Consumed by Fire (III)

4 months later…

Empress Shen along with her rows of maids were all taking a stroll in the warm summer breeze. Hui Lan did not want to stay locked inside and wanted a small walk in her garden.

...Sigh, it was truly nice to take a walk outside…

Her hands were holding onto her belly bump gently. A soft lullaby was sung in her throat as she walked around. Her unborn baby loved this song so much that every time she sang this, those fiery kicks would stop kicking her belly and was as if listening to her soothing voice.

She wondered where her baby had got that attitude from, sigh...

For the past 4 months, everything was peaceful and was also calm. Nothing bad had happened and she had kept a low profile in her chambers. From time to time, she would let Su Jou send out letters to her family in the borders.

Su Jou was Su Rong's older brother. Both of them knew martial arts and were taught since young. However, Su Jou was exceptionally good, so her father had sent him to the Kingdom's famous sect called the nameless sect way far in the infamous Mt. Yun. Since coming back, he was always quiet and serene like a mountain. When she was married into the palace, he became her secret bodyguard protecting her closely in the darkness.

Today, he had gone out briefly to send her letters to her parents. Although she wanted to wait for him to come back, this lovely baby of hers would not stop kicking inside her belly. Well, she had Su Rong who could help her anyways…

While Su Jou protected her in the dark, Su Rong was protecting her in the broad daylight.

She was walking around her palace slowly, but there were a few crystal clear sweat on the corners of her hairline. At that time, Su Rong finally stepped in to take the Empress inside, "Niang Niang, let's go in shall we?"

"Sigh, fine." Hui Lan was very obedient to Su Rong's buggy request lately because she did not want to see that beautiful face turn to look like her mother's…

Hui Lan turned around to walk back, all the court maids split into two lines and bowed as Hui Lan walked back.

However, just as she was about to walk past all her maids, she accidentally tripped on a hole on the ground and without being able to comprehend what was going on, Hui Lan's body fell straight to the floor. Nevertheless, out of habit, her hand covered her belly entire and once she fell, her head received the weight of her whole body.

On the other hand, Su Rong who had reached out her hand was almost able to catch her friend, her hand was hit with a rock, making her miss the chance to save Hui Lan in time.

"No!" She cried helplessly.

From above Su Jou who had just returned to see Hui Lan fall down was shocked. He was on one of the trees but could see the entire situation. There was a small guard that had thrown that rock at his sister's hand. However, just as he was about to catch for that criminal, he could see patches of blood flowing out from Hui Lan's body.

...No time, he needed to act fast.

With a swift, his figure was gone. The most important priority was Hui Lan, flying from rooftops to rooftops, soon he arrived at the place where all the Royal Physicians were working at, the royal physician centre.

He was already familiar with the routes in the palace and went straight to Royal Physician Jin's study room. Over the past few months, the Empress' health was taken care of by this well-versed Physician so he would run errands over the Physician's study. In his same usual black mask that was covering his head and mouth and black robes, Su Jou dropped his figure in the Physician's study and hurriedly spoke, "Sir, the Empress needs urgent help, her head is bleeding and I believe she must be due to give birth prematurely sir."

On the other hand, Physician Jin dropped everything on his table and went straight to get his medical bag from behind him, "Don't worry, 7 months, it should be enough. Go fetch a midwife immediately."

"Yes, sir."

Everything was sorted out immediately and fast. Physician Jin went straight out of his study room and Su Jou went straight to look for the royal midwife.

Not Long, Physician Jin arrived at Kunning palace and could see where he needed to go instantly. All the commotion was in one spot of Kunning palace. At once, his pace grew faster and he moved straight towards the body that was laying on the floor.

Once he was close to his patient, he knelt beside the still body on the grass. He immediately began checking her symptoms and her condition and concluded that it was just a small concussion in the head, and blood was only flowing from the long line of scratch beside her head.

When he checked her pulse, the baby was still there, but both of their pulses were very weak. For now, they must be moved inside so that the Empress could give birth right away. There was still just about enough time if nothing else happened...

He turned towards Su Rong who was beside him and spoke quickly, "Help me take her highness inside. Take one of her arms around your neck and hold onto her sides, but be careful to not touch anywhere near her belly."

