The Sickly Emperor Is Only Immune to Me

Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Compromise

Sang Jue and Jiang Ke were alike in so many ways.

They were obsessive and tyrannical, stopping at nothing to obtain their desires.

Perhaps that was why Sang Jue was willing to help.

He knew that he and Jiang Ke were the same kind of people.

How infuriating!

He Ying slammed his hand on the table, clenching his fists tightly, “Go check.”

He needed to make Sang Jue talk.

He could wait no longer.

*

Sang Jue waited outside the delivery room.

Originally, he had been inside, but the midwife and maids pushed him out.

He wanted to enter, but was stopped by his parents,

“What are you doing in there?”

“A man entering the delivery room is bad luck.”

“Do you want something to happen to the mother and child?”

…

These words frightened him.

He could only wait outside anxiously, pacing back and forth, at times clasping his hands in prayer to the heavens,

“People do, heaven watches.”

He Ying arrived.

Everyone present knelt down,

Including Sang Jue.

Looking down at him, He Ying continued, “To earn a little favor from the heavens for you, tell me, where is your sister?”

Sang Jue, with his head lowered, persisted, “I already told you, the Emperor should kill him first.”

This ‘him’ referred to the man beside them, Yu Pochuan.

It seemed like the root of everything rested on him.

If he had died in that rebellion, even if Suxi regained her memory, she wouldn’t be pining for him so desperately.

Moreover, he was a part of the rebel faction,

He ought to kill him!

But he couldn’t kill him!

“Sang Jue, your child is about to be born, are you sure you want to add a murder to your karma? Or perhaps two? Your beloved has just given birth, learning that the man she loves is dead would also make her lose the will to live, right?”

“Don’t spout nonsense!”

“Sang Jue, you know whether I’m spouting nonsense or not. Don’t be delusional anymore. I promise not to pursue your past mistakes as long as you tell me their whereabouts.”

He was coaxing.

Sang Jue knew He Ying was coaxing him, but he had no other choice,

“Just a bit longer.”

He looked to the delivery room and compromised, “Wait until the mother and child are safe.”

He Ying waited with him.

Suxi was having a difficult labor and after three full two-hour periods, she finally gave birth to a daughter and passed out from exhaustion.

“Congratulations, congratulations, a precious daughter!”

When the midwife came out holding the baby and said these words, the faces of the Sang parents changed.

They had always believed it was a boy, but it turned out to be a girl.

Their preference for boys over girls led them to merely glance at her and walk away, not even willing to hold her.

Sang Jue didn’t hold her either, he just pushed through the door into the delivery room.

Compared to his daughter, he was more concerned about Suxi’s safety.

“This, this—”

The midwife, holding the baby, looked from side to side, troubled, unsure who to hand her over to.

“Wow wow—”

The baby’s cries were piercing.

The midwife tried to comfort her, to no avail, “Uh, Milord, Madam, the child probably is hungry, has the wet nurse been arranged?”

Mrs. Sang nodded and turned to instruct the maids to call the wet nurse.

Seeing this, the midwife prepared to bring the child inside—

He Ying extended his hand, “Give her to me.”

He inexplicably wanted to see the child.

The baby was wrinkled and not pretty, crying even uglier, but once in He Ying’s arms, the cries eerily stopped.

“It seems the Emperor and the child are fated.”

The midwife smiled flatteringly.

And her flattery was successful.

“Reward them generously. Give ten gold coins to all involved in the birth.”

“Thank you, Emperor.”

The midwife’s smile could not be wider.

He Ying also smiled, “This is Ah Yan’s niece.”

His thoughts turned to their blood relationship, and he began to see the child in a different light, “Let’s name her Sang Yuan. For her nickname, let’s call her ‘Reunion.'”

It carried his hopes.

Hoping they might reunite soon.

“Thank you, Emperor, for gracing the child with a name.”

Sang Kun immediately knelt to express his gratitude.

He Ying, thinking that they didn’t value their granddaughter, raised his voice and sternly said, “Now that I have bestowed a name, you must take good care of her and not neglect her. Should there be any negligence, do not expect to keep your heads on your shoulders.”

