Drunk on Madness - Chapter 42

Time swiftly moved into October, and even in the humid heat of the south, the coolness of autumn began to seep through.

The Yan army, led by the Prince of Yan, had advanced with unstoppable momentum, conquering more than half of the territory.

Stationed deep in the heart of Zhongjin, the soldiers in the camp finally had a rare moment to relax. Smiles, long absent, reappeared on their faces as they shared the joy of their victories.

Though the war was not yet fully over, their successive triumphs were enough to invigorate and fill them with pride. The road ahead remained long, but with such momentum, they were more confident than ever to press on until final victory was achieved.

Zhou Mingxuan counted the days, next month was Xiangxiang’s due date. Anxiety and anticipation warred in his heart. The Prince of Yan, aware that his grandson was soon to be born, understood Zhou Mingxuan’s eagerness. Privately, he promised that if they won the upcoming battle for Yizhou, Zhou Mingxuan would be granted two months’ leave to return home and see his wife and child.

Zhou Mingxuan and the other generals spent days and nights strategizing, and once their plans were set, they began executing them. To force Yizhou’s officials to surrender quickly, Zhou Mingxuan employed covert tactics, repeatedly sending men to disrupt the enemy’s focus. Over several days, these unpredictable harassments left the Yizhou forces exhausted and demoralized.

At night, their supplies were nearly burned, or rumors spread that their food had been poisoned. Before the battle had even begun, the enemy’s morale had crumbled. Their commander, lacking an effective countermeasure, could only tighten inspections to root out spies in their ranks.

After several such incidents, the enemy’s fighting spirit plummeted. Seizing the moment before they could recover, the Yan army launched a multi-pronged assault.

Zhou Mingxuan, clad in silver armor, fought valiantly on the battlefield. But fate was unpredictable, the enemy seemed to recognize his significance and concentrated their forces, launching a sudden attack on his position.

One by one, his guards fell to enemy arrows as they tried to protect him. Realizing they had identified him, Zhou Mingxuan raised his shield against the hail of arrows and signaled his men to press forward. Today, he was determined to take Yizhou.

Su Mo cleaved through an enemy’s head, blood splattering across his face. He wiped it away without flinching. When he noticed enemy troops shifting toward the heir’s position, understanding dawned on him.

He rushed forward, shouting, “Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, heed my order, protect the heir at once!”

Scattered across the battlefield, the elite cavalry swiftly converged around Zhou Mingxuan. But by then, he had already been struck in the abdomen by an enemy general and knocked to the ground.

Surrounded by seven or eight enemy soldiers, his longsword wrested from his grasp, Zhou Mingxuan’s silver armor stood out starkly in the hostile circle.

A glint flashed in his eyes, he knew the most crucial thing now was to stay calm and find a way out.

The enemy pressed their swords against his neck. One of them sneered, “Take another step, and your precious heir will meet his end. See how you explain that to the Prince of Yan.”

Su Mo halted, his gaze flickering to Zhou Mingxuan on the ground. Seeing that his injuries were not life-threatening, he suppressed his unease and said, “Release him, and I’ll spare your lives.”

The enemy laughed coldly. “We lowly soldiers are not afraid to die. Having the future crown prince as our companion in death would be an honor.” With that, one of them drove his sword into Zhou Mingxuan’s shoulder.

Su Mo spoke up to stop them, “Hold it.” But it was to no avail. The enemy’s actions stunned the soldiers who had come to rescue him. The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, seeing the prince they were sworn to protect being humiliated, wished they could take his place. Everyone clenched their fists, their eyes burning with the desire to kill the enemy with their gaze alone.

Su Mo continued, “What do you want?”

One of the enemies pressed Zhou Mingxuan’s arm hard against the ground. Though Zhou Mingxuan remained silent, the beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed the intensity of his pain.

Su Mo kept his hands behind his back, signaling covertly for a rescue. On the surface, he continued negotiating with the enemy: “I see you’re quite skilled. Why not join our Yan army? After all, wherever you go, it’s just about making a living. If you let our young master go and pledge allegiance to us, I’ll personally recommend you to the Prince of Yan for an official position.”

The enemy soldiers seemed to waver at his words. Their eyes instinctively turned toward the man standing on Zhou Mingxuan’s hand, their commander. Su Mo immediately realized this was their leader.

The enemy commander sneered coldly, “Do you take me for a three-year-old child to fool? After what I’ve done to your prince, do you really think you’d leave us with our lives intact?” His subordinates tensed up at his words, instantly on guard.

A faint smile curled at Su Mo’s lips. “Since you know, then release our young master at once.” With that, he fired a hidden dart from his sleeve straight at the enemy commander, who had been about to speak. Seizing the moment of distraction, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry rushed forward. Zhou Mingxuan, having already noticed Su Mo’s signal, suddenly stood up and dodged the swords behind him.