Su Rong nodded straight away and the pair went to each side of Hui Lan, Physician Jin on the left and Su Rong on the right. With a push, the two were able to carefully lift the unconscious body of Hui Lan up and were now slowly making their way inside.

"Open the doors!" Su Rong yelled in frustration at the maids that were all looking like panicked chicks who lost their mother hen and some were even shaking.

Only Su Rong who was supporting Hui Lan was in her right mind. Her yell woke the poor maid up from her anxiety and with shaking hands, she opened the doors fast.

Both Su Rong and Physician Jin brought Hui Lan inside as carefully as they could. Along the way they had used to get inside, there were drops of blood flowing down from Hui Lan's body.

Not Long, Hui Lan was placed on the bed gently. By now, blood was almost everywhere. Nevertheless, there were signs of fear of blood from both Su Rong and Physician Jin, for both were now as focused on the unconscious Hui Lan.

"We have to wake her up. I'll need to treat the wound on her face first, then I'll give a medicine to wake her up. Can you help assist me?" The Physician explained short but he had covered all the details.

Without any hesitation, Su Rong replied immediately, "Yes, just instruct me what you need and I'll follow."

"Good, let's start."

The two went ahead to begin what they had to do. The Physician took out his weird looking equipment and a few ointments bottles laid neatly beside him and Su Rong.

"Okay, put the thread inside that needle. I will clean up the blood on her head first." Right after the Physician finished speaking, Su Rong was already working on what he had told her with fast hands.

Seeing Su Rong's efficient movement, he could not help but praise the other in his heart. Now, he just needed to focus on the Empress' wounds.

A few minutes passed and the door was opened again by the midwife who came rushing inside. When the midwife closed the door, Su Jou's body came flying down from the rooftop, "Wait here quietly. Once they are done, it will be your turn."

"Ah, yes, yes. This servant will wait."

Some more time had passed and Physician Jin was already done with treating Hui Lan's wound. Like what he had explained before, he brought out a small medicine bottle. He opened the lit and different kinds of strong herb scent were wooshing around the room.

Before he could give it to Hui Lan, his hand was held tightly by another. He slowly brought his sharp eyes at the person who was stopping him. His eyes were almost shooting lasers at Su Rong for he did not like it when someone stopped his treatment in between.

Nevertheless, Su Rong's watchful eyes and persistent expression did not change in the slightest bit, "This medicine is harmful to a weak body, why are you giving it to niang niang?"

Even Su Jou from behind had recognized the medicine that was about to be given to Hui Lan. His hands were already at his sword ready to attack.

Though Physician Jin's face was showing no expression, inside he was slightly startled that a normal court lady would know what this medicine was. This was the thousand-year Han medicine from Mt. Yun, the effect was good for a normal pregnant woman, but not a weak one. However. there was a very good reason for him to use it, "Though it is not good for the weak body, it will stimulate and help the womb to give birth easier. I have another medicine that will bring down this effect on the Empress' body after she gives birth, do not fret."

Su Rong slowly nodded as she thought along with the Physician's word and let the Physician pour the medicine to Hui Lan, and almost immediately, Hui Lan's eyes popped open. However, the next moment she let out a loud painful scream.

"Midwife, come here!" Physician Jin quickly called the middle age lady to assist Hui Lan in her birth.

"Yes, yes, sir, nubi is here." The midwife hastily knelt beside Hui Lan's shaky body.

The midwife felt even more nervous when she was close to the Empress for Empress Shen was due to give birth, but it would not be a smooth one.

First, was because of the premature birth, 6 months was no guarantee that the baby would be healthy. Second, would the Empress even have enough strength to push the baby out?

The middle-aged lady could not help but feel anxious for her old life. She still had her family to take care of if anything went wrong with the Empress, she was afraid she would not be able to keep her head intact. With that thought, the midwife began her assistance with entire heart and strength.

"Your highness, push more!" and "I can see the young prince's head!" and more.

However, all that Hui Lan could do in response was screaming in pain, "Su Rong! Help me!"

Su Rong who had been beside Hui Lan the entire time quickly held onto her friend's hand, "Just push a little bit more, hm?"

Hui Lan nodded quickly to Su Rong's voice with a pale face. She was now holding onto Su Rong's hands so tightly that her nails were seeping into the delicate skin of the young court lady.

