My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 71: Charge.

　　Yun ling told her to calm down, “What happened?”

　　Lǜyī took a deep breath and pointed at the Princess's courtyard, “The Princess, the Princess is going to give birth!”

　　Yun Ling's pupils constricted. It wasn't even the due date, why would she be giving birth?

　　This was a premature birth!

　　Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xiao also panicked, “Qibai, is Qibai at home?”

　　Lǜyī and Lǜshuǐ both shook their heads.

　　At this time, Xiao Qibai was probably still on duty; there was no way he would be home.

　　Grandmother was probably panicked, but the most important thing now was Xie Jinjia's delivery.

　　Yun Ling held her grandmother's hand to comfort her, trying to steady her own nerves. Calmly, she asked, “Where are the doctor and the midwife? Has someone been sent to get them?”

　　These people were prepared beforehand and lived in the residence, just in case of unexpected needs. There shouldn't be any problems.

　　Lǜshuǐ quickly nodded, “The midwife is attending the birth, and Mama Zhou is guarding outside. The doctor is also there.”

　　That's good.

　　There was still a month until the due date. No one anticipated a sudden premature birth. She and her grandmother had gone to pray for blessings; Father Xiao (Xiao Jujian) went to Guanyun Temple; Grandfather and her brother were both away. For a moment, there was no one in charge of the household.

　　Fortunately, Yun Ling usually managed the household affairs in an orderly manner, and everything that needed to be prepared was prepared beforehand. Therefore, nothing went wrong.

　　Yun Ling led her grandmother and hurried towards the Princess's courtyard, asking as they went, “How is the Princess doing?”

　　“I'm not sure,” Lǜshuǐ said, “The midwife said it might be due to a disturbance of the vital energy, and it's somewhat difficult.”

　　Yun Ling's heart pounded, “Quickly, quickly find someone to bring back my brother!”

　　At this moment, if her brother were by the Princess's side, it might be better.

　　“Yes.”

　　Lǜshuǐ quickly went out to find someone.

　　Yun Ling supported her grandmother and arrived outside the delivery room. She heard heart-wrenching cries coming from inside the room.

　　Even through the door, the sounds were sorrowful and agonizing.

　　Yun Ling felt her own tears welling up. Why would this sudden premature birth happen?  

　　The divination slip they received at the temple was an auspicious one.

　　How could this happen?

　　The Princess has a carefree personality. Unless she was suddenly stimulated, this would never have happened.

　　What on earth happened?

　　Yun Ling's mind was in chaos; for a moment, she didn't know what to do.

　　Old Madam Xiao hurriedly asked the doctor about the situation. The doctor shook his head, “The mother has suffered a great shock, and is hemorrhaging severely. Whether the baby can be saved is up to fate.”

　　Old Madam Xiao stumbled backward a few steps, and Yun Ling quickly supported her.

　　“How could this be?”

　　They were fine before they left the house.

　　Grandmother is old, and she already had a tiring day. Hearing this news only further unsettled her, nearly causing her to faint.

　　Yun Ling could only force herself to remain calm. Supporting her grandmother, she turned to the doctor and asked, “What should we do now?”

　　The doctor stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before saying vaguely, “The mother's fetal position is somewhat incorrect. If the birth is delayed any further, and the baby can't be delivered, I fear the mother's life will also be in danger…”

　　Yun Ling immediately understood his meaning. Without a moment's hesitation, she made a decisive decision, “Save the mother.”

　　“Please do everything you can, no matter what method you use, to save the mother's life.”

　　Old Madam Xiao nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes. We must save the mother's life.”

　　Seeing that they weren't demanding the baby be saved at all costs, the doctor's expression relaxed considerably. With the Head of the household away, the maids and servants naturally didn't dare to decide whether to prioritize the mother or the child, hence the delay.

　　“In that case, I will prescribe a medicine for the mother to drink. I will do my utmost to save her life.”

　　“Thank you, doctor,” Yun Ling thanked him repeatedly.

