Chapter 108 The End of Winter "We won!"
Days passed by, and the weather gradually turned cold.
Autumn has passed.
By mid-November, several more battles had been fought, but more defeats than victories had been won.
Perhaps it's because the weather this year has been so bad, always gray and gloomy, shrouding people in a huge haze.
However, once winter arrives, the New Year is just around the corner. Battles must be fought, life must go on, and preparations for the New Year must be made.
Xue Chan lifted the carriage curtain, and the palace servants were sweeping, hanging lanterns, and decorating the area. The small orange and tangerine lanterns were hung up in strings, like persimmons hanging from branches in a vast snowstorm. They were round and plump, with rich colors, and looked very sweet.
She remembered again.
Jiang Ce loves to eat persimmons, especially roasted persimmons, and particularly loves the soft and chewy segments inside.
Two years ago, when they were staying up late on New Year's Eve, Madam Yu and Xue Chan talked about this matter and also told each other a funny story from Jiang Ce's childhood.
When Jiang Ce was a child, he only ate the soft segments inside the persimmons. Every time he ate one, he would pick out the soft segments and secretly hide the rest. Once, his father caught him and chased him all over the yard.
Finally, Jiang Ce scrambled to the top of the persimmon tree, picking and eating persimmons as he went, refusing to come down.
His father, standing below with his hands on his hips, berated him: "Jiang Yuelang, you're finished today! Get down here!"
Jiang Ce threw the persimmon down, which landed at his feet: "I'm not coming down, I'm not coming down, I'm not coming down. Coming down is the real end, and you're definitely going to hit me."
His father said softly, "Don't worry, I definitely won't hit you today."
Jiang Ce wanted to go down, but after climbing for a while, he climbed back up and shouted, "I don't believe you, you're lying."
His father snorted coldly and had someone bring him an axe. He rolled up his sleeves and said, "Jiang Yuelang, let me tell you, I have plenty of ways to get you down. I'll cut down this persimmon tree first, and then I'll cut down all the persimmon trees inside and outside. I'll make sure you can't climb up and can't eat them."
Jiang Ce was unmoved by either persuasion or coercion, and instead stuffed a few more persimmons into his mouth.
"Go ahead and chop, since you're going to get beaten up anyway and won't get any persimmons, I might as well eat more now before I get beaten up."
Before the axe could even hit the tree, Jiang Ce got into a fight with the birds that flew down to peck at the persimmons. After a few pecks, he fell off the tree and into his father's arms.
"Jiang Yuelang, is it fun?"
Yu Niangzi said, "Back then, his father pulled down his pants and beat him. He cried loudly, and his tears and persimmon juice were mixed everywhere. For many days, he had to stand to attend school."
Jiang Ce covered his head and ran away frantically, saying, "Stop talking, stop talking! How come you remember all these old, trivial matters so clearly?"
Madam Yu laughed and said, "That was the first time your father hit you, of course I remember it clearly."
Every time Jiang Ce ate persimmons, Xue Chan would tease him, "Are you going to climb a tree this time?"
Jiang Ce was initially embarrassed, then disdainful, and finally pestered her to kiss him.
And you have to keep asking her questions with a smile.
Are the persimmons sweet?
Xue Chan lowered the carriage curtain and pressed it to her chest.
There used to be a persimmon there, green and astringent.
Thinking back on these things now is like ripening a bitter persimmon in my chest, making it soft, sweet, and fragrant enough to be smelled from afar.
However, a single orange-red, honey-dripping persimmon is utterly insignificant in this vast expanse of land.
Like a snowflake, a speck of dust.
But it was still enough for Xue Chan.
She spent many, many days alone, under the lamp, by the window, and in bed, holding that persimmon.
The carriage stopped, and palace maids led Xue Chan to the Funing Palace.
The closer they got, the more hurried the palace servants seemed. Yun Sheng grabbed one of them and asked, "What's wrong?"
The palace maid announced, "Her Highness the Imperial Concubine has given birth prematurely!"
Xue Chan immediately asked her again, "Is the birth finished now?"
"No, it's because she can't give birth!"
Xue Chan let go of his hand, disregarding all etiquette, and ran wildly towards Funing Palace. As soon as she entered the palace, she bumped into Yu Lang, who was rushing towards her.
