Chapter 53: Tian Jing has given birth

As the dawn rise not only was Tian An in pain but Tian Jing from the Prince Zi mansion was also in pain. This morning she had felt that her stomach was hurting however she thought it was nothing and went to have breakfast with the others. However, who would have known that her water broke as soon as she reached the dinner table?

"Tian Jing are you ok?" I asked running over to her at once. At this moment she was lying on the floor clutching her stomach in pain. "Ge my water broke," she screamed clutching her stomach. "Yao Yao go and send someone to alert your Jie fu," I ordered as she rush to send someone to inform Li*(1) Mu Chen that Tian Jing was due to give birth. "Shang Gu help Tian Jing to her room," I ordered as she nodded and proceeded to help Tian Jing with Tian Hua. "Tian Xia go and find those midwives and nanny. Yu Xuan go and get Ming Yu,". Everyone nodded and went to do their job as ordered. Not long later the midwives arrived at Tian Jing's door and rushed all males out of the room. However, the midwives did ask the maids to prepare a basin of hot water and some towels. I watch as the basin was brought into the room and came out with blood filled in it. The towels had blood on them as well. When Li Mu Chen and Ming Yu rushed over Tian Jing had just started screaming. "Ge how's Jing Jing?" Li Mu Chen asked panting one hand holding his daughter and the other holding his chest. Before I could answer Tian Jing screamed again and hearing this Li Mu Chen rush to bang the door open however the nannies on standby pushed him away. But Mu Chen did not give up and finally got passed them. "What is a man doing here in the delivery room? What nonsense is this?" the midwives screamed as I asked Shang Gu to head inside and watch that Mu Chen doesn't do anything inappropriate. After a few minutes one of the midwives shouted out "Jun Zhu that's it I can see the head now. Push harder and the child would be out soon,". I glanced at Yao Yao in joy as I prayed for her in my heart.

"Congratulations your highness! Jun Zhu has given birth to a healthy male," the midwives announced. I smiled with Yao Yao and asked "Can I go in to see the baby?" the midwives nodded and proceeded to allow me to go into Tian Jing's room. Tian Jing's room was the same since she was young but now it was a double-sided bed instead of a single-sized bed. Beside her bed was a baby cot I gifted to her. Inside the cot was pillows and blankets prepared for the baby. I looked at Tian Jing and I could see that she looked pale and there were beads of sweat on her head. "Yu Xuan call the family doctor. And also tell the kitchen to prepare some tonics for Tian Jing to use," I ordered feeling pity for her sorry state. Aiyo giving birth must be very painful. "Is it a boy or girl?" I asked addressing Tian Jing. She was about to speak but she only kept coughing so I poured her a cup of tea and refrained her from talking. Mu Chen answered instead "It's a baby boy. How about you name it?" Tian Jing nodded in approval. I thought deeply and asked, "The next generation of males' first part of their name*(2) is Hao. So how about Li Hao Yu or Li Hao Ran?". Tian Jing and Mu Chen looked at each other and Tian Jing replied "Call him Li Hao Yu. Ming Yu's name has a Yu character then my son should have a Yu character as well," and I nodded. "Then I will put Li Hao Yu as your son under your name," I confirmed as she nodded. "Yao Yao come let us not disturbed Tian Jing resting,". I left her room and not long later Yao Yao followed me.

Gege I chose for the next generation of males to have their first name as Hao as it is a similar tone to the Hao in your name, that Hao means filial. So I hope all of the males in the next generation could learn from you and always be filial. Ge I never wanted any of this. If only back then it wasn't you who 'died' but me. Especially since I have this poison which cannot allow me to live long.

Glossary:

1. Usually when the wife marries into the husband's family they would take their husband's surname. However, Sun Mu Chen married into the Li family so he took in his wife's surname. His children would also have the Li surname.

2. Usually in Chinese, names consist usually of two, three, or occasionally four monosyllabic characters. Surnames, generally come first and in most cases consist of one character.