The midwives worked with tense efficiency while Shao Mingyuan paced back and forth in the long corridor like a headless fly.

Seeing Physician Li hurrying over with his medicine box from afar, he rushed to meet him and grabbed Physician Li’s wrist: “You’re finally here! Zhaozhao is giving birth!”

Physician Li grimaced at the tremendous grip strength and shook his hand free: “When the melon is ripe, it falls naturally—if she’s giving birth, so be it.”

Shao Mingyuan’s eyes remained fixed on the delivery room entrance as he muttered: “But what if there’s an accident? What if the fetal position changes?”

“I examined the girl Zhao just this morning—the fetal position is proper.”

“But what if the fetus is too large to come out?”

Physician Li glanced at Shao Mingyuan and said impatiently: “I’ve long instructed the girl Zhao to eat properly in her later pregnancy and not over-supplement to avoid the fetus growing too large. Doesn’t Your Highness know this?”

Shao Mingyuan smiled sheepishly.

These past two months, seeing Zhaozhao eating rather plainly had pained his heart. He had ordered the kitchen to prepare steamed duck, braised pork elbow, and roasted squab in rotation, only to be thoroughly scolded by Physician Li—the memory was still vivid.

There were over ten experienced midwives in the delivery room and Physician Li outside—thinking this way, there seemed to be nothing to worry about.

But why was his heart still floating between heaven and earth?

After holding back for a long time, Shao Mingyuan asked: “What if the fetus doesn’t want to come out?”

Physician Li could bear no more and pointed toward the moon gate: “If Your Highness continues to add to the chaos, please go take a walk outside.”

Shao Mingyuan coughed once and dared not ask more questions.

All the servants waiting in the corridors and courtyard kept their heads down, not daring to laugh aloud.

Outsiders all said the Prince was serious and proper, but only they knew that when facing the Princess Consort, the Prince was no different from any ordinary man who feared his wife.

The old saying was right—men who fear their wives have good fortune. Look at the Prince’s vast estate—the ancients truly didn’t deceive!

Many secretly thought they should learn from the Prince in the future and treat their wives even better.

“Father—” Ze Ge’er broke free from his wet nurse’s embrace and ran over.

“How did Ze Ge’er come here?” His son’s arrival seemed to ease Shao Mingyuan’s highly tense nerves somewhat. He half-crouched down to ask.

“Is Mother about to give birth to little brother?”

“Yes, but Ze Ge’er doesn’t need to worry about these things—”

Ze Ge’er directly ignored his father’s words and instructed a nearby maid in his childish voice: “Bring three small stools for Great-grandfather, Father, and me to sit on.”

“Our Ze Ge’er is truly filial,” Physician Li patted Ze Ge’er’s head and glanced at Shao Mingyuan.

The meaning was clear: Look, at the crucial moment, you’re not as sensible as your son.

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze at his son immediately became subtle.

This little rascal indeed needed disciplining again—he’d even learned to compete for favor.

Father and son sat side by side on small stools, one large and one small, one tall and one short.

“Father, how long will it take Mother to give birth to little brother?”

“How would I know?” Shao Mingyuan said with a stern face.

He was already irritated, and this brat was still asking questions.

Ze Ge’er cupped his chin in his hands, staring eagerly at the delivery room entrance: “Father, what if little brother doesn’t want to come out?”

Shao Mingyuan looked serious: “If you add more chaos, you’ll go back to your room to sleep.”

Ze Ge’er quickly covered his mouth and shook his head at his father.

He didn’t want to go back—he wanted to wait to see his little brother.

Physician Li silently rolled his eyes.

Truly a father and son pair.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. After an unknown period, the sound of hurried footsteps approached.

“Your Highness, someone claiming to be your old friend has come to visit.”

“Did he give his name?”

“No.”

Shao Mingyuan frowned: “Please ask him to sit in the front flower hall. Find out the details and come back to report.”

Who would come at a time like this? Simply adding to the chaos.

Since Shao Mingyuan had been enfeoffed as Prince Zhenbei and established roots in the Northern Territories, countless people had flocked to him, trying every means to curry favor. He was already accustomed to this. Though the words “old friend” caught his attention somewhat, compared to his wife currently giving birth, nothing else mattered.

Chi Can, leading Chi Jiao, was shown to the flower hall to sit. After finishing a cup of fragrant tea with still no movement, he became displeased: “Where is your general?”

The servant serving tea wore blue clothing and was neat and handsome. Hearing this, he smiled: “Please wait a moment, sir. Our Prince is busy.”

“Didn’t you tell him it was an old friend?” Chi Can deliberately emphasized the words “old friend,” growing even more displeased.

What was this? After becoming a prince, he even kept old friends waiting?

Chi Jiao held her water cup and blinked: “Big brother, didn’t you say that when Brother Shao heard you came, he would come running?”

Chi Can’s jade-like face flashed with embarrassed redness as he glared fiercely at Chi Jiao: “Shut up!”

After speaking, he stood up, pulled Chi Jiao, and headed outside.

The servant quickly blocked them: “I’m sorry, sir, but please wait here. Without the Prince’s orders, idle persons are not permitted to wander around the princely residence.”

“Idle persons?” Chi Can’s gaze shot toward the servant like a knife.

The servant instead puffed out his chest.

Heh, he was a first-class servant—what kind of freeloading scoundrels trying to curry favor hadn’t he seen? He wasn’t raised to be frightened.

If not for this young master’s truly exceptional appearance, he would have swept him out with a broom long ago.

“Tell your general that my surname is Chi. If he doesn’t come soon, I’m leaving.”

“Sir, could you please wait peacefully here? Our Prince truly has important business and can’t get away,” the servant persuaded helplessly.

The Princess Consort was giving birth—going to bother the Prince repeatedly at this time would mean waiting for a beating.

“Important business?” Hearing the servant say this, Chi Can’s anger subsided somewhat. “What important business?”

Chi Jiao looked at her brother curiously.

Usually, brother wasn’t like this—today he seemed particularly… willful.

The little girl found a precise word to describe her brother today.

Her willful brother seemed particularly good-looking today. The little girl held her chin and thought silently.

“Sir, this is our princely residence’s family matter—it’s inconvenient to tell outsiders,” the servant said coldly.

This person was too tactless.

“Family matter?” Chi Can murmured, repeating the words.

At this moment, a shout came from outside: “Your Princess Consort has gone into labor—why wasn’t word sent earlier?”

That full-throated yet urgent roar was undoubtedly Li Da Laoye.

Gone into labor?

Chi Can suddenly understood, pulled up his legs, and ran outside: “Master Li, please wait—”

“Hey, how can you run around like that?” The servant hurried to chase after him.

In the blink of an eye, only Chi Jiao remained in the flower hall.

The little girl was stunned.

Big brother, you still have a sister left in the flower hall—do you still want her or not?

The little girl chased after them with her short legs.

Li Guangwen heard the shout and paused, turning to look. Seeing Chi Can waving at him, he thought for a moment and suddenly understood: “It’s you!”

“That’s right,” Chi Can smiled.

“I don’t have time to talk with you—I’m busy!” Li Guangwen waved his hand and ran forward.

“Hey, Master Li, let’s go together.”

“Fine, let’s go together. My son-in-law might not be so nervous seeing you’ve come.”

The servant, seeing this, gave up his intention to stop them. Suddenly, feeling someone gently tugging at his sleeve, he looked down.

The little girl looked up at him and asked seriously: “Could you take me to find my big brother?”