“Yes.”

Sang Kun hurriedly acknowledged, even reaching out to hold his little granddaughter.

He had not expected this little granddaughter to catch the Emperor’s eye.

He Ying handed the child over to him and summoned Sang Jue.

“Now, can you speak?”

His voice was calm, indifferent, devoid of any emotion.

No one had ever dared challenge his patience like this.

He thought if Sang Jue continued to delay, he would simply execute them all.

Luckily, Sang Jue wisely spoke, “There’s turmoil in the north, the south is just a diversion, and the west is blocked by mountain ranges, making travel difficult. Only the east remains, with its proximity to the sea and its chaos, a haven for all kinds of people, making it the best place to hide. Hence, I deduce he would head to the eastern Quanzhou.”

“Merely a deduction?”

He Ying frowned and said displeasedly, “I want a definite result.”

Sang Jue said, “There is no certainty. From the beginning to the end, I have had no dealings or plans with Jiang Ke. It’s just…. when I discovered what he intended to do, I didn’t stop him. Instead… I even gave him a little help, taking care of those Hidden Guards.”

At the time, he didn’t think Jiang Ke could succeed.

But Jiang Ke was very lucky and truly pulled it off.

Hearing Sang Jue admit to his actions, He Ying, enraged, kicked him in the shoulder and shouted, “You better pray that your deduction holds water!”

What if Quanzhou turned up empty?

How would he ever find her in this vast world?

*

Quanzhou

Overnight, the entire city was under martial law.

Quanzhou’s Governor, Gao Wenliang, personally led his troops, joining the search party.

“Check the household registers, everyone who has moved into Quanzhou in the past half month, regardless of age or sex, must be verified.”

“Yes.”

“Every household, inn, and rental property must be searched.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers responded in unison, their voices exceptionally loud.

Gao Wenliang sat atop his mighty horse, looking pleased with the situation, and then with a downward gesture of his hand, the soldiers quickly split into several groups, torches in hand, flowing into Quanzhou’s streets like rivers of fire.

“Bang bang bang—”

They knocked on doors, rapidly and urgently.

As soon as the door opened, they charged in, clutching household records and portraits of Sang Yan, comparing and verifying.

*

Sang Yan was sleeping.

So was Jiang Ke.

They lay entwined in sleep, like a loving couple.

Until their door was abruptly knocked upon.

Jiang Ke awoke with a start, his eyes full of vigilance, and sat up instantly, reaching for his sword.

“Who is it?”

He gripped the sword tightly, ready to strike to kill.

“It’s me.”

Tan Yunjian’s voice came from outside.

Jiang Ke sighed in relief and lit a candle, “Come in.”

Upon entering, Tan Yunjian said with a stern face, “Pack up and leave quickly. The Emperor’s men have found this place.”

“What?”

Jiang Ke’s eyes filled with disbelief, “How is that possible? So suddenly? You couldn’t have—”

He suspected Tan Yunjian, and his sword immediately lunged at his heart.

Tan Yunjian dodged swiftly, cursing in fury, “Jiang Ke, has your brain been chewed by a dog? If I had leaked the secret, they would have caught you by now! Or even earlier, when you went to kill that merchant, I could have sent her back to the Imperial City.”

Jiang Ke: “…”

His reasoning was sound.

He was confused by his own concern.

“Ah… sorry, it was a reflex—”

“You’re an idiot!”

Tan Yunjian’s heart was “wounded” by him, and any intention to help dissipated.

“I was up on the roof of Bright Moon Tower drinking when I saw Gao Wenliang leading the troops, searching throughout the city. I came out of kindness to warn you, yet you don’t recognize good intentions. Ungrateful cur! You’re on your own!”

With that, he left.

Jiang Ke hastily grabbed him, smiling ingratiatingly, “Brother Tan, no, Brother Tan, do me a favor—”

Before he finished speaking, a “bang bang” knocking sound came from downstairs.

Accompanied by the words,

“Open up, it’s a routine inspection!”