Fuzhu's Ballad

40

CHAPTER 40 One wave, three turns

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When Zi Dai came out to report the good news to Shentu Cheng, Lan Dan and Zi Fu also walked to the steps. Everyone stared at her blankly, hoping to learn about the situation in the inner palace from her answer.

“Your Majesty…” Zi Dai had tried to force a smile, but as soon as she spoke, she trembled and knelt down, unable to contain her panic. “Her Excellency has given birth to twin princes, but… but one of them has already passed away.”

Shentu Cheng stood stiffly for a while, his face pale. He didn’t say a word, and everyone fell silent. Compared to the chaos and noise just now, the entire palace seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water. It suddenly became a disturbingly quiet place. Even the newborn baby did not cry. Shentu Cheng finally let out a long sigh, weariness seeping into the corners of his eyes and mouth. Lan Dan felt as if he had lowered his shoulders and slowly made his way towards the inner palace, devoid of his usual energy. “I’ll go see them,” he said wearily.

Zi Dai was still kneeling, afraid to get up, but still asked, “What should we do with the deceased prince?”

Shentu Cheng waved his hand wearily and ordered, “I don’t want to see it anymore. Take it away and dispose of it according to the law.”

Zi Dai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, took a deep breath, and then responded, “Yes.”

Shentu Cheng disappeared from view in a flash, and the palace maids and midwives emerged one after another, their faces sweaty and tear-stained, with damp hair sticking to their foreheads. They had also experienced the trials of life and death.

Lan Dan and Zi Fu backed away a little to make way for them. Too exhausted to bother with etiquette, the women stumbled forward with vacant stares as they exited through the courtyard gate.

After everyone dispersed, a nursemaid with two Kunyi Palace maids came out carrying a swaddled infant. Despite the situation, they still managed to bow and pay their respects to Lan Dan and Zi Fu. Lan Dan knew that the small corpse in the nursemaid’s arms was the newborn baby who had just died which must be burried quickly.

A chill spread from the soles of her feet to her heart, causing Lan Dan’s legs to almost give way. She collapsed onto the half-meter-high platform in the Kunyi Palace. The baby was probably born only two or three days ago and had already died due to the cruel plot of the adults. Lan Dan didn’t know how Shentu Rui brought him into the palace. It could have been through the secret passage she knew of or another one she didn’t. However, Lan Huang did give birth to a baby boy, but this child born of low status had no meaning to exist and was likely to be a disaster. Who was responsible for his death? Zi Dai or Zi Yuan? Or did Lan Huang herself do it? This little life was easily extinguished, and no one was willing to risk sending him out of the palace. This was what Shentu Rui meant by saying that the useless could only die.

A young eunuch ran into the courtyard and whispered a few words into Zi Fu’s ear. Zi Fu nodded in response.

“Since Her Excellency has safely given birth, we don’t need to stay here anymore. I suppose Her Excellency is also tired, so we’ll come back tomorrow to pay our respects and see the little prince,” Zi Fu said coldly to her. “His Highness has also sent someone to call us to rest early.”

Supporting her knees, Lan Dan struggled to stand up. She wondered how the witnesses managed to endure the conspiracy, while she, as an outsider, was already so exhausted. She was indeed an outsider. When Shentu Rui sent someone to call them, he only spoke to Zi Fu.