The days passed one by one, and finally it was August 20th.
The days passed so slowly that they felt like years. In just three short days, it felt longer and more exhausting than the previous three months.
On that day, Su Ci washed, had breakfast, and lived as usual. Finally, she went to the main hall to see Empress Xu.
Empress Xu patted Su Ci's hand and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Madam."
Empress Xu was lying on the bed, half leaning against the pillow, talking to Su Ci. It was Empress Yuan's birthday, and she was not willing to get involved, let alone go. She had said she was unwell and was lying in bed a few days ago. She put on makeup to make her face look a little pale, but there was a hint of smile on her lips. "Your Majesty has been busy these days. It is said that the people who went to the northeast have returned. Your Majesty has been summoning him for days and nights."
Today is Ren's birthday, but Ji Yuanhao only went to Fengxian Temple to burn incense this morning and then hurried back to Shangyang Palace.
This made Empress Xu in a good mood.
Although Su Ci didn't know the details, she guessed that Ji Yuanhao was definitely not busy with things in the Northeast at the moment, but must be related to Yang Yanzong! But she remained calm, smiled, and casually agreed, "Your Majesty is indeed working hard."
"Okay, you should go early and come back early too."
In fact, Empress Xu and Su Ci didn't have much friendship. After a few words, she said she was tired and asked Su Ci to leave quickly.
After leaving Empress Xu, she walked step by step from the inner hall to the outside. The afternoon sun was blazing, and the darkness gradually brightened. When she went outside the hall, the sedan chair was already prepared, and more than a hundred imperial guards armed with swords stood solemnly in front and behind.
Su Ci stood on the high white marble platform for a while, then slowly walked down, step by step to the bottom.
She leaned over and climbed onto the sedan chair. After waiting for a while, the sedan chair moved, was lifted up, turned around, and slowly went outside the Changqiu Palace, in the direction of the Fengxian Hall.
She lifted the curtain a little and squinted at the bright sunlight.
It's about to begin.
Hope all goes well!
…
Under the afternoon sun, it took Su Ci less than half an hour to finally reach Fengxian Hall.
She was helped out of the sedan chair, and then a young eunuch led her up the side steps and onto the platform.
Today in the Fengxian Hall, there are incense, candles, paper money, lotus flowers and fresh fruits. Dozens of monks are sitting cross-legged on cushions in the hall, with their eyes closed and chanting in Sanskrit. Officials from the Ministry of Rites, their subordinates and palace maids in the hall are offering sacrifices according to ritual system.
However, this memorial ceremony had already lasted for the entire morning and noon, and was now coming to an end. The officials from the Ministry of Rites had finished kneeling three times and kowtowed nine times, and were standing up, bowing, lowering their heads, and retreating out of the hall.
Su Ci stood at the threshold, she looked up at the huge hall. This was the first time Su Ci saw the official tablet of the Ren family. The gold-powdered calligraphy reflected the candlelight, flickering with a soft golden glow.
Su Ci let out a long breath, took the sandalwood lit by the palace maid, and walked slowly forward.
One step, two steps, three steps, ...
Su Ci counted her steps silently, but her peripheral vision remained fixed on the side door on the left. She knew that behind the indigo door curtain, through a short inner corridor, there was a small corner room where the eunuchs and palace maids who took turns to guard the lights and candles rested.
——Her target is right there!
Su Ci stood in the center of the hall, muttered a few words, bowed a few times, and handed the incense to the palace maid beside him to place in the gilded incense burner on the altar.
It is worth noting that she gave it to the palace maid who was supporting her on the other side besides Bai Gu.
At this time, the hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood incense. The six palace maids who were participating in the martial arts competition were standing on the left and right sides of the wide-open hall door, staring at her without blinking.
Inside and outside the Fengxian Hall, more than a hundred of the most skilled imperial guards were stationed in three layers, making it impossible to get through.
Just as the palace maid carefully took the sandalwood and turned around, Su Ci and Bai Gu looked at each other. Suddenly, she frowned and looked painful. Then, she pulled her hand hard under her abdomen!
——This morning, with the cooperation of Bai Gu, the two of them wrapped a bamboo pen holder with oil paper book cover to make a water bag. They opened a hole at the bottom, plugged it with a stopper, and connected it with a thin rope. The water bag was filled with water. When she pulled it hard, the water immediately flowed out, soaking her skirt in an instant.
