Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 328 - 327. Twin brother and sister for good

327. A Twin Sister and Brother Are a ’Good’ Thing

The news of the Mo Family Army’s occupation of the Capital of Great Chu spread throughout the lands, both within and beyond the borders, within a month. Suddenly, the various nobles, who had been engrossed in their political scheming, instantly sobered up. In less than a decade, Prince Ding’s Mansion had evolved from being gravely weakened by Mo Jingqi’s suppression to becoming a formidable force capable of contending with anyone. Many deeply regretted not having struck decisively when Prince Ding’s Mansion was at its weakest, for now they faced a powerful and unpredictable new enemy.

However, seeing the wolf-like soldiers of the Mo Family Army poised on the borders, those who had been eager to stir up trouble couldn’t help but retract their ambitions. The desire to annihilate the Mo Family Army was indeed strong, but everyone understood the principle that "the bird that sticks its head out gets shot." If they couldn’t resist initiating a life-or-death struggle with Prince Ding’s Mansion now, it would only end up benefiting others.

While the leaders of various states were engrossed in their own calculations, Prince Ding’s Mansion in Licheng was in a state of chaos.

The usually tranquil and warm main courtyard was in an uproar. In the flower hall, several people either sat or stood, all looking restless. In the courtyard outside the main hall building, many others also stood, waiting anxiously. Anyone who had been in Prince Ding’s Mansion for a long time would surely remember a similar scene unfolding seven years prior. Indeed, today was the day new members of Prince Ding’s Mansion were to be born.

In the flower hall, Mo Xiuyao sat in the main seat, his expression calm. However, upon closer examination, one would notice that his whole body was already rigid. If he weren’t restraining himself with great effort, he might have already rushed into the delivery room. Although he had experienced it once before when Mo Xiaobao was born, it was precisely because of that experience that this time felt even more terrifying. Moreover, back then there was only one baby, but this time there were two. Everyone in the flower hall had tacitly distanced themselves from Mo Xiuyao. Even Mo Xiaobao, who usually loved to be mischievous and provoke his father, wisely kept his distance, nestled in Mr. Qingyun’s arms on the other side.

Ye Li was not the type to cry out loudly when in pain, so from the outside, her childbirth sounded less terrifying than that of an average woman. Sitting to one side, Qin Zheng couldn’t help but recall when she gave birth to Xu Zhirui. It was said her screams could be heard throughout the entire Xu Mansion. Moreover, Xu Qingze, who was usually so cold and stern, had been so frightened that he fainted the moment he heard the child was born. Comparing her own experience to Ye Li’s current situation, she instantly felt quite ashamed.

Mo Xiaobao stared intently as maids carried water in and out of the room. He nestled anxiously in Mr. Qingyun’s arms, his dark eyes filled with fear. Mr. Qingyun patted his little great-grandson lovingly and said softly, "Chen’er, don’t be afraid. Your mother will be fine. Does Chen’er want to go out and play with Zhirui and the others? By the time you return, your little brother and sister will have arrived."

Mo Xiaobao shook his head. "No, Chen’er wants to wait for my little brother and sister to be born. Great-grandfather, was Mother in a lot of pain when she gave birth to Chen’er too?"

Mr. Qingyun smiled. "Yes, every mother experiences great pain when giving birth. So, Chen’er, you must be very filial to your mother in the future, understand?"

Mo Xiaobao nodded emphatically. "Chen’er understands. Chen’er will definitely be very filial to Mother. Chen’er loves Mother the most!"

"Good boy."

In the courtyard outside, many people were also standing. Not only members of Prince Ding’s Mansion but also guests like Hua Tianxiang, Han Mingxi, Ye Wenhua, and others. The flower hall was too small, with no room for them to sit, so they could only wait anxiously in the nearest courtyard.

In the bedroom, Ye Li lay on the bed, enduring wave after wave of pain, her face slightly pale. Second Madam Xu watched anxiously as the midwife bustled about. She could only grasp one of Ye Li’s hands and say, "Li’er, don’t be afraid. If it hurts, just cry out."

Ye Li squeezed a smile at Second Madam Xu. This childbirth was indeed more difficult than the previous one when she gave birth to Mo Xiaobao. A wave of intense pain struck, and Ye Li finally couldn’t help but moan aloud.

While wiping the sweat from Ye Li’s brow, Second Madam Xu asked, "What’s going on? How much longer until she gives birth?"

