The next day at noon, the sound of firecrackers and drums echoed from outside.
Jun Qiluo was so disturbed by the noise that her head began to ache. Perhaps the commotion also startled the baby in her womb; she felt strange today, unlike the usual kicks—her entire lower back was unusually heavy, making her too lethargic to get out of bed.
What was all the noise outside?
"Sister! Sister! Good news!"
Jun Jiangjuan, completely abandoning her ladylike demeanor, lifted her skirts and rushed up the small tower, bursting into Jun Qiluo's boudoir without even knocking.
Half sitting up, Jun Qiluo frowned and asked with a smile, "You’re acting nothing like a proper girl. Did the sky fall?"
"If the sky fell, how would that be good news? It’s those two Khitans—they were burned to death! Last night…"
"What?" Jun Qiluo screamed, immediately grabbing her sister’s hand, her wide eyes glaring at her with a mix of fear and desperation.
"Say that again… How… how did they die?"
Jun Jiangjuan winced at the pain in her hand, not understanding why her elder sister was so agitated and so utterly heartbroken. But she continued, "Last night, around the second watch, the soldiers found those two Khitans hiding in the ruins of the Zhang family home on Rongchuan Lane. They quickly called in reinforcements and surrounded the ruins, setting them ablaze. The two Khitans, realizing they couldn’t escape, didn’t even try to fight their way out. They were burned alive inside. Just now, the soldiers paraded their charred bodies through the city in a cage!
Although they were burned beyond recognition, you could tell from their clothes and their size that they were tall foreigners. I heard they’re going to parade them all the way back to Bianjing!
It’s wonderful! Now our city of Hangzhou can finally return to normal, and we don’t have to live in constant fear anymore!"
Suddenly, Jun Qiluo felt the world spinning around her! She gripped her arm tightly, trying to stay conscious, knowing she couldn’t afford to faint.
No, it can’t be! He wouldn’t die so easily! He wouldn’t have the heart to leave her and their child behind…
"Sister! What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Jun Jiangjuan asked softly, supporting her sister and calling out to her repeatedly, confused by her pale and distraught expression.
"The procession through the city—has it passed? Are they gone?" Jun Qiluo strained to listen to the sounds outside, but they seemed to have faded into the distance…
"Sigh! They’ve probably left Hangzhou by now. A lot of people have gone to Rongchuan Lane to see the ruins that were burned down."
Jun Qiluo immediately got out of bed, grabbing a cloak from the screen and throwing it over her shoulders.
She had to go see for herself, to confirm with her own eyes that Yelü Lie couldn’t have died so easily! How could he dare to leave her and their child to go to the underworld alone?
"Sister! Where are you going?"
"Jiangjuan, tell the gatekeeper to prepare a horse. I’m going to Rongchuan Lane!" She rushed out of the small building.
Jun Jiangjuan, shocked and terrified, grabbed her.
"Sister, have you lost your mind? You’re going to ride a horse in broad daylight? You’re pregnant now—you can’t pretend to be Jun Feifan anymore! The gatekeeper wouldn’t dare prepare a horse for you! And don’t you know how dangerous it is to ride a horse with such a large belly? What’s there to see at Rongchuan Lane? You’ve never been one to be overly curious! You can’t go!"
She didn’t understand why her sister was acting so irrationally, but she began to regret her impulsive behavior in telling her the news.
"Let go of me! I have to go! Jiangjuan, do me this one favor—I must go!" Jun Qiluo clutched her aching belly, tears streaming down her face as she could no longer maintain her calm façade. She had to see for herself…
"Sister, why?" Jiangjuan began to have a strange feeling—what was the connection between her elder sister and those two Khitans?
"Get me a carriage, and I’ll explain on the way."
"Sister…"
"If you won’t help, then I’ll walk there myself!"
In the end, Jiangjuan had no choice but to comply. On one hand, she knew her sister’s stubborn nature all too well; on the other hand, she was dying of curiosity about the relationship between her sister and those two Khitans. If, as her sister hinted, the father of the baby had died, then who else in the world could provoke such a strong reaction from her? Those two Khitans should have had nothing to do with her.
