Chapter 65 Tragic News: "Still breathing."
In the spring of the third year of Cheng'an, after months of fighting, the rebel army from Bashu arrived in the capital like a dark cloud looming over the city. Overnight, the imperial city was engulfed in flames of war, with countless dead and wounded. Lu Wenjin led the remaining elite troops into Chonghua Palace and plunged his sword into the young emperor's chest...
The Spring Equinox had just passed, but the chill of spring intensified. The rain had been drizzling for several days without stopping. A clap of thunder accompanied by a slanting wind soaked the paper lanterns under the eaves.
Ruan Yang opened her eyes and wiped away the thin layer of sweat that had seeped from her forehead.
Inside the room, the windows were tightly closed and a heater was lit to keep out the biting wind and rain. Ruan Yang lay on the couch, breathing softly, her moist eyes staring blankly at the ceiling above her head.
The occasional tightening in her abdomen brought Ruan Yang back to her senses. She had no time to recall the nightmare she had just experienced, and called out anxiously to the midwife keeping watch outside the screen.
After hearing this, the midwife, Wang, touched her belly and then comforted her, saying, "Madam, don't be afraid. There are still some days left. Women often experience this a few days before giving birth. The doctor and several of us midwives will stay by your side and will definitely help you give birth to your baby safely."
The child has been very restless lately, and the obvious feeling of falling makes Ruan Yang restless. She is also worried about Lu Wenjin. Wang Shi always sees her secretly shedding tears when no one is around.
"Approximately how much longer?"
Wang said, "It will take at least ten days or so, or as little as a few days."
Ruan Yang was prepared for childbirth. Although she was afraid, she also hoped that it would start soon so as not to hold her back at the crucial moment.
If anything unexpected happens... Lu Wenjin had also made arrangements for her future in the letter he gave her before leaving. However, at this critical juncture, their still fragile child must not fall into Ning Xian's hands.
"It'll be quick soon, and it's better to be quick, lest something goes wrong." Ruan Yang propped herself up on the couch and sat up. "You may all leave now."
Ruan Yang then summoned Shuo Feng, who was Lu Wenjin's secret guard and a trusted confidant.
She asked, "Is there any news from the young general?"
Shuofeng paused for a moment and then said, "So far, things are going relatively smoothly."
"But I just had a very bad dream."
"Madam also knows it's a dream."
After a long silence, Ruan Yang said, "Have you checked everything I asked you to?"
Shuofeng nodded: "There are guards stationed near the exit of the escape passage, and people are on standby to pick up the child. Please rest assured, Madam."
After hearing this, Ruan Yang sighed and said, "You must have had a hard time these past few days, but I hope you won't need any of it."
The next day, as dawn broke and the rain stopped, the ground was still a little damp. Ruan Yang accompanied Lu's mother to the Buddhist hall to chant sutras and pray for Lu Wenjin's well-being and for Lu Yan's early return home.
She knelt on the prayer mat, her hands holding sandalwood prayer beads. Her lips touched them lightly, and suddenly, for some reason, the string of beads in her hand broke, and the beads rolled to the ground.
Ruan Yang felt a void in her heart, and her heart began to clench with unease.
At the same time, a messenger rushed in from outside.
"We have news! We have news from the young general's side!"
Ruan Yang's back stiffened, and she grew increasingly nervous with each passing message from the messenger.
Mother Lu got up from the prayer mat, asking with a mixture of joy and anxiety, "How is it?"
The messenger delivered the letter: "Reporting to the Madam, it's good news! Our army has won a great victory!"
A great victory? Upon hearing this, Ruan Yang collapsed to her knees. She clutched her collar, gazing at the Buddha statue bathed in sunlight above her, and wept with joy.
Sure enough, dreams are always the opposite of reality.
Lu's mother asked, "When will the young general be able to return home?"
"The previous emperor died suddenly, and the situation in the court is in turmoil. We need to control the capital and the imperial guards. Once everything is settled, the young general will return, and he may be able to make it before the young mistress's birthday banquet."
"Thank God, this is wonderful news!"
Madam Lu turned around and helped Ruan Yang up: "Come on, Yangyang, this is a triple celebration! On your birthday, our Lu family will definitely have a grand celebration!"
