Is... is childbirth really this agonizing?" she stammered. Seeing Zhao Zhitong in so much pain that her usual composure was gone, even exclaiming "this old lady" (a crude form of "I"), made Wei Shulan more frightened.

At this moment, the midwife came out of the room and instructed them to bring in hot water. She said to Qiao Muchen at the door, "My Lord, the baby is quite large. I'm afraid Madam will have a difficult time."

Hearing this, Qiao Muchen felt the world spin. All the joy he had felt at the prospect of becoming a father vanished, replaced entirely by worry. Since ancient times, childbirth has been a perilous journey for women, like passing through the gates of Hell. It was only in recent years that Zhao Zhitong, using surgical C-sections, had saved many expectant mothers from difficult births. But now, the patient was Zhao Zhitong herself, and Qiao Muchen's worry intensified.

Seeing Qiao Muchen's pale face, Mother Qiao comforted him, saying, "Don't worry too much. Tongtong has always been a fortunate child. She's saved so many lives; Heaven will surely watch over her."

To avoid alarming the family and losing his own composure, Qiao Muchen forced himself to suppress his anxiety and remain calm.

The labor stretched on for nearly the entire morning, and Qiao Muchen and the others kept vigil outside the door for just as long. Gradually, the sounds from the delivery room died down. Qiao Muchen grew anxious again, knocking on the door and shouting, "Tongtong, Tongtong, why is there no sound inside? Tongtong, are you okay?"

Mother Qiao helplessly pulled Qiao Muchen aside to sit down. "Ah, you. A woman in labor can't scream herself hoarse the entire time. She'll exhaust her strength and won't be able to deliver the baby."

Qiao Muchen looked chagrined. "Oh, is that so?" he said. "Alright then, no more screaming. No more screaming is good."

Seeing his friend in such a state, Zhao Yue's stomach ached from laughing. He teased Qiao Muchen, "I say, Young Master Qiao, so you're damned if she screams and damned if she doesn't! Look at you! You're not the one giving birth, so why are you more nervous than the expectant mother? HAHAHA!"

Qiao Muchen shot him a glare and retorted coolly, "When your wife is in labor, I hope you can maintain such composure."

"I... I definitely won't be nervous..." Zhao Yue muttered stubbornly.

The stubborn Zhao Yue, at this moment, had no idea that when his own time came, he would be so terrified he'd be crying his eyes out by the delivery room door. Afterward, this incident became a favorite source of amusement for his friends and brothers.

However, Zhao Yue had barely finished his boast when Wei Shulan grabbed him by the ear.

"OW, OW, OW! IT HURTS, Wife! I was wrong, I was wrong..."

After more than ten arduous hours, the loud, clear cry of a baby finally echoed from the delivery room. Immediately after, the midwife's joyous voice announced, "Born! The baby's born!"

"Congratulations, My Lord! It's a young master! Mother and son are both safe and sound!"

Hearing this, Qiao Muchen instantly let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He excitedly pushed open the delivery room door, intending to rush in.

"Hey, My Lord, you mustn't enter! The delivery room is full of blood..."

Qiao Muchen brushed her off, saying, "Blood? What does blood matter? That's my wife in there. How could I possibly mind?" With that, he completely ignored the midwife's attempts to stop him, strode into the room, and went straight to Zhao Zhitong on the bed.

Seeing the frail figure on the bed, Qiao Muchen's face filled with remorse and heartache. "Wife," he said, "you've suffered terribly. This is the last time. We won't have any more children." Truthfully, Zhao Zhitong's agonizing cries had genuinely terrified Qiao Muchen. The thought of potentially losing her had plunged him into an icy abyss of fear.

Seeing Qiao Muchen's deep concern for her, Zhao Zhitong couldn't help but smile. The process of childbirth was excruciating, but the instant she heard her baby's cry, her heart melted.

Looking at Mother Qiao, who was holding the baby, Zhao Zhitong chided him with a touch of embarrassment, "What nonsense are you spouting? Have you even seen the child? Go quickly, go see our baby."

Qiao Muchen held Zhao Zhitong's hand tightly, not budging. He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and said with a smile, "There's no hurry. He won't run away. Right now, I only want to look at you, Wife."

"'You sweet-talker,' Zhao Zhitong grumbled, but her heart was brimming with sweetness."

Mother Qiao, also finding her son a bit too clingy, interjected, "Alright now, don't disturb Tongtong. She's just given birth; she's exhausted. Let her rest for a while."

Qiao Muchen nodded. "Yes, you must be tired," he said softly to Zhao Zhitong. "I'll watch over you while you sleep."

Having been married for some time, Zhao Zhitong was already used to Qiao Muchen's affectionate clinginess. She smiled and closed her eyes. Utterly drained from childbirth, she soon drifted into a deep slumber.

It wasn't until he saw Zhao Zhitong fall asleep that Qiao Muchen left her bedside and went to see his son.

That the current Prime Minister doted on his wife was hardly news in the Capital City. Their affectionate relationship was widely spoken of as a beautiful tale. Now, with the birth of their first child, countless relatives and friends came to offer congratulations, making the Prime Minister's Mansion exceptionally lively and festive. Only, her dearest friend from years past was not among them.

Thinking of this, Zhao Zhitong couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. It had been seven years. Seven years since Liu Baixue had last appeared. She had been missing for seven years, and Xiao Ge had searched for her for seven long years. Liu Yian was truly not cut out to manage a manor. Lingjian Villa's standing in all corners of the country had plummeted significantly. Yet, this Liu Yian was a man deeply smitten. He cherished Ding Xiang as if she were a priceless treasure, and the two of them lived in great comfort. But what of Liu Baixue? It seemed they had long since forgotten her.

「In the Sixth Year of Peace, early spring.」

The New Year festivities had just passed, and the ice and snow had not yet melted when the Liu Clan was suddenly thrown into turmoil. Liu Baixue, who had been missing for seven years, had suddenly returned!

When Zhao Zhitong saw Liu Baixue again, she found her greatly changed. An aura of chilling coldness emanated from her. Only upon seeing Zhao Zhitong and Zhao Yu did her expression soften somewhat.