Chapter 198: Waiting for Birth
The cries of mourning in the funeral hall were a bit more chaotic than before. It seemed that they would forget while crying, and then remember to continue crying the next moment.
Even while crying, the consorts would occasionally exchange glances, speculating whether Bai Ying had given birth, what she would give birth to, and even whether she could give birth safely…
The officials wrapped in cloaks and sitting under the corridor outside the funeral hall were also whispering from time to time. Their expressions were no longer pretending to be sad, but rather frowning, or relaxed, and even many with anticipation.
“I hope she’ll give birth to a boy in one fell swoop.”
“It should be a boy. Didn’t they say that Xuanyangzi had seen and confirmed it?”
“It’s time for a prince. The inheritance of the country is imminent.”
“Don’t say that. His Majesty is in his prime.”
“Yes, it’s not that there are no princes. The Emperor’s Grandson…”
“What does Duke Han mean?”
“No, nothing… It’s really cold. I’ll stand up and walk around.”
“Report—”
Amidst the noisy discussion, the eunuch from Hanliang Palace ran over. Every half an hour, he would come to report on Consort Bai’s condition.
The Emperor’s voice came urgently from inside: “Come in quickly, how is it?”
The discussions of the officials and the crying of the consorts all stopped, and everyone pricked up their ears to listen.
“The amniotic fluid has already broken. Consort Bai is in good condition. She just ate a bowl of egg custard to gather strength.”
The Emperor repeatedly said, “Good, good, good.”
But the eunuch didn’t leave yet. He said again, “Your Majesty, the Consort said not to worry, and to tell the Empress that this child is still born for her.”
The Emperor was both relieved and sad: “Even at this time, she still remembers these things.” He nodded repeatedly again, “Good, good, tell her, I know.”
The eunuch then excused himself and flew back to Hanliang Palace.
The Emperor asked the people beside him again, “Is the lucky bag given by Xuanyangzi hung up properly? Is the Imperial Bell in place?”
There had been hauntings by Empress Jiang’s ghost in the palace before, and now it was the Empress’s funeral. Bai Ying was giving birth at this time. Although the Imperial Bell had been moved over there, and it could suppress all evil, the Emperor was still very uneasy and asked someone to invite Xuanyangzi to personally preside over the situation.
Xuanyangzi refused, only saying that he would offer incense and prayers before the Holy Ancestor. He also sent a lucky bag.
The original Grand Eunuch Gao Shi’er was involved in the Yang family case and was also taken away. The one serving by his side at this time was a young eunuch. Hearing the Emperor’s question, he immediately answered eloquently, “It has been arranged according to Your Majesty’s instructions long ago. Your Majesty, please rest assured.” He said, holding up the tea soup on the side, “Your Majesty, warm up your body. Don’t let Consort Bai worry.”
The Emperor wanted to laugh a little. Even at this time, Bai Ying still cared about him. His mood improved a lot, and he ordered that late-night snacks be served to the consorts and officials who were keeping vigil.
Looking at the hot tea soup sent by the imperial kitchen, Zhou Jingyun stood up and walked outside.
“Where is the Marquis’s Heir going?” an official asked.
Zhou Jingyun turned his head and said, “To relieve myself.”
Another official who heard this laughed, “Look at what you’re asking. The Marquis’s Heir is also human, he has three urgencies.”
Zhou Jingyun didn’t turn his head again, heading towards the washroom, but when he reached a dark corner where no one noticed, he stopped and looked towards Hanliang Palace.
Compared to the gradually ceasing crying in the funeral hall, the night there faintly carried moans that sounded like crying and shouting.
He was very familiar with this imperial city.
Especially Hanliang Palace.
That was Empress Jiang’s favorite place. The late Emperor’s banquets and Empress Jiang’s regency were all held there.
Although logically speaking, Bai Ying’s childbirth had nothing to do with him, he still wanted to go and see, or rather, see what they would do.
Zhou Jingyun turned his steps and disappeared into the night.
…….
…….
Bai Li was hidden under a rockery. She was not familiar with the imperial city and did not know where she was now.
After entering the imperial city, she followed the scent all the way, looking for those pregnant women.
This was a palace that was not too big. The lights were dim, and the doors and windows were tightly closed. Occasionally, she saw figures moving inside, and faintly heard moans that sounded like crying and laughing.
Several guards stood outside the palace, chatting in low voices with a relaxed and comfortable demeanor.
“…The Empress has been buried, and the Yang family has also been escorted out of the capital. Those imprisoned in the palace will be dealt with soon.”
“Yes, it’s estimated that in three days at most, we can withdraw.”
“How do you think these people will be dealt with?”
“How else can they be dealt with? Regardless of whether they are members of the Yang family’s faction or not, they cannot stay in the imperial city. Those with good fortune will be sent to do hard labor, and those with bad fortune will be buried with the Empress.”
It sounded like a place where criminals were imprisoned, and it looked very casual, but Bai Li hid behind the rockery and held her breath, not moving. If she were the dry bushes in front of the palace in winter, she could perceive the guards hidden among them. If she were a bird flying by at night, she could overlook the figures of the guards crawling on the roof. If she were a mouse crawling along the corner of the wall, she could smell the blood coming from the cracks in the bricks on the wall…
With a splash, it seemed that blood was being poured on the ground, accompanied by a hoarse scream from a woman, and the cry of a baby.
“A baby girl.”
“Take it away.”
“Next.”
