Chapter 20: Difficult childbirth, mother sacrificed to save child! The child must be saved! ...

Ever since Xiao Fuying caused a scene at the mansion, the news of Mingying's pregnancy spread like wildfire, even reaching the ears of Crown Prince Xiao Lang.

Pei Xiaoyun was summoned to the Eastern Palace the next day.

The eunuch served tea, but Xiao Lang did not bring up official business first. Instead, he said, "Ling Yuan, this is the last time I'm warning you. Get rid of that cat you're keeping. If you can't do it, I'll have to do it for you."

His father's health is deteriorating, and the vassal kings all oppose his succession. Now, he can only win over Prince Yi through Pei Xiaoyun and gain his support.

If Xiao Fuying refuses to marry because of that woman, and the marriage cannot be arranged, he is destined to lose his throne.

This time, there was no laughter, only coercion.

Pei Xiaoyun took a sip of tea calmly, showing no sign of panic in the face of his pressure, as if she had already made a certain choice.

"Your Highness need not trouble yourself, I will do it myself."

For him, power was the ultimate thing, the power to decide life and death. He had finally climbed to his current position, but that was far from enough. He needed to go further and step onto the heavenly jade steps.

Therefore, it's not time to break ties with this Crown Prince yet; we can only comply with his demands.

Pei Xiaoyun was only allowed to come out after sitting in the East Palace until noon.

Jinan Prefecture was hit by torrential rains for days, causing floods. The disaster relief funds allocated by the imperial court were embezzled by officials along the way. Xiao Lang sent him and the Vice Minister of Revenue to Jinan to investigate the whereabouts of the disaster relief funds.

He went there and returned just in time for his wedding.

Pei Xiaoyun boarded the carriage, and Kong Qinghou, who had been waiting by his side, hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: "Master, shall we go directly to Jinan, or return to our residence first..."

He was following Pei Xiaoyun, so he knew that His Highness the Crown Prince and the Prince Yi's residence were urging him to take care of Miss Ming.

Miss Ming has been with the master for almost four years. She is an excellent person, and her loyalty to the master is evident to him. Is the master really going to harden his heart this time?

"What are we going back to the manor for?" Pei Xiaoyun's eyes turned cold. He never liked others interfering in his affairs. He lifted his robe, sat in the carriage, and lowered the curtain. "We'll set off for Jinan immediately."

The carriage slowly entered the city, amidst the sounds of people talking and horses neighing.

Pei Xiaoyun sat in the carriage, rubbing his aching forehead, and closed his eyes as if he were dozing. As if he had thought of something, he issued an order to the outside: "Go back and tell them that when the time is right, those who should not be kept should be cleaned up."

Upon hearing this, Kong Qing guessed what Pei Xiaoyun meant.

He shook his head silently, feeling sorry for Mingying.

—

Mingying hadn't seen Pei Xiaoyun for some time; she heard he had gone to Jinan.

It would be best if he didn't come; she was waiting for him to send her to the estate in a few days.

Unfortunately, he also took away the only money she had left.

She touched her swollen belly, her heart filled with sorrow.

If she could really go out, she wouldn't mind suffering a little without money, but how would she support her child?

She stayed up day and night, embroidering several sachets, her fingers bleeding from the thorns.

Ling Shuang is currently unable to leave the manor, so she can only entrust a few maids in the courtyard who can move around to her request: "Bihe, when you go out to buy things tomorrow, could you please take these sachets out to sell for me? I don't care how much they cost, we can split the profits 50/50, and I'll give you extra money for running errands."

Bihe looked down on those ugly girls, and since the master disliked her, she became even more disrespectful to Mingying: "Miss, take them back. Someone is watching, and your things can't be allowed to leave. Besides, you live in the mansion and have no worries about food and clothing. Why do you need to exchange money everywhere?"

Mingying felt a pang of disappointment. Afraid that Mingying would guess her thoughts, she quickly lied: "I just wanted to exchange some money so I could buy some things for the children."

“Young lady, you’re worrying unnecessarily,” Bihe mocked her. “Once the child is born, the master and mistress will dote on him; why would you need to worry about him?”

"What did you say?" Mingying's long eyelashes fluttered slightly, looking somewhat incredulous.

