Chapter 101
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The persistent dull pain made Fu Nian feel like his lower lip had been bitten until it bled profusely. The taste of rusty liquid mixed with saliva filled his mouth.
The water in the bathtub had been changed multiple times, and Fu Nian had lost count of how many hours had passed.
Each time his strength waned, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness, the intense pain would pull him back to reality.
Even the air he breathed in felt painful.
Whenever he thought the hand holding him was slackening, he subconsciously assumed Chu Zhaoyi was leaving. “Chu… Chu Zhaoyi…” His voice was low and hoarse, his hair soaked with sweat and blood sticking to his lips, contrasting sharply with his pallid complexion. “I…”
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Nian bit his lip subconsciously, trying to stifle any sound.
He heard Chu Zhaoyi comforting him a few times by his side, but he couldn’t make out the exact words.
Amidst heavy breathing, Fu Nian felt the mouth of a narrow-mouthed jug being brought to his lips, and the scent of herbs filled his senses.
He had drunk several doses of this labor-inducing concoction before, but it didn’t seem to be having much effect.
Fu Nian obediently took a few sips.
“…” For the remaining concoction, Fu Nian felt someone prying open his lips and forcibly pouring it down his throat.
This time, after swallowing the medicine, the spasms and aches intensified.
Fu Nian endured the pain, raised his head slightly, and tried to focus his gaze.
His prosthetic leg was secured to the side of the bathtub, allowing the imperial physician to check his condition at any time. His prosthetic arm had long been removed, as he had requested. During the intense pain, he had accidentally struck Chu Zhaoyi’s face several times with this right arm, and even the palace maid delivering water couldn’t avoid the unintended blows.
In the water, he saw a small, furry-headed figure connected to his body, with its eyes tightly shut.
Before he could examine the little head closely, another wave of tearing pain consumed him.
…
Amidst the noisy crying, Fu Nian closed his eyes as if relieved of a heavy burden and fell into a deep sleep.
When he woke up again, the surrounding lights were a bit glaring.
Fu Nian tried to sit up and support his upper body, but his right arm was empty, causing him to fall sideways on the bed once again. The persistent tearing pain woke him up completely.
“Heh…” He sucked in a cold breath.
Before he could get up, he felt a pair of hands lifting him and sitting him upright, leaning a soft cushion behind him.
“When you said it was much lighter than the pain of having a gu cut out, I almost thought…”
Fu Nian turned his head and saw Chu Zhaoyi. He was about to say something when he noticed the severe dark circles under Chu Zhaoyi’s eyes, as if he hadn’t slept for several days.
Before he could gather his thoughts, Chu Zhaoyi suddenly pressed down on him without warning, resting his head on Fu Nian’s shoulder and wrapping his arms around him tightly.
His left hand was still weak and unresponsive, unable to lift it. His right arm was still without its prosthetic. He could only let Chu Zhaoyi hold him, unable to respond.
Fu Nian suppressed the discomfort in his chest and replied softly, “These little pains are nothing, I won’t be in any danger. It’s just draining my energy, which might look a bit alarming. But what about you? Why are you so exhausted?”
“I overheard the imperial physician earlier. He said that if you didn’t wake up soon, he was going to use some incense on me and forcibly take me away. The last time the physicians used incense to separate us forcefully was when you passed away in your previous life…”
Hearing Chu Zhaoyi hesitate in his words, Fu Nian probably understood why Chu Zhaoyi looked like he hadn’t closed his eyes for so many days.
It wasn’t that he didn’t know exhaustion.
He couldn’t distinguish whether it was his own tiredness causing drowsiness or if it was the incense that was making him feel sleepy.
“Really, I’m fine,” Fu Nian reassured in a soft voice. After saying this, he slid down a bit, signaling for Chu Zhaoyi to lie down with him.
As they laid together on the bed, Chu Zhaoyi still leaned against his left shoulder, unwilling to let go, fearing that if he loosened his grip, he might be separated.
“By the way, the child…”
“It seems like a little princess,” Chu Zhaoyi yawned, struggling to stay awake. “I didn’t hear clearly, but I know she was born prematurely, so she’s currently under the care of the imperial physicians. She won’t be presented to the public until a few days later.”
