Ch. 531..535: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 531-535

Chapter 531: Chapter 531: The Terrifying Aspect of the Underdog (3)_1

"The Fire Bull Formation is incredibly dangerous, I wouldn’t be at ease if I don’t see it with my own eyes. You know as well as I do, my forte isn’t in orchestrating battles. It was my idea, so I’m restless." Lin Ziyin sighs," If you refuse, I will go there secretly with my men."

Chu Suifeng, taking her by the arm, froze for a moment.

How stubborn Lin Ziyin can be, he understood thoroughly. If he dared not to bring Lin Ziyin with him, this lass might herself sneak off to Border City.

"If a war breaks out, you will accompany me." Chu Suifeng sighed and agreed. In his lifetime, not many could threaten him, even the Imperial Court, which had been restraining him for many years, but rarely dared to anger or threaten him. But when faced with Lin Ziyin, he was truly helpless. Perhaps, this is the feeling of loving someone.

"Ziyin, Ziyin." Chu Suifeng smelled faintly of liquor. He held Lin Ziyin, continually murmuring her name, failing to utter any honeyed words of love.

But for Lin Ziyin, Chu Suifeng calling her name with such affection was more touching than any sweet talk.

"I’m here." She could feel Chu Suifeng’s cherished sentiment towards her. As they have been together through a lot, they understood each other’s intentions, "As long as you stay loyal to me, I will always be by your side."

"I, Chu Suifeng, swear to heaven, I’d rather lose my own life than fail Lin Ziyin." Chu Suifeng, fueled by the alcohol, surprisingly made a vow to heaven.

Listening to this, Lin Ziyin was slightly moved. Ancient people and modern people were different; they always took vows seriously. The words Chu Suifeng spoke, truly reflected his feelings at the moment.

The future of emotional matters might be unpredictable, but in ancient times if there is a man that can do so much for you, you will truly cherish this relationship.

The room was filled with a cozy warmth.

"Miss." Suddenly, a hurried footstep of Qiaoqiao came from outside.

Lin Ziyin immediately broke free from Chu Suifeng’s embrace.

Losing the warmth of her body, Chu Suifeng’s face instantly turned dark. Hmph, wait a moment. If the maid doesn’t have important news to report, he must properly punish this unruly lass.

"What’s the matter?" Lin Ziyin was a bit shy, as she had hastily extricated herself from Chu Suifeng’s embrace without having time to straighten up. What if Qiaoqiao walks in and notices her disheveled state?

Even if she hadn’t done anything out of line, Lin Ziyin still felt a bit shy.

This was the first time Chu Suifeng had seen Lin Ziyin looking so bashfully like a young girl. The corner of his mouth couldn’t help but lift. No matter what, his woman was the most beautiful.

"Miss." Qiaoqiao was already by the door, but hesitated about entering.

"Come in." Lin Ziyin ignored Chu Suifeng’s frown.

Chu Suifeng glared angrily at the door, watching Qiaoqiao walk in. Hmph, let’s see how he punishes this maid if she doesn’t have a good reason.

"Miss." As Qiaoqiao entered, she secretly glanced at Chu Suifeng, then formally greeted both of them. "The young lady’s labor pains have begun, I think she’s going to give birth."

Zige is about to have a baby, Lin Ziyin immediately became anxious, "Has the midwife been called? Xu Danhua must be there."

"Don’t panic, Miss. The midwife and Miss Xu are already there. Dr. Xu is also standby." Qiaoqiao replied calmly.

"Let’s go and have a look." Lin Ziyin was still uneasy. In the olden days, medical skills were primitive, childbirth was akin to walking through the Gate of Hell. Zige, for her, was a very important relative. If she were to sit at home waiting for news, Lin Ziyin certainly couldn’t sit still.

Chapter 532: Chapter 532: The Terrifying Aspect of the Underdog (4)_1

Chu Suifeng did not actually want Ziyin to go. He had heard that any woman who has not given birth should not witness another woman in labor; otherwise, they could be so frightened that it may affect their future childbirth.

