Fortunately, Lu Qing Wan's luck had always been good.
As everyone silently prayed, the last little one, still whimpering, emerged from Lu Qing Wan's abdomen.
"She's here, she's here! Another little princess! Congratulations, Your Highness, congratulations! You have both sons and daughters now!"
The wet nurse cleverly offered auspicious words as she brought the little princess out.
One son and two daughters, the three children were held by the wet nurse, standing before Si Feng Wu, wrinkled like three little monkeys.
Si Feng Wu didn't even glance at them, rushing straight in.
The midwife instinctively called out, "Your Highness, why have you entered? The birthing room is unclean, Your Highness, please quickly..."
Before she could finish, Lu Qing Wan herself spoke, "Su Shang and Man Chun stay, everyone else leave."
The midwives immediately fell silent, tidied up their things, and withdrew.
Si Feng Wu walked forward silently, looking at Lu Qing Wan sprawled on the bed as if her soul had departed, and gestured to Su Shang, "Clean her up first. Make her as comfortable as possible without harming her body."
Su Shang, who had already taken hot water and cotton pads to wipe Lu Qing Wan, immediately became indignant.
The words, "Are you looking down on my mistress?" nearly escaped her lips.
In the time it took to wring out a cloth, she turned to see Si Feng Wu holding Lu Qing Wan's hand with one and placing his other on her dan tian, sending true qi to her.
Seeing Lu Qing Wan's displeased expression, he spoke softly before she could, "It's fine. I don't need to fight personally right now, so it's a waste not to use my internal energy.
I've asked Madam Meng. The significant energy consumed during childbirth won't be replenished immediately, but sending true qi can make you more comfortable.
Madam Meng will come to the palace later to help you recuperate. She's also an expert in obstetrics..."
As Si Feng Wu spoke gently, he unconsciously shifted Lu Qing Wan's attention, making her less focused on the pain and discomfort of her body after childbirth, and she forgot to stop Si Feng Wu from continuing to send her true qi.
She simply asked in surprise, "The Madam Meng you mentioned, is it Meng Fu Yao? When did you get in touch with her?"
After their hasty parting in the South Sea, Lu Qing Wan had thought about contacting Meng Fu Yao, but couldn't find her and feared that contacting her rashly would be bothersome, so she let it go. She never expected Si Feng Wu to mention Meng Fu Yao at such a time, and in such a familiar tone.
Lu Qing Wan didn't ask how he contacted Meng Fu Yao, nor if Meng Fu Yao's obstetrics were even better than her own. She only asked, "She's coming to see me? Really?"
Meng Fu Yao, a person completely unrelated to her and Si Feng Wu, had shown them great kindness when they first met. Although never explicitly stated, Lu Qing Wan knew that both Si Feng Wu and she wanted to keep Meng Fu Yao because she was the only elder they could both face with ease and gratitude.
People's affections had various attachments. While she and Si Feng Wu loved each other deeply, this love couldn't replace the care from an elder. Moreover, at this point, they didn't really need elder's care, but merely an elder to be an outlet for their familial affection. No one was more suitable as this outlet than Meng Fu Yao. It wasn't because Meng Fu Yao was lonely or had no one to rely on, but because Lu Qing Wan and Si Feng Wu desperately needed Meng Fu Yao.
"Madam Meng personally sent a message through the Lord of Samsara Hall, but she was busy with other matters when she sent it and wasn't sure if she could come, so she asked me not to tell you in advance, lest you get your hopes up for nothing." Si Feng Wu deliberately showed a hint of dejection. "But look at me, I was so anxious that I forgot everything. If Madam Meng can really come, she'll blame me for breaking my promise."
His tone was so wronged that Lu Qing Wan hurried to comfort him, "It's nothing. When Madam Meng appears, I'll pretend I didn't know."
She weakly squeezed Si Feng Wu's fingers, then abruptly changed the subject, "Did you find out why Madam Meng is so busy? If not, shall we help her? The sooner she finishes, the sooner she can come back to enjoy her retirement!" Lu Qing Wan had already considered Meng Fu Yao as one of her own, making arrangements for her status and residence, waiting for Meng Fu Yao's return.
Si Feng Wu withdrew his hand. "It's my fault, I forgot to inquire. I'll have someone investigate later and find a way to help her finish her matters. You can use your rest time to think about what position and identity would be suitable for her when she arrives..." Meng Fu Yao had been kind to them. For her to live with dignity in the new capital, she needed a suitable status. It needed to be dignified yet fair, a status that was worth Lu Qing Wan's deliberation.
Su Shang had finished cleaning what she could, and the true qi couldn't be sent continuously. Feeling that Lu Qing Wan's complexion had slightly improved, he withdrew his hand. Lu Qing Wan had given birth to three children in succession. Although it was smooth, it didn't mean she hadn't expended energy. She hadn't fainted immediately after giving birth, merely unable to bear the filth on her body and not wanting Si Feng Wu to worry. More importantly, she had been in too much pain to sleep. Now that Si Feng Wu had sent true qi and Su Shang had cleaned her, as her spirits relaxed, a strong wave of sleepiness instantly engulfed her. Lu Qing Wan surrendered without much resistance, falling into a deep sleep.
Su Shang picked up the water basin and cotton pads, tiptoeing to leave, but was stopped by Si Feng Wu. "You stay here and take care of her. I'll have someone come to relieve you later."
Si Feng Wu hadn't told anyone that when Lu Qing Wan took the time to lecture at Xiehe Academy on postpartum care, he had listened more attentively than anyone. Hearing Lu Qing Wan repeatedly emphasize the various postpartum complications, Si Feng Wu had spent months imagining those terrifying complications happening to Lu Qing Wan. Thinking of Lu Qing Wan bleeding heavily when no one was around, unable to call for help, pitifully waiting to die, Si Feng Wu suddenly turned and sat by Lu Qing Wan's bedside. He even seriously considered the likelihood of him, a grown man, crawling into Lu Qing Wan's bed to constantly watch over her, preventing her from hemorrhaging and ensuring she didn't catch a chill and suffer from puerperal illness.
Su Shang was startled by Si Feng Wu's return and stammered, "Your Highness, aren't you going to see the little prince and the two little princesses? The Ministry of the Imperial Clan should have sent someone by now, right?" According to the old system of Da Gan, all princes and princesses had to be recorded immediately after birth and wear a special jade amulet to prove their imperial lineage. This rule had been in place for thousands of years. As an old system, it also prevented people from using the royal lineage as an issue, so Tian Feng had inherited this rule. According to the rules, as soon as an imperial child was born, the Ministry of the Imperial Clan would send someone. Si Feng Wu, as the father, also had to bestow names on the children, otherwise, the content on the jade amulet would be incomplete.