　　A bowl of medicinal soup was sent in and given to the Princess. Then, the midwife's joyful voice was heard from the room, “The mother is stable.”

　　Yun Ling finally felt a little more at ease.

　　Then she asked Lǜshuǐ, “Is there any news from the people you sent?”

　　Lǜshuǐ shook her head, “Xiǎo Liù rode at full speed, but he hasn't come back yet.”

　　Yun Ling knew it wouldn't be that quick, and she couldn't be impatient. She summoned the Princess's two personal maids and asked, “What happened? Why did the Princess experience a disturbance in her vital energy?”

　　One of the maids hurriedly recounted the events, “Everything was fine today. We were escorting the Princess for a walk in the garden. She was in a good mood and said she wanted to wait for her husband to return. After walking for a while, the Princess saw the beautiful flowers in the garden and suddenly felt like painting. She went to her husband's study to get brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.”

　　“We are strictly forbidden from entering Young Master's study, so the Princess went in alone. But, unexpectedly,” the maid's voice trembled with panic, “unexpectedly, less than an incense stick's time after she entered, there was a loud noise from inside. We rushed in and saw the Princess clutching her stomach in pain!”

　　It must be something she discovered in the study!

　　Yun Ling thought.

　　But what could have shocked the Princess enough to cause such a disturbance in her vital energy?!

　　Her mind was a whirlwind; she had no time to think further.

　　She waited anxiously outside the delivery room.

　　Listening to the Princess's pained cries, her own heart clenched, her palms almost tearing from the force of her grip.

　　She didn't know how long it had been, but as dusk approached, she suddenly heard a baby's cry, “Wah!” from inside the room.

　　She had given birth!

　　Yun Ling's heart sank back into her chest!

　　Xiao Qibai arrived at the courtyard, having ridden his horse without stopping, and immediately heard the baby's cry.

　　——

　　The Princess had given birth to a daughter. Thanks to Heaven's protection, both mother and daughter were safe; both were well.

　　Old Madam Xiao went in with Yun Ling to see that the Princess was fine, although exhausted and asleep. Finally, she breathed a sigh of relief.

　　The household bustled with orderly activity.

　　They didn't disturb the brother and sister-in-law. At this moment, no matter what had happened, the Princess needed her husband by her side most.

　　Grandmother was old and couldn't handle the stress. Since her brother should be there to support the Princess, Yun Ling arranged for everything else to be taken care of.

　　She gave generous gifts of money to the midwife and the doctor, and then had the previously selected wet nurses brought into the manor, just in case.

　　The Princess was extremely weak after childbirth, and fearing unforeseen complications, Yun Ling asked the doctor to stay at the Manor for another night.

　　Following the midwife's prescription, she had the kitchen prepare restorative soups and broths.

　　By the time she finished everything, the moon was high in the sky, and it was deep into the night. Yun Ling wanted to visit Xie Jinjia, but arriving at the door, she overheard two maids saying that she still had little strength after giving birth and couldn't be exposed to the wind. After a moment's thought, she instructed the maids to take good care of her, then went to check on the baby before returning to her own courtyard.

　　She should rest for now.

　　She had been through a shock and was weak from childbirth. It was best to let her brother stay with her without any interruptions.

　　But Yun Ling felt a nagging unease. She wondered what Xie Jinjia had actually seen.

　　Did her brother know what had happened?

　　What exactly had caused it all?

　　Without any clues, she couldn't figure it out. Worrying wouldn't help. Yun Ling tried to push the questions aside. She'd been on edge all day, attending to everything until now, and both her body and mind were utterly exhausted. After washing and changing into her nightclothes, she lay down in bed, but strangely, she couldn't sleep.

　　Her mind raced with various thoughts, unable to relax.

　　Xie Jinjia had safely delivered her baby, and Grandmother, relieved, had returned to her own courtyard.

　　On the surface, everything seemed calm.

　　But Yun Ling was probably overtired and couldn't sleep. A thousand chaotic thoughts swirled in her mind, and she longed for someone to help her sort them out. She turned over and looked towards the window.

