Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 314 - 312. Pregnant

312. Pregnancy

"Four... Fourth Brother?"

Ye Li stared blankly at Xu Qingbai standing in front of her, a long sword having pierced him from behind. Blood flowed along the edge of the sword and dripped onto Ye Li’s clothes, speckling her jade-like face.

"Li’er..." Xu Qingbai managed a bitter smile as he grimaced in pain. He involuntarily trembled as surges of agony took over him. Qin Feng, who was behind them, finally freed his hands just in time to witness the horrifying scene. He quickly dodged an incoming attack and swung his sword towards the assailant. The assailant, who had been planning to strike again, was instantly cleaved in two by the chilling force of Qin Feng’s sword.

"Princess Consort! Fourth Young Master!" Seeing the situation, the other guards quickly started to regroup. This was their mistake. They were all too aware of Ye Li’s abilities and had been focusing mostly on fighting the enemy, not expecting any harm to come to Ye Li. Though their new formation made attacking the assassins more difficult, it now also made it harder for the assassins to breach their circle.

Qin Feng took a quick look around and finally asked, "Princess Consort, you..."

Ye Li bit her lip and said in a low voice, "I’m okay. Check how Fourth Brother is doing."

Qin Feng could see that the blood on Ye Li was mostly Xu Qingbai’s, while Xu Qingbai himself had already slipped into a semi-unconscious state. After a quick check on his injuries, Qin Feng pressed several of Xu Qingbai’s acupoints and felt slightly relieved. "The sword missed any vital organs, but Fourth Young Master has lost a lot of blood. We must stop the bleeding and bandage the wound as quickly as possible." But they were surrounded by assassins and had no way out.

"I’ve already sent a signal. The city guards should arrive soon," seeing the color drain from Ye Li’s face, Qin Feng spoke in a hushed tone.

Ye Li nodded and carefully supported Xu Qingbai to avoid jostling his sword-inflicted wound and causing more bleeding.

The response of the guards from Prince Ding’s Mansion was swift. Soon, a large group of cavalrymen arrived, led by Feng Zhiyao and Xu Qingfeng. Xu Qingfeng charged into the fray, his eyes turning red at the sight of his blood-soaked younger brother. "Fourth Brother! Li’er..."

"Princess Consort, Fourth Young Master..." Feng Zhiyao, who had also arrived, felt a jolt of anxiety. Seeing that Ye Li was unharmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He and Xu Qingfeng had been resting at the post house when they saw Qin Feng’s signal flare. They rushed to the scene to find it in bloody chaos. Feng Zhiyao’s eyes flashed coldly. "Kill them! Leave two alive!"

Seeing Feng Zhiyao and Xu Qingfeng, Ye Li also let out a sigh of relief, though she felt her vision darken. She caught hold of Xu Qingfeng’s hand. "Third Brother, take Fourth Brother to a doctor... Go now!"

Xu Qingfeng nodded grimly. "I understand." He carefully lifted Xu Qingbai, avoiding the sword in his wound, and began to leave under the protection of several guards. With the support of Feng Zhiyao and Qin Feng, Ye Li got to her feet. However, her already unsettled body suddenly gave in, and she blacked out, collapsing onto the ground.

"Princess Consort?!"

"Ah-Li!" A cold voice echoed from the street corner as a swift horse galloped in. A figure in white leaped from the horse, a streak of sword energy whooshed through the air, knocking down several nearby assassins.

Mo Xiuyao landed and, with a grim expression, took Ye Li from Feng Zhiyao. "Ah-Li... Ah-Li..." His hand trembled as he tried to measure her pulse. His usually steady hand, accustomed to gripping the Bloodthirsty Sword, was shaking, making it hard for him to find the pulse. Seeing this, Feng Zhiyao quickly said, "Prince, the Princess Consort hasn’t been injured. She just fainted." Even without checking her pulse, it was clear that Ye Li’s breathing was steady, but anxiety had clouded Mo Xiuyao’s judgment.

Mo Xiuyao paused, seemingly calming down, a hint of clarity returning to his eyes. He took Ye Li’s wrist to measure her pulse again. Though lacking knowledge in the medical field, his martial arts background enabled him to identify basic pulses. Feeling Ye Li’s steady pulse and not detecting any internal injuries, external wounds, or poisoning, his face softened slightly. Feng Zhiyao added, "I’ve sent for a doctor. Prince, it might be best to settle the Princess Consort first."