The midwife replied with some difficulty, "We might have to wait a bit longer. The young heir’s fetal position is not quite right. We need to adjust the position first."

Second Madam Xu’s face fell slightly. Having given birth to two children herself, she naturally understood the trouble of a malpositioned fetus. "Then hurry up. You know the identity of Princess Consort Ding; nothing must go wrong!"

The midwife nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, Madam. Princess Consort Ding’s condition isn’t severe; there certainly won’t be any problems. It’s just that Princess Consort Ding will have to endure some hardship."

Ye Li, having heard their conversation, nodded slightly. "It’s alright, you may proceed."

The midwife then stepped forward and began to push and adjust the baby’s position. Second Madam Xu held Ye Li’s hand, comforting her in a low voice, "Don’t be afraid, Li’er... Relax. Your aunt had the same problem when she gave birth to your third brother; don’t worry."

Ye Li nodded her head, enduring the recurring pain.

They waited from daytime until night, but aside from Ye Li’s occasional moans of pain from the bedroom, the cry of a baby was still not heard. Mo Xiuyao, who had been sitting in the main seat, finally couldn’t bear it any longer. He stood up and started walking towards the room.

Mr. Qingyun quickly called out, "Stop!"

Mo Xiuyao paused, then lifted his foot to continue forward.

Mr. Qingyun said in a grave voice, "If you truly care for Li’er, then don’t go in! If you enter, would the midwives inside still dare to act?"

This was indeed true. The oppressive atmosphere emanating from Mo Xiuyao at this moment was enough to make not just the midwives, but even those seated in the flower hall, feel unbearable. Qin Zheng had long since taken Mo Xiaobao out to wait by the door. It was feared that if Mo Xiuyao went in, the midwives would become even more flustered, and mistakes made in a panic were not uncommon.

The cold air around Mo Xiuyao kept flaring outwards. He turned back to look at Mr. Qingyun. After a long moment, he finally turned around again and returned to his original seat. However, his sharp gaze left no doubt that he wished he could blast open the tightly closed door with a single palm strike.

Everyone waited until dawn when, finally, the first cry of a baby came from the room.

The originally solemn and worried crowd seemed to awaken in an instant, and everyone stood up one after another. Mo Xiaobao also rushed in from outside. "Sister! I heard my sister’s voice!" Saying this, he dashed towards the door. However, the delivery room door remained tightly shut. Mo Xiaobao didn’t leave but stood guard at the door, waiting with eager eyes. After a while longer, another cry was heard, and everyone finally let out a complete sigh of relief. Soon after, Second Madam Xu and a midwife, each holding a baby, walked out smiling. "A boy and a girl! Mother and children are all safe."

The children were brought before Mr. Qingyun. The two wrinkled little red monkeys, however, made Mr. Qingyun exceptionally happy. "Good! Good children! How is Li’er?"

Second Madam Xu smiled. "She was exhausted after a day and a night; she’s asleep now. Father, look, this one is the elder sister, and this one is the younger brother."

Mr. Qingyun nodded joyfully. "A girl and a boy, that forms the character for ’good.’ Excellent, excellent..."

Mo Xiaobao tugged at Second Madam Xu’s sleeve impatiently. "Grandaunt Xu, Grandaunt Xu, Chen’er wants to see my little brother and sister!"

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Yet when Second Madam Xu turned back to show the children to Mo Xiuyao, where was Mo Xiuyao’s shadow to be found?

Now that the children were safely delivered, everyone sighed in relief. Having waited here for a day and a night, everyone was quite exhausted. Especially Mr. Qingyun, who was already eighty years old and couldn’t endure such fatigue. Seeing that Ye Li and the children were all safe, Xu Hong Yu immediately ordered Qin Zheng and Xu Qingze to escort Mr. Qingyun to rest. The others also dispersed to go rest. Only Second Madam Xu needed to exert a bit more effort to look after the two children with the midwives.

When Ye Li awoke from a deep sleep, the room was lit by candlelight; outside, it was already pitch black. She habitually raised her hand to touch her abdomen, only to find that the round belly that had accompanied her for months was now flat. Her entire body ached as if it had been taken apart. She moved her body slightly and her eyes caught a glimpse of silver hair spread out by the edge of the bed. Mo Xiuyao was fast asleep, slumped by the bedside, holding one of her hands.

The moment Ye Li moved, Mo Xiuyao quickly opened his eyes. Seeing Ye Li awake and looking at him, his still somewhat sleepy eyes instantly bloomed with ecstatic joy. "Ah-Li, you’re awake..."

