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Princess Duanmin was frightened at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, but because the imperial physicians were busy treating Feng Tianzhu, she kept quiet about it.

I didn't sleep well last night; I woke up several times throughout the night.

The palace maids who served her were worried and wanted to go to the Imperial Hospital to ask the imperial physician to come.

Princess Duanmin said, "I just feel a little irritable, nothing else. I think it's because I didn't sleep well last night. After breakfast, if I feel sleepy, I'll take another nap, and maybe I'll feel better."

The palace maids knew her temperament and dared not force her, but they all kept their guard up.

After having breakfast, she went to bed fully clothed.

The eldest princess came over to see her and asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Don't delay."

"I feel okay, just a little tired. I'll take a nap first," Princess Duanmin said vaguely, feeling sleepy.

Seeing that she wanted to sleep, the eldest princess had no choice but to let her sleep, and instructed the servants around her: "Do not be careless. If the princess feels unwell later, immediately call the imperial physician. Even if you feel nothing is wrong, you must call the imperial physician to check your pulse in the afternoon."

After all, she was quite far along in her pregnancy at this point, so she needed to be extra careful.

Princess Duanmin drifted off to sleep, and in her dream, she only felt a backache.

The baby in my belly seems uncomfortable too, moving around a lot.

"Xiaoyu, Juanjuan, turn me over," Princess Duanmin called to the two maids.

She was too far along in her pregnancy to turn over on her own and needed someone's help.

"Your Highness, please slow down." Two palace maids rushed over and carefully helped her turn over.

As soon as she turned over, Princess Duanmin felt the baby in her belly kick her hard, causing her great pain.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" The two maids thought they had hurt the princess.

"Something's not right," Princess Duanmin said, a hint of panic in her voice. "I have a feeling something's not amiss."

At this moment, the nanny attending to her looked over from the side and said anxiously, "Your Highness's water has broken and it's flowing onto the ground. Quickly! Call the imperial physician and the midwife over."

The servants in the room quickly split up and went about their business. The eldest princess, who also lived in the palace, arrived shortly afterward.

By the time Wen Mingqian heard the news and rushed over, the imperial physician and midwife had already arrived.

“Your Highness is going into premature labor, and your water broke first,” the midwife said to the princess with some concern. “Tell the imperial physician to prescribe some labor-inducing drugs! Let’s push the baby out as quickly as possible. If the amniotic fluid runs out and the baby’s head doesn’t come out for a while, it will be dangerous. Right now, use a pillow to support your back to prevent the amniotic fluid from flowing out too quickly.”

The princess dared not delay and immediately ordered the imperial physician to prescribe labor-inducing medicine and had it brewed right there.

Wen Mingqian stayed by Princess Duanmin's side, and Princess Duanmin nervously held his hand, her palms sweaty.

"Your Highness, don't be afraid. It's only half a month earlier than expected. The baby is already fully grown," Wen Mingqian comforted her. "Take the labor-inducing medicine in a bit, and the baby will come down soon."

Princess Duanmin knew that Wen Mingqian had given birth before, and she felt somewhat relieved after hearing her words.

The labor-inducing medicine was ready in no time, and it was brought over for the princess to drink.

In just about fifteen minutes, my stomach started to hurt.

This was his first child, and he wasn't young anymore, so the birth was quite difficult. It took him a long time for his cervix to dilate to five centimeters.

"Your Highness, don't tense up so much," the midwife said. "You need to push down."

"I can't," Princess Duanmin said, her voice trembling with tears. "I'm scared."

"What should we do?" The eldest princess was at a loss, as she had no experience with this. "Your Highness, I have some soothing incense. Why don't you try burning some to help the princess calm down?" Wen Mingqian suggested to the eldest princess.

"Use a little!" the princess said. "I see her breathing is all erratic right now."

Wen Mingqian lit an incense burner, and the midwife instructed Princess Duanmin to breathe slowly in and out, and then taught her how to push.

At this time, the Emperor and Empress also heard the news and rushed over, but they could not enter the inner room and could only wait anxiously in the outer room.

Childbirth is the most painful and dangerous time for a woman.

Even though Duanmin was a princess, she could not escape this calamity.

The imperial physicians kept deliberating over the prescriptions, and the midwives tried every possible method.

But an hour passed and the child still didn't show up.

"No, I have no strength left." Princess Duanmin hadn't slept well last night, and now she had been tossing and turning for a long time, so she was covered in sweat.

"Then feed His Highness something," the midwife said. "He'll need strength if he eats."

Aunt Zhang had already prepared the pheasant wontons outside, with sesame oil added.

Fortunately, Princess Duanmin had a good appetite and ate a whole bowl of soup and wontons.

After resting for a bit, he started exerting himself again.

Basins of bloody water were carried out one after another, and layers of wood ash were replaced one after another.

"I can see the baby's head! Your Highness, please push!" the midwife exclaimed joyfully. "While there's still amniotic fluid, you must push harder."

Princess Duanmin cried out and struggled, while Wen Mingqian grabbed her hand, his own hand was scratched raw by her.

She comforted Princess Duanmin while wiping her sweat with a handkerchief.

The baby was finally born safely at dusk.

At the sound of a baby crying, everyone was overjoyed and began chanting Buddhist prayers.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, it's a little princess." The midwife cleaned the baby, cut the umbilical cord, and wrapped it up.

"My daughter is good, my daughter is good, so sweet." The princess wiped away her tears with joy, "Duanmin, you have suffered so much."

Princess Duanmin was completely exhausted. She could only force herself to open her eyes and say, "Finally, she's born."

Then his head lolled to the side and he fell into a deep sleep.

When the Emperor learned that Princess Duanmin had successfully given birth to a daughter, he said, "Everyone present will be rewarded. Quickly write a letter to the King of the Northern Frontier, informing him that the princess has given birth and that both mother and daughter are safe."

The midwife and Wen Mingqian wiped Princess Duanmin's body and changed her into clean clothes and bedding. Wen Mingqian then burned another incense stick to calm her nerves.

"Although this child was born a few days early, he looks healthy and strong. No wonder Duanmin ate so much when she was pregnant with him." The princess held the child and examined him closely while whispering to Wen Mingqian, "Look how handsome he is! He's only this small, but you can already see that he has delicate features."

"The little princess looks just like Princess Duanmin; she's a real little beauty." Wen Mingqian was also extremely fond of the child.

"Alright, you don't need to stay here anymore. You've had enough lately," the Princess said. "Go back and rest! Go see Chang'an, and you'll have to go see the young master of the Feng family again."

"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Your Highness. I'll come over here after I'm done with that," Wen Mingqian said.

"No need, Consort Yun is here too! Add Consort Jing, the three of us are enough," the Princess said. "We can't leave Chang'an alone over there; we must be careful." (End of Chapter)