“Mhm, mhm.”
Mu Xueyan secretly rejoiced, extending her small hand to point outside the cave.
She had just seen a very good opportunity for the Mu Family when Old Madam asked her about it.
Could this be fate?
“If Yan Jie’er says go, then we go.”
Old Madam felt both excited and slightly worried: “Yiqing, your body…”
“I’m fine.”
Yan Yiqing didn’t want to hold everyone back, patting her chest as she assured: “The wound doesn’t hurt anymore, I can walk, no problem.”
“That’s good.”
Old Madam was greatly relieved and instructed Madam Qin to slaughter the remaining two black-boned chickens and stew chicken soup to replenish the family’s energy.
The deaths of Liu Gao and the other two in the cave had frightened the entire family, young and old.
Madam Qin and the others were delighted to hear Old Madam’s words. They swiftly slaughtered the chickens, sliced a piece of blood ginseng, and stewed a pot of blood ginseng chicken soup.
After eating and drinking their fill, the family regained their vitality. They packed their belongings, left the cave, and continued their journey.
Immortal Domain, Bitian Immortal Palace.
Atop a solitary peak enveloped in white clouds, ethereal and dreamlike, a peerlessly handsome young man in white robes sat cross-legged, his slender fingers lightly stroking the strings of a zither.
The zither’s melody was plaintive and sorrowful, tinged with a faint melancholy.
A glowing Message Talisman traversed through the void and hovered before him.
“Uncle Yichen.”
The excited voice of the Bitian Immortal Palace Sect Leader came from the Message Talisman: “News from the Mortal Domain—an astonishing phenomenon has been discovered at the Northern Frontier, suspected to be the Stone Slave’s bo…”
Snap.
A zither string broke at the sound, slicing the young man’s finger. Blood dripped from his fingertip.
“Uncle, the appearance of the Stone Slave is no coincidence. According to my deduction, it may be related to the missing Heaven-Mending Divine Stone…”
The Sect Leader of the Bitian Immortal Palace rambled on incessantly.
However, he did not know that atop the cliff peak, the figure of the zither player had already vanished.
~~
Mortal Domain, Northern Frontier.
It had snowed all night yesterday, and the snow on the mountain path was knee-deep.
Jiang Shi supported Old Madam, while Madam Liu carried Mu Yunlei and held Mu Yunhu’s hand.
Madam Qin helped her daughter-in-law carry her newborn granddaughter, while Yan Yiqing held little Mu Yunlong’s hand. Mother and child supported each other as they walked forward.
The sisters Mu Yufu and Mu Yulin carried baskets on their backs, containing pots, bowls, bedding, and a small half-bag of grain.
The family of elderly, weak, women, and children trudged through the snow, struggling along the mountain path.
After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, crisp and pleasant bell sounds came from the mountain path not far behind.
“Ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling.”
The bell sounds grew closer, mingled with the low, heavy panting and whinnies of horses.
“Someone’s coming.”
In the icy, snowy wilderness, seeing a carriage filled the family with both surprise and joy.
“From the sound, it’s not just one carriage.”
Old Madam, with her exceptional hearing, discerned the direction from the sounds and accurately concluded: “It’s a convoy, at least six carriages.”
“Six?!”
Madam Qin’s eyes lit up with hope. Glancing at Yan Yiqing and the newborn granddaughter, she secretly wished they could encounter kind-hearted people who would give them a ride.
~
Crack-crack-crack.
As the convoy drew near, a sudden change occurred. A withered old tree, its branches weighed down by snow, snapped, and the crown crashed down, overturning one of the carriages.
Neigh!
The horse pulling the carriage, frightened, let out a long whinny, broke free from its reins, and bolted into the mountain forest.
The remaining horses grew restless, whinnying incessantly.
“Ah!”
“It hurts so much!”
“Someone come quickly, the lady’s water has broken, she’s going into labor.”
From the overturned carriage came the agonized moans of a woman, along with the panicked screams of a maid.
“This is bad, the lady is going into labor, hurry and save her.”
The caravan was thrown into chaos. The guards escorting the carts gathered around the overturned carriage, working together to lift away the tree canopy and right the carriage.
~
“The lady has been frightened and is going into premature labor. We need a midwife.”
“In this desolate wilderness, where are we going to find a midwife?”
“Without a midwife, we men don’t know how to deliver a baby. What are we supposed to do?”
The carriage had been righted, but the woman’s painful cries left the guards frantic with worry.
“This is bad, the lady is bleeding.”
From inside the carriage came another panicked scream from the maid: “Hurry up and think of something! If this goes on, we might lose both mother and child—neither the lady nor the baby will survive.”
“Granny Jiang, come with me to help.”
Madam Qin, recalling the dangers of her own daughter-in-law’s childbirth, felt a surge of compassion.
“Alright.”
Jiang Shi shared her sentiment and agreed readily.
As the family approached the carriage, the guards grew wary.
“Halt!”
“Who are you?”
“Do not approach the carriage!”
Several guards, seeing them dressed in prison garb, disheveled and looking like beggars, drew their swords with a sharp hiss and shouted sternly.
“We know how to deliver a baby.”
Jiang Shi spoke calmly and respectfully, stating their purpose: “We happened to pass by and can help you.”
“This is my little granddaughter, born just last night.”
Madam Qin held her granddaughter proudly, straightening her back with immense pride.
“Gurgle gurgle.”
Mu Xueyan cooperated perfectly, blowing a few spit bubbles to announce her presence.
“You really know how to deliver a baby?”
The guard captain was tempted, instinctively glancing at the adorable, jade-like baby.
“Gurgle gurgle.”
Mu Xueyan rolled her eyes, as if to say, “If they didn’t know how to deliver a baby, where would I have come from?”
Her disdainful little expression amused everyone.
“Alright, I’ll trust you this once.”
The guard captain also smiled, stepping aside and gesturing with an outstretched arm for them to proceed.
Madam Qin handed her granddaughter to her daughter-in-law, and together with Jiang Shi, lifted the curtain and entered the carriage.
~
The woman was experiencing a difficult labor, and the situation was critical.
Fortunately, Granny Jiang knew medicine and had experience with childbirth.
Madam Qin cut a small slice of blood ginseng and placed it in the woman’s mouth, keeping her clinging to life.
Mu Xueyan also secretly lent a small hand, channeling a stream of pure Spiritual Power into the woman’s body to help her deliver the baby and stop the hemorrhaging.
Basins of blood were carried out of the carriage one after another, terrifying the guards.
“Waaah waaah.”
From dawn until noon, they finally heard the faint cry of a baby.
“Oh, thank heavens, she finally gave birth.”
The guard captain wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling genuine gratitude toward the Mu Family.
He had realized that if the Mu Family hadn’t stepped in to help, neither the lady nor the child would have been safe.
~
The lady was the mistress of Black Dragon Fort and the sister-in-law of the county magistrate.
Over a concubine, she had fallen out with the fort master and, in a fit of anger, left the stronghold to seek refuge with her sister in Qingshui County.
Unexpectedly, she had been frightened on the road, leading to premature labor.
They were guards from Black Dragon Fort and knew well how much the fort master valued his wife. They had escorted her with trepidation, fearing that any mishap would anger the fort master and endanger their own families.
Now, having encountered these saviors who saved the lady and the young master’s lives, their own lives were also spared.
~
The guard captain was a perceptive man. While the women of the Mu Family were busy with the childbirth, he quietly inquired from the three officials escorting the prisoners about their family background.
Upon learning they were the womenfolk of the Fu Guo Gong Residence, he sighed with sorrow, deeply moved and sympathetic toward their plight.