Chapter 43 "Why did you lie to me?"
Ren Yuqing's speech acupoint had been released by Qian Yuxing. She leaned against the car wall, unable to sit still due to the pain, her body swaying unsteadily.
Her eyes seemed to hold a vast ocean, and golden beams of light shone through the car window, sweeping across the bulging veins at her temples and extending to her eye sockets, with surging hopes floating on the entire ocean.
She took a deep breath, and seeing that Chu Zhiyan had the skill to take a pulse, she disregarded any secrecy between men and women, her fingernails digging into the back of his hand, and whispered, "You know medicine, you understand medicine, you can save me, right?!"
The carriage seemed to separate two realms: outside, corpses littered the ground, exuding a quiet deathly aura; inside, there was a strong, restless—desire for life.
Qian Yingyi and Qian Yuxing never expected that such a thrilling event would happen when they went out to the banquet today, nor did they expect that Ren Yuqing was about to give birth!
The maids who accompanied them were still in the city. This place was remote, and there were hardly any houses along the way. Neither of them had given birth before. Seeing Ren Yuqing's increasingly pale face, they became anxious and their hair became wet.
Qian Yingyi closed her eyes, forcing herself to suppress the panic in her heart, and suddenly said, "The carriage is too narrow. Could my sister-in-law move to a more spacious place?"
These words were spoken to Chu Zhiyan. His lowered eyes fell on Ren Yuqing's face, and a sense of certainty emanated from his throat. "Of course. When I rushed over just now, I saw an abandoned temple. She is currently unable to move. When the carriage starts moving later, there will inevitably be some bumps. You must take good care of her body and prepare clean handkerchiefs and soft blankets."
He frowned, his voice deep, "She can't wait to go to the city again to call a midwife to deliver the baby, now she has no choice but to take a gamble!"
Without further delay, he hurriedly lowered the carriage curtain to shield Ren Yuqing from her cries of pain, and called out to Qin Lizheng, "Young Madam Qian, we can't delay any longer! Give the order!"
Qin Lizheng turned around and stared at his subordinates, his forehead furrowed in a complicated knot. "Those who should be imprisoned should be imprisoned, and those who should be dealt with should be dealt with. Although Chu Zhiyan knows medicine, he has never delivered a baby. This is the most important thing. Find a few midwives as quickly as possible!"
As he spoke, he quickly walked towards the carriage, then exchanged a glance with Chu Zhiyan, and without further hesitation, immediately drove the carriage towards the deserted temple.
Neither of them looked well. The net to capture corrupt officials in Southern Zhili was half-woven, and they had spent nearly half a year patiently waiting. All that was left was for all their prey to be caught.
Due to the suddenness of the situation today, Qin Lizheng had no choice but to reveal his identity and send a signal.
For the past six months, although he has remained the same cold and taciturn Lin Zheng to the outside world, the Qian family has been harmonious. He admires Qian Yingyi and has long since included the Qian family in his heart.
Even with his uncanny foresight, he couldn't predict what would happen after Ren Yuqing was kidnapped. He could only put everything aside and use his most direct power to break through the city gates and seize every opportunity to save her.
Qin Lizheng listened to Qian Yingyi's tearful voice as she comforted Ren Yuqing, his fingers tightening even more around the reins, but his face remained expressionless as he focused solely on pushing forward. Chu Zhiyan, however, pondered more deeply, but after much deliberation, he could only sigh in the end.
Their secret investigation of these corrupt officials, intending to wipe them all out, stemmed from a gamble by the emperor. If it were just two or three officials, things would be much easier, but the emperor wanted all the corrupt officials, so they naturally had to slowly wear them down step by step in Nanjing.
Before today, the situation was relatively stable; after today, no one can accurately predict how the situation will unfold.
Prematurely revealing their identities is not a good thing for them. The officials will be panicked at first, but once they come to their senses, it won't be so easy to catch them red-handed.
The weather at the end of July is often unpredictable. When they arrived at the deserted temple, the sky was already so overcast that it looked as if the heavens were about to swallow everyone whole. Qin Lizheng got out of the carriage and lifted the curtain, saying, "Yingyi, you and your sister get out first."
Because she was in such a hurry, Qian Yingyi's eyes were red and swollen from crying. She glanced at him briefly and then stumbled off the carriage.
