Chapter 307: Chapter 304 Pregnant

The palace maid brought in the medicine.

Qi Wuya saw it, took the medicine bowl and prepared to personally feed her.

But Hong Zhao shook her head.

She could no longer make a sound.

Even if she had a breath left, her body was ice-cold and stiff.

Just now, her breathing had briefly stopped; Zhenzhen was no different from being dead.

“Have a sip at least. Think of it as warming up your body.”

He coaxed softly.

But he also knew that she actually couldn’t ingest anything anymore.

Whatever she ate, she vomited.

Especially the medicine.

The vomiting was severe.

No one could save her.

She was a person certain to die.

“If you won’t take the medicine… fine, at least drink some water.”

He had someone bring over a cup of hot tea.

He personally fed her two spoonfuls, which resulted in her violently coughing and throwing up.

Dark clots of blood were vomited out once again.

He watched numbly; in the end, he couldn’t bear it anymore, put down the tea cup and walked out.

*

Dahe Palace

Pei Muyang was also feeding He Ying medicine.

He Ying had swallowed it, yet his fever remained high.

Luo Shan molded thick balls of snow in the basin and placed them on his forehead, which rapidly melted due to his high body temperature.

The water from the melted snow streamed down his cheeks.

His condition was still critical.

Outside the palace

The ministers had come to keep watch again.

They had tense expressions and furrowed brows, occasionally whispering to each other.

Qing Wu had also arrived.

She had switched places with Sang Yan for three days and still hadn’t found a chance to get rid of He Ying.

The longer it was delayed, the more dangerous it became.

She had to act swiftly.

But she was watched with every move she made.

That husband-killing fate, in particular, became a roadblock.

“Lady, please halt–”

Look, she had just arrived, and a minister had stopped her already.

This minister was Jiang Chongyu.

He had always been a firm member of the opposition, and now that something had gone wrong on the emperor’s wedding day, his beliefs were only deepened. He stepped forward with a particularly strong tone, “I hope the Lady will consider the Emperor’s health and return by the original path.”

He was telling her to return from whence she came!

“How dare you!”

Qiuzhi, loyal to Sang Yan, naturally took offense on her behalf, “This is the Empress. How can you show such disrespect?”

Jiang Chongyu wasn’t disrespectful, at least not in posture.

He stepped back, bowed, and continued, “I ask for the Lady’s forgiveness. When the Emperor wakes up, I will surely seek punishment.”

All he wanted was for the Emperor to wake up safely.

Even if the Emperor might punish him severely when he did.

“Mr. Jiang is correct. I hope the Lady will move to Qifeng Palace and wait for good news from the Emperor.”

The Imperial Censor, Feng Ji, echoed from the side.

His grandson, Feng Yicheng, was there too but said nothing, simply watching her quietly.

Before coming to Da He, Qing Wu had researched the court situation and was aware of Feng Yicheng’s reputation.

A man of exceptional talent and discernment, highly regarded by Emperor Da He.

He had been summoned three times by imperial edict to join the court as an official.

Being watched by him now, she felt as if he could see right through her, which was quite unsettling.

Fortunately, she was seasoned and pretended calm as she spoke, “You misunderstand. I simply wanted to be closer to the Emperor. He is my husband, and I care about his safety more than any of you.”

While she justified herself and played on emotions with her words, inwardly she cursed: Damn it! This is nothing like I had imagined! I thought impersonating Sang Yan would be the best way to approach the Emperor, but now I am restrained by the husband-killing fate.

What a pity.

She sighed, and within the wide sleeves of her robe, her hands clenched into fists. She had to admit a fact: perhaps the only chance to approach him was to wait for the Emperor to wake up.

*

Qi Wuya was also waiting.

Waiting for Sang Yan to come.

Sang Yan was still sleeping.

She lay in the warm bed, oblivious to everything.

She was unaware of both hunger and thirst.

Xing Ce was not afraid of her starving to death, but he feared she’d die of dehydration.