Bihe clearly didn't want to argue with her, and said sarcastically, "Don't you know, young lady? The county princess has severe asthma and is unable to have children. Your child is lucky to be raised by his stepmother."

They often walked around the main courtyard, so they naturally heard about these things.

Although Mingying was shocked, she still didn't quite believe what these young girls were saying.

Pei Xiaoyun felt that she was of lowly status and looked down on the child as well. The county princess had always disliked her, so why would she raise her child?

She wanted to ask something more, but Bihe, hearing the commotion in the courtyard, ignored her and rushed out eagerly.

A group of people came to the courtyard, led by a nanny from the Prince Yi's residence. It turned out that the wedding date was approaching, and the interior and exterior of Lanqingzhuo Courtyard were being decorated according to the county princess's preferences.

Mingying peeked out the window and saw that the tree she had hung with small lanterns on New Year's Eve was now wrapped with bright red wedding ribbons.

Vibrant as the sunset, surging like waves.

But what she saw was all gray and gloomy, and it had nothing to do with her.

She drew the curtains, intending to sit quietly for a moment, when she heard a shouting voice outside: "Who grew these flowers? They're so unlucky! Our county princess has asthma and can't stand even a speck of pollen. How dare you lowly servants grow flowers? Smash them right now!"

Then came Bihe's apologetic voice: "Granny, please calm down. It's all because the servants were blind. We'll smash it right away."

Instantly, the flowerpots were smashed to pieces.

As Mingying listened, a sharp pang of sadness welled up in her eyes. These were the few potted plants she had painstakingly cultivated over a long period of time.

With just one sentence, they completely destroyed everything.

She immediately put on her shoes and got off the bed, but twisted her ankle and hit her stomach on the edge of the bed. Suddenly, she felt a spasm. She cried out a few times, but although there were footsteps outside, no one paid any attention to her.

Until the sounds of people in the courtyard faded away and all was quiet, the flowers she had nurtured from the dead of winter to the height of summer were all smashed.

She lay on the ground with a frown on her face. Ling Shuang, who had just finished her errand, rushed in and went out through the side gate to find a doctor for her.

After taking a dose of medication to stabilize the pregnancy, she gradually calmed down.

"It's just a minor miscarriage, nothing serious. A few days of rest will do the trick, and you shouldn't experience any more emotional highs and lows."

Ling Shuang saw the doctor out, and Ming Ying suddenly wiped away her tears, crying in despair.

Fortunately, Ling Shuang was by her side; otherwise, she would have died and no one would have known.

She hoped that these days would come to an end soon.

—

The next day, after Mingying woke up, a group of servants barged in without saying a word and started taking things away.

Mingying's room was already sparsely furnished; even the few tables and chairs had been moved out.

"What are you doing?" She put on a coat and looked at the empty room.

Bihe stepped forward and said, "Miss, the nanny from Prince Yi's mansion said yesterday that this room of yours will be used by the county princess's dowry maid. They asked us to clean it in advance to get rid of bad luck. Please move to the innermost room."

Bihe casually pointed to the innermost room, which was close to the woodshed, and the kitchen fumes were billowing into it.

That was originally a storage room; even the lowest-ranking maids didn't live there.

Mingying didn't say anything.

The county princess's intention must also be Pei Xiaoyun's intention.

She felt a pang of resentment, resenting that he hadn't rejected her earlier in Yangzhou and at the villa, and had let her leave sooner.

What is the meaning of living like this now?

She quietly took a few sheets of paper with camellia paintings on them and carried the bundle out.

That storage room was hardly habitable. When Ling Shuang returned from her shift and heard about it, she went to confront Bi He and the others, saying to the old woman directing the moving of things, "How can you do this? Miss Ming is carrying Master's child—"

Before she could speak, the old woman slapped Ling Shuang hard across the face: "Who gave you the right to speak! Do you think you're still a glamorous first-class maid? Let me tell you, fortunes change, everyone in the courtyard has been replaced, and a new master is coming."

Mingying pulled Ling Shuang back and shook her head at her.

These people must have all curried favor with the county magistrate. If they confront her head-on, they won't have a good life.

In just a few days, Lanqing Zhuoyuan has truly undergone tremendous changes.

That night, Mingying stayed in Ling Shuang's house. Although it wasn't big, it was a decent place to live, and two people could squeeze in to sleep.