"Ah, ma'am, Madam Yang—"
Su Ci's face showed pain. She covered her abdomen and could not stand. Her body tilted to the side. Bai Gu quickly supported her and touched the hem of her skirt. "Ah, Madam Yang is about to give birth——"
"My water broke!!"
Su Ci wore a green silk skirt today, which was particularly conspicuous when it got wet. The six palace maids rushed over the next moment, but seeing Su Ci, who was in so much pain that she couldn't stand and was sweating all over her face, they were a little at a loss for a moment.
They have never experienced childbirth.
"…Hurry up and help him to the corner room!"
Bai Gu looked around quickly and said so.
Childbirth has always been dirty, and the amniotic fluid cannot flow into this hall.
Yes, yes, yes!
Everyone worked together, one person on each side, and quickly carried Su Ci to the left side door that was nearest.
The resting places for palace servants and eunuchs were usually quite narrow, and it was already difficult for two people to support each other sideways. The palace maid had already reacted and turned around quickly: "Quick! Go and carry the sedan chair, and carry it directly to the back corner room!"
Su Ci had already stepped into the corner room.
The palace maids who couldn't squeeze in at the back immediately turned around when they heard the sound.
——Of course the sedan chair couldn't come from the main hall. Su Ci was not the master of the palace, so she would have to go around half a circle and come from the back. But the imperial guards were so fast that Su Ci would only have thirty seconds at most!
Moreover, there are several palace maids around her!
At this moment, her palms were sweating, and so were Bai Gu's. Their hands, both sweaty, were tightly clasped together.
As soon as the two entered the corner room, they took a quick look around. Fortunately! They discovered the secret code immediately, it was on the inside of the bed!
The corner room was very small. Several people squeezed in and couldn't turn around at all. Moreover, the windows of the servants' room were very high and small, and it was also very dim. Bai Gu occupied the most advantageous position from the beginning. She supported Su Ci and stood at the front. "Light a lamp, it's too dark."
Bai Gu caught a glimpse of the oil lamp and the fire starter on the table and immediately said this.
Then someone turned around and lit a lamp.
Before the lights were turned on, Bai Gu had already helped Su Ci to lie on the bed. Su Ci groaned in pain and curled up. Bai Gu seized this opportunity and tripped, "Ouch!"
She lunged forward and pulled down the bed curtain that Chen had hooked with a copper hook. She fell heavily, causing the palace maid beside her to stagger as well. The last palace maid who followed closely behind her quickly reached out to help the two of them.
And at this moment, the bed curtain just covered the kang bed!
——The tents of ordinary palace servants and eunuchs are all made of cotton and cover themselves tightly.
It's that time! !
Su Ci rolled inside with all her might. As soon as she turned half over, she felt the bed board on the inside move, and she fell down in an instant!
She fell!
Su Ci closed her mouth tightly and protected her stomach with her hands.
The next moment, she touched a soft quilt. Achuan had been holding the quilt and waiting for a long time. He jumped up and caught her steadily!
And at the moment when she was caught from falling, Su Ci saw out of the corner of her eye that A Kang and A Zheng worked together to carry another person who was dressed exactly like her and sent them up at the same time.
Su Ci immediately understood that this was the substitute that Yang Yanzong had prepared for her earlier!
Everything happened in an instant.
The palace maid helped her companion and Bai Gu up, and the lights were lit with a "click". In order to make the scene more realistic, Bai Gu even broke her mouth, and it was immediately full of blood. Her partner He Gu quickly took out a handkerchief and gave it to her, "Ouch."
Bai Gu covered her mouth. The bed curtains had been hung up. The "Su Ci" hairpins and rings fell off. She curled up and moaned in pain. She was full-term and had just been acupunctured with silver needles. She was really about to give birth. Amniotic fluid and the smell of blood gushed out together.
He Gu touched the mattress and said, "She's going to give birth, she's going to give birth soon! Where's the sedan chair? Hurry, hurry!"
Everyone was anxious, but the baby couldn’t be born in Fengxian Hall!
The sedan is coming quickly! Soon the back door on the other side was knocked. Bai Gu threw away her handkerchief, and He Gu pulled the quilt to hug "Su Ci" whole. The palace maid Huiwu lifted her up one by one and rushed out quickly.
He stuffed the person into the sedan chair and quickly turned back to Changqiu Palace.