Neither of them said anything, and they helped each other run inside.
Yu Lang tried to force her way in, but the palace servants stopped her: "Your Highness, you cannot enter."
She immediately became furious: "Why can't I go in? At a time like this, do we still need to worry about these things?"
The palace maid pleaded while crying, "Her Majesty said that if the two of you come, please wait outside and don't worry too much about her. Please listen to her!"
Basins of clean water were brought in, and basins of bloody water were brought out.
Xue Chan held back her tears and asked, "Do you know what happened?"
The palace maid said, "Your Highness has a history of miscarriages and is in poor health. When she suddenly went into labor, the delivery was extremely difficult."
As she spoke, she began to cry, sobbing, "But His Majesty is not in the palace either. If the time really comes, I don't know who to ask for a decision."
ruling.
Xue Chan clenched her fists, and Yu Lang immediately turned around: "I'm going to find Father!"
After she left, Xue Chan was left sitting on the veranda, listening to the chaotic sounds of conversation inside.
Xue Chan suddenly stood up: "The physician is inside!"
The palace maid who came out carrying water said, "She's not here..."
Xue Chan tried her best to remain calm: "Where did they go?"
The palace maid shook her head and cried, "I don't know either."
Xue Chan went to the Imperial Medical Bureau, and most of the imperial physicians there went with the emperor. Except for those on duty, the rest were in the Funing Palace.
"Where did Wen Yizheng go?!"
"The Dowager Consort of Shouchun is seriously ill. Yesterday, after requesting permission from His Majesty, she took Physician Wen away, and he is currently at the Shouchun Prince's residence."
Xue Chan left the palace immediately, riding a horse instead of a carriage.
It started snowing as soon as I left the palace.
Xue Chan rode her horse through the wind and snow towards the Prince of Shouchun's residence, but fell off in her haste. She had no time to worry about that; she quickly remounted and rode through streets and alleys, covering most of the capital before finally arriving at the Prince of Shouchun's residence.
Xue Chan had visited the Prince of Shouchun's residence before and even discussed calligraphy and painting with the Dowager Princess, so the residence recognized her immediately.
Xue Chan was in a mess, and before anyone could speak, she asked, "Where is Physician Wen! Where is Physician Wen!"
The maid said, "The Dowager Princess has recovered and is currently being cared for in the room."
Xue Chan grabbed her arm: "Sister Lao, please take me to see the Dowager Empress."
The maid's hand hurt from being gripped, but since Xue Chan seemed to be in a bad mood, she said nothing and quickly led her away.
Inside the room, the Dowager Empress was still resting, and the physician was taking her pulse.
Someone rushed in from outside to report: "Madam, Madam Xue requests an audience."
The Dowager Empress said, "Please let her in."
The maid led the person in, and before the Dowager Empress could even see clearly, the person suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed several times.
"Consort Xue suddenly went into labor this morning, and the delivery is difficult. It is necessary for Physician Wen to be by her side. Please forgive my presumption, but I ask that the Dowager Princess allow me to take Physician Wen back with me."
As soon as she finished speaking, she kowtowed several more times.
The physician was so shocked that he stood up abruptly. The Dowager Consort was also shocked, but she only nodded: "Your Majesty's childbirth is a major event. I am fine now. Lady Xue, please take Physician Wen back to the palace."
Xue Chan got up and tried to control her emotions.
"The princess sent the imperial physician and me to replace the chief physician, who stayed to take care of you."
The Dowager Empress said, "Enough of this, let's hurry into the palace."
Xue Chan and the physician hurriedly rushed outside. The physician wanted to ask Xue Chan about Consort Xue's condition, but seeing that Xue Chan's hair was disheveled and she was covered in snow, he just kept pulling her outside.
She didn't ask anything.
The two hurriedly rushed into the palace.
Upon arriving at Funing Palace, Wen Yi was rushing inside, while Xue Chan sat blankly outside, watching the falling snowflakes.
When Yunyu came out and saw her like this, she was shocked, but quickly calmed down and advised, "Madam, why don't you go and change your clothes first? It would be more convenient if Her Majesty wanted to see you, wouldn't it?"
Xue Chan's stiff body shifted slightly, and she stood up with a numb expression: "Okay."
