“You silly girl, why are you still so timid? What other way is there now? Your due date is a full month after Liu Meng Han’s. Aside from induced labor, do you have any other method to give birth before her?”
Feng Ruo Yan was so exasperated she felt like she would die of anger. At this critical juncture, she was still dithering like a frightened rabbit. If everyone were like this, they might as well resign themselves to fate and why bother with all the elaborate schemes?
“Yan’er, how could your mother harm you? The person your mother found to induce labor has helped countless women. She is sure to be foolproof and will definitely not let anything happen to you. Rest assured, what you need to do now is to take good care of yourself and give birth to a healthy eldest son. Your mother will pave the way for you in everything.”
She had already planned all of this when Feng Ruo Yan became pregnant. All she needed to do was use the method of induced labor, let this child be the eldest son, and once the Third Prince ascended the throne, this child would naturally become the Crown Prince, and Yan’er would become the Empress. Her life of wealth and glory would then be firmly in her grasp.
“I will listen to Mother…”
Feng Ruo Yan replied weakly. It was thanks to the medicinal prescription her mother found that she was able to conceive. Only by giving birth to the eldest son before Liu Meng Han could she find a way out.
Otherwise, her entire life would be spent being suppressed under Liu Meng Han’s heel. How could she be content to be inferior and continuously oppressed by that bitch Liu Meng Han?
The thought of Liu Meng Han’s smug expression made her grind her teeth in hatred. No matter what, she had to give birth to the eldest son before Liu Meng Han.
“Alright, Yan’er, look at how weak you are. Your mother feels heartache just looking at you. Fortunately, once the child is born, everything will be fine. Hurry back to your room and rest.”
A hint of worry flickered in Madam Sun’s eyes. She had not expected the prescription to be so potent. Glancing at Feng Ruo Yan’s belly, it was indeed larger than a normal belly for her gestation period. It seemed the child was very healthy, which was necessary to ensure a healthy birth after induced labor.
It was just unfortunate for Feng Ruo Yan, as even a trace of nutrient from her body would be absorbed by the child.
She had no choice. Ever since Feng Ruo Yan suffered a miscarriage last time, her body had been severely depleted. Without a potent tonic, it would have been impossible for her to conceive.
She was also worried that with Feng Ruo Yan’s frail health, the fetus might not grow healthily. That was why she had added other herbs to her stabilizing decoction, which would allow the fetus to absorb the mother’s nutrients better and grow very robustly.
However, after this delivery, Liu Meng Han’s body would be greatly depleted, and it would be difficult for her to conceive again in the future.
But with this eldest son by her side, becoming the Empress, having other children would not matter.
These matters, of course, she dared not tell Feng Ruo Yan. Firstly, she was afraid Feng Ruo Yan would worry upon knowing, and secondly, she was afraid she might become resistant and refuse to continue taking the medicine, thus wasting all the previous efforts and suffering.
“Yan’er…” Madam Sun suddenly called out as Feng Ruo Yan was about to leave, stopping her.
“What is it, Mother?”
Upon hearing the voice, Feng Ruo Yan quickly turned back to look at Madam Sun.
“It’s nothing, I just forgot to remind you to continue taking your stabilizing decoction. Now that childbirth is imminent, you must be extremely careful and not make any mistakes.”
“Mother, you have reminded me of these words dozens of times. I have long kept them in mind, and I have not missed a single dose of the stabilizing decoction…”
“Good… that’s good. Take good care of yourself. Your mother will leave now.”
Madam Sun patted Feng Ruo Yan’s hand, then left with peace of mind.
“Why do I feel like Mother has been very naggy these past few days? She wasn’t like this before…”
She had long felt that ever since she became pregnant, her mother’s attitude towards her had changed so quickly. She always felt it was strange, but she couldn’t pinpoint what was strange.
She didn’t dare to ask directly and could only talk to Luzhu after her mother left.
“There’s a saying that worry makes one nag. This servant feels that Madam is perhaps too concerned about Miss, which is why she doesn’t know how to express it, and that’s why Miss finds it strange.”
Luzhu had been serving Feng Ruo Yan since childhood and was well aware of Madam Sun’s disposition. She spoke words of comfort.
“Perhaps so.” Feng Ruo Yan replied faintly. After a while, she felt weak all over, her eyelids constantly drooping. She quickly asked Luzhu to help her lie down on the bed.
“Luzhu, go and get my stabilizing decoction. I’ll sleep after taking the medicine.”
“Yes, Miss. This servant will go and get it. However, these past few days, Miss has indeed been quite sleepy, especially after drinking the stabilizing decoction. She sleeps very deeply, and sometimes this servant cannot wake her up when calling her.”
“Perhaps the stabilizing decoction has been mixed with a sedative.” Feng Ruo Yan said indifferently. At first, her pregnancy was unstable. If not for her mother’s painstaking efforts to find this stabilizing decoction for her, this child would likely not have been preserved. Naturally, she would not suspect anything was wrong with the stabilizing decoction, merely thinking it was due to her own weak health.
“Alright, you go and bring the medicine now. I need to sleep after taking it.”
She truly couldn’t hold on any longer. Feng Ruo Yan hurried Luzhu to bring the medicine, intending to sleep early after drinking it.
“Yes, Miss, this servant will go now.”
…
“How is it, Granny? Have you found the person?”
“Your Highness Consort, this old servant has found the person. They have all been settled in the residence. When the time comes, we can induce labor for Your Highness Consort and let the little noble son come out sooner.”
“Granny, I am still a little worried. Is this really going to work? The child is not yet full-term. Will premature birth harm the child?”
Liu Meng Han placed her hands on her swollen belly, her heart filled with unending worry. She knew better than anyone how difficult it had been to conceive this child, and she was even more unwilling to harm it.
“Your Highness Consort, please rest assured. Her Majesty the Empress has specifically found the most skilled midwife. She has induced labor for countless noble ladies in the palace. She is experienced and will surely ensure the safety of Your Highness Consort and the child.”
“Furthermore, Her Majesty the Empress has already had the Imperial Observatory calculate it. The sixteenth of this month is an auspicious day. For the little noble son to be born at this time, he will surely be of noble status in the future. Your Highness Consort’s good days from now on will all depend on our little noble son.”
“Little noble son, Mother’s intention is that this child will be the noble son from now on?”
A smile deepened on Liu Meng Han’s lips. She placed her hands on her abdomen, her joy growing even greater.
“Naturally, the child born to Your Highness Consort is the legitimate son. The legitimate son is naturally the noble son. Her Majesty the Empress has already petitioned His Majesty for a decree. As soon as the legitimate son is born, he will be enfeoffed as the noble son.”
“Mother indeed dotes on this child. This is truly this child’s greatest fortune.”