Draft

____

When Su Jingyang heard that the matter wasn't trivial, he stood up after Rong Ci. Rong Ci was still hesitating whether to say something to him, Su Jingyang waved his hand: "Go, go, business matters, I'll be fine."

Rong Ci held his hand tightly, after squeezing it hard, he turned around and walked away. After leaving, he took two days to come back

In the two days that he was absent, Su Jingyang climbed up and looked around, he found that the lavender mist of Wuqun Mountain seemed to have gotten thinner. He couldn't help frowning.

To be honest, although Su Jingyang could understand the existence of Wuqun Mountain, he had never understood what mysterious substance its so-called energy was, where it came from, and how it functioned. But it was indeed a miraculous existence, intimately related to the rise and fall of Rongcheng.

Before, Rong Ci would go up the mountain every now and then depending on the situation to maintain the stability of the mountain.

Su Jingyang couldn't help thinking, was it because their time away was too long, so something went wrong?

Unexpectedly, after Rong Ci denied this after he came back, "No, Wuqun Mountain will fluctuate greatly every twenty years or so. This time it did this a bit earlier than I expected."

Su Jingyang asked curiously: "Is this fluctuation good or bad?"

"It may be good, it may be bad, or it may change something or not." Rong Ci said more bluntly. "The energy of the mountain neither increased nor decreased, that fact that it roughly remained the same is because of good fortune. But before... it was reduced every three times only to revitalized at the fourth."

Su Jingyang caught the rare trace of worry in his tone and comforted him: "Maybe, this fourth time for you?"

"Well, maybe."

Su Jingyang lay sideways in his arms and turned to look at him. "Why do I feel that you, the City Lord, isn't much better than the Emperor."

Rong Ci's mouth curled up, he lowered his gaze to look at him, "Are you distressed?"

Su Jingyang thought he hadn't heard, turning his head back to remember something and then saying: "By the way, during the two days you were away, I heard that Mrs Ru was hawking everywhere again, saying that there had been all kinds of ominous signs since you became the City Lord. She had been working hard to devalue you overtly and secretly, say, what kind of plan does this woman have? Even if you aren't a good City Lord as she says, Rong Xia still wouldn't be able to become the new City Lord... then why is she so persistent? Is she trying to kill her child?"

It stood to reason that it shouldn't be. Su Jingyang thinks Madam Ru just has a very flawed plan.

"She has a simple brain. She probably believed some rumours and was blinded." Rong Ci paused, then said: "Rong Xia's conscience is clearer than her's."

Su Jingyang also agreed with this. Although that kid Rong Xia had a gloomy and violent personality, he was very attached and respectful to Rong Ci. It seemed that he hasn't been successfully brainwashed by Mrs Ru.

"I don't know why, but I feel like she knows that the child in my stomach isn't yours. A woman's intuition is really terrible."

Su Jingyang muttered this sentence, feeling Rong Ci hug him tighter. Su Jingyang felt a little uncomfortable in his arms, moving his shoulders to let him loosen his hold. Rong Ci immediately relaxed his grip a little.

After a moment of silence, Rong Ci suddenly asked tentatively: "Jingyang... what would you do if you found out that someone had been hiding something important from you?"

"Is it important? It depends on who's hiding it from me. If it's Ah-Li, then he must have troubles. If it's you..." Su Jingyang's tone suddenly became gloomy: "I'll blast off your dog's head first, then make you talk!"

Rong Ci: "...Go to sleep, it's already late."

Su Jingyang hissed after realizing it, "Why are you suddenly asking about this now?¹ Is it you? Do you have something to hide from me?"

Rong Ci pulled Su Jingyang's head, which was about to turn around, back. He said without a hint of suspicion: "Didn't you just say that you were sleepy? Go to sleep."

As a result, Su Jingyang was still awake half an hour later.

His throat moved, and he swallowed his saliva a few more times. He couldn't help but faintly whisper, "Rong Ci, I suddenly want to drink porridge."

Rong Ci just got a little sleepy and immediately opened his eyes, "Hungry? I'll have someone prepare some for you. What kind of porridge do you want to eat? Sweet or salty?"

But Su Jingyang said: "I want to eat the porridge served in the town, the kind of white porridge cooked in a big pot. I really want to eat... "

"......"

