[1]The Consort is Both Charming and Scheming, Rising Through Palace Intrigue

Lady Xue's labor was extremely difficult—she fainted twice from the pain. It wasn't just the emperor who was anxious; all the consorts of the inner palace were, too.

As the emperor stood, the concubines had no choice but to stand with him. The weather was already hot, and under normal circumstances, even sitting too long made them feel unwell, let alone standing for so long.

Consort Zhuang leaned lazily on Yulan, staring at the floor, her brows slightly furrowed. She thought to herself: Is she even going to give birth? It's been forever and still no news.

By sunset, the golden rays of the setting sun angled into the grand hall—finally, the sound of a baby's wail broke the tension.

The tightness on Emperor Xiao Yu's face disappeared. He turned toward the inner chamber.

Eunuch Yang An came out, beaming with joy, and announced with excitement, "Your Majesty, the child has been born!"

The empress immediately lit up and looked at Imperial Physician Liu who followed behind. "How is the royal heir? A prince or a princess?"

Imperial Physician Liu smiled and replied, "Congratulations, Your Majesties, the consort has given birth to a princess."

The gathered concubines quickly offered their congratulations in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on the birth of a princess!"

Each of them wore smiles, some even genuinely pleased. After all, a daughter wouldn't pose a political threat.

Emperor Xiao Yu didn't seem disappointed to learn it was a daughter. After all, he only had one son. Whether boy or girl, adding to the imperial bloodline was a good thing. A small smile played on his lips. "Excellent. Rewards for everyone!"

But then Imperial Physician Liu's smile began to fade as he hesitated, casting a nervous glance at the emperor.

Xiao Yu's brows furrowed slightly. "Is there something wrong with the princess?"

The physician shook his head. "Consort Xue lost a great deal of blood, and... her body has suffered. I'm afraid she won't be able to recover fully—she may never conceive again."

The emperor was momentarily stunned. Though he didn't particularly favor Consort Xue, she was still the mother of his child. After enduring so much to give birth to a daughter, he still hoped she could recover.

He ordered, "Be sure to use the best medicine to nurse her back to health."

Just then, the wet nurse came out holding the newborn princess. The tiny infant had already been cleaned and was swaddled in a red blanket, looking festive and radiant.

The empress quickly stepped forward with a smile and gently took the child in her arms. "Your Majesty, look. Even though she was born early, she feels heavier than You'er was when he was born!"

Naturally, she was just flattering the emperor. She had indeed held Prince You before, but that was back when they lived in the prince's manor. She could no longer recall exactly how heavy he had been.

Still, she was truly relieved. She had feared that Consort Xue would give birth to a prince, which would have been a misstep in her political maneuvering. After all, a newborn child was like a blank slate—much easier to mold than someone like Prince You, who already had memories of his birth mother.

Listening to the empress, Xiao Yu studied the princess more closely. Indeed, her little face looked quite round and healthy—not what one would expect from a premature baby.

Consort Zhuang and Attendant Ying also stepped forward to get a look at the child.

"She's adorable," Ying Zhaoyi said with a smile. "Look how peacefully she sleeps."