Chapter 309: Adventure (1)

How to take this risk? Qingfeng's expression was cold and frozen. A strong sense of unease surged in Fuling's heart. The master's temperament was fierce and a bit impatient. She didn't say it was taking a risk when she did such a dangerous thing as stealing the Empress Dowager's private seal last time. This time... what did she want to do?

Fuling was still worried when Qingfeng turned her head and whispered in her ear.

Qingfeng's voice was very light, and her speed wasn't fast, but Fuling was drenched in cold sweat. The gentle words were like a heavy hammer, striking her heart, which became more fragile the more she listened. At this moment, Fuling was glad she was bowing her head; she thought her complexion must be green and white at this moment.

It was hard for Qingfeng to finish speaking. Fuling felt that her voice and heart were shaking uncontrollably. "Master, this risk must absolutely not be taken..."

"Go quickly." Qingfeng didn't let Fuling finish her sentence. She naturally knew what Fuling was worried about. If she left Zhen Zhen alone now, even if she and the child both died in the end, this matter wouldn't involve her. But if she intervened, with the slightest mistake, her crime would probably be heavier than practicing witchcraft. Just the charge of harming the royal bloodline was enough to have her die several times. But... those were two lives! Just for the sake of an unborn child, for Zhen Zhen, for herself, and for... Yan Hongtian, this risk was worth taking!

Fuling didn't move for a long time. Qingfeng sighed and said firmly: "Go."

Facing those cold and determined eyes, Fuling had no choice but to compromise. Qingfeng's decisiveness and fruitfulness were once the qualities she admired and envied; now she only felt powerless and helpless. Fuling got up and ran toward the back of Ganyang Hall.

"Where is Fuling going?" Just as Fuling walked a few steps, a hand blocked her way.

Fuling looked up, gave Gao Jin an apologetic smile, and replied: "The master is not feeling well, so I'm afraid she can't walk back, so this servant is going to prepare a soft sedan chair."

Fuling knew Gao Jin was watching her, so she didn't dare to look him in the eye, fearing that even a trace of emotional fluctuation would be seen through by him. After a long while, Fuling's back was already drenched, and Gao Jin finally let go of his hand. Fuling breathed a sigh of relief, bowed slightly, and walked away quickly.

At this time, Lin Feng was also found by a eunuch. He was only a fifth-rank imperial physician, and his forehead was full of sweat as he ran over from the crowd. He knelt on the ground and paid his respects: "Consort Qing." I don't know if it was an illusion, but Lin Feng always felt that there was a gaze staring at him from the main seat, which made Lin Feng, who was already uneasy, feel cold on his back.

Qingfeng was very calm and didn't let him get up, only placing her hand lightly on the table in front of her. Lin Feng hurriedly took her pulse. The pulse was still peaceful, only slightly fast, and there was nothing wrong. But being summoned to take a pulse during the celebration couldn't be without a reason. What should he say in a while? Lin Feng was conflicted in his heart, his brows tightly furrowed, his hand didn't dare to leave her wrist, and his heart was anxious and panicked.

Clearing her throat, Qingfeng took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose and whispered: "Lin Feng, listen. Consort Hui is giving birth and is having a difficult birth. Go back to the Imperial Medical Garden quickly, take the best medicinal materials and diagnostic tools, and go to Qingfeng Palace."

Consort Hui... difficult birth...

Because he was still kneeling on the ground, Qingfeng's deep words poured into his ears without missing a word. Lin Feng felt numb all over and couldn't say a word.

Lin Feng's face was ashen. Qingfeng was already impatient, withdrew her hand, and said coldly: "Whether you can live depends on today. You don't need me to tell you what you should do."

If Consort Hui died in the Cold Palace because of a difficult birth, Qingfeng could clear herself completely. He used to be Consort Hui's imperial physician, so he wouldn't be able to escape no matter what! Not daring to hesitate any longer, Lin Feng said urgently: "Yes, this subject will go and prepare!"

Just as Lin Feng got up, Gao Jin stood not far behind him, "Imperial Physician Lin, how is Consort Qing?"

