Chapter 363: Dealing with Each Other Honestly (1)

Gu Yun stood up holding the baby boy, and her sleeve suddenly tightened.

"Let me... let me take one more look at him."

Gu Yun sighed in her heart, but still half-squatted down and brought the baby boy in front of Qingfeng. Qingfeng reached out, her fingertips gently stroking the child's delicate face, as if to carve the outline into her heart.

Holding the girl in her arms tightly, Qingfeng endured the reluctance in her heart, pushed Gu Yun lightly, turned her head away so as not to look at the newborn child, and said with endurance, "Go quickly... go quickly!"

Gu Yun neatly wrapped the child, put him into the bamboo basket, and left immediately without looking at Qingfeng again. Since they had already decided to separate, staying for another moment would be another point of cruelty.

Hearing the sound of the room door opening and closing, Qingfeng finally raised her head. The room seemed to have emptied all at once, just like her heart. Qingfeng sat withered on the bed, her expression decadent, until the child in her arms moved because she was holding him too tightly. Only then did Qingfeng come back to her senses. Staring at the beautiful baby girl in her arms, Qingfeng finally had a bit of life. She raised her head and said to the two people beside her who were still at a loss, "Midwife, you stay here. Ruyi, you go to the Imperial Medical Academy now and say that this Lady is about to give birth. Also, you must remember, this Lady gave birth to a daughter, do you understand?"

"Yes." The two responded in low voices and went about their business, knowing clearly that today's events must rot in their hearts.

In order to investigate the case, Gu Yun had been frequently entering and leaving the Imperial Palace for the past few months, and many of the soldiers guarding the palace gates knew her. So, when she brought a bamboo basket in this morning, no one made things difficult for her. Now that Gu Yun was taking the bamboo basket out, it shouldn't have attracted anyone's attention, but just as she was about to walk out of the palace gate, the bamboo basket in her hand shook, and a sound similar to a small animal's cry came from inside the basket.

"Wait!" The guard commander reached out to stop Gu Yun, staring suspiciously at the small bamboo basket, and asked, "What is in the basket?"

Gu Yun stopped and replied indifferently, "A kitten."

"A cat?" Gu Yun's expression was calm, and she didn't look like she was lying, but the guard commander was still a bit suspicious, staring at the bamboo basket.

Gu Yun let him watch, explaining in a steady voice, "Consort Qing felt bored in the palace, so she wanted to keep a cat to play with."

"Then why take it out?"

"The Lady is about to give birth, so she has no mind to take care of the cat now, and doesn't want it anymore." Gu Yun had never been nervous, and didn't dare to show any weakness on her face, but her back was already soaked with sweat. If she dawdled any longer and the child in the basket started crying, then it would really be exposed. Just when Gu Yun was burning with anxiety, a male voice came from behind: "What is going on here?"

The guard commander looked up, his expression straightened, and he immediately stood up straight, respectfully calling, "Commander Ming."

Gu Yun also turned back to look. Standing behind her was a tall, young man. Seeing it was her, he laughed heartily, "It's Miss Qing."

He is... Yan Hongtian's Imperial Guard Commander Ming Jian?! Her hand holding the bamboo basket tightened. Gu Yun nodded to him and said, "It's getting late, and there are things to do at the General's Mansion, so I'm in a hurry to get back."

Ming Jian didn't say anything either, bowed slightly, and smiled, "Then I won't delay Miss Qing."

"Let her pass." At Ming Jian's order, the guards blocking Gu Yun's way immediately took a step back, making way.

Gu Yun glanced at him, saw nothing in his smiling eyes, and didn't delay any longer. Leaving behind a "Thank you," she walked quickly out of the palace gate and got into the carriage that had been waiting on the side.

Until the carriage disappeared from sight, Ming Jian still stood at the palace gate, looking thoughtful.

Qingfeng gave birth to a princess. Although it was not as glorious as giving birth to a prince, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the concubines of all the palaces came to offer their congratulations. Yan Hongtian also came to see her several times, perhaps because he felt guilty about swapping the child. Most of the time, Qingfeng lay on the bed pretending to sleep. Yan Hongtian didn't disturb her when he saw she was asleep, and left after seeing his daughter.

Early this morning, Qingfeng was holding the baby girl on the bed, playing with her. Yan Hongtian came over. I don't know if he hadn't rested well, but his face didn't look good, yet he carried joy. He walked to Qingfeng's bed, sat down, and smiled, "Your sister gave birth to a pair of twins for Lou Xiyan three days ago."

"Really?" The child had been taken out for seven or eight days, and finally there was news. Qingfeng urged, "How are she and the children?"

"Mother and children are all safe. Lou Xiyan named the children; the girl is called Lou Chen, and the boy is called Lou Xi."

"Chen, Xi... what good names." Qingfeng whispered, Xi'er, full of vitality and hope.

Yan Hongtian's large hand gently patted the little girl who was staring at him with her dark, round eyes, and asked, "What name do you want to give her?"

Qingfeng looked down at the soft baby girl in her arms. The cinnabar mole between her eyebrows was as beautiful as a red plum in the snow. When she grew up, she would surely have a peerless appearance. She didn't know who the child's parents were, but to be able to give birth to such a spiritual girl, they must be extraordinary. However, Qingfeng had another expectation for her. "Let's use the character 'Ning'. I hope this child will have a peaceful and tranquil life."

