White Hedge Dream

Chapter 197 Vigil

Night falls slowly.

With the last dusk drum, the pedestrians on the street disappeared, and even Sanqufang became quiet.

Because the queen was newly mourned, banquets were banned in the capital for a month.

When the sound of horse hooves came from the market, the soldiers patrolling the city immediately noticed it and shouted loudly: "Who dares to walk under the curfew!"

The sound of horse hooves did not stop. Accompanied by the clatter, they approached the street. The torches of the guards illuminated the person coming, a young man and a bodyguard.

Although the lights were dim at night, the leading soldier recognized him immediately and was a little surprised: "Prince Dongyang Hou, are you..." He coughed lightly, "Are you on official business?"

Zhou Jingyun said calmly: "I will go to the palace to keep vigil tonight."

Keep a wake.

The emperor did not conceal the news of the queen's suicide, letting the world know that it was the Yang family who relied on the queen to do evil. She had evil intentions and did treacherous things. The queen died for her father and brother, and for the Yang family.

The emperor went to the cell in person, scolded the Yang family's father and brother, and demoted them to common people and sent them to Ganzhou.

The queen's funeral ceremony was very solemn. In addition to the necessary regulations, the emperor stayed in the mourning hall day and night, mourning endlessly. Therefore, in addition to mourning morning and night, the court officials also went to the palace to keep vigil. Of course, in order to avoid crowds and chaos , the officials were divided into two shifts, morning and evening.

Hearing what Zhou Jingyun said, the soldiers and guards were relieved and got out of the way, watching Zhou Jingyun leading the guards towards the imperial city.

"The prince has arranged to go in the evening."

"It's harder at night."

"I'm afraid I deliberately arranged a night for him. After all, the Queen's death..."

"The queen died because of Yang's evil deeds."

"Although I say this, if he hadn't asked for an investigation into his wife's death, this matter would not have happened."

"You are talking nonsense. If you find out earlier, it will be a blessing to the country and relieve His Majesty's worries!"

"Yes, just watch. Your Majesty will not offend the Crown Prince and will reward him."

Listening to the guards talking louder and louder, the leader shouted angrily, "Shut up, stop gossiping."

The soldiers and guards immediately stopped talking and continued to patrol the city.

However, the leader frowned and looked at the direction where Zhou Jingyun disappeared, and then looked at the direction he was looking at. Isn't the Dongyang Marquis Mansion over there? Over there is Dongshi.

Why did Prince Zhou come from Dongshi so late?

Zhou Jingyun didn't hear the discussion of the city guards behind him, and he didn't care if he heard it. He sat on his horse and looked at the night, and couldn't help but laugh at himself.

It’s not that I thought today’s behavior of sitting in Dongshi until dark was ridiculous, nor did I feel that I was lost, but I felt that I had overestimated myself.

I once thought that if he met Zhuang Li, he would be very indifferent. Unexpectedly, he didn't meet anyone and only saw the flowers brought to him blooming, and he lost his sense of proportion.

Thanks to Zhang Ze no longer pursuing the case, otherwise his behavior would have been exposed.

Fortunately, he lost his mind, Zhuang Li did not, and she did not come to see him.

It's good. It would be nice if one of them could calm down. The corners of Zhou Jingyun's mouth curved slightly.

The guard on the side saw it and reminded him in a low voice: "Your Majesty, we have arrived at the palace gate."

Zhou Jingyun came back to his senses and looked ahead. The imperial city was brightly lit, and the quiet night wind carried faint and continuous cries.

In addition to the emperor personally guarding the mourning hall, the concubines were naturally also present. Moreover, the emperor, who was in the pain of losing his wife, asked everyone to sincerely cry for the empress.

If he is found not crying, or his expression is not sad enough, he will be punished with a cane.

"Can't you cry? Then let others help you cry."

The atmosphere in the palace was tense for a while, and the palace people were trembling with fear.

Although officials don't need to really cry, they can't go to the palace with a smiling face, especially him.

Zhou Jingyun lowered the corners of his mouth, dismounted and walked towards the palace gate with a calm expression.