Yun Sheng Chu Tao, along with two palace maids, helped her change clothes, wash, and re-comb her hair.
As she raised her hand to put on her sleeve, Yun Sheng was startled to see her bruised and swollen arm: "What happened?"
Xue Chan quickly dressed and said, "It's nothing, I just fell and it'll be fine in a couple of days."
Consort Xue was still giving birth, and apart from the palace servants coming and going, there was a constant swirling snow.
Everything else came to a standstill.
Xue Chan didn't know how much time had passed; she just sat quietly, sitting quietly.
Until the cry of a newborn baby pierced the Fu Ning Palace like a sharp sword, shattering all the tranquility.
Xue Chan immediately rushed to the palace gate, her chest heaving.
After a while, the palace doors were opened, and a strong stench of blood assaulted Xue Chan's face.
In an instant, memories of the past flooded back, and all the pent-up, suppressed emotions burst forth.
Inside the palace, the physician was washing his hands, Yunyu was holding the child, and Consort Xue looked up and smiled at her.
"Qiao Niang"
Xue Chan rushed in, knelt before the bed, and burst into tears beside Consort Xue.
She didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
This time, however, Consort Xue did not leave like her mother.
Her cries echoed through the Funing Palace, just like those of a child.
Consort Xue raised her hand and gently stroked the child's head.
"It's okay, it's all over."
Before the two could say much, hurried footsteps could be heard outside again.
Then a palace maid announced, "His Majesty has arrived!"
Before the words had even finished, the emperor had already swept in like a whirlwind.
Xue Chan immediately moved aside.
With tears in his eyes, the emperor gently stroked Consort Xue's sweat-dampened bangs and held her hand tightly.
"Your Highness, we've won! The Great Liang has won!"
The people inside burst into tears of joy and knelt down on the ground.
The sounds of congratulations, both inside and outside the hall, filled the entire Funing Hall, gradually dispelling, fading, and extinguishing the wind and snow.
Xue Chan got up and left the hall. Yu Lang walked up and nudged her with his elbow: "That's good."
"Ah!" To everyone's surprise, Xue Chan clutched her right arm, looking pained.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Xue Chan was in so much pain that she was panting heavily.
Yu Lang helped her up and instructed, "Quickly go and invite Physician Wen to take a look."
The palace maids helped Xue Chan sit down in the hall, and soon Yun Sheng brought the physician Wen with him.
Yu Lang said, "Her hand seems to be injured. Doctor Wen, please take a look at her quickly."
"Yes," the physician immediately lifted Xue Chan's arm, which was now bruised and swollen.
She examined the bone carefully and said, "My lady has a broken bone."
"A fracture? How could you have broken your hand when you were perfectly fine?" Yu Lang asked.
The physician sighed, "I suppose it was when the lady rode out of the palace to find me that she fell off her horse and got injured?"
Xue Chan nodded: "I just fell and didn't feel anything."
Yu Lang poked her hair: "You didn't feel anything even in this state, but now you must be in excruciating pain."
Xue Chan laughed and said, "Yes, it hurts so much."
Yu Lang crossed his arms and sighed, saying that while he seemed heartless, he was also sentimental.
After the physician was carefully treating Xue Chan's hand, the group learned that Jiang Ce and his men had first wiped out a troop of Western Rong soldiers.
The young and impetuous men charged into the camp and killed a general.
They managed to break through the stalemate, and Jiang Shiyu and his men pressed their advantage, winning a great victory.
They then won a series of great victories, forcing the Western Rong to retreat again and again, and eventually drive them out of Changping Mountain.
By the time the news reached the capital, it was already the end of the year.
Xue Chan needed to recover from her fracture, so she stopped teaching, declined invitations to visit relatives, and focused on recovering and preparing for the New Year.
This is a rare year; the signs of decline over the past year have been completely swept away by the joy of the New Year.
Xue Chan and He Yu Niangzi also changed the little clothes that Xi Tuan and Niangniang had made this year.
Chu Tao was so happy when she made it that she made many pieces.
The brand-new, festive clothes worn by them make them look quite prosperous.
Xue Chan calculated that winter would soon be followed by the New Year, and after the New Year, spring would arrive.
Spring is such a wonderful season.
She held Xi Tuan in her arms every year.
"When spring comes, our family will be reunited."
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