He and Ziyin were still betrothed, so naturally, he did not want Lin Ziyin to be scared during the childbirth process.

However, he knew how important family was to Lin Ziyin, so even though he wished she would not go, he did not voice his objections.

"Don’t rush too much, it’s dark outside. Be careful not to fall," Chu Suifeng gently advised her. "I’ll take you there, it won’t happen immediately."

Lin Ziyin agreed with him, nodding her head and slowing her pace.

Once they reached the main court, Lin Ziyin saw sister-in-law Huiniang and Grandpa Changting, but her elder brother Lin Changshu was not there. She guessed that Changshu had already gone over.

As expected, Grandpa started to speak as soon as he saw her, "Your sister-in-law is also due soon, she can’t go. Changshu has already checked on her. Wait for the news, if she gives birth, you can go and see."

With no female senior family member at home, Grandpa had to make arrangements.

"Grandpa, don’t worry, I’ll go over first," Lin Ziyin comforted Grandpa, noticing the concern in his eyes and his restless demeanor.

"It’s not allowed, Ziyin," Guo Huiniang stopped her. "You’re not yet married; you can’t go there."

"Sister-in-law, don’t worry. My brother-in-law’s family has no elders and my brother is a man and definitely feels uncomfortable. I’ll go and help to make some arrangements. I’ve seen everything, I won’t be scared," Lin Ziyin comforted them, knowing what they were worried about.

Grandpa and Guo Huiniang were stunned, then recalled that Ziyin often visited the prince’s medical laboratory and had undoubtedly seen countless injuries and death.

Moreover, she had a point--there were no elder women at Wu Dayou’s house, and it was Zige’s first child, they really weren’t at ease. But if Ziyin took care of it, they would be more reassured.

"It’s all my fault," Guo Huiniang was slightly self-reproachful. Logically, as the eldest sister-in-law, she should be present to help during Zige’s labor, but looking down at her own pregnant belly, she was left (feeling) somewhat powerless.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of hardship, but her own due date was approaching. Going there with such a big belly, might be more of a burden than help.

"Got then," Grandpa finally agreed.

"I’ll accompany her," Chu Suifeng promptly spoke out.

Grandpa gave him a surprised glance but said nothing more, "Go, the prince is with her, I’ll be more at ease."

Lin Ziyin chuckled. Both Grandfather and Chu Suifeng instantly focused their attention on her.

"It’s nothing, we should hurry up." Lin Ziyin quickly went out, blushing. He found it amusing because, to her, it sounded like grandpa was proclaiming Chu Suifeng to be a deity guarding their house.

"What are you laughing at?" As they walked outside of the door shoulder to shoulder, Chu Suifeng couldn’t help but ask her in a low voice.

"When did I laugh?" Lin Ziyin certainly didn’t want to tell him the reason, so she swiftly brushed him off when he asked.

"Just now," Chu Suifeng continued to chat while paying close attention to the road, keeping her protected within his arms.

Their intimate posture made Qiaoqiao, back at the home, dilemma-stricken, pondering whether to remind the lady. If the townsfolk catch sight of this, no doubt they’d have a lot to say about her again.

Meanwhile, Cui Duoduo was filled with joy. This young girl’s heart was worry-free. Seeing how affectionate Prince was with Lin Ziyin, she was immediately delighted that Lin Ziyin could marry such an excellent man.

Chapter 533: Chapter 533: The Terrifying Aspect of the Underdog (5)_1

Congyi and the rest were some distance away, not daring to peak, as good guards and good servants, of course, they wouldn’t disturb their master’s good times.

Even Hong Ying and Lun Luo kept their distance. Both of them were clever and knew when to stay out of things. If the young lady wasn’t upset, naturally they wouldn’t interfere.

"I was just trying to comfort grandfather," Lin Ziyin continued to go back and forth with Chu Suifeng.

"You’re getting cheeky."

"Who, me?"

"Yes, you."

...

