Chapter 78: I'm not going to argue; I'm currently contemplating a move that will allow me to live as long as heaven and earth. ...
Since the successive autumn rains and cold winds in late autumn, winter has arrived in the blink of an eye. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, and it is getting light later and later.
Because A-Zhu was a little afraid of the cold, the underground heating system was lit early in the morning inside and outside the Guanju Palace, and silver charcoal was burned in the charcoal brazier and incense burner.
When Ah Zhu crawled out of her warm bed early in the morning and lifted the brocade curtains to get out of bed, she didn't feel cold at all.
"Your Majesty, please have some soup first."
Every morning without fail, Green Lotus would bring over a bowl of soup, and Ah Zhu would habitually take it and drink a few sips.
After putting down the empty bowl, Qingliu and Lvfu helped Azhu up, one on each side.
At this moment, only a faint light can be seen on the horizon.
After helping A-Zhu wash up and sit in front of the dressing table, Qing Liu and Lü Fu looked at A-Zhu's big belly and saw a hint of worry in their eyes, but they did not ask A-Zhu to take leave.
After all, who in this palace doesn't know that Empress Wang is most concerned about saving face?
Now that Empress Wang has finally found a way to back down under the pretext of "rehabilitating the Jiang family's reputation," it seems that she no longer wants to fight with the Empress and prefers to maintain a respectable relationship with Guanju Palace. Naturally, there is no reason for her to step on Empress Wang's face to advance.
Ultimately, this Empress's power base is solid, and she cannot be overthrown in a short time. Moreover, Ah Zhu is currently pregnant, and if she is angered enough to cause a lose-lose situation, then they will truly be finished.
"I've been to the Empress's Palace so many times these past few days, there's no rush to do it in the next couple of days."
Ah Zhu, who was pregnant and barely felt anything, smiled on her slightly chubby face.
"If it snows outside, I will immediately ask for leave from Kunning Palace."
"At least there's a legitimate reason, which can at least save face for our Empress."
That... is not necessarily a bad thing.
Thinking that their empress had been pregnant without any mishaps, everyone in Guanju Palace was relieved.
At 1:15 AM, the group headed to Kunning Palace as usual.
*
The sedan chair that A-Zhu is currently riding in is carried by four people.
The first half of the journey after leaving Guanju Palace was smooth and uneventful.
But just as they turned the corner, and were only a few steps away from the long street in front of Xiuming Palace, the sedan chair suddenly lurched violently.
Suddenly, a few unexpected cries of "Ah!" were heard, and the two palace maids carrying the sedan chair at the front slipped and fell to the ground with a "whoosh".
Suddenly losing its balance, the sedan chair shook violently a few times before tilting forward and falling to one side.
"ah--!"
Amid gasps of alarm, Qingliu, who was standing on the left, braced herself against the side of the sedan chair the moment the accident occurred.
She desperately reached out to pull and try to straighten the sedan chair, but she herself was knocked down to the ground.
With a "bang," half of the sedan chair landed on her.
Amidst the chaos and commotion, Ah Zhu, who had been sitting in the sedan chair, was thrown out.
"Your Majesty!"
"You bastards, how did you carry this sedan chair?!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, how are you?!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
"......"
A flurry of activity erupted at the long street intersection, accompanied by a cacophony of anxious voices, along with a clear notification tone—
"Beep—!"
[“Warning—Warning—The host is experiencing an accident and has been violently impacted.”]
"The 'Lucky Koi' gift pack is currently active."
["Emergency plan activated, generating optimal solution—host can proceed with production ahead of schedule."]
"Please select whether to run the best solution?"
"Due to the host's unusual circumstances, subjective judgment may be impossible."
"If you do not choose to cancel, the optimal solution will be automatically run for you after a ten-second countdown."
"This production run is expected to take a total of one hour."
"Please remain calm and prepare proactively. The system will provide full support to ensure a worry-free pregnancy."
["Please achieve more memorable 'Villainous Beauty' scenes, attain higher accomplishments, activate more features, enjoy 'Worry-Free Assistance,' and reach the pinnacle of your life."]