　　The room was unlit, and the cool moonlight streamed through the window, ethereal and hazy.

　　The moon tonight was beautiful.

　　The full moon hung high in the night sky.

　　Yunling stared blankly, still unable to sleep. Somehow, she suddenly thought of him.

　　He was the Crown Prince, the heir to the throne of the Great Jin Dynasty, burdened with the weight of the empire's affairs. Since returning to the Capital, he hadn't had a single free day.

　　She wondered how he was doing, if his wounds had healed.

　　After a long while of staring at the ceiling, a realization dawned on her.

　　She seemed… to miss him.

　　When she had served as his lady-in-waiting, she had only ever obeyed and followed his orders. When he was gone for months, she had actually felt relieved. She hadn't had any feelings for him, nor did she care what happened to him.

　　She had never understood what it meant to miss someone.

　　But now, she worried about him. After so long, she missed him.

　　Bathed in the gentle moonlight, Yun Ling slowly drifted off to sleep.

　　The next morning, she woke early to visit Xie Jinjia.

　　Entering the courtyard, she saw two maids standing guard at the door and asked, “How is the Princess?”

　　The maid was about to answer when she heard Xie Jinjia's weak voice from inside, “Ah Ling, come in.”

　　Yun Ling pushed open the door and immediately closed it behind her.

　　The midwife had said that she shouldn't be exposed to wind.

　　Incense to soothe the mind had been lit in the room, and the windows were tightly closed, protecting against even the slightest breeze.

　　A bowl of steaming, restorative soup sat on the table, untouched.

　　Xie Jinjia, propped up in bed with soft pillows and attended by a maid, was still pale. Her dark hair was loose around her shoulders, and her usually bright and lively eyes now seemed lifeless, filled with a touch of sadness as she looked directly at Yun Ling.

　　Seeing her like this, Yun Ling's heart skipped a beat. She quickly went to the bedside and softly asked, “What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

　　“I'll get the doctor to come and check your pulse—” She was about to call for someone, her heart filled with anxiety.

　　Xie Jinjia held her wrist tightly. “I'm fine, don't worry. Grandmother had the doctor check on me this morning. I'm just a little weak; I'll be fine with some rest.”

　　“Yesterday… thank you so much. If it weren't for you,” Xie Jinjia gave a wry smile, “I might not be alive now.”

　　In that critical moment, it was Ah Ling who had decisively chosen to save her life, even at the cost of the baby.

　　It felt like no matter what, Ah Ling would always be by her side.

　　Even in the Palace, only she had never mocked her for being a useless Princess, always protecting her.

　　Having Ah Ling as family in this life had made Xie Jinjia so incredibly happy.

　　But… it seemed like that wouldn't be possible anymore… it seemed like that wouldn't be possible anymore… (T/N: It's written like this in RAW text.)

　　Yun Ling squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It's all over now, everything's fine. You've just given birth; don't overthink things. It's not good for your health.”

　　She looked around. “Where's my brother? Where did he go? Should I have someone call him over?”

　　Xie Jinjia immediately shook her head repeatedly. “No, don't call him.”

　　Her expression became even more sorrowful. “I don't want to see him right now.”

　　Yun Ling felt a pang in her heart. “What's wrong?”

　　Hot tears streamed down Xie Jinjia's face, as if she could no longer contain her emotions. One tear after another fell heavily.

　　Xie Jinjia, red-eyed and teary-eyed, looked at Yun Ling and slowly uttered a sentence, “Ah Ling, I want to divorce your brother.”

　　The thing Yun Ling had worried about for so long had finally become a reality.

　　She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

　　……

　　The divorce seemed inevitable, leaving no room for reconciliation.

　　But no one in the Xiao household knew the reason behind their decision.

　　Yun Ling only knew that Xie Jinjia seemed completely heartbroken, even giving up the child.