Forcing himself to calm down, Lin Feng replied with a worried look: "The Lady is weak and should be resting quietly. Today's celebration is crowded and noisy, so she was probably frightened and moved the fetus. It is better to send the Lady back to rest early. This subject will go back to the Imperial Medical Garden to get some diagnostic tools and then go to Qingfeng Palace to diagnose the Lady."

Looking at him, it didn't seem like it was just a matter of moving the fetus. Gao Jin didn't make things difficult for him anymore and let him leave.

Breaking teacups and summoning imperial physicians—the celebration performance hadn't ended yet, but Qingfeng had already attracted too many gazes. Raising her head slightly to look at the man in the high position, Yan Hongtian's expression was dark and cold, his black eyes coldly looking ahead, as if he had never cared about what had happened to her. Qingfeng felt a bit blocked in her heart, but refused to admit it was disappointment.

Qingfeng couldn't meet Yan Hongtian's eyes, but instead bumped into Xin Yuening's arrogant and jealous gaze. Qingfeng didn't want to deal with her at this moment, and said loudly: "Ruyi, help me back."

When Fuling was by her side, Ruyi couldn't stand by Qingfeng's side, always following a few steps behind Qingfeng. She carefully noticed some strange things, but didn't know what it was. Hearing Qingfeng call her at this moment, she didn't dare to delay and greeted her.

Ruyi supported Qingfeng with some difficulty. In order to look like she was leaving early because she was unwell, Qingfeng covered her belly with one hand and walked slowly toward the back of Ganyang Hall.

Zhuo Qing was sitting with the female relatives not far from Qingfeng. As soon as she stood up, Zhuo Qing discovered it. Seeing her footsteps were weak, as if she were very uncomfortable, Zhuo Qing subconsciously looked at Yan Hongtian immediately. She only saw the chief eunuch Gao Jin whispering something in his ear. Yan Hongtian's face became darker and darker, but he didn't take any further action, only giving two instructions, and then continued to stare expressionlessly at Yu Handan playing the zither on the high platform. Gao Jin followed behind Qingfeng.

Zhuo Qing smiled slightly. She thought that Yan Hongtian still had feelings for Qingfeng, and Qingfeng probably loved and hated him. It was a pity that one was cold and hard, and the other was fierce, destined not to be so easy to get happiness.

Qingfeng left the celebration scene halfway like this, and the Emperor actually let her be, and even the Empress Dowager acquiesced. Xin Yuening had a breath stuck in her throat and said sourly: "Truly delicate. If it's like this, you should be resting in Qingfeng Palace. Why bother coming out to ask for bad luck."

For Qingfeng's sudden departure, Lou Suxin was also very unhappy, but at this moment she was pregnant with the royal bloodline, so even if she was arrogant, she could be indulged, after all, Yan Hongtian's heirs had never been prosperous. The Empress's dissatisfaction was simply treated as if she hadn't heard it.

Shuxin stood quietly behind Xin Yuening, looking at the direction Qingfeng left, lost in thought.

Having finally escaped the noisy celebration scene, Qingfeng hadn't had time to breathe a sigh of relief when Gao Jin chased after her, "Consort Qing, there is a sedan chair in Ganyang Hall. You wait a moment..."

Qingfeng shook her head and said with feigned worry: "No need. The sedan chair in Ganyang Hall is for the Emperor's use. Today is the celebration, and there are many people entering and leaving the palace. It wouldn't be good for people to see it. Fuling has already prepared it, so Chief Gao doesn't need to worry about arranging it."

"This is the Emperor's intention, the Lady need not worry."

Was it... his intention? Qingfeng's face cleared slightly, and the annoyance caused by Yan Hongtian's ignoring her just now seemed to have faded. But Gao Jin's words blocked Qingfeng, making her not know how to answer. Fortunately, at this time, Fuling arrived, followed by a soft sedan chair carried by eight people. The sedan chair was very large, like a small carriage, enough for Qingfeng to lie in. Qingfeng breathed a sigh of relief secretly, but her heart was also in her throat. Fuling hadn't arrived yet, so Qingfeng said to Gao Jin: "Fuling is here, so I won't trouble Chief Gao. The Emperor should have other instructions, so please go help."

