Chapter 118

“Why did you come?”

Seeing Tang Xia, Chu Tiankuo was surprised. He was worried about the Tang Xia’s health, but she actually ran around in pregnancy. Chu Tiankuo was angry because Tang Xia did not care about her body. He rebuked,

“You still didn’t know how to take care of yourself at such an age. You are pregnant now, can’t you stay put?”

“Tiankuo…” Tang Xia did not say anything but just called his name and kneeled.

“What are you doing?” Chu Tiankuo did not know what Tang Xia meant. He walked to Tang Xia’s side and tried to hold her up. “You can just talk to me. Why you have to do this in such an extreme way?”

“I won’t, unless you hand me over. I don’t want to see the people suffer for me!”

Tang Xia could not bear to see such a situation. Now, she only wanted Chu Tiankuo to hand her over to quell the war. She also knew that Chu Tiankuo would not agree, so she kneeled and asked him to agree.

Tang Xia kneeled on the ground stubbornly and was unwilling to get up. Chu Tiankuo did not dare to pull her, because he was afraid of hurting the child in her belly.

The two people were in a dilemma. Because of Tang Xia’s sudden action, Chu Tiankuo’s face turned cold. His eyes were cold, and he looked at Tang Xia, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked,

“Do you think that you can save them on your own? Don’t think too much!”

Of course, Chu Tiankuo would not agree with Tang Xia’s sacrifice. While angering about Tang Xia’s action, he also blamed himself. Why he wasn’t strong enough to protect his own woman?

In any case, he would not agree with Tang Xia to hand her over. He would not rely on a woman to consolidate his position.

“Can’t I?” Tang Xia asked him, “Maybe this will not save their lives forever, but it would be great for them to live even a second longer.” Tang Xia wanted to do this for the sake of Chu Tiankuo. She couldn’t be a burden to Chu Tiankuo.

Looking at Tang Xia’s stubborn look, Chu Tiankuo sneered, “Do you know what you look like now?” This stupid woman, did she think she can hold Nanmen Yi?

“What?” Tang Xia was not clear.

“A mantis tries to stop a chariot! You don’t know how much you weigh.” Chu Tiankuo’s thin lips opened, but what he said were such hurtful words. He did not satirize Tang Xia deliberately. He just wanted to let her know that it was impossible to stop this on her own.

He Chu Tiankuo was not weak enough to rely on a woman to protect him, which would be his shame.

Hearing this, Tang Xia was only shocked for a second, and then she bowed her head without a word.

Seeing this, Chu Tiankuo suddenly realized that his words might be so harsh that they hurt Tang Xia’s feelings. His heart was also very painful, but he must destroy Tang Xia’s idea.

Thinking of this, his voice became soft, “Tang Xia… ”

“Hum?” Tang Xia answered but did not look up.

“Do you know what will be the consequence if I hand you over?”

“…”

Seeing that Tang Xia did not speak, Chu Tiankuo sighed and tried to help Tang Xia stand up, but she still kneeled there stubbornly. Chu Tiankuo had no choice but to open his robe and sit opposite Tang Xia.

After a long time, Tang Xia finally spoke, “But if you don’t hand me over, what should you do?” Handing her over was the only way. She didn’t want to see Chu Tiankuo die.

“Tang Xia, you have to know that I will die even if I hand you over.”

Chu Tiankuo’s eyes were as deep as the night, and his long eyelashes were gently shaking. He looked at Tang Xia and said the truth that Tang Xia did not want to hear the most.

“Do you think that you can really use your life to change mine?” Even if Tang Xia could do this, he would not allow her to do it.

Tang Xia looked up and stared at him, saying reluctantly, “But Nanmen Yi said that as long as you hand me over, he would let you go…” When it came to the end, her voice became smaller and smaller. Yes, she also didn’t believe that Nanmen Yi would fulfill his promise.

“You are really naive. Do you think that Nanmen Yi will be as naive as you?” When Chu Tiankuo mentioned Nanmen Yi’s name, his tone was full of disdain.

“I will die whether I hand you over or not. In this case, I’d better risk my life to try my best.” If he won, he would be alive. If he lost, he would die with Tang Xia. If he couldn’t protect her, he would die with her.

He could let his people down, but he would never let her down and live in shame without her.

“I…” Tang Xia bit her teeth and firmly said, “There will be a chance, right? Give me to Nanmen Yi.” Although she did not believe in Nanmen Yi’s promise, this was their only chance, so she couldn’t miss it.

“Are you really too deep into the play?” Chu Tiankuo didn’t expect that Tang Xia still asked him to hand over her after he had said so much. At this time, Chu Tiankuo’s anger also came up, “What is your current task? It is to win my heart!”