There were already two officials in front. When they saw him, they waited a moment and were about to walk over together. A palace maid came in a hurry and handed the badge to the guard first.

"Go and wait for the Holy Ancestor to deliver the sachet for blessing." The palace lady said, "...it is for the White Concubine."

When he heard the word "Bai Fei", Zhou Jingyun couldn't help but look over, but he didn't know many people around Bai Ying. This palace maid had an average appearance, a dull expression, and a bloated figure. She seemed to be wearing thick clothes because she was afraid of the cold. …..

It's normal. Nowadays, vigils are held day and night. Many palace residents can only look for opportunities to sleep standing or sitting for a while. Naturally, they need to wear thicker clothes to avoid getting cold.

Soldier Wei checked his waist tag, and the palace maid looked at him intently.

Zhou Jingyun and the other two officials each verified their identities, and then spoke a few words at the door with the two or three new officials who came with them. After the waiter in charge of the reception arrived, the group went inside. Zhou Jingyun subconsciously looked back. I glanced at the palace gate and saw that the palace maid who had just left had returned, with a palace maid beside her...

"Your Majesty, please come this way," the chamberlain said.

Zhou Jingyun withdrew his gaze and followed him.

The palace maid in front of the palace gate turned around with a dull face and scolded the palace maid who brought her: "...Why did you come back so late?" She handed the waist badge to the guard again.

A guard took it and glanced at the other maid.

The palace maid, wearing the same dress, lowered her head, perhaps because she was scolded, but immediately handed over her badge.

Another guard took it and glanced at it, silently reciting the name, age and appearance marks on it: "Raise your head."

The palace maid raised her head, the lights flickered, and the guard's vision was a little blurry. The palace maid in front of her looked the same age as the one on her belt.

The previous palace maid was still scolding her: "My wife is also going to attend the wake for the queen. I don't know if she can hold on. The delivery room is lacking in this. Something went wrong. You are the only one asking."

The palace maid who raised her head turned pale and lowered her head.

Hearing this, the guard was afraid that something had gone wrong and hurriedly handed them his badge: "Come in quickly."

The two palace ladies hurried inwards.

The palace maid from before was in front, complaining as she walked, and the content of her complaints became increasingly confusing.

"...that little thief stole my ointment and powder, which I have treasured for several years."

“….Do all the dirty work for me.”

"...You say I'm unlucky? No matter how unlucky I am, I won't be assigned to the Queen's Palace. Ha, ha, that's bad luck."

"...It would be great if I could go and serve the White Concubine..."

As she spoke, she hurriedly turned around a palace, from the brightly lit palace to a dim corridor.

"Okay." The palace maid who was following her silently suddenly said, "Xu Chun, you can continue to sleep."

The palace maid stopped abruptly, her face was blank, and her body became stiff. She stopped talking and walked towards the corridor as if she was sleepwalking.

Only the palace maid was left in front of the dim corridor. The night wind picked up her dress and swayed, and there seemed to be an extra shadow on the ground.

"Comed in smoothly."

Bai Li listened to the voice in his ear and said with a bit of pride.

"I just said, with me, it will be very easy for you to enter the palace. My mark is everywhere, and you can weave dreams for anyone you want."

Previously, she followed Zhang Ze's scent of transporting pregnant women to the imperial city. Zhang Ze had various means to bring people into the imperial city, but she had no choice.

And it’s not very convenient to enter through the dream this time.

She needed someone to take her inside.

Just like when Zhou Jingyun took her to Beijing.

Bai Li stood outside the imperial city and laughed at himself.

Then now she can also weave a dream for others.

Of course, she had to find someone from the palace first, so she woke up Jiang Mian'er.

Jiang Mian'er was indeed very useful. He instantly brought her into the dream of a palace maid, allowing her to successfully weave a dream and control the palace maid to pick her up.

Bai Li looked at the figure on the ground, smiled and said, "If I hadn't been able to use it, you wouldn't have used it for me."

The figure smiled in the ear: "You little girl, you are good, you always remind yourself that you are yourself." She wanted to say something else, but Bai Li raised his hand and waved it, just like the night wind blew away the shadow in an instant, and the corridor Become quiet.

