CHAPTER 302: CHAPTER 271: FANGHUA GIVES BIRTH (SECOND UPDATE)

The great-grandmother didn’t tell anyone about Fanghua’s situation on Da Huan Mountain. During Fanghua’s period of bed rest, she even visited twice, bringing a chicken once and eggs the other time.

Knowing that life in farm families isn’t easy, Fanghua felt quite apologetic and insisted on giving the great-grandmother money. The old woman wouldn’t accept, saying she’d brought those things as gifts, and accepting money would be inappropriate.

Fanghua couldn’t resist, so she had a meal with the old lady and later asked Ye Zong to escort her back, sending her off with ample supplements.

The servants took good care, and with proper rest, Fanghua’s health improved. As her pregnancy progressed, the baby’s position rose slightly, and she didn’t have to stay cooped up indoors every day; she could occasionally go out for some sun and a walk.

However, this was all contingent on Lu Xingzhou being with her.

The heavier she got, the less comfortable he felt about her going out alone, even if it was just for a casual stroll.

...

The days flew by, and Fanghua went into labor one night in October.

Lu Xingzhou, just to be safe, had already hired three midwives in advance.

With many people in the house, when the maids and matrons first arrived, Lu Xingzhou had several rooms built to expand the courtyard, giving servants and hidden guards a place to stay at night.

As Fanghua’s pregnancy advanced, he dared not share a bed with her but wasn’t at ease either. So he moved a soft couch next to the bed to sleep on at night, making it easier to take care of her anytime.

Aside from that, Lu Xingzhou also had two maids and one matron take turns keeping watch in the outer room at night.

Such meticulous and comprehensive arrangements were mainly due to Fanghua’s age making childbirth risky, so if they weren’t vigilant, mishaps could occur.

...

When Fanghua cried out in pain, the midwives had only been resting in the guest room for a short while.

Lu Xingzhou immediately had the maid on night watch knock on the door to call them.

Hearing the noise, the three midwives quickly dressed and rushed towards the master bedroom.

It was a cold night in early winter, with the mountains chilly.

In such cold weather, beads of sweat kept forming on Fanghua’s forehead, and her face was as pale as a sheet.

Lu Xingzhou’s heart ached at the sight.

He had witnessed her in childbirth before — Lu Yanqing was born at the Princess Mansion back then.

But at that time, Ah Yin was still the Eldest Princess, and he was the Prince Consort, with such esteemed status that conditions were naturally much more favorable, with Imperial Physicians and midwives present, leaving him with little to worry about.

This time, however, was different. Besides, Fanghua’s age posed risks for childbirth, and the ups and downs during these months of pregnancy always left Lu Xingzhou feeling uneasy.

Thus, when he saw the midwives come in, he had no intention of leaving and wanted to stay with her.

But the midwives wouldn’t permit it, earnestly advising, "The delivery room is not a place for men. Master, you should step out first. The Madam is in labor, and any delay could lead to problems."

Lu Xingzhou remained silent, his gaze fixed on Fanghua’s frail face.

In her pain, Fanghua opened her eyes to look at him, "You go out first."

These four words seemed to drain most of her strength, barely audible as they came out.

Before Lu Xingzhou could speak, Fanghua continued, "Don’t worry, even if I have to fight with my life today, I’ll certainly deliver the child safely for you."

Lu Xingzhou hadn’t got a chance to respond when he was shoved out by the midwives, who said the situation was not good with the mother and couldn’t afford to waste time.

Lu Xingzhou had to stay outside, not straying far, with the scent of blood reaching him from within the room, and Fanghua’s suppressed cries of pain occasionally reaching his ears.

The maids and matron were all inside helping.

Ye Zong, fearing for his master’s unease, came out to console him.

Lu Xingzhou didn’t respond, not really registering what Ye Zong was saying, with his ears tuned solely to the sounds from the master bedroom, his brows tightly knitted.

Finally, at dawn, he heard the sound of a baby crying its first cry.

Every window and door inside was tightly shut, and the ground heating had been turned on. The midwives, already drenched in sweat from their work, wrapped up the newborn and placed it beside Fanghua, with one of them coming out to announce, "It’s born."

Lu Xingzhou did not enquire whether it was a boy or girl; by that time, he couldn’t bother with anyone’s persuasion, pushing past the midwives and striding inside.

The delivery room still had a strong smell of blood, with maids cleaning up and changing sheets.

Lu Xingzhou stood by the bed, eyes on his wife. She lay there with eyes closed, still pale, with barely a sign of breathing.

Lu Xingzhou didn’t dare get closer, first asking the midwife, "How is Ah Yin?"

The midwife replied that the mother was just exhausted and had passed out temporarily but would be fine after a good sleep.

Lu Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, bending over to pick up the swaddled infant beside Fanghua.

His movements were careful, as if holding a fragile treasure.

The child in the swaddle was tiny, skin reddish, with eyes shut in slumber.

A congratulatory voice from the midwife came from behind, "Congratulations, Master, it’s a bouncy baby boy."

She went on to praise Fanghua, saying it was a blessing she could safely give birth at her age.

Normally, Lu Xingzhou doesn’t enjoy flattery, but at that moment, every word from the midwives seemed pleasant to his ears. Listening to them steadily lifted his spirits, and he instructed the housekeeper to distribute the reward money and send them off.