After living there for a few days, she got used to it.

During the day, Ling Shuang was summoned by the madam to work in the main courtyard, where she sat by the window sewing bibs for her child.

There were still many people swaggering around in the courtyard. All the flowers and plants had been knocked down and trimmed, and red ribbons were everywhere, making it incredibly festive.

Mingying continued with her needlework, completely ignoring what was happening.

Soon, Pei Xiaoyun will be sending her away.

They sewed until nightfall, but Ling Shuang still hadn't returned from her errand.

Mingying was in a bad mood and accidentally pricked her finger with an embroidery needle. The gushing blood stained the white thread red.

For some reason, her heart was pounding, and her back was covered in a cold sweat. An ominous premonition lingered in her mind.

Late at night, she heard a few noises coming from the courtyard. She put on her clothes, got out of bed, and went out to investigate.

Seeing two guards carrying in a woman covered in blood, a pool of crimson spreading from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard, she recognized Ling Shuang and felt as if she had been hit on the head with a stick.

"What...what's wrong?" Her lips trembled as she followed the guard's footsteps.

The guard glanced at her and said irritably, "This is the master's order. He only told us to give her twenty lashes. We brought her back, but we don't know if she'll survive."

After saying that, he threw the person to the floor of the room and left.

"Don't go, what's going on?" Mingying stepped forward and pulled them away.

But one of them impatiently pushed him away: "We're just following orders."

Mingying was pushed against the door and saw Ling Shuang lying on her back on the ground, covered in blood. Her mind went blank, and a chill ran down her spine.

"Sister Ling Shuang, Sister Ling Shuang!" she called out, her voice strained as she crouched down beside her.

She held Ling Shuang in her arms, her hands and body covered in sticky blood.

In her memory, Ling Shuang was gentle and composed, and she did things in an orderly and meticulous manner. Seeing her like this now, Ming Ying was gripped by a cold fear.

Ling Shuang had long anticipated this ending, and now that the moment had arrived, she felt a sense of relief.

Afraid that the blood on her hands would stain Mingying's face, she held her cold hand tightly. "I... I can't go to Suzhou, and I can't leave... I can't leave the Duke's Mansion. If you have the chance, go and see for me."

The lady threatened her mother's life to force her to steal the master's jade seal. She had no choice but to take the jade seal. On her way to the main courtyard, she was blocked by the guards.

From the moment she began working for the lady of the house, she knew she wouldn't survive. Actually, she wished she could live a little longer; she was quite worried about Mingying.

"No, you won't." Mingying touched her face and wiped the blood off her face.

The overwhelming darkness all around was exactly the same as the night when she was eleven years old, when soldiers ransacked her home.

She saw off Yu Zhong and Yu Er, and now she had to watch Ling Shuang leave. One by one, these people who knew her well were leaving her.

What exactly did they do wrong? Why did Pei Xiaoyun punish Ling Shuang?

Ling Shuang gave a pale smile and pointed vaguely: "Under the bed... there's my bundle, that's all my things, please keep it safe for me."

In the endless darkness, Mingying held a body that was gradually growing cold, and heard a faint "Take care".

She cried until she was exhausted, unable to breathe or speak.

A sharp pain shot through his abdomen, and he collapsed into a pool of blood. The crimson stain beneath him was indistinguishable between Ling Shuang's blood and his own.

She wailed softly in the long, dark night.

As dawn broke, her pupils dilated, her face turned deathly pale, and she trembled uncontrollably from the pain.

Luckily, an old woman passing by saw her, squatted down to look at her, and realized something was wrong. She shouted, "It's terrible! Quickly call a doctor and a midwife! She's about to give birth!"

Mingying had no idea how she was carried onto the bed; the sheets were soaked with scarlet blood.

She curled up in pain, her forehead covered in a dense layer of cold sweat. Her body felt like it was being torn apart and then stitched back together, and every breath was extremely difficult.

She was in pain all night and was truly exhausted; she had no strength left...

The doctor was terrified: "Young lady, please hold on a little longer. If you continue like this, you won't be able to give birth."

These words forced Mingying to piece together a sliver of clarity. She was forced to drink several mouthfuls of ginseng soup, her knuckles gripping the bedsheet tightly as she held her breath.