Su Jingyang felt a little nervous, he couldn't sleep at all after thinking about that porridge all night! In his mind was the bowl of porridge that got from Ling Li's borrowed bowl when he first came to this world. Although he just poured it directly into his stomach at that time and didn't taste anything, he would trade his heart and lungs to eat it now. And it couldn't be cooked in other pots, he wanted it cooked in that exact same pot.

He thought and thought about it with his heart all flustered! He didn't wait for a moment longer, after getting up the next day, he pulled Rong Ci with him and left the city.

When they finally arrived in town, they found that they were still an hour too early, the porridge shed hadn't been set up yet. Su Jingyang felt inexplicably disappointed, "Forget it, let's come back later."

Seeing him all wilted, Rong Ci couldn't help but snort. He turned his head and ordered a few words to Yun Qi behind him, he then took Su Jingyang to eat something else to cushion his stomach.

Unexpectedly, by coincidence, they ran to Liang Lu in the streets.

"Oh, you are..." Liang Lu was still garbed in rich brocade clothes, with a folding fan in hand, looking refreshingly handsome. He first looked at Su Jingyang, who had a big belly, and then at Rong Ci. He suddenly understood almost immediately, and said with a smile: "Congratulations to both of you."

Rong Ci put his arms around Su Jingyang's waist and nodded slightly, "Thank you."

Su Jingyang hadn't seen Liang Lu for a long time. He invited him for breakfast, but Liang Lu led them to where Lin Ji small pavilion originally was.

Su Jingyang looked at the newly renovated two-story building in front of him, suddenly feeling a little dazed. At that time, after Lin Ji small pavilion was burned and received compensation, the land was lent to Liang Lu for assistance in selling it for a low price. It didn't take long for someone to buy it, and the price wasn't too low. Su Jingyang didn't pay attention to any news of it after that, so he was completely caught by surprise seeing a restaurant here now, and especially one whose sign spelt out 'Liang Ji''.²

Su Jingyang and Rongc C followed him inside, and asked Liang Lu in surprise, "Master Liang, so it was you bought this place back then?"

Liang Lu turned his face and smiled at him, leading them to find a place to sit down. "Isn't it? I saw that your restaurant's business was doing well, I'm very greedy, so I borrowed your reputation."

Liang Lu's young servant couldn't help but mutter behind them, "It was sold at a low price at the beginning, but after it was burned, it was still bought back. Master, you really..."

Liang Lu gave him a fierce look and he shut up hurriedly.

But Su Jingyang had already heard it. He couldn't believe it, was this building originally from Liang Lu?! Seeing his shocked appearance, Rong Ci pursed his lips without making a sound.

Liang Lu sent them to a large table to entertain them. Su Jingyang was still troubled, and toasted Liang Lu with tea instead of wine, thanking him from the bottom of his heart: "Master Liang, thank you for taking care of us this whole time."

He might be suffering now if Liang Lu hadn't lent him a helping hand back then. Su Jingyang had deep gratitude and was extremely sincere.

"Come on, don't be so polite towards me." Liang Lu took a sip of tea, looked back and forth between Su Jingyang and Rong Ci, shook his fan, and smiled: "Oh, yes, I wonder if the two of you are interested in attending my wedding banquet?"

Su Jingyang was surprised for a moment and laughed happily, "Are you going to get married? When?"

Liang Lu smiled and said, "In good time, the banquet will be five days later."

Rong Ci and Su Jingyang raised their glasses at the same time. They congratulate him and then attended his wedding banquet after a few days.

On that day, Rong Ci asked Yun Qi to go back and get the reason for their trip. They were very enthusiastic and prepared a large bowl of porridge for Su Jingyang in advance, packing it in a food box. Yun Qi silently left three hundred taels, the banknote was used as financial aid. When the people inside that found the banknote was still at a loss over such a large sum of money, they found that they couldn't return it anymore because the man had already disappeared.

Although Su Jingyang had eaten breakfast, he managed to clean up the large bowl of porridge Yun Qi brought over. Rong Ci took the opportunity to go over and taste it. After a careful taste, he found that there was nothing special in it, but Su Jingyang himself looked extremely satisfied. He was squinting his eyes and looked very obedient.