The mouse clinging to the wall was attracted by the strong smell of blood and desperately tried to burrow into the cracks in the bricks. The light in front of it became brighter and brighter, and the next moment it was blocked by a figure that suddenly appeared.
“…There are two more… Inspector, should we induce labor now, or wait a little longer?”
Hearing a palace woman’s inquiry, Zhang Ze looked at the pregnant woman lying on the wooden bed.
The pregnant woman was already sweating profusely, breathing rapidly.
“Induce,” Zhang Ze said, “There may be a difference between a baby born in one or two days, but there is no difference between one hour and two hours.”
As he spoke, the palace woman responded and walked towards the pregnant woman with the medicine bowl in her hand. Suddenly, her feet went soft. She subconsciously lowered her head and saw a big mouse looking up at her, its eyes red.
The palace woman screamed, and the medicine bowl in her hand fell to the ground.
“Mouse! Mouse!” she shouted.
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The other people in the room subconsciously looked at the ground, and sure enough, they saw a, no, it seemed like many mice scurrying around…
Once used to imprison criminals, torture flesh and blood, and filled with filth and urine, even the imperial palace would attract mice.
There was a moment of chaos in the room. Some people were swatting at the mice, some were dodging in panic, and the table with various instruments and medicinal soups was instantly overturned with a crash.
Zhang Ze stood among them, watching the scene, his expression annoyed, but the next moment he frowned, feeling that something was wrong. Just as he was about to say something, with a splash, water poured in from all directions.
The people in the room who were in chaos because of the mice subconsciously raised their hands to cover their heads, but as they did so, the noise disappeared, and at the same time, there was no water pouring down on their heads, only dots of ice falling on the backs of their hands and heads.
“It’s not real mice, it’s an illusion.”
A voice rang out at the same time.
Zhang Ze put down his raised sleeve, and his vision cleared. Looking at the ground again, although there were splashes of dirt, there were no mice scurrying around.
He looked at the two men in the room holding bowls of water.
These were the sorcerers he had gathered from the Jianghu and kept by his side just in case. As expected!
The two men each had a finger dipped in water. Obviously, they had only sprinkled a little water just now, not poured a whole bucket.
“Inspector, the easiest way to break an illusion is to create wind and water.” they said.
Zhang Ze smiled coldly, “As expected, you still haven’t given up.”
Needless to say, it must be Empress Jiang’s remnants again, taking advantage of the Empress’s death and Consort Bai’s childbirth to stir up trouble.
Did they think that just because he didn’t have the Imperial Bell and the talismans given by the Temple of the Holy Ancestor here, they would have a chance? Did they think he wasn’t prepared at all?
There were people in this world who knew illusions, and naturally there were others who knew illusions as well.
“Go and break it!”
With Zhang Ze’s order, the two sorcerers let out a sharp whistle outside.
The guards who were chatting and laughing outside instantly became like wooden sculptures, motionless. There was a crashing sound from the roof, buckets of water poured down, and in the open space in front of the palace, guards were waving large fans in all directions, a strong wind sweeping through the night.
Accompanied by the noise outside, the pregnant woman’s moans inside suddenly increased.
“Inspector, she’s about to give birth,” a palace woman said happily.
Although the medicine for inducing labor had been knocked over, the pregnant woman still went into labor early.
Zhang Ze ignored the outside and looked at the pregnant woman on the wooden bed, “I hope you’re lucky.”
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The woman’s sharp roar pierced the silence of the night.
Zhou Jingyun stood under a corner of the palace wall, looking at Hanliang Palace in front of him. He had never actually seen a pregnant woman give birth. So giving birth would make people cry out in such pain.
Being a mother was not easy.
He thought of his own mother, and of Bai Li’s mother.
Bai Li said that her mother died in childbirth.
No matter what, Zhou Jingyun looked ahead, hoping that Bai Ying would be lucky.
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✿✿✿
Pain, pain, pain.
Bai Ying grabbed the bed board, raised her head and screamed, tears streaming down her face, full of grievance, anger, and fear.
So giving birth was this painful.
Would she die?
Mother died!
Mother was killed by her younger sister!
“I don’t want to give birth anymore,” she screamed, grabbing the palace woman next to her, “Get rid of it quickly, get rid of it quickly!”
The palace woman was sweating profusely, her arm almost broken by Bai Ying. She couldn’t help but let out a cry of pain, “Your Majesty, push hard, push hard—”
No, no, Bai Ying wanted to shout, but now she couldn’t help but not want to. The pain made her push hard, and scream again.
With a scream, her body felt lighter, and the palace woman’s joyful shout rang out.
“She’s given birth!”
Bai Ying collapsed on the bed, her ears buzzing. Was it over? Was she still alive?
With two slaps, the baby’s cry rang out, and the next moment the baby’s cry disappeared again, as if someone had covered its mouth with their hand.
“What’s wrong?” Bai Ying was startled and asked weakly, “Wang Degui—the child—”
Wang Degui tremblingly held up a naked baby and walked forward, covering the baby’s face with one hand. The baby’s originally loud cry became muffled.
He said tremblingly, “Your Majesty, please hold on for a while longer.”
Holding on for a while longer meant pretending that she hadn’t given birth yet and continuing to give birth…
Bai Ying looked at the little baby that was held up, red and wrinkled, struggling. The small face was covered by Wang Degui’s hand, and she couldn’t see what it looked like, but she could see the gender.
Bai Ying’s pale face instantly flushed red: “I’m so angry—”
How could it be a baby girl!
Her luck was too bad!