She couldn't die; she had to give birth to the child, the child she had risked her life to save.

Every bit of force she exerted felt like tearing her own flesh apart, but even so, for the sake of her child, she had no choice but to tear it apart inch by inch.

The dripping bloodstains soaked through the bedding and meandered down to the ground.

Seeing this, the midwife shook her head and sighed, "No, she's too weak. I'm afraid we can only save one of her, the mother or the child."

Upon hearing this, Mingying burst into tears. Her lips trembled as she managed to utter a single word: "Protect..."

"Save the child!" A maid burst through the door, interrupting her, and said to the doctor and midwife, "When the master left, he said that the child should be raised by the mistress, and if the delivery is not smooth, the mother should be removed and the child kept. You must save the child!"

A note from the author:

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The next chapter is a long, 10,000-word chapter about faking death and escaping!! [shy]

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Here's a recommendation for my next pre-order book: "I Won't Be My Deceased Husband's Brother's Concubine".

Forced acquisition/She escapes, he chases/A melodramatic and outrageous story (Please add to your collection!)

The following is the text:

[A witty and clever time-traveling woman x a cunning and ruthless brother-in-law with superior skills]

Yun Xi transmigrated and became the daughter-in-law of a high-ranking noble family, the widow of the second young master of the Xie family.

The mansion looked down on the original owner for coming from a rural background and using seductive tricks to climb the social ladder. They bullied her, a widow, in every way, making her life worse than that of a servant.

Yunxi had had enough. She was young and beautiful, and had mastered medical skills. Why should she be tormented in this mansion? So, she packed up the money and fled under cover of night.

This time, he failed to escape Beijing and was caught and brought back.

The person who came to arrest her turned out to be her "brother-in-law," whom she had never met before. Xie Xia, the heir of the Duke of Sui's mansion, had served as the Governor-General of Liangjiang for three years while inspecting Jiangnan.

Without letting her explain, the man tied her up with a rope and took her back.

Xie Xia stared at her slender waist and remembered his mother saying that this woman was a femme fatale, and it was indeed true.

A woman from a poor family used all her cunning to bewitch her second brother, and now she has absconded with his money.

He said coldly, "You disgrace to our family."

*

During the days after being taken back, Yunxi felt like she was walking on thin ice. The west courtyard leaked when it rained, and there wasn't even a piece of warm coal.

Upon hearing that Xie Xia was suffering from headaches, she decided to target Xie Xia's Chixue Garden.

She promised Xie Xia that she could cure his illness, and once he recovered, she would ask him to decide whether to divorce her and let her go.

Xie Xia was troubled by her illness and also wanted to see just how capable this cunning woman was. She agreed to her request, smiling insincerely, "Since you are unwilling, our family will not force you."

So Yunxi moved to Chixue Garden as she wished, and with Xie Xia's protection, she indeed suffered much less.

In order to get out of the manor, she prepared medicine for him day and night, serving him diligently, even tasting the medicine for him to see if it was bitter or astringent.

Finally, Xie Xia's headaches subsided, and Yun Xi brought up the matter of the manor again.

Xie Xia seemed to have forgotten about the matter, and said casually, "If you don't want to be a widow for him, that's fine. I'll talk to my mother."

Yunxi was overjoyed, but Xie Xia reached out and patted her cheek: "From now on, you will be my concubine."

Yunxi was struck dumb as if by a thunderbolt.

*

Xie Xia was a high-ranking official of the third rank in the imperial court, enjoying the emperor's favor and immense prestige. He usually met only well-educated and virtuous ladies from noble families, and associated with only refined and dignified gentlemen.

Until a woman like Yun Xi appeared in his own backyard.

At first, he was disgusted by this vain and promiscuous woman, and he also felt it was a waste for his second brother to marry such a woman.

But when he saw her working late into the night, her eyes bloodshot, preparing medicine for him, and easily curing the strange poisons in several major cases, he realized that she was not only cunning but also quite capable.

If disciplined and admonished, this temperament might not be impossible to change.

Her family said she was unconventional, so he came to teach her how to be a virtuous wife.

He proposed that she become his concubine.

Even though she was initially unwilling, she eventually nodded in agreement.

That night, he drank the medicinal food she brought and fell asleep.

Upon waking up, she resorted to her old trick again and escaped.