As for Su Rong there were no flinches or any signs hurting from the pain.

All of this, Physician Jin was watching over closely. This court lady...what was her name again?

No one else apart from the Midwife, Physician Jin and court lady Su were allowed inside the room, these three were who the rest of the world was aware of. No one had any knowledge that Su Jou, the Empress' secret bodyguard was waiting silently inside the room guarding the door. Meanwhile, all the rest of the maids were waiting nervously outside.

Even the Empress Dowager had arrived to Kunning palace. However, she did not go in and stayed outside to not disturb the Empress giving birth.

An hour had passed, two hours had passed until the third hour, a loud crying sound was heard in Kunning palace.

After giving birth, Hui Lan's eyes were slowly drifting off. However, she was forcing them open to see her baby at the very least.

"Congratulations your highness! You have borne a young prince." The Midwife announced loudly and slowly passed the young baby prince who was gently cleaned and wrapped towards his mother.

Hui Lan could not help but cry tears of joy as she watched her baby boy cry continuously. Both mother and son were crying. Though she did not know what kind of emotions her baby boy was feeling, she was truly happy to see the new life that was born.

The door to Kunning palace that had been closed was finally opened once again, from the entrance the Empress Dowager made her way inside the room with her personal court lady and immediately closed the door to not let any outsiders in.

When she was inside, what had come into her sight was the Royal Physician feeding Hui Lan a small medical bottle and speedily inserting acupuncture needles in different spots around Hui Lan's body. It was the very medicine that he had mentioned to give to Hui Lan to tackle the harmful medicine he had given to her at the beginning. Meanwhile, Su Jou was already gone and was no longer in sight. It was as if he had never been there.

Su Rong's observative eyes were watching over Physician Jin carefully and closely as he gave the medicine to her friend.

On the other hand, Hui Lan had already fainted due to the fatigue and all the wounds. Her body was originally weak, receiving all of this at once made it even difficult for her to give birth safely.

He was working speedily with his fine fingers and not long, there were lessor blood seeping through the bed.

When she finally saw that the Physician had stopped inserting needles in, she finally asked, "Ah San, how's the Empress?"

On the other hand, Physician Jin was checking the Empress' pulse with a thin white cloth and reported soon after, "Although her highness' pulse is weak, it is stable. This Physician will begin boiling some medicine for the Empress and hopefully, she should get some sleep to recover. These few weeks, I suggest for the Empress and the young prince to rest inside Kunning palace so that her highness' health would become stronger."

The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement, "Hm, court lady Lin and court lady Su tell the guards and the palace that Kunning palace will not receive any visitors for one month. If anyone wishes to see the Empress or the young prince, they must go through me."

"Yes, taihou." Both the two court ladies bowed in acceptance of the order and immediately took action.

Hence, on that day, two announcements were made. One was that there was finally an heir to the throne and two was that Kunning palace would be closed for the Empress to recover.

In Li Mei Palace, a lady in a light purple dress was looking aimlessly through her window. Her arms were crossed over one another, while her usual sweet face was no longer there and was replaced with a rather cold and indifferent expression. Mei Fang's eyes showed no brightness, but only coldness.

"Did you succeed?" Though her voice was emotionless, her heart could not help but beat anxiously.

"Please forgive Nubi!" A small court lady kneeled to the floor with tears in her eyes as she cried while reporting the news, "N..nubi had already dug the hole for the Empress to trip over, I had also bribed the guards to not report to the Royal Physician centre immediately, but I don't know why did Physician Jin arrive so soon. I had bribed a guard to throw a rock at court lady Su's hand. It was already planned out neatly as you had ordered, but..but... I don't know what went wrong."

In her light purple dress, she slowly tapped her hand on her arms as she thought of her failed plans, "...Don't worry, this time we had undermasted our enemy. Go back to Kunning palace for now, before anyone becomes suspicious of you, but next time…" Mei Fang slowly knelt down and pulled the maid's chin towards her beautiful face, "Don't mess it up again. Go."

With that, the court lady scrambled her way out from Li Mei palace.

Tut tut, Feng...Hui..Lan...this time you were lucky, but next time...well, there won't be a next time…