Chapter 429 Premature Birth
Shen Yi accepted the order and left, and the heavy atmosphere in the study eased slightly, but Jiang Huan's heart remained heavy.
Seeing the worry still lingering on her face, Huo Lin's heart softened, and he said gently, "Chen Yi may seem unreliable, but he is actually more meticulous than anyone else. Don't worry, go back and rest first, and don't overwork yourself."
Jiang Huan knew she couldn't help at this moment, and staying would only distract him, so she left first, supported by Xiao Zhao.
Back in her warm bedchamber, surrounded by calming incense, Jiang Huan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
She leaned against the soft pillows, stroking her high belly, trying to calm her racing heart caused by worry for Mingzhu, but her thoughts were churning uncontrollably.
Mingzhu is simple-minded and never makes enemies, so who would dare to harm her?
Moreover, the other party specifically requested her to come over. Was it to use her to threaten Huo Lin, or did they have other motives?
Now that the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, there's nothing she can do. The best course of action is to remain calm and not cause any trouble for Huo Lin.
However, she had barely calmed down when a young palace maid rushed in and knelt down with a thud.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Consort Hui... she has suddenly fainted in her own palace!"
"What?" Jiang Huan's heart, which had just been at ease, jumped again. She sat up straight instantly, feeling a slight discomfort in her abdomen from the sudden movement.
"What happened? Why did she suddenly faint? Have you called the imperial physician?"
"Your Majesty, we have already gone to fetch her, but Consort Hui is unconscious and her face is frighteningly pale. No matter how we call her, we cannot wake her up..." The little palace maid trembled with fear.
Jiang Huan's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition rose within her.
Although He Ling was panicked when she came to deliver the note, she was still conscious. How could she have fainted in the blink of an eye?
Could it be because of that note that the other party didn't even spare He Ling, who was passing on the message, and secretly tampered with it?
She didn't dare to think about it too much and immediately said to Xiao Zhao, "Quick, help me over there to take a look."
"Your Majesty, you are still pregnant. The imperial physician has already gone. You should stay in the palace and wait for news." Xiao Zhao advised worriedly.
"No, this isn't that simple." Jiang Huan's attitude was firm, and she struggled to get up.
He Ling was one of her few friends in this era, and also a kindred spirit carrying a secret. She absolutely could not ignore her at this time.
Xiao Zhao couldn't refuse her, so she had to step forward and support her as they walked out together.
Jiang Huan felt her belly was very heavy, and every step she took was difficult. The baby in her womb seemed to sense the mother's unease and was moving slightly.
As they reached a corner of the palace road, a young palace maid with her head down, carrying a tray, suddenly hurried towards them from the opposite direction, as if she had something urgent to attend to.
She was walking quickly and hurriedly, and at the corner, she bumped right into Jiang Huan.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Xiao Zhao exclaimed, quickly stepping forward and shielding Jiang Huan's arm with her body at the last second.
Jiang Huan stumbled from the impact, her body swaying uncontrollably backward. Fortunately, Xiao Zhao did her best to steady her, preventing her from falling to the ground.
The tray in the palace maid's hands fell to the ground, the teacups shattered, and scalding tea splashed all over the floor.
"How dare you!" Xiao Zhao exclaimed in shock and anger, "Are you blind? You've offended the Imperial Noble Consort! How many heads do you have?!"
The palace maid was terrified and knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly: "This servant deserves to die! This servant was in a hurry to deliver something to her mistress and didn't see the road clearly. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"
Jiang Huan's heart skipped a beat in fright, and she instinctively protected her stomach with her hand, feeling a slight tightening sensation, but it quickly subsided.
She composed herself, looked at the trembling palace maid, and waved her hand: "Alright, be careful when you walk in the future, get up."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" The palace maid felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She quickly got up, lowered her head, and slipped away.
Jiang Huan watched her hasty departure, her brows furrowing slightly. A strange feeling swept through her heart, but she was preoccupied with He Ling's safety and couldn't dwell on it.
She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her discomfort, and continued walking towards He Ling's palace.
When they arrived at He Ling's residence, the imperial physician had already arrived and was administering acupuncture to He Ling.
He Ling lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her face as pale as paper, and her breathing weak.
"Imperial Physician, how is He Ling?" Jiang Huan asked anxiously.
The imperial physician put away the silver needles, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, Consort He suffered a sudden attack of anger and shock, which caused her blood and qi to become disordered, resulting in a momentary fainting. I have already administered acupuncture to stabilize her heart and pulse. She needs to rest quietly for some time and must avoid any further stimulation."
Jiang Huan felt a pang of sadness when she saw He Ling's lifeless appearance.
It must have been that note and the threat of killing the ticket that terrified this timid girl.
She carefully instructed the palace servants to take good care of He Ling, and only after He Ling's breathing had stabilized did she feel a little relieved. With Xiao Zhao's support, she slowly returned to Weiyang Palace.
After all this back and forth, Jiang Huan felt extremely exhausted, as if all her strength had been drained.
My lower back was sore and swollen, and my lower abdomen was tightening and hardening in waves. The feeling of heaviness and contraction seemed more pronounced than before.
She silently prayed that the two babies would give her some face and not make a fuss about being born at this crucial moment.
Back at Weiyang Palace, Huo Lin had also returned after handling the urgent matters. He looked tired, but upon seeing her, he immediately came to greet her.
"Why did it take you so long? I heard He Ling fainted. How is she?"
Jiang Huan nestled into his arms, absorbing his warmth, and sighed, "He Ling was terrified and fainted from the shock. The imperial physician said she needs to rest."
She paused, then couldn't help but ask, "Is there any news from Mingzhu?"
Huo Lin helped her to the edge of the couch and let her sit down against him, gently massaging her lower back with his large hand.
"I have already dispatched more people, and news has also come from Shen Yi's side. They have found some clues and are tracking them down. Mingzhu should be safe for the time being."
Upon hearing the news that Mingzhu was temporarily safe, Jiang Huan finally felt a sense of relief.
Physical and mental exhaustion washed over her at that moment. She relaxed, nestled in Huo Lin's arms, and comfortably squinted her eyes, her heavy eyelids almost sticking together.
"Hmm... thank goodness you were here," she murmured softly, her consciousness beginning to fade.
Huo Lin looked down at her dependent expression and kissed the top of her head tenderly.
[She really had a tough day today, worrying about all this while pregnant.]
Once this matter is resolved, I will definitely make it up to her, but right now the most important thing is to let her get some rest.
However, just as he was about to carry Jiang Huan to rest, Jiang Huan suddenly frowned, hissed softly, and instinctively pressed her hand against her lower abdomen.
"What's wrong?" Huo Lin immediately became nervous.
Jiang Huan felt a throbbing sensation in her lower abdomen, accompanied by a warm, damp feeling.
She was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, and her face turned pale instantly.
She grabbed Huo Lin's hand, her voice frantic: "Huo Lin...I...I think my water broke..."
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