Chapter 539
Chapter 539
"Aaargh!"
Xiao Bing let out a harrowing scream as the pain washed over her. The signs had begun. Her baby had been in her womb for well over nine full months. According to Shen Lang's prediction, the due date had been seven or eight days ago, but the baby seemed content in its mother's belly, showing no intention of coming out. In fact, it seemed to want to play with its father at the same time every day. It was a game of gently pressing on her belly. Whenever Shen Lang pressed a certain spot on Xiao Bing's stomach, the baby inside would press back near that spot. Sometimes, it would squirm so vigorously that a tiny fist would cause a small bulge on its mother's belly.
Shen Lang had waited and waited for the baby to make its move, but when nothing happened, he had to leave for the Northern Plains Hunting Grounds first. But as soon as he was gone, the baby decided it was time. A true little rascal. Although Shen Lang wasn't by her side, a dozen female physicians sent from the palace and several midwives were on standby, fully prepared for the delivery.
"My lady, push. You have to push."
Xiao Bing just kept screaming without pushing. The Fifth Prince's wife, Lady Zhuo, said in surprise.
"Xiao Bing, what are you doing holding it in instead of pushing?"
Xiao Bing said in a trembling voice.
"I'm going to hold on and have the baby when my husband gets back."
Everyone present didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was childbirth something one could just hold in? A female physician said.
"Lady Xiao Bing, you absolutely must not hold back. Once the placenta detaches, the baby has to come out. It could be dangerous otherwise."
Hearing this, Xiao Bing was startled and immediately began to push. Although she had a small frame, her hips were wide, making her well-suited for childbirth, and the baby was in a perfect position within the womb. As a result, after Xiao Bing pushed with all her might a dozen or so times...
"Waaah!"
The cry of a newborn echoed through the delivery room. It was a smooth birth without any complications, so much so that several midwives exclaimed in admiration. It was quite rare for a first birth to go so smoothly. Many women struggled for two or three days, hovering between life and death, before finally giving birth to their first child. For Xiao Bing, it had been no more than four hours from the start of her labor to the delivery.
"Congratulations, my lady. It's a precious daughter."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Bing's small lips trembled, and she looked as if she was about to burst into tears. She had dreamt of having a son, but in the end, a girl was born.
*What's so good about a girl? Your mother here has been a handmaiden her whole life.*
Lady Zhuo said with a smile.
"Do you think this child will be the same as you? She's been treated as someone precious from the moment she was born. Isn't she the beloved daughter of a noble house?"
Xiao Bing thought about it and realized she was right.
*I was born a servant, but this child will be different.*
Soon, her expression brightened, and she broke into a wide smile.
"Let me see her. She must take after her father, not me. That way, she'll be beautiful."
The midwife cleaned the baby with warm water, cut the umbilical cord, and then wrapped her in a cloth before placing her in Xiao Bing's arms.
"Oh, what a pretty little girl. It's rare to see a baby this beautiful."
Lady Zhuo hurried over to look at the baby, and indeed, she was an exceptionally pretty child. Despite being just born, her skin was smooth, without a single wrinkle. Having just left her mother's womb, the baby seemed to feel insecure, her small body trembling slightly. After a few cries, she instinctively tried to open her eyes, as if the light was too bright. But what strength does a newborn have? With great effort, she managed to open her eyes just a tiny bit. They were truly large and sparkling, her pupils shining like flawless black gems. Just one look at the baby made Lady Zhuo's heart melt, and she even shed a tear. She immediately took the baby into her arms.
"My baby, my precious baby. Could you be my baby from now on?"
Lady Zhuo found the baby unbelievably lovely, but at the same time, her heart ached. She had been married to Ning Zheng for two or three years but had yet to conceive. She had already seen physicians and had even been examined by the best of them, Shen Lang. The result was that the problem was not with Ning Zheng, but with her. That was why Lady Zhuo had always urged Ning Zheng to take a concubine, but he had always refused her suggestion.
Ning Zheng had said it wasn't that he disliked beautiful women, but that it was too much trouble. He and his wife were living in perfect harmony, and if a woman who didn't know her place were to enter the household, the peace of their home would be shattered. Eventually, Lady Zhuo had gone to see Shen Lang, because she knew that he now held all the say and decision-making power in the Marquis of Changping's Estate. In the end, Shen Lang told her he had a separate idea in mind for her.
"Quickly, quickly, let me see her too."
At Xiao Bing's urging, Lady Zhuo hastily handed the baby back to her.
"She's such a beautiful baby. She looks like her father. It's good that she resembles him; she looks so delicate and noble."
Xiao Bing spoke, overwhelmed with joy, nearly bursting into tears. In her heart, Shen Lang was the noblest person in the world. So, whether her child was a son or a daughter, she hoped they wouldn't resemble her if possible. She had lived her entire life as a handmaiden. Of course, Xiao Bing had been a happy and proud handmaiden. But who wouldn't want their child to be a person of noble birth?
Next, Xiao Bing unfastened her top. Her milk hadn't come in yet, but she intended to let the baby suckle to encourage it. Sure enough, as soon as she offered her breast, the baby began to suckle instinctively. Seeing the baby's desperate efforts, Xiao Bing felt her heart melt with happiness.
"Go on, little one, work hard. Suck until the milk comes in on both sides. Then, how about daddy gets the left one, and you get the right?"