“Seems like?” Fu Nian wasn’t awake to see the little one.
“I don’t care if it’s a prince or a princess, it’s not as important as you, and the imperial physician said the child is too weak to be seen right now, so I didn’t inquire further.”
Didn’t inquire further…
Fu Nian couldn’t help but smile wryly.
“In the future, don’t take such risks. We can always adopt a child from a collateral line…” Chu Zhaoyi’s voice gradually faded.
In the end, it turned into a slight snoring sound. However, his hand remained tightly clutched to Fu Nian’s body, unwilling to let go.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty. Although the Crown Princess was born prematurely, she is healthy. Today, with the clear skies, we brought her out of the imperial physician’s care.”
“After a month, she can leave the physician’s care.”
Fu Nian heard the conversation between the imperial physician and Chu Zhaoyi, but his attention was completely drawn to the moving head in the cradle.
He held a bamboo stick with bells and fluffy balls, constantly shaking it, trying to catch the baby’s attention.
This bamboo stick was borrowed from the palace maids yesterday, supposedly made to attract cats.
However, no matter how Fu Nian played with it, the little one had no reaction. She neither cried nor smiled, just quietly stared at Fu Nian.
“What are you looking at?” Fu Nian gazed back at her for a while, softly asking.
Of course, he knew she wouldn’t answer, but he just wanted to ask.
After watching for a while, Fu Nian reached out and gently touched her soft cheek.
It turns out that newborns are like this.
Soft, small, as if they could break at a touch. Fu Nian didn’t even dare to hold her, fearing that his usual strength from handling swords might be too much for her to bear.
As Fu Nian carefully touched the baby in the cradle, suddenly, there was someone above his head.
He knew it was Chu Zhaoyi, but his attention was entirely focused on the baby in the cradle. He didn’t even bother to turn around, regardless of whether it was the emperor or a god descending to the mortal realm.
Unexpectedly, the baby in the cradle started crying loudly without any warning.
Fu Nian quickly looked up and indeed, Chu Zhaoyi’s emotionless face was right above the cradle.
“Don’t scare her,” Fu Nian hastily turned the cradle to a different angle to shield the baby from Chu Zhaoyi’s view.
Chu Zhaoyi: …
He clearly had the same expression as usual and had no intention of scaring anyone.
“Don’t cry, okay?” Fu Nian felt at a loss for words, “How about closing your eyes? We won’t look at him.”
Fortunately, the wet nurse was timely and came over to pick up the crying baby from the cradle. “My lord, she’s just hungry, no need to worry.”
Fu Nian nodded.
“I’ll go down first to feed her. I’ll bring her to see you next time,” said the wet nurse as she carried the little one away, until she was out of sight.
Fu Nian watched as the wet nurse carried the baby away until he couldn’t see them anymore.
Together with Chu Zhaoyi, Fu Nian listened quietly to the words of the imperial physician, including how to handle things carefully after a full month, and when his body condition would allow him to engage in unrestricted combat training as before.
After the physician left, Fu Nian was still immersed in curiosity and excitement about his little daughter. Suddenly, a voice of complaint came from beside him.
“Ah Nian, you haven’t looked at me today.”
Fu Nian was still nodding, looking at the empty screen where there was no one.
“Ah Nian.” Chu Zhaoyi’s displeased voice grew heavier.
This time, Fu Nian finally realized it and turned to look at Chu Zhaoyi. “Your Majesty, what’s the matter?”
He looked at Chu Zhaoyi, who remained silent, wearing the same unfriendly expression as before.
“I’m hungry too,” Chu Zhaoyi said intentionally, seeing that Fu Nian’s attention was not on him.
Fu Nian paused for three seconds before realizing what was going on.
Since the birth of the little life in his abdomen, he had thought he could finally relax.
However, every day, the pain in his chest continued to trouble him. Besides the pain, his chest muscles, which had become weak due to neglect during pregnancy, had once again strengthened. If he hadn’t died once, Fu Nian might have thought it was the gu inside him.
In the end, it was only when the pain became unbearable that Fu Nian finally asked for help from Chu Zhaoyi.
But Chu Zhaoyi didn’t call the imperial physician. Instead, he just locked the door to the study, smoothly untied the ties on Fu Nian’s clothes.
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