Rushing into the palace gate, he went straight to the small side hall and quickly carried the person in. "Boil water, boil water, bring clean cotton cloth, and bring all the things that were prepared before!"
Su Ci is a doctor and can adjust the pulse temporarily. The month she reported was half a month less than the actual one, so on the surface she is only eight and a half months pregnant and it is not time for her to give birth yet.
Not long after arriving at Fengxian Palace, such a thing happened. The captains of the imperial guards who were in charge of guarding Su Ci were Ji Yuanhao's confidants He Yan and Lin Yongchang. These two people were uncertain and uneasy.
But they are men, and there are differences between men and women. No matter how hostage Su Ci is, she is still Yang Yanzong's wife, not an ordinary person. The two of them cannot just rush in to see.
Fortunately, Empress Xu came.
Empress Xu had the same plan as He Yan and the others.
All right, the Queen will go in and take a look herself, that’s all!
He Yanlin and Yongchang bowed, and the two of them stood in the corridor. Empress Xu nodded and called them to stand up, and went in herself.
As soon as the door was pushed open, a strong and warm smell of blood wafted over. The man groaned in pain as he bit the cork. Two copper basins passed in front of him, each filled with bright red blood.
Empress Xu was frightened enough.
She was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and it was her first time seeing a woman giving birth. Her face turned pale with fright. She covered her stomach and swallowed before walking inside.
When she reached the curtain that separated the inner and outer rooms, she stopped moving.
——Yang Yanzong spent several months looking for this stand-in for Su Ci. The person's facial features are 40% similar to Su Ci's, but they are far less delicate than hers, and his face has many flaws, but these can be modified.
Yang Yanzong already had someone who was good at disguise under his command. Su Ci had previously proposed the concept of waterproof cosmetics, which was adopted by Achuan. After a long period of experiments, they finally added a kind of gum and several mineral powders to the makeup powder, achieving a decent waterproof effect. However, compared with ordinary makeup powder, the effect was not as fine.
However, the "Su Ci" lying on the couch now had her hairpins and rings scattered around and was dripping with sweat, the wet hair sticking to her face and neck, she was biting a piece of cork in her mouth, her veins were bulging, her facial features were distorted with pain, and with Bai Gu wiping her sweat and the brocade quilt covering her, at first glance from the side of Empress Xu from a distance, it was definitely Su Ci.
The smell of blood in the room made people dizzy. Empress Xu's heart was beating fast. She covered her nose tightly with a handkerchief, leaned inside to take a closer look, and quickly looked away after confirming.
It was so terrible that she took a deep breath and left quickly.
When she went out of the door, Empress Xu looked pale and nodded to He Yanlin Yongchang who was sitting in the corridor.
He Yanlin and Yongchang felt relieved, looked at each other, and then they returned to their original positions and continued their patrol.
Bai Gu inside breathed a sigh of relief.
Okay, next, we just need to fool He Gu and a few palace maids and survive these few days.
…
Let’s talk about Su Ci.
The most critical first step was finally completed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief!
Achuan, Azhao and his men had been waiting here since yesterday. They finally replaced Su Ci successfully, and everyone couldn't help but show some joy.
But this is just the beginning. We have to successfully leave the tunnel, leave the imperial city, and get out of the city smoothly before we can be considered successful.
Su Ci saw the familiar faces and smiled with joy, but soon she couldn't smile anymore because her stomach suddenly hurt and she had another severe contraction.
“Go!”
She urged in a low voice, with a look of extreme pain on her face. Damn, she wasn't just pretending just now, the little bastard in her belly was really about to be born!
"Why are you here to join in the fun?" Can't you just wait patiently for a while? What an infuriating little bastard.
Su Ci suddenly curled up, her brows furrowed, and Ah Chuan was so frightened that he shouted, "Madam!"
"lady?"
"It's okay," Su Ci let out a breath of pain, "Your little master is about to be born, it's okay, let's go, let's go!"
Achuan and the others were relieved, but they had another worry. Azhao waved his hand, and the group immediately turned back the way they came.
Su Ci gasped and realized that they had waded in through the water.
The old tunnel was built over several centuries and had not been repaired for a long time. Many parts of the tunnel were flooded. Azhao and his friends were soaked in water up to their knees. Fortunately, most of the secret doors were still usable and did not affect the rescue operation too much.
