Chapter 524 - 302: How Would You Know If It’s Dangerous or Not?

Chapter 524: Chapter 302: How Would You Know If It’s Dangerous or Not?

It was the first time Xiangxue and the others had witnessed such a scene, and they had no experience whatsoever. It was Nanny Yu who remained steady. She rushed in as soon as she got the news, looked at them, and asked, "How is Her Ladyship now?"

Xiangxue’s face was pale. She had been on night watch, and upon hearing Nanny Yu’s question, she immediately nodded. "Her Ladyship said her stomach is hurting."

Upon hearing this, Nanny Yu rushed into the bedchamber. Seeing her mistress’s deathly pale face covered in beads of sweat, she immediately ordered, "Get the delivery room ready."

Xiangxue acknowledged the order and ran out. Half a month prior, Nanny Yu had already led them in preparing the delivery room, cleaning it spotless inside and out. Now, all they had to do was move the bedding and other necessities over.

"Go summon an Imperial Physician."

Shizhu turned and ordered a little palace maid to head for the Imperial Hospital.

"Have the midwives come and wait."

Nanny Yu calmly gave one order after another. A wave of contractions passed, and Song Yunzhao caught her breath. Wiping away her sweat with a towel, she slowly calmed down, just in time to hear Nanny Yu ask, "My Lady, when did the pain start?"

"Just a short while ago. As soon as I felt the pain, you all woke up," Song Yunzhao said slowly. Then, looking up at Nanny Yu, she added, "Don’t make a big commotion. Do your best not to alarm those at Shouci Palace."

Nanny Yu nodded gravely. "I understand. We’ll delay for as long as we can."

Song Yunzhao inclined her head, then looked at Nanny Yu and gave her a grave instruction, "You must stay in the delivery room and keep watch. Don’t move a single step. I can’t trust anyone else. Nanny, the lives of my child and I are in your hands."

’Of the several midwives the Emperor selected, she had screened them multiple times and finally settled on one with the surname Fan. Nanny Fan’s ancestors had been in this line of work, and her family had served in this role in the palace for generations. Their family’s affairs were completely transparent, which also made them easier to control.’

’Even if someone wanted to bribe Nanny Fan, she would have to consider the lives of her entire family. A person like that was not easily bought.’

’Besides Nanny Fan, there was also Nanny Qiao. Nanny Qiao’s background wasn’t as solid as Nanny Fan’s, but she was more docile than the others who had been screened out.’

Because the delivery room was within Wangyou Palace, Meng Jiuchang had been ordered to build a small, temporary kitchen on-site. The kitchen was now being put to use. Anshun led his men in washing pots and boiling water. The clay stove was lit, with a copper pot set on top to heat.

The midwives had already arrived. Since the due date was near, the two of them had been staying in the rear hall of Wangyou Palace and rushed over as soon as they heard the commotion.

Nanny Qiao wanted Song Zhaoyi to go directly into the delivery room, but Nanny Fan disagreed. The contractions had only just begun, and it was still far too early for the birth. It would be best for her to walk around more.

Having no experience, Song Yunzhao didn’t know whom to listen to, so she looked to Nanny Yu. Nanny Yu simply supported her mistress as they began to walk slowly around the hall.

Seeing this, Nanny Qiao pursed her lips but said nothing. Nanny Fan observed carefully from the side, and the hall fell quiet.

The pain of contractions truly came in waves. When it subsided, she felt as if she could lift a giant boulder with her bare hands. But when it returned, all she could think was why the little ancestor in her belly wouldn’t just come out already. Every moment felt like an eternity.

She endured the pain from midnight until dawn, suffering through countless contractions. At last, Song Yunzhao entered the delivery room. Before following her in, Nanny Yu glanced out and saw Anshun guarding the entrance and Zhang Maoquan standing under the corridor eaves. Her heart settled slightly. Xiangxue and the other maids stood by, holding basins of hot water, towels, and other supplies.

Song Yunzhao bit down on a piece of soft wood. The two midwives gently pressed on her abdomen, and Nanny Qiao was heard saying, "We still need to wait a bit longer."

