Chapter Thirty-Eight: Possibly Pregnant

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!" The shout of the Imperial Guard Commander pierced through the carriage.

The assassin arrived suddenly, his dark figure darting out from the dense forest on both sides of the road, the flashing blades instantly shattering the peaceful journey.

The concubines gasped in alarm and huddled in their carriages, too afraid to come out.

The Imperial Guards and the black-clad assassins were locked in combat, while outside, chaos reigned.

Jiang Huan heard the clanging of weapons outside, followed by the carriage shaking violently and the playing cards on the table scattering all over the floor.

Through the car window that Huo Lin had opened, Jiang Huan saw dozens of masked men in black fighting with the Imperial Guards. Five of them had broken through the defenses and were heading straight for the imperial carriage.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Jiang Huan cried out almost instinctively, her body acting before her thoughts even began, and she subconsciously moved closer to Huo Lin.

Although the assassins were targeting the emperor, the imperial guards around him were the largest force, and they wouldn't easily let anyone get close to him.

Besides, at this point, it's not safe anywhere outside the carriage. Rather than running around, she'd better stay obediently by the Emperor's side.

Moreover, what if the Emperor suspects her of disloyalty if she runs far away?!

Who knows, after analyzing her sycophantic behavior these past few days, they might think the assassins were all her mercenaries!

No, no, her life had just started to look a little better.

If she were to fall out of favor with the Emperor, she would be surrounded by enemies, with Consort Jia ready to pounce and tear her apart.

We can't go back to the way we used to live because of this.

Jiang Huan was on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy, and quickly stepped in front of Huo Lin.

Three assassins who had broken through the defenses in the distance had been stopped again by the Imperial Guards, but two more were still rushing towards them.

As the assassins drew ever closer, Jiang Huan's legs went weak, and her heart leaped into her throat.

She wanted to use this opportunity to gain the emperor's trust, but she didn't want to lose her life.

The prerequisite for all the good things in life is that she is alive to enjoy them.

But at this critical moment, the carriage shook violently again.

An assassin's long knife pierced through the carriage wall, the sharp tip only three inches from Huo Lin's throat.

Jiang Huan was thrown off balance by the sudden jolt and fell forward.

With a muffled "hiss," the blade sliced ​​across Jiang Huan's right shoulder, and blood instantly soaked through her light-colored clothes.

"Jiang Huan!" Huo Lin's voice was filled with rare panic.

He caught the swaying Jiang Huan in one arm, and with the other hand drew a soft sword from his waist. The sword flashed like lightning, and the assassin fell to the ground.

Jiang Huan could hear Huo Lin's jumbled thoughts in her mind, but she felt dizzy and her ears were ringing.

The first time, I felt like I couldn't hear it clearly...

My right shoulder is burning with pain, and my vision is blurring.

She vaguely saw a look of anxiety appear on Huo Lin's usually calm and composed face, and her heart stirred for no apparent reason.

"I...I'm fine..." Jiang Huan said, enduring the pain, but then felt a wave of dizziness.

Another assassin had arrived, but the cramped space inside the car made it difficult for Huo Lin to maneuver.

His eyes were sharp, and he picked up Jiang Huan with one hand, rushed out of the carriage, and soared into the air.

In a daze, Jiang Huan felt the wind howling. Huo Lin's lightness skill was excellent, and in a few leaps, he had already carried her away from the center of the battle.

She had never seen Huo Lin so closely before.

His tightly pursed lips, taut jaw, and those always unfathomable eyes revealed a clear emotion at this moment.

Is she stupid? Swords and blades are silent; they're not something she can handle with her petty squabbles!

If that slash had been just a fraction more off...

"It will be alright, I will protect her, it will be alright..."

As Jiang Huan listened to Huo Lin's heartfelt words, she was in so much pain that she was almost delirious, yet she also felt a strange urge to laugh.

Although it was an accident that she took the knife, the injury wasn't in vain.

Huo Lin still has a conscience.

Upon seeing Huo Lin appear, the assassins outside the carriage became as if they had been injected with adrenaline and charged towards him without regard for anything else.

Huo Lin dodged left and right while holding Jiang Huan, his killing moves fierce and carrying a hint of cold anger.

The Imperial Guards quickly arrived to provide support, and they were not to be trifled with. Half an hour later, the situation was finally brought under control, and the captured assassins committed suicide one after another.

Jiang Huan frowned, nestled in Huo Lin's arms, her face extremely pale.

Huo Lin's face darkened. He carried Jiang Huan into the carriage and placed her on the soft couch.

"Quickly summon the imperial physician!"

Jiang Huan lay there, but felt even more uncomfortable, a strong wave of nausea rising in her throat.

The bumpy ride in the long carriage, the dizziness from blood loss, and the fright she had just experienced made her stomach churn.

"Ugh..." She suddenly bent over and dry heaved, but nothing came out.

The wound on her shoulder reopened due to her movement, and fresh blood kept flowing out.

Huo Lin's face grew even uglier, and he immediately shouted outside, "Why hasn't the imperial physician arrived yet!"

Before long, an elderly imperial physician arrived, panting heavily. Upon seeing Jiang Huan's condition, he did not immediately step forward to take her pulse.

Jiang Huan felt nauseous and vomited violently by the bedside. Her hair was soaked with cold sweat, and her lips were pale from blood loss.

Huo Lin saw that the imperial physician did not move, and his face was ashen.

He roared, "What are you standing there for! Get over here now!"

The old imperial physician had just been frightened by the assassination attempt when he was summoned to treat patients. Before he could catch his breath, he received a question from the emperor.

He looked at Jiang Huan with a troubled expression, and bent down a little more: "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to treat Consort Zhuang, but Her Majesty is vomiting so badly and her pulse is uneven. Taking her pulse at this time might be wrong. It would be better to wait until Her Majesty calms down a bit before I take her pulse."

As the imperial physician spoke, he took out a bottle of ointment from his medicine box.

"As for the knife wound on Her Majesty's shoulder, this medicine can be used temporarily to stop the bleeding and reduce inflammation."

Huo Lin took the ointment and wanted to ask someone to treat Jiang Huan's wounds, but Jiang Huan was still gagging and couldn't even walk.

Huo Lin's gaze was deep and fixed on the imperial physician, filled with anxiety.

"Why is Consort Zhuang vomiting so badly!"

"This..." The imperial physician was unable to take Jiang Huan's pulse and could only observe her complexion, feeling extremely worried.

But if he didn't answer now, Huo Lin's anger would burn him, so he had no choice but to guess based on his experience.

"Your Majesty's sudden condition may be due to dizziness from the bumpy journey, or acclimatization issues. It could also be that you are already carrying the dragon's seed and have been frightened, causing instability in the fetus and resulting in persistent dry heaving..."

Upon hearing this, Huo Lin's brows furrowed instantly, and the atmosphere became strangely oppressive.

[I have never had any marital relations with Consort Zhuang, and the claim that she is pregnant is utterly absurd!]

Under my very nose, whose child is she carrying?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

What's wrong with this imperial physician? Just because you don't like her doesn't mean you can throw mud at her like this!

Jiang Huan frowned deeply, struggling to speak as she tried to explain.

"I... ugh..."