Chapter 63: The Night Before

Chapter 63: The Night Before

Rong Bi heard the distant sound of a flute, echoing softly. She walked slowly, feeling disoriented, unsure where she was, only seeing a scene resembling the aftermath of a thunderstorm with flowers scattered on the ground and spots of red on the mossy stone steps.

It seemed to be in the imperial garden. After a few steps, she saw a weeping cherry tree swaying gently in the breeze. It reminded her vaguely of the grand weeping cherry tree she had seen in the Purple Heaven Palace, where the empress resided.

She approached slowly, noticing the crown prince standing beside the cherry tree, playing the flute with a sorrowful expression. She hesitated to go closer, yet felt oddly confused, as if she shouldn't encounter the prince here. She stood in a corner, listening to the music for a moment until the prince lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes like cold stars. Upon recognizing her, he seemed startled, then his gaze softened. "It's you... I'm sorry, I couldn't protect your body well."

Rong Bi was taken aback, stepping closer. She noticed the prince wearing a white robe with a startling bloodstain on the chest. She opened her mouth, "Does it hurt? Your Highness, are you alright?"

The prince remained calm. "My spirit is severely injured and has been expelled from my body. If your spirit returns, I should recover. However, it will cause you some suffering, as the arrow wound won't heal easily. You must take care of yourself while I return to the palace... Fortunately, the battle is almost over, and I have no regrets."

Hearing an ominous tone in his words, Rong Bi felt uneasy. "Your Highness and the princess are blessed by destiny, carrying great responsibilities. Please take care of yourself."

The prince drew closer to her, reaching out to pluck a fallen petal from her hair. He smiled slightly, holding it in his hand. "Thank you, you've also had a difficult time in the palace these days."

Suddenly, Rong Bi felt a pang of sympathy, though she didn't know why. "Life in the Precious Scroll Palace is peaceful." She thought silently. Since the emperor wasn't her biological father, whatever he did to her didn't evoke sadness. But from the prince's perspective, he was born as the heir to the throne, only to have everything stripped away by his own father...

The prince seemed to have shaken off his gloom. "Without a king or father, one is no better than a beast. But if the king and father are beasts devoid of virtue and righteousness, what does it matter?" His eyes were still like cold stars, his lips curved in a smile, but he didn't continue. Rong Bi understood that he was implying the abandonment of loyalty to both king and father. For someone who had received so much education from Confucian scholars, this was likely a painful transformation for the prince.

In her confusion, the Crown Prince gently pushed her. "Go! Delay, and things may take a turn for the worse!"

Rong Bi felt dizzy, seeing cherry blossom petals swirling around. Blurred vision cleared, and she found herself back in her own body. Opening her eyes, she saw someone taking her pulse. "The fever has subsided, the wound is less swollen, the heart pulse is steady, and the injury is stable. Just be cautious in your recovery."

She tried to sit up but was held back. Rong Bi looked over to see Princess Yi Yang's unusually gaunt face, her heart softening. "Princess..."

Princess Yi Yang's expression froze. "It's you..." Suddenly, her face paled, and she reached for her abdomen. The maidservants nearby rushed to support her, alarmed by the beads of sweat on Princess Yi Yang's forehead. "Princess!"

A meticulous lady-in-waiting quickly noticed something amiss. "Blood! Doctor!"

Princess Yi Yang's dress was already soaked with blood, and everyone's expressions changed. The physician, who had been within the tent, was now panic-stricken. He hurriedly ordered, "Have the Princess lie down flat!" As he took her pulse.

A group of maidservants rushed forward, fortunately well-trained. Amidst the chaos, they managed to bring a stool to help the princess lie down and carry her back to the main tent. The physician hurriedly said, "Quickly summon the midwife. This pulse indicates labor is imminent..."

Mei Xiang was shocked. "But it's only seven months! Not time for childbirth yet!"

The physician wiped his sweat. "We must have the midwife examine. The Princess has been overexerted lately, and her anxiety could have induced premature labor."

