Reborn in the Cold Palace: The Emperor's lie

Chi Ying struggled on the birthing bed until the hour of Hai, eating two additional meals and screaming until hoarse. Finally, the baby was born safely.

The midwife lifted the child from the mixture of amniotic fluid and blood, cleaning its mouth and nose. The baby let out a loud cry.

"Congratulations, Your Highness and Lady, it's a princess!" the midwife announced cheerfully.

Chi Ying fainted upon hearing the baby's cry, and Cui Yi was terrified by her sudden collapse. Neither heard the midwife's words.

The midwife swiftly cut the umbilical cord and took the baby to bathe.

Nong Yue called Xiao Qiu to notify the Emperor, Empress, and Consort Duan of the news. Meanwhile, she cleaned up the birthing bed. With Cui Yi's help, it was quickly tidied, but he was stopped from moving Chi Ying to the main room.

"A woman who has just given birth should not be exposed to wind. Taking her outside now could cause illness," Nong Yue explained.

Feeling guilty, Cui Yi muttered, "Sorry for putting her through this."

Nong Yue smiled, "Married couples sometimes misunderstand each other. As long as you both care for each other, it's fine. Lady definitely doesn't blame you."

Cui Yi nodded silently, sitting by the bed, watching Chi Ying intently, waiting for her to wake.

The midwife bathed the baby and handed her to the wet nurse.

When Chi Ying awoke the next afternoon, she was famished and sore. She croaked, "Xiao Qiu..."

Cui Yi, startled awake from a nap in the chair, rushed over, "Chi Ying!"

Chi Ying smiled, "Where's Xiao Qiu?"

Xiao Qiu entered with ginseng soup, "Lady, you're awake. Drink this soup; Consort Duan specially sent a hundred-year-old ginseng."

Hold on! Could Consort Duan's gifts be trusted? Chi Ying instinctively recoiled.

"Don't worry, Lady Cheng inspected it before sending it to the kitchen," Xiao Qiu reassured her.

Relieved, Chi Ying allowed Cui Yi to help her sit up against the headboard. "Did Cheng Jiejie visit?"

Cui Yi said, "She came earlier today but left after checking your pulse and giving instructions to Nong Yue. She'll visit again in a couple of days."

Chi Ying nodded, sipping the soup, and asked, "Where's the baby?"

"The wet nurse fed her and put her to sleep." Xiao Qiu pointed to the cradle. "Shall I bring her over?"

Holding the swaddled baby, Chi Ying kissed the red, wrinkled face tenderly. Cui Yi suddenly asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Surprised, Chi Ying looked at him, "Shouldn't I be asking you? Didn't the midwife tell you?"

Xiao Qiu stifled a laugh, "It's a princess. Lady fainted, and Your Highness was too worried to notice."

A girl... Both fell silent. This meant the title of Wu Wangfei would go to someone else. Chi Ying shrugged nonchalantly, "Girls are great; they're their parents' warm coats."

"Let me hold her. You drink the soup." Cui Yi hesitantly reached out, unsure how to hold the baby.

Neither mentioned the Emperor's decree on New Year's Eve, pretending it never happened. Chi Ying drank the soup, and Cui Yi carefully held the baby nearby.

During her confinement, Cheng Yu visited several times, discussing the engagement. She sighed over Chi Ying's plight, but Chi Ying remained indifferent, "The child is innocent. Besides, no one can change the Emperor's decision. Why dwell on it?"

Fortunately, the Emperor didn't arrange a marriage for Cui Yi during her confinement. Otherwise, even Chi Ying's patience would have snapped.

Chi Ying's maternal family remained silent, neither visiting nor sending greetings. Though the Wu.

"Your father mentioned me only once, and I just happened to overhear him in the courtyard."

Baili Zan frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then hesitated, "Do you remember whom your father was talking to when he mentioned me?"

There was no scapegoat to find for this fabricated story. Chi Ying felt like crying but had no tears, inwardly blaming herself for meddling in the first place. She braced herself for Baili Zan's continued questioning.

"Your father only mentioned me once, and I just happened to pass by the courtyard," Chi Ying replied, struggling to find words. Eventually, she slumped back, feeling defeated. "Yes... but it was only once, and I just happened to hear him."

Baili Zan furrowed his brow, contemplating for a moment before asking hesitantly, "Do you remember who your father was talking to when he mentioned me?"

This fabricated story had no scapegoat. Chi Ying felt like crying but had no tears, inwardly cursing herself for getting involved in the first place. She braced herself for Baili Zan's continued probing.

If Lizan had just come to the door himself, things wouldn't have ended up so awkward. It's like he shot himself in the foot. "Since the Third Prince was able to use my old friend's name to launch a counterintelligence operation, he must be familiar with him. You've mentioned before that the Third Prince is allied with the Crown Prince, so as the Grand Tutor, Chancellor Changsun would likely have met my old friend. Maybe it was him who brought up your father," Lizan didn't know what Chu Ying was troubled about, assuming she was trying hard to recall, and thus reminded her.

Hey, an unexpected scapegoat fell from the sky? Chu Ying's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "What's his name?" Lizan replied, "He only told me his courtesy name is Fuzhi. As for his real name..." Fuzhi! Chu Ying felt a rush of breathlessness. That was the courtesy name of Shan Jian, the notorious strategist under the Third Prince Cui Huan, known for his cunning plans.