Chapter 734

Chapter 741: Presenting Captives (Part 1)

When Eleventh Miss wanted to find out something, she always managed to come up with an effective method. Besides, she had been managing the household affairs of the Xu residence for over a decade, and had a number of capable people at her disposal both in the inner and outer courtyards. Jin’er had led three thousand cavalry from the Yulin Guard into the grasslands in pursuit of Duoyan. Upon learning of this, Gong Dongning immediately dispatched his most capable subordinate with all the cavalry to chase after them. Along the way, they only found the dead and wounded soldiers and horses from the Yulin Guard and the Tartars, but there was no trace of Jin’er.

"...They said after counting the men, the Sixth Young Master has at most three hundred men left with him!" At this point, Amber couldn't hold back anymore and covered her mouth, sobbing quietly.

Eleventh Miss's vision darkened, and she fainted amid the maids' startled cries.

She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard Jin’er calling her, "Mother, Mother, why haven't you gotten up yet? Look what I brought back for you!"

Jin’er, in military gear, stood smiling by her bed, holding something in his hand as if playfully teasing her.

Was Jin’er safe?

Eleventh Miss was overjoyed.

She was about to ask him when he turned away and began chatting and laughing with a group of women dressed in vivid reds and greens, their faces blurred.

Eleventh Miss called out, "Jin’er!"

But Jin’er paid no attention, continuing to chat merrily with those women as he walked out, seeming eager to meet someone.

He hadn't even told her how he had escaped danger!

Eleventh Miss grew anxious, sat up, and shouted her son's name.

But before her eyes flashed a soft, glowing light.

She couldn't help but open her eyes wide.

The room was silent and pitch-dark. On the small table by the bed stood a round palace-style lamp, its gentle glow soft and bright, making the room feel even more tranquil.

It had all been a dream! she thought.

Eleventh Miss felt her eyes well up, tears streaming from the corners.

Following habit, she reached out to feel for the handkerchief by her pillow.

But in the room, there was a faint rustling sound.

A husky voice suddenly broke through the darkness, "You... you're awake?"

Eleventh Miss's hand, clutching the corner of the handkerchief, stiffened for a moment before she pulled it out and wiped the corners of her eyes.

"Would you like something to eat?" Lord Xu looked at her pale, almost translucent face and asked softly.

Eleventh Miss kept her mouth tightly shut, not wanting to say a word.

Lord Xu fell silent for a moment before gently persuading her, "You're pregnant now. Even if you don't care about yourself, you must care for the one inside you. I had the kitchen prepare some bird's nest soup for you. Please, have a little." As he spoke, he slightly raised his voice and called out firmly for Leng Xiang.

Eleventh Miss stared at Lord Xu.

His expression was calm, composed, and steady... as if nothing had happened. In reality, it had already been six or seven days since Jin’er's incident. Six or seven days—what did that mean? It meant the best time for rescue had passed. He was a man who had once routed the Tartars, driving them away so decisively that they hadn't dared to step near Jiayuguan Pass for over a decade. Upon hearing about Jin’er, he should have been thinking of ways to save his son immediately. How could he sit here so nonchalantly, urging her to eat bird's nest soup?—At this thought, a surge of hatred surged within her, and she knocked away the bowl of porridge he was handing to her.

The sound of shattering porcelain was loud and piercing in the silent night.

Lord Xu stared at Eleventh Miss, stunned.

Leng Xiang, standing nearby, shook with fear.

Lady Eleven sat up, staring directly at Lord Xu: "I'm going to find Jin'er! I can't just sit here waiting for news like you do!..." Her voice was icy and detached.

Lord Xu's face instantly turned pale.

His lips trembled slightly, then pressed into a tight line.

Lady Eleven had already kicked off the blankets and gotten out of bed.

Perhaps she had slept too long, or gotten up too abruptly. Or maybe it was because of her pregnancy that her body had grown weak—she felt dizzy, her head heavy and her feet unsteady, her vision swimming with stars. Staggering, she quickly grabbed the carved bedpost.

"Are you all right?" Lord Xu’s expression tightened. With one hand supporting her waist and the other holding her elbow, he pulled her into his arms. "Where do you feel unwell? Physician Liu has already been here. He said that giving birth to Jin'er drained your vitality, and these past few years have been about restoring your foundation. You’ve only just managed to regain your health, and now you’re pregnant again. You can’t afford any more strain—you must be careful in all things..." As he spoke, he guided her to sit back down on the edge of the bed.

What counted as "strain"? What did "careful" even mean?

She couldn’t even protect her own child—what did it matter whether she was careful or not, strained or not?

Lady Eleven opened her mouth to argue, but a wave of nausea churned inside her, and she started dry heaving.

Lord Xu looked tense.

She was over three months pregnant—why was she vomiting now? Physician Liu had also said that although this pregnancy wasn’t as uncomfortable as the last, she was older now and needed proper rest. She must avoid anger and agitation... Would she be all right?

The thought crossed his mind, and he gently rubbed her back, hoping to ease her discomfort.

But Lady Eleven only retched more violently, eventually bringing up nothing but water.

Lord Xu was alarmed. Ignoring the shattered bowl of congee Lady Eleven had knocked to the floor, he hurriedly told Leng Xiang to fetch Wan San’s wife and instructed Amber, who had rushed in at the noise: "Light some calming incense..."

Amber acknowledged in a fluster and dashed out. Lady Eleven clutched her dry, aching chest: "I’m going to find Jin'er!" She meant to shout it loudly, but her voice came out as faint as a mosquito’s hum.