"Prince, there’s a resting place in the flower garden. Perhaps we can take the Princess Consort there for the time being," suggested Madam Sun, pale-faced. The incident that occurred today was a bad omen. If anything happened to Ye Li, regardless of whether the Sun Family was involved, they wouldn’t escape blame. Even though her own legs were weak from fear, Madam Sun felt compelled to speak out.

Mo Xiuyao lifted Ye Li into his arms, gave a brief glance at Madam Sun, and headed towards the flower garden.

The doctors arrived quickly. Mo Xiuyao, led by Madam Sun, had just settled Ye Li (whom he carried) into a small building in the flower garden when Qin Feng and Feng Zhiyao entered, bringing two doctors with them. These two were not military doctors from the Mo Family Army stationed at Prince Ding’s Mansion but were hastily fetched from nearby clinics on Mo Xiuyao’s orders. Being suddenly brought here terrified them. Looking at the white-haired and somber-faced Mo Xiuyao next to the bed, they went weak at the knees and collapsed to the floor.

Madam Sun quickly helped both doctors up and said, "Both of you, please check the pulse of the Princess Consort promptly."

Thanks to her reminder, the doctors snapped back into focus. Despite their rather shaky movements, they began to approach the bed. However, they didn’t dare to get too close to Mo Xiuyao, who was occupying the bedside. Mo Xiuyao hmphed lightly, sized up both physicians for a moment, before finally standing up and vacating his place.

Though the doctors weren’t significant figures, their profession gave them access to a diverse range of information. They quickly inferred which Princess Consort was lying on the bed, and faced with the intimidating gaze of Mo Xiuyao, they became even more cautious. They stepped forward in turn, checked Ye Li’s pulse, and exchanged their diagnostic opinions through eye contact. Standing behind them, Mo Xiuyao didn’t share their measured patience. He inquired gravely, "What is Ah-Li’s condition?"

One of the doctors, furrowing his eyebrows, palpated Ye Li’s pulse again. After he seemed to finally confirm his findings, he gestured respectfully towards Mo Xiuyao and said, "Please, Prince, rest assured. The Princess Consort is not seriously ill."

Mo Xiuyao’s expression didn’t lighten. He asked gravely, "I am asking why the Princess Consort hasn’t woken up."

The elderly doctor, terrified, hurriedly replied, "She... the Princess Consort... is already nearly three months into her pregnancy. She hasn’t awakened... probably because the heir in her womb was startled..."

"What did you say?!" All the people present gasped. Mo Xiuyao grasped the doctor’s collar and demanded an explanation. The terrified doctor was unable to utter a word. The other doctor quickly said, "Prince, indeed the Princess Consort is pregnant. Otherwise... she is not injured..."

In the room, Feng Zhiyao, Qin Feng, and Madam Sun were initially relieved and then overwhelmed with joy. Feng Zhiyao went forward to rescue the poor doctor, who was about to be choked to death by Mo Xiuyao. He said to Mo Xiuyao, "Congratulations, Prince. Prince Ding’s Mansion is about to welcome an heir." Mo Xiuyao came back to his senses, walked to the bedside, and sat down, staring blankly at Ye Li on the bed. Feng Zhiyao shrugged helplessly, turned around, and asked the doctor, "Are you sure the Princess Consort is really okay? When will she wake up?"

The doctor murmured, "The Princess Consort had quite a scare. This was mainly because the heir’s fetal pulse was weak, likely owing to the shock. The Princess Consort fell into a deep sleep to protect her unborn child. I will prescribe some medicines for her to help stabilize her pregnancy and soothe her nerves. She should wake up in two to three days at the most."

Feng Zhiyao gazed solemnly at the two doctors, asking, "Are you sure?"

The two doctors nodded with resignation. "We assure you that the Princess Consort is perfectly fine. Actually, she has a very strong constitution; otherwise, a lesser woman experiencing such a mishap... might have lost the child. This time, the Princess Consort only experienced a minor stir of the womb, which is nothing to worry about."

