"Don't worry, I will let you live a good life. You won't have to listen to the night watchman's drum, count the cold stars, or do anything. You will live a very, very long time." Ying Tianchi said ruthlessly. Lin Yuzhen fainted, and the Dragon Cavalry Captain carried her away like a chicken. Only three people and the unconscious Xu Pingliu remained in the pavilion.
Heng Chong hesitated, but Gao Qing pulled him back and shook his head. The Emperor's rage was beyond anyone's comprehension. Now, all they could do was pray to Heaven that the Imperial Concubine would return safely before Lin Yuzhen was taken back to the capital for execution. There might still be a sliver of hope then. Otherwise, if the Emperor disbanded the harem and the Imperial Concubine met with disaster, Gao Qing shuddered. The Emperor would have no more legitimate sons, and the imperial line would be cut off. For this crime alone, no one could save Lin Yuzhen. Even being torn to pieces would not be an exaggeration.
The two sighed in unison. The wind was high and the waves were rough, with sharp rocks below. Was the Imperial Concubine returning safely? It seemed too unlikely.
"You may all leave. Gao Qing, go and deliver the imperial decree."
The two hesitated, then bowed and withdrew. Gao Qing casually lifted the limp Xu Pingliu and said, "Immediately send someone to escort the Xu family to the capital and hand them over to the Jingji Guard for strict supervision." Xu Pingliu, who had finally woken up, went limp again.
The two had just retreated to the green lawn when they heard a dull thud, and the cool couch flew out as wreckage, scattering across the grass.
Ying Tianchi stood by the railing, his eyes closed. His Weiyu, and perhaps his son, were all his faults. He had sown the seeds of this tragedy by taking those foolish women as his concubines, giving them the opportunity to harm Weiyu. He had been arrogant, thinking that the lessons of the Zhou and Xue families would be enough to make them abandon their wicked thoughts. He was unworthy of being the emperor, yet he could not properly protect the woman he loved. Tears welled in his eyes, like a raging tide crashing against the cliffs, creating towering waves. The wind howled, tearing at his heart. How could the delicate Weiyu withstand this raging storm?
"Your Majesty." It was Heng Chong's voice. He was startled and clenched his fists tightly.
"Zheng Song sent word that half of the Empress's floral robe had been found on the sea seven miles away. The naval forces dived into the sea, but found no trace of the Empress within a radius of nearly five miles. The wind and waves were very strong, and the sailors were afraid they would not be able to catch her. Zheng Song deduced that the Empress had probably been swept away by the wind and waves and was no longer nearby."
He breathed a sigh of relief, sweat pouring down his face. Only then did he realize how terrified he had been, afraid of hearing the words "remains" or "corpses." He strode down and said, "Tell Zheng Song and the others to continue the search. The naval camp is to rest and await orders. Deploy the capital's naval camp and order them to search carefully down the river. Question all the boatmen along the river."
"Yes." Heng Chong accepted the order and left.
"Gao Qing, immediately issue an imperial edict ordering the Embroidered Uniform Guard to carry it out. Send Lin to the Imperial Prison for execution, but remember to spare her life."
Gao Qing sighed. The imperial guards were dispatched, but they were heinous criminals. The Lin family was finished, and the Qiu family was barely clinging to life. Lin Yu's foolish courage and recklessness had brought annihilation to both families.
"Your Majesty, could you please postpone Lin's punishment of being turned into a pig, so that we can pray for the Imperial Concubine's well-being?" Gao Qing asked cautiously.
Ying Tianchi was well aware of the cruelty of the pig punishment, but his anger was burning fiercely, so he suppressed it and said, "Fine, tomorrow I will order the naval forces to search the near sea. If..., I will not spare her for a moment."
If the wind is calm tomorrow and the Imperial Concubine is indeed found in the sea, then the Imperial Concubine must be... Gao Qing couldn't even imagine it, and a wave of grief washed over him. "Please bless me, God!"
Ying Tianchi turned back to look at the towering Tingtao Pavilion, recalling how Wei Yu had said this morning, with her eyelids open, that she wanted to watch the Bohai tide today, her lazy and coquettish manner making him reluctant to leave. Now, however, the pavilion was empty and deserted. He suppressed the intense pain in his heart and said, "Seal off Tingtao Pavilion."
