Seeing that Pang Xiao’s mind was made up, Bingtang knew that continuing to persuade would be futile.

Moreover, they had a master-servant relationship. When the master gave orders, servants had no reason not to obey.

Bingtang recognized her position clearly, so she could only reluctantly accept the command.

“Your Highness, this servant’s father previously didn’t only treat noble people in the palace – even among the high officials and wealthy families in Great Yan’s capital, they frequently sent cards requesting his house calls. There were all kinds of inner courtyard matters, and my father encountered every type of ailment. He has indeed used this kind of medicine several times.

“This medicine only affects offspring, without much harm to other parts of the body. After using it, there will be no discomfort, but for at least five years you won’t be able to make a woman conceive. Daily life will appear completely normal. I sometimes even think that perhaps Grand Secretary Qin was once given a similar medicine.”

Realizing the topic had wandered, Bingtang smiled apologetically and continued: “Your intimacy with the princess, your daily life – everything will be normal. As long as you don’t tell and I don’t tell, it definitely won’t be discovered.

“However, if after five years Your Highness wants offspring again, it may not be possible. This medicine depends on each person’s physical condition. Some people, after taking the medicine, may never be able to have offspring again for life, while others will gradually recover. I’ve explained the medicine’s effects clearly to Your Highness – please consider once more?”

“I’ve already thought it through clearly.” Pang Xiao smiled openly. “While Yining is in her confinement month and it’s inconvenient for her to move around, let’s quietly handle this matter. You must remember not to speak of this to anyone – not even Huzi. Do you understand?”

Bingtang nodded obediently to the earlier words. Only when Huzi was mentioned at the end did she blush unexpectedly, coughing: “He can’t control me anyway.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He dismissed Bingtang to quietly prepare, then returned to his room to rest.

Qin Yining slept extremely soundly this time. The nightmares from before labor never appeared again, though the suddenly deflated belly left her somewhat unaccustomed – as if her body had been suddenly hollowed out.

Qin Yining stared at the canopy above decorated with “hundred sons and thousand grandsons” pattern for a while, her confused mind gradually becoming clear. Remembering the two children, she hurriedly lifted the bed curtain and called: “Bingtang.”

“Princess, you’re awake!”

Bingtang, Ji Yun, Qian Yun and Lian Xiaozhou were all quietly doing needlework around the octagonal table in the outer room. Hearing her voice, they all gathered around.

“How long did I sleep?”

“It’s just past noon now. His Highness just ordered people to keep the meals prepared for you warm. Would you like to eat something?”

“I want to see the children first.” Qin Yining was somewhat anxious. She feared the children might have some congenital defects, since her body wasn’t at its best when she conceived.

Bingtang smiled: “Rest assured, both boys are fine. His Highness is so delighted – he spent the entire morning coaxing and playing with them. This servant will have the wet nurses bring them for you to see. You must also eat well to nourish your body.”

Hearing Bingtang say this, Qin Yining’s anxious heart relaxed somewhat. Yesterday she really had no strength left – hearing the children were safe, she allowed herself to fall into deep sleep. Now she had to see them with her own eyes to be completely at ease.

Soon, Pang Xiao came with the two wet nurses.

“Yining, you’re awake.” Pang Xiao quickly stepped forward, sitting sideways beside Qin Yining and grasping her hand to kiss it repeatedly. “Yining, you’ve worked so hard. Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er are both well, both so good. You’ve truly worked hard. Thank you!”

Pang Xiao was joyful and excited, almost incoherent.

Seeing his happiness, Qin Yining also felt happy: “Han Ge’er, Zhao Ge’er? The names are very good.”

“Of course! I discussed with Mr. Xu, Mr. Xie and the others together. Zhao Ge’er is the older brother. Following the Pang family’s generational character, his name is Ruzhao.”

Pang Xiao took Zhao Ge’er from the wet nurse’s arms. The small child was sleeping peacefully, but seemed somewhat uncomfortable in Pang Xiao’s embrace, starting to whimper and about to cry, his little brows furrowing in a way that was truly pitiful.

Pang Xiao was so frightened his arms went rigid. Not knowing how to handle such a fragile life, he hurriedly stood and placed Zhao Ge’er beside Qin Yining’s pillow.

Qin Yining struggled to turn on her side, looking at the swaddled infant wearing a tiger-head hat with a small red mole between his brows, her expression tender and satisfied.

“Where’s the other one?”

“Han Ge’er is here. This little fellow is a bit sturdier than his brother.” Pang Xiao brought Han Ge’er over, placing him side by side with Zhao Ge’er.

Miraculously, as soon as Han Ge’er was laid down, Zhao Ge’er, who had been whimpering and about to cry, quieted down. His little fist extended from the swaddling clothes, he closed his eyes and slept again, his sleeping position exactly the same as Han Ge’er’s.

Pang Xiao smiled watching this: “Look, our sons are truly worthy of being twins – such mutual understanding that even their sleeping positions are identical.”