After their playful banter, they soon arrived at Wu Dayou’s house.

The courtyard of Wu Dayou’s house was originally built by Lin Ziyin, so it wasn’t too far from the main house of the Lin family. By the time they arrived, they found quite a few people there.

Not only Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Yu, but also Cui Da from the Lin family’s Qian Family and quite a few women from the village who had experienced childbirth were there.

"Prince." Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou were in the front hall of the backyard. Upon seeing them coming, Lin Changshu hurriedly came over to bow to Chu Suifeng.

"Brother Lin, there’s no need for formalities." Chu Suifeng supported him, not letting him bow, "How is sister-in-law doing?"

"She hasn’t given birth yet, the midwives and Xu Danhua are inside." Lin Changshu replied.

Wu Dayou, on the other hand, was a bit flustered. He was so anxious that he even forgot to bow to Chu Suifeng when he arrived, craning his neck to look inside the house.

"I’ll go check," said Lin Ziyin.

Chu Suifeng slightly furrowed his eyebrows.

"You can’t go in," Lin Changshu promptly stopped her.

"It’s okay, I’m not a child anymore." Lin Ziyin reassured everyone with a smile and then with Qiaoqiao, moved towards the house.

Mrs. Zhang and the others were preparing hot water and other necessities. There were midwives inside the room and a doctor as well. They were just adding extra help from outside, all they could do was feel anxious.

"Young lady." Seeing her approach, Dr. Xu stood up in a hurry to greet her.

"You’ve worked hard." Lin Ziyin nodded in response.

Mrs. Zhang and the others, seeing her walking straight into the house, wanted to stop her. But seeing Chu Suifeng, Wu Dayou and Lin Changshu following her, they all promptly closed their mouths.

Inside the room, Lin Zige was howling in pain with her arms around her belly. Being her first time, giving birth was taking a while.

"How is it?" Lin Ziyin asked, seeing her sweating profusely, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Responding to Miss, Young Miss’s foetal position is very good, there is no danger, it’s definitely going to be a natural birth. The current pain is a normal reaction." The midwife replied, while another midwife and Xu Danhua were attending to Zige.

"Why did you come in? Lin Zige asked in surprise after enduring a wave of pain, "You haven’t even been married yet."

"It’s okay, sister. Give it your best. Both you and your child are healthy and your foetal position is good too. Once you get through this, you’ll be able to see your baby soon." Ziyin bent down to encourage her.

"Okay." Zige nodded forcefully, her eyes teary, but she stubbornly held back her tears. Though she lacked parents, she had a lot of loving family members around. She would be fine!

The pain came again, and Lin Zige did not cry out, she gritted her teeth and pushed as the midwife instructed.

"Why is there so much blood?" Wu Dayou stood at the door, watching the basins of blood being carried out one after another, his legs going weak.

Even Lin Changshu was scared, but having already gone through childbirth, he had a better understanding of the scene than Wu Dayou, "Nothing to worry about, we’ll be meeting the mother and son soon."

Chu Suifeng looked curiously at the Qian Family and others bustling about, inside he marvelled at the difficulty of childbirth for women. If it were Ziyin in that situation, he would certainly be even more worried than Wu Dayou.

Chapter 534: Chapter 534: The Terrifying Aspect of the Underdog (6)_1

"Wow." The loud cry of the newborn baby stirred everyone outside the room with excitement.

"Congratulations, Master, the young lady has given birth, she has had a little girl." Mrs. Qian came out to announce the joyous news. She looked at Wu Dayou somewhat worryingly, scared that the master might not be pleased. After all, men naturally prefer boys.

"Congratulations."

"Congratulations, Dayou, you’re a father now."

People such as the Zhang family came one after another to offer their congratulations.

Having become a father, yes, Wu Dayou snapped out of his petrified state, entering the room cheerfully.

"Master." The people from Cui Da’s household were startled, trying to stop him.

