Chapter 172: |
In the following days, Li Er showed genuine concern for Changle, visiting the princess’s residence almost daily. Besides inquiring about Changle’s well-being, he chatted with Su Li. As an emperor, his care for his married princess reached an unparalleled level of attentiveness.
This extensive concern alleviated the suspicions of some courtiers who had doubts about Su Li due to his title as the Eternal Joy Prince. After all, if Li Er resented Su Li, how could he be so close?
Despite the admiration from outsiders, Su Li found it somewhat irritating. As Changle’s due date drew nearer, Su Li grew impatient with social obligations. He wished he could be with Changle every moment of the day.
Even though Su Li had surpassed the physical limits of ordinary humans over two lifetimes, this didn’t exempt him from the realm of emotions. Being a father for the first time was an experience that deeply moved him, regardless of his enhanced physical abilities.
The days passed one by one. Early in the morning, right after having breakfast, Su Li, as usual, accompanied Changle for a walk in the garden. Suddenly, Changle’s water broke!
Instantly, chaos erupted within the princess’s residence. Even the normally composed female attendants were now giving orders to the servants, carefully guiding Changle into the birthing room.
The birthing room had been prepared by Su Li in advance, located in a northern chamber within the courtyard of the princess’s residence. The room had been exposed to the sun for nearly half a month, and during that time, Su Li used various disinfectants she had obtained from the system to thoroughly sterilize the room.
A group of court physicians waited outside the birthing room, ready to be summoned. However, they wouldn’t be needed for the actual delivery. The imperial palace didn’t have female court physicians, but highly skilled midwives from all over Changan City were available to provide services to the royal family.
Their success rate in delivering babies was considered quite high in this era. Whether it was challenging labor, breech birth, or even more serious conditions like bleeding or a closed pelvis, they had methods to address them.
After Changle was led into the birthing room, the midwives started bustling around, trying to get Su Li out. “Your Highness, childbirth is seen as rather impure for a woman. Your Highness, having been a brave general on the battlefield, possesses a strong presence of yang energy, which might hinder the birthing process…”
They presented a series of seemingly valid reasons, leaving Su Li with nothing to do but stare in disbelief. Excessive concern could lead to confusion!
Despite Su Li’s boundless strength, his heart was in turmoil at this moment. Unintentionally, he was pushed out of the birthing room by the group of elderly midwives. Just as the door closed, he caught sight of Changle lying on the birthing bed, gazing at her with an unwavering look.
In Changle’s eyes, there was no fear, only pure joy and anticipation.
Then, Su Li overheard one of the midwives mutter, “Since we started in this profession, we’ve delivered over two hundred babies, and only a little over ten cases ended in complications. Your Highness, rest assured.”
Hearing this, Su Li immediately lost her composure again. Who gave you the confidence to be so proud of that success rate? In modern times, wouldn’t a midwife like you be criticized harshly by the family?
However, in this era, Su Li had no other choice. This was just how things were. Having a childbirth success rate above ninety-five percent was certainly an accomplishment to be proud of.
The court would strongly promote childbirth at the beginning of each new dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, every newborn child had to be registered with the government. Their records would still be kept even if they tragically died in infancy.
One vital criterion for assessing the achievements of pastoral officers was the birth rate of newborns in their governed lands. Indiscriminate abortions were considered equivalent to murder. Li Er strongly abhorred such practices. Therefore, highly skilled midwives were in high demand, and they had good reason to boast about their skills.
Su Li himself was not knowledgeable in midwifery, so he had to rely on Changle’s determination while placing his trust in the expertise of these midwives. Changle had consumed Bodhi Fruits, and before Su Li departed for the campaign, he had given her Longevity Pills to take. Both of these items had potent effects, presumably contributing to Changle’s improved health, significantly above that of an ordinary person.
Before leaving for the campaign, Su Li had specifically advised Changle to stay active and maintain a well-balanced diet. Changle followed her husband’s guidance and strictly followed Su Li’s instructions. However, no matter the reason, the person inside was his beloved wife. Regardless of the logic, Su Li couldn’t help but worry.
Since arriving in the Great Tang, this was the first time Su Li felt so agitated. He stood in front of the birthing room door, pacing back and forth continuously. Under the turmoil of his emotions, Su Li’s aura emitted an alarming intensity. The imperial physicians and servants in the courtyard were silenced by fear, remaining motionless in their designated positions. Evidently, if anything went wrong during Changle’s childbirth, this newly declared heteroclite prince would undoubtedly erupt in anger.
The wait was painfully excruciating. Su Li would occasionally approach the door, leaning in to listen carefully. However, the interior remained quiet, with only the hurried conversations of the midwives and the sounds of organizing items audible.
Contrary to what Su Li had seen in movies and TV shows, there were no screams of labor pain from the birthing women or panicked shouts from the midwives. The longer he waited, the more agitated Su Li became. Unable to bear it, he retrieved a pack of cigarettes from the storage room and lit one. The nicotine’s stimulation helped slightly calm his emotions.
“What’s this?” At that moment, Li Er’s voice came from behind. Su Li turned to see Li Er standing there, curiously eyeing the cigarette in his hand. Zhangsun Wu Fei stood next to Li Er, whispering something to the female officers from the princess’s residence.
At this point, Su Li had no mood to deal with Li Er, so he flicked the cigarette towards him. While their daughter was in labor, Li Er seemed remarkably calm and unhurried.
Holding the exquisitely packaged box, Li Er examined it closely. Then, imitating Su Li’s actions, he placed a cigarette in his mouth. As he turned his head, a eunuch promptly produced a tinderbox to light it for him. After taking a deep drag, Li Er’s face suddenly changed, and he began to cough violently, exhaling smoke rather disheveledly.
Seeing his awkward state, Su Li couldn’t help but advise, “Your Majesty, when you’re trying this for the first time, don’t inhale too forcefully. Take it slow…”
Li Er quickly followed Su Li’s advice and soon adapted to the cigarette’s euphoric sensation. “It does have a calming effect, not bad!” Li Er chuckled.
He didn’t inquire about the origin of the cigarette but instead gestured for Su Li to join him in a nearby pavilion. The two sat facing each other, and soon, the pavilion was enveloped in smoke.
“Young man, the process of childbirth is indeed a difficult journey for common pregnant women. But I’ve arranged the best midwives for Changle, so rest assured,” Li Er reassured. He then pointed at Zhangsun Wu Fei and chuckled, “Back when the Empress was giving birth to Chengqian, she was experiencing a bout of anger, but fortunately, the midwife handled it well. The midwife who assisted the Empress’s childbirth is right here.”
The atmosphere in the pavilion became more relaxed as Li Er and Su Li shared a smoke, discussing the topic of childbirth and the effectiveness of cigarettes.
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