That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

Tingyu couldn't hold back her tears, sobbing as she cried out, "Your Majesty, please wake up!"

"Your Majesty, wake up!"

In the instant her consciousness settled, Song Shuangning felt as if she had fallen into a warm haze.

She found herself back in her modern home, where the living room was dimly lit.

The mother sat on the sofa, holding her photo, her shoulders trembling with tears.

The father knelt on the ground and cried his heart out.

She coldly watched the two of them weeping. Back when they divorced, they both looked down on her as a burden, a drag on their lives. More than a decade later, they had each started their own families and had children, living fulfilling lives, and they didn't even consider a simple phone call a waste of time.

Why?

She was always an insignificant presence in their lives, so why did they cry so heartbreakingly after she left?

Song Shuang watched quietly for a long time.

I just found it utterly ridiculous.

She didn't linger any longer, turned around, and walked aimlessly forward.

The road beneath my feet seemed endless. After walking for an unknown amount of time, a deep, dark alley quietly appeared before me, swallowing up most of the thin moonlight.

Just then, she saw a familiar figure standing at the end of the alley—

It's my maternal grandmother.

She is my maternal grandmother who passed away many years ago.

Song Shuangning's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously took a step to chase after her, but no matter how fast she ran, she couldn't catch up with her grandmother.

"grandmother--"

"Wait for me—"

She cried out in distress, "Grandma, I miss you so much!"

The figure finally stopped and slowly turned around.

Grandma's features were still the same as she remembered, but her tone was sterner than she had ever heard before.

"What are you doing here? Go back!"

Song Shuangning was stunned.

Grandma had never been so fierce to her.

She remembered that her grandmother loved her the most.

"Go back! Go back now!" Grandma's scolding voice rang out again.

Tears rolled down without warning, like shattered moonlight, lightly touching the cool eyelashes.

She suddenly seemed to understand something, and she understood her grandmother's strictness.

She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and choked out again, "Grandma, I miss you so much."

This time, she didn't chase after them. She turned around and walked back the way she came.

Sometime during the day, faint lights appeared on both sides of the road, guiding her step by step back.

……

Tao Banxia deftly took out a silver needle and gently pricked Song Shuangning's philtrum, then added another needle to her Hegu acupoint.

Tingyu and Tinglu took turns wiping her cheeks and neck with warm handkerchiefs.

The shouts from inside the delivery room pierced through the door and reached Xiao Yan's ears.

Several palace servants hurriedly went out carrying a copper basin filled with blood.

Xiao Yan's pupils constricted sharply. He grabbed the imperial physician who was about to brew the medicine, his voice hoarse and alarming, "How is Consort Xian?"

The imperial physician trembled with fear and stammered, "Your Majesty... Your Highness, the Empress fainted midway through labor, which is likely a sign of a difficult delivery! I will immediately instruct the servants outside the palace to prepare labor-inducing medicine!"

Dystocia?

Xiao Yan was jolted, his vision went black, and he staggered back two steps.

The redness in his eyes spread outwards.

The other concubines were also dumbfounded.

Before anyone could react, Xiao Yan had already entered the delivery room.

The concubines were so shocked that they started discussing among themselves:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty... has entered the delivery room..."

"How can Your Majesty enter the delivery room? That place is filthy and bad for your health."

"Shut up, all of you!" Consort Shu shouted.

"No one is allowed to spread this matter today. If word gets out and the Emperor investigates, no one can bear the consequences."

After he finished speaking, no one dared to say another word.

Inside the delivery room.

The maids and servants were all astonished to see Xiao Yan.

"Your Majesty, what brings you in?!"

Xiao Yan ignored everyone's questions and made no unnecessary movements. His gaze swept past everyone and was fixed on the weak figure on the bed.

Her face was as pale as paper, her lips were bloodless, and her hair was disheveled and stuck to her sweaty cheeks. Even in her unconscious state, she exuded an indescribable pain.

At this moment, she was as fragile as a petal that could wither at any moment.

Xiao Yan's heart clenched suddenly, the pain almost making it hard to breathe.

Right now, only one thought remains:

She can't be hurt.

Ningning must not be harmed.

Xiao Yan walked over and took Song Shuangning's hand. "Why is it so cold? Let me warm it up for you."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, wetting her tightly pursed lips.

Then, he turned to Tao Banxia and said, "Consort Bao, we will not give birth. I want Consort Bao to be safe and sound."

It wasn't a consultation with her, but an order.

Tao Banxia's expression was solemn. While stimulating Song Shuangning's acupoints with silver needles, she said urgently, "Your Majesty, the matter of childbirth can change in an instant. Please do not cause trouble at this moment. I know what I'm doing."

"I hereby declare that I will protect Consort Xian!"

Xiao Yan suddenly raised his voice.

A roar made everyone in the hall tremble.

The bloodshot veins in his eyes were alarming. "Don't you understand? I only want Consort Xian to live."

As her thoughts returned, Song Shuangning laboriously lifted her eyelids. The light and shadow before her eyes were blurry, and she could only see swaying figures.

Tingyu exclaimed with delight, "Your Majesty has woken up!"

"Ningning!"

Song Shuangning's eyelashes trembled, her gaze unfocused as it fell on his face. Her lips parted slightly, "Why has Your Majesty come in again?"

Xiao Yan pressed his forehead against the back of her hand, almost pleading humbly, "Don't send me away, let me stay with you."

Song Shuangning blinked.

"it is good."

Song Shuangning was awake, but she was as soft as a spring pond.

She looked at Xiao Yan, her eyes welling up with tears, her voice barely audible: "So tired..."

"Then let's not have children. Okay? Let's not have children..." Xiao Yan discussed with her.

He was terrified.

To him, the child was never as important as she was.

All he wants is for Ningning to be safe.

Song Shuangning gently shook her head: "We can't give up halfway."

Her gaze gradually focused.

Just then, a tear slid down Xiao Yan's cheek and rolled down his jawline.

His usually straight shoulders and back were now slightly hunched.

The emperor, who remained unmoved even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, wept for her.

She raised her hand, trembling, and wiped his cheek, her voice hoarse but firm: "I can, I can."

"Try again."

She didn't want to give up halfway.

not to mention.

This is their bloodline.

And it is about to be born into the world.

Song Shuangning tilted her head back and drank the labor-inducing medicine in one gulp. The spicy taste of the medicine made her cough slightly, and Xiao Yan reached out to help her catch her breath.

Moments later, she felt waves of sharp pain in her abdomen, and beads of sweat instantly covered her forehead.

She gritted her teeth and gripped Xiao Yan's hand tightly.

"Your Majesty, push!"

"We can already see the little prince's head!"

Under the guidance of the midwife, she held her breath and concentrated, using all her strength.

Her cries were punctuated by soft sobs, and tears streamed down her face.

This was the first time she had ever been so disheveled.

Xiao Yan's eyes were also bloodshot.

He was begging for God's mercy, saying he would give up ten years of his lifespan in exchange for Ningning's safety.

As dawn broke, a faint light shone through the windows of the palace.

Finally, at dawn, a clear and loud cry resounded throughout the entire bedchamber.