　　She told Yun Ling, “Ah Ling, I've lived my life without a care in the world, pursuing whatever I wanted, and Mother would always help me achieve it. I chased after your brother since I was a teenager, without ever thinking deeply about anything.”

　　“But I've ultimately lived a foolish life,” she said. “Ah Ling, I'm tired.”

　　And Xiao Qibai had actually tacitly agreed to the divorce.

　　Yun Ling truly didn't understand. She tried to ask, “Brother, are you really sure about this? But you clearly cared so much for Jinjia, why…”

　　Xiao Qibai's expression remained calm, but in the end, he closed his eyes and only said in a hoarse voice,

　　“Fate is cruel.”

　　“I knew that when this day came, she wouldn't forgive me.”

　　Yun Ling couldn't understand. Everything had been fine before, so how did it come to this?

　　And what exactly happened?

　　Neither of them had said anything. Yun Ling couldn't guess, but she had a nagging feeling that it might have something to do with Yu Fei.

　　What could it be?

　　Yun Ling was frantic, wanting to find out but unable to. Her brother had locked his study, making it impossible for her to investigate.

　　When Grandfather heard that the Princess wanted to divorce his grandson, he sighed day and night, and Grandmother fell ill.

　　A dark cloud hung over the entire Xiao household.

　　Yun Ling was also worried and didn't know what to do. She was someone who couldn't even understand her own feelings, so how could she possibly understand someone else's?

　　Just then, a maid announced at the door that their father had returned from visiting Lady Liu and Xiao Mingrong at Guanyun Temple.

　　Yun Ling quickly got up to greet him. Although she didn't have much of a relationship with her father, and he didn't pay much attention to her, he still cared about Xiao Qibai.

　　As the father, with his mother ill and the family in turmoil, he should be consulted.

　　Hurrying out of the courtyard, she saw her father walking towards her with a stern expression, seemingly already aware of the situation.

　　Yun Ling approached and bowed to him, just beginning to call, “Father, I—”

　　She was stopped short by her father's cold and disgusted shout, “You're a harbinger of misfortune!”

　　Yun Ling froze.

　　Her father didn't look at her again, simply waving his sleeve and leaving.

　　Seeing this, Lüyi and Lüshui quickly stepped forward to support Yun Ling, stammering, “Master… Master shouldn't speak to Miss like that… Miss, don't be sad…”

　　Yun Ling's momentary shock quickly subsided, and she shook her head. “It's alright.”

　　She knew her father was directing his anger about her brother and sister-in-law's divorce at her.

　　Before, Yun Ling had only guessed that her father didn't have any affection for her, but just now she finally understood that her own father didn't love her, didn't cherish her, and in fact, disliked her.

　　Understanding this, while inevitably causing some disappointment, Yun Ling resolved not to let it affect her.

　　Turning around, she hurried into the inner courtyard.

　　She intended to visit her grandmother.

　　However, she unexpectedly found her father already there. Unsure what he had said to her grandmother, Yun Ling decided to leave.

　　But as she exited the courtyard, her father also came out, his expression even worse than before.

　　Seeing Yun Ling, his face was filled with anger.

　　Yun Ling didn't know what her father was thinking, but once again, he seemed to be directing his anger at her.

　　Although she was worried about her brother and sister-in-law, she felt she had done nothing wrong and wouldn't accept this unwarranted anger or the accusation of being a ‘harbinger of misfortune.’

　　She simply bowed slightly to her father and intended to go in and visit her grandmother.

　　For the past two days, Xiao Jujian had been at Guanyun Temple visiting Lady Liu and his daughter. After spending so long in the temple's quiet seclusion, Xiao Mingrong had become quite thin. From childhood, Xiao Mingrong had never suffered like this; it was all because of his eldest daughter making a mountain out of a molehill. Lady Liu had repeatedly complained to him, saying he couldn't manage the household, allowing them to be bullied by Xiao Yun Ling. If Yun Ling hadn't returned, their family would have been happy and harmonious, and nothing like this would have happened.

