Chapter 27
The next day empress was again writing something.
"Fourth month of 6th emperor of Sui: fourth princess consort give birth to a son and on the same day 5th princess consort give birth to 3 daughters and a son. 2 daughters were weak and one daughter died after few hours and the next day the son was murdered. After a few hours exhausted princess consort passed away and the weak daughter also passed away. Emperor and empress granted the only daughter of prince Jing, the name Zhu Jiayi and the third-ranked princess title. The death of 3 imperial babies got hidden from the world and prohibited to talk about. Prince Sheng got poisoned and with the help of elder Mi it was cured but his life will no longer than 14 years old. He was poisoned with the same poison as the first prince Ling which is Slow death poison. Later in the same month, the fourth prince takes the Second Ms. of the Shu family as the Second wife and 5th prince married a wife from the Kang business family in the capital. Xiao Qi was pregnant and no one knew who the father is. Her being pregnant was hidden well by Xiao manor. 5th month of the 6th emperor: emperor granted the fourth prince's son a prince title. fourth and fifth prince's concubines got pregnant in the same month. Emperor's birthday went fancily. Empress invited both consorts and concubines to the palace and have tea with them. She warned new taken prince's concubines and at the tea party, the fourth princess consort accidentally said that she was pregnant and no one knows. 6th month of the 6th emperor of Sui: the fourth princess consort kills both the fourth prince's concubine and unborn baby. the fourth prince punished her consort in the manor and made her lose her unborn child. Later that month 2-month-old prince was poisoned to death without any evidence of the murderer and the Shu family was suspected to murder him to get revenge. Empress celebrates her birthday normally as she prayed in a temple for all the dead ones and the longevity and prosperity of the kingdom. 7th month of the 6th emperor of Sui: With the empress's request emperor kill the fourth prince on account of many wrongdoings but in the name of harming the empress's pregnant sister and not protecting her nephew. I as the sister and empress visited the tomb of the fourth princess consort and my nephew. 8th month of 6th emperor of Sui: 2 more concubines were found pregnant in the harem and one is from the Huan family who was 4 months pregnant and another one from the Jin family who was also 4 months pregnant and with empress request emperor grant concubine Wei with the title "imperial consort Wei", concubine Huan and concubine Jin with "noble consort". 9th month of the 6th emperor of Sui: Xiao Qi give birth to a daughter and change the daughter to a son from another family's birth, she ordered to kill the family but got rescued by my subordinates. Yang kingdom has caught both kingdom Wu and East. Though the matter was closed it got known by one of 16 armies."
Empress was wearing heavy clothes and was sitting leisurely while reading a story.
"Then the little dragon flew back to his palace happy since he finally got the plant" Xiao Feng suddenly felt pain in her lower abdomen as she put the book down and Weining supported the empress.
"Call wet nurse, hurry"
"Weining, am I going to give birth?" Xiao Feng asked messing with everything that was on her mind. Weining nodded holding the empress's hand.
"Yes, the empress is going to be a mother. There must be a chubby prince since seeing the empress's belly is more like a pot"
"Right, He must be a chubby one. You have fed me like a pig" Xiao Feng took deep breaths.
Empress was in labour. Maids and wet nurses were inside the bed chamber busy with work. It was still morning, the emperor was walking between two places and ministries also was waiting outside. A minute ago, a eunuch came running in the middle of the morning court and announce empress was in labour. It was the winter season and New Year had just come. Everyone who was waiting was wearing heavy clothes because of the snowstorm that lasted for more than 10 days.
"Weining, put that cloth in my mouth" Xiao Feng panted and Weining put the cloth in the empress's mouth so she can control the screams. Xiao Feng doesn't want to shout. She gripped the blanket behind her.
"Empress, try a little harder. Push" After a few hours of struggle Wet nurse look at the empress. "I can see the head, empress push a little hard"
It was already evening and everyone was still waiting. Consorts and concubines were asked to pray. Commoners are waiting too for their nation's empress to give birth. All 8 kingdoms were facing the snow storm that last for almost 10 days. Suddenly the snow stopped as everyone was astonished as in a while sun also start to shine slowly. Outside everyone was looking at the sky.
"Your majesty, it's an auspicious sign" At the same time they heard a child's cry and the emperor was going to go inside but 2 maids stop him.
