Chapter 204: Child
Bai Li looked at the woman before her. It was different from the palace banquet; they weren’t separated by the barrier of one being outside the well while the other was trapped inside.
She and the woman were now separated by a door frame.
Her hand rested on the frame. With a push, the other person would be outside the door. Another push, and the person would be inside, vanishing into the depths of her mind.
She was the master of this door.
As expected, the one she summoned herself was different from those woven and sent in by others.
When she saw that Zhang Ze was going to investigate the palace gates, she knew that once he gave the order, ordinary people like Zhou Jingyun, carrying a child, would definitely be discovered immediately. To stop Zhang Ze, she could only bring out the person he “cared” about most.
She summoned Empress Jiang, just like last time.
“You’ve tried it, you know. Even if you give me your body, I won’t replace you. You’re safe.”
“I’ve helped you so much, you can’t even say thank you? At least let me say one thing.”
The woman in front of her clutched the door frame and shouted, completely devoid of the dignified demeanor she had in front of Zhang Ze.
Bai Li couldn’t help but laugh.
She looked at her: “You’re laughing? It’s good to laugh. You little child, don’t always be so bitter and vengeful…” She paused and chuckled, “I’m wrong, you really are bitter and vengeful.”
Yes, her entire family was dead.
“It’s nothing. Everyone dies. Those who are alive should still laugh.”
“Look, I’m dead, but I’m still laughing.”
Bai Li didn’t look at her again, walking along the long street into the night. Patrolling guards came towards her, but they seemed oblivious, their eyes as if blinded by the night.
“I haven’t seen the night view of the Imperial City for a long time.”
The voice beside her said.
Bai Li looked at the extra shadow that appeared beneath her feet as the voice continued.
“I haven’t seen these people for a long time.”
“These people, as His Majesty said, are becoming more and more unbearable.”
As she spoke, Bai Li saw the shadow under her feet move and felt someone poke her arm.
“But, Zhou Jingyun is getting better and better.”
Hearing this, Bai Li paused and turned to look at her side.
Her vision was now split. One half showed the normal street, with the night illuminated by streetlights. The other half was shrouded in a hazy yellow, the street and lights indistinct.
Standing beside her in the hazy yellow was a person, walking shoulder to shoulder with her.
“That’s more than one sentence,” Bai Li said, looking at her.
The person beside her laughed: “I can say anything else in a few sentences, but when it comes to Zhou Jingyun, I can only say one? Aren’t you curious? Let me tell you about Zhou Jingyun when he was a child.”
Before she could finish, her figure flickered, and both the person and the voice dissipated.
Bai Li’s vision returned to normal.
Zhou Jingyun.
She stood silently for a moment, reaching up to touch her face. Zhou Jingyun should have left the palace smoothly. Did he take the child home?
Suddenly bringing back a child, how would he explain it to Madam of Dongyang?
Bai Li couldn’t help but laugh.
Zhou Jingyun always seemed to encounter strange things.
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Zhou Jingyun walked down the street, tightly wrapped in his cloak. He had successfully left the palace, but where to go next was another problem.
He could take a child out of the palace quietly, but bringing the child back, it was impossible to hide it from his family.
He had to have an explanation for bringing back a child out of the blue.
How about telling his mother that this was his illegitimate daughter?
It probably wouldn’t work. After the incident with the fake daughter-in-law, his mother wouldn’t believe anything he said now.
Moreover, there were many people in his household, and he was being watched by many, especially Zhang Ze. Once Zhang Ze discovered that an infant had suddenly appeared in the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence, even if others believed the illegitimate daughter explanation, Zhang Ze definitely wouldn’t. He would immediately know what was going on.
Zhou Jingyun looked at the street as the night gradually faded.
Fortunately, there was another place he could go.
When he sensed someone climbing over the courtyard wall, Jiang Yun, who was sitting cross-legged in the doorway wrapped in a cloak, his arms folded, suddenly opened his eyes. A sword flew towards the newcomer in the dim light, and he followed closely behind.
At the same time, a male voice softly said, “It’s me.”
With a clang, the sword changed direction and hit the courtyard wall. Jiang Yun stood in front of the newcomer.
“Marquis’s Heir,” he said, somewhat surprised. “Why are you here at this hour?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Marquis’s Heir let out a cry.