Tang Xia was stunned by Chu Tiankuo’s roar and did not speak.

Chu Tiankuo went on, “Do you want to throw yourself into another man’s arms? Tang Xia, I’m telling you. This is impossible. Do you want me to hand you over? Give up!”

“Chu…”

Tang Xia still wanted to say something and try to change Chu Tiankuo’s decision. However, Chu Tiankuo was already impatient and shouted, “Somebody, come.”

The door opened from the outside, and two guards who stood at the door came in and bowed, “Your Majesty.”

Before the guards came in, Chu Tiankuo had already stood up. He turned his back to them and ordered, “You send Yue Ji back and put more guards in all directions!”

The guards obeyed the order and lifted Tang Xia’s two arms. They didn’t know why Tang Xia kneeled here, but this was not what they should ask.

Tang Xia did not continue to be stubborn this time. She let the guards lift her and send her back to her residence.

Tang Xia also thought that she could go out of the palace secretly to give in. But Chu Tiankuo strengthened the guards in all directions, so she couldn’t go out.

Even if Chu Tiankuo did not do this, Tang Xia was afraid that if she went to find Nanmen Yi, he would not say that he saw her. If so, this would be a huge loss.

The rumors spread fast, and the news that Tang Xia was expelled by Chu Tiankuo immediately spread in the harem.

Everyone was guessing whether Tang Xia had done something that made Chu Tiankuo angry. But if so, why didn’t Chu Tiankuo ban her from going anywhere?

Zui Linglong also heard that Chu Tiankuo asked guards to send Tang Xia back. She listened to the dialogue of the palace maids, and began to make a plan in her heart.

“Where did you hear about it?” Zui Linglong walked to those palace maids who were chatting, and asked, “Did the emperor really send Her Grace Yue Ji back?”

“Madam…” The sudden appearance of Zui Linglong shocked those little palace maids, and they stood straight and bowed to Zui Linglong in panic.

“Stand up.” Zui Linglong smiled lightly and repeated the words, “Did the emperor really send Her Grace Yue Ji back? Is it true?”

“Of course it is true. I saw it with my own eyes,” A small palace maid stepped forth. “At that time, Her Grace was lifted by two guards from the emperor’s palace, and I just passed by. So I just happened to see that.”

“Really? It was really a rare thing.” Zui Linglong was a little surprised. “Didn’t Chu Tiankuo treat Tang Xia the most precious before? Why was he so ruthless today?”

A plan was quietly formed in Zui Linglong’s heart. She thought that the situation now was also fine, and this was a good opportunity.

Thinking of this, she turned normal and smiled at those little palace maids and asked, “You, can you do me a little favor?”

“What can we do? Madam, just say it!” Zui Linglong got along well with various people, so this time, those palace maids were eager to help her when she had something for them.

“I need you to get me a sachet which contains a lot of musk and dried flowers.” Zui Linglong smiled and said her request.

“We have ready-made sachets, and it’s easy to find dried flowers. We usually collect a lot of them.” A palace maid said, “But musk is in the hospital. We are too low to get it.”

“How can it be difficult?”

Saying this, Zui Linglong untied the jade pendant which hung on her waist and handed it to one of the palace maids.

“This jade pendant represents my identity. You just need to take it to the imperial hospital, and tell the imperial physician that this is what I need. They will let you take the medicine.”

She took this jade pendant with her all year round, so these little palace maids would be more convenient to do business by taking it. “I am waiting for you here. Come back soon.”

“Okay, got it.”

A few palace maids smiled and answered. Two of them took Zui Linglong’s jade pendant to fetch the medicine. And the other two palace maids stayed here to talk with Zui Linglong in order to divert herself from boredom.

“Madam, you have such a great ability of divination. Who did you learn it from? It’s so accurate.” One of the palace maids looked at Zui Linglong with adoration and asked.

Zui Linglong just smiled but didn’t speak. The palace maids didn’t hope Zui Linglong to answer their questions, so they chatted about something else. Zui Linglong stood silently aside and listened, but she did not speak.

Later, the little palace maids who went to the imperial hospital to take medicine came back. They handed the sachet over to Zui Linglong and breathed heavily. “Madam, we have mixed the musk and dried flowers.”

“Thank you.”

Zui Linglong then placed the sachet under her nose to smell it. It was exactly as what they said. At the moment, she went to find Tang Xia with the sachet.

Lyuyou informed Tang Xia, and Tang Xia also agreed to meet her. Zui Linglong walked behind Lyuyou. When she saw Tang Xia, she pretended to be surprised and said,

“Aren’t you Yue Ji?”