Fortunately, there was an experienced midwife attending to the princess, who immediately drew the curtain and reported to the doctor, "The cervix is dilated, the fetus has descended, and there's a steady flow of amniotic fluid. The membranes might have ruptured."

The physician shook his head. "Forcing the pregnancy to continue would be detrimental to both mother and child. We must induce labor. I'll stimulate specific acupoints for the princess swiftly. With premature rupture of membranes, we cannot afford to delay."

Amidst the chaos in the main tent, Guo Shuji in the central command tent received news of the princess's premature birth. The atmosphere was eerily quiet, as most in the tent were loyal soldiers of the Northern Pacification Prince. They all turned their gazes towards Guo Shuji.

Guo Shuji's face was ashen. Lu Peiling coughed softly. "The troops are about to march, and victory lies in tonight's battle... Your Highness, considering the princess's condition, should we revise our plan? Have General Lei lead the charge first, and you could depart with the army after the princess gives birth."

Guo Shuji shook his head. "Old Lei lacks flexibility; without me leading, the troops' morale will wane, wasting precious time. If we prolong this, our supply lines might falter. This is a crucial moment, and further delay will bring on harsh weather and issues with winter clothing. If the enemy catches a breather, reclaiming Yan Yun will be in vain. All eyes are on us now, after years of meticulous planning. We cannot be careless. I will personally lead the troops as planned, and the outcome rests on this one night."

The generals obeyed solemnly. Guo Shuji assigned orders to each of them, who then respectfully received their instructions before leaving the tent. Lu Peiling was the last one left. He said, "I'll stay here and await news of the princess. If she gives birth, I'll immediately inform Your Highness."

Guo Shuji nodded slightly. "If it's a girl, announce it to the entire army and reward every soldier..." His mind flashed back to Princess Yi Yang's cold, composed gaze. After a moment of silence, he left the tent without another word.

Lu Peiling sighed, not asking what would happen if it was a boy. He knew that the prince was wavering. Logically, he understood that keeping his daughter was the limit for the Northern Pacification Prince. But as long as she bore the prince's name, even as a princess, she could easily be exploited by the court. For the prince, the lack of an heir from the marriage was essential from the beginning.

Rong Bi had just regained consciousness when she heard about the princess's premature birth. Her heart ached, and she asked Bai Ying and Hong Ying to attend to the princess. Despite her worried expression, Bai Ying tried to reassure Rong Bi. "The medical staff and midwives are prepared... Focus on your recovery, worrying won't help. When you were severely ill, the princess didn't eat or rest, staying by your side."

Rong Bi felt that the siblings were fated for hardship. Princess Yi Yang's premature birth likely stemmed from her anxiety over the crown prince, causing her to go into labor earlier than expected.

Bai Ying observed her worried expression and added, "I'll go invite General Rong over. When he heard that you were shot and fell from your horse, he rode back through the rain of arrows to rescue you."

Rong Bi was startled and asked, "He wasn't injured, was he?"

Bai Ying replied, "Just some minor wounds, all healed now. He was very concerned for you when you were critically ill. But, after all, there are differences between men and women, and Princess was attending to you personally. It wouldn't have been appropriate for him to enter. Now that your fever has subsided, it's time to invite him to visit so he can be reassured."

Rong Bi said, "Please do so quickly." After a moment's thought, she added, "Wait, help me sit up first and apply some lip rouge and blush on me... I don't want my brother to see me too pale."

Bai Ying sighed and said, "Thank goodness you're awake. Don't exhaust yourself further. Attempting to sit up might risk your life. Just lie still. On that day, Elder Brother Rong was in tears, his eyes red from weeping..."

Rong Bi felt even more guilt-ridden. As expected, Bai Ying's brief departure had indeed drawn Rong Yi inside, who then considerately left the siblings alone to have some private conversation.