Each person received twenty silver ingots.

The midwife initially thought this was an ordinary family, but who would’ve expected the master to be so generous. She weighed the twenty silver ingots in her hand, too excited to speak, thanked them profusely, and then left.

Lu Xingzhou carefully held the swaddled baby while sitting by the bedside, glancing at his son and then at his wife. Twenty years of longing were fulfilled, and he felt an indescribable contentment.

...

By the time Fanghua woke up, it was already late afternoon. The cold wind howled outside, but inside it was warm, causing her back to even sweat.

Opening her eyes, she saw the man holding the baby by the bed. The baby was just a tiny bundle, just like when Yanqing was born, all wrinkled.

She suddenly smiled, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

When the child was born at dawn, she hadn’t even had a chance to ask before she fainted from exhaustion. It had been a strenuous birth.

"It’s a son," Lu Xingzhou said as he looked toward her, his usually calm eyes shining with excitement.

Fanghua felt a pang of sadness for him, her eyes slightly reddening, "At least I haven’t let you down."

Lu Xingzhou placed the baby back on the bed, grasping her hand as it emerged from beneath the covers, "You’ve worked hard, Ah Yin. I’ve already asked someone to make porridge, which will be brought over shortly."

Fanghua nodded, turned her head to look at her son, a smile spreading across her lips, "Have you thought of a name?"

Lu Xingzhou said, "My elder brother’s family has a Bin, so we’ll have a Li, and name him Yan Li."

Lu Yanli.

It didn’t sound like a name that was just thought up.

Fanghua shifted her gaze from her son to the man, knowing without asking that he had hoped for a son, which is why he had thought of the name early on.

At that moment, a maid entered, carrying a steaming bowl of freshly made porridge.

The warm room was immediately filled with the fragrance of rice porridge.

Fanghua moved slightly, leaning against the bedhead, with a pillow propped at her back.

During her pregnancy, due to the low position of the fetus, she didn’t dare to lie back like this. Whether lying down or walking, she had to be upright. Now that the burden was relieved, she could lay however she pleased, feeling a long-lost sense of freedom.

Lu Xingzhou took the bowl of porridge from the maid and blew on it.

Fanghua reached out, "Let me have it!"

Lu Xingzhou insisted on feeding her.

Fanghua insisted on drinking it herself. She said, "During the pregnancy, I didn’t mind, but now that the child is born, you should let me use my hands. Otherwise, if I’m constantly fed like this, my hands will become useless. How can the mother of the child become a cripple and still take care of the baby in the future?"

Lu Xingzhou couldn’t argue with her, so he laughed lightly and handed the bowl over, warning her to be careful not to burn herself.

Fanghua held the small bowl in one hand and the spoon in the other, scooping up a spoonful, blowing it cool, and then putting it into her mouth. The plain porridge, tasteless on its own, tasted particularly fragrant because of her good mood.

She drank the bowl of porridge to the bottom.

The maid, surprised at her good appetite, asked, "Princess, would you like another bowl?"

The two young maids had been with her for a long time, even after arriving in Ningzhou, they couldn’t change their way of addressing her.

Fanghua handed the empty bowl back to her, reminding, "From now on, don’t call me Princess. According to Second Master’s ranking, call me Second Mistress."

Although Lu Xingzhou’s name had been removed from the Lu Family Tree, over the past half year, Lu Pingzhou had written frequently to him, always addressing him as a brother, never treating him as an outsider.

In one letter, Lu Pingzhou even asked if he wanted him to intercede with the Empress Dowager. As long as she was willing to show mercy, they would have the opportunity to return.

Lu Xingzhou replied that it was unnecessary. Although life in Ningzhou could not compare to the luxury of the Princess Mansion, it was pleasantly peaceful. Having grown accustomed to the freedom outside, neither he nor Ah Yin wanted to return to being bound by rules.

After understanding his brother’s thoughts, Lu Pingzhou no longer mentioned returning in their correspondence, and only talked about the latest happenings in the Capital during that time.

However, Lu Pingzhou wasn’t one for gossip. He only spoke of significant matters, never mentioning trivial rumors of everyday life.

Upon hearing the correction, the maid blushed and quickly promised, "Second Mistress is right, this servant will remember from now on."

The title "Second Mistress" made Fanghua smile, and she asked Lu Xingzhou if he had given the servants their rewards.

Lu Xingzhou replied, "I only gave the midwife a little extra before she left. Since then, I’ve been by your bedside and forgot about the rewards."

Fanghua said, "During my pregnancy, everyone worked tirelessly, helping me deliver this big fat son, so they deserve a reward."

Afterward, she told the maid to go to the housekeeper for the rewards.

When the master is happy, it is a good time for the servants.

The maid was delighted to hear there was a reward, and quite a generous one at that, and went out after expressing her gratitude.

Fanghua glanced at her son and suddenly sighed, "The naming ceremony, the full moon banquet, and even the first birthday celebration a year from now, Yan Li won’t have the same grand events his brother did."

Lu Xingzhou smiled, "We have quite a few people in our family. If we call in the maids and hidden guards, we can still set up a couple of tables."

Fanghua nodded, "Yes, that’s true."

As the couple continued their conversation, Ye Zong’s voice sounded outside, "Master, there’s a letter from the Imperial Palace in the Capital."