The woman sat on the bed, with a midwife ready beside her, her hair disheveled and plastered to her forehead.
Mu Wenxi saw that the woman was in great pain and her face was pale, but the emperor was not by her side at the time.
The maid beside her took the woman's hand, and a basin of water and scissors were prepared nearby.
Midwife: "Push harder, we can see the head now."
The woman let out a painful wail.
Midwife: "Your Majesty is about to exhaust herself, hurry!"
Mu Wenxi said anxiously, "Keep going, we can already see the end."
The woman glanced in Mu Wenxi's direction and then looked away. Mu Wenxi thought it was his imagination. The woman took a deep breath and fainted.
Midwife: "It's a boy! It's a baby boy!"
The woman had lost consciousness and could no longer hear.
The emperor rushed over and took his son in his arms: "This is my son! From now on, I will call you Chang'an."
Mu Wenxi was shocked to hear what she had just heard: "So she is Xiao Chang'an's mother, and this child is Xiao Chang'an."
Xiao Chang'an's arrival delighted the emperor and the woman. Soon, lanterns were hung all over the woman's courtyard, and she held her child with a loving expression.
"My dear Chang'an, you must grow up safely and peacefully."
The woman placed him in the cradle and gently rocked him. Mu Wenxi went closer to the child to take a look. Oh my, this little baby is so adorable! Is this Xiao Chang'an when he was a child?
Mu Wenxi reached out and poked the child's face with his finger.
The woman pushed the cradle, gazing out the window with a hint of sorrow in her eyes. The emperor was visiting less and less, and rumors were beginning to circulate in the palace.
"A vixen?"
"How can you compare to our Empress?"
"A wild pheasant from who-knows-where dreams of becoming a phoenix?"
Two palace maids were whispering to each other when they turned around and saw the emperor glaring at them. The maids immediately begged for mercy.
Emperor: "Drag him out and behead him."
"Your Majesty, spare me! Spare me, Your Majesty..."
The emperor approached the woman: "Xuan Niang..."
Xuan Niang tilted her head back and picked up Xiao Chang'an: "Your Majesty, look, our Chang'an."
Emperor: "Xuan Niang, don't worry, I will handle everything."
Xuan Niang lowered her eyelids and nodded.
As the days went by, Mu Wenxi noticed that the woman's face was becoming increasingly haggard. She decided to go and see her. She went to the emperor's palace and followed the emperor all the way.
But things didn't go as Mu Wenxi expected. The emperor and empress had a fierce argument, and in the end, the emperor decided to give in.
Does the Empress have a powerful backer, so much so that even the Emperor has to give in?
The emperor closed his eyes briefly: "I'll let her leave, but don't hurt her."
The Empress scoffed.
The emperor came to Xuan Niang's courtyard: "Xuan Niang, I'm sorry. I'm not strong enough right now. I've found you a place. Why don't you go there to avoid trouble for a while?"
The emperor couldn't understand the emotions in Xuan Niang's eyes.
Xuan Niang carried her son to a small courtyard. Mu Wenxi followed her to the courtyard, where Xuan Niang would stare blankly at the entrance every day.
One day, Xuan Niang heard some noise in the courtyard. She ran into the courtyard with a smile, only to see the Empress appear in front of her.
Xuan Niang's smile froze on her face.
Empress: "Arrest her."
Xuan Niang did not resist and glanced back at the room.
Mu Wenxi wanted to do something, so she rushed forward and grabbed the Empress's people, but she couldn't reach them. Xuan Niang seemed to give her a deep look.
Empress: "Find that bastard."
Xuan Niang suddenly raised her head and began to struggle: "If you dare to touch my son, I curse you to die a horrible death."
The Empress slapped Xuan Niang across the face, and blood trickled from the corner of Xuan Niang's mouth.
Xuan Niang was taken away by the Empress's men, and Mu Wenxi didn't know whether he should follow Xuan Niang or Xiao Chang'an.
The Empress stood in front of the door: "Have you brought the person?"
A wet nurse hurriedly entered the room carrying a bundle and soon came out carrying another one.
The Empress said, "We must ensure that this bastard child is delivered to my brother without any mishaps."
Mu Wenxi was shocked to learn that Xiao Chang'an had been switched at birth.
The emperor rushed over, but the empress had already taken the person away: "That ruthless woman."
Unfortunately, by the time the emperor arrived, it was too late; Xuan Niang had already been murdered by the empress's men.
The emperor, holding Xuan Niang's body, cried out, "Why did you do this?!"
The Empress gave a sarcastic laugh: "Do you still remember when you said you only loved me, that you would never become emperor if it weren't for me? As long as I live, you will never be free."
The emperor silently dug a grave for Xuan Niang.
Mu Wenxi woke up with a start. She tapped her head, wondering why she had dreamt of Xiao Chang'an's mother.
She also learned how Xiao Chang'an's mother died, which truly blew her mind.
She changed her clothes and prepared to go to class, but Xiao Chang'an suddenly appeared beside her and looked at the blackboard with her. Mu Wenxi could only pretend not to see him, otherwise others might think that Mu Wenxi was crazy.
After class, she learned that several of her friends who had gone to the old house together the day before had all taken sick leave. When some curious friends came to ask Mu Wenxi about it, she could only give a few casual words to brush them off.
At noon, Mu Wenxi went to the cafeteria for lunch. Xiao Chang'an sat down in front of her. Mu Wenxi paused for a moment while holding her chopsticks, then pretended that nothing had happened and started eating naturally.
That night, Mu Wenxi lay in bed, turned her head, and found Xiao Chang'an leaning against the foot of her bed.
Mu Wenxi was a little annoyed; no one could sleep well if they were being watched by a ghost: "Are you just going to follow me like this?"
Xiao Chang'an nodded.
Mu Wenxi: "Can't you go somewhere else to play?"
Hsiao Chang-an: "I wish I could, but it seems I can't stay too far away from you."
Mu Wenxi said helplessly, "By the way, I dreamed about your mother yesterday."
Xiao Chang'an: "You dreamed about my mother?"
Mu Wenxi nodded and described to him the scene he saw in his dream.
Xiao Chang'an looked into the distance: "My mother, what does she look like?"
Mu Wenxi: "Her name is Xuan Niang. She is very beautiful and gentle. She has a lovely smile and always gently rocks you in the cradle."
Xiao Chang'an's eyes were slightly red in the darkness: "When can you go to the old house again?"
Mu Wenxi rolled over, her voice accidentally rising a little: "What did you say? Go to the old house again? I'm terrified."
Dong Lihua: "Wen Xi, what's wrong? Are you asleep?"
Mu Wenxi: "Sorry, sorry, I was chatting with someone, my voice was too loud."
Dong Lihua: "No, I thought you were talking in your sleep. You usually go to bed early. By the way, I heard that some of the friends who went with you yesterday are sick."
Mu Wenxi: "Hey, don't worry, they must have all taken leave and gone somewhere to have fun. How could they all get sick at the same time?"
Dong Lihua: "So that's how it is."
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