"Yan Ning." Yan Hongtian nodded and said loudly, "Granted."

The little girl suddenly grinned, and her two soft little hands swung hard. Yan Hongtian and Qingfeng looked at each other and laughed along, "It seems she likes it too."

The little girl was very lively, shaking her head from time to time, making Qingfeng laugh constantly. The regret of not having Xi'er by her side was also somewhat comforted. Qingfeng played with the child, while Yan Hongtian, who was holding her from behind, didn't speak for a long time. Qingfeng thought he wasn't the type of person who liked to tease children anyway, so she didn't pay much attention. But after a while, Qingfeng felt the hand Yan Hongtian was gripping her shoulder with getting tighter and tighter, even hurting her.

"Hiss." Qingfeng gasped in pain. Yan Hongtian's hand gripping her shoulder finally let go, but the next moment, his body leaned heavily on her back. Qingfeng pushed the child forward so as not to crush her. Qingfeng frowned, placed the child on the inner side of the bed, and felt a bit annoyed. She turned back to say a few words to him, but froze when she saw his ashen face. "You... what's wrong?"

It was still winter, but Yan Hongtian's forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat. His face was pale and tinged with blue, his sword-like eyebrows were tightly twisted together, and his usually deep and calm black eyes were tightly closed as if enduring great pain. His tall body couldn't even sit steadily. Such a Yan Hongtian scared Qingfeng. Supporting his shoulders with both hands, Qingfeng hurriedly shouted, "Ruyi, Ruyi!"

Ruyi heard the shout and rushed in to see the Emperor half-leaning on the Lady, and the Lady shouting loudly in panic: "Quick, quick, summon the Imperial Physician!"

"Oh, yes!" Ruyi was so scared by this posture that her feet almost tripped over the threshold. Weren't they fine just now? How did it become like this in just a moment? Ruyi hurriedly ran to the Imperial Hospital and summoned Imperial Physician Wang, Imperial Physician Zheng, and Imperial Physician Lin. When she returned to Qingfeng Palace, the room was already crowded with people, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress had all arrived.

The child had been taken out by the wet nurse. Yan Hongtian was lying on the bed, his face dark blue and his lips ashen. The Empress sat by the bed, urging the Imperial Physician. Qingfeng stood at the foot of the bed, silently watching the person on the bed.

Lou Suxin stood in the center of the room, pacing anxiously, having lost all her usual arrogance and aloofness. She muttered to herself, "How could he suddenly fall ill?"

Several Imperial Physicians came and went, taking his pulse several times, but there was no word for a long time. Lou Suxin couldn't help but urge, "Imperial Physician Wang, what kind of illness does the Emperor have?"

Wang Zhiyang lowered his head and replied timidly, "The Emperor, the Emperor is not ill."

"If he is not ill, why is he like this?"

"The Emperor... the Emperor has been poisoned... with a strange poison." After saying this, Wang Zhiyang also broke into a cold sweat.

"Poisoned?" Everyone in the room was shocked. Lou Suxin hadn't recovered yet, when Xin Yuening already asked anxiously, "What kind of poison, is there an antidote?"

"It's been a few days, I'm afraid it was accidentally eaten in his daily diet."

This is outrageous! Lou Suxin said angrily, "Someone, bring all the people in the Imperial Kitchen responsible for the Emperor's meals to this Empress Dowager."

In a short while, the Imperial Guard brought the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen and Xu Ji to Lou Suxin. The Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen apologized repeatedly, claiming that the Emperor's meals were all the responsibility of Xu Ji. Lou Suxin glared at Xu Ji and said angrily, "Xu Ji, what have you been feeding the Emperor?"

Xu Ji quietly glanced at Qingfeng and replied hesitantly, "This servant... this servant prepared everything according to the previous meals. It's just that these past few days, Consort Qing gave this servant some medicinal powder and asked this servant to put it in the soup the Emperor drank. This servant really didn't expect that the Lady would plot against the Emperor! This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die!"

Qingfeng understood the meaning of his words and urged, "When did I give you medicine to add to the Emperor's meals?"

Xu Ji shrank his shoulders, as if he was extremely afraid of her. "My Lady, you said that the doctor who treated your face last time had excellent medical skills and gave you some secret medicine to regulate your body, and asked this servant to add it to the soup for the Emperor to take."

"You are slandering me!" At this moment, Qingfeng felt cold all over. She was being framed, but she couldn't explain it.

Wang Zhiyang walked up to Xu Ji and asked, "Where is the medicinal powder?"

Xu Ji took a paper package from his waist and handed it to Wang Zhiyang tremblingly. Wang Zhiyang took it, opened it, and saw it was a package of off-white powder. He took the powder and discussed it with the other two Imperial Physicians for a while. Wang Zhiyang turned around and said to the Empress Dowager, "It is this."

Was it really Qingfeng? Lou Suxin's cold eyes shot towards Qingfeng. Qingfeng pursed her lips tightly, looking stubborn. At this time, Xin Yuening suddenly stood up, looked at Qingfeng with deep meaning, and said, "Empress Dowager, actually there is one thing, this concubine didn't investigate clearly before and didn't dare to speak confusedly, but now in this situation, this concubine has to speak."

"What is it?" Lou Suxin's gaze moved back and forth between Qingfeng and Xin Yuening several times.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 364 =====