Ah Zhu was clearly badly hurt by the fall.
However, the intense pain from the impact on her abdomen quickly transformed into a somewhat unfamiliar spasm.
The system that takes the best approach is clearly not one to dawdle; right now, Ah Zhu, who has fallen to the ground, is about to give birth.
"It hurts, my stomach hurts..."
A-Zhu, who was groaning in pain, was pale and covered in sweat. She had hit one arm so hard that she could hardly lift it, and her other hand was instinctively covering her stomach.
What Ah Zhu considered an incredibly strange and unconventional thing was also quite thoughtful.
It didn't make Ah Zhu transform into some kind of "indestructible" monster in front of everyone... Now that she's fallen so hard, blood is quickly seeping under Ah Zhu's skirt.
The bloodstain was like a sharp blade of blood, piercing straight into the eyes of everyone present and churning back and forth.
"Your Majesty, blood..."
"Your Majesty!" San Cai, his eyes bloodshot, supported A Zhu with trembling hands, his voice almost cracking as he cried out, "Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician!!!"
......
Hanyuan Hall
It is said that illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is like pulling silk from a cocoon.
Emperor Xuanpei, who was always strong and healthy and rarely even had a headache or fever, suddenly fell ill, and the illness seemed to be getting worse and worse.
In addition, he had a poor appetite when Ah Zhu was pregnant, and now he feels nauseous no matter what he eats... making him especially restless.
It could even be said that as long as A-Zhu was heavily pregnant, that ever-present sense of fear would never be eliminated, and would only cling to Emperor Xuanpei.
Now that she is in seclusion in Hanyuan Palace and cannot see Azhu, it is inevitable that people will worry about her even more.
Even after experiencing fever and delirium, or after taking a calming decoction and resting, Emperor Xuanpei would almost always suddenly wake up from a nightmare.
Since the cause of the illness was incurable and the symptoms kept recurring, Emperor Xuanpei's condition did not improve. Instead, his fluctuating fever symptoms became increasingly severe.
The imperial physicians, who had been staying in Hanyuan Hall the whole time, were so anxious they didn't get any sleep, wishing they could come up with some kind of "miracle cure" to cure the emperor's ailments.
After Emperor Xuanpei drank the herbal medicine and was finally able to take a short nap, the entire Hanyuan Palace was unusually quiet; even the sound of the wind outside the window seemed to have stopped.
Having just served the medicine, Chen Gonggong, who was so anxious and stressed that his mouth was full of sores, was now standing outside the palace watching the first light of dawn on the horizon.
As he gazed at the rising sun, Eunuch Chen bowed and closed his eyes in devout prayer—May purple light come from the east, bringing good fortune and smooth sailing.
May God bless their Emperor with a speedy recovery.
May Consort Jiang have a peaceful pregnancy and give birth to the imperial heir safely.
Just as Eunuch Chen was muttering prayers, a young eunuch rushed in with earth-shattering news—Consort Jiang was in trouble.
Upon hearing this news, Chen Delu felt dizzy and his vision blurred.
The young eunuch and Fu Hai quickly stepped forward to help Eunuch Chen up.
Chen Gonggong, who instinctively didn't want to believe the bad news, quickly shook them off.
With a gloomy face and clenched teeth, Eunuch Chen grabbed the little eunuch's collar with both hands.
"You bastard, do you even know what you're saying?"
"If you dare to mock us, we'll skin you alive!"
"Master Steward... Master Steward."
The trembling eunuch was so frightened he was about to cry.
"This matter is absolutely true. How could this servant dare to speak nonsense?"
"If this servant utters even the slightest lie, may he be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
"Consort Jiang did indeed fall from her sedan chair, and she bled on the spot. I'm afraid she'll have to..."
"Now all the ladies-in-waiting have gone to Guanju Palace..."
Having served Emperor Xuanpei for so many years, how could Eunuch Chen not know what kind of existence Consort Jiang was to their Emperor?
