Zhou Weizhao’s voice was hoarse. Through the gap between Nanny Xu and Nanny Xu’s bodies, he glanced inside. “I’ve come to say a few words to Xiao Yi.”

The Crown Princess stood up, both angry and anxious. “This is no place for you! You absolutely shouldn’t come here!”

The Crown Princess naturally also liked her daughter-in-law Song Chuyi and treasured her, but the birthing room was an inauspicious place. How could a man enter this place of blood and gore?

This was madness! If Empress Lu and the others outside found out, if it got out and the officials learned of it…

Tomorrow, the censors would probably memorialize again that Song Chuyi was a calamitous enchantress who brought ruin to the nation. First, Zhou Weizhao refused to take side consorts for her sake, declaring he would take only one ladle from the weak waters of three thousand. Now Zhou Weizhao had even entered the birthing room, which men avoided at all costs. How could this be proper?

Zhou Weizhao couldn’t hear anything, only feeling everything buzzing loudly. He walked forward a few steps before the Crown Princess grabbed his hand. Only then did he react, calling out “Mother” with reddened eyes.

The Crown Princess sighed. “This is no place for you. Everything will be fine… You go out first…”

How could Zhou Weizhao be willing to leave? He had already waited outside all afternoon. Now the moon was at its zenith… His voice hoarse, he looked at the Crown Princess. “Mother, I just want to look at her once…”

He walked to the bedside in a few steps and lifted the curtain. Seeing Song Chuyi’s snow-white face, his mind seemed to explode with fireworks with a buzzing sound, instantly drowning out all other sounds. He crouched down, holding Song Chuyi’s hand in his own, softly calling her. “Xiao Yi…”

Holding Song Chuyi’s hand, he felt there were many things he wanted to say.

Before, whenever Song Chuyi asked him what he would do if something happened to her during childbirth, he always refused to think deeply about it. Even now he didn’t dare think—just the thought made his head throb as if splitting. Somewhat choking up, he pressed his face against Song Chuyi’s. “Xiao Yi… hold on…”

The Crown Princess had already hurriedly come to push him out. “Quickly, quickly! The midwife says she’s fully dilated. You must go out! Go out and wait for news!”

Zhou Weizhao was pushed out. He stood in the corridor in a daze, unwilling to move even half a step.

Princess Rongcheng had already been waiting until she was drowsy. Awakened by the commotion from the birthing room, she hurriedly walked several steps toward the door. At a glance, she saw Zhou Weizhao with his head lowered, and couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised. “Weizhao?!”

Zhou Weizhao had disappeared earlier. She had thought Zhou Weizhao had gone to rest first—after all, there were many court matters now, and Zhou Weizhao was in a hurry every day. She never expected Zhou Weizhao was still here keeping watch.

She had long heard people say how good Zhou Weizhao was to his wife. Even Ye Jingkuan said there probably couldn’t be found a second person under heaven so devoted. But seeing it with her own eyes, she was still inevitably shocked.

Princess Rongcheng felt both envious and heartbroken. She hurriedly urged him to rest. “Go rest quickly! Women giving birth are like this. When I gave birth to Leyou, I was in pain for three full days before delivering her… It only looks dangerous. Don’t stand here like a post anymore. Hurry and go rest. When you wake up tomorrow, you’ll be able to see your son.”

Zhou Weizhao refused, like a tree that had taken root in the corridor.

Princess Rongcheng felt both annoyed and amused. Going inside to tell Empress Lu, who had also awakened, “I don’t know why his temperament is so stubborn…”

It wasn’t stubbornness. Empress Lu glanced out the window.

Princess Rongcheng might not have noticed, but from beginning to end, Zhou Weizhao hadn’t drunk even a mouthful of tea. After hearing Song Chuyi’s cries from inside, even the veins on the back of his hands had protruded.

He loved Song Chuyi to this degree.

She had never seen a man give so much for his wife—refusing to take concubines, refusing to take consorts, unwilling to have even one unacknowledged palace maid. For Song Chuyi’s sake, he would even enter a place as polluted as the birthing room.

Not at all like his father…

Princess Duanhui clasped her hands together, so nervous her heart was racing. She originally shouldn’t dare enter the palace while in mourning, but Song Chuyi was giving birth… This niece whom she had watched grow up, whom both she and her husband valued extremely and regarded like their own daughter, was now experiencing the most difficult ordeal for a woman. She couldn’t help it. Even if it violated taboos, she couldn’t care. She had someone submit a token to the palace, then went to Princess Rongcheng’s manor, and together they entered the palace.

Now hearing things might not be going well with the birth, she was almost crying.

If Cui Yingshu and Cui Shaoting outside were anxious beyond measure, who knew how panicked they would be if they knew…

The moon had gradually disappeared, but Yong’an Palace remained brightly lit. Having lost track of how long it had been, Princess Duanhui only felt her eyelids were extremely heavy when she suddenly heard an extremely loud infant’s cry.

This cry was exceptionally resonant. Even the sky seemed brightened by this wail. The light of dawn revealed a slight fish-belly white, and faintly one could hear roosters crowing.

Princess Duanhui almost wept with joy. When she heard the midwife come out beaming to announce it was a little imperial great-grandson, she finally felt a great weight had fallen from her heart.

Empress Lu and Princess Rongcheng also hurriedly stood up. Having not slept well all night, both were somewhat weary, but still forced themselves to come out and inquire about the situation, then ordered rewards distributed.

When the Crown Princess came out from inside, her clothes were soaked with sweat and her head dizzy. But seeing her son, she still stopped to reassure him. “Rest assured. The midwife says if the bleeding stops in another half hour, everything will be fine.”

Zhou Weizhao pressed his lips together and nodded. Listening to the loud crying from inside that hadn’t stopped, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly then stopped.

This was a new life, a new life that might not have come into this world originally, his and Song Chuyi’s child…

Daylight broke fully. The morning sun rose. The dewdrops on the leaves were crystal clear and vibrant. Zhou Weizhao raised his hand to shield against the sunlight, turned to go to the sleeping chamber to change clothes, then still went into the side hall.

Song Chuyi had already been cleaned up and placed in brocade quilts, her pale hand resting on top of the covers, so clear one could see the blood vessels. He carefully and slowly sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to take Song Chuyi’s hand and press it against his own face, his voice somewhat choked. “Xiao Yi…”

Song Chuyi’s meaning to him had long since become more than simply a wife to accompany him through life. She was almost as if carved into his very life. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose Song Chuyi…

Song Chuyi was terribly drowsy and dazed. She knew someone was washing her, knew someone was pressing hard on her belly, and knew she was finally lying clean in bed. But her body was so drowsy she only wanted to sleep.