Gao Qing attended to Ying Tianchi. The Emperor's imposing figure remained ramrod straight, but his lips were tightly pressed together, and a murderous aura gathered in his eyes. The Emperor had finally won the Empress's heart, finally achieved harmonious relations, and enjoyed a few days of blissful peace. But now... the Empress's gentleness... (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly spam/advertisement. It has been omitted from the translation.)
Why are you crying?
Gao Qing was startled, only then realizing that tears were streaming down his face. He wiped his eyes and said, "The Empress is such a kind and gentle person. This servant thinks the Sea God will protect her."
Master and servant faced each other, and for a moment, they were filled with sorrow.
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Perhaps it was truly the sea god's protection that kept Wei Yu from falling. As she plummeted, her mind went blank, and she instinctively used her hands to protect her abdomen before sinking into the sea. Luckily, she found herself on soft mud. She moved her legs like a frog, and just as she was about to surface, a huge wave crashed over her. She held her breath and used the wave to propel her body out of the water. Never before had she felt such heartfelt gratitude towards her school. Swimming was a qualifying sport; those who failed were not eligible for the college entrance examination. That's why she had learned this luxurious sport. Her talent even amazed her coach, who lamented that it was a pity.
But her strength was waning, and another wave crashed in. She struggled to hold her abdomen and gave up swimming. Was anyone there? Her lips moved, and a mouthful of salty seawater rushed in. Was she really not meant to have this child? These were her last thoughts.
The boat rocked gently, and Wei Yu's eyelashes trembled slightly.
"She's awake." A melodious female voice came from beside her, slightly surprised. "Of course! Look who it is! I'm the miracle doctor!" Another female voice said, lively and proud.
Wei Yu opened her eyes with difficulty. What came into view was a graceful young woman in plain clothes sitting on an embroidered stool not far from the bed, with a tall, handsome, and unrestrained man standing behind her. A young woman in green clothes sat at the foot of the bed. When she saw that she was awake, she exclaimed, "You two look a bit alike." As she spoke, she took her right hand to feel her pulse. Wei Yu subconsciously tried to pull her hand back, but she couldn't break free.
The young woman in plain clothes stood up and smiled reassuringly, "Don't be nervous, she's my sister-in-law. She's a bit mischievous, but her medical skills are superb; she's a disciple of a divine physician." Wei Yu asked anxiously, "My child, is my child alright?" She grabbed the hand of the woman in green and asked pleadingly.
The woman in green laughed, revealing a dimple on her right cheek that made her very pretty. She helped Weiyu sit up and let her lean against the cushion. "Don't worry, don't worry, I'm here. I'll make sure you're safe. The baby is still safe and sound in your belly."
Wei Yu breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God, thank you, thank you all."
Just then, the cabin door opened, and two maids entered. One carried a stack of clothes and placed them on the round table, while the other carried a jade plate with a bowl of steaming hot porridge on it. The woman in green took the bowl, blew on it to cool it down, and said, "You were soaked in seawater. It's only thanks to your previous treatment and my help as a divine healer that the baby survived. Now you need to take good care of yourself. I had them add some medicine to this porridge to help with pregnancy. You should drink it first; the baby can't stand being hungry." She handed the bowl to Wei Yu.
Wei Yu had a gut feeling that they weren't evil people, and sure enough, she was a little hungry, so she picked up a silver spoon and ate bite by bite.
There was a moment of silence in the room as the three of them watched her eat her porridge with smiles on their faces.
Wei Yu felt a little embarrassed, put down the empty bowl, and the maid took it and left. Only then did Wei Yu speak: "I am truly sorry for my rudeness. I, Song Wei Yu, thank you three for saving my life and the life of my unborn child. I do not know how to repay you three benefactors?" Since the man was still there, Wei Yu could not get out of bed, so she could only sit up and curtsy.
“Stop calling me benefactor. You and my sister-in-law are indeed quite alike, even your way of speaking is the same.” The woman in green pointed at the young woman in plain clothes. The man gave her a soft glare, then cupped his hands and said, “Madam Song, my name is Shang Qinglang, my wife is Luo Yujin, and this is my younger brother’s wife, Yu Qiushui. She is a doctor. Madam, please rest assured. We are currently on the Shang family’s main ship in the Typhoon Shelter.”
