When Ye Yuqing heard this, he laughed: “You’re from Wu, not Wei. Where else can you go besides returning with me?”

Feng Yue leisurely nibbled on preserved fruits and smiled: “She could come to my place.”

Glancing down at her, Ye Yuqing said: “Your Majesty had better not meddle in affairs that don’t concern you.”

“He Chou has always been my person, how could this be considered meddling?” Feng Yue narrowed her eyes, looked at him for a moment, and said: “How about this, Your Highness? Regarding He Chou, I don’t plan to return her to you. In exchange, I’ll give Your Highness one hundred jin of Wei’s specialty Su Mountain Cold Iron. That material is rare and precious – more than enough in exchange for a palace maid, isn’t it?”

Su Mountain Cold Iron was the material used to forge the Wuhui Sword and Changhendao. It was indeed very precious. If it were any ordinary palace maid, Ye Yuqing would have agreed without hesitation. But this was He Chou. Looking at her face, he shook his head: “No deal.”

Somewhat surprised, He Chou widened her eyes to look at him.

No deal? Wasn’t he the one who said earlier that he planned to exchange her for something? She thought exchanging herself for so much Cold Iron was already quite profitable – could it be he wanted to exchange her for a city? That seemed impossible.

“Then what does Your Highness want?” Feng Yue asked.

“I don’t lack things, I lack people,” Ye Yuqing said. “Just let her return with me.”

“She’s still my friend. If she’s unwilling, I won’t let her go,” Feng Yue said while rubbing her belly. “It’s getting late, we’ve been up all night and dawn is breaking. Your Highness should get some rest.”

Ye Yuqing’s face darkened, and he reached out to grab someone. However, Yin Gezhi behind him moved faster, directly seizing his shoulder, calmly saying: “Your Highness might not find the way. Let me escort Your Highness to your room.”

With that, he led the person out.

Ye Yuqing fumed: “Yin Gezhi, don’t go too far!”

“Who’s going too far?” Yin Gezhi said. “Your previous rescue of He Chou was a good deed, but even if you are her lifesaver, you can’t torment someone like this.”

“Which eye of yours saw me tormenting anyone?” Ye Yuqing frowned.

Yin Gezhi shook his head: “Has Your Highness not noticed at all? He Chou and Feng Yue are the same age, but when they stand together, He Chou appears much older.”

Older? Ye Yuqing was confused. He only felt that Feng Yue took good care of herself and appeared young, but didn’t feel He Chou looked old.

However, seeing the attitude of the Emperor and Empress, he knew it would be impossible to take the person away directly.

Better think of another way then.

Feng Chong, who received the order, was quite puzzled: “Your Highness, must we bring Wangyou back?”

“Yes,” Ye Yuqing nodded. “Before we break camp tomorrow, I want to see her.”

“…Yes.”

Song’s elite troops, after a whole day’s deployment, ended up just retrieving a palace maid.

When the Wu army passed through Yushan Pass continuing toward Wu’s border, He Chou looked around at the carriage walls in bewilderment.

“Your Highness?”

Ye Yuqing’s expression was very unpleasant, completely ignoring her, but whenever she made the slightest movement, he would turn back and give her a light glance.

He Chou didn’t know how she got out, but she knew she was done for this time. The grudge-holding Crown Prince wouldn’t let her off easily.

Inside Yushan Pass.

Feng Yue glared at Yin Gezhi before her: “She’s been taken away!”

“Mm.” Yin Gezhi pressed her down with one hand: “You’ve been worrying about her for several days now, get some good rest.”

“But…”

“No buts.” Yin Gezhi said: “Everyone has their path to walk. I told you early on, that excess compassion is useless. From the people Ye Yuqing sent, he might not be complete without feelings for He Chou. If you forcibly kept her by your side, she would certainly end up lonely in her old age.”

“Says who?” Feng Yue raised an eyebrow: “Couldn’t we have matched her with a good family?”

Looking at her with disdain, Yin Gezhi said: “You’re getting more foolish. Can’t you read He Chou’s eyes? There’s not a bit of life in them, how can you expect her to live well with anyone? Better spare the good families.”

Pouting angrily, Feng Yue hugged her belly and muttered: “Child, come out quickly! Your father is bullying people, and no one can help your mother!”

Yin Gezhi chuckled, about to say your belly is only eight months along, it’s still early when suddenly the person on the bed’s expression changed.

“Your Majesty.” Taking a deep breath, Feng Yue frowned: “If I suddenly told you now that I’m going into labor, what would you do?”

Yin Gezhi froze, looked at her expression, and shook his head: “Don’t try to scare me.”

“But… it seems to be real.” With fine sweat appearing on her forehead, Feng Yue gave a dry laugh: “Don’t just sit there, quickly find a midwife. I can hold on for a while.”

His expression changed drastically, Yin Gezhi was so scared he nearly lost his soul. He immediately stood up to go out, accidentally knocking over the water basin beside him. With a clang, the noise startled Guanzhi outside to run in: “Master?”

“Go find a midwife.” Taking a deep breath, Yin Gezhi said: “Prepare hot water and clothes, the Empress is going into labor.”

Guanzhi was shocked and didn’t dare delay at all, immediately rushing out!

Thus, within the time it takes to burn an incense stick, all the commanders in Yushan Pass were alerted. Along with Yin Fuzong and others who had retreated to the pass entrance, they all stood guard outside the room in their armor.

When the midwife arrived, she was so frightened by this scene that her legs went weak. It was Guanzhi who had to support her.

“Don’t be nervous,” the woman on the bed, drenched in sweat, softly comforted: “Those people outside are just here to give me presence. After all, it’s a premature birth, they’re all very worried.”

The midwife nodded tremblingly. Looking below her, the water had already broken.

“You… follow my lead,” she said.

“Alright.” The person on the bed smiled: “I feel this child is positioned correctly. It’s good to deliver early. The size should be small… don’t let your hands shake, let’s count one-two-three and then you push, alright?”

The midwife wanted to cry. How could she not shake? In normal households, it was the women inside crying and screaming while giving birth, with men calmly waiting outside. But in this noble household, how was it that the one giving birth was so calm, while the handsome husband sitting beside her had such a terrifying expression?

Yin Gezhi had specifically asked female doctors about matters related to childbirth. He knew how to deliver this child, and if the people beside him hadn’t tried hard to stop him, he would have intended to do it himself. This midwife didn’t seem very reliable, she was even shaking.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked hoarsely.

Feng Yue gritted her teeth: “It hurts a bit… but I can still bear it. After all, we’re people who’ve rolled in knife’s edges, how can we be so delicate!”

“If it hurts, cry out,” Yin Gezhi frowned. “Don’t hold it in.”

Her eyes flowing with emotion, Feng Yue laughed: “You’re already this nervous when I’m not crying out, if I were to wail, wouldn’t you go crazy? It’s fine, don’t worry, it will be a natural birth.”