Han Yunxi was a little nervous when Long Feiye touched her stomach, but she had no idea he was feeling even more tense! Both of them quieted down. Long Feiye didn’t dare to press hard, but simply stroked her gently. His hand had wielded Ganjiang, the king of swords, and could control the martial arts world; it send waves in the royal court and could quell all of Cloud Realm Continent; it had intertwined with Han Yunxi’s own fingers and promised to protect her until her hairs turned white.
Currently, the very same hand was trembling slightly as it rested on Han Yunxi’s womb. Eventually, she stopped feeling tense and noticed his anxiety instead.
She couldn’t help but grin. “Do you feel the little fellow?”
“He’s not moving,” Long Feiye shook his head.
Han Yunxi laughed. “It’s still too early! After one or two months, he’ll be big enough to swell up my tummy.”
“Really?” Long Feiye was both curious and excited.
Rather than a monarch of Cloud Realm Continent, he seemed like an ordinary man with ordinary feelings. Han Yunxi suddenly recalled Han Chen’s words in the underground palace and adapted them for use on Long Feiye. If someone uses the baby to trick Long Feiye, he’ll believe it no matter what.
“Really!” Han Yunxi grinned. “Put your ear to my stomach. You might even be able to hear him moving right now.”
Long Feiye immediately did as he was told and carefully drew close, afraid that any big movements would hurt the baby. Han Yunxi would probably never forget the sight of his nervous, careful face. This was the first time she’d seen it since they got married!
It better be a boy, or else I’ll get jealous!
Han Yunxi pressed Long Feiye’s face against her womb and said, “Silly, how could our child be so weak? Get close and listen carefully.”
Still, Long Feiye couldn’t relax. He listened for a while before asking puzzledly, “I didn’t hear anything?”
“Then it’s probably still too early. I didn’t feel him moving either,” Han Yunxi said helplessly.
“How long do we have to wait?” Long Feiye asked quickly.
“Typically speaking, it’ll start around five to six months. Some babies are earlier, it differs with the person,” Han Yunxi replied.
Long Feiye’s eyebrows creased. He decided to send her off the the Plum Blossom Sea to look after the baby and finish up affairs at Northern Li in the next two to three months. Then he’d rush to meet her so they could spend time together while dealing with the details of establishing his own empire. The baby was already five months along. According to Fourth Young Miss Ren, major changes would start happening at this point. Since he already missed the first few months, he didn’t want to waste the remaining time or the chance to share in the joys of their growing babe. However, it was simply impractical to keep Han Yunxi by his side in case she tired out.
While Long Feiye was debating with himself, Han Yunxi spoke up. “Some babies are more active and move around all day. They punch and kick and even turn over. Others are lazy and prefer to curl up and just sleep.”
Long Feiye was already kneeling on one knee before her, listening intently as he felt her stomach. This cozy scene seemed to be frozen as a painting against the backdrop of the fall afternoon light.
When a shadow guard came upon the scene, he didn’t dare to interrupt. He simply stood quietly by the entrance to wait. After all this time following His Highness, this was the first time they’d seen him kneel! Even if it was only on one knee, it was still kneeling! After all, in a few more months His Highness would probably establish a kingdom and become emperor. That would make him the sovereign of Cloud Realm Continent. He would only be able to kneel before Heaven and Earth and his ancestors then!
The shadow guard waited a long time until Xu Donglin ran over and alerted Long Feiye and Han Yunxi.
“What’s the matter?” Long Feiye askd coldly.
Xu Donglin scratched his head before walking in, too afraid to lift his face. “Your Highness, the princes ordered this subordinate to bring men and search the maze for Duanmu Yao. We didn’t find her, but we did see Su Xiaoyu and senior Han Chen head inside.”
As the princess hadn’t acknowledged her father, Xu Donglin could only call him by ‘senior Han Chen.’
“You were searching for Duanmu Yao?” Long Feiye asked Han Yunxi in surprise.
“I spent all this time mastering the Xuan Nǚ Swordplay that it’d be a waste if I never used it! Moreover, what if Bai Yanqing hid her somewhere other than the maze? Suppose she got rescued?” Han Yunxi asked intently. “What would we do then?”
In truth, she’d dragged Long Feiye up the mountain for other reasons, not Su Xiaoyu. The shadow guards never gave her an update on their hunt, so she was worried they didn’t know their way and prepared to search personally. But she forgot all that when they started talking about the baby.
Long Feiye had completely forgotten about Duanmu Yao and didn’t want to spare her any time, but Han Yunxi’s words made sense. If the woman had been hidden elsewhere or rescued in the meantime, they’d have to worry about her later.
“Let Gu Beiyue go hunt for her first. Just say we’ll be right after him,” Long Feiye said coldly.
