Gu Chaobei’s eyes reddened slightly. It was still Gu Chaonan behind him who made a decisive decision, coming up and chopping the Emperor unconscious with a hand strike, then mounting a horse to take him away.

Delaying time would waste the lives of the generals covering the rear—those were all human lives.

With Yuwen Changqing’s defection, escaping the capital was naturally not difficult. The Southern Camp’s remnant soldiers and Imperial Guards didn’t linger in battle, fighting while retreating. Fortunately, there were many alleys and lanes in the capital, plus various mechanisms and clever devices set up by the students at the beginning. During the retreat, they didn’t lose too many people.

Empress Dowager Nian had been sent by the Emperor to a safe place half a month ago. However, Shen Guiyan was unwilling to leave. She stayed behind, spending every day with the common people, and every day waiting for him in the military camp, only willing to sleep after seeing he was safe.

So now in the imperial palace, only Shen Guiyan remained.

When Gao Jinxiu was brought over crying by Baoshan, she was stunned. Shen Guiyan’s head was covered in sweat, and something was flowing out from below her body.

“She’s giving birth!”

Outside, palace servants were urging her to leave quickly. Gao Jinxiu had originally come to take Yan’er away. But why did it happen to be this moment when her water broke?

Taking her on the road like this would definitely mean two deaths without question. There was no time to think much about it. Gao Jinxiu gritted her teeth and said to those behind her, “I’m staying. Those who want to leave, leave quickly!”

Shen Guiyan still had consciousness but was conserving strength and wouldn’t speak much. This was her first child, and it happened to be such a dangerous situation. But no matter what, she had to protect this child.

There was no midwife. Neither Baoshan nor Gao Jinxiu had any experience, but Baoshan still went to prepare hot water, and Gao Jinxiu helped encourage Shen Guiyan.

“I… I don’t know what to say, but you must hold on!” Gao Jinxiu’s tears fell continuously, looking at Shen Guiyan’s pale face. “If this child can be born, he’ll definitely be blessed by heaven.”

Shen Guiyan breathed lightly, reaching out herself to take a cloth from the side to bite in her mouth. Waiting for the contractions in her belly, she exerted force following Gao Jinxiu’s guidance.

Outside, the shouting shook the heavens. The capital’s gates were wide open, and the imperial city’s gates were also in imminent danger. Wen Shoushan entered the city slaughtering people, laughing wildly with arrogance.

“Attack that imperial city for this old man, and the world will be ours!”

The soldiers’ morale was high. They completely forgot that the city’s common people were the same as them—they killed anyone they saw, forcibly seized young women, no better than bandits or pirates. The city was filled with crying and shouting. The elderly in the prison and official residences were spared, but among the common people staying in their own homes, quite a few still died.

Before long, the imperial city’s gates opened. Inside was empty.

Palace lanterns were shattered, someone’s silk had no time to be taken away and lay scattered on the ground. A maid’s hairpin, a eunuch’s boots, broken curtains. The people inside had all left.

“Where’s the Emperor?” Wen Shoushan asked with a darkened expression.

Too busy attacking the city earlier to notice—Yuwen Changqing was also nowhere to be seen.

Shen Guiwu, wounded in battle, came forward. “Yuwen Changqing’s eighty thousand troops have already defected. He took the Emperor toward Li Province.”

“What?!” Wen Shoushan flew into a rage. “He was on the verge of being enfeoffed as marquis and minister—how could he defect at the last moment?”

Shen Guiwu shook his head. “This subordinate doesn’t know, but with his departure, with our remnant soldiers after the great battle, we probably can’t catch up.”

“How long has he been gone?”

“General Yuwen’s men entered the city first. By calculation, it’s already been two hours.”

Wen Shoushan cursed angrily. He had found it strange why fighting these past months always seemed like someone knew their strategic deployments—it turned out to be that traitor Yuwen Changqing.

“What should we do now?” Scholar Fu said urgently. “His Majesty has fled. Even if we hold this capital, we lack legitimacy. How can we install Young Marquis Ming Yu?”

Wen Shoushan also very much wanted to know the answer to this question. His Majesty was still alive and hadn’t abdicated. Unless they continued fighting to Li Province, but that was Prince Gong’s territory.

What should they do?

A baby’s cry rang throughout the entire palace, startling everyone. Wen Shoushan frowned. Scholar Fu quickly said, “Noble Consort Yan?!”

In Gu Chaobei’s harem, the only one with child was Shen Guiyan. But the Emperor loved her so much—how could it be that the imperial city was broken, yet she was still in the palace?

Everyone followed the sound.

In the vast Yonghe Palace, there were the crying sounds of several women. Pushing open the main hall’s door, a palace maid held a newborn baby, crying tears of joy. “Mother and child are safe, mother and child are safe…”

Gao Jinxiu looked up and saw the people at the door, her face turning deathly pale.

Wen Shoushan entered with Scholar Fu, glanced at Shen Guiyan lying on the bed with closed eyes as if she had already fainted, then his gaze fell on the wailing baby.

“The dragon’s son?”

Baoshan looked at these people in terror, holding the imperial prince and retreating repeatedly. “What are you doing? This is Her Ladyship’s birthing room. How can you barge in!”

“Her Ladyship?” Scholar Fu snorted coldly. “The Emperor has already fled. How pitiful that you still consider her a ladyship.”

Baoshan was stunned.

