Prince Nolan was the first to notice something was wrong with Serena, but it was already too late...
To Serena, the pain in her brain and arm had lasted an eternity, knocking her out cold. But in reality, it happened in an instant—one moment she was crying out in agony, the next she collapsed, so quickly that no one could react.
"Serena, Serena! What’s wrong? Don’t scare me." Prince Nolan was completely flustered, gripping Serena’s hand tightly. His usually cold, expressionless face was now filled with panic and unease.
"Serena, wake up, come on, wake up!" Prince Nolan quickly pressed on Serena’s philtrum, but she still didn’t respond, lying motionless on the bed. If not for her faint breathing, she could have been mistaken for a corpse.
"Valley Master, imperial physicians, get in here—now!" Prince Nolan took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm, but damn it, he was in no state to be calm at all.
Wasn’t she just giving birth? How did things go so horribly wrong?
"This is bad, really bad—the Empress has fainted!" The midwife was so terrified she lost her composure. "Imperial physicians, hurry! Someone, help—the Empress has passed out!"
Fainting at this moment could mean both mother and child dying together. The midwife’s face turned ghostly pale—if not for the horrifying consequences, she might have fainted herself.
The midwife was scared out of her wits, but she still knew what was important. On instinct, she ordered the palace maids to pull over a blanket to cover Serena’s lower body…
The Valley Master and the waiting imperial physicians rushed in at the same time. The Valley Master was first to reach her; after taking her pulse, his face darkened. He quickly poured out a life-preserving pill and stuffed it into Serena’s mouth: "Her condition is very bad—Serena has suddenly collapsed for no apparent reason."
"If you don't extract the child, do you have another way?" Prince Nolan looked up, his gaze icy cold. The Valley Master met his eyes and immediately lowered his head. "No!"
"Then do as I said. Save the mother!" Even if Serena hated him for it, he would still choose to save her. He had no regrets.
"Yes." The Valley Master dared not say more and began discussing with the imperial physicians how to extract the child. While Prince Nolan was fully focused on Serena, the Valley Master quietly said to the imperial physicians, "Use the caesarean section method Her Majesty described before. If we operate carefully, we might still save the little prince."
"But... the little prince has been trapped in the birth canal for so long, I'm afraid..." The imperial physician hesitated, unable to finish his thought.
The chances of the child being born with cognitive impairment were extremely high. Did they really want to deliver him?
"Her Majesty would never wish harm on the little prince." The Valley Master was certain that even if the child was born impaired, Serena would still want him alive—better that than death.
"We'll do our best." The imperial physicians glanced at Prince Nolan, who was repeatedly checking Serena's breath, clearly unable to focus on anything else. They could only follow the Valley Master's instructions.
As long as Her Majesty lived, they would be safe. If she died, they would all be buried with her.
The Valley Master and imperial physicians began preparing the instruments for the caesarean section, unaware that Serena, unconscious, was battling death itself...
The Smart Med-Pack was linked directly to her brain, synchronized with her brainwaves. But now, with the Smart Med-Pack malfunctioning, Serena's mind was in chaos. If this continued, she would soon be no better than a vegetable.
The moment Serena lost consciousness, she knew things were bad, but she couldn't control anything. Her mind was a muddled mess; she couldn't even describe her own condition.
Just as Serena thought she was doomed, her mind suddenly cleared. She watched as the Smart Med-Pack severed its connection to her.
What was happening? Had the research institute destroyed the Smart Med-Pack, causing her current crisis?
The thought flashed by. Serena remembered she was in the middle of childbirth—she had no time to worry about the Smart Med-Pack. She had to wake up, or her child would die.
A fierce survival instinct flared within Serena. She heard Prince Nolan calling her name at her ear, heard Little Dumpling sobbing for his mother, felt the life of the child in her womb fading...
She couldn't die!
Her husband and her children needed her.
"I... can't..." Serena struggled to open her eyes, gritting her teeth, but her body still wouldn't respond. Her mind was clear, but her body wouldn't move.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready. We can extract the child now." The Valley Master spoke for the imperial physicians, signaling Prince Nolan to step aside so they could move Serena to the surgical platform.
Prince Nolan gripped Serena's hand tightly, his cold, hard face showing a flash of grief. "Serena, I'm sorry. There will be other children in the future." Enduring the pain, he forced himself to let go of her hand. But just then...
"No, you can't..." Serena weakly gripped Prince Nolan's hand, her voice trembling: "My child, my child!"
Serena's voice was soft and frail, but to Prince Nolan it was like heavenly music. Overjoyed, he cried out, "Serena, Serena, you're awake?"
"Her Majesty is awake! Thank goodness, Her Majesty is awake..." The imperial physicians and the midwife reacted instantly, rushing forward to check on Serena.
"Quick, slice the ginseng! Bring Her Majesty a bowl of hot broth!" The imperial physician wiped his sweat, finally able to relax inside.
As long as Her Majesty was awake, they wouldn't have to die.
She couldn't die!
Her husband and her children needed her.
"I... can't..." Serena struggled to open her eyes, gritting her teeth, but her body still wouldn't respond. Her mind was clear, but her body wouldn't move.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready. We can extract the child now." The Valley Master spoke for the imperial physicians, signaling Prince Nolan to step aside so they could move Serena to the surgical platform.
Prince Nolan gripped Serena's hand tightly, his cold, hard face showing a flash of grief. "Serena, I'm sorry. There will be other children in the future." Enduring the pain, he forced himself to let go of her hand. But just then...
"No, you can't..." Serena weakly gripped Prince Nolan's hand, her voice trembling: "My child, my child!"
Serena's voice was soft and frail, but to Prince Nolan it was like heavenly music. Overjoyed, he cried out, "Serena, Serena, you're awake?"
"Her Majesty is awake! Thank goodness, Her Majesty is awake..." The imperial physicians and the midwife reacted instantly, rushing forward to check on Serena.
"Quick, slice the ginseng! Bring Her Majesty a bowl of hot broth!" The imperial physician wiped his sweat, finally able to relax inside.
As long as Her Majesty was awake, they wouldn't have to die.