Chapter 199: Detachment

The baby’s cries rang out sharply.

But they quickly disappeared.

Was it because it was a baby girl and was dealt with?

Bai Li pressed herself tightly against the crevice of the rockery, feeling the dream instantly detach.

The palace in front of her was surrounded by constantly falling water, winds rising from all sides, and birds and insects retreating.

Zhang Ze was indeed here, and he was indeed heavily guarded, with warlocks who were proficient in illusionary techniques.

Bai Li reached out and pinched a piece of gravel from the rockery. If she couldn’t use others or objects to manipulate dreams, then she, the real person, had to break in herself, to personally weave a grand dream for them.

Even if it alarmed the Imperial Bell, it didn’t matter.

What bullshit Imperial Bell, didn’t it see these people harming women and infants? Were only imperial heirs considered human?

Fine, then she would let these people go mad.

These people’s actions were more terrifying than those of madmen!

But as the thought flashed through her mind, someone walked out of the hall.

Zhang Ze looked around. The soldiers surrounded him, while warlocks stood in front and behind. One held a bowl of water, occasionally flicking water droplets with his fingers, another held a palm-leaf fan and swayed it, and the last one held a stick of incense, the white smoke from which drifted and dispersed in the night.

“Nothing unusual.” They said.

Zhang Ze looked down at his arms, a thick cloak wrapped around his body: “Let’s go.”

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The woman’s screams in the dark night disappeared.

Had she given birth?

Zhou Jingyun looked towards Hanliang Palace, but there was no baby’s cry, and no one ran out to report the good news to the Emperor.

The next moment, the woman’s moans sounded again, mixed with “Your Ladyship, push harder!” “Quickly bring ginseng slices!”

The sounds of people and footsteps in Hanliang Palace were even more chaotic than before.

She still hadn’t given birth?

Was it a difficult labor?

Zhou Jingyun thought, and suddenly saw a eunuch hurriedly running out of the hall.

Wang Degui.

Zhou Jingyun recognized him at a glance, the most trusted eunuch by Bai Ying’s side.

Why did he come out at the most critical moment of Bai Ying’s labor?

Wang Degui, wrapped in a thick cloak, looked panicked, glancing around frantically, then hurried off in one direction.

Zhou Jingyun’s eyes narrowed.

That wasn’t where the Emperor was.

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The sound of chaotic footsteps broke the silence of the night. The Imperial Guards on patrol looked over and saw Zhang Ze surrounded by soldiers.

“Inspector.” The Imperial Guards saluted.

Their gazes fell on the three men beside Zhang Ze, their attire and strange movements different from the soldiers…

Even at this moment, their movements didn’t stop. One of the men even sprinkled water droplets onto the faces of the Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards subconsciously took a step back and placed their hands on their swords.

Although the Emperor had ordered Zhang Ze to be on guard duty at Hanliang Palace tonight, for the Imperial City Guards, their duty wasn’t just to one Consort Bai.

“This is for Consort Bai’s childbirth, to prevent any strange occurrences.” Zhang Ze explained to the Imperial Guards, then asked the three warlocks, “Is there anything amiss?”

The three warlocks all said no.

At this moment, everything before their eyes was real.

Zhang Ze’s gaze swept over these Imperial Guards, then looked around. There was no one else on this road. Oh, there was a palace maid by the roadside tending to a palace lantern, standing on tiptoe to light it…

“Go check it out.” Zhang Ze frowned and said.

A soldier responded “Yes,” walked over, and questioned the palace maid. The palace maid hurriedly lowered her head to untie her identification token and handed it to the soldier.

Zhang Ze saw the soldier looking at the identification token and then at the palace maid. The palace maid raised her head…

“Inspector, Inspector—”

A voice came from ahead.

Zhang Ze looked up and saw Wang Degui rushing over from the direction of Hanliang Palace, wrapped in a cloak, shoulders hunched, figure stooped, expression panicked.

“You must go and see, Your Ladyship is having a difficult labor, please send in a few more imperial physicians…”

Difficult labor?

Zhang Ze frowned and strode forward.

Wang Degui reached out to him, “Quickly give me the child.”

Zhang Ze subconsciously lifted his cloak. Suddenly, a shout rang out beside his ear, “The smoke is straight!”

