Chapter 447: Thunder in the Night

"It's okay." Erya suppressed the panic in her heart, her voice trembling slightly, more like she was comforting herself.

She stared at the closed door, as if there was a ferocious beast hiding behind it, ready to devour anyone.

The sound of horse hooves in the sudden rain in the middle of the night was as rapid as a death warrant and was definitely not a good sign.

Could it be that Yun Ting, this young and naive man, had offended some local tyrants in Yongji County, and they took advantage of this stormy night to kill him and silence him?

"It's indeed all right," Lu Huan said. "The Duke's Mansion has brought quite a few guards with him. Besides, by now, if he were to report the incident and ask for help, the city gates would already be open."

Even if he is a bad guy, as long as we can delay him, we can wait for rescue.

Erya nodded.

That’s all I can think of now.

I hope she's just overthinking it.

“Squeak—”

The sound of heavy door hinges turning pierced the noise of the rainy night.

Then, the sound of horses' hooves trampling the stagnant water came closer and closer, heading straight for the backyard of the county government office! The intruders rode their horses recklessly, splashing a cloud of muddy water.

“Second sister! Second sister——!”

A very familiar child's voice with a crying tone pierced through the wind and rain, ringing heartbreakingly.

Arya was struck by lightning. She jumped up from her chair and almost broke open the door.

The strong wind brought cold raindrops that instantly hit her face, blurring her vision.

I could only vaguely see a thin figure, wrapped in a thick straw raincoat, like a fledgling drenched by wind and rain, struggling to slide down from the horse's back.

She lifted up her soaked bamboo hat, revealing her pale face. Her hair was wet and stuck to her forehead. Her lips were blue from the cold. Her voice was hoarse and frightened, like someone who had just survived a disaster. "Oh no! Mother... Mother is having a difficult birth!"

boom--!

It was like a bolt of thunder exploded directly in Erya's mind.

Her eyes went dark, her legs instantly became as soft as noodles, and she almost fell to the ground.

Lu Huan supported her and said, "Hurry up, get someone to harness the car, and we'll go back now."

Although I can't help much, but at this time, going back to watch over it always brings some comfort to my heart.

Even if—

Even in the worst case scenario, I still want to be by your side so that there will be fewer regrets.

"Sister Lu, it's raining so hard!" San Ya wiped the rain and tears from her face and tried to stop them. "On the way here, the water was almost overflowing at several riverbanks! It's too dangerous! Don't take any risks with us!"

"Yes." Erya said, "We have to go back quickly. Sister Lu, I'm really sorry. You came to accompany me, and in the end -"

"It's okay." Lu Huan held her hand. "It's just right for me to stay. When the wind and rain die down, I'll go to the temple on the mountain to worship for you. You should pack your things and take your sister back. Zhuozhuo, listen to me. No matter what happens, you and Zhaozhao have to hold on."

If anything happens to Lu Qiniang, Xiao Yan will probably want to follow her and won't care about anything else.

By this time, Erya was crying so hard that she couldn't speak. There was a buzzing in her ears, and she could only nod numbly, constantly urging people to harness the carriage.

She wants to go home.

She wants to go home to see her mother.

"Where's the prince?" San Ya asked again, "I have to go talk to him. Second sister, don't panic, pack your things first, I'll go talk to him."

Erya's legs were so weak that she could hardly stand, and she nodded with difficulty.

Lu Huan hugged her, stroked her back with his hand, and quickly helped her think of a solution.

"Back then, my second sister-in-law had an abnormal fetal position, so my father asked Dr. Li Yuan from the Imperial Hospital to help. After you go back, try asking him for help. Maybe he can help. Just mention my father's name. Also, I have old ginseng at home. If your family doesn't have it for the time being, you can go to my house and get it. So, I'll write you a note -"

Erya listened to Lu Huan's orderly arrangements, and her heart was filled with gratitude, but her throat was blocked by great fear and sadness, and she couldn't say a word.

She couldn't imagine how desolate the world would become without her mother.

Mom has suffered so much, and she's just had a few days of peace and quiet... Nothing can happen to her! Absolutely not!

At this moment, resentment even outweighed fear—how much better it would be if she didn't have this child! What was the meaning of all the efforts she had made, the future she looked forward to, without her mother?

Gods and Buddhas in heaven, don't you say that good people will be rewarded? Look at my mother! She has been kind to others her whole life. Open your eyes!

As for the fact that Yun Ting likes her but not Lu Huan, and that she likes Chang Hui and doesn't consider Yun Ting, these are not worth mentioning at all.

On the other side, San Ya had already followed Jiang Quan to Yun Ting's room.

Yun Ting was still in a coma.

Jiang Quan touched him, but he was unconscious.

"Let me do it!" San Ya became anxious when she saw this. She knelt beside the bed, opened her hands, and slapped Yun Ting several times.

She even wore a straw raincoat.

The cold raindrops on the straw raincoat fell onto Yun Ting, and her relentless slap actually woke Yun Ting up.

"Who, who dares to hit me!" Yun Ting cursed.

Seeing that it was Sanya and her attire, he was stunned. He rubbed his eyes and said in disbelief, "Jiaojiao?"

He must be dreaming.

"Brother Jiang Quan, please help me call my second sister over. There are some things we need to discuss."

She raised her hand and wiped away the water that had slid down her head to her face.

Jiang Quan already knew that Lu Qin's mother had a difficult delivery, and he was in a heavy mood at the moment. He nodded when he heard this and went out to call Erya.

"Difficult labor?!" Yun Ting jumped up from the bed as if he was pricked by a needle, his eyes wide open, "How is this possible?! Doesn't Doctor Hu take pulses every day? What does he do for a living! Harness the horse! Harness the horse for me! Go back to Beijing immediately!" He threw back the quilt and was about to get out of bed, anxious.

Seeing his reaction, San Ya felt even more heartbroken. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lips tightly to prevent them from falling.

She quickly glanced at the door, confirmed that Jiang Quan had gone far away, and that they were the only two left in the room. She immediately lowered her voice and uttered a sentence quickly and clearly:

"I lied! My mother... is fine for now!"

"You—!" Yun Ting's anger instantly ignited, and he could hardly control himself and slap her. Can anything be used as a joke? This girl has been spoiled by Xiao Yan to the point of lawlessness! He had to teach her a lesson on Xiao Yan's behalf...

But his mouth was covered tightly by a cold, damp little hand that smelled of rain!

He was shocked to see San Ya's eyes filled with tears, but her eyes held a firmness and determination that was totally inconsistent with her age.

She whispered, "Our family is facing disaster. Dad told me to use the excuse of Mom's difficult labor to escape, and asked me to take my second sister to Dengzhou to find someone. Dad told me to tell you away from others so that you can prepare for us. But you should try not to get involved. Just pretend you don't know and just think my Mom really had a difficult labor."

The disaster of extermination of the whole family?

Yun Ting was completely stunned.

Stop joking.

The emperor has already handed over the imperial grandson to Xiao Yan, and is about to let Xiao Yan serve as a militia commander. How could there be a disaster of extermination of the entire family?

To put it bluntly, with Xiao Yan's current official position, he doesn't even have the chance to cause disaster and destroy his entire family.

Xiao Yan is now extremely cautious... How is this possible?!