Su Jingyang vaguely despised himself in his current state, but was also a little nervous, and thought that this was probably also because of his changes during pregnancy.

But when he came back from Liang Lu's wedding banquet, he realized that his previous morning sickness, fetal movements, fast heartbeat, late-night episodes, sudden insomnias, and anxiety weren't worth mentioning at all.

Later, after recalling what happened back then, it was truly a period of time so depressing that he didn't want to live anymore.

He started to have back pain without warning. Although sitting still made it a little better, but as soon as he lay down, he would feel the pain instantly spread to his entire back. Every single nerve seemed to be bitten or crushed. The pain was so heartbreaking he couldn't do without vomiting at least several times.

But Li Yin couldn't do anything about it. He only said that it was caused by the positioning of the child, and that it would be healed after the child was born. However, there were still at least two more months before it was born.

Su Jingyang never really thought he'd ever be afraid of going to bed, when it was night, he didn't dare to lie down at all. Whenever he lay down, he would feel pain throughout his body, it was so painful that he'd convulse. He didn't even want to get close to the bed. Rong Ci would put his arms around him to make him sleep, but he still couldn't sleep, counting the time with his eyes open, waiting for the night to leave.

Sometimes he would stare at the dimly lit bedside, feeling that there was a monster there that would drain his blood and swallow him whole.

He wasn't resting well, in the end, he even started to have back pain while sitting. Su Jingyang only felt like a black shadow was engulfing his heart. In front of sharp things, he, who was scared before, suddenly began having an extremely strong impulse. He wanted to use this thing to slice his stomach open and take out the child inside, so that he wouldn't have to suffer this kind of torture any longer!

But afterwards, his face would pale because of the fright at his own thoughts.

Su Jingyang began to notice that Rong Ci would use softer and softer tones to talk to him. Every night when he opened his eyes and refused to sleep, he would stay with him the whole time to kiss him, comfort him, and talk to him periodically. He talked about things from his childhood or some strange magical things he had heard. Sometimes, he would whisper in his ears and said sorry to him.

All the sharp things in the main hall were taken away. Attendants stared at his every move every day. Every time Ling Li brought Ah-Xuan to see him with him, he would always appear a little cautious, nervous, and accommodating. Rong Hua also often came to see him and try to make him happy.

Being treated like this made Su Jingyang became more upset and flustered, as if everyone was trying to prove that he had become a little abnormal.

A slow and difficult month passed by. He was originally a bright and lively person, but because of this period of time, he was exhausted so that he couldn't even sleep normally. His whole person was haggard, his cheeks were painfully thin, and his eyes were missing their lustre. Only his belly continued to grow with vitality, as if it wanted to break off his body.

Su Jingyang sometimes didn't say a word all day, his eyes were filled with haze. All the negative energy that had been compressed in his heart finally exploded. What did he do and why did he encounter this?!

He was supposed to sit in an office from nine to five on the weekdays and spend some leisure time on the weekends. He would find someone he liked and fall in love once he's older.

However, he was now pregnant with two children whose father is unknown, suffering from inhumane torture!!

Why all this?!

Just because of a sentence.

Su Jingyang stood gloomily by the window blankly, he now understood why Lu Qian choose to jump at that time. The urge to die was a very sudden thought, one that's very simple. It's just that some people can carry it through, and some can't resist it.

That night, Su Jingyang couldn't help but doze in Rong Ci's arms for about an hour. When he woke up, he found that Rong Ci looked dazed and in deep thought, but he didn't sleep.

Su Jingyang raised his hand to touch his face, his voice was a little weak, but he still persuaded him: "You can lie down and sleep, I'll just sit for a while."

In the past month, only when he was lying in Rong Ci's arms did he feel not as lonely and miserable. He was even a little obsessed with this warm embrace, but Su Jingyang knew that he was also very tired during this time and wanted him to rest for a while. Rong Ci didn't agree and continued to hug him, sighing softly, "I can't replace your pain, but I can still suffer with you."

Su Jingyang's felt extremely uncomfortable, frowning while closing his eyes. He felt that it would be laborious to say even one more word, so he stopped persuading him.

In a daze, it seemed as if he heard Rong Ci apologize to him again. What he was sorry for, Su Jingyang's head was too dizzy to know, and he didn't have any energy to figure it out.

