TERTSGTGBFC Chapter 33

When Pei Lanqing woke up, it was already dawn of the next day. Xiao Linye was unusually absent, and he didn’t know where he had gone.

His body still felt somewhat fatigued, but having finally received nourishment, his spirit had improved significantly.

 

However, sharp contractions in his abdomen signaled the onset of labor.

 

“Mmm—” Pei Lanqing cradled his belly, whispering to the child inside, “Good child, don’t rush. Just a little longer.”

 

But just then, he heard frantic footsteps approaching the hall. It was Tian Rui, who had secretly rushed in and knelt before his bed, exclaiming, “Imperial Consort! Something terrible has happened!”

 

“Your Majesty has replaced the entire Imperial City guard with Prince Li’s recommended men. He has also imprisoned Father and Son Song and placed the Crown Prince under house arrest in the Eastern Palace!”

 

“How could this happen!” Pei Lanqing’s heart burned with anxiety. He struggled to sit up, but the pain in his abdomen intensified. Closing his eyes to endure the agony, he leaned on Tian Rui for support. “Quick, take me to see Ye’er!”

 

They hurried to the front hall, where they found Xiao Linye sitting motionless at his dragon desk, completely unresponsive.

 

Pei Lanqing rushed to Xiao Linye’s side, cupping his face in his hands and forcing him to look at him. “Ye’er, what’s wrong? Look at me!”

 

At that moment, Prince Li strolled over, a contemptuous look on his face as he surveyed Xiao Linye. He placed a hand on Pei Lanqing’s shoulder and said, “Grand Tutor, save your energy.”

 

“It’s a pity that Imperial Brother was so devoted to you. That secret medicine took so many days to fully take effect and control him.”

 

Seeing no response from Xiao Linye, Pei Lanqing clutched his stomach, slowly leaning against him. He raised his eyes to meet Prince Li’s gaze. “It must have been difficult for you to scheme for so many years, finally finding your opportunity.”

 

“This secret medicine—did you mix it with the poisoned arrows during the autumn hunt?”

 

“The Grand Tutor is truly clever,” Prince Li clapped his hands, abandoning his usual obsequiousness. He looked down at Pei Lanqing with arrogant disdain. “The poison was merely a smokescreen to temporarily conceal the medicine’s effects.”

 

“Your Medicinal Gu can cure the poison, but it can’t counteract this secret medicine.”

 

The pain in Pei Lanqing’s stomach intensified, leaving him no time for further conversation. Prince Li watched him, shaking his head. “Grand Tutor, if you had known this day would come, would you have regretted choosing Xiao Linye back then?”

 

“But regret is useless now—after all these years of lying in wait, Great Qi is finally mine!”

 

As Prince Li spoke, the generals he controlled marched in from outside the hall and knelt at his feet.

 

Prince Li gazed at them with satisfaction, then turned to Xiao Linye, still oblivious behind the dragon throne. He commanded, “Imperial Brother, issue the abdication decree!”

 

Xiao Linye stiffly raised his hand and began writing on the blank decree. Pei Lanqing tried several times to grasp his hand, but Xiao Linye’s strength was too great. He could only watch helplessly as the decree took shape.

 

When the imperial seal finally fell, Prince Li leaned forward eagerly, snatching the decree from Xiao Linye’s grasp. But as he leaned in close, he felt a sudden chill at his neck. Crimson blood gushed forth like a fountain, soaking the decree he had yet to claim.

 

“You… you…”

 

He clutched his neck in panic, stumbling backward. But the last thing he saw was Xiao Linye’s hawk-like gaze.

 

Father and Son Song, along with Xiao Yuquan, led their troops to break down the palace doors. In an instant, they had seized control of the situation within the hall. Pei Lanqing was both terrified and overjoyed, staring at Xiao Linye behind him: “Ye’er?!”

 

Xiao Linye’s eyes were now clear and lucid. He swiftly bent down to scoop Pei Lanqing into his arms, anxiously checking his condition: “Grand Tutor, are you still in pain?”

 

“I’m sorry for making you worry in such a critical moment!”

 

Pei Lanqing simply shook his head. After enduring such a dramatic emotional rollercoaster, he could only cling tightly to Xiao Linye’s neck: “I’m fine, as long as you’ve returned. As long as you’ve returned…”

 

But even as he spoke, the child within him could wait no longer. Seeing this, Xiao Linye quickly carried Pei Lanqing back to the inner chamber, shouting urgently, “Summon Imperial Physician Feng at once!”

 

By the time Xiao Linye laid Pei Lanqing on the bed, the pain had become so intense that Pei Lanqing could only lie in his arms, yet he still refused to let go of Xiao Linye’s hand.