"Let him go in and see. My sister has suffered quite a bit for him." Lin Ziyin spoke. In modern times, when a woman gives birth, a man is always at her side, unlike in ancient times when men avoided being present during childbirth, mistakenly believing it to be an ominous event. It is puzzling why they think the child born still carries their surname?

Firecrackers were let off, proclaiming to the villagers that a new little life had arrived in the world.

"It’s a girl, you aren’t displeased, are you?" Due to her persistent martial arts practice, Zige had a good constitution and now she just felt somewhat tired, but was not asleep.

Under her watchful gaze, Wu Dayou kept smiling, "Having a daughter is nice, girls are affectionate. Our child, no matter the gender, is dear to us."

Hearing this, Zige was finally appeased. Though she liked having a daughter, she was concerned about what Dayou might think. After all, he was the only heir to his family and wanting a son to carry on the family line was expected.

Wu Dayou, being perceptive, noticed her slight sigh of relief and immediately felt a pang of pity for her, "Don’t worry, I really do adore the child. Even if we only have daughters in the future, I will love them all. You have worked hard."

Lines of affection don’t need to be exceptionally sweet, just pleasing to the ear.

Tears finally fell from Zige’s eyes, "You fool."

"I have nothing, but strength. The fact that you didn’t despise me makes me very happy. Having you and the child in my life gives me a feeling of stability. Finally, I’m not alone. Our place finally feels like a home." Wu Dayou wiped away the tears at the corner of Zige’s eyes with his fingers, "The prince has presented us with so many betrothal gifts, I am not competent yet..."

Zige covered his mouth with her hand, "As long as you have our home and the child in your heart, it’s better than anything else. Although Ziyin built this house, but you also contributed. If you bring it up again, be careful our daughter hears and becomes upset."

Wu Dayou nodded vigorously.

"Everyone, please go back and rest, thank you for your hard work." Outside the room, Lin Ziyin had already rewarded the midwives and Xu Danhua generously. Despite both of them being employees of the Lin family, it is customary to give them a tip for their great work.

The midwives and Xu Danhua happily accepted the hefty gift, leaving with their granddaughter.

"Thank you, sisters and aunties. In a few days, we will have a feast, please come and have a few drinks." Lin Ziyin thanked everyone once again.

"Don’t be so formal, this is what an aunt should do." Mrs. Zhang responded with a laugh.

"We are sure to have a few more drinks at the banquet, it’s such a joyous occasion." Mrs. Bai also replied with a smile.

Just as they were engaged in conversation, the hour of the third watch arrived, and everyone gradually dispersed.

"In the future, having one child will be enough." On the way back, Chu Suifeng whispered in her ear.

Without even setting a wedding date, she was already thinking about having children. Lin Ziyin blushed and looked somewhat guilty as she glanced at Lin Changshu ahead.

Chu Suifeng pulled her closer again, "Childbirth is too painful for women."

Chapter 535: Chapter 535: The Terrifying Aspect of the Underdog (7)_1

Lin Ziyin immediately understood what he meant, realizing that he had been intimidated. Nevertheless, hearing him say this, Lin Ziyin’s mood rose as well. It was always a happy thing to have someone willing to consider your needs.

She obediently allowed Chu Suifeng to hug her and lead her forward. The servants, with their keen sense of hearing, had heard what Chu Suifeng had said. They were all secretly grinning in the darkness, amused by the sight of the prince speaking sweet words.

Ma Zhicai had some difficulties after entering the city. He roamed around the city for half a day, yet he did not find the contact person he was supposed to meet.

He had signaled his arrival according to the designated plan, waiting for someone to connect with him.

After wandering around for one day, he decided to stay put and booked a room in the same lodge.

He waited for three days. He did not have much silver with him, definitely not enough to cover his expenses in the Capital City. With each passing day during those three days, his impatience mounted. His uncle, Uncle Ma Erlang, and those disguised Tartars seemed to have vanished, and he couldn’t find a single soul.

Just when he was about to give up hope, Ma Erlang and his group finally appeared.

"What’s the matter? Speak." Ma Erlang led him into a Tianzi Room and carefully closed the door.