"It's certainly different if I want to use it than if someone else wants me to use it." Baili said to himself.

The next moment she sniffed the night wind, she lowered her head and headed in one direction.

The moment she disappeared, a light shone in. Several chamberlains carried lamps and walked into the corridor. At a glance, they saw two palace maids sitting between the stone pillars with the lights out and the corner.

"Okay!" a chamberlain yelled, "Lazy again!"

Accompanied by this shouting, the two sleeping maids suddenly woke up. Although they hadn't opened their eyes yet, they already knew what had happened. They immediately fell to their knees and kowtowed, "We don't dare to do it anymore."

One of the chamberlains raised his whip and whipped it down. The two palace maids screamed in pain and did not dare to move.

Fortunately, it only took one lash and then stopped.

"Watch the lights, and if you dare to sleep again, I will let you serve the Queen and get enough sleep." A chamberlain said coldly.

The two palace maids knelt down and kowtowed in response. Listening to the servants rushing past, the two raised their heads with relief. They grinned and endured the pain of the whipping while lighting the palace lanterns on the stone pillars.

The corridor became brighter.

The two maids leaned against the wall to relax, and one of them suddenly laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" asked another palace maid, "Xu Chun, were you beaten silly?"

The palace maid Xu Chun chuckled: "I just had a dream that I was working as an errand for the White Concubine..."

The palace maid next to her curled her lips: "It was indeed a dream. It is a great blessing to be able to work for the White Concubine."

The queen is gone, and Concubine Bai is about to give birth. If a prince is born, she will definitely become the new queen.

"We old people are all unlucky. How can we interfere with the eyes of noble people." The palace maid said, reaching out and patting her robe. Suddenly she was stunned and looked to the side, "Where is my belt?"

Xu Chun hurriedly followed her and looked around, and sure enough he couldn't see the badge: "It must have fallen off." He said in a low voice, "Don't shout, or you'll get scolded again. Let's look for it at dawn. "

The palace maid cried sadly: "Fortunately, we are on duty here today, so we don't have to walk around in front of people, otherwise we will definitely be discovered."

Xu Chun nodded. A gust of wind blew and she couldn't help but shiver. She stretched out her hand to touch her body with a strange look on her face.

"What's wrong?" asked the palace maid next to her, "You also lost your badge?"

Xu Chun shook his head, looked at the badge hanging on his waist, stretched out his hand to pull the skirt of his clothes, and looked at the palace maid: "I seem to have lost a robe. I was afraid of the cold when I was on duty tonight, so I wore two robes. Why is there only one left?" One piece?”

It was unlikely that the clothes would be lost on the body. The palace maid smiled and said, "You must have remembered wrongly. You planned to wear them, but you forgot to wear them when you were in a hurry."

It's also possible, Xu Chun pinched the skirt of his clothes and shrank his shoulders, then he couldn't sleep anymore tonight, it was too cold.

While the two were talking, there was a burst of noise in the night wind, and then the group of servants who had just passed by came running over...

"Is she really going to give birth?"

"It should have been launched in the mourning hall."

As the group of people passed by while talking, the two maids looked at each other.

Concubine Bai is about to give birth.

…

…

Outside the mourning hall, the officials guarding the mourning put away their mournful expressions, looked inside with a bit of nervousness, and whispered to each other from time to time.

Zhou Jingyun looked at the chamberlains, palace maids, and imperial physicians who were entering one after another. The cries of the concubines and palace maids inside had stopped, and strange moans could be heard.

Bai Ying, she’s about to give birth.

The next moment he saw Zhang Ze coming with the guards from the Board of Supervisors, Zhou Jingyun lowered his gaze and changed his mind.

Bai Ying, after planning so far, what would she do if she gave birth to a daughter?

Bai Ying's vision was a little dazed.

She didn't expect to start it at this time. As soon as she told His Majesty: "My sister and I have been together for more than ten years. My mother died young, and my sister treats me like a mother -" her stomach suddenly hurt.

The accompanying doctors checked and said she was about to give birth.

