After nine months of pregnancy, the baby in Zhi Ning’s belly was finally ready to be born.
Her belly was both big and pointed, and those who saw it said it was a boy.
This made Zhi Ning both excited and disappointed. The Zhi Clan, especially her father Zhi Lan’s lineage, was incredibly thin. Now that another male was being added, it bolstered their spirits a little.
However, because of the boy’s special status, he was destined not to participate in politics. That’s why she had always wanted to give birth to a daughter, who could devote herself to the study of the arts.
Her belly was really big, but she still insisted on walking every day, just to keep the child and herself healthy.
Strangely enough, Zhi Ning’s body, which had been rather frail, became healthier after she made an effort to eat well and exercise instead of lying on the couch and reading for half a day as she had before. In fact, another word to describe her condition was that she’d become strong.
After getting pregnant, her cheeks became plump, and her body, aside from the belly, filled out as well.
Her originally delicate and unparalleled face now radiated with health.
Normally, a pregnant woman is fragile and most in need of her lover’s care. But Zhi Ning had no lover after becoming pregnant.
She dined alone, exercised alone, and talked to the baby alone, looking very strong.
And now, with a pain in her belly and a wetness on her legs, she knew it was time to give birth.
She put down her paintbrush and shouted, "Quick, someone! I’m going into labor."
Instantly, four or five wet nurses, a dozen maids, and two female Medical Daoist Monks rushed in swiftly.
Following them, Prince Ji Min entered with a worried look on his face.
"Get out..." Zhi Ning pointed at him and yelled loudly.
Immediately, Prince Ji Min seemed to hit an invisible wall, his head shrinking back as he slinked away in embarassment.
Then, Princess Zhining was carried into the room, the room’s door closed, and then the entire house’s doors followed.
Over the past half-year, Zhi Ning’s temper had become more and more fierce, and her voice louder and louder.
Having lost the care of her brother Zhi Li and with the child’s father destined not to be by her side, she had to protect her unborn child alone.
Therefore, she had to become fierce.
Prince Ji Min became the direct victim, being yelled at every day and often scolded like a grandson, almost developing a psychological shadow.
He truly couldn’t understand how the previously gentle and chill Zhi Ning had become so fierce now, like a shrew.
To describe it in Earth terms, Zhi Ning had gone from a Lin Daiyu to a Hedong lion.
But what was even more incomprehensible was that despite Zhi Ning being shrewish and heavily pregnant, Ji Min’s love for her only grew stronger.
If his affection before was adolescent and immature, Prince Ji Min’s love for her had now become mature and resolute, even filled with a sense of responsibility.
He had to protect this woman; he had to take care of her.
"Ah..." Just at that moment, Zhi Ning’s pained cry came from the room, full of vigor, penetrating the roof.
Prince Ji Min’s legs shook, and he almost collapsed on the floor.
Because the cry was just too loud.
However, following that, Zhi Ning’s screams of exertion came from inside, making Prince Ji Min’s legs go weak and his body grow cold.
Because Zhi Ning’s cries grew more and more sorrowful and more and more feeble.
He thought of a terrifying word: dystocia!
"My lord, what’s wrong?" Nai’er asked softly.
Suo Lun was somewhat uneasy but didn’t show it, yet Yan Nai’er noticed it anyway.
Nai’er loved him too much, so she could perceive even the slightest change in his emotions.
"I don’t know why, but my heartbeat’s quickened, and I’m feeling a bit restless and anxious," Suo Lun said.
"Is it because of the battle situation?" Nai’er asked.
Suo Lun shook his head, "I don’t know."
Then, he took a deep breath, gathered his spiritual power, and used the Illusion Realm to calm himself.
Normally at this time, he could easily maintain a tranquil mind, but for some reason, he couldn’t settle down today.
If he couldn’t find peace, he might as well look left, then right.
As the western gateway of Tianshui City, Wind Thunder Fortress was originally a medium-sized castle because Baiyun County to the west was part of the kingdom and never really needed defense.
After Suo Lun recaptured Tianshui City, the Rage Wave Kingdom’s Zhi Li faction became the greatest enemy, with Duke Zhi Wei’s Southeast Province as the imminent foe.
So, Suo Lun invested a huge amount of Gold Coins and resources into building the Wind Thunder Fortress Defense Line.
With two hundred thousand workers and several hundred thousand Gold Coins, they constructed a four-li long defense line stretched between two mountain ranges, completely blocking the entrance to Tianshui City.
The four-li long wall was thirteen meters high and twenty-three meters thick, with a medium-sized fortress every li.
It was indeed as solid as a rock, like a massive beast squatting in the valley.
Moreover, along this four-li long defense line, more than a hundred Super-Giant Stone Projectors were installed, which could launch stones up to four or five hundred meters away.
There were also various medium-sized stone projectors, hundreds of them, and countless giant crossbows.
In the underground warehouses behind the defense line, the stored barrels of fiery oil were astronomical in number, hundreds of thousands of barrels to be precise.
Various types of gunpowder packs ran into tens of thousands.
Every kind of arrow numbered in the millions.
Overall, Suo Lun was gearing up for a battle reminiscent of the US military in the Middle East—using hundreds of bullets to take out an enemy.