“What’s this about? Rushing to be reborn?” the knocked-over palace maid muttered very quietly.
The eunuch quickly disappeared.
“What’s the rush?” Lai Xi stretched out his hand to stop him at the entrance.
The eunuch stopped, panting heavily: “Eunuch, news has come from the Eldest Princess’s residence—the Eldest Princess is dying!”
Lai Xi’s face showed alarm, and he hurriedly said: “Come with me!”
At this hour, the Empress Dowager was taking her afternoon nap, but she slept very restlessly. Hearing the commotion, she opened her eyes and asked in a hoarse voice: “Lai Xi, what’s all the noise outside?”
Lai Xi entered with the eunuch, bowing his head respectfully: “Empress Dowager, the Eldest Princess is in some danger.”
Empress Dowager Yang’s gaze darkened. After a long while, she asked: “What do the imperial physicians say?”
Ever since that bowl of medicinal soup, she could already feel the estrangement between herself and the Eldest Princess Changrong and her daughter. To say she regretted this action, she did not.
As a princess, one could be willful, and even privately keeping a male lover could be tolerated, but giving birth to a bastard child whose father’s identity was unknown—that left concrete evidence that would be recorded in the future. That would be a disgrace to the imperial family.
She only regretted that news of the Eldest Princess’s pregnancy had somehow spread until everyone knew, making it impossible to cover up.
In this matter, the Eldest Princess Changrong was dissatisfied with Empress Dowager Yang, and Empress Dowager Yang likewise harbored resentment toward the Eldest Princess Changrong.
But with things having come to this point, learning that the Eldest Princess Changrong was in mortal danger, Empress Dowager Yang still felt heartache after all. After listening to Lai Xi relay the imperial physicians’ words, she pondered for a moment and said: “Go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and convey my imperial decree, commanding Director Li and the others to go to the Eldest Princess Changrong’s residence and do everything possible to treat the Eldest Princess. Tell them the child is not important—what’s important is to try to save the adult…”
With Empress Dowager Yang’s imperial decree, most of the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau rushed to the Eldest Princess Changrong’s residence.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the Eldest Princess’s residence was particularly heavy. From time to time, one could see maids carrying basins and other items going in and out.
The imperial physicians couldn’t enter, so they could only keep questioning the midwife.
The midwife shook her head with a bitter expression: “This old woman doesn’t understand what the honored physicians are saying. The Eldest Princess has a breech presentation—the child can’t come out.”
Just as she was speaking, alarmed cries came from the delivery room: “This is bad—Her Highness is hemorrhaging severely—”
The imperial physicians looked at each other helplessly.
“Can you see anything by staring at each other?” Chi Can suddenly pounded the corridor pillar and said sternly: “The Empress Dowager asked you, imperial physicians, to come here to do everything possible to treat the Eldest Princess, not to stare at each other! At a time like this, what are you still being particular about? Why don’t you go in and stop the Eldest Princess’s bleeding!”
All the imperial physicians looked pitifully at Director Li.
Director Li hesitated for a moment, then picked up his medicine chest and entered the delivery room, thinking to himself that this was unlucky.
There was no precedent for men entering when women gave birth. Even for someone as noble as an Eldest Princess, this was still unlucky.
Chi Can stood in the corridor, his gaze fixed tightly on the doorway. From inside, apart from chaotic sounds, there wasn’t a single sound from the woman in labor, making one’s heart panic involuntarily.
After a while, Director Li hurriedly came out.
Chi Can moved and blocked his path: “How is she?”
Director Li’s expression was somewhat grim: “The bleeding has been temporarily stopped, but Her Highness now has very little strength left, and the child still won’t come out—”
Before he could finish his subsequent useless words, Chi Can rushed inside.
“Young Master, you can’t go in—” Female official Dong Yu tried to pull him back but failed, sighed, and followed him in.
Seeing the usually noble and elegant Eldest Princess Changrong lying disheveled on the birthing bed, like meat on a chopping block awaiting slaughter, Chi Can felt his heart block up. He opened his mouth and uttered two words: “Mother—”
The person on the bed with tightly closed eyes moved her eyelids slightly, slowly opened them, and looked at Chi Can with powerless eyes, but could no longer speak.