The smoke is straight?

Zhang Ze’s movement froze. In his line of sight, he saw a wisp of white smoke rising straight up.

The warlock had said that when real incense is lit, the smoke is scattered and lively. In an illusion, the shape of the smoke can be fabricated, but because it’s fake, the smoke can only be stiff and straight.

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Fake!

Zhang Ze’s heart skipped a beat. His hand, which had lifted the cloak, didn’t stop. He reached for a knife at his waist, drew it out, and without hesitation, slashed at Wang Degui, who was reaching out in front of him.

With a flash of the blade, there was no scream, no wail, no blood splattering, only emptiness.

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The sound of footsteps was chaotic.

Wang Degui, who was rushing over, treading on the shadows cast by the lights, couldn’t help but pause, looking nervously ahead.

Over there was where the Censorate held the palace maids and eunuchs involved in the Empress’s case. It was under Zhang Ze’s control, so now it was also used to accommodate those…

As the footsteps approached, Wang Degui saw four or five soldiers, three men with strange movements, and surrounded in the middle…

Zhang Ze!

Wang Degui was overjoyed, “Inspector!”

He shouted loudly yet in a hushed tone.

Zhang Ze looked over, and the soldiers’ torches illuminated Wang Degui.

“Why did you come out?” Zhang Ze frowned.

“Inspector!” Wang Degui’s voice trembled, “Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship, she’s having a difficult labor.”

Zhang Ze asked in a low voice, “Is it truly a difficult labor or…”

Previously, they had agreed on a code word. If a baby girl was born, they would say “difficult labor.” Wang Degui said with a trembling voice, “Baby girl.”

Although he was prepared, the actual birth of a baby girl made him nervous, especially since they were about to do something as treacherous as swapping the babies.

As he spoke, he looked at his tightly wrapped arms.

“It’s fine, everything is ready.” Zhang Ze said.

Wang Degui looked up and saw that Zhang Ze was also wrapped in a thick cloak. At this moment, he raised his hand and opened it slightly…

Wang Degui saw a swaddled baby strapped to Zhang Ze’s chest.

“The child!” He couldn’t help but take a step forward, “Is it…”

Zhang Ze nodded and reached out to untie the swaddling clothes, “A baby boy.” He said as he handed it over, “Give me the baby girl. You quickly take this baby boy back and immediately report the good news to His Majesty.”

Wang Degui responded “Yes,” his hands and feet trembling as he frantically opened his cloak, revealing the baby girl wrapped in a red swaddling blanket inside.

A pair of hands reached out and took the baby girl away.

Wang Degui only felt his hands empty, his heart panicking, the light and shadows before his eyes blurring.

“The child, the child.” He stammered.

The next moment, a swaddled baby was thrust into his arms.

“Hold it tight, go quickly, don’t keep Your Ladyship waiting.”

Zhang Ze said.

Looking at his calm face, Wang Degui’s panicked heart also calmed down.

He lowered his head and saw the baby in his arms, a fair and clean baby boy. He couldn’t help but smile.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go now, Your Ladyship can rest assured.”

He said as he wrapped his cloak tightly and turned to run away with large strides.

Your Ladyship has a baby boy, His Majesty has an heir to carry on the bloodline, the Great Zhou has its next emperor, Your Ladyship has become the mother of the new emperor, Your Ladyship will rule the world as the mother of the emperor!

The flames of the stone pillar lamp flickered, illuminating the eunuch who had fallen asleep against it, the smile on his face growing wider and wider.

Under the illumination of the lights, there was no chaotic figure, only one person.

She held the swaddled baby, her body somewhat stiff.

Actually, she had never held a baby before, especially such a small one.

Even wrapped in a blanket, she could feel the tiny, soft bundle.

Was she holding it correctly? Wouldn’t she hurt the child?

However, this child seemed quite calm, actually sleeping.

Bai Li lowered her head and reached out a finger to lift a corner, seeing the tiny, wrinkled face, the size of a fist…

“You can still sleep.” She whispered, “Your mother doesn’t want you.”

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but laugh, her expression a mix of smugness and pity.

“I took my mother’s life, so I was born without a mother. You’re hindering your mother’s future, so you’re abandoned by your mother.”

“Your luck is even worse than mine.”

Went out, wrote half a chapter.