He couldn’t do something like search for Duanmu Yao all over a maze. Meanwhile, he prepared a man-powered sedan chair for Han Yunxi and picked a few shadow guards with steady hands to lift her up while he followed by her side. Han Yunxi only felt a premonition of danger. She could predict that the fellow in her stomach would end up getting her locked down in the end. What if Long Feiye makes me ride in a sedan chair every time I want to step out the door in the future?
She stared at her stomach and felt like her baby was already screwing her over from the womb.
The sedan chair made their travels longer, so by the time they arrived at the mountain, Gu Beiyue was already napping at the base of the big tree. Dressed in white and leaning against the trunk beneath the dappled sunshine, he looked like an errant angel passing by chance through Earth. One wanted to approach him even as they yearned to leave him undisturbed.
Before they got close, Gu Beiyue opened his eyes. He quickly rose to his feet and strode forward politely. “Your Highness, princess.”
In that moment, Han Yunxi had a thought flash through her head. I don’t really know Gu Beiyue well at all. I don’t think I’ve ever seen his true self.
Just what kind of man is he?
“You’ve found her?” Long Feiye asked.
“She’s in a hidden chamber on Level 3. There’s enough food and rations there to last her four to five days,” Gu Beiyue reported. When he found her, Duanmu Yao had done her best to buy time and even offered up her body so he could let her go. He didn’t tell the couple about this, but simply asked, “Princess, will you go down right now?”
“Lead the way!” Han Yunxi’s eyes were cold.
She could spare anyone else, but showing Duanmu Yao mercy would leave her regret for the rest of her life!
Gu Beiyue took the lead as Long Feiye shielded Han Yunxi down the caves. The trio soon found the room on the third level. The switch to the cell was located on the outer wall, which means Duanmu Yao had no way of getting out on her own unless somebody else opened the door. Han Yunxi pressed the switch as she murmured, “Both of you get back. Men shouldn’t get involved in women’s matters.”
She had a selfish motive: to keep Duanmu Yao from seeing a single glimpse of Long Feiye!
Leaving aside the fact that Duanmu Yao would have plenty of trouble recovering her martial arts, even her full strength would be a far cry from Han Yunxi now. Thus, Long Feiye had no worries. Without a word, he went to the end of the tunnel and leaned against the wall to wait. Gu Beiyue walked to the opposite end and did the same. Han Yunxi glanced back between them and grinned at both men. It was clear that she was in a great mood!
And it was rare for her to feel so happy seeing Duanmu Yao.
Slowly, the stone door rose. Duanmu Yao thought that Gu Beiyue had thought things through and decided to save her, but she saw the face she absolutely detested instead.
“Han Yunxi!” she cried.
“Long time no see, Princess Yao!” Han Yunxi chuckled as she went inside.
Duanmu Yao immediately backed away. She found out everything about Han Yunxi from Bai Yanqing, including her birth origins, poison skills, and Phoenix power. She was clear that she was no match for this woman. Either she escaped, or she would die!
Han Yunxi simply caressed her stomach and smiled at her. Scared to death, Duanmu Yao’s gaze shifted towards the movement before she finally noticed. Shocked, she shriekd, “You! You…”
Han Yunxi stood unmoving as she rested her free hand on her hips. Her face was wreathed in joy. “It’s Long Feiye’s child.”
What was the most aggravating thing to tell your love rival? What could cut them the deepest and pierce through their ears?
Long Feiye’s child!
Long Feiye gave her a child!
After all, there was a world of difference between a man accepting a woman and accepting that woman bearing his child! It was clear that the latter woman was the victor! Duanmu Yao had already given up all hope towards Long Feiye, leaving her with nothing but hatred! But when she heard these words and saw Han Yunxi’s stomach, her heart seemed pierced with knives. No matter how hard she worked, she couldn’t avoid the truth! No matter how bitterly she hated, she couldn’t escape her heartache!
She suddenly wanted to sob her heart out!
Duanmu Yao had never admitted her loss, even with her martial arts gone and her face ruined, even knowing full well that Bai Yanqing was only using her to destroy Celestial Mountain, even when Gu Beiyue refused her pleas to let her go and shut her back in her cell. She didn’t feel like she lost even when Han Yunxi was the one to open the door.
But the mention of a “child” had stripped her of all hope and left her broken. The piercing pains in her heart made it difficult to breathe. It reminded her that she still deeply loved that man. Thus, she was the ultimate loser in the end!
“Han Yunxi, if you came to gloat, then you win! You’ve won, alright?!” Duanmu Yao sobbed.
“Do you acknowledge your loss?” Han Yunxi’s smile faded to be replaced with ice. “Unfortunately, it’s too late!”
She took out her Moye sword and declared, “I’m not here to gloat. Long Feiye loves me, dotes on me, and spoils me. It’s enough if I know that because it has nothing to do with you. Today I’m here to eliminate a scourge on behalf of my master’s sect!”
Duanmu Yao was lost. “Your master’s sect?” she questioned.