Nanny Fan agreed, then looked at Song Yunzhao and said, "My Lady, when we tell you to push, you must push with all your might. You absolutely cannot hold back. If this drags on, you’ll lose your strength, and we fear you won’t have the energy to deliver the baby later."

With the lives of both mother and child at stake, Song Yunzhao nodded without the slightest hesitation.

Just then, a commotion was heard outside. Nanny Yu lifted the curtain to peek out, then came back and whispered, "The Imperial Physician and the Medical Woman are here. Should we let the Medical Woman in?"

Song Yunzhao nodded. ’This Imperial Physician and Medical Woman had cared for her throughout her entire pregnancy. Furthermore, they were appointed by Feng Yi himself. With the weight of their entire families on their shoulders, they wouldn’t dare try anything sinister.’

The Medical Woman entered swiftly, carrying a small case. After scanning the room, she went directly to the head of the bed. She took out a towel to wipe Song Yunzhao’s sweat, adjusted Yun Zhao’s grip on the cloth strips she was holding, and whispered instructions in her ear on how to push.

As the sun rose higher, the frequency of Yun Zhao’s contractions quickened. Nanny Yu brought in a bowl of eggs in sweet soup, but Song Yunzhao had no appetite. Still, to replenish her strength, she forced herself to eat all of it.

Although they had done their best to keep things quiet in Wangyou Palace, the more time that passed, the higher the chances of being discovered grew.

Even though the pain was so intense it made her question life itself, Song Yunzhao kept track of the time. She sent Xiangxue to invite Consort Shu to come and oversee things.

Xiangxue left quickly, but unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager from Shouci Palace arrived even faster.

Inside the delivery room, Song Yunzhao listened to the commotion outside, her expression darkening. ’So the Empress Dowager is hale and hearty this time,’ she thought sarcastically, ’no longer suffering from dizziness or blurred vision.’

Upon entering Wangyou Palace, the Empress Dowager immediately began to reprimand the staff. "How dare you conceal a matter as important as Song Zhaoyi giving birth? If anything were to happen to her or the child in her womb, not a single one of you would escape punishment."

Anshun and the others knelt but did not admit to any wrongdoing. Zhang Maoquan, however, seeing the Empress Dowager’s aggressive entrance, immediately sent a little eunuch to the front of the palace to summon Meng Jiuchang.

At a time like this, although Zhang Maoquan felt a pang of jealousy, who could he blame? The Emperor himself had entrusted the Token to Meng Jiuchang.

Just then, Zhang Maoquan stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager," he said, "before His Majesty the Emperor left the capital, he instructed that your health is of the utmost importance and that you should not be disturbed for any minor affair. Song Zhaoyi’s labor is proceeding smoothly, so we did not dare to trouble you."

The Empress Dowager glared at Zhang Maoquan with displeasure. ’Is he using the Emperor to pressure me?’

But the Emperor wasn’t in the capital, so the Empress Dowager was unafraid. She stared at Zhang Maoquan and retorted, "For a woman, giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. How would a eunuch like you know if it’s dangerous or not?"

At the Empress Dowager’s words, the hall fell instantly silent.

Zhang Maoquan’s expression didn’t falter in the slightest. He simply grinned and said, "The Empress Dowager is right, of course. Although I don’t understand these things, we have an Imperial Physician in attendance, which is why I feel somewhat at ease."

The Empress Dowager was stunned that Zhang Maoquan would dare to talk back with such veiled insolence, and her face darkened further. She turned directly to Nanny Yao and commanded, "Go to the delivery room and see how Song Zhaoyi is faring. If they need help, lend a hand. After all, she carries my first imperial grandson. We cannot afford any carelessness."

Nanny Yao immediately complied, turning to head for the delivery room.

A glint flashed in Zhang Maoquan’s eyes as he instantly moved to block Nanny Yao’s path. "With Nanny Yu, the Medical Woman, two midwives, and several Palace Attendants like Xiangxue already serving inside," he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "there’s no need to trouble Nanny Yao. Besides, the Empress Dowager cannot be left unattended."