Feeling satisfied, Feng Zhiyao nodded and said, "Very well. We will need you two to stay in Prince Ding’s Mansion to take care of the Princess Consort for the next few days. Of course, Prince Ding’s Mansion will also give you a satisfactory consultation fee."

The two doctors knew they had no right to refuse. They nodded in agreement and were led away by Feng Zhiyao’s men to prescribe and prepare the medicine.

When Ye Li was settled after taking the medicine, her pallor visibly improved despite her still being deeply asleep, and Mo Xiuyao’s gloomy countenance relaxed slightly. When Feng Zhiyao reported that all the assassins had been caught, Mo Xiuyao carefully tucked the corner of the quilt for Ye Li, stood up, and left the room.

Madam Sun was still waiting outside the hall, not daring to leave on her own. Seeing Mo Xiuyao come out, she stepped forward and knelt down, her voice low, "Ms. Yu of Sun Family begs for Prince Ding’s clemency."

Mo Xiuyao hmphed lightly and said indifferently, "Tell this Prince the origins of those assassins within two hours. If you fail..."

Before Mo Xiuyao could finish, Madam Sun interrupted quickly, "Thank you, Prince, for your mercy. I understand." She bowed to Mo Xiuyao, turned around hurriedly, and walked out.

Mo Xiuyao walked out and glanced at Qin Feng, Zhuo Jing, and Lin Han, who were standing by the door. He warned in a stern voice, "The punishment for your negligence will be decided after Ah-Li wakes up. Should anything else befall Ah-Li..."

Qin Feng responded with a serious face, "I understand the order."

Mo Xiuyao hmphed coldly and left with a flick of his sleeve. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han sighed. Zhuo Jing gave Qin Feng a pat on his shoulder in a sign of consolation and hurriedly followed Mo Xiuyao, with Lin Han on his heels.

Despite the many people gathered in the garden of the Sun Family mansion, an apprehensive atmosphere dominated. Beside the Water Pavilion outside the manor, all the noble ladies and young ladies who came to attend the gathering were detained. Even though it was a bit cold in the Imperial City of Xiling in September, in the face of the Mo Family soldiers who barely showed any expression, none of the noble ladies and their daughters, who had been standing in the chilly wind for more than two hours, dared to complain about the cold.

Bai Qingning sat lifelessly next to Madam Bai, completely stunned. Madam Bai, who had also been standing at the outermost edge earlier, was likewise badly frightened. Mother and daughter, one sitting and one standing, were inconspicuous in the crowd, as everyone else was in a similar state. Not to mention, several assassins were captured nearby, and once their masks were removed, some turned out to be familiar faces. Those sensitive to the situation could clearly sense that a storm was brewing.

"Greetings, Prince." Mo Xiuyao, walking swiftly in his white clothing, arrived to the salute of the guards from Prince Ding’s Mansion. His snow-white hair fluttering wildly in the gentle breeze, for some reason, added a chilling aura to his presence. Mo Xiuyao didn’t acknowledge the group of scared women; instead, he focused on the assassins who were pinned to the ground and asked in a low voice, "What are their identities?"

Feng Zhiyao spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, we have found out their identities. They are diverse—one of them is a guard from the Xiling Imperial Army, and another is a junior official from the Ministry of War. Both are from the prestigious old families of Xiling."

"Very well..." Mo Xiuyao said in a low voice, looking down at the young man on the ground whose leg bones had been broken but who still glared at him with eyes full of hatred. Crouching down, Mo Xiuyao lifted the young man’s face with one hand and said with a faint smile, "Nobility of Xiling? Quite audacious indeed..."

"Mo Xiuyao, you will never seize Xiling Imperial City! The Southern Garrison Prince will return!" the young man cursed angrily.

Mo Xiuyao was not angered. "Lei Zhenting? A pity... Xiling Imperial City doesn’t seem all that important to Lei Zhenting. But rest assured, I can fulfill your wish; in the future, this Prince will definitely scatter Lei Zhenting’s ashes throughout the streets and alleys of Xiling Imperial City for all to trample. As for now... you’d better worry about yourselves." As he finished speaking, a CRACK was heard. The young man’s face twisted as his sternum grotesquely caved inward, and blood began to pour from his lips.

