Serena Feng was truly exhausted this time—she slept for a full two days before waking. If the Valley Master hadn’t repeatedly assured Prince Nolan that Serena was fine and only overtired, Nolan would definitely have turned the entire Imperial Medical Directorate upside down.
The first thing Serena did upon waking was ask about her precious daughter. Only after confirming her baby girl was perfectly fine did she relax and begin checking her own body.
But as soon as she checked, a problem appeared: the Smart Med‑Pack wouldn’t start!
There was no reason or explanation—the Smart Med‑Pack wasn’t broken, but she simply couldn’t use it anymore. The screen would light up, but whenever she tried to operate it, a cold prompt appeared: No usage permission!
No usage permission meant the Smart Med‑Pack had unbound itself from her.
How was that possible?
"Could it be that the sharp pain in my head during labor was the Smart Med‑Pack severing its link with me?" Serena frowned, took off the Smart Med‑Pack, and studied it for a long time, but couldn’t figure out anything. In the end, she had to give up…
She wasn’t a researcher—she only knew how to use it, not how to repair it.
Afterwards, when Serena told Prince Nolan about the Smart Med‑Pack, he broke out in a cold sweat and immediately forbade her from ever touching it again—even if it somehow recovered, she was not to use it.
No matter how good that thing was, as long as it endangered Serena’s safety, Prince Nolan would never allow her to use it.
"What a shame. Aside from the AK‑47, I didn’t manage to get anything else out." Serena was truly heartbroken, but no amount of regret could change things. Without being able to activate the Smart Med‑Pack, it was just a display piece now—she could only lock it away.
While Serena slept for two days, Prince Nolan skipped morning court for two days as well. He issued an edict: from now on, whenever a legal wife gives birth, her husband may take three days’ leave to accompany her.
Of course, when Prince Nolan said 'wife,' he didn’t mean all those messy concubines. He didn’t mind if officials kept concubines—he couldn’t expect everyone to be like him—but concubines weren’t included in the leave.
Prince Nolan’s move was warmly welcomed by all the legal wives. None of them expected every man to be as devoted as the emperor, but they did hope their husbands would give them enough respect.
This edict gave legal wives and their children real dignity, making them overjoyed. A few stodgy censors submitted memorials, claiming the emperor was violating the sages’ teachings—only for their own wives to erupt before Prince Nolan could even respond.
What, you won’t accompany your legal wife during childbirth—are you planning to keep your concubine company instead? Favoring concubines over wives—have you learned nothing from the sages?
What kind of logic is that… The censors wanted to explain, but their wives wouldn’t listen at all. Reasoning with women was just asking for trouble.
With their wives raising a fuss at home, those censors ended up coming to admit fault, heads hung low, never daring to say another word.
In fact, ever since Serena was made empress, the status of Eastlyn’s women had quietly risen. It wasn’t because Prince Nolan issued an edict, nor did Serena start any feminist movement—it was simply that women themselves started to see things clearly.
Just think of what Her Majesty the Empress went through back then.
Orphaned and humiliated on her wedding day—if it were any of them, they’d have given up long ago. But Her Majesty the Empress didn’t collapse or seek death; she grew step by step, right through all the slander.
Her Majesty reached this point partly thanks to the emperor, but even more because she never gave up on herself.
If the empress could endure so much hardship, what were their little troubles in comparison?
If your husband is no good, or your son is unfilial—just ignore them. Life is what you make it. And if things really don’t work out, why not get a divorce?
After being cast aside by the Seventh Prince, Her Majesty still married the emperor. They knew they’d never match the empress, but surely, after divorce, they could live off their own dowries, right?
Between men and women, it’s always one side pressing the other. Now that women don’t care about unworthy husbands and have learned to be ruthless, those men who treat their wives like decorations and show no respect are finally getting what they deserve.
Even if those men don’t value their wives, they never imagined getting divorced. At their age, a scandalous separation would be utterly humiliating.
Marriage is a push and pull—when women stop backing down, their status naturally rises.
With Prince Nolan’s new childbirth leave, every wife is thrilled. Who wouldn’t want the child’s father by her side when she’s risking her life to give birth?
"This order of yours is truly beyond reproach." Serena leaned against Prince Nolan, teasing the adorable baby in her arms.
"Helping others helps yourself." Prince Nolan gathered Serena and their daughter into his arms, idly playing with Serena’s dark hair. Seeing the baby blowing bubbles, Nolan was moved—he gently poked her cheek, making her mouth crumple as she was about to cry…
"You…" Serena quickly slapped away Nolan’s mischievous hand, shot him a glare, and rocked the baby, coaxing, "Good girl, don’t cry, don’t cry."
Nolan obediently withdrew his hand, not daring to upset his little princess again. The baby babbled a bit, then quietly closed her eyes.
Looking at the baby—whose features so resembled Serena—Nolan’s heart softened. He once again hugged Serena and their daughter close…
He would protect Serena and their daughter, never letting his treasures suffer—and of course, he wouldn’t allow anyone to covet them.
Nolan’s attitude toward Little Dumpling and the baby princess couldn’t have been more different. He was happy to show off Little Dumpling’s cleverness to the whole world, but absolutely refused to let anyone see his precious daughter.
Serena had suffered greatly giving birth to their daughter, her health badly damaged. Using Serena’s need for rest as an excuse, Nolan refused all visitors—including William Wang Jinling and Sean Xuan.
As for General Warren Yu and Felix Fuller, they didn’t even dare speak up. The moment the idea crossed their minds, a single cold look from Nolan shut them down.
Nolan outright barred Dorian Owen from returning, lest he make the princess cry—Nolan hadn’t forgotten how Dorian once made Little Dumpling bawl.
And as for Simon Sun?
Nolan simply had Titus of Lyndaria keep Simon Sun tied up, refusing to let him return.
In short, Nolan did everything possible to keep others from seeing his precious daughter—his son was the only exception.
"My princess isn’t someone just anyone can see." That was what Nolan told William Wang Jinling.
"What about her full-month celebration?" William wasn’t discouraged—if he couldn’t see her now, surely he could in a month.
"No banquet for the full-month."
"What about her first birthday? Still no banquet?" William smiled pleasantly, not the least bit annoyed.
"No banquet!" Nolan replied coolly.
"No problem. Once Serena’s confinement ends, I’ll invite her to drink wine and admire plum blossoms." William rose, brushed off his robes, and left—of course, not forgetting to salute the emperor on his way out.
He wasn’t angry—he just didn’t believe Eastlyn’s Ninth could hide Serena’s daughter forever!