"I’ve already sent people to search for him!" Lord Xu, knowing her preference for cleanliness, saw the vomit by the bed and scooped her up to the large daybed by the window. "I’ll tell you as soon as there’s any news." He didn’t dare tell her not to worry.

"You’re lying to me!" Lady Eleven felt utterly weak. The lamplight was especially harsh, so she covered her eyes with her hand. "If I weren’t pregnant, I might not even have known about Jin'er’s situation..."

Lord Xu took the light quilt Song Mama handed him and draped it over Lady Eleven. Seeing Amber enter with an incense burner holding three sticks of calming incense, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and said softly: "It’s all my fault. You’re weak now—rest for a while. When you wake up, we’ll talk properly, all right?"

The dizziness had passed, but Lady Eleven was burning with anxiety and didn’t want to hear any of it. Struggling to get up, she asked Amber: "What time is it now?"

Amber ran to check the Western clock: "It’s the Yin hour now!..."

"Then it will be dawn soon..." Lady Eleven murmured. Lord Xu wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You can say whatever you need to say lying down..."

Lady Eleven pushed Lord Xu’s hand away and said to Amber: "Go tell the stables to prepare a carriage for me, then pack some clothes and travel provisions. Tell Wan Daxian to accompany me to Yulin..."

Amber, tears in her eyes, pretended not to see the look Lord Xu gave her. Choking back sobs, she replied, "Yes," and hurried out.

Lord Xu sighed softly to himself: "Don’t worry, I’ll go with you!" As he spoke, he took her right hand and began massaging the Shenmen point.

Lady Eleven frowned tightly: "It hurts!..."

"It’ll be over soon!" Lord Xu kissed her temple. "The Shenmen point treats restlessness and palpitations. Massaging it is good for your health." But it also induced sleep.

Lord Xu always knew exactly what to say and when to say it—and what not to say.

If they were going to search for Jin'er, her health was crucial.

Lady Eleven didn’t refuse.

After the brief pain, she grew drowsy and soon fell asleep—her last conscious thought was a silent frustrated thought, realizing she’d forgotten to tell Amber to remove the calming incense...

In the following days, she hovered between dream and wakefulness. At times, she felt extremely thirsty, and someone would feed her something cool, which would soothe her throat and chest like a spring watering parched land. The familiar scent told her it was Lord Xu (Xu Lingyi) feeding her. She wanted to open her eyes to see, but her eyelids felt as heavy as lead and refused to budge. Sometimes, she heard a buzzing murmur of voices, seemingly mixed with Lord Xu’s, and she strained to listen clearly but only caught fragments like “uncle” or “It was Our carelessness,” and nothing more...

Each time she awoke, the sweet scent of the sleep-inducing incense lingered around her.

Lord Xu had drugged her to keep her from searching for Jin Geer!

Eleven Niang heard her own muffled sobs.

Lord Xu held her close, murmuring softly in her ear with a gentle, low voice like a lullaby, stroking her back until she drifted back into a heavy sleep.

In her hazy state, someone wiped her face with a cloth. Unlike the usual warm touch that made her sleepy, this water felt cold.

It jolted her awake.

Amber’s voice, both startled and joyful, reached her ears: “Madam, Madam, wake up quickly! The Sixth Young Master has been found, the Sixth Young Master has been found!” Eleven Niang fought to pry her eyes open.

Amber’s tear-streaked face came into view.

“Madam, it’s true, the Sixth Young Master has been found… and they even captured that Duoyan. General Li personally escorted the Sixth Young Master back to Datong… Early this morning, the Emperor issued an edict, saying the Sixth Young Master’s capture of Duoyan was a top merit, and he has been granted the title of Earl of Wujin. In a few days, the Sixth Young Master will return to Yanjing with the Marquis of Xining—oh, that is, Lord Gong—and there will be a prisoner presentation ceremony at the Meridian Gate!”

Is it true? she wondered.

Eleven Niang wanted to ask Amber, but her throat was too dry to speak. She glanced around and saw Yingniang, Song Mama, Leng Xiang, Han Xiao, and even Qiu Ju and Yanrong, who had already left the household's service, all gathered around her with tear-filled eyes and smiles… but Lord Xu was nowhere in sight.

Amber, who knew her thoughts best, said with a smile, “Prince Yong and Prince Shun have arrived. The Lord is accompanying them in the main reception hall.” She added, “News of the Sixth Young Master has probably spread throughout Yanjing by now. Prince Yong and Prince Shun have come to celebrate with wine.”

“Mother, it’s true!” Seeing the confusion in Eleven Niang’s eyes, Yingniang nodded with a smile. “These past few days, Fourth Young Mistress has also been attending to you at your bedside. It was His Lordship who asked the kitchen to prepare wine and dishes, so she just stepped away…”

So it seemed—Jin Geer was truly safe!

From missing to returning unharmed, and even achieving great merit… the contrast was too overwhelming.

Tears fell like rain down Eleven Niang’s face.

Everyone watching began to cry along with her.

Outside the window, Xu Sijie’s anxious voice rang out: “Yingniang, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”

“Nothing, nothing, Mother has woken up. She’s just overjoyed!” Yingniang quickly replied, turning back and noticing Eleven Niang’s gaze. She hurriedly explained, “You’ve been unconscious these past few days. Father has been by your side caring for you, while Fourth Uncle [name] and my husband [name] have been keeping watch outside the room…”

Before she could finish, a young maid rushed in: “Madam, Fifth Young Mistress, Princess Jiangdu has arrived!”