"Mo Xiuyao, you... you won’t get away with this! Both you and Ye Li are——?!" Before he could finish speaking, the young man’s body was suddenly thrown backward. It flew over the crowd and slammed straight into a far wall. A heavy thud was heard, and a dark red bloodstain had already tainted the wall. The young man’s body slid to the ground, and his lifeless body lay there in a heap. "Reckless fool!"

The garden suddenly fell silent; everyone stared in terror at the white-haired man standing in front of them. It seemed as if it wasn’t the world-renowned handsome prince standing before them but rather a cruel Asura demon who’d emerged from hell.

Mo Xiuyao didn’t even look at the body in the corner. Instead, he looked at the other assassin, faintly smiling. "A guard from the Imperial Army? Did the Emperor of Xiling order you to assassinate my Ah-Li?"

After such a scare, even the so-called elite guard of the Imperial Army couldn’t help but feel a chill.

"It was my own idea; it has nothing to do with anyone else. Kill me or torture me as you please!" With a chill in his heart, the guard gritted his teeth and spat out the words.

Mo Xiuyao nodded. "Very good, you’ve got backbone. I’ll honor you—your entire clan will be exterminated!"

Upon hearing this, the man’s eyes widened in shock. "No... you can’t!"

"Then allow me to show you exactly what I can and cannot do." Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly. "Third Feng, have the people been brought?"

Standing beside him, Feng Zhiyao, watching Mo Xiuyao who was speaking so casually, sighed faintly in his heart. He concealed the worry in his eyes and nodded. "Your Highness, the identities of all assassins whose identities could be verified have been confirmed, and their three closest clans are all waiting outside for your judgment."

Mo Xiuyao said calmly, "Kill them."

"No! Prince Ding, you can’t do this!" From the crowd, Princess Ling Yun stood up straight and glared at Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao sneered and said indifferently, "This Prince doesn’t need you to tell him what to do."

Princess Ling Yun retorted loudly, "They are subjects of Xiling! Prince Ding’s Mansion has no right to dispose of them!"

Feng Zhiyao stepped forward and blocked Princess Ling Yun, saying nonchalantly, "They are assassins who attempted to kill Princess Consort Ding, and Prince Ding’s Mansion has every right to determine how to deal with them."

Princess Ling Yun choked on her words, struggling to counter, "But their clans are innocent."

Feng Zhiyao laughed lightly, looking at Princess Ling Yun with interest. "The assassination attempt on Princess Consort Ding is a crime for which even the extermination of nine generations wouldn’t be considered excessive. Yet, Prince Ding’s Mansion only implicates three clans; this is already showing consideration for the Xiling Emperor."

Princess Ling Yun’s face turned ashen. The identities of the assassins themselves weren’t high-ranking or even conspicuous. However, all their families were prestigious clans of Xiling, most of which were loyal to Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion. Moreover, among the marriages involving the nobility, most were between these families, and the extermination of three generations would surely cause the loss of at least half of the nobles in Xiling Imperial City. The power of Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion would be almost entirely destroyed as well. Compared to her weak and inept father, Princess Ling Yun had always admired her capable uncle Lei Zhenting. She also had a good relationship with Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion and naturally didn’t want to see Lei Zhenting’s influence in the Imperial City completely eliminated by Mo Xiuyao.

"Even so, this matter should be reported to my father before deciding what to do," Princess Ling Yun insisted.

Feng Zhiyao sneered. "The Xiling Imperial City is now under Prince Ding’s Mansion. Your Xiling Imperial family is only staying here temporarily. When did the host have to ask for a guest’s opinion about how to manage their own house?"

"You... you are shameless!" Princess Ling Yun was at a loss for words, only managing to blurt out in angry accusation.

Feng Zhiyao rolled his eyes silently, about to retort to Princess Ling Yun, when a white shadow flashed past like a gust of wind. Princess Ling Yun, who was just moments ago displaying a domineering aura, was now held by the throat, her eyes rolling back. Mo Xiuyao loomed over her, his eyes cold as he stared at the exquisitely dressed woman before him. His voice was as icy as the chilling wind. "When was it your turn to interfere with my affairs? You think... being a princess of Xiling can save you?"

