Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1153: Chapter 1155: Both Die for Love_1

”Indeed, the Imperial Physician has confirmed it,” the old woman said.

”But Consort Le was originally pregnant with a male child, what does Ruozhu have to do with it?” Lady Bo thought to herself with worry, if Consort Le’s child in her womb was now confirmed to be a prince, no one knew how many troubles it would bring her in the future. Bai Ruozhu had helped her sustain the pregnancy, and it was possible she would be inadvertently implicated.

”Rumors don’t arise from nothing; surely Bai Ruozhu was behind this,” the old woman said, her eyes shining as if she had already seen her robust grandson.

Lady Bo felt a cold sweat coming on, and with some resignation, she said, ”I don’t see how that’s possible, plus I have little say with the Bai Family. You only know part of the story; we’re barely relatives at all.”

”How could that be? My ears certainly aren’t deaf!” the old woman exclaimed.

Lady Bo had no choice but to explain that Bai Yihong was not Bai Fu’s biological child and had been treated harshly by the Bai Family for many years.

”We are relatives of the Bai Family, not Bai Ruozhu’s family. The Bai Family has wronged them, how could I have the face to make demands? Old Madam, please spare me,” Lady Bo pleaded earnestly.

The old woman had a bad temper, but she was reasonable. After listening, she sighed and said, ”That Bai Yihong is truly pitiable. Never mind, I won’t make it difficult for you. Let’s just send a steward to deliver the invitation.”

”Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Bai Ruozhu will definitely not use that method,” Lady Bo said.

The old woman gave her a sharp look, ”How would you know whether she would or wouldn’t? Which doctor doesn’t have some secret skills?”

Lady Bo was left speechless and respectfully saw the old woman out.

...

The next morning, even more people were gathered outside the Bai Residence Gate. Lin Ping’er remarked that her daughter was wise for having instructed them to decline visitors early on, otherwise, they’d be terribly bothered by now.

But Lin Ping’er noticed that her daughter was very anxious today, totally unlike her usual composure, until an eunuch arrived with an imperial decree, causing Bai Ruozhu to jump up like a startled deer.

”Ruozhu, is something wrong with Consort Le?” Lin Ping’er asked cautiously. Helping a noblewoman in the palace to sustain a pregnancy was an honor, but it was also like a sword hanging over one’s head.

Bai Ruozhu shook her head hastily, ”No, I just want to go to the palace to find out who’s spreading rumors.”

She dared not tell her mother about Jiang Yichun.

”Right, we must get to the bottom of this. Who knows what that person is thinking by setting you up like this?” Lin Ping’er said indignantly.

Bai Ruozhu quickly got ready, waved goodbye to Little Dengdeng, and left the house to board the horse carriage, following the eunuch towards the Imperial Palace.

Those waiting outside went nearly mad trying to follow her out, but thankfully Bai Ruozhu had already arranged for guards to stop them, reminding those people that blocking Bai Ruozhu was defying an imperial command, which made them back down.

”See that? The palace is placing such importance on the Bai Family; she must have a way to ensure the birth of male heirs!” a steward said to the person next to him.

”Should we station ourselves at the Palace Gate?” a young servant suggested smartly.

The steward slapped him on the back of his head, ”Think before you speak in the future. What kind of place is the Imperial Palace? Even the area outside the Palace Gates is not to be trifled with. Can we station ourselves there?”

The young servant rubbed the back of his head, grimacing, ”The head steward is right; I was short-sighted.”

The steward huffed, ”We’ll just wait here. She can evade the monk but not the temple!”

The Bai Family guards overheard this conversation and promptly reported it to Lin Ping’er and Bai Yihong. Both grew worried; being blocked like this was not a solution, especially since Bai Yihong often needed to visit the manor to check on their fields.

...

Bai Ruozhu soon arrived at the Imperial Study Room and saw Emperor Wuning, Tang Yin, who was clearly not as relaxed as the day before.

”Bai Family, did you have that dream again last night?” the Emperor asked.

Bai Ruozhu knew that the dream she had spoken of, about being visited by a fairy, had had an effect; otherwise, even if the Emperor had received the letter, he might not have summoned her, let alone speak with her further.

”It was the same dream, Achun is calling me to save him,” Bai Ruozhu said with her head bowed.

The Emperor seemed lost in thought, his gaze wandering, and after a long while, he murmured, ”It seems Achun is still alive...”

”Your Majesty, what exactly happened?” Bai Ruozhu asked anxiously.

”The Shadow Guard sent word to me; they were ambushed, and Achun and Jiao Bingqin were driven to a dead-end, both of them jumped off a cliff,” the Emperor said, a flash of pain crossing his eyes. It was unclear whether it was for the loss of Jiang Yichun or for the Wu Family’s descendant’s death, which meant he could not locate part of the treasure.

”Both jumped off a cliff?” Bai Ruozhu exclaimed in shock, a feeling of indescribable discomfort rising within her. Although she understood that Jiang Yichun probably didn’t want to leave Jiao Bingqin, the Wu Family descendant, in the hands of the enemy to prevent them from learning more secrets, or perhaps he had a way to escape and thus saved Jiao Bingqin as well, understanding was one thing, and acceptance was another.

It was as if they had committed a lovers’ suicide. Just thinking about it made her feel nauseous!

If it weren’t for her worrying about the safety of Jiang Yichun, she really would have liked to give him a tongue-lashing.

”Women are indeed women; at such a time, you’re still caught up in jealousy,” the Emperor, seeing through Bai Ruozhu’s thoughts, snorted coldly.

Bai Ruozhu cursed inwardly, would you be pleased if your wife jumped off a cliff with someone else?

”I wonder what Your Majesty plans to do next? Since Achun is calling for me to save him, he must need rescue,” Bai Ruozhu said.

”Asking you to save him?” The Emperor seemed to have thought of something, as if he was carefully chewing over the meaning of those words.

After a moment, he suddenly looked at Bai Ruozhu and asked, ”Bai Family, would you dare to lead a group of people to search and rescue Jiang Yichun?”

”Why wouldn’t I dare? Your Majesty should know that I once rushed to Xuantian Town alone to save him,” Bai Ruozhu stated, straightening her back as if she were a female general about to enter the battlefield, her aura not the least bit inferior to others.

The Emperor suddenly let out a cold laugh, which made Bai Ruozhu’s heart quiver.

”If you take on this task, you’ll have to know some things you shouldn’t. Are you prepared for that?” the Emperor asked sternly.

Bai Ruozhu hastily knelt on one knee, ”As your servant, I will keep the secrets and remain loyal to Your Majesty.”

Yet the Emperor scoffed, ”But I don’t trust you!”

Bai Ruozhu felt a sudden jolt in her heart; what did the Emperor mean by this? Was he trying to trap her in her words?

”Unless you swallow this pill, if you reveal any secrets, your intestines will rupture and you will die,” the Emperor said, taking a small jade bottle from his robe. ”Of course, if you and your husband handle this matter well, naturally I will reward you with an antidote.”

Anger welled up in Bai Ruozhu, ”Did Achun also take poison?”

The Emperor, however, swept her with a disdainful look, ”No, I trust him.”