"Your majesty please calm down, wait for a while till wet nurse come out"
"Is the empress, okay? I heard a child crying. Is the child, okay?" Inside Xiao Feng was still gripping the blanket.
"A prince has a great future," the Wet nurse said giving the little prince to the Weining, Xiao Feng squeezed her eyes, and sweat dripped from her forehead. She still felt the same pain.
"Empress" the Wet nurse look back as she saw another head poking out.
"Empress, there's one more" Everyone's eyes glowed. Ministries were praying. Sun was shining brightly making the snow melt.
"Xiao Feng you must stay strong" Emperor mumbled and inside the bed chamber wet nurse took the second child as Xiao Feng sighed.
"A princess. Empress, it's a double fortune. A healthy son and a healthy daughter" Xiao Feng took off the cloth in her mouth herself. She was panting and a maid was wiping the sweat.
"Let me see" Weining and the wet nurse showed both of them as Xiao Feng smiled and eyes closed and panted and signal them to go on. Wet nurse and Weining came out as 2 maids open the door.
"Your majesty, double fortune. An Older prince and a younger princess" Everyone was happy and the emperor was happier than others.
"Congratulations, your majesty" Everyone kowtowed.
"Ministry of revenue, reduce tax for celebrating"
"Yes, your majesty"
"Your majesty, little prince and little princess have the blessings of heaven given the snow storm suddenly stopped and the sun came out" Emperor smiled and went inside, and the maids in the room kowtowed.
"Congratulations your majesty!" He dismissed everyone as he spots his exhausted empress who was laying in bed.
"Xiao Feng" She turned as he saw the emperor. He came running to her and stroked her hair.
"You have worked hard" Xiao Feng smiled.
"The snowstorm that has been long for more than 10 days stopped. Our children brought blessings for the kingdom and the world" Empress smiled though her eyes contain guilty.
"Didn't you think what should we name them?"
"Your majesty should name them"
"I already read your selection of names. Our Son will bring glory to the kingdom and will sustain heavy responsibilities so Zhu Xueting will be his name and our daughter will be a beautiful flower like you when she grows up so she will be Zhu Xueying" Empress smiled and nodded.
During the night Xiao Feng was drinking some tonics.
"Is the storm end? It's warmer than before" She asked the maid beside her since Weining and Linlin weren't there.
"Replying to the empress, the storm ended when the little prince and little princess born and minister of astronomy said it's an auspicious sign" Empress just chuckled.
The next day, a few commoners were talking about how the heavy storm suddenly stopped and the reduced taxes and little prince and princess's birth, and how the emperor announce the one-day-old prince as the crown prince.
Empress was sitting in as she Weining was grinding the ink.
"Arrange our people to take care of Xiao Ting and Xiao Ying, don't make any mistakes"
"Yes"
"I will do it, leave me alone for now"
"Hmm, I will visit little prince and little princess"
"Go" Weining dismissed the other maids and went inside the palace to see the little prince and princess. Other maids came outside.
"Sis Weining is lucky, she can see the little prince and little princess by one request"
"Same goes to Sis Linlin"
"I so envy"
Empress was writing as usual.
"10th month of the emperor of Sui: Emperor permitted general Yan to come back from the border to visit his nephew and niece. Princess Heping came back to see her grandchildren. Imperial consort Shu died on the labor and the new prince died a few hours after. Later they got the news she was poisoned. In the court right prime minister pointed empress as the murderer of the consort Shu and the little prince. Empress attends the court and shows the point that she will never do something like that and give permission for them to take over the case if they want. Later that month imperial consort Wei gave birth to a daughter. 6th prince came to meet the empress in the same week and inform her that he is going to be a monk and prey for Buddha. "Why didn't you tell your majesty directly?" "Empress, I don't have a close relationship with your majesty and I am so done with imperial family struggles so I decided" "okay, then if it's what you want". Empress starts to be with the emperor in the morning court because of the war situation in the other kingdoms. At the end of the month, General Yan and princess Heping went back from the Sui kingdom"
In the imperial consort Wei's courtyard, she was sitting in the bed and a servant came inside.
"Greetings to imperial consort Wei! This servant is nanny Jiu. I was sent by general to be your aid as your letter. He is also afraid in the future what will happen could not be predicted so ask me to be with you the whole time" Consort Wei sat straight in the bed.