Qin Yining lay down contentedly, looking at this one then that one, finding them more delightful the more she looked.

“They lived together in my belly for so long after all – they’re familiar with each other.” Qin Yining smiled: “Have you sent the good news home?”

Pang Xiao smiled: “Sent it. Early this morning I arranged for people to return to the capital to announce the joyful news.”

“That’s good.” Qin Yining breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at her swaddled sons with a heart full of joy. Considering the sleeping children, Qin Yining’s voice was very gentle: “I was worried the children’s health would be affected by me. Now seeing they’re both healthy, I’m at ease.”

Pang Xiao leaned down to kiss Qin Yining’s forehead and cheeks, then also kissed both children’s little faces. The small children whimpered uncomfortably, frightening Pang Xiao into quickly standing and going to stand aside as punishment. He had experienced their ear-piercing crying before.

Qin Yining hurriedly patted both swaddling clothes gently, humming an unknown melody. Soon the children were sleeping soundly again.

Pang Xiao said with lingering fear in a low voice: “I’m most afraid of them crying now. When one starts crying, the other insists on joining in. Both crying together simply震的我的耳朵都快聋了.”

“Small children cry when they’re uncomfortable.” Qin Yining smiled at the two children, gently patting their swaddling clothes.

Pang Xiao looked at the three people he cared about most in his life, saying with complete satisfaction: “So they say ‘wife, children, and a warm bed’ – now everything’s complete.”

No wonder people always said comfortable life would wear down one’s will. Pang Xiao previously didn’t care about anything, wasn’t afraid of anything. Now he had two more people to worry about.

Bingtang then brought people carrying food boxes. The meals and medicinal foods inside were all personally instructed by Bingtang.

Pang Xiao had the wet nurses take the children to rest, while he fed Qin Yining.

Qin Yining always felt empty in her stomach. Her appetite was much larger than before. After finishing her meal and taking medicine, Qin Yining felt she had strength and smiled, saying to Pang Xiao: “I plan to nurse these two children myself.”

Pang Xiao was surprised: “That would be too tiring for you. Besides, I see wealthy families all have wet nurses feed their children.”

Qin Yining knew that many wealthy families’ wives, to maintain their figures and keep their husbands’ hearts, would hand children to wet nurses to nurse while focusing entirely on recuperating and recovering their figures. Some were even more excessive – some wealthy household matriarchs, to maintain power in the inner courtyard, didn’t even have time to personally teach their children.

She didn’t want that.

When she was small, though her adoptive mother was also good to her, the family’s conditions were too poor. Even if her adoptive mother wanted to give her a good life, she ultimately lacked the means.

Now, living with Pang Xiao, though life couldn’t be called completely stable, at least they lacked nothing at home. She had servants and wet nurses to help – her own children, she naturally wanted to raise herself.

Qin Yining said: “How other families are, that’s other families’ business. These two children came to us as parents this once. I want to give them the very best. This is responsibility toward them and toward myself. If I don’t personally nurse and teach them, I’ll ultimately feel uneasy, always feeling I haven’t done my utmost for them.”

Pang Xiao was moved hearing this, but after being moved, he felt somewhat jealous.

“I’ve never seen you be so attentive to me.” Pang Xiao was displeased.

Qin Yining suddenly looked up at Pang Xiao.

Pang Xiao felt uncomfortable being looked at, coughing awkwardly: “It’s nothing much. If you like nursing and raising the children yourself, that’s easy – I’ll have people help you.”

Qin Yining watched as even Pang Xiao’s ears turned red, finally laughing softly: “Your Highness, you’re not jealous of your own sons, are you?”

Pang Xiao, having his thoughts exposed, blushed even more: “Nonsense. How could I compare myself to my own sons? That you can love them – I’m too happy to contain it.”

“Yes, Your Highness isn’t such a childish person.” Qin Yining smiled teasingly.

Pang Xiao was very embarrassed, but seeing Qin Yining so spirited talking with him, the joy in his heart was about to overflow like spring water. He dismissed the servants, removed his boots to get on the bed, lying sideways beside Qin Yining, his long arm reaching to embrace her with the covers.

“Yining, you’re wonderful!”

Qin Yining was amused by his suddenly childish behavior, then relaxed against his shoulder: “We’ll need to stay here at least a month. Will the Emperor disapprove?”

“You needn’t worry about this – I’ll explain to the Emperor. Besides, when the Emperor initially arranged for you to come out with me, he already knew you were about to give birth. He was determined to have you deliver on the road. After women give birth, naturally they must have their confinement month. He wouldn’t lack such basic common sense. Moreover, now is when our relationship is improving – he won’t truly break with me.”

“That may be so, but the longer we delay, the harder the southern situation becomes.” Qin Yining was getting sleepy, her eyelids growing heavy. She yawned, forcing herself to stay alert: “Why don’t you take people to assume your post first, and I’ll recuperate here? After my confinement month, I’ll come. By then you’ll have arranged things in the old capital well too. Wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?”