In no time, the situation reversed. Zhou Mingxuan was successfully rescued, and Yizhou was secured. However, the original plan to return and visit Li Xiang had to be postponed.

On the day Li Xiang went into labor, the palace was filled with a tense yet expectant atmosphere. Servants bustled through the courtyards, preparing for the arrival of the new life.

Inside the bedchamber, everything had been arranged to be warm and comfortable. The bed was draped with soft brocade quilts, delicate curtains hung around it, and the gentle flicker of the fireplace cast a warm glow. Outside the window, spring sunlight filtered through sheer fabric, softening the tension in the room.

As waves of labor pains gripped her, Li Xiang clutched the silk sheets, her forehead glistening with sweat. Aunt Su and the midwives surrounded her, murmuring words of comfort, wiping her brow, and adjusting the lighting and temperature to ensure she was as comfortable as possible during the delivery.

Princess Consort Zhao of Yan and her daughter Qingyi paced anxiously outside the door. Time seemed to stand still, each minute stretching unbearably long. Every corner of the palace was steeped in a mix of anticipation and unease.

Finally, the sharp cry of a newborn shattered the tension, replacing it with joy. Hearing the baby’s wail, Lady Zhao couldn’t help but try to push open the door, only to be stopped by the matron beside her.

Li Xiang had given birth to her first child but fainted from the pain. Aunt Su picked up the newborn and gently soothed him. As the crying subsided, she quickly placed the baby beside Li Xiang and said, “Xiangxiang, wake up. Look at your child.”

Li Xiang was roused and given some ginseng soup to regain her strength. Turning her head weakly, she looked at her child, a tiny, wrinkled face that gave no hint of gender. In a hoarse voice, she asked Aunt Su, “Is it a boy or a girl?”

Aunt Su promptly replied, “It’s a boy.” Upon hearing this, Li Xiang fell into thought. She herself was not someone who favored sons over daughters, but living as part of the ancient nobility, the continuation of the bloodline necessitated a male heir. Now, she had fulfilled her duty.

Basins of bloody water were carried out of the birthing chamber. Qingyi had never witnessed such a scene before, and the thought that all this blood had come from Sister Li Xiang made her nose sting with emotion. The realization that she, too, would inevitably have to bear children one day sent a shiver down her spine.

Lady Zhao, the Princess of Yan, stopped an elderly maid who was about to leave and asked, “Did the Crown Princess give birth to a boy or a girl?” The maid immediately knelt and congratulated her, “Congratulations, Your Highness, it’s a little dragon heir!” Upon hearing this, the Princess of Yan was overcome with excitement and wanted to go in to hold her grandson.

Nanny Zhao stopped Lady Zhao, saying, “Your Highness, the birthing chamber is heavy with the aura of blood, it might defile your noble person. Why not let this old servant bring the little dragon heir out to you?”

Lady Zhao was uneasy. “I’d rather see for myself. Xiangxiang has been in labor for so long, I don’t even know how she’s doing now.”

Qingyi, hearing this, also wanted to go in for a look. Seeing that she couldn’t stop her mistress, Nanny Zhao had no choice but to relent.

As they entered, the metallic scent of blood grew stronger. Lady Zhao hurried to the bedside, where she saw Li Xiang’s pale face and exhausted eyes. Her heart ached with pity. “Xiangxiang, you’ve worked so hard,” she said softly.

Qingyi didn’t know what to say. She stood to the side, watching Li Xiang with reddened eyes.

Li Xiang knew they had been waiting outside the door all this time. Seeing them enter, she felt a warmth in her heart. She gave them a slight nod with her eyes, signaling that she was fine.

Lady Zhao gazed at her grandson with tender affection, unable to resist the urge to hold him. Sensing her thoughts, Li Xiang said weakly, “Mother, please take him out. There’s still another one in my belly, I don’t have the strength to care for him right now.” As she spoke, beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

Hearing this, Lady Zhao quickly picked up the child, leaving space for the midwives. The agony of labor made Li Xiang cry out, and the birthing chamber descended into chaos as everyone rushed to attend to her.

Lady Zhao didn’t dare take the baby outside, fearing he might catch a cold. Instead, she soothed her grandson in the room next to the birthing chamber. Qingyi listened to Li Xiang’s cries, her heart filled with unease… childbirth was terrifying.

Then another cry rang out, louder and more vigorous than the first. Hearing the wails from the next room, Lady Zhao immediately sat up from the couch. The baby on the couch, now without someone to comfort him, began crying as well. The simultaneous cries from both rooms left Lady Zhao flustered.

Maidservants knelt one after another, offering congratulations to the Princess of Yan and the newborn twins. The entire manor was immersed in jubilant celebration.