When Su Jingyang woke up the next day, he moved slowly in the room like a pale ghost, only to find a note left by Rong Ci on the table, saying that he would go to Wuqun Mountain and telling him that Ling Li would come to sleep with him.

But Rong Ci left and didn't return for five days.

Su Jingyang remembered what Rong Ci had said before and began to feel uneasy. A fluctuation every twenty years wouldn't cause any major problems.

Ling Li had learned something from Rong Hua before and comforted Su Jingyang, saying that this time the situation was special and that it might take a little longer.

But less than an hour after he finished speaking, they suddenly felt a violent shake from the sky and earth. Ling Li and the attendants next to him all came forward to help support the weak Su Jingyang, but within five breaths the earthquake suddenly disappeared.

The person Su Jingyang sent to Wuqun Mountain to inquire about news hadn't returned yet. After experiencing the strange earthquake, he felt as if his eyelids were jumping more and more, and the bad premonition in his heart became stronger and stronger.

The last person Su Jingyang expected to get news from was Rong Xia. He was running over, tears falling down his face, he pulled at Su Jingyang's sleeves and cried: "The Grand Wizard and the elders guarding the mountain have fainted, gushing out blood from their seven orifices. My brother's still n the mountain, his life or death is unknown. Go and save my brother! Go!!!!"

Su Jingyang only felt that his mind get filled with white noise, he didn't have time to think about anything. He immediately ordered Yun Qi to prepare a carriage, Yun Qi was extremely afraid of any accidents and didn't dare to agree, "Madame, the City Lord said that you can't go there..."

Su Jingyang glanced at him coldly, "I won't repeat myself for the third time; go!"

Yun Qi's heart trembled. After a moment of silence, he turned around to prepare.

Ling Li was desperate and wanted to go with Su Jingyang, but he was stopped by Su Jingyang. The situation there was unknown, and Su Jingyang was afraid that it would be dangerous for him to go.

"Ah-Li you stay at home, we'll be back soon."

"——Jingyang!!!" Ling Li watched the carriage gradually leave, he held his head with both hands, only feeling that breathing had become more difficult than ever. His expression completely collapsed, Su Jingyang was currently eight months in, coupled with the fact that he had been recently unwell, how would he be able to stand such a long ride! Ling Li stood frozen for a while, he seemed to have suddenly thought of something and turned around to run towards Li Yin's residence.

There was a small shorter road leading to Wuqun Mountain, but because it was too bumpy, Yun Qi still chose to take the wider road, which would inevitably take more time.

When they reached the foot of Wuqun Mountain, Su Jingyang got out of the carriage and broke away from Yun Qi's hold. He hurriedly moved forward, he looked around but still didn't find Rong Hua, the Grand Wizard, or the other elders. He didn't know if they were taken away for healing.

After a while, Su Jingyang heard Yun Qi calling him anxiously from behind, his voice seemed to be getting farther and farther away. Only then did he react. When he turned around, he found that Yun Qi and several other guards had lagged at some point. They were standing next to a stone stele with a huge red seal and had stopped walking.

Su Jingyang was still wondering why they were so far away, when Yun Qi, who was all sweaty and anxious, hurriedly shouted after seeing that he finally looked back: "Madame, please come back soon! Even if you can get in, you can't climb the mountain, it's far too dangerous! Please come back!"

Su Jingyang's face was pale. He stood still, his wide sleeves were being blown, moving like a sharp sword. Yun Qi was right. He had difficulty even walking normally now, how could he climb a mountain to find someone.

Besides, Yun Qi said before that this mountain was open only to those with Rong blood, he wouldn't be able to go up at all.

But can't he only wait under the mountain?

Su Jingyang only felt a violent twitch in his abdomen. He bowed uncomfortably and said to Yun Qi with difficulty: "Yun Qi, come and help me... I can't walk anymore."

Yun Qi was stunned and anxiously said: "I'm sorry Madame, I- I really can't. You're already standing inside Wuqun Mountain's forbidden ground. You'll be fine with the blood of the City Lord, but we don't have the blood of the Rong family. In the best case, we'll bleed from all seven orifices, in the worst case our insides will burn up. In the past, we were too weak and couldn't even go near..."