"I don’t have any silver." Instead of reporting important information, Ma Zhicai said something perplexing.

"You’re asking for death." The burly Tartar stretched out his hand and grabbed Ma Zhicai’s neck.

Ma Erlang was taken aback, but he could not avoid saving his nephew, "Sir, please forgive him, he is delirious and speaking nonsense."

The big-bearded man looked fierce, and the grip on his hand did not loosen at all. The expressions on the other Tartars’ faces were also very grim. Over the years, they had never been threatened by anyone, and now this skinny man dared to threaten them.

Did he really think that without him, they couldn’t accomplish anything?

"Zhicai, quickly apologize to the sir." On the other hand, Ma Erlang reprimanded Ma Zhicai anxiously, making discreet eye signals at him.

Ma Zhicai’s face was blue from lack of oxygen, but he remained stubborn, "Without money, I’m walking a dead-end road anyway."

What a brave kid! The faces of the Tartars became even grimmer.

Ma Erlang wished he could slap him awake. He was about to lose his life, and all this fool could think about was silver.

"Let him go." A young man ordered.

The big-bearded man glared fiercely at Ma Zhicai, then released his grip.

Once he was free, Ma Zhicai breathed in the fresh air strenuously.

They frowned at the sight of Ma Zhicai gasping for air like a dying fish.

"As long as the information you provide is valuable, silver isn’t a problem," said the young man, looking at him with a stern face and speaking slowly and deliberately.

Secretly delighted, Ma Zhicai had bet correctly. "The information is, of course, useful. Sir, please don’t blame me for being greedy. If I had other options, I wouldn’t have spoken so bluntly. I’ve offended the future princess of the Northern Land, how will I live in the future without silver?"

A princess in the Northern Land? The Tartars were surprised, as there hadn’t been any information about such a person in the past. Who could the princess consort of the Prince be?

They speculated and mentally sorted through all the daughters of aristocratic families of marrying age within Feng City.

Yet, this information did not concern them too much.

Ma Zhicai internally sneered. It was better that they weren’t interested. When they heard what he had to say, they would be shocked.

"Enough nonsense," the big-bearded man was short-tempered and reprimanded Ma Zhicai. He clearly didn’t want to hear any irrelevant talk.

"The princess whom the Prince intends to marry is a village girl from Shili Village." Ma Zhicai answered with a smile, his face visibly calmer. He was well aware of how important the information he was about to divulge would be.

"A village girl?" The young Tartar was indeed curious.

"Sir, this kid is dishonest, always bringing up irrelevant matters." The Tartars revered power, the big-bearded man was thoroughly disgusted by weak Ma Zhicai.

"Continue." The young Tartar was the leader of the group and had quickly realized that Ma Zhicai was about to reveal some crucial information.

"That village girl’s name is Lin Ziyin," Ma Zhicai licked his lips and spoke slowly, showing no sign of hurry.

"What? Lin Ziyin is to become the princess?" The surprised voice was from Ma Erlang.

The Tartars gave a glare at the surprised Ma Erlang. He immediately fell silent.

"Lin Ziyin is very capable, she has started many workshops in Shili Village." Ma Zhicai was indeed crafty, refusing to disclose all the critical information at once, but rather slowly revealing it instead.

"Sir, this kid is dishonest." The big-bearded man was irritated. They were scientists spying on the military deployment of the Prince, not here to listen to this pale-faced fool’s gossip.

"Keep talking." The young Tartar was getting impatient too.

Ma Zhicai seized the opportunity, "Sirs, do not underestimate that woman. She has successfully grown wheat, rice, and corn on the farms. Corn is a new type of grain, high yield and delicious, even more critical than wheat. Under her leadership, the Prince and Ding’an Temple have jointly managed to cultivate a few thousand acres of rice and corn. Even wheat was being grown on around a thousand acres. Apart from that, soybeans were also being grown. I hear that by the coming year, all the farms in the Northern Land will be growing rice and corn."