210 Who was it that came into her womb? Part I
After sending off the envoy, Bai Yu and Ouyang Feilong rode in a horse carriage back to the royal palace. Citizens of Da Yang flocked to both sides of the road, uttering words of blessing for their emperor and empress. It was delightful to know that Ouyang Feilong was loved by his subjects.
He was the former commander general who protected Da Yang’s border. Half of his life was spent on the battlefield protecting his motherland. His feats were acknowledged by all in Da Yang. And today, he maintained the nation’s peace while allying with Da Chu. The result of his effort was the clear love and respect that the people had for him.
“Can I open the curtain, Your Majesty?” Bai Yu turned to ask the person who was half-reclining in the grand and spacious carriage. In his hand was a petition that seemed to be pulling his brows together tight.
“What are you doing?”
“There are so many people coming to receive us. I want to greet them.”
Ouyang Feilong looked away from the letters in his hand. “It’s dangerous.”
Bai Yu pouted. “It’s only a little bit.”
The man lightly smiled at his lover’s sulking face. “You’re too naughty.”
“I’m already an adult.” And also a mother!
.....
“Oh.” Ouyang Feilong uttered the one word that Bai Yu hated the most. “My Xiao Yu is indeed an adult.”
“Feilong!”
“Saying the emperor’s name is punishable, don’t you know that?”
Bai Yu did not know when Ouyang Feilong had put down the petition in his hand. She only knew that she was pulled into the bully’s arms before she could realize herself.
“Say it again.” Moments ago, he was going to punish her, yet after taking in the sweetness of her soft body, the emperor changed his mind.
“No.”
“You don’t want to greet the people?” Ouyang Feilong whispered next to her ear. His tone clearly reflected how he had the upper hand.
“Feilong…” Bai Yu immediately called his name. Her dark eyes lifted with the most pleading look she could muster. However, what she received in response was not permission, but the sight of a frown that was deeper than before.
“Careful!”
Whoooosh… Thud!
Ouyang Feilong tightened his embrace before turning them both around, putting him in Bai Yu’s place and shielding her from the attack. Something flew into the magic shield conjured by his ring.
“Protect the emperor! Protect the empress!”
The sound of commotion outside raised Bai Yu’s alertness. She had not realized that there was an arrow being shot from behind her. She could not defend herself in time, but luckily, Ouyang Feilong could sense it before her.
“Strange.” He muttered as he checked for an injury on Bai Yu’s body. “Who would dare attack in the middle of a crowded procession?”
“I’m fine,” Bai Yu said to the person who could not stop inspecting her out of worry. Hearing her reassurance, Ouyang Feilong nodded and moved away to get out of the carriage. Outside, the sound of battle could be heard.
“Your Majesty, don’t.” Bai Yu grabbed his arm. She knew that Ouyang Feilong was the commander-general who never abandoned his men. As a soldier, joining in a fight was expected. However, now he was an emperor. His safety was above everyone’s life. She could not let him act on his habit. “Please let Yue Huiling handle everything.”
Ouyang Feilong did not resist, even though the strength holding back his arm was not much at all. He nodded and sat down next to his empress. Golden magic appeared to cover the whole carriage.
Thump!
It seemed that the enemies were targeting Bai Yu and Ouyang Feilong’s horse carriage. While they could not get through the magic barrier around the carriage, they could provoke the horses into a frenzy. The royal guards were protecting their masters to the best of their ability; still, they could not calm the panicked horses in time.
One horse was shot in the leg, while the other was shot in the eye. They struggled in pain, causing the carriage to shake. Ouyang Feilong pulled her smaller body into his arms before using his magic to explode the carriage and break out of this situation.
“Be careful!”
Outside, multiple enemies clad in black were surrounding them and the royal guards. They took the opportunity when Bai Yu and Ouyang Feilong were in mid-air and threw numerous daggers through the gap in the magic shield. Despite the attempt, they could not harm the two, who were adept at both magic and martial arts.
Bai Yu and Ouyang Feilong separated to evade the daggers while creating another layer of shield. However, there seemed to be a difficulty on Bai Yu’s side because she…could not use magic!
Bai Yu suppressed her confusion and used her excellent eyesight to predict the route of the daggers. She kicked her feet, narrowly dodging them. But with the overwhelming number of daggers and her disadvantage of being unable to use magic, the enemies turned to target her.
Noticing that Bai Yu did not conjure her magic, he used his martial arts skills to move toward her and created his magic shield to protect them, but it seemed like he was too slow.
Bai Yu’s leg was grazed by two daggers, and in her hand gripped one dagger that was aimed at her stomach.
“Retreat!”
It seemed that hurting the empress was their objective. The black-clad men immediately withdrew without waiting for their own allies. Ouyang Feilong waved his hand, ordering some of his royal guards to follow them, before carrying Bai Yu up in his arms.
“Protect!”
As soon as his voice ceased, the son of heaven used his martial techniques to bring Bai Yu back to the royal palace. Yue Huiling and around ten royal guards, with their comparable skills, were close behind him.
“Your Majesty…” Bai Yu softly whispered to the man, whose face was grim. “Call Bai Hua.”
Surely, Ouyang Feilong would summon a royal doctor to treat her as soon as he arrived at the royal palace. If that were to happen, her secret would no longer be a secret. The doctor would easily discover it when he examined her.
“Ah-Zhen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring someone to me.”
Despite being in the middle of moving at high speed, Ouyang Feilong could expertly give an order to Bai Yu’s shadow guard, who was once his. Everything was happening too fast for Bai Yu to comprehend. Her senses were fraying as a result of blood loss from the wound on her palm that had stopped a dagger.
Why could she not use magic?
Why was she feeling so fatigued?
“Your Majesty, please wait outside.” When they arrived in front of her palace, Bai Yu hurriedly voiced her wish again. She had to keep Ouyang Feilong out before she lost consciousness as soon as possible. Her eyelids were feeling heavier and heavier by the second.
“But…” Ouyang Feilong was going to argue.
“My injuries aren’t too grave. Right now, the people and officials were being shaken. Your Majesty should take care of them first.”
“I can’t go until I check your condition first.” His hand grabbed her thin wrist intending to check her pulse and use his healing magic. However, Bai Yu pretended to cry out. Ouyang Feilong instantly released his grip, fearing that he had touched a wound or was being too forceful.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.” Bai Yu pulled her wrist away. Her hands were trembling because of the red blood she saw so vividly.
“Call the doc—”
“Your Majesty, Second Consort Bai has arrived.”
“Hurry and let her in,” Ouyang Feilong spoke in a solemn voice. He was going to sit down to hear her condition.
“Your Majesty…” Bai Yu called him again.
“Fine…” Ouyang Feilong sighed. “Zhen shall come back later.”
“Come back tomorrow.” She was still anxious about the possibility of her being asleep while he came in.
“Xiao Yu.” His tone was firm. “If it’s you, I could not care less whether others are alive or dead. To me, you’re the most important. I’ll come back again tonight, understood?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Bai Yu gave up in the end. Ouyang Feilong pressed a gentle kiss onto her forehead before leaving, passing Bai Hua, who was entering in a hurry.
“No need.” Bai Yu waved her hand to stop her sister from giving a curtsy. Then, she extended her wrist to the other person. “Check my pulse. Tell me how the child is.”
“Your Majesty means…”
“Don’t tell anyone about this. You stay here and stop anyone from coming in while I’m unconscious.”
Bai Yu uttered the last order to the person who she had always seen as an enemy, yet was the only person she could trust right now.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At that reply, the consciousness she had been trying to maintain slipped away.