Gao Jin didn't say anything else and went back to report. Ruyi strangely discovered that after Chief Gao left, Fuling, who was walking slowly in the distance, suddenly quickened her pace, almost running to the Lady's side. What was even stranger was that as soon as the sedan chair stopped, Qingfeng immediately lifted the curtain and sat in, and Fuling also said to the sedan bearers with unusual impatience: "Go quickly."

The eight-person sedan chair had good footwork, and Ruyi had to run to catch up. Fortunately, after passing this palace path and turning a corner, they would arrive at Qingfeng Palace. Ruyi was panting, but didn't stop for a moment, burying her head and walking forward, only to find that Fuling, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped. Ruyi looked up and saw a team of twenty or so imperial guards coming toward them, and the leader was blocking the soft sedan chair.

"Who is in the soft sedan chair?"

The leader looked very calm, with a long sword at his waist, faintly revealing a heroic spirit. His words were sonorous and powerful, and his rank should not be low.

Fuling saw Ming Ze standing behind the leader at a glance. He was cold, but always seemed to favor them a bit. And this leader was clearly much more difficult to deal with. Feeling anxious, Fuling still stepped forward calmly and replied: "It is Consort Qing."

"Consort Qing?" The leader still didn't give way, his words quite disrespectful, "Today is the celebration, and sedan chairs are not allowed in the palace. Doesn't the Lady know?"

Fuling's brows furrowed slightly. She indeed didn't know, but at this moment, it wasn't something that could be passed with just a "don't know." Fuling was silent for a long time, and Ruyi, who was behind her, said in a low voice: "The Lady moved some fetus during the celebration, and it was the Emperor who ordered the use of a soft sedan chair to send the Lady back." She had just heard Chief Gao let the Lady take the Emperor's sedan chair back to the palace, so saying this wasn't considered falsely passing the imperial decree.

The leader's face was dark, and it was not easy to attack. After all, it was a concubine pregnant with the dragon seed. He was still thinking about whether to let them pass, and the two sides were deadlocked on the palace path.

"Ugh..."

A low groan came from the soft sedan chair. The sound wasn't heavy, but more like a muffled hum controlled after extreme endurance. The performance was estimated to have ended, and the sound of bells and drums had weakened. Everyone present was a person with high martial arts, but this light muffled hum fell clearly into everyone's ears.

"Who is outside?" Qingfeng's somewhat weak voice came from the soft sedan chair.

"Imperial Guard Commander Guo Yi."

"I am not feeling well and want to return to the palace to rest. You all move aside. If there is anything inappropriate or overstepping, I will take responsibility."

Qingfeng had already spoken, and Guo Yi stepped aside. The team of imperial guards behind him immediately retreated to the left and right, clearing the palace path in the middle.

As soon as they gave way, the soft sedan chair passed quickly and walked toward Qingfeng Palace.

When they heard that muffled hum just now, Ming Ze felt that something was wrong. The soft sedan chair swept past him, and he smelled a faint bloody smell. Ming Ze raised his eyes inadvertently and looked, and where the soft sedan chair had just stopped, he really saw a drop of dark red water quietly falling there.

Ming Ze's heart tightened. That was... blood? Why did she want to hide it? Was it really just moving the fetus? Or...

Ming Ze had no clues for a while, but the imperial guards still had to continue patrolling. Walking in front of that drop of blood, Ming Ze deliberately stepped on it, his feet exerting force, and the mud and sand on the soles of his shoes mixed with the blood, leaving only a piece of mud the size of a fingernail on the ground.

The imperial guards walked out several ten-foot lengths, and a graceful figure walked out slowly from behind the tree trunk on the palace path. She stopped in front of the small, inconspicuous dark red mud, squatted down and touched it with her hand. It was still a bit sticky. She raised her hand and smelled it at the tip of her nose. The smell of soil mixed with a faint bloody smell lingered at the tip of her nose. Shuxin stood up slowly, staring at the sedan chair that was gradually disappearing before her eyes, the corners of her mouth curling slightly.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 310 =====

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