Looking at Ren Yuqing's face, Chu Zhiyan's heart sank. He said "I'm sorry," picked her up from the carriage, and then rushed into the deserted temple. After looking around, he hurriedly said, "Find some clean dry grass and gather it together. Put a soft blanket on it, and then gather firewood to start a fire. Young Madam Qian's body temperature is terribly cold."
Qin Lizheng remained silent upon hearing this, then turned and went to find a clean water source.
Although Qian Yingyi and Qian Yuxing moved hastily, they were very quick. Chu Zhiyan gently laid Ren Yuqing flat on the soft mattress and knelt down beside her.
His fingertips probed her pulse again, his voice deliberately softening, "Mrs. Qian, I am a man. There are some things that midwives can do, but considering your condition, I cannot. I will turn my back to you later, and Miss Qian and the others will stay by your side. Don't worry, the baby is fine for now. If the delivery goes smoothly, I will do my best to save your life. The most important thing is that you don't panic. Do you understand?"
“...Understood,” Ren Yuqing tried to calm her chaotic heart, took a deep breath despite the abdominal pain, and showed a resolute look in her eyes, “No matter what, I will live.”
Chu Zhiyan, who was always very talkative, became serious at this moment. He beckoned Qian Yingyi and the other woman to the door, and with a forceful drop in his voice, he gave them important instructions in a few words: "Childbirth is like passing through the gates of hell for a woman. I said that just now to calm her down. Later, I will teach you the secrets of childbirth. You must keep me informed of her condition and not panic. Do you understand?"
Qian Yingyi nodded, panting, and was about to answer in a low voice when Ren Yuqing cried out in pain again. Chu Zhiyan's expression changed, "Now is the time! The two of you surround her!"
The two scrambled to Ren Yuqing's side, their hands trembling as they lifted her skirt and pulled off her trousers. Qian Yuxing, her hand covered in blood, quickly used her other clean hand to comfort Ren Yuqing, "Sister-in-law, don't be afraid. Let's just pretend we're at home. Didn't we rehearse before? Let's do it that way!"
Chu Zhiyan said, "Young Madam Qian, bear with the pain and don't breathe too heavily. When you inhale, gather your strength, and when you exhale, slowly lower your strength. Don't rush."
Ren Yuqing's legs trembled, and cold sweat poured down her forehead. In just a few breaths, the soft mattress beneath her was soaked.
Qian Yingyi kept rubbing her increasingly cold fingers, her heart filled with endless fear, but she still emphasized her chin heavily, "Sister-in-law, I'm cheering you on. Tuan'er has been making a fuss in your belly for so long. I'll give her a good thrashing when she comes out. Are you warmer now?"
"It hurts so much..." Ren Yuqing suddenly grabbed Qian Yingyi's hand haphazardly, with such force that it seemed she was about to break her wrist. At this moment, her breathing suddenly became rapid, and she cried out hoarsely, "Qian Linye, you filthy scoundrel, you bastard! I'm going to die!"
Qian Yingyi's clumped eyelashes became damp again, and she joined in the cursing, "Qian Linye is a bastard! When he gets home, we'll beat him to a pulp!"
Chu Zhiyan noticed Ren Yuqing's increasingly rapid breathing, and in his nervousness, his hands involuntarily clenched into fists. "Young Madam! Gather your strength a couple more times, and I think the child will be out soon!"
Qian Yuxing bent down and stared under her skirt, her trembling voice tinged with relief, "I saw the head!"
Ren Yuqing suddenly closed her eyes, her breathing changed twice, and her expression changed drastically!
He immediately collapsed onto the soft mattress, his eyes glazed over, staring blankly into space. His eyes were half-closed, but the warmth in his hands gradually returned, and his breathing became calmer.
Qian Yingyi held Ren Yuqing's hand and rubbed it back and forth, but her breath caught in her throat for a moment. She hadn't heard any crying, so she blinked her panicked eyes and asked, "Why is there no movement?"
Qian Yuxing, trembling, took out the baby, her face filled with despair, and murmured, "Impossible..."
Chu Zhiyan's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "What symptoms does my child have?"
Perhaps overwhelmed by immense grief, Qian Yuxing's arms were trembling.
