Another courtyard in the post house—Chen Xiang Pavilion.
Inside.
Xie Beihan was reclining on the hard couch, playing chess with one hand and idly shaking a few jade beads with the other.
"The Crown Prince is restless."
Opposite him sat a monk in a kasaya, about nineteen years old, with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a handsome, ethereal face as chiseled as a Greek mythological sculpture.
He held a string of prayer beads and opened his brown eyes, looking over with a placid gaze.
Xie Beihan smiled faintly and looked at him with a devilish charm, "Xu Qing, that Buddhist hall I built for you was burned down by that madman. What do you say we do about this?"
"The Crown Prince has his decision; just proceed with it."
"Uninteresting." Xie Beihan threw down a chess piece and sat up. "Have the matters at the Regent's Mansion been handled?"
The monk held his prayer beads, his voice as quiet as if devoid of any fluctuation, "As per the Crown Prince's decree, all is in order."
"The reason I summoned you out of seclusion this time is to have you handle one matter."
Xie Beihan's sinister gaze gradually turned bloodthirsty.
"The Crown Prince may speak freely."
The cold wind outside the window was terrifyingly cold.
Lu Feibai, dressed in a green robe, sat in a wheelchair, standing quietly by the doorway. He listened to the conversation inside, his deep, bottomless black eyes calm and still.
After a moment, he waved his hand. "Let's go."
"Young Master, aren't you going in?"
Lu Feibai's face was pale. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "No, let's go back."
Not long after they left, a hidden guard entered.
"Crown Prince, the people from the Imperial Hospital have been summoned to Mo Yun Tang."
Xie Beihan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you saying Ye Luan is pregnant?"
"It should be."
The chess piece in his hand was suddenly crushed, falling like sand.
Xie Beihan smiled coldly, his eyes gradually filling with killing intent.
After a moment, he turned to the monk and said indifferently, "Act as soon as possible."
Mo Yun Tang.
The cold wind swept through the corridor, rustling the bronze bells hanging under the carved eaves.
Xiao Chizhan stood in the corridor, gazing at the scenery in the garden with a hint of melancholy in his brows.
"Your Highness, what troubles you? The Consort is with child, it's a good thing." Crown Prince Qi Linzhou said with a hearty laugh.
This was the first time he had seen someone as cold-blooded and bloodthirsty as Xiao Chizhan show such an expression. Ever since he had known him, he had never seen him troubled by anything.
It was truly peculiar.
Xiao Chizhan glanced at him. "Do you have many women in your Eastern Palace who have died giving birth?"
"It is natural for women to give birth, to bear the royal bloodline and continue the lineage. It is their honor."
"I'm asking you, have any died giving birth?"
Seeing his displeasure, Qi Linzhou changed his tune. "Giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell, but as long as they are well cared for, there usually won't be any problems."
"Meaning, it cannot be guaranteed to be without risk."
Xiao Chizhan's expression was somewhat grim. He had lived for twenty-three years and had never concerned himself with inner-court affairs, let alone women giving birth. He hadn't realized it was so dangerous.
"Even common women giving birth under difficult conditions usually do not have problems. Moreover, the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital are highly skilled, and the court midwives are carefully trained. As long as the Consort is not startled, which might affect the fetus, there will be no danger. Your Highness's worries are perhaps a bit excessive."
Qi Linzhou indeed felt he was making a fuss over nothing. Don't all women give birth? If they are taken good care of, how could something go wrong so easily?
However, Xiao Chizhan was truly attentive to his future Consort. He was curious how that woman had managed to capture the affection of the notorious King of Dingbei.
Xiao Chizhan said no more, but his expression remained somewhat grim.
After a while, the door opened.
Several imperial physicians came out from inside.
"We have taken the Consort's pulse. The Consort's body is weak, and it seems she recently underwent strenuous activity. The fetal condition is unstable and requires bed rest as much as possible."
"I discovered that the Consort has likely taken contraceptive medication multiple times. She has a cold constitution and needs further conditioning to avoid affecting the child."
Xiao Chizhan was impatient to hear them speak of such things and directly asked, "Will she die giving birth?"
"Ah—"
The imperial physicians were all stunned. They exchanged glances, and seeing the indifferent expression of the King of Dingbei, the head physician stepped forward and replied, "Under normal circumstances, no."
Normal circumstances? That meant it was possible.
Xiao Chizhan was annoyed. "You may leave."
"Your humble servant takes his leave."
Inside, Ye Luan had already lifted the bed curtains and got out of bed with her shoes on. Seeing Xiao Chizhan enter, she asked, "What did the imperial physicians say?"
"They said your body is weak and you are not suited for going out."
Ye Luan "---"
She felt much better after drinking the medicine the doctor prescribed.
"If you hadn't pushed me yesterday, I wouldn't have been in so much pain."
Hearing her complaint, Xiao Chizhan walked over and hugged her. "When did I push you?"
"You still won't admit it? Yesterday, when you were fighting with Xie Beihan, I went to pull you, and you pushed me straight into a pillar. At that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach."
Xiao Chizhan, all the injuries on my body are thanks to you.
Hearing this, Xiao Chizhan's red eyes darkened slightly. He picked her up horizontally and placed her on the couch, his voice gentle, "I didn't do it on purpose. What do you want to do?"
He stroked her face, his gaze as gentle as it was chilling.
Ye Luan involuntarily wanted to retreat but stopped herself.
She deliberately gave him a coquettish look. "How dare I do anything to you? Just don't torture me."
"Torture?"
He looked at her, uncomprehending.
Ye Luan said, "Yes, when you get angry, you go crazy in bed."
Xiao Chizhan heard this and felt displeased.
"I can't bear to hurt you, so I don't need to hold back my anger when I'm with you. If I hold it in, I'll die of suffocation."
"----"
He was truly shameless to the extreme.
Seeing that she had fallen silent, Xiao Chizhan immediately changed the subject, sat by the couch, and asked her earnestly.
"Luan Luan, do you like children?"
Ye Luan lowered her eyes, looking at her own stomach.
She— truly didn't know.
This child had come too suddenly, making her feelings extremely complicated.
"What are you thinking?"
He reached out and hugged her, resting his chin on her head, his red eyes obscure and clear.
Ye Luan did not struggle, nestling quietly in his embrace.
What was she thinking?
Naturally, she was thinking if the child was born without a father, would it resent her?
But if she were to abort it, to personally kill her own child, she really couldn't bring herself to do it. She would never be able to eat or sleep peacefully for the rest of her life.
"Hmm?"
"I wasn't thinking of anything, just a little shocked and scared."
Xiao Chizhan held her tightly, his voice deep, "Scared? What are you afraid of?"
Ye Luan rolled her eyes. Ancient medical technology was rudimentary, and only natural birth was possible. Of course, she was afraid that something unpredictable might happen during childbirth and she might lose her life.
It was truly her first time as a grown woman, inexperienced.
In her previous life, she had never even been touched by a man, let alone given birth. It was too sudden.
"I'm afraid of the pain. Isn't it said that giving birth is very painful?"
Hearing this, Xiao Chizhan remained silent. He held her tightly in his arms, his gaze deep, lost in thought.