Chapter 698: The Swap

Gu Jiu Ling heard that the team to fetch the children would arrive in four days; her heart leapt slightly with joy, and she quickly sent people into Yunzhou City to wait.

Lord Liao had already prepared the Empress's lodging in advance, offering his own government office for her use, and moved his own family to reside in a mansion built by a wealthy household.

The Yunzhou Magistrate's Office and its rear courtyard were the largest and most imposing place in the entire Yunzhou City.

Gu Jiu Ling did not decline, for after all, if she did not stay here, Lord Liao would not dare to reside either; she therefore settled down obediently to wait for the children's return.

At nightfall, Gu Jiu Ling, troubled by thoughts, could not sleep; she sat on the bed and examined the little clothes she had brought with her.

Human feelings can sometimes be truly wondrous; when she first transmigrated here, the original host happened to be pregnant, and at that time she only felt that the child in her belly was a burden.

Later, as the fetus grew month by month, the moment she felt fetal movement, her heart became entwined with that child.

Later, after falling out with Xiao Yin, she went alone to the East Island Sea, enduring countless hardships along the way, and gave birth to the child there.

She also personally raised the children on the island, and at that time she swore to protect this pair of children well.

"My lady, are you missing the young masters again?" Jiu Yue brought over a calming, sleep‑aid herbal decoction.

Gu Jiu Ling smiled, set down the little clothes in her hands, and said, "The two little ones are now three years old—just the age for being lively. I don't know whether it's good to bring them now; such a long journey, will they fall ill?"

"Please don't worry, my lady," Jiu Yue said, handing the soup bowl to Gu Jiu Ling and helping her gather the scattered children's clothes, smiling, "Yun Duo also sent a message saying the young masters are having a great time on the road and haven't fallen ill."

"Yun Duo has sent a letter—let me have a look?" Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly said.

Jiu Yue quickly pulled a letter from her bosom and handed it to Gu Jiu Ling; Gu Jiu Ling took it, lowered her head to read, and was stunned.

"When did Yun Duo learn to write the character 'child' so beautifully?"

Jiu Yue smiled and said, "That girl likes to practice martial arts, but I've told her that, attending to the master's side, she can't be too rough; so she asked Second Master for a few copybooks to practice writing. I also think her writing has improved a bit, but this girl remains the same old self—she won't say much more, and just these few words aren't enough to see."

Gu Jiu Ling laughed; indeed, that was Yun Duo's style—she never uses more words than necessary to make herself clear.

This girl is fine in every way, except that her temperament is too solitary.

Her solitude has even verged on autism; despite her master having gotten along with her for so long, they still cannot truly enter her world.

In daily interaction, it's merely a matter of giving her tasks and demanding absolute obedience.

Gu Jiu Ling returned the letter to Jiu Yue's hand, not probing further; her heart is now wholly set on the children, and she only wishes to see those two adorable little ones as soon as possible.

On the fourth day, the team to fetch the children finally entered Yunzhou City and proceeded all the way to the front of the Yunzhou Magistrate's Office.

Gu Jiu Ling hadn't slept well the previous night; at this moment she was waiting early at the gate of the courtyard.

Jiu Yue and the others also stood excitedly to the side, gazing eagerly as the carriage, surrounded by many guards, pulled up to the courtyard gate.

Thereafter, Yun Duo, dressed in a dark black martial outfit, was the first to step down from the carriage, turned, and lifted the two little ones out of the carriage.

The two children were well raised, fair and delicate as carved jade; the young prince wore a lake‑blue Shu brocade robe embroidered with large clusters of peonies in gold and silver thread, exuding a rich and noble aura.

The young princess, however, wore a crimson lined jacket adorned with gold‑and‑silver‑threaded auspicious patterns, studded with pearls, and her hair was tied into two small buns decorated with rare southern pearls.

Seeing those two tiny figures, Gu Jiu Ling could not hold herself back; she rushed forward a few steps and enfolded the two little ones in her arms.

Suddenly Gu Jiu Ling's face twitched slightly, as if what she held in her arms were not her own flesh and blood but two pieces of burning coal, scorching her so that she involuntarily shuddered.

She shoved the two children away; they even staggered a little, and their gaze toward Gu Jiu Ling grew somewhat dull and numb.

"Mother!" the young prince still cried out timidly.

Gu Jiu Ling gripped the children's arms tightly, her eyes instantly turning cold.

The surrounding crowd, which had been full of joy, was stunned by the scene before them—what had happened to the Empress?

How could she look like that upon seeing her own children?

Suddenly, a strange and unfamiliar whisper came from Yun Duo's ear, spoken in a voice only Gu Jiu Ling could hear: "Your children are still alive, but you must come with me—first go inside, then later we'll find a way to leave together."

Gu Jiu Ling grasped the fingers of the two children before her, tightening her hold bit by bit; the children nearly burst into tears, their bodies trembling.

Gu Jiu Ling stared fixedly at the two little dolls before her, her eyes gradually turning red.

No, these are absolutely not her own children; her children must have been swapped out on the way to the capital.

As a mother, she could not possibly fail to recognize her own children; the little dolls before her merely resemble them in appearance—they are not her children.

Yet the swap was not limited to her pair of children; Gu Jiu Ling lifted her gaze and fixed it firmly on Yun Duo standing to the side.

Yun Duo kept a stern face; just now, when she bent down to help Gu Jiu Ling, to outsiders it looked more like a servant cautiously supporting her master.

Gu Jiu Ling fixed her stare on Yun Duo's face, and instantly a sharp pain seized her heart.

Earlier, when Xiao Yin had just launched his coup and entered the imperial palace, the situation was at its most chaotic—yet someone had taken advantage of the turmoil.

This time she does not know who the mastermind behind the scenes is; if she acts now, she will not only fail to rescue the children but also risk alerting the enemy.

At that instant, Gu Jiu Ling felt her blood nearly freeze throughout her body; those blindfolded ones have laid hands on her children—this time, misfortune likely outweighs fortune.

Could it be the Eight Great Clans seeking revenge? Or remnants of Empress Dowager Ning'an? Or perhaps…?

Gu Jiu Ling thought of the missing Bai Xiaosheng, but none of these people could possibly have a map to the East Sea Island, let alone succeed in swapping the children.

Gu Jiu Ling was convinced the children were not swapped en route; Xiao Yin's entourage are no pushovers, so the children must have been exchanged already on the island.

Unless this person had once lived with her on the East Sea Island for a period, logically those just mentioned would have had no opportunity—so who could it be?

Gu Jiu Ling gave Yun Duo a cold glance from the side; indeed, her stare was so icy that the girl called Yun Duo had to avert her eyes.

Gu Jiu Ling drew a deep breath, then gently took the two children's hands again and walked toward the inner hall.

Only then did the surrounding people come to their senses; Gu Jiu Ling led the children, with Yun Duo following, as she walked forward, while Jiu Yue beside them suddenly felt something odd.

She dared not say more, hurriedly following behind Gu Jiu Ling; just as they were about to enter the inner hall together, Yun Duo spoke up with a smile: "Elder Sister Jiu Yue, I still have a few words to say privately to the master—you stay outside."

Jiu Yue's face changed slightly; this was not Yun Duo's usual manner of speaking, and her heart was instantly overturned by a storm of emotion.

Gu Jiu Ling turned her face away slightly and said coldly, "Get lost at once! Pass the order: no idle persons may approach the inner hall!"

Jiu Yue froze where she stood, her face turning pale; then she retreated step by step, the hand hidden in her sleeve clenching into a fist.