Ruan Yang nodded, a smile on her lips. She followed the maids back to Ruixue Pavilion. The backyard was filled with laughter and chatter all the way until they reached the small bamboo grove in the pavilion, where the noise gradually quieted down.
Her breathing began to tremble, and only one thing kept repeating in her mind.
Ning Xian is dead.
......
In Sichuan, after several spring rains, the weather suddenly turned cold again. In March, a snowfall of peach blossoms fell overnight, and the eaves, steps, and flowerbeds seemed to be sprinkled with a thin layer of salt.
Ruan Yang sat at a small table in the pavilion, sewing new shoes for Lu Wenjin. When her eyes got tired, she looked up at the snowflakes falling outside the window.
While helping to thread the needle, Madam Wang casually asked, "Has Madam thought of a name for the child?"
Speaking of her name, Ruan Yang recalled the time she spent in the palace a few months ago, and felt as if it were a lifetime ago. Those were the days when Ning Xian rarely showed her any kindness.
She had difficulty bending over, so he would squat down to help her put on her shoes. When she had insomnia at night, he would massage her waist and legs. He also assigned someone to take care of her daily life.
He didn't yell at her or bully her.
She had several characters with good meanings that she had originally chosen, but they just happened to be the ones Ning Xian had written on the paper that time.
She didn't want her child to have any connection with Ning Xian, not even in name, so after thinking it over, she gave up on the idea.
Ruan Yang smiled and said, "Not yet. Wen Jin is coming back soon. I'll wait for him to discuss it together."
She took out a folded fur coat from the basket and said, "I've finished knitting a fur coat for my mother. Come with me to her place now and give it to her. It'll be good for us to visit each other more often."
Upon hearing this, Wang kindly helped the person up, saying, "Okay, alright."
...
This year is exceptionally cold. Even in places like Sichuan and Chongqing where snow is rarely seen, spring snow fell today. A few days later, the once smoke-filled imperial city has returned to normal.
"How is he?"
Ning Xian, dressed in a black crane cloak, stood on the newly repaired city wall, where he could see the entire landscape of Da Ye. He looked down at the majestic palaces, and after the snow, the whole world seemed to be contained in a glass basin.
"He's still clinging to life, but it'll be over soon."
The guard said, "Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with that traitor? I think he has already endured all the cruel tortures he could possibly suffer. So, as you commanded, castrate him."
Ning Xian looked at the two fingers that Lu Wenjin had bitten off and smirked: "Lu Wenjin was poisoned by Two Hearts Coptis. When the poison takes effect, she will hallucinate. You grab a female prisoner on death row, and after the brothers among the prison guards have finished with her, throw her to feed the dogs."
"Remember to tell him that the female prisoner is his wife, Ruan Yang."
The guard was taken aback. His Majesty usually strangled prisoners of war, but when it came to General Lu, the methods were extremely cruel.
He couldn't bear to recall that once spirited young man, now trapped in a damp, dark dungeon, tortured to the point of being mutilated and unrecognizable.
He couldn't understand what kind of deep-seated hatred could make General Lu watch helplessly as his "wife" was raped by a crowd and torn apart by wolves.
"Yes, I will take care of it right away."
"Your Majesty, the news of the Shu army's defeat has been kept secret. When will this matter be announced to the world? This will allow us to reorganize the army in advance and re-enter Bashu to wipe out the Lu family as well."
Ning Xian paused, then shook her head and said, "She's about to give birth; she can't be startled."
"Let's postpone this matter until she gives birth to that bastard."
"Yes, then at that time, his youngest child..."
Upon hearing this, Ning Xian gritted his teeth and said hatefully, "Kill them all! I only want Lady Ruan!"
The guard stood frozen in place, wanting to say something but unable to.
Ning Xian frowned: "Is there anything else you want to say?"
The guard knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive us. News of the Shu army's defeat has already spread and should arrive at the Lu residence today..."
Ning Xian was startled, her heart pounding with panic.
Ruan Yang......
He hadn't even had a chance to shirk his guilt for murdering Lu Wenjin, so how could he let Ruan Yang know that Lu Wenjin died at his hands?