 

Xiao Linye kissed Pei Lanqing repeatedly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Following the experience of their previous two births, he gently massaged Pei Lanqing’s abdomen: “Grand Tutor, don’t be afraid! I’ve remembered everything now. I’ll never forget you again!”

 

Hearing Xiao Linye’s words, Pei Lanqing finally let go of his inner turmoil and cooperated with him, pushing with all his might.

 

Fortunately, Pei Lanqing had been meticulously cared for throughout his pregnancy. Aside from a few days of worry near the end, he had encountered no major setbacks, and his labor progressed smoothly.

 

By the time Imperial Physician Feng rushed in, the baby’s head was already visible. Under his guidance, the child was delivered safely and soundly…

 

+++++

 

After the delivery, Pei Lanqing remained surprisingly alert. He leaned wearily against the headboard, gazing at his newborn fourth son swaddled in a blanket. Xiao Linye gently cradled him, blowing on the medicinal broth to cool it before feeding it to Pei Lanqing.

 

“When did you regain consciousness, Ye’er?” Pei Lanqing swallowed the broth, allowing Xiao Linye to wipe the medicine stains from his lips. His voice was still hoarse.

 

Xiao Linye set down the bowl, his eyes filled with apology as he looked at the man in his arms. “Actually, I’ve had intermittent flashes of awareness all along, but I couldn’t maintain full consciousness. Only when I was near the Grand Tutor could I sense that I was being controlled.”

 

“I truly regained full consciousness last night, after… after what happened with the Grand Tutor. That’s when everything clicked into place. I immediately notified Father and Son Song and set this plan in motion overnight.”

 

“When Prince Li brought the memorial this morning, I saw the Grand Tutor was still asleep. I wanted to settle things quickly, before you woke up. So I went ahead myself and secretly had people guard the inner palace to prevent any news from disturbing you.” Xiao Linye shook his head, a mixture of regret and amusement in his voice. “The situation was urgent, and I didn’t want too many people to know, so I didn’t tell Tian Rui. Who would have thought that after all these years in the palace, he’d know all the hidden passages? He must have thought I was under Prince Li’s control and meant to harm Quan’er. He risked sneaking past the guards to reach you and take you to my place.”

 

Eunuch Tianrui had only meant to be loyal, but his good intentions had backfired, leading to the disastrous situation that unfolded.

 

Xiao Linye held Pei Lanqing close, his head bowed as he kissed him. “In the end, it was my oversight. I failed to see that beast Prince Li’s wolfish ambition all these years. Today, I’ve caused the Grand Tutor to suffer so much. Punish me, Grand Tutor!”

 

Pei Lanqing knew how perilous the situation had been. How could he blame Xiao Linye? Moreover, Xiao Linye had been poisoned with a secret drug these past few days, yet he had repeatedly fought through its effects for Pei Lanqing’s sake. How could Pei Lanqing not be heartbroken?

 

Pei Lanqing simply smiled and extended his hand toward Xiao Linye, gesturing for him to open his palm and place it in his.

 

“Grand Tutor, what are you doing?” Xiao Linye asked curiously, yet he felt an inexplicable familiarity in this situation. He watched as Pei Lanqing picked up the handle of the spoon he had just used to drink his medicine, pretending it was a ruler, and lightly tapped Xiao Linye’s hand three times.

 

Then, as if by unspoken agreement, both men raised their eyes, their gazes meeting across time. They were transported back to their youth, to the days spent together in the Hall of Literary Glory, sharing a silent, knowing smile.

 

Xiao Linye withdrew his hand and wrapped his arms around Pei Lanqing’s waist, pulling him close. “So, Grand Tutor, does this count as punishment?”

 

Pei Lanqing closed his eyes, leaning against the warm, solid embrace behind him. This was the young man he had once taught, the emperor he admired and revered, the father of his children, and the anchor of his life. “I never said that…”

 

Xiao Linye leaned in and kissed Pei Lanqing’s cheek, their breaths mingling softly, their identities blurring together. “Then, Grand Tutor, take your time to think about it. There’s no rush.”

 

After all, they had this lifetime—to love, to cling to each other, and to grow old together.

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T/N: And that’s a wrap for our journey together through this wholesome little gem! 💕
Overflowing with fluff, it honestly felt like the author was gently smacking the faces of us mpreg lovers, going, “Three pregnancies — satisfied now?” 😂

Though short, this story was sweet and heartwarming, and I genuinely enjoyed every bit of translating it. I hope you all had just as much fun reading it too! If you noticed anything off — translations, typos, or context — feel free to point it out.
(Chinese and English aren’t my native languages, so thank you in advance for your patience!) 🙇‍♀️💖

Now then… I’m already diving into a new translation, so I hope you stick around for the next ride! If you have any recommendations or wishlists, feel free to drop them.

See you soon~ muah muah 💋💋