The Baby Is Finally Here!

Neither the First Madam nor Xiao Yue had any experience with delivering a baby, so when it finally happened close to midnight one summer day, both of them could only wait outside of Second Madam's bed-chamber while the midwife worked with a constantly screaming Second Madam. Maids rushed in with basins of warm water and out with basins of red blood water.

"Push, Madam, push!!!"

"No... I cannot anymore, it hurts! Aaaaaaaahhh it hurts!!!"

The Second Madam then fell unconscious and they had to wake her up. The cycle repeated itself for hours. Both the First Madam and Xiao Yue were extremely tired. They did not even have leftover energy to worry about the Second Madam and the baby.

The midwife came out every hour to ensure everyone that the baby would be born soon, and that both mother and child were not in danger. After struggling for more than sixteen hours, the baby was finally born in the afternoon. It was a baby boy. Heir to the Long family bloodline, as the midwife joyfully announced from inside the bed-chamber.

First Madam entered the delivery room and exited with the newborn baby swaddled in light blue silk clothes. The baby's face was all red from crying. His voice was loud, almost shattering Xiao Yue's eardrums. First Madam's eye rims were a little red when she put the baby into Xiao Yue's arms.

"We did well," she whispered. "All three of us."

Xiao Yue nodded.

"I will go inside to see how Second Sister is doing. Why don't you take care of the little one?"

First Madam did not even wait for Xiao Yue to answer before she disappeared back into the bed-chamber. The door shut with a click, leaving Xiao Yue completely dumbfounded. What did she know about taking care of a small baby???

It was good that Xiao Yue was not alone. There were some elder maids like Yu Fen who had helped take care of at least Long Zhao Feng back when he was still an innocent little bundle of joy. The cook already prepared a big pot of congee for the tired staff. Xiao Yue gratefully ate a bowl while watching the baby being surrounded by maids, all eager to please the little young master.

A servant was dispatched to the palace when Second Madam entered into labor. Coincidentally, Long Zhao Xue was there to receive the news directly. He immediately went with the servant back home, but he only managed to arrive after the baby was born.

Amidst congratulatory remarks, he rushed to the Second Madam's manor immediately, where everyone was waiting on the Second Madam and the baby. The moment Long Zhao Xue drew close, the amulet inside Xiao Yue's clothes started to emit searing heat.

Clutching onto the red crystal through the fabric of her dress, Xiao Yue grimly stared at Long Zhao Xue when he showed up. The man was still wearing the creepy silver mask. He seemed to have just come back from a battlefield because he still donned the general's armor when he arrived back home. His appearance was shabby. Dirt and something that looked like dried blood stuck to his armor. A long saber hung by his waist, clinking together with the boots as he walked into the manor.

Since the baby boy was well taken care of, Xiao Yue excused herself with her maids to go back to her own manor. These few weeks had been quite tiring. Everyone talked about resting, but Xiao Yue could not rest yet.

The time had come, Xiao Yue told herself. After waiting for so long, she permitted herself no delay. She must put an end to Long Zhao Xue tonight. If she could not do it tonight, then she would have to wait for months again until Long Zhao Xue came back from wherever he was.

Months before this day came, Xiao Yue had prepared herself physically and mentally. She was especially troubled about what would happen when people found out that Long Zhao Xue was killed by his third wife.

She could not just run away and leave Yu Fen and everyone else behind. Xiao Yue was very concerned about the maids and servants in her manor. She could not help but worry not about herself but others.

In the end, she decided to make it so that an assassin entered the general's residence to kill him and ran away after committing the murder. After Long Zhao Xue died, she did not have any reason to stick around. They had not even consummated their marriage. She could ask First Madam to let her and her maids go.

Yes... that's the only way it could happen.

Everyone was still tending to Second Madam and the baby. General Long could impossibly spend the night in the Second Madam's manor, seeing that she just gave birth. It would be improper. That meant that he would most likely stay in the First Madam's manor.

After waiting for all activities to cease and all lights to be extinguished, Xiao Yue got up and took out a bundle that she had put together for this occasion. Inside the bundle was a pair of tight black suits.

Xiao Yue changed her clothes in darkness, the moon was her only source of light. She tied her long hair into a ponytail and tucked it neatly inside the black hat. Then she wrapped her whole face with black stripes of clothes, leaving only two bright eyes visible.

She checked her appearance in a bronze mirror. Moving her head left and right, she was satisfied with what she saw. No one, not even her own mother would be able to tell.

Xiao Yue rummaged inside the bundle even more and drew a short knife out. She was a woman. Like Long Zhao Feng said, her form was not good. On the other side, she was nimble. She had one chance to stab, then she must flee. There was no use thinking about sparring with Long Zhao Xue.

The amulet had been glowing warm ever since Long Zhao Xue came home. A constant reminder for her to execute her mission. Xiao Yue tucked it under her clothes and slipped the short blade into her belt. Then she slipped out of her bed-chamber and ran along the trees.