After they got into the carriage, Jun Qiluo wiped away her tears, commanding herself to stay strong. He wouldn’t die! If he dared to die, she swore she wouldn’t shed a single tear for him.
Sharp pains rippled through her belly—was it because of her worry, or was the baby impatient to come out? Either way, she had to see for herself. Looking at Jiangjuan’s anxious face, she took a deep breath.
"The baby’s father isn’t dead," she said. "And if the Khitans burned last night weren’t him, then he’s still alive."
"What?" Jiangjuan gasped, her mind reeling. The baby’s father was a Khitan? An enemy of the Song dynasty?
A Northern invader? A barbarian who eats people alive? She didn’t know how to react! But her mind also filled with a thousand questions…
The carriage moved in silence until, just as Jiangjuan found her voice again, the coachman called out from outside, "Eldest Miss, Third Miss, we’ve arrived at Rongchuan Lane. The carriage can’t go any further—do you want to get out and take a look?"
Jiangjuan swallowed her words, helping her sister out of the carriage. She told the coachman, "Go to the inn across the street and have something to eat, take a rest. My sister and I will be here for a while."
"Yes, Miss."
After the coachman left, the two sisters walked into the lane. A crowd had gathered around the ruins of the Zhang family home, but aside from a pile of ashes, there was nothing left to see.
Jun Qiluo didn’t get close; she didn’t have time. She leaned against the wall of a nearby house, her face as pale as paper, gripping her sister tightly!
Heavens! She was about to give birth!
"Sister! What’s happening?" Jiangjuan, realizing what was going on, was at a loss. Oh no! Was it really happening? "I… I’ll get the coachman! I’ll find a midwife! I’ll…"
"Jiangjuan…" Jun Qiluo knelt on the ground, biting her lip, enduring the first wave of pain.
"Qiluo!"
In the next moment, she was lifted into a warm, strong embrace. She looked up to see those beautiful blue eyes, more dazzling than any gemstone. Oh! He wasn’t dead! But how could he dare to come out in broad daylight? She quickly reached up to cover his conspicuous eyes, not wanting anyone to see them…
Yelü Lie swiftly carried her into a nearby house, slipping into a dark alley.
"Hey, hey, where are you taking my sister? I want…"
Jiangjuan’s face turned white as she snapped out of her shock at seeing those blue eyes. She immediately lifted her skirts and chased after them.
"Come along, pretty girl!"
Duo Luo Qi easily picked her up and followed them into the house.
* * *
"What are you doing here? You know I wouldn’t die, so why did you come? Oh my God! Your belly is moving!"
Yelü Lie growled in a low voice as he placed her on the bed. He was furious—this woman… Oh heavens, she was about to give birth!
"Duo Luo Qi! Go find a midwife!"
"No! Don’t! I… I want to give birth at home! You can’t… you can’t go find anyone… you…" She clung to Yelü Lie, glaring fiercely at Duo Luo Qi by the door, while trying to get off the bed…
"Lie down and stay put!"
"If you dare to bring a midwife here, just you try!"
Yelü Lie sighed—when a woman is about to give birth, she calls the shots!
"Duo Luo Qi! Go boil some water, I’ll deliver the baby. And you…" he pointed at the small, dazed woman standing by the door, "come over here and close the door."
"Young Master, are you… sure you can do this?" Duo Luo Qi asked cautiously.
Yelü Lie, while removing his outer robe to cover Jun Qiluo, shot him a fierce look. "I’ve delivered foals before—now get out!"
The door was quickly shut.
Jun Qiluo endured another wave of increasingly intense contractions. She glared at him, demanding, "Why did the ruins get burned down?"
"I’ll tell you after you’ve given birth! Right now, just focus on delivering the baby—don’t think about anything else." He held a piece of soft wood to her lips for her to bite down on.
"To keep me quiet? Or to stop me from screaming?"
"Both." He noticed her bleeding lower lip—this proud woman refused to scream, only hurting herself in the process.
Jun Jiangjuan stood at the head of the bed, holding her sister’s hands, her wide eyes fixed on the Northern barbarian with curiosity.
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