He turned and grabbed the guard by the collar, shouting angrily, "Who gave you permission to act first and report later? Stop them immediately!!"
...
The Lu residence was brightly decorated and filled with joy. Today was Ruan Yang's birthday banquet. Brilliant fireworks illuminated the dark sky, and Lu's mother had invited her favorite opera singers to perform Southern opera.
Ruan Yang was dressed in a bright red outfit, with a white inner robe. Her small face was cute and adorable under the fluffy cloak. She was carrying the coat she was going to give to Lu's mother. As she walked through the corridor, she said to Wang Shi, "Granny, I forgot to bring the other one as well. I'm sorry to trouble you to go back."
Seeing that Ruan Yang had reached the door, Wang thought that nothing bad would happen, so she nodded in agreement and turned to leave.
Ruan Yang rubbed her cold little hands and walked to the front of Wei Rui Pavilion. Frost flowers had formed on the openwork window patterns in front of her eyes. The dim candlelight inside the room illuminated the corridor.
Ruan Yang stopped.
"No, I don't believe it! It was clearly a great victory!"
Lu's mother's trembling voice echoed in the room.
"If you dare to spout such unlucky nonsense again, I'll have someone slap your face!"
"It's absolutely true. How could I dare to speak nonsense about such a serious matter? Madam, His Majesty is likely to confiscate our property in the next few days! Madam, you'd better hurry and take some travel money and escape."
Where did you get this information?
"Your subordinate... witnessed it with his own eyes; His Majesty's methods towards traitors are cruel."
Mother Lu was already in tears. She squatted on the ground in a disheveled state, covering her head and angrily shouting, "Shut up! Don't say anymore! Get out of here!"
After speaking, she collapsed to the ground, muttering incoherently, "My son, he was my only son, so young, how could he just die like this... He was about to become a father himself, how could you bear to leave me..."
Ruan Yang's mind was buzzing. She stood blankly at the door, her heart clenching painfully, and the things in her hands fell to the ground.
Wasn't it a great victory? The damned one was clearly Ning Xian, how could it be her husband? Ruan Yang felt as if the blood in her body had frozen, and the cramping pain in her abdomen made her unable to stand, so she could only kneel helplessly on the ground.
They were in a huff before parting, and didn't see each other for several days. When they finally heard the news, it turned out to be that they were separated by death and would never see each other again.
Wang rushed back at this moment and saw the vermilion figure leaning against the wall in the corridor, panting heavily, tears falling from her upturned face and into the snow.
She didn't know what had happened to make the usually quiet and gentle girl lose her composure like this. She only knew that Ruan Yang was about to give birth and couldn't withstand any stimulation. If she suffered a postpartum hemorrhage, even a god couldn't save her!
Madam Wang, supporting her heavy back and abdomen, sighed, "Madam, the ground is cold, let's get up first. If there's anything, let's go inside and talk..."
"They're back! They're back!"
Hearing the sound, everyone looked over and saw the guards at the gate looking anxious, and before they could finish speaking, they collapsed on the steps.
Wang: "Explain clearly, who came back?"
The guard stammered, "Young...Young General."
Upon hearing this, Ruan Yang's brows relaxed, and a smile appeared on her lips. Salty tears slid down her face and onto her lips. She pushed Wang Shi away, struggled to get up from the snow, and stumbled towards the gate, ignoring the people behind her trying to dissuade her.
Yes, when has her brother Wenjin ever broken his promise or lied to her? Those who say he's dead are clearly as malicious as Ning Xian, cursing him!
Her feet were so cold she couldn't feel them, and she ignored the throbbing pain in her lower back. At this moment, all she wanted was to see Lu Wenjin.
She feared that if she delayed any longer, her husband would vanish completely like a dream.
She wanted to tell Lu Wenjin that today was her birthday, and she had specially changed into the dress he had given her and the hairpin he liked. She had even put on exquisite makeup beforehand to see him. She wanted to tell him that she was wrong and that she would never be unreasonable again...
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Author's Note: [Crying uncontrollably]
The daughter and her baby's escape is about to begin.
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