Besides "eyeballs," Eunuch Chen couldn't think of any other explanation.
Someone's gone mad... The sky is falling, the sky is falling!
Logically speaking, Emperor Xuanpei was seriously ill and should have been resting and recuperating properly.
But Eunuch Chen never intended to keep this news from Emperor Xuanpei.
He had never even dared to consider that idea.
Eunuch Chen's face turned ashen, and he stumbled and crawled into the hall.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty."
Emperor Xuanpei, who was sleeping on the couch, had a slightly flushed face due to a persistent fever over the past two days.
His body felt incredibly heavy, as if weights had been placed on him everywhere. His limbs felt weak, and his joints seemed to be stuck together.
Half-asleep, Emperor Xuanpei suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing Eunuch Chen's voice.
Startled awake, Emperor Xuanpei's vision blurred, and he felt a throbbing headache throbbing inside his head.
But the inexplicable emptiness and fear in his heart made him slowly turn over and sit up.
Emperor Xuanpei frowned as he looked at Eunuch Chen kneeling before him, his voice hoarse as he asked, "What has happened?"
"Yes, it's Consort Jiang..."
With red-rimmed eyes, Eunuch Chen knelt down, his voice trembling slightly.
He didn't dare look up at Emperor Xuanpei's expression, only lowering his head to reply, "On her way to Kunning Palace to pay her respects, Her Majesty fell from the sedan chair and has already... has started bleeding... Her Majesty has now returned to Guanju Palace..."
"Bang, bang, bang"
It was as if something suddenly exploded in front of me, making my vision go black.
His internal organs trembled violently.
Consort Jiang had just fallen off her sedan chair and was already bleeding... Emperor Xuanpei, who heard every word clearly, could hardly distinguish between reality and dream at this moment.
Scenes from my past nightmares seemed to flash before my eyes—
Palace servants rushed back and forth in a panic, screaming in terror as they fled.
His Ah Zhu lay silently on the ground, covered in blood, his fate unknown.
The air was thick with the chilling stench of blood.
He could almost smell the sweet, metallic scent... Emperor Xuanpei looked down at the glaring crimson stains on the bright yellow auspicious dragon pattern in front of him—oh, so this was his blood.
"Your Majesty!!!"
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei suddenly vomit blood, Eunuch Chen's scalp tingled with fear, and he hurriedly crawled towards the dragon bed.
"Your Majesty... Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician!"
Emperor Xuanpei casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
As he got up from his bed, he felt lightheaded all over, as if he had lost all sensation.
"Send all the imperial physicians with me to Guanju Palace."
When Emperor Xuanpei spoke, he appeared very calm and composed.
He was not at all as emotionally agitated as Eunuch Chen, who was kneeling there in a panic and shedding tears. In fact, he remained as indifferent as ever, almost expressionless.
*
Guanju Palace
Because the side hall had been prepared early to serve as a delivery room, the underfloor heating had been kept on since autumn, and other midwives and female doctors had also lived in the side room to await orders.
Upon hearing the news that Consort Jiang had fallen from her sedan chair and was bleeding, the palace servants in Guanju Palace quickly began preparations.
Everyone could have predicted that Consort Jiang would not have been pregnant for even ten months.
After all, even for ordinary women, childbirth is often earlier than expected, let alone twins... Now that she is over six months pregnant, almost seven months along, there is still hope.
Listening to the voices of the imperial physician and midwife inside, and the muffled screams of Consort Jiang that seemed to be biting something and could not be stopped.
Looking at the group of palace servants who were nervously carrying copper basins, hot water, and various other items in and out of the hall, the concubines standing outside the hall turned their heads slightly away, their expressions showing a hint of reluctance.
After all, no matter how jealous they were of Consort Jiang in the past, cursing her for being arrogant and domineering and clinging to the Emperor's favor, hearing her struggling on the verge of death was truly unbearable.
Consort Xian, who rushed to Guanju Palace, no longer cared what others thought of her.
With her eyes closed and head bowed, she clasped her hands together and began chanting prayers for blessings.