Rong Yi entered hastily, and his eyes widened in relief when he saw Rong Bi awake. "You're really awake? What did the doctor say? Don't get up, just rest properly. You scared me half to death..." His voice cracked as he spoke, promptly wiping his reddened eyes. "How am I supposed to tell Father and Mother about this..."

Rong Bi's own eyes welled with tears. "Thank you, Big Brother... for worrying about me."

Seeing that his sister was getting emotional, Rong Yi hurried forward. "Don't cry. It's good that you're awake, that's all that matters. Your courage is commendable, but you mustn't do anything like that again. Leave the dangerous tasks to me! No matter how strict military orders may be next time, I'll accompany you."

Hearing Rong Yi's words, Rong Bi could sense the peril they had faced that fateful night. She smiled through her tears. "Alright, I'll follow your advice."

Rong Yi observed the paleness of his sister's face, her lips tinged with an icy hue, and her soft, feeble voice. His heart ached, recalling her once unyielding and authoritative demeanor in the military. "I didn't mean to stop you from leading troops. You've done exceptionally well... Older Brother is no match for you. This time, defending the city, breaking through, and meeting up with our forces after traveling a thousand miles – your tactics were brilliant. You're truly a first-rate strategist, outshining countless men. Even Prince Jingbei was astonished; he heard about your critical condition and sent over ginseng heart pills, I'm told they're worth a fortune and were from his personal collection."

Rong Bi nodded slightly. "Very well, I'll express my gratitude to the prince when I'm recovered."

Rong Yi said, "Forget it. I can see that His Highness is showing you favor because of the Princess. She has also been watching over you all this time... It's best if you don't get involved. I'll repay this debt of gratitude. After all, His Highness is not currently with the military." He had observed the delicate relationship between the Prince and the Princess. With his sister's beauty and military prowess, she was simply too eye-catching.

Rong Bi was taken aback. The princess was giving birth, but the prince was nowhere to be found? She hurriedly asked, "Where has the prince gone?"

Rong Yi remarked, "Tonight, the Jingbei Army has mobilized all its forces to assault the royal court. The exact plan is unknown. My military order is to remain at the camp, safeguard the princess, and await further instructions."

Rong Bi lowered her eyelashes, her mind pondering. Rong Yi, unwilling to let her distress herself so, merely picked up the medicinal cuisine from the table to feed her. "Drink a little of this first, then sleep some more. I will tell you any news. When you have recovered from your injuries, the warfare in Beiting should also be over. By then, with all the merits you've accrued, why not seek a favor and be released from service to return to our hometown? Brother will take you back to see Father and Mother."

Rong Bi opened her mouth, her thoughts dwelling on the prince whose soul had been severely traumatized in that deep palace. If they couldn't find a way to reverse their soul switch, she doubted she could truly find peace even if she returned to her hometown.

Moreover, it was the Crown Prince, not herself, who had amassed numerous military merits in this chaotic battlefield. Abandoning the prince and princess to return home truly weighed heavily on her conscience. After all, despite the hardships the Crown Prince faced in the palace, he still made arrangements to have someone look after her third brother.

Rong Bi's face bore a hint of melancholy, and Rong Yi sighed inwardly. Yet, he still couldn't bear to pressure his sister. "Don't dwell on these matters. If you don't want to leave, I'll stay with you. Since you love the thrill of battle, I'll accompany you through it all."

Rong Bi gazed back at him, a pang of guilt stirring in her heart. She pondered over the vision she had in her dream, where the Crown Prince seemed to possess a deeper understanding of their soul exchange than she did. He was even confident that her body would recover once they returned to their original selves. Could it be that he now had some control over this soul swapping phenomenon?

A glimmer of hope kindled within her heart as she said to Rong Yi, "If there's an opportunity, I will definitely return home with you, brother."

Rong Yi replied, "Excellent! The jujube trees that used to grow in our courtyard have been transplanted to the new one. When you come back, Elder Brother will take you to harvest the jujubes."