The emperor was sad, happy and nervous at the same time, and wanted to leave with him. Although Bai Ying was a little dazed in pain, she gritted her teeth to dissuade him.

"Your Majesty will accompany my sister. Your Majesty must accompany my sister." She said with tears. "Your Majesty can only accompany my sister this time. Don't make her angry."

These words indeed persuaded the emperor. Not to mention whether the queen died willingly or not, the queen had not been a good-tempered person during her lifetime, especially she was jealous of Bai Ying.

If he went to accompany Bai Ying at this time, he might really make the queen who turned into a ghost angry.

Besides, he really couldn't help a woman give birth.

It's better to stay in the mourning hall and guard it. No, it's better to accompany the queen.

Zhang Ze also came in from the outside at this time: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will lead the supervisor to strictly guard Hanliang Hall."

The emperor nodded hurriedly and signaled to him: "Guard well, choose the most reliable person."

The Queen was newly mourned. Although he had already checked it out during the previous interrogation, he still wanted to be just in case. After all, the Queen had been by his side for many years and had complicated connections. For example, Gao Twelve was very close to Yang and the Queen in private. In the future, It can no longer be used.

I don’t know how many palace people there are like Gao Twelve.

Zhang Ze responded: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will risk my life to ensure the safety of the emperor's heir."

With everyone watching, Bai Ying was carried out of the mourning hall, surrounded by supervisor Si Bingwei.

The lights in the Hanliang Palace were brightly lit, and groups of chambermaids and imperial doctors who had been screened in advance entered the Hanliang Palace after passing through the first floor of imperial guards, the first floor of supervisor Si Bingwei, and the second floor of verification.

In the hall, Bai Ying's body was already wet with sweat.

"Is now the right time?" She took advantage of the pain to ask Zhang Ze who was standing indoors.

According to the speculations of the imperial doctors, it was originally more than ten days before the baby was born.

Perhaps because the queen hanged herself, Bai Ying's mood fluctuated and she took action in advance.

"I'm at ease, Madam." Zhang Ze said, "It's more convenient to be messy at this time."

Bai Ying breathed a sigh of relief and asked urgently: "Where are those people? Where are those people?"

Originally, all pregnant women were preparing according to her expected delivery time. If she was ahead of schedule, what would happen to those who couldn't give birth?

Zhang Ze said calmly: "Don't worry, the empress. There are always various ways to allow them to give birth before the empress does."

Bai Ying warned: "My child, don't let anything happen to my child. I don't want a son who is weak or disabled."

Zhang Ze responded: "The people around you have made arrangements. They are all our own people. If you have any questions, please tell them directly."

Bai Ying nodded again, and when he was about to say something, another wave of pain hit him, and his voice turned into a cry of pain.

The palace lady on the side stepped forward to check and whispered to Zhang Ze: "Your Majesty, you can enter the delivery room."

After hearing this, Bai Ying looked at Zhang Ze for a moment, and subconsciously stretched out her hand to him, as if to grab him.

But when she reached out, Zhang Ze had already taken a step back.

Bai Ying's hands fell empty, and she could only grab her dress in panic and squeeze it hard. Her eyes could not hide the fear, and her breathing was faster than before, as if she was out of breath.

"Empress?" Wang Degui and the palace lady asked anxiously, "How are you?"

Bai Ying hissed in pain: "My, my mother..."

Do you miss your mother? The palace maid understands that when a woman gives birth, she wants her mother to be with her.

Zhang Ze stood in silence for a moment, then looked at the palace maid and Wang Degui: "If the mother is in any danger during the birth, remember, abandon the baby to only protect the mother."

Although they knew what Zhang Ze and Bai Ying were going to do, when they suddenly heard these words, the palace lady and Wang Degui froze for an instant.

Bai Ying looked at Zhang Ze, and her tense body gradually relaxed.

"Bai Ying." Zhang Ze looked at her and said softly, "I chose you as my master because of who you are, not because you can give birth to an heir. Therefore, you should take good care of yourself. I will be responsible for the child's affairs." ”

A smile appeared on Bai Ying's pale face, and she lay back on the soft couch: "Go in."