The moment Xiao Bing said this, her face turned beet red all the way to her ears. There were still a dozen people in the delivery room, and she had said something far too private. Lady Zhuo glanced at Xiao Bing, then looked down at herself. She was terribly envious of her. Outside, the two children, Ye Huihui and Ye Jiajia, ran around in excitement.
"Where's the baby? Where's the baby?"
Several midwives blocked the two children from entering. Xiao Bing was now in her postpartum confinement period and was not supposed to be exposed to drafts.
"Let them in!"
Xiao Bing followed all of Shen Lang's instructions. Shen Lang had said that while a woman needed to recover after childbirth, she shouldn't be bundled up tightly but should have proper ventilation. Furthermore, he had called the notion of not bathing during the postpartum period absurd. He said one shouldn't sit in a tub to bathe, but one could wash their entire body with warm water. As Princess Ningyan led them in, the two children quickly ran into the delivery room. But as they approached the birthing bed, their steps instinctively slowed. Seeing the tiny baby, they seemed to feel a natural urge to be protective, and even their words became careful.
"The baby is so small and so pretty. Mommy Xiao Bing, can I touch the baby's hand? I just washed mine, they're clean."
Xiao Bing nodded. Ye Huihui carefully touched the baby's hand.
"Her hand is so cute. It's so tiny."
Ye Huihui said excitedly in a small voice, and her younger brother, Ye Jiajia, who was beside her, said eagerly.
"That's enough. It's my turn now."
Princess Ningyan watched the whole scene with a strange feeling. It felt happy and warm, yet also a little cringey. She had declared that she loved Shen Lang and would bear his child. She had meant it, but seeing a baby actually being born suddenly made her feel like she needed to enjoy a few more years of freedom.
*What if a baby suddenly appeared in my belly? I... I don't think I'm ready for that yet.*
Just then, a midwife beside her didn't even see Princess Ningyan's face before her eyes fell on her rear, and she exclaimed loudly.
"Good heavens! With hips like these, it'd be a terrible waste not to have eight or ten children. With a pelvis like that, you could just close your eyes, give one push, and the baby would pop right out. It'd be easier than a hen laying an egg."
Hearing this, Princess Ningyan fled as if her tail was on fire. A female physician next to the midwife said to her.
"Granny Xu, that was Princess Ningyan."
The midwife was so shocked she nearly wet herself. Several female physicians muttered to themselves.
*I'd only heard rumors that Princess Ningyan was involved with Shen Lang, but I can't believe it's true. I've never seen anyone do so well as a live-in son-in-law like Young Master Shen. Not only does he have concubines, but he even has a princess openly living in his home.*
* * *
Inside the Northern Plains Hunting Grounds.
The place looked like the set of a famous 21st-century zombie movie, *Resident Evil*, with the decaying bodies of animal test subjects scattered everywhere, and the air thick with miasma and poisonous fumes. When the Zhong Clan's army invaded the Northern Plains Hunting Grounds for the second time, they passed through this area and accidentally inhaled some of the yellowish-green gas. As a result, upon their return, they immediately began vomiting and suffering from diarrhea for three days and nights straight until they died. Only about half of the hundred men survived. After that, no one dared to even approach the hunting grounds, and rumors spread that a plague had broken out there.
* * *
After injecting all two thousand three hundred individuals with Blank Bloodlines with the high concentrations of Golden Bloodline, there wasn't a single death. Just as in Shen Lang's previous experiments, no dangerous situations arose for those with Blank Bloodlines. After their bloodlines were modified, they all lost consciousness and fell into a coma. After three days and nights, Wang Da was the first to awaken. He immediately felt that the world was different. Not his physical world, but his inner world. Before, his inner world had always been a dark place, like a gloomy corner where no light could reach. He didn't know the word "depression," but nearly all those with Blank Bloodlines suffered from autism, mental disorders, and depression.
But now, even before opening his eyes, he felt a sense of joy welling up from within. Did such a feeling as pleasure even exist in this world? It was so beautiful that it felt as if the entire world was filled with light. He still kept his eyes closed. It was an instinctive reaction, an attempt not to lose this sense of security. Every time he closed his eyes and had to open them again, it required immense courage. He was afraid of once again seeing the dark, ugly world that had settled deep within his life, and he worried about the countless scornful gazes that would be there.
When Wang Da opened his eyes, he found himself alone and awake in a huge room; his other brothers were still deep in sleep. He got out of bed and was surprised at how light and energetic his body felt. Before, no matter how hard he tried, his limbs had always been weak. He had worked very hard, but his arms and legs had always been devoid of strength. It was as if his bones were filled with lead, requiring immense effort just to lift an arm, and his limbs were perpetually cold.
But now, his entire body was warm, and though his heart wasn't beating fast, he could feel it pounding with a vigor he had never experienced before. He noticed a mirror in the room and walked over to it. Standing before the mirror, he saw himself for the first time.
*Is... is that person in there me?*
He had completely changed. His eyes were sharp and powerful, his skin no longer pale but flushed with a healthy glow. Even the shape of his body was completely different. Before, he had been as thin as a stick, all bones, but now muscles rippled beneath his skin. He was still lean, but he was brimming with strength. It was a robust and energetic body, the likes of which he had never felt before.