Chapter 553 I Can't Stand It
"However, the truth was not so. I boiled pot after pot of water, but there was no movement coming from Consort Yun's room for a long time. The palace maids who came in and out to deliver water told me that Consort Yun was probably having a difficult childbirth. Although I had only been in the palace for a short time, I knew what a difficult childbirth meant, that it meant that all of us would be implicated."
“I was terrified. I thought that rather than waiting to be punished, I might as well sneak back quietly and save my life. So I boiled two pots of water and quietly slipped out from behind the kitchen. I wanted to take the opportunity to leave, but as soon as I got close to the palace gate, I saw a group of people rushing over. I dared not leave through the main gate and could only retreat.”
"Fortunately, I remembered that there was a dog hole behind Consort Yun's palace, so I groped my way there. But as soon as I got around to the back of the palace, I heard the cry of a baby, followed by a man's voice saying: 'Your subordinate will definitely deliver the young master safely out of the palace, so please rest assured!'"
"After the man finished speaking, there was no sound. Soon I heard another group of people arrive. They kicked things over in the room, and then the leader said: Take Consort Yun to the Cold Palace, and throw the child in there as well. After those people left, everyone was taken away, but I crawled out through the dog hole."
Even now, when Madam Ouyang recalls what happened that night, she still feels terrified.
After recounting the past, the man finally turned around slowly.
When Madam Ouyang saw the man, her legs went weak and she knelt down.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
Lady Ouyang thought the emperor would send a member of the Imperial Guard or a trusted confidant to speak with her, but she never expected the emperor to come in person.
"Since you've kept this secret for decades, why are you revealing it now?" The emperor's eyes were dark and unreadable.
Madam Ouyang was no longer as composed as before. She had personally witnessed the struggle for the throne among the nine princes, and she knew very well just how ruthless the emperor was, though others might not.
"Your Majesty is surely aware of my situation. Now I am like a rat crossing the street, hated by everyone, but I do not wish to die. Moreover, I believe Your Majesty also wants to know where the child who was taken away by that person back then went."
When Madam Ouyang said her last sentence, there was a hint of gambling in it.
After the man took the little prince away, the group of people who came after him were clearly sent by the emperor. They did not keep the child and banished him and Consort Yun to the cold palace. This is enough to show that the emperor at the time did not want to keep the child.
But times have changed. Just because the emperor didn't want a child back then doesn't mean he doesn't want one now.
Now the royal lineage is dwindling. Former Crown Prince Lu Tianhua was mediocre and even lost his royal status. Third Prince Lu Youming was crippled by a conspiracy. Fifth Prince Lu Yuanbin is very likely the one who harmed his brother. As for the last one, Lu Changqing, Madam Ouyang never even considered it.
Therefore, in this situation, the emperor had only one choice: to create countless effigies.
Madam Ouyang learned from Ouyang Biao that the emperor had recently been neglecting his health and frequently favoring his concubines, even neglecting to visit the empress, whom he used to frequent.
The emperor was so eager to have another son, but even if someone did become pregnant, there was still so much time. Who could guarantee that those children would be born safely and grow up peacefully?
Compared to those uncertain sons, what would an emperor think if he knew he had a son still alive in the world, and that the son was already an adult?
Of course, all of this was Madam Ouyang's own gamble. After all, she was a dying woman, and she would die anyway if she didn't take a chance, so she might as well take a chance and find a way to survive.
The emperor looked at Madam Ouyang kneeling before him and thought of the recent rumors circulating on the streets. A woman who could outmaneuver the mistress of the house must have been quite cunning.
"I have already bought this courtyard. You will stay here for the time being, and don't go out unless necessary."
After the emperor finished speaking, he waved his hand, and someone immediately came forward. "Your Majesty, everything is ready."
"Alright, find a few people to take good care of Madam Ouyang, and try to meet any of her needs."
After the emperor finished speaking, he and his men silently disappeared into the night. Only after everyone had left did Madam Ouyang finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Gu Shuyan learned that Madam Ouyang had been kidnapped the next morning.
"Brother Yun, who do you think rescued Madam Ouyang, who has no family background or connections?"
Gu Shuyan drank the porridge in her bowl while discussing with Yun Yichen, who had just returned from court.
"His Majesty was furious this morning and has already sent the Ministry of Justice to help arrest the suspect, but I think this person will definitely not be caught."
Yun Yichen shared his news with Gu Shuyan and also offered his opinion.
“I also think we can’t catch them. Since the other party has the ability to take people away, their identity must be extraordinary. I just don’t know what their relationship is with Madam Ouyang.”
Gu Shuyan nodded in agreement, but she still couldn't understand what kind of background Madam Ouyang had. Moreover, she wondered what Ouyang Jing would think if she found out that Madam Ouyang had escaped.
"I think we need to investigate this Madam Ouyang; we might be able to get some clues."
Looking at Gu Shuyan's expression, Yun Yichen knew she was worried again, so he tapped her head and said.
"That's all we can do." Gu Shuyan smiled and served Yun Yichen another bowl of porridge.
In the Gu family, no one dared to mention Madam Ouyang's escape to Ouyang Jing.
Although the previous delivery was relatively safe, the medicine still severely damaged her health. Yun Yichen said that Ouyang Jing needs to take good care of herself, otherwise it will be difficult for her to have children in the future.
Therefore, both Ji Shi and Gu Yingjie have been taking meticulous care of Ouyang Jing these past few days, afraid of neglecting her in any way.
However, secrets can be kept forever. No matter how well the Gu family kept it a secret, Ouyang Jing still found out.
On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, Ouyang Jing, who had been lying in bed for several days, saw that the weather outside was fine and asked her maid to help her to the window to do some exercise.
Just then, two maids were chatting in the courtyard, and that's how Ouyang Jing learned that Madam Ouyang had run away.
The hatred for the murderer of one's mother is irreconcilable. Ouyang Jing had assumed that Madam Ouyang was surely dead, which was why she hadn't inquired much about her. Who would have thought that even after being imprisoned by the powerful Prefect of the Capital, that wicked woman could still escape?
Outraged, Ouyang Jing immediately smashed things in the yard.
When Ji arrived, she saw Ouyang Jing lying weakly on the bed due to the exertion, and she felt extremely distressed.
"Mother, why is the world so unfair!"
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