　　Xiao Jujian didn't have any affection for Yun Ling, in fact, he could be said to dislike her. If it weren't for the fact that she was favored by the Crown Prince, Xiao Jujian wouldn't have tolerated her.

　　But after all this time, the Crown Prince hasn't visited the Xiao residence again; his dream of becoming the father-in-law to the Crown Prince is likely to be shattered.

　　Coupled with the news of his son and daughter-in-law's impending divorce upon his return, and his mother's illness, Xiao Jujian could no longer restrain his anger. He roared, “Stop right there!”

　　“Before you returned, our Xiao household was peaceful and without incident. Since your return, one thing after another has happened. Mingrong was driven to the temple by you, your brother and sister-in-law are divorcing, and Grandmother is ill. You're just like your mother, a weird and unlucky star!”

　　Yun Ling stopped and slowly looked up at her father.

　　Before, she hadn't understood some things, but after hearing her father's last words, she suddenly understood. Her father had also disliked her mother.

　　The reason was likely because of the so-called ‘demonic’ prophetic abilities she and her mother possessed.

　　But even if he was her father, she couldn't accept the groundless accusations leveled against her and her mother.

　　Yun Ling looked directly at her father, her gaze unwavering, and said each word clearly and seriously, “I am also worried about my brother and sister-in-law. But Father, none of these things are my fault. I truly cannot bear this blame.”

　　“I don't ask for your understanding or reason, but at the very least, right and wrong should be distinguishable. It's not right to blame me for everything simply because you dislike me.”

　　Yun Ling's words were blunt, overheard by several servants outside the courtyard.

　　A perceptive old nurse, sensing the trouble, quickly and quietly went to report the situation to Old Madam Xiao.

　　But Xiao Jujian, his face red with anger, roared, “Insolent and unfilial wretch! To whom are you speaking?!”

　　“When you were born, I should have strangled you,” Xiao Jujian was furious, spewing out years of pent-up dislike. “What do you think you are? Do you know how much I loathed you from the moment you were born? I never considered you my daughter. You should have died outside all those years ago, and not returned to bring me such bad luck!”

　　To be told such cruel words by her own father—that she was an unwanted, unblessed existence from birth—Yun Ling wasn't unmoved.

　　She hadn't expected her father's love, but since ancient times, the wounds inflicted by parents cut the deepest.

　　Yun Ling's hands, hanging by her sides, clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

　　Old Madam Xiao, having just been informed by the nurse, emerged despite her illness. Hearing her son's words, she struck the ground heavily with her cane, scolding him, “You scoundrel! How could you, as a father, say such things!”

　　“Since I am her father, what harm is there in giving her a lesson?”

　　Old Madam Xiao's words couldn't stop him.

　　Xiao Jujian gestured for two maidservants to restrain Old Madam Xiao. “Take the Old Madam back.”

　　Then, turning, he glared at Yun Ling with hatred and anger.

　　“Since you are my daughter, it's only natural for a father to discipline his daughter. You dare defy your father, you unfilial thing! Kneel here and reflect on your behavior!”

　　To punish Yun Ling by making her kneel in the courtyard! There's no such thing as punishing and humiliating one's own daughter like this! It's worse than how one would treat a servant.

　　The servants and maids in the courtyard were too afraid to look up.

　　Seeing Yun Ling didn't move, Xiao Jujian snarled, “I said kneel down now!”

　　Yun Ling lowered her eyes, her fingertips already white from being pinched.

　　This was her father.

　　A biological father who loathed her so much he wished her dead.

　　Her fingers clenched, Yun Ling slowly raised her eyes, just as she was about to speak, she suddenly saw a dark, noble figure striding towards them.

　　He was followed by a group of guards.

　　He quickly reached her side, his long arm extending to protectively enclose Yun Ling in his embrace.

　　Xie Jue's cold, commanding voice resounded, his phoenix eyes fierce, his killing intent evident as he looked at Xiao Jujian. He said, word by word, “Who did you just order to kneel?” (T/N: Ahhh, Xie Jue, my baby, you're finally here!! 😍)

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