Chapter 663: The Princess Consort is just asleep

If there really were no one around at the moment, Li Qingluo wouldn't want to keep the noisy Li Yunchu by her side.

Besides her voice being truly unpleasant, Li Yunchu is actually even more useless than I thought.

All day long she just cries, cries, cries.

The older she gets, the more sentimental and sorrowful she becomes.

That pent-up affection now seems to be carefully directed all toward herself.

Li Qingluo sometimes feels embarrassed when their eyes meet.

She even wishes Li Yunchu had been possessed by someone else, rather than being the real her as she is now.

Clearly she wouldn't dare appear before her own stepmother, yet one day, because Li Qingluo had no one nearby, she nervously still sent Li Qingluo to her stepmother's courtyard.

This aunt, once full of malicious intent, now even if just making up the numbers, keeping her around at least lets me have her pour hot water or hand me scissors.

Li Qingluo even came to believe she wouldn't take advantage of her vulnerability, that she wouldn't attack her at such a time.

Li Yunchu sniffled, wiped her face with the back of her hand, and said, "All right, I won't bother you."

"Then… then I'll wipe your sweat for you."

Li Yunchu's hands were trembling.

Although she had never given birth in her life, she knew every pregnant woman must pass through the Ghost Gate Pass before reclaiming her life.

Now Luoe, the only one who still recognizes her own kin, is about to go through the Ghost Gate Pass.

Li Yunchu was truly terrified.

Especially since Li Qingluo had just earnestly called out to her, she felt even more excited and nervous, wishing she could take Li Qingluo's place.

And the commotion in the main courtyard still let the entire City Lord's Mansion know.

Everyone came running over.

Even Lanting came.

She nervously helped outside the door.

Hope that this good Princess Consort, who can defend the home and city and care thoughtfully for nearly everyone, will smoothly give birth to the Young Highness.

Because, there is no longer such a good Princess Consort in this world.

She is a heroine among women, and also the divine maiden in the hearts of all the people of Mandara City.

She will surely pass through this ordeal safely!

Seeing the somewhat silly girl from the next courtyard run out, she stepped forward and grabbed her.

"You can't run around at a time like this."

"Listen."

That girl blinked her bewildered eyes and said, "Sister, are we having a baby?"

Lanting's heart softened as well: "Yes. The older sister inside is the Princess Consort. She's going to deliver the baby today."

"Let's wait together and pray to the bodhisattva for her, okay?"

How could that silly girl be an outsider?

It was precisely Nanping, who had not yet regained her former senses.

She didn't know why, but she felt panicked, fearful, and tense.

Following Lanting, her heart actually calmed considerably.

There were six or seven midwives inside the room.

They had all been summoned early to wait at the City Lord's Mansion.

With Qin Ling overseeing things, the delivery proceeded fairly smoothly.

Li Qingluo followed the midwives' and Qin Ling's guidance and quickly entered the state completely.

And her labor was swift and smooth; the midwives didn't even need to use scissors to catch the baby.

"It's out, it's out—"

"Heaven, I've never in my life seen a delivery go so smoothly. This Young Highness slipped out with a soft sound."

"It's thanks to the Princess Consort's healthy body—she usually moves a lot, so the birth went smoothly and she suffered little."

"The Young Highness is truly promising—extraordinary from the start. Look how strong those little arms and legs are!"

The midwives' words were full of joy.

While cleaning and swaddling, they then wrapped the baby in the soft, luxurious blanket that had been prepared beforehand.

Those still cleaning up were also delighted: "The Princess Consort didn't tear—"

"Quickly apply medicine to the Princess Consort; this is the ointment Luo Shen Doctor had prepared long ago, excellent for postpartum recovery."

The wrapped baby was finally brought over: "Princess Consort, please take a look—congratulations on giving birth to a……

Yet Li Qingluo, who had been holding on all this time, could no longer endure at this moment.

She simply couldn't hear clearly what they were saying.

She also couldn't make out what the fuzzy baby looked like.

Like herself, or like Ashi?

As her eyelids finally gave way and closed, a distant, panicked shout drifted to her ears……

"Princess Consort……"

"Princess Consort……"

"Too noisy."

She really just wanted to be quiet……

Just let her be quiet……

"Princess Consort! Princess Consort—"

Wuu wuu wuu, Princess, wake up, don't scare Que'er——

Que'er pushed the unconscious Li Qingluo, wailing and shouting.

Li Yunchu seeing this, burst into loud wailing: "No!! Luo'er, Luo'er——"

"No! Don't scare Aunt, Luo'er——"

"Luo'er, wake up, Aunt finally has a relative like you……"

"Don't leave Aunt, wuu wuu wuu……"

The midwives were all dazed.

They all panicked and rushed over.

Qin Ling outside the screen was so frightened he made a 'dong' sound and dropped what he was holding, not avoiding suspicion, he rushed in panic.

"What's happening!!"

"Is she bleeding out?"

"But the princess is bleeding out!!"

"Or had a seizure?"