It's no exaggeration to say that Consort Xian had never been so devout as she was at this moment; she prayed to every Bodhisattva and Arhat she could find.
Even if we don't mention that they are all people who have experienced the pain of childbirth.
Consort Jiang repeatedly praised Jingyi's cuteness, her affection for her evident in her words.
If she really does, and something unexpected really happens... will the Emperor directly choose a prince or princess to properly comfort Lady Jiang's grief over the loss of her son?
Just thinking about it made Consort Xian feel dizzy, and her prayers became even more devout.
Consort Zhou was also chanting scriptures.
However, she wasn't as exaggerated as Consort Xian; she simply twirled the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand and silently recited scriptures in her heart.
Consort Zhang stared blankly at the scene before her... Consort Yi had also died in the same way, along with her unborn child.
With differing thoughts and attitudes, the concubines displayed a variety of behaviors, but the most panicked among them was Empress Wang.
At this moment, the hand that Wang Xihui was supporting was trembling slightly.
People always regret things when they're about to fail... Empress Wang was clearly one of them.
She secretly blamed herself for not waiving Jiang's greetings earlier.
For a moment, she blamed Ah Zhu, secretly annoyed that she couldn't have fallen at any time or in any place.
It just so happened that it was on the way to pay respects at Kunning Palace.
The emperor had been staying in the palace to recuperate due to illness, and this had only been going on for two days.
Then Jiang got into trouble.
If something were to really happen to her... Empress Wang felt her heart pound with fear just thinking about it.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
The eunuch's loud shout at the door instantly drew everyone's attention.
As expected, His Majesty did come.
Empress Wang, looking slightly flustered, subconsciously glanced at Wang Xihui.
"Your Majesty... His Majesty has finally arrived."
Wang Xihui, who spoke these words urgently, almost gritted her teeth and gripped Empress Wang's hand tightly, trying to calm her down.
What's the panic?
The incident involving Consort Jiang was not caused by anyone from Kunning Palace.
If someone else harbors malicious intentions, it cannot be stopped.
With so many people in the palace, how can you expect them to keep a close watch on everyone and prevent them from harming others?
Empress Wang took a deep breath and, trying to remain calm, led the group of concubines to pay their respects to Emperor Xuanpei.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune and happiness."
Emperor Xuanpei seemed to nod slightly, and continued walking straight toward the side hall without stopping.
Before anyone else could react and offer advice, Emperor Xuanpei stopped at the entrance of the side hall.
The imperial physicians who had been serving in Hanyuan Hall hurriedly entered the side hall.
Empress Wang, who was helped to her feet, hesitated for a moment, but still slowly walked to Emperor Xuanpei's side.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, I have already sent someone to check the place where Consort Jiang fell off the sedan chair... It's not far from Xiuming Palace, where an ever-burning lamp and some scriptures are enshrined year-round."
"These past few days, there have been so many people chanting sutras, praying for blessings, and adding lamps in worship at the palace; it's bustling with people... and there's some sesame oil on the long street..."
Emperor Xuanpei ignored what Empress Wang was saying.
Since entering Guanju Palace, he hasn't even uttered a single question.
Apart from Qingliu and Sancai, who were serving by his side today, Qingliu and Sancai were kneeling outside the hall, looking distressed and with tears streaming down their faces.
Everyone involved in this matter, whether it was the head steward or the palace servants, was arrested without exception by Commander Wei and his men.
Looking at Emperor Xuanpei, who stood motionless and coldly staring at the side hall without speaking, Empress Wang felt a chill run down her spine, and her hands trembled slightly involuntarily.
Honestly, at this moment, Empress Wang even hoped that Emperor Xuanpei would fly into a rage and reprimand and interrogate them repeatedly, rather than remain silent and cold.
No one knows what Emperor Xuanpei was thinking at that moment.
Empress Wang had never seen Emperor Xuanpei in such a state before... she truly had no experience whatsoever.
*
Inside the hall
Of all the panicked people, Ah Zhu, who should have been the most flustered, was actually calmer than everyone else.