Although they were wading through water, Achuan and his group were still moving very fast. By the time "Su Ci" was carried back to Changqiu Palace on the ground, they had already left the imperial city.
Finally they came out of a palace, Prince Yi's Palace.
The predecessor of the Prince Yi's Palace was the Prince Qin's Palace, the residence of Taizong's younger brother, and it covered a vast area. However, the descendants were not up to the standard, and now the Prince Qin's Palace no longer exists. This majestic palace has been divided into four parts. In addition to the Prince Yi's Palace, there is also a duke's mansion, a marquis's mansion, and a princess's mansion.
The Prince Yi's Palace only occupies half the area of a normal palace, so normal kings would not look down on it. Although the descendants of the Prince Yi's Palace were rather mediocre, they did not make any mistakes. The Prince Yi's Palace has always occupied the Feng Shui treasure land of the First Ring Road.
However, this brought convenience to the rescue plan. After Achuan and others explored several alternative exits in detail, Yang Yanzong finally decided on the Prince Yi's Palace.
Su Ci endured a wave of pain and came out to see old tables and chairs. Outside the door was a mottled floor with beams. This was a locked pavilion by the lake. Achuan and others flashed out and took her directly through the grove. There were continuous sounds of gongs and drums and stringed instruments in front. Finally, they mixed in with a troupe and successfully left the palace.
Su Ci half-leaned at the innermost part of the cart where the props were piled, and followed the troupe out of the inner city. After entering the troupe's residence, they left immediately, changed cars, disguised themselves, and drove a half-worn mule cart to the nearest west city gate.
Su Ci's contractions became more and more frequent, and she even had a spot of blood. As soon as she lay down in the car, blood immediately soaked the hem of her skirt and the half-worn mattress underneath. Ah Chuan and others were extremely anxious. Ah Zheng grabbed his brother and said, "Be careful, hurry up, do you hear me?"
“Hmmmm!”
After suffering a great loss once, Achuan and Azhao were so afraid that they would never dare to take Su Ci through the city gate themselves again. So they picked and chose, and finally chose Azheng's fourteen-year-old brother.
This boy looks honest, but actually he is very smart. His kung fu is not up to par yet, at most he looks a little nimble.
He wore a tattered felt hat and drove a rented mule cart, anxiously heading towards the city gate.
There weren't that many people at the city gate at that time, so it was soon his turn. The gatekeeper asked lazily, "What do you do?"
Zheng's younger brother cried, "My sister-in-law is dying. The doctor said she can't be cured. He asked me to bring her home to see people as soon as possible."
The farmer who followed the car cried so hard that he almost died.
The gatekeeper vaguely remembered that a carload of people like this seemed to have come in around noon today. He lifted the curtain and took a look, only to see a young woman half-lying in the car with a blood-stained linen towel wrapped around her head. Her face was as pale as a dead person, and the strong smell of white medicine could not cover up the pungent smell of blood.
He lowered the curtain: "Go back quickly!"
With a look of reluctance on his face, he waved his hand, indicating that the children should go home quickly and not delay any longer.
Brother Zheng thanked him while crying. The skinny mule pulled the half-worn cart and headed out of the city.
Su Ci, lying in the car, was sweating profusely from the pain, but finally couldn't help but smile.
Finally out of town! !
…
The mule cart was changed to a horse carriage, and the speed increased. Finally, at dusk, they arrived at the target Luoxiang stronghold.
As soon as he rushed into the backyard of the half-new post house, Ah Chuan shouted urgently: "Midwife, midwife!"
Su Ci was half-helped out of the car, but before she could move to the clean inner room, she suddenly heard a rapid sound of horse hooves like drumbeats outside the yard!
It’s Yang Yanzong! !
Yang Yanzong finally arrived. He was dressed in a plain black cloth suit with tied sleeves. He was exhausted and sweating profusely from riding a horse. His forehead, cheeks and back were soaked. He almost jumped off his horse and rushed into the house.
Just happened to come face to face with Su Ci who turned around.
"Porcelain!"
He gasped heavily and shouted hoarsely.
More than three months later, after many storms, the couple was reunited.
He rushed forward and hugged her. Su Ci smiled and wiped the sweat off his forehead with her hand, "I'm back."
"Good, good, great."
He said in a hoarse voice.
The two hugged each other with joy.
