Traveling back to the Northern Song Dynasty: Picking up a princess as my wife

Before dawn, the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year was shrouded in a tranquil yet slightly chilly atmosphere.

At this moment, Li Zhen's heart felt as if it were being scorched by a raging fire. He paced anxiously outside the door, his gaze occasionally piercing through the thin mist to the tightly closed door, where a miracle and test of life was brewing.

From the deepest part of the night, Zhao Yingluo vaguely sensed something unusual surging within her body. That subtle yet intense premonition made her summon Li Zhen without hesitation, instructing him to quickly bring the experienced midwives to her side. This sudden urgency quietly awakened the entire mountain village from its slumber.

The news spread like wildfire, and even the usually composed Emperor Huizong could not contain his excitement. He hurriedly put on his coat, rose, and stepped through the snow-covered ground into the courtyard filled with tension and anticipation. Everyone sat together in the courtyard, the snowflakes gently falling, seemingly praying for the new life about to arrive. Their figures, in the silver-clad world, appeared exceptionally resolute and warm.

Inside the room, Zhao Yingluo's intermittent groans pierced through the heavy doors, striking the hearts of everyone present. Her voice held both fear of the unknown and a yearning for life, stirring a complex and indescribable emotion within Li Zhen.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If he had been more forceful in bringing Zhao Yingluo back to the modern world, she might have been spared this suffering and safely welcomed the arrival of her new life under the protection of a modern hospital.

"Wow...wow...wow.."

A baby's loud cry came from inside the house, and soon the tightly closed door was opened, and Sister-in-law Wang came out.

"Congratulations, Chief! It's a big, healthy boy!"

At that moment, Li Zhen's heartstrings seemed to be suddenly plucked by an invisible hand, and an indescribable emotion surged into his heart, causing his voice to tremble involuntarily: "Yingluo...is she alright?"

Just then, the delivery room door opened slightly, and the midwife stepped out with a beaming smile. Her voice was full of joy and relief: "Don't worry, sir, both mother and child are safe and sound. This is truly a joyous occasion. Congratulations on the addition of a new member to your family; may your blessings be long and prosperous."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhen's heart finally settled down. He breathed a sigh of relief, a look of relief and gratitude flashing in his eyes. He then said loudly, "Go and prepare immediately. Each woman who assists in childbirth will be rewarded with five taels of silver and given a plump pig's leg as a token of the Li family's gratitude."

These words not only affirmed the hard work of the midwives, but also revealed his deep joy and appreciation for the continuation of life.

The air around them seemed to soften because of this heartwarming scene. In the Li family's courtyard, joy and gratitude intertwined to create a touching picture that slowly unfolded in everyone's heart.

After a thorough tidying of the room, Li Zhen and Zhao Ji slowly entered the tranquil space. Their gazes fell simultaneously on the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), where Zhao Yingluo lay quietly, her face as pale as paper, and fine beads of sweat on her forehead seemed to tell of the hardships and difficulties she had just experienced.

Li Zhen's heart tightened suddenly, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection. He spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility:

"Yingluo, you've worked so hard, really, you've worked so hard."

Emperor Huizong of Song, the kind grandfather, was even more careful at this moment. He gently picked up the baby in his swaddling clothes. The little guy's pink face still had the bewilderment of someone who had just come into the world. His little mouth opened and closed, making a clear and loud cry, which was the most primitive movement of life.

A look of affection and hope shone in Zhao Ji's eyes as he turned to look at Li Zhen, his tone tinged with urgency and expectation:

“Li Zhen, this child is the continuation of our family and the hope for the future. Please think carefully and give him a name that has profound meaning and sounds beautiful.”

Upon hearing this, Li Zhen felt a complex mix of emotions—joy for the newborn, and deep gratitude and love for Zhao Yingluo. He hesitated for a moment, his gaze gently sweeping over Zhao Yingluo and the baby, as if searching for that purest and most beautiful inspiration. Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice firm yet warm:

"Let's call him 'Yuchen'. 'Yu' means shining brightly, and we hope he will be as successful as the sun at its zenith and have a bright future; 'Chen' refers to the emperor's residence, and we hope that he will have a vast world to conquer and achieve extraordinary things in the future. May Yuchen carry our love and expectations, grow up healthily, and bring glory to our family."

Upon hearing this, the room seemed to brighten with warmth. Zhao Ji nodded in satisfaction, and Zhao Yingluo, though weak, also showed a gratified smile, as if she could already see her child's glorious future.

Within the mountain stronghold, a wave of celebration swept through every corner. For three consecutive days, the feast continued, like a dreamlike celebration, weaving joy and hope into the most magnificent tapestry.

The air was filled with the aroma of wine and meat, and the table was laden with a dazzling array of delicacies, seemingly endless, filling the hearts of every villager with unprecedented satisfaction and joy.

Since the news spread like a spring breeze through the mountain village, the birth of the young master not only added a touch of new life to this land, but also planted seeds of hope in everyone's heart.

Although Li Zhen has always been the strongest pillar of support in the mountain stronghold, and his reputation is deeply ingrained in people's hearts, now, with the continuation of the Li family bloodline, that sense of security and belonging is becoming increasingly strong. People believe that this is not only the transmission of bloodline, but also a relay of strength and hope, allowing the future of the mountain stronghold to unfold in the light.

For three days, laughter and joy filled the air as villagers raised their glasses in celebration, their eyes sparkling with boundless anticipation for the future. They spoke of the birth of their young master, as if it were the most beautiful miracle in the world, bringing unprecedented comfort and encouragement to everyone's hearts. In this joy, the village's cohesion reached an unprecedented height; everyone joined hands, looking forward to an even more glorious and splendid tomorrow.

Just as the entire mountain stronghold was celebrating, Zhang Cheng from Anyang City delivered bad news: the Jin army from Puyang City had dispatched 30,000 troops, who were now heading towards Tangyin County.

Holding the secret letter in his hand, Li Zhen looked at the scenery outside the mountain stronghold and muttered to himself, "What's meant to happen will happen. Since we can't avoid it, let the storm rage on."

Li Zhen immediately summoned all the leaders of the stronghold and announced the news of the Jurchen invasion to the public.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. The joyful memories had not yet faded, but the looming threat of reality was already imminent. They knew that this was not just a crisis for Tangyin City, but a test of peace for the entire mountain stronghold and even a wider region.

So, the leaders of the stronghold, led by Li Zhen, discussed how to deal with the enemy. In the brightly lit council hall, discussions and debates rose and fell, but all revolved around the same core issue—how to resist the approaching Jin army's iron hooves with minimal losses, to protect this land irrigated with blood and sweat, and to safeguard that unshakable freedom and dignity.

As night deepened, no one in the mountain village slept. In everyone's heart burned an inextinguishable flame: a love for their homeland, a yearning for peace, and an unyielding spirit of resistance against the invaders.