No, the cry came from the Marquis’s Heir’s body. Jiang Yun looked at Zhou Jingyun in front of him in shock.
Zhou Jingyun also seemed a little flustered. He opened his cloak, revealing a swaddled baby.
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The baby’s cries were like a sharp sword, shattering a porcelain vase. The entire courtyard, and the surrounding silence, was broken.
A baby’s cry was truly terrifying, Zhou Jingyun thought, but he was also very grateful that it was crying at this time.
“This, this…” Jiang Yun stammered. “Where did the child come from?”
Zhou Jingyun couldn’t answer. He shook his arms, trying to make the baby stop crying, but it was useless. He could only ask Jiang Yun, “How do I make her stop crying?”
Although they had left the Imperial City, and the surrounding neighbors had all been checked and were ordinary people, a sudden baby’s cry would still attract attention.
Jiang Yun stammered, “I, I don’t know either. How about, knocking her unconscious?”
The door behind them opened, and Huang Ru, wrapped in a cloak, looked at the two men in the courtyard who were at a loss, her gaze falling on the swaddled baby in Zhou Jingyun’s arms.
Her expression was surprised, but she didn’t ask anything, only saying, “Quickly bring her inside, it’s too cold outside.”
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Whether it was the warm water, the warm and soft embrace, or the soft humming that worked, the baby’s cries soon stopped.
Zhou Jingyun also breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Zhuang didn’t ask about the child’s origin, and he didn’t offer an explanation. Looking at the gradually brightening dawn outside the window, he tensed up again.
How was Bai Li? Could she leave the Imperial City safely? She knew Zhang Ze and Bai Ying’s conspiracy, and Zhang Ze would definitely discover her too. When did she enter the Imperial City? Had she been in the palace all this time?
All the chaotic thoughts that he had suppressed before surged back like a tide.
He abruptly stood up.
He had to go to the Imperial City to see.
If she was still inside, he might be able to help.
Zhou Jingyun took a big step forward, but then there was the child. He turned to look at Madam Zhuang.
Huang Ru noticed and looked up at him: “Don’t worry, Marquis’s Heir. I wouldn’t harm a child…”
She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze passing over Zhou Jingyun to the doorway.
Zhou Jingyun subconsciously turned his head and was also stunned.
A woman stood in the morning light.
Although he couldn’t see her face clearly, Zhou Jingyun recognized her in an instant. It was Bai Li.
Bai Li was here!
How could Bai Li be here? He must be too tired, he must have fallen asleep and was dreaming.
Zhuang Li had told him that people don’t know when they fall asleep, let alone how they start dreaming.
The woman in the morning light looked at him and beckoned: “Zhou Jingyun, let’s talk outside.” With that, she turned and walked away.
Zhou Jingyun hesitated for a moment, then lifted his foot and followed her out.
The cold morning mist outside hit his face. Zhou Jingyun saw Jiang Yun sleeping against the doorway with his arms crossed, oblivious to the person in the courtyard.
Yes, so it was a dream…
“It’s not a dream.” Bai Li stood outside the door, reaching out to hold his hand and looking into Zhou Jingyun’s eyes. “I just put Jiang Yun to sleep, but I’m real now.”
Zhou Jingyun had encountered too much that was both real and unreal. If this continued, he would fall into chaos.
Bai Li felt a little apologetic.
The hand holding his was warm and soft. Zhou Jingyun’s body stiffened. It was real, she was real.
The woman’s voice continued beside his ear.
“I thought you had returned to the Marquis’s Residence.”
“I smelled… well, the child has my scent marker on her. I followed the scent here.”
She paused.
Zhou Jingyun could feel her grip tighten on his hand, and then a somewhat complaining murmur reached his ears.
“Why did she come here?”
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Huang Ru didn’t follow them out, nor did she look towards the door again.
Although the child didn’t want to see her, she didn’t resist, guard against, or get angry. She even let her continue to watch over this little baby, only calling Zhou Jingyun out so the two of them could whisper to each other.
She lowered her head, looked at the baby in her arms, sniffed lightly, and a smile appeared on her lips.
She hummed softly, rocking the baby to sleep.
“Our little Nannan smells so good.”