But before Yang Yanzong could show any joy, his expression suddenly changed and he asked anxiously, "What's wrong?"
As soon as he saw it, he smelled a strong smell of blood. He immediately realized that this was not a disguise, but fresh!
Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her face was pale, and the hem of her skirt was scarlet.
Yang Yanzong was very anxious.
Su Ci smiled, took his hand and placed his palm on her bulging belly, "Our little bastard is about to come out!"
…
Outside the delivery room.
Yang Yanzong was pacing anxiously.
He was both happy and worried. Was this considered a full-term pregnancy? He calculated and found it was just enough, and then he heard from inside that the situation was okay, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
The child is about to come out at this time. He is so naughty. I will spank him when he comes out.
While Yang Yanzong was waiting anxiously, he listened to Achuan and Azhao's reports about the thrilling experiences along the way.
Finally, when the sun set and the last ray of afterglow shone into the main room, a loud baby cry was heard.
At this critical moment, the birth of a new life was announced!
Su Ci gave birth very quickly. She had actually been in labor for a long time. Her contractions became more and more frequent. It was almost time. Less than fifteen minutes after she was in the womb, the baby was born.
Yang Yanzong rushed in directly, and a swaddling cloth was stuffed into his arms. The midwife said happily: "It's a little boy!"
"Mother and child are both safe!"
This is simply the sound of nature.
Both mother and child are safe.
Yang Yanzong hurriedly stretched out his arms and hugged the little baby. The baby struggled in his arms with powerful movements and loud cries. He only hastily wrapped the baby in a clean cotton shirt as a swaddling cloth and wiped the baby's body hastily, which was still stained with blood.
This little guy came too fast.
A small ball, red, warm, and full of life. The swaddling clothes were light, yet heavy. Yang Yanzong held him in his arms and burst into tears of joy.
He carefully held the child in his arms and quickly walked into the inner room.
The place had just been cleaned up in a hurry, but the smell of blood was still strong. Su Ci's face was pale and sweaty. She had gained some weight in the past few months, and when she looked in the mirror, she felt that her face had become bigger. She saw him half-kneeling in front of the bed and looking at her. She smiled and whispered, "Am I ugly now?"
"Of course not!"
Very beautiful, very pretty, there is no woman more beautiful than her.
"Thanks a lot."
The child smelled his mother's scent, tilted his head to one side, and struggled with his hands and feet. Yang Yanzong carefully put the child in her arms.
Su Ci was extremely tired. She had fallen from a high altitude and ran at full speed along the way. Although she was well taken care of, the ride was still bumpy and she was nervous. Coupled with the labor and delivery pains, she was as tired as if she had just finished running several marathons. She tried hard to keep her eyes open just to take a look at the child. Now that she saw the child, she smiled, her mind relaxed, and her eyelids could no longer hold back.
She smiled at Yang Yanzong, and almost the next moment, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Yang Yanzong carefully held her in his arms, along with the child, and held them for a moment, then carefully put them down, took the child out, and placed him next to her.
Yang Yanzong stroked her face, feeling her warm body temperature. Amid the crying of the child, he knelt on the ground and reverently kissed her between the eyebrows.
But he had to go soon.
The withdrawal operation will be launched in a dozen hours, and he has to rush to Hongling'an Town as agreed with Ji Lin.
——If you want to divert Ji Yuanhao's attention and lead him out of Yangdu, Yang Yanzong himself must take action.
This trip is very dangerous. After all, in order to successfully attract and delay Ji Yuanhao, this decapitation operation must be convincing, otherwise Ji Yuanhao is not so easy to fool.
Yang Yanzong really wanted to go to Anzhen with a small entourage!
If you are not careful, you may not be able to come back.
The two had agreed before that they would live and die together.
But now Yang Yanzong couldn't bear to do so. Their child had just been born, and he didn't tell her a word.
Yang Yanzong kissed each of them carefully, and after a moment, he stood up.
"Take good care of them. Escort the lady and the young master to the west as planned!"
He gave the order with a solemn expression, then looked up at the dusk all around him, his brows and eyes already cold and stern.
Inside the courtyard, Yang Yanzong and his entourage had been waiting for a long time. He strode out and mounted his horse.
He raised his eyes and glanced westward in the direction of Hongling, then whipped his whip, the fat horses neighed, and the group galloped out.
The rolling yellow dust quickly disappeared at the end of sight.
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