Ye Li nodded, raised her hand to smooth his slightly disheveled long hair, and asked softly, "How long did I sleep? And the children?"

Mo Xiuyao looked outside. "It’s already the fifth night watch. You’ve slept for nearly a day and a night. The children..." A trace of bewilderment crossed Mo Xiuyao’s eyes; he hadn’t seen the children yet.

"Someone!"

Hearing the call, Qingshuang and the others who had been keeping watch outside immediately entered. "Prince, Princess Consort Ding is awake?" Seeing Ye Li awake, Qingshuang was also overjoyed. "This servant will have someone bring the hot porridge prepared for Princess Consort Ding."

Mo Xiuyao stopped her, asking, "Where are the children?"

Qingshuang smiled. "The young heir and the young Commendary Princess are sleeping in the outer room. This servant will ask the nannies to bring them in." With that, Qingshuang curtsied and hurriedly turned to leave.

A short while later, Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei entered, each carrying a swaddled baby. They carefully placed the swaddled babies in the empty space on the bed beside Ye Li, smiling. "Princess Consort Ding, please look. The young heir and the young Commendary Princess are so beautiful."

Ye Li lowered her head to look. Although she already knew what newborn babies looked like, she couldn’t help but feel a bit chagrined. With her eyesight, she really couldn’t tell how these two wrinkled, somewhat reddish little monkeys were beautiful at all. But they were her own children, after all. Looking at the two little things sleeping so comfortably with their eyes closed, Ye Li felt her heart soften as if it were cotton.

Lovingly, she touched a baby’s small, rosy cheek with her finger, and Ye Li couldn’t help but smile.

Nanny Lin said, "Princess Consort Ding, the one in the red swaddling clothes is the young Commendary Princess, and the one in yellow is the young heir. The young Commendary Princess looks exactly like Your Highness did as a child."

Ye Li’s lips twitched. She really couldn’t see how this little bundle resembled her. Smiling, she looked at Mo Xiuyao and asked, "Xiuyao, take a look."

Mo Xiuyao, who hadn’t been very interested in the two little bundles initially, only leaned over to look after hearing Nanny Lin’s words. After looking for a long time, and then looking at Ye Li’s face, he finally nodded. "Indeed, very similar. Our little Commendary Princess will surely grow up to be as beautiful as Ah-Li."

So, this man hadn’t actually seen the resemblance either; it was just a beautiful wish.

Ye Li had been sleeping for a whole day and night, and woke up feeling hungry. After eating a bowl of meticulously prepared meat porridge brought by Qingshuang, she then urged Mo Xiuyao to go rest. Mo Xiuyao hadn’t rested properly since Ye Li started labor two days ago. Now, having seen with his own eyes that Ye Li was indeed safe and sound, he finally felt relieved. After Ye Li finished her porridge, he got up and went to rest.

Ye Li, however, had slept too long and couldn’t fall back asleep now. So, she placed the two little bundles, who hadn’t even opened their eyes yet, on her bed and watched them. Watching the two babies sleeping soundly with their eyes still closed, a wave of tenderness couldn’t help but flow from Ye Li’s heart. She leaned down and kissed each of their wrinkled little faces.

Just as dawn was breaking, Mo Xiaobao, having received news that Ye Li was awake, came scampering over. He didn’t wait for anyone to announce him and ran straight into the bedroom. Ye Li looked up and saw him peeking his little head in from the outer room. She couldn’t help but smile. "What are you looking at? Not coming in yet?"

"Is Father not here?" Mo Xiaobao’s eyes darted around the inner room. Seemingly confirming that Mo Xiuyao was indeed not present, he then walked in with relief. He took small steps to Ye Li’s side, looking at the two little babies lying side by side on the bed. "Mother, are you alright?"

Ye Li smiled faintly and ruffled her son’s little head. "Mother is fine. Come and see your little sister and brother."

Mo Xiaobao climbed onto the bed and knelt, looking at the two little bundles. He curiously poked one with his little finger and asked, "Why do my little sister and brother look like wrinkled little monkeys? They’re not pretty at all."

Ye Li quickly grabbed his mischievous little hand and smiled. "In a few days, they’ll turn into fair and chubby little babies. When Xiaobao was just born, you looked like this too."

"What?" Mo Xiaobao looked puzzled, with a hint of disdain and disbelief.