It turned out to be a renowned merchant. They were the ones who first initiated civilian disaster relief efforts during the Northwest floods. Wei Yu said admiringly, "I've long admired your name. The merchant has done many beneficial things for the country, and the people are praising you."
Shang Qinglang raised an eyebrow and succinctly explained the situation. He did not inquire about the reason why Wei Yu fell into the sea, but only said that his men found her half an hour ago and rescued her onto the ship. He asked his wife and sister-in-law to take care of her. He pointed to the clothes on the round table: "These all belong to my wife. If my wife needs anything, she can just tell her wife."
Actually, his fleet had just entered the typhoon shelter when the lookout on the main ship spotted someone floating in the sea. He immediately ordered his men to rescue her. It turned out to be a young woman, her hands tightly clutching her abdomen, already in a deep coma. Judging from her attire, she was likely a member of a noble family. Considering that Liushan Island was only fifteen miles away, and that Emperor Xuande and the princes and high-ranking officials were currently at the Summer Palace, this woman had likely drifted there. It was probably another tragic internal strife, and she had been murdered here. He didn't want the merchants to get involved and wanted to take her ashore to settle things. However, he noticed that the woman's features resembled his beloved wife, and her pulse suggested she was pregnant. Remembering the suffering his wife had endured for him, he changed his mind and immediately ordered his men to keep quiet and not divulge the information. He also called Qiu Shui for help. As expected, the woman was two months pregnant. In this life-or-death situation, she didn't try to save herself but instead tightly protected her abdomen. It took Qiu Shui some effort to pry it open.
Wei Yu bowed slightly and said, "I am sorry to have bothered you, my dear couple. I am already very grateful for your temporary shelter. I am just afraid that it may cause any trouble."
Luo Yujin smiled gently, "Madam Song, you're too kind. Qiushui and I were just feeling bored on the journey." Her elegant and refined appearance was exactly like Weiyu's. Qiushui looked at them and asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, do you have any long-lost sisters?"
Shang Qinglang and his wife both laughed, "You're talking nonsense again." Just then, a maid knocked on the cabin door, "Master, a report from the front cabin says that the patrol envoy requests an audience with you."
Shang Qinglang replied with an "I understand," and said, "Please serve tea, sir." He then turned to Wei Yu and said, "I have some matters to attend to, so please excuse me. Madam, you may speak with my wife and Qiu Shui." His words were pointed.
He sat up straight without saying a word and called out, "Mr. Shang."
All three were taken aback, feeling that the form of address was somewhat abrupt.
"I may be being presumptuous, but could you please keep it a secret for now if anyone inquires about me? There are some things I need to think about."
Shang Qinglang pondered for a moment, "I can agree to that, Madam." He looked at his wife affectionately, "Don't overwork yourself, take care of your health."
"Mm." Luo Yujin smiled as she watched her husband leave.
After Shang Qinglang left, Yu Jin and Qiu Shui, fearing Wei Yu would feel uncomfortable and finding her elegant demeanor endearing, took the initiative to start a conversation. Qiu Shui chattered on about things pregnant women should be careful about. From her words, Wei Yu learned that they had originally been doing disaster relief in the Northwest when Luo Yu Jin became pregnant. Her body was weak, and her morning sickness was severe. The Shang brothers discussed it and decided that Shang Qingtao would handle the aftermath, while Shang Qinglang would take his wife home first. Fearing something might happen on the way, they asked Qiu Shui to accompany them to take care of Yu Jin. They had just entered this sea area today and encountered a high tide. "The fleet could have continued on, but Qinglang was afraid I would feel unwell, so he took refuge in the pond," Luo Yu Jin said, her face filled with happiness.
"Hey, hey, hey, you're in my way, Sister Yu Jin." Qiu Shui pretended to pout, and Yu Jin put her arm around her shoulder: "Oh, Qiu Shui misses her second brother." Yu Qiu Shui blushed slightly, turned her body away, and muttered: "I'm ignoring you, you and Brother Shang have both become bad."