His Majesty left? How was that possible? Her mistress was still here—how could His Majesty have left first?

Wen Shoushan slowly approached her, reaching out his hand toward her. “Give me the child to hold.”

“No…” Baoshan trembled, retreating to Shen Guiyan’s bedside. “What do you want to do?”

Lady Gao was also extremely panicked. What Shen Guiyan gave birth to happened to be a boy—this was terrible!

Wen Shoushan was too lazy to say more to her and reached out directly to snatch the child.

Before he could touch the swaddling clothes, his hand was fiercely swatted away. Then a disheveled woman rushed over, pushing him aside in one motion and shielding herself in front of the swaddling clothes.

“Master!” Baoshan’s tears came down. “You still can’t get out of bed…”

After giving birth, she was almost completely drained of strength, completely unable to walk. Although this child was delivered naturally, the mother’s suffering was not any less.

Shen Guiyan didn’t want to get out of bed either, but if she didn’t stand up, who else could stand up to protect her child?

“This is my flesh and blood. Who dares touch him?” Her voice was weak as gossamer, but her eyes were not diminished in sharpness at all. Shen Guiyan looked at National Uncle Wen before her and said in a deep voice.

National Uncle Wen, full of rage, looked at this woman like a madwoman and was actually somewhat afraid.

“This imperial city is already ours.” How could he let a woman suppress his imposing manner? National Uncle Wen steadied himself and said angrily, “Stop thinking you’re so high and mighty. Now you’re nothing but a prisoner.”

Behind her, the child cried loudly. Shen Guiyan glanced at the sky outside.

Overcast, the air still reeked of blood. So the capital had already fallen.

“Where is His Majesty?” she asked softly.

Scholar Fu snorted coldly. “His Majesty long ago took people and ran. He doesn’t care whether you live or die.”

Her body stiffened slightly. Shen Guiyan stared at him blankly for a while, then turned to hold her child in her arms.

Gu Chaobei must not have had time to take her away. What a pity—he hadn’t even been able to see this child’s first face. It was also her fault for being so stubborn, wanting to stay in the capital, unwilling to be separated from him.

As a result, now they were finally separated.

Wen Shoushan looked at the child in her hands, his eyes brightening slightly. He pressed his lips together. “Does Your Ladyship want to raise this little imperial prince well and have him grow up safe and sound? You can continue being your Noble Consort, with food, clothing, and provisions—nothing will be lacking.”

Shen Guiyan laughed lightly. Heaven was unfair, making her give birth to a boy at this time. She truly had no choice—either she would go to the Yellow Springs together with this child, or she would live on by virtue of this child.

She chose the latter because she still wanted… still wanted to see Gu Chaobei one more time.

“Whatever orders you have, just say them. Guiyan is merely a woman. With His Majesty absent, Guiyan has no one to rely on. Guiyan is only a mother. If it allows the child to live, whatever needs to be done can be discussed.”

“Good!” Wen Shoushan laughed heartily. “Someone as sensible as you—this old man likes best! Come, follow me to the throne in the court hall!”

Shen Guiyan’s vision blurred, and her body was so weak she couldn’t stand steadily. Lady Gao and Baoshan supported her on the left and right, barely enabling her to walk outside.

“You can’t be exposed to wind during the postpartum month.” Baoshan cried while taking a cloak to wrap her mistress tightly. “Why are you listening to these traitorous rebels? You don’t have to go…”

Shen Guiyan held her son and sat in the sedan chair, smiling reluctantly. “I still have to live well. Can’t worry about so much.”

Baoshan couldn’t hold back. Watching the sedan chair depart in the distance, she collapsed sitting on the palace path, crying loudly.

She knew her mistress couldn’t cry at this time, so she could only help her by crying out all the grievances.

The capital fell, the Emperor fled. Wen Shoushan used the imperial prince in swaddling clothes as the “young master,” claiming to await the Emperor’s return to the capital.

To put it plainly: your son is in my hands. Right now he’s too young. You can come back to hold your son, but you must hand over your life and the throne. Of course, you can also choose not to come. Then I’ll use this child’s name to command the princes in the Emperor’s name.

When Gu Chaobei received the news, it was already ten days later.

The weather was unbearably cold. The Emperor stood on Li Province’s city tower, looking toward the capital’s direction, his face pale.

“Your Majesty, Princess Duanwen has already led the troops from Huainan to come to the Emperor’s aid. Our main forces are preserved. Attacking back to reclaim the capital is not difficult,” Gu Chaonan reported.

Gu Chaobei didn’t move at all.

“Your Majesty?”

“Second Brother, do you hear crying?” The Emperor turned his head blankly, looking at Gu Chaonan and asking.

Crying? Gu Chaonan was somewhat bewildered and looked around. “No.”

“I hear it.” Gu Chaobei smiled, pointing to the distance, his eyes glistening with moisture. “The child’s, and hers.”

Empty crying sounds echoed in the sky, swirling around him, pulling at his heart—pain like tearing.

Gu Chaonan trembled and lowered his head in silent silence.

Since leaving Noble Consort Yan in the capital, His Majesty hadn’t had a single normal day. He had never imagined that the carefree Gu Chaobei would now become like this.

But the military situation was urgent.

“When can Duanwen arrive?” Gu Chaobei asked.

Gu Chaonan answered quietly, “Two months later.”

They didn’t lose in strategy—they only lost in military strength. Once they assembled forces from all sides, they would definitely be able to reclaim the capital.