Princess Ling Yun was choked by Mo Xiuyao, almost gasping for breath. With difficulty, she said, "It’s... not... my... GURGLE..." Mo Xiuyao showed no mercy, and although Princess Ling Yun mustered all her strength, she couldn’t utter a complete sentence. She could only feel her breathing become more and more difficult, the pain in her heart nearly making it explode.

"How many of these assassins here did you bring? Hmm?" Mo Xiuyao asked.

Princess Ling Yun’s face changed, fear evident in her eyes. As she faced Mo Xiuyao’s handsome, smiling face, she saw unmistakable murderous intent in his deep eyes. "No..." was the last word Princess Ling Yun managed to utter before she silently fell to the ground, blood frothing from her lips in full view of the crowd.

"AH?!" Someone finally couldn’t bear the horrific sight and screamed. The garden was filled with chaos, with the women in attendance falling to their knees, begging for mercy. Even Princess Ling Yun, with her status, was mercilessly killed by Prince Ding—what chance did they have?

"Shut up!" Feng Zhiyao glanced at the increasingly impatient Mo Xiuyao amidst the sobbing and crying, and quickly yelled.

At his yell, the crying stopped abruptly. Mo Xiuyao walked to a chair that had been placed nearby and sat down. His gaze slowly fell on the mother and daughter of the Bai Family in the crowd. When Bai Qingning realized Mo Xiuyao’s gaze was on her, she couldn’t help but shiver and cuddle up to Madam Bai. After the recent incident, she no longer harbored any lofty ambitions or thoughts of Prince Ding’s prestige and status. At this moment, in her heart, Prince Ding was far more terrifying than the demons of the underworld; if she could leave now, she only wished she would never see him again in her life.

"Bai Qingning?" Mo Xiuyao called out indifferently, his voice betraying no hint of emotion.

Just now, amid the chaos, Madam Bai hadn’t seen what Bai Qingning did. Although she was extremely afraid of Mo Xiuyao, she assumed that Prince Ding was interested in her daughter and hurriedly nudged Bai Qingning. Bai Qingning shivered and kept shaking her head, not daring to move from behind Madam Bai. Feng Zhiyao, standing next to Mo Xiuyao, waved his hand, and two guards easily brought Bai Qingning before Mo Xiuyao.

Mo Xiuyao looked over Bai Qingning carefully for a moment before casually commenting, "Not bad looking."

Even though it was a compliment, it sounded like a death sentence in Bai Qingning’s ears. Remembering that Mo Xiuyao had complimented the two assassins as "very good" and "having backbone," Bai Qingning’s face turned even paler. Shivering and kneeling on the ground, Bai Qingning forced down her fear and said, "Thank you... for your compliment, Prince..."

Mo Xiuyao sneered. "I wasn’t complimenting you. My beloved consort fell unconscious because of you. You have quite the nerve!"

"No!" Bai Qingning cried out. "It’s not my fault! I didn’t... I didn’t do anything!" It was true, she hadn’t done anything. Yes, she did pull Ye Li, but that was an accident; the person she had intended to pull wasn’t Ye Li. Moreover, she only wanted to survive. In such a situation, she was powerless. Was it wrong to want to survive?

"You didn’t do anything?" Mo Xiuyao glared at her.

Bai Qingning nodded hurriedly. "That’s right, it’s not my fault. I didn’t do anything!"

"Didn’t do anything... and you still deserve to die!" Mo Xiuyao’s eyes were filled with murderous intent as he looked disgustedly, even hatefully, at Bai Qingning, his tone languid. "You were right beside Ah-Li, so why didn’t you block the sword for her?"

Bai Qingning was speechless. So, in Prince Ding’s eyes, not shielding Princess Consort Ding from the sword was a reason to die? No! Bai Qingning shook her head vehemently, a surge of aggrieved anger rising in her heart.

Why? Why should she die for not shielding Princess Consort Ding from the sword? Why should she, a weak woman with no martial arts skills, have to block a sword for someone who was a skilled martial artist and completely unrelated to her? She just wanted to live. Was that wrong?

"No! I won’t accept this!" Bai Qingning shouted out in a piercing voice.