Upon seeing this, Qian Yingyi's legs went weak and she collapsed back into the haystack.
In just a moment, she suddenly slapped herself, which snapped her out of her daze. She crawled and cried to Qian Yuxing, carefully took Tuanjie from her, and said, "Sister, you go and take care of your sister-in-law, I'll take care of her."
She lowered her gaze, staring intently at the small, thin figure in her arms, forcing herself to calm down. She examined the figure carefully, saying, "The whole body is purple, limp, can't even open its eyes, breathing is extremely weak, almost nonexistent..."
At this point, she paused, held her breath, leaned closer to Tuan Jie'er, listened carefully for a moment, and then her eyes widened as she said, "She's still breathing!"
Chu Zhiyan breathed a sigh of relief, his voice softening considerably, "Miss Qian, don't panic, there's a little stuff in my mouth and nose that needs to be cleaned."
He pulled out a dagger and threw it to me, saying, "It's an emergency. We don't have scissors, so we'll have to make do with this. Put it over the fire and heat it repeatedly to cut the baby's umbilical cord. If you have a strong rope or thread, remember to tie it tightly with the thread before cutting the umbilical cord. Bring the baby to me and then go with your sister to take care of the young mistress."
Qian Yingyi's eyes welled up with tears, knowing that there was nothing seriously wrong. Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally calmed down. She hugged Tuanjie'er and leaned down again. Then she had Qian Yuxing take the hairpin off her head and pull out the thin string. The two of them cut the umbilical cord together.
Before picking up Tuanjie, Chu Zhiyan had already taken off his outer garment and wrapped her up tightly. After cleaning the residue from her mouth and nose, he laid her small body on his arm, keeping her head down and feet up, and gently and quickly patted the soles of her feet.
The next instant, a loud cry echoed throughout the dilapidated temple—
Ren Yuqing's stunned expression gradually changed; the light in her eyes slowly gathered, and tears fell from the corners of her eyes into her temples. "Tuanjie and I both survived..."
Qian Yuxing wept with joy and hurriedly went to fetch the water that Qin Lizheng had previously left outside the temple. The energy that had been released instantly returned. As she boiled the water, she muttered to herself, "I knew that mother and daughter would be safe. I knew it."
After carefully wiping Ren Yuqing clean, footsteps could be heard outside the temple, along with the voices of Qin Lizheng and others.
Within moments, two midwives rushed in, and seeing that the baby had already been born, they couldn't help but open their mouths slightly.
Fortunately, Qian Yuxing quickly called the two men, who then thoroughly examined Ren Yuqing inside and out, and sighed, "This grandmother is really lucky. She's fine. She just needs to rest at home."
Qin Lizheng's men, whom he had sent to the city to fetch people, had returned. Together with several maids from the Qian family, they helped Ren Yuqing into the tightly packed carriage. Qian Yuxing then carried Tuanjie'er inside as well.
Qian Yingyi was the last to arrive. Her emotions were in turmoil, and she was finally unable to hold on any longer. When she walked up to Qin Lizheng in a daze, there was still some blood on her hands, and her eyes were red from crying for too long.
"Ah Zheng," she said, her lips trembling, the lingering fear from before still surging within her, "I..."
Before the words were finished, I felt a wave of dizziness. Before I closed my eyes, I could vaguely remember Qin Lizheng's face, which had suddenly changed expression, approaching me.
The wind picked up suddenly at night, and chaos erupted on both banks of the Huai River.
The news that Wen Zhuonan had imprisoned young children for his own gratification spread throughout Jinling City in just half a day, and crowds gathered in front of the Wen family's gate, including the gate of the Yingtian Prefecture.
The people united to report to the imperial court, demanding that the Wen family be forbidden from collecting Wen Zhuonan's body. They argued that it was the father's fault for not raising his child properly, and that the people did not believe in biological fathers or stepfathers. They also put Wen Jianzhou in the spotlight.
What truly alarmed the officials of Yingtian Prefecture was not the furious populace, but the fact that, without their knowledge, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had secretly infiltrated the Qian family's young lady's inner circle.
During this period of more than half a year, did he manage to gather any incriminating evidence against himself? What exactly did the Emperor order him to come to Jinling for? What did the Emperor intend to do with these officials?
