Just like a fierce beast that had just given birth, that look in her eyes made Madam Li tremble visibly.

Gu Youyou, with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, handed the child to Madam Li, yet she was resolute in her decision.

If they dared to harm her child, she would risk her life to perish together with them.

The room, seemingly cozy with its scenes, was pervaded by an intense smell of gunpowder.

The Empress took the child and furrowed her brows.

The other child had clear features and one could discern its appearance, but why was this one all wrinkled? Why were its eyes tightly shut?

Comparing the two children side by side, they didn’t look like twins at all.

This made her somewhat anxious. Could it really be that Gu Youyou gave birth to this child?

But how could it be such a coincidence? Two people giving birth at the same time.

Moreover, before coming in, her informers had already told her that yesterday Gu Youyou had hurried into this courtyard with Xiang Chun and Searcy and hadn’t come out since.

Although they couldn’t enter this courtyard, they could hear sporadic screams of a woman from inside, sounding like childbirth.

And the lights in this courtyard hadn’t been turned off all night.

The Empress had someone call in a maid of Gu Youyou and asked, "Was the noise you heard last night from the Crown Prince’s wife?"

That maid glanced at Gu Youyou, then quickly lowered her head, saying, "No... it wasn’t."

Since that was the case, she felt reassured.

Perhaps it’s twins where one resembles the father and the other the mother. This wrinkled one must be the younger; bullied by that fair and tender one to the extent that it couldn’t even open its eyes.

Of course, indeed, some newborns do not open their eyes.

Everyone still didn’t grasp what the Empress was up to.

But seeing that the Empress had no intention of harming the children, they gradually felt relieved.

Whatever you decide as an adult is fine, just don’t entertain thoughts of harming the children.

Moments later, the Empress suddenly stood up and walked towards Gu Youyou, looking down at her with an intensely excited, almost terrifying expression.

Everyone’s gaze followed the Empress to Gu Youyou, and just then, Searcy suddenly burst into action, stabbing two needles into two palace maidens watching her.

Both maidens immediately collapsed to the ground.

Then she took the opportunity to run outside, not leaving the courtyard because she saw the guards stationed at the courtyard’s gate weren’t from the Crown Prince Residence.

All of this occurred in the blink of an eye, and seeing the two maidens down, the Empress was profoundly shocked, momentarily forgetting how to speak.

By the time she came to her senses, Searcy was already gone.

Searcy didn’t run through the courtyard’s gate but instead turned and ran to the back of the house, where a peach tree grew against the courtyard wall. The tree’s branches were widespread and numerous, well-spaced and at a good height, which she used to climb over the wall.

The Empress was alarmed and shouted, "Catch her!"

The guards outside rushed into the courtyard, and following the direction the Empress pointed, they quickly pursued.

The Empress’s face turned ashen, under her watchful eye the only person who could escape was Searcy.

Madam Li whispered in her ear, "That woman is the poison doctor."

The Empress’s chest heaved violently, looking at the two maidens lying on the ground, her eyes devoid of any emotion.

These maidens were her close attendants, and now their life and death were uncertain, yet she didn’t care about their welfare.

Gu Youyou’s heart raced, Searcy had escaped, and she wondered if she could make it out.

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