How could he have looked so wrinkled and ugly? Grandaunt Xu clearly said he was a fair and chubby little treasure when he was born! However... looking again at his quietly sleeping little brother and sister, they weren’t actually *that* ugly. Mo Xiaobao nodded firmly in his heart. Even if his little brother and sister are a bit ugly, he will still dote on them and be very, very good to them, even better than to Leng Xiaodai and Xu Zhirui!

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing Mo Xiaobao nodding, then shaking his head, with a deeply contemplative look, Ye Li reached out and touched his little forehead.

Mo Xiaobao smiled. "Mother, Xiaobao will dote on my little brother and sister very much."

Ye Li smiled gently. "Mother knows Xiaobao will be a good big brother."

When Ye Li gave birth to Mo Xiaobao last time, she hadn’t observed the full month of postpartum confinement like most women. In her previous life, it wasn’t uncommon for many women to be up and about a week after childbirth, and Westerners didn’t have the custom of postpartum confinement at all. Naturally, Ye Li didn’t have the patience to endure a full month of confinement; besides, various matters were piling up and urgently needed her attention. Despite this, Ye Li was still compelled by Second Madam Xu and the two nannies to stay in bed for half a month before she was allowed to move about freely.

At the end of May, Prince Ding’s Mansion sent out invitations to the nobles and prominent figures of the surrounding states, inviting them to Mr. Qingyun’s eightieth birthday celebration at the end of June. Along with the invitations, another piece of news arrived: Princess Consort Ding had given birth to twins in May, a boy and a girl, adding new members to Prince Ding’s Mansion. The news of Ye Li’s pregnancy had only been circulated among the generals under Prince Ding’s command and had not been announced publicly. Although outsiders found it somewhat strange why Princess Consort Ding, who usually accompanied Prince Ding everywhere, did not participate in this battle for the Capital of Great Chu. Many people merely assumed that Princess Consort Ding had remained to oversee the Northwest and didn’t pay it much mind. Now that the news was out, it made people even more envious and jealous of Prince Ding. Having just conquered the two imperial cities of Xiling and Great Chu, his Princess Consort Ding then gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins. It was as if heaven had bestowed all its good fortune upon Mo Xiuyao alone.

Among those who heard this news, Mo Jingli and Ren Qining were undoubtedly the most furious.

This was naturally true for Mo Jingli. He and Mo Xiuyao were inherently incompatible. Now, Mo Xiuyao had both a son and daughter, and a loving wife, while he couldn’t even find his own only son. How could Mo Jingli not be furious? In his fury, he naturally recalled his deep hatred for Mo Jingqi and proceeded to torment the seven or eight-year-old young emperor once more. The already timid and cowardly young emperor was so frightened that he cried incessantly and nearly fell ill, not to mention anything else.

And compared to Mo Jingli, Ren Qining was even more grief-stricken and indignant. His sons, daughters, principal wife, and beautiful concubines had all been cleanly killed by Mo Xiuyao. This method of killing was practically no different from annihilating his entire family. And just like that, Mo Xiuyao had also provoked the already disharmonious factional struggles within the Northern Territory. How could this not make Ren Qining hate Mo Xiuyao to the point of grinding his teeth? Seeing the invitation card, bright red with auspicious golden cloud designs, Ren Qining was so overcome with grief and indignation that he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Mo Xiuyao! Mo Xiuyao!" In the study, seeing Ren Qining’s ferocious expression as he gnashed his teeth, his trusted aides were so frightened they dared not speak. After a long pause, only when they saw Ren Qining gradually calm down did someone step forward and cautiously ask, "Young Master, this invitation... are we going?"

Ren Qining sneered, clenching the invitation in his hand so tightly it was as if he were clenching Mo Xiuyao himself. "Go? Why wouldn’t we go? Not only will this king go, but Beirong, Nanzhao, and Xiling will also go. If we don’t go, wouldn’t that make others look down on us?"

A strategist was alarmed and asked worriedly, "Could it be that Mo Xiuyao is setting up a Feast at Hong Gate this time?"

Ren Qining glanced at his subordinate and snorted. "A Feast at Hong Gate? Even if Mo Xiuyao is highly capable, he doesn’t have the ability to trap and kill so many people in Licheng. He merely wants to probe the thoughts of the leaders of various states. That’s fine; this king also wants to meet Yelv Ye and Lei Zhenting."