These officials, behind closed doors, all had some things they didn't want to share. Some had endured years of hardship to finally be transferred to Yingtian Prefecture as officials, and naturally, they didn't want to lose their official positions or their lives.
Upon hearing that the commander was handling Wen Zhuonan's case in the imperial prison, he rushed over without hesitation, trying to clear himself of any wrongdoing in a few words.
Unfortunately, when they arrived at the cold and impersonal prison, the group was intimidated by the Imperial Guards and lost their footing.
After much deliberation, they finally advised each other not to be hasty and frighten themselves, for they had come in a hurry and were now going back dejectedly.
Just as the hour of Hai (9-11 PM) was ending, a light rain began to fall on the eaves of the Qian residence. Raindrops condensed into water droplets and suddenly fell, landing with a "drip" in a small puddle, startling Qian Yingyi awake.
She suddenly sat up in the tent, glanced around the room in a daze, and quickly slipped on her shoes and got out of bed. As she put on her clothes, she called out, "Xia Ling! Where's my sister-in-law! Where's my sister-in-law!"
Xia Ling and Chun Tang rushed over from the corridor in an instant, and helped Qian Yingyi, who was about to trip over the threshold. Xia Ling lowered her voice and advised, "Don't worry, don't worry, Miss. The young mistress is asleep now. The doctor we invited has examined her and she is fine. The young lady is also asleep. Madam and the second young lady are watching over her."
"After such an incident, the master and son-in-law were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They hurriedly wrote a letter and sent it to Yangzhou, ordering the eldest young master to return as soon as possible. Miss, you slept for half a day. Are you feeling unwell now?"
Hearing that everything was alright, Qian Yingyi's tense heart gradually relaxed. She nodded slightly and said, "I'll go check on my sister-in-law and Tuan'er. I'll be quiet and won't say anything."
Xia Ling pulled her back to the veranda and said with a smile, "Oh, Miss, take care of yourself first. The young mistress is doing well. You can see her whenever you want, tomorrow, the day after, or anytime in the future. There's no rush."
She pressed on, "Miss, are you still feeling unwell? When you came back, Chuntang and I were terrified."
Upon hearing this, Qian Yingyi remembered that she had fainted from shock. Thinking of the face she saw before she closed her eyes, she turned to look at Xia Ling and asked softly, "Where is he?"
Xia Ling was taken aback, clearly understanding who she was asking. She opened her mouth, about to answer, when footsteps sounded outside, and someone stepped into Yun Teng Pavilion through the damp rain.
"Xia Ling, go down with Chun Tang."
"...yes."
Because of the rain, the sky was pitch black tonight. And because of what had happened during the day, Qian Yingyi looked at the swaying yellow gauze lanterns and felt that these lanterns looked desolate under the corridor.
A light drizzle was falling, and her slightly muddled thoughts gradually cleared. During the day, she had been so worried about her sister-in-law that she hadn't had time to think things through after hearing them.
Why did Chu Zhiyan suddenly appear at Jubao Mountain? Why were twenty or thirty martial arts figures killed in an instant? Wen Zhuonan was about to take their lives a moment ago, but then he disappeared without a trace... My memory is a little hazy, but I think Lord Wen roared and questioned why he killed his son.
Qian Yingyi watched the young man walk towards her step by step, her gaze sweeping over his face, then down his shoulders, arms, and waist. The sound of rain gradually became pattering, carried to Qian Yingyi's ears by the cool breeze. She vaguely remembered that it was also a rainy day when she picked him up and took him home.
A moment later, the familiar face drew closer, and Qian Yingyi suddenly spoke up, "Stop."
Qin Lizheng suddenly stopped and stared at her silently.
The two were already standing at opposite ends of each other, and now, separated by only two or three lanterns, they seemed even further apart, as if separated by an insurmountable river.
"You can pull out your waist token and order the guards at the city gate to let you out of the city immediately. You can kill Wen Zhuonan with one stroke. I will accept your command based on Chu Zhiyan's words."
Qian Yingyi stared intently at Qin Lizheng through the lamplight, her eyes growing increasingly unfamiliar, her voice barely audible, "Who exactly are you?"
Why did you lie to me?
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Author's Note: Someone's disguise has been exposed.
[Okay] There is no sadomasochism.
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