A stream of clear tears flowed down from the corner of the Eldest Princess Changrong’s eyes, sliding across her pale cheek.
Chi Can suddenly turned and ran out.
The Eldest Princess Changrong’s eyelashes trembled, and she closed her eyes again.
Shouting voices rang in her ears: “Your Highness, you can’t sleep! You still need to push!”
The Eldest Princess Changrong only felt her consciousness drifting, gradually unable to hear anything.
Chi Can rode his horse at a gallop, rushing to the Marquis Guanjun’s residence. Without bothering to dismount, he charged straight in.
“Shixi?” Shao Mingyuan, who had heard the report, hurried over.
“Where’s Li San?” Chi Can asked urgently.
“She just woke up—”
Chi Can rushed inward: “I need to find her—”
Shao Mingyuan grabbed Chi Can’s wrist, saying helplessly, “She’s coming.”
Chi Can’s handsome face was contorted, his hands trembling constantly.
“Her Highness’s condition is not good?”
“Mm.” At this time, Chi Can had no mind for elaboration, single-mindedly hoping for Qiao Zhao’s figure to appear.
Fortunately, Qiao Zhao soon emerged, carrying a small, delicate box in her hand.
“Li San, my mother is dying—please save her.” Chi Can stepped forward, his expression urgent, completely lacking his usual languid appearance.
“Shixi, don’t be anxious. I’ll take Zhaozhao there on horseback.” Shao Mingyuan patted Chi Can’s shoulder, took the reins that Chen Guang handed over, and mounted the horse with Qiao Zhao in his arms.
The three rode swiftly to the Eldest Princess’s residence.
Chi Can led the two to the courtyard where the Eldest Princess Changrong was prepared to give birth. As soon as they entered, they heard earth-shaking wailing.
“Your Highness, Your Highness, you must hold on—”
“Everyone, get out of the way!” Chi Can pushed aside the people blocking the doorway and pulled Qiao Zhao inside.
Qiao Zhao set down her box and quickly walked to the bedside to examine the situation. While cleaning her hands, she said: “Brother Chi, leave one person Her Highness trusts who dares to help me. Everyone else, get out.”
“Aunt Dong Yu, you stay. Everyone else, get out!”
“Young Master, this—” The midwife and maids looked at each other uncertainly.
“Get out!”
Chi Can drove everyone out and gently closed the door.
“Open the box and take out the gauze and strong liquor.” Qiao Zhao quickly unfastened the Eldest Princess Changrong’s clothing and gave instructions.
Female official Dong Yu hurriedly handed over the items.
Qiao Zhao soaked the gauze in strong liquor and wiped it across the Eldest Princess Changrong’s exposed belly, calling out: “The second knife from the left.”
After waiting a moment with no response, Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but glance at Dong Yu and urged with increased emphasis: “The second knife from the left!”
Dong Yu handed over the knife, staring fixedly at Qiao Zhao.
Qiao Zhao hadn’t expected that the knowledge she had just learned from Physician Li would be put to use so quickly. She took a deep breath and aimed the knife tip at the Eldest Princess Changrong’s belly.
“What are you doing?” Dong Yu shouted sternly and grabbed Qiao Zhao’s wrist.
“Brother Chi—” Qiao Zhao didn’t argue with Dong Yu but called out loudly.
With the Eldest Princess Changrong in mortal danger and both mother and child dying being a matter of moments, she naturally had no time to argue with anyone.
Hearing Qiao Zhao’s call, Chi Can burst in directly.
“Make her leave—you come!”
“Aunt Dong Yu, please go out.”
“Young Master, this won’t do—she means to harm Her Highness—”
Chi Can directly push Dong Yu out and slam the door shut with a bang.
“Brother Chi, immediately clean your hands with strong liquor, then assist me. Whatever I need, you must hand it to me without hesitation. Can you do this?”
“I can. Tell me what to do.”