Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 330 : Hello, Babies (1)

Chapter 330: Chapter 330 : Hello, Babies (1)

The tranquil slumber of Fuxi Palace’s inhabitants was abruptly shattered in the dead of the night, their peaceful dreams replaced by a chilling wave of panic that sent them scrambling from their beds.

"Wake up! Wake up! Everyone, wake up!!!" Head Servant Zhou literally ran from chamber to chamber to rouse all servants and maids awake.

When he got to Mingyu, he made a point of shaking the young woman awake himself.

"Mingyu, wake up. WAKE UP! MASTER IS IN LABOR!"

Mingyu’s drowsiness drained away quickly, as fast as the color from her face.

"Wait, what??? He is not supposed to give birth until next month!" The maid exclaimed in shock.

"Not enough time to explain. Fetch Midwife Chen from the town, NOW!"

Mingyu put on whatever clothing she saw and ran out of her bed chamber. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she grabbed the nearest lantern from the wall and rushed out of Fuxi Palace to find the midwife.

Within the confines of his bed-chamber, Xie Jianyu, his face contorted in pain, grappled with the relentless grip of the first contractions.

"Fengxi," he called out. "Fengxi..."

Xie Jianshen was busy dabbing beads of sweat off his younger brother’s forehead as he spoke in a gentle voice to placate him.

"Little Yu, breathe. Breathe. Your husband is not here, but I will be with you all the time."

Xie Jianyu opened his misty eyes and looked at his elder brother.

"Big Brother..."

"I am here. Don’t worry, the midwife is going to be here soon."

"Ahhhh...!!! Arghhhh...!!!"

Memories of the agonizing ordeal he had endured during his previous childbirth flickered faintly in the recesses of Xie Jianyu’s mind.

Yes, the pain was every bit as excruciating as he had recalled, but this time, the intensity was compounded by the burden of carrying not one, but two lives within him.

A relentless pressure surged against his lower abdomen, a sensation akin to two tiny warriors vying for dominance within his womb.

Xie Jianyu squeezed Xie Jianshen’s hard so hard that the latter believed his bones breaking from the extreme grip. Still, he did not withdraw his hand.

Xie Jianshen patiently coaxed his younger brother, while occasionally whipping his head toward the door and asked the frantic Head Servant Zhou about the midwife’s arrival.

Eventually, Mingyu returned to Fuxi Palace with Midwife Chen in tow.

"Midwife Chen, finally," Xie Jianshen heaved a sigh of relief. "I have a numbing medicine with me here to alleviate my brother’s pain, but I cannot use more than half a dosage. I need you to perform the cut as soon as the effects take place."

Midwife Chen nodded fervently as she hurried to unfold her instrument bag. The array of sanitized knives, needles, and scissors made the tiny hairs on Mingyu’s neck and arms stand in fear.

"Mingyu, don’t just stand there!" Xie Jianshen snapped at the young maid. "A basin of hot water, NOW!"

Mingyu scrambled up to her feet and ran out of the room as quickly as a lightning bolt.

With a gentle touch, Xie Jianshen eased open the layers of Xie Jianyu’s robes, revealing a canvas of ivory-hued skin that had been stretched taut and glistening with the sheen of pregnancy.

The once slender waistline had yielded to the expansive growth of the twin babies within.

"Lord Xie, please go ahead," the old woman said once her preparation was complete.

"Little Yu, it will only take a while," Xie Jianshen whispered to Xie Jianyu. He trickled a few crystal-clear drops of the numbing potion onto a handkerchief and pressed it against Xie Jianyu’s nose and mouth.

When Xie Jianyu’s eyes fell shut and his body grew slack, Xie Jianshen nodded at the midwife.

"Now."

Midwife Chen moved swiftly. She placed one hand on Xie Jianyu’s belly and made three cuts in succession. Not a cry escaped Xie Jianyu, who already fell unconscious seconds ago.

"Two babies," Midwife Chen said as she carefully pried Xie Jianyu’s belly open and pulled out the first one.

The bloody infant erupted in a chorus of indignant wails as soon as he took his first breath. His tiny frame squirmed and flailed in protest against the abrupt transition from the tranquil confines of his mother’s womb to the clamorous world beyond.

"A boy," the midwife gasped. "A handsome prince."

"Oh, heavens."

Mingyu was no different from a basket of tears. She had a thick white blanket across her arms, ready to wrap the baby inside.

Xie Jianshen stared at the bloody infant with heavy longing. His nephew. Xie Jianyu’s first-born son.

He wished to take the baby in his arms, but he could not. They had only fought half of the battle. They had to fight to the very end.

In his arms, Xie Jianyu stirred slightly. The effect of the potion was going to wear out soon enough.

After Midwife Chen finished separating the first baby from Xie Jianyu, she hastened to remove the second baby from the Crown Prince’s belly.

"Ah..."

A knot of pain tightened across Xie Jianyu’s forehead, eliciting a sharp hiss as he felt the midwife’s hands probing the depths of his womb. Midwife Chen, her movements imbued with urgency, worked tirelessly against the relentless march of time. After what seemed like an eternity, she triumphantly withdrew the second infant, his cries of protest mingling with those of his elder brother, a harmonious chorus of newborn discontent.

"You did it," Xie Jianshen pressed several kisses on Xie Jianyu’s forehead.

"Little Yu, you have done a very good job. You made it."

"Two healthy princes," Midwife Chen announced as she deposited the second baby into the arms of a second maid. "The heirs of Longjing Palace."

Midwife Chen’s words hung heavy in the air, her proclamation challenged by the sight of the sigils that adorned the newborns’ foreheads.

True to common expectations, the first infant’s forehead bore the proud sigil of Longjing Palace -- a ferocious tiger resplendent in a coat of shimmering gold. However, the second child’s forehead revealed a different sigil, one that sent a jolt of surprise through the onlookers.

There, etched in vibrant hues, was the unmistakable sigil of Fuxi Palace -- a roaring dragon that indirectly revealed the clan he belonged to.

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Author’s note :

The babies have been born ｡⁠:ﾟ⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠`⁠;⁠)ﾟ⁠:⁠｡

This author is going to make her readers cry for a few Chapters straight, so please be strong!