He made sure she was given water to drink.

But not much.

After all, if she urinated while unconscious, it would be quite a mess for a man to clean up.

He could only do his best to shorten the journey.

Therefore, the carriage and horses pressed forward day and night, racing northward.

Four days later

They reached the territory of Beiqi and entered Yongzhou City.

It was the same day they arrived in Yongzhou City that Sang Yan became immune to the Mandala Flower Pollen, or perhaps, it could be said she awoke from hunger.

Since the moment she was lifted onto the carriage, she hadn’t eaten anything.

When she woke up, her stomach ached as if it were on fire.

The pain was so severe that she overlooked her current surroundings.

“I’m hungry. I’m so hungry.”

Apart from hunger, her belly also ached terribly.

She curled up under the blanket, feeling weak all over and drenched in cold sweat.

Seeing this, Xing Ce did not dare delay and immediately lifted the carriage curtain, signaling the driver to stop the carriage and buy some porridge.

It was early morning at the time.

A chilly early morning.

The streets of Yongzhou City were deserted, without a single soul in sight.

Let alone any shops open to welcome customers.

With no choice, the driver drove the carriage in search of a tavern.

The tavern was still closed.

The driver kicked down the door and entered, shouting, “Someone! Anyone! Prepare breakfast immediately! I want a bowl of rice porridge! A bowl of egg custard! A cup of brown sugar ginger tea!”

As his voice faded, two waiters, who looked like they had just been roused from sleep, scrambled over from the back.

They were putting on their clothes as they ran.

Clearly, they had been woken up from their beds.

“Honored guests, is this all you will eat?”

“Our place is the largest tavern in Yongzhou City; we have all sorts of wines. Won’t you have some wine?”

“Yes. On such a cold day, gentlemen, why not drink some wine to warm yourselves up?”

…

The two waiters greeted them with smiles.

The driver, clearly quick-tempered, stepped forward angrily and shouted, “Stop the nonsense and get cooking!”

Scared by this display, the waiters’ legs went soft as they pleaded, “Spare us, sir! We’ll get right on it!”

With that, they gently pushed aside his weapon and scrambled toward the back to call others.

The cook was still buried under his covers, fast asleep.

The two waiters yanked him up, dressed him themselves, and then carried him into the kitchen.

“Brother Liu, hurry and cook. The gentlemen outside aren’t ones we can afford to offend!”

“Yes, very fierce indeed, carrying a large knife; he looks like someone who doesn’t hesitate to chop!”

The two waiters were still frightened and their legs were still weak.

Chef Liu was a big and stout man who, rather than a chef, looked more like a butcher.

Seeing the two waiters so terrified, he scolded with a laugh, “You two cowards! Is it so unusual to see someone carrying a knife in Yongzhou City?”

Yongzhou was a border city.

Adjacent to Da He.

The people from both sides were known for their fierce demeanor.

Those who came and went were brave warriors unafraid to taste the edge of a blade.

Carrying a knife was really nothing unusual.

Realizing they were being scorned, the waiters didn’t dare to argue back, and meekly said, “Brother Liu, you didn’t see it. It was terrifying.”

They had no intentions of returning to serve.

So when Chef Liu finished cooking, they had him bring the food over.

With his bold nature, Chef Liu indeed brought the food over.

And he too was frightened.

The cause of the fear was Sang Yan.

Sang Yan was sitting on a chair waiting for breakfast.

While waiting, she couldn’t bear the pain in her stomach and leaned over the table, her face contorted with agony.

Xing Ce saw this and initially suspected she was faking it, perhaps as a ploy to escape; he didn’t pay much attention.

But soon he saw a stain of red on her dress.

A woman’s monthly affliction?

His first thought.

Then he heard Sang Yan murmur painfully, “Find a doctor… I’m pregnant… please save my child… I beg you…”

Xing Ce: “!!!”

Pregnant?

With the heir to Emperor Da He?