The contractions that started on the long street were actually the most painful ones yet.
This level of pain... is only about twice as much as the initial pain of falling.
It hurts, but it's definitely not as painful as childbirth.
Feeling guilty and afraid that others would discover the "ghostly thing," Ah Zhu bit her tongue hard to make the pain seem more real.
He then put in all his strength to act, managing to contort his face into a grotesque and painful expression.
Ah Zhu's overexertion from the start clearly startled everyone else in the room.
Fearing that Ah Zhu might bite herself in the pain, they stuffed a handkerchief into Ah Zhu's mouth to press down her tongue.
A-Zhu felt that having her mouth gagged was really affecting her performance, so she spat out the handkerchief and began to scream in a low voice.
The imperial physicians kneeling outside the screen were discussing the matter incessantly. However, if something unexpected were to happen, they wouldn't need to rush to request an imperial decree.
From beginning to end, there was only one imperial edict—protect Consort Jiang at all costs, and for everything else... spare no effort.
*
Standing there, Emperor Xuanpei remained silent, and none of the concubines in the courtyard dared to speak.
In this quiet setting, the screams coming from the side hall were truly chilling.
Eunuch Chen, who was still concerned about Emperor Xuanpei's fever, pushed his chair forward.
"Your Majesty, it seems that Consort Jiang's delivery is still a while away, so please take care of yourself."
Emperor Xuanpei remained silent and ignored the others.
Time passed by, second by second.
"Brother Tong" said he estimated it would take an hour, but this so-called estimate was accurate to the last detail.
In such an extremely oppressive and desolate atmosphere, it was inevitable that everyone would feel sorrow.
Just waiting to hear about Consort Jiang's difficult childbirth, and then accompanying her to the ends of the earth, the concubine vaguely heard what sounded like a baby crying inside.
Upon hearing the commotion, the concubines instinctively looked up, exchanging glances—were they so panicked that they were unknowingly hallucinating?
This self-doubt didn't last long, as the midwife from the side hall rushed out beaming with joy, repeatedly announcing the good news—
"May His Majesty bless us!"
"God help me!"
"Consort Jiang has given birth."
"Auspicious dragon and phoenix, what a joyous occasion!"
Upon hearing this good news, Empress Wang's heart sank back into her stomach.
She smiled and said to Emperor Xuanpei, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, Consort Jiang has given birth to twins, a boy and a girl."
"This is truly a joyous occasion."
The other concubines couldn't help but offer their congratulations repeatedly.
"They really are twins, a boy and a girl. Consort Jiang is truly blessed."
"......"
Emperor Xuanpei, seemingly overwhelmed by the surprise, did not smile for a moment.
His lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.
With a beaming smile, Eunuch Chen stepped forward and asked a question.
"How is Consort Jiang? How is she now?"
"Okay, okay, okay."
"Her Majesty is doing well."
The midwife, beaming with joy, naturally had nothing but kind words on her lips.
"Although Your Majesty gave birth a little early, the princes and princesses were also a little small, making it easier... Thanks to His Majesty, Your Majesty's delivery went very smoothly. You are just a little exhausted now, but you will be fine once you recover."
The layer of ice that separated us from this world was shattered, and the senses, which had been clouded by a hazy, blood-red haze, were restored in that instant.
The sounds of wind, laughter, congratulations, and well wishes all entered his ears, and Emperor Xuanpei could even hear his own heartbeat.
The dizziness and lightheadedness brought on by the high fever returned to his body. His body felt heavy, and his breath was scalding hot as he experienced alternating hot and cold sensations. Despite all the discomfort he felt, Emperor Xuanpei laughed.
He strode toward the hall, but his body swayed for a moment, and his steps faltered.
Eunuch Chen quickly helped Emperor Xuanpei up, saying, "Your Majesty."
Emperor Xuanpei regained his footing.
He pushed away Eunuch Chen's hand and walked into the hall step by step.
......
-----------------------
Author's note: 123 Wooden Man.
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