"Quick! Make way!"

Qin Ling, face deathly pale, hurriedly lunged forward to check.

However, under the blanket it was completely dry.

She also had no convulsions.

And no high fever.

She had merely lost consciousness, and no matter how they shook and called her, she wouldn't wake.

The midwives all cried in fright.

"This, this we also don't know what's happening."

"Yeah, we've never encountered this situation; how did she suddenly lose consciousness?"

"How is the princess like this? Why can't we wake her……"

"We're doomed, we're all doomed!"

"Who doesn't know that the princess before us is not merely a princess in the future!"

"But today the princess mysteriously died in their hands; wouldn't they and their families have to follow her to death?"

"Everyone instantly felt all hope lost, hearts filled with sorrow and grief."

Qin Ling's hands were trembling.

He only felt the noisy clamor unbearable, making him feel like he'd explode.

He could no longer hold back and roared: "Shut up, all of you!!"

"And you stop crying too!"

He turned and for the first time in his life yelled at Li Yunchu.

Li Yunchu choked momentarily, finally closing her own raspy duck-like voice.

Only then did Qin Ling focus and carefully feel Li Qingluo's pulse.

Back and forth, repeatedly feeling the pulse.

The baby beside her was still crying.

In his calm, Qin Ling finally sensed a faint clue.

After knowing the truth, he instantly went limp, plopping onto the ground, lifting his deathly pale face, sighing deeply, weak and helpless.

Qin Ling didn't beat around the bush: "The princess is just asleep."

Que'er and Li Yunchu looked incredulous: "What are you saying?"

Qin Ling laughed through tears, twitching the corner of his mouth: "Yes, she's asleep."

Everyone: ……

Li Qingluo's face of deep sleep— isn't she just sleeping incredibly sweetly!?

Que'er quickly wiped her tears and laughed: "Yeah, our young lady always sleeps soundly; once she even slept seven days and seven nights!"

"This time the young lady must be utterly exhausted, that's why she fell asleep right after giving birth to the little prince."

"The young lady really has suffered."

Que'er heartbrokenly reached out to wipe Li Qingluo's sweat.

Li Yunchu followed: "Yeah, Luo'er is just too exhausted."

"These days worrying about war, worrying about her grandmother, today being tossed about so much, just after giving birth to the little prince— isn't she utterly exhausted?"

Li Yunchu's voice was full of heartache.

Qin Ling laughed 'haha' a few times: "Yeah, sleeping is good, sleeping is best."

Otherwise, if something happened to her, not to mention whether he himself would have to pay with his life, wouldn't all the effort Qin Ling has poured in these past months be wasted?

The midwives also all relaxed their breath and started laughing.

"Look, the little prince seems to be smiling."

"What nonsense, how could a newborn just born smile?"

"It's true. The little prince surely also loves his mother……"

Everyone was harmoniously cheerful, when suddenly the door burst with a loud 'peng' sound.

A tall, swaying figure, covered in wind and frost, steps staggering yet with a hint of panic, rushed in.

Before his footing was steady, he hurriedly strode into the room.

Everyone knelt to greet him.

Welcome, Your Majesty.

Long live the Emperor, long live, long live forever...

This person was exactly Duan Rongshi, who had rushed back all the way, whipping his fast horse.

Along the way, he had already run to death an unknown number of fast horses.

Traveling day and night, braving the stars and moon, he had hardly gotten a full night's sleep.

While the fifty-thousand troops were still far in the rear, he had returned five or six days faster than originally anticipated.

However, he was still a step too late!

The Western Region army sneak‑attacked Mantuo City, and Luo'er suddenly went into labor early.

Fortunately, the Wolf Three King was captured alive, and the entire Western Region army had already collapsed.

Another great victory was merely a matter of course.

After learning the situation on the battlefield, Duan Rongshi hurried back to the city without hesitation or delay.

And he went straight to the lord's manor.

He seemed to have walked tens of thousands of miles before finally reaching the bedside; upon seeing Li Qingluo lying still and silent on the bed, his chest tightened instantly, and his own heartbeat almost stopped.

Qin Ling saw his face as if about to shatter like a collapsing mountain, and hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, the consort merely fell asleep from exhaustion; there is no serious problem."

Duan Rongshi looked at Qin Ling.

For the first time, he threw him a single sentence: "There will be a reward."

Then, without even glancing at the delicately wrapped infant beside him, he promptly sat down at the bedside.

Luo'er...

He reached out gently, stroking her ear and the disheveled strands at her temples.

His voice, calling her name, trembled uncontrollably with ragged breaths, his eyes fixed solely on Li Qingluo, unwilling to look away even for a moment.

Luo'er, I am late returning.

I clearly promised to return as soon as possible, yet I still let you bear all this alone.

It is my fault as husband; you may punish me however you wish when you wake, alright?

He didn't even mind that others were still in the room, taking her hand and pressing it to his face, his voice soft as he began to murmur.

Seeing this, Que'er immediately rose and led everyone out quietly.