The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 223

Out of breath, the young eunuch, Song Dezhong, recounted everything that had happened.

Han Bo was so shocked that he dropped the teacup he was holding.

“Is this the Princess?”

Han Bo looked at the child in the basket that Song Dezhong was carrying.

The child’s entire body was blue.

Song Dezhong nodded. “She is the Empress’s only bloodline. We may not be able to avenge the Empress, but we must raise the Princess.”

Han Bo nodded firmly.

He and Song Dezhong were both orphans whom the Empress had rescued from a pile of refugees.

To them, the Empress was like a second parent.

Her kindness was greater than the sky!

As they spoke, there was a sudden pounding on the door outside.

“Open up! Open up!”

Song Dezhong was startled. He grabbed the basket and ran to the woodshed.

Han Bo saw him hide, then went to open the door, calling out, “Coming, coming!”

The main door creaked open, and Han Bo looked nervously at the people outside.

“Officers, it’s the middle of the night…”

“Shut up and move!” One of the soldiers shoved Han Bo aside and barged in.

They searched the house but found nothing. The leader asked, “Have you seen anyone with a newborn baby? The child’s entire body is blue.”

Han Bo looked shocked and shook his head. “No, officer, I haven’t. Why is there a blue baby? Poisoned?”

The leader snapped, “Don’t ask so many questions. If you see them, report to the prefecture. There’s a reward of a hundred taels of silver! Even clues will be rewarded!”

Han Bo quickly responded, “Yes, yes, of course.”

The soldiers left and went to knock on the neighboring doors.

Once they left the street, Song Dezhong came out of the woodshed with the baby.

He had been scared out of his wits.

This was a newborn baby.

If she had cried even once, they would have been done for!

Thankfully, the Princess was truly a royal.

She opened her dark eyes and didn’t make a sound.

After Han Bo brought them back inside, the baby only whimpered softly like a kitten, a very low sound.

“Is she hungry?”

“Probably. She hasn’t had a drop of milk since she was born.” Song Dezhong cradled the baby, gently rocking her.

The child was so well-behaved. After two soft cries, she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Song Dezhong’s arms.

Tearing up, Song Dezhong said to Han Bo, “Let’s make some rice soup.”

“Alright.”

They started cooking. Strangely enough, the baby slept the entire time they prepared the rice soup.

As soon as the soup was ready, she woke up.

It was as if she could sense it.

The two men clumsily fed the newborn rice soup.

It took them nearly half an hour.

The little Princess seemed to have had her fill or perhaps felt sorry for the two men. She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Song Dezhong and Han Bo collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

“What should we do?” Han Bo asked, looking at Song Dezhong. “They will definitely keep searching. I can’t hide a child here.”

Song Dezhong nodded. “We have to leave the capital, head south, far away from here.”

“How? The searches are so strict.”

Song Dezhong looked sorrowfully at the sleeping child.

They might be able to slip through, but the child was too noticeable.

Her blue skin would attract too much attention.

The city gates would be tightly guarded.

“Is there any secret passage leading out of the city?”

Han Bo shook his head. “I’ve never heard the Empress mention any.”

Song Dezhong sighed.

“But if we don’t leave, what will happen to the Princess? She can’t survive without milk!”

The two men lay there, wracking their brains.

How could they get out?

After a sleepless night of thinking, just before dawn, Song Dezhong suddenly sat up.

“The Great Buddha Temple!”

Han Bo was startled awake and looked at him.

“The Great Buddha Temple?”

“Venerable Master Hongzhu of the Great Buddha Temple is an old friend of the Empress. Go find him and see if he can help us get the Princess out.”

Han Bo immediately asked, “What if the Master…”

Song Dezhong interrupted him.

“We have no other choice. If we wait, it’s certain death. The Empress always said that only by taking risks can there be hope. We have to try. Go!”

Convinced, Han Bo slapped the bed. “Alright, I’ll go!”

He got up and went out the door.

The little Princess slept soundly through the night. When Song Dezhong had the rice soup ready again, she woke up.

With tears in his eyes, Song Dezhong touched the Princess’s face. “Your Highness, I’m sorry for making you suffer.”

The Princess seemed to understand, looking at Song Dezhong with her dark eyes, her little hand moving slightly.

Song Dezhong’s tears fell uncontrollably.

“I’ll feed you rice soup for now, Your Highness. Bear with it. When we get to the south, we’ll find you a wet nurse.”

Song Dezhong carefully fed the Princess spoonful by spoonful. She opened her tiny mouth and drank, not crying once.

After finishing, she looked at Song Dezhong for a while and then closed her eyes to sleep again.

It was as if she knew she needed to conserve her strength for the days ahead when even rice soup might not be available.

Song Dezhong’s tears kept falling, unable to stop.

“Empress, Your Majesty, please protect the Princess from the afterlife.”

By mid-morning, Han Bo returned.

“How did it go?” Song Dezhong asked immediately.

Han Bo let out a breath. “Venerable Master Hongzhu agreed. We need to prepare and leave immediately.”

Song Dezhong quickly wrapped the Princess in a blanket and placed her in the basket.

He wasn’t very good at carrying a baby, so it was safer for her to stay in the basket.

“Your Highness, please be quiet and don’t cry.”

Song Dezhong prayed silently.

The Princess was exceptionally obedient. From start to finish, she didn’t make a sound, keeping her eyes closed and sleeping.

Han Bo watched from the side. “I…”

He started to say something but was choked with tears and turned away to gather all their valuable possessions.

Han Bo, though working for the Empress, lived simply.

His modest house hid valuable banknotes.

Thanks to his humble abode, the soldiers had not linked him to the Empress during their search.

With everything packed, Han Bo and Song Dezhong left with the basket.

A disciple of Venerable Master Hongzhu was waiting at the door.

“Leave it to me.”

The young monk took the basket and said quietly, “Meet at the inn ten miles outside the capital.”

The young monk carried the basket as if it were filled with vegetables.

Song Dezhong had indeed placed some greens on top.

Once the child was sent away, Song Dezhong and Han Bo felt like their souls had been drained. Their hearts were in a knot.

“Do you think…”

“No!”

Before Han Bo could finish, Song Dezhong interrupted firmly.

“Let’s get out of the city!”