Hearing him say this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, someone else raised a problem, "Young Master, if you go personally, I’m afraid you’ll need to bring a lady consort. But now..."

When the ruler of a state visits a foreign land, it is indeed somewhat improper not to be accompanied by a female companion. Moreover, there are some occasions where female companions play an irreplaceable role. Especially when Prince Ding’s Mansion has a Princess Consort Ding who wields real power, the distinguished guests from all states attending the birthday banquet will inevitably bring female companions. But the current problem was that the female members of the Northern Territory’s royal family had been killed off, every single one of them. And the matter currently giving Ren Qining a headache was precisely related to his harem.

Previously, after Ren Qining married a princess from a Northern Territory tribe as his principal wife, he had also taken several secondary consorts. Most of them were women from the Central Plains, which naturally suited the preferences of the Central Plains officials around Ren Qining. After all, they had always considered themselves the orthodox of the Central Plains. Although they were now compelled to rely on the power of the Northern Territory to restore their country, they still hoped for one thing. They wished that after the restoration, the next emperor would be of pure Central Plains blood. Therefore, when the queen and the legitimate son and daughter were killed, these Central Plains people undeniably felt a certain secret satisfaction. But later, when the princes and princesses born to the Central Plains secondary consorts also died, everyone finally realized the severity of the problem.

And now, a state cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and naturally, the harem cannot be without a mistress for a single day. However, on the issue of whether Ren Qining should marry a Central Plains woman or a Northern Territory woman as queen, the two factions were deadlocked. Originally, when the Central Plains officials’ faction was weaker, it was easier to say. But now, the Northern Territory had occupied large tracts of land in Great Chu. Consequently, a large number of people from the original Great Chu were quickly enlisted into the Northern Territory’s army. In this way, the original situation where the army consisted entirely of Northern Territory people was quickly broken. The Central Plains ministers gradually gained some footing. Bitter disputes over whether to marry a woman from the Northern Territory or Central Plains resulted and had been ongoing for nearly half a month. Whenever members of the two factions met, they would glare daggers at each other and exchange cold sarcasms, stopping just short of physically attacking one another.

Ren Qining’s heart naturally leaned towards the Central Plains side. Compared to the somewhat coarse Northern Territory women, as a man, he naturally preferred the gentle and virtuous women from Central Plains noble families. But the Northern Territory people weren’t all fools. Ren Qining himself was a Central Plains man; if he were to marry another Central Plains woman as queen, wouldn’t the Northern Territory have to change its dynastic name to that of the Central Plains in the future? Would there still be a place for their Northern Territory tribes then? Naturally, they had to resolutely oppose it.

Whenever he thought of this matter, Ren Qining felt an exceptional headache. Originally, if he had successfully captured the Capital of Great Chu this time, he could naturally have used the reputation of being a descendant of the former imperial family to restore orthodoxy, and these Northern Territory people would have become less important. Unfortunately, due to Mo Xiuyao’s interference, he had failed at the final hurdle. In the future, he would still inevitably have to rely on these Northern Territory people; it was impossible to shake them off or suppress them for the time being. Not only was it impossible, he even had to curry favor with them more.

Waving his hand to cut off the clamorous discussion, Ren Qining said in a deep voice, "Go back and announce my decision. Bestow the title of Queen upon Helan of the Taji Tribe."

"Young Master!" everyone cried out in unison. One person stepped forward. "Young Master, that Commendary Princess Helan is willful and headstrong. How can she be the queen of a nation?"

Ren Qining said impatiently, "Otherwise, can you find a more suitable candidate from the Northern Territory? Willful and headstrong... has its advantages. At least she doesn’t have too many schemes, which saves one from annoyance." His former wife, that Princess of Northern Territory, was by no means less scheming or capable than any man. The Northern Territory didn’t restrict women as much as the Central Plains did. The Princess of Northern Territory was originally raised as an heir. Unfortunately, she fell in love with Ren Qining at first sight. She was willing to be a queen in the harem rather than the leader of the most powerful tribe in the Northern Territory. Even so, the many ways she manipulated Ren Qining had long made him impatient. If it were not for Mo Xiuyao going too far, Ren Qining would actually have liked to thank him.

"Additionally, bestow the title of Consort upon the eldest daughter of Lord Wang’s family and the third daughter of Lord Zhang’s family."

With this, everyone was satisfied. When it came to palace intrigue, how could those Northern Territory women, who only knew how to throw tantrums, be a match for the women from Central Plains noble families?