Once out of the courtyard and onto the long covered walkway, Hua Zhi asked quietly, “Tell me.”

Shao Yao tugged at her own braid and did not conceal the truth. “The Old Madam is simply old. A person has their three souls and seven spirits, but in old age one has difficulty holding them steady — which is why a single thunderclap could shake her to such a degree. Yet to be honest, when I took her pulse I sensed that she has released something within herself. With slow and careful tending, there may yet be some improvement.”

This was entirely beyond what Hua Zhi had hoped to hear. Even her eyes brightened. “Truly?”

“That was my feeling when I took her pulse just now. I will go again tomorrow to be certain. Once the ailment of the heart is eased, everything else tends to follow.”

“It would truly be a blessing if she has found some peace of mind.”

They passed through the moon gate, and the atmosphere on this side was noticeably livelier.

The other three daughters-in-law of the Hua Family had all gathered at the Fourth Mistress’s courtyard. Zhu Shi was calling out encouragingly, “Save your strength — this is your second, and the second always comes faster. I had them prepare noodles for you downstairs. Eat up, then give one good push and it will be over.”

Hua Zhi rarely saw her mother carry herself with such an air of a proper senior daughter-in-law. With one thing piling on top of another all day, the tightly wound string inside her chest eased just the slightest bit in this moment.

Second Mistress Qi Shi was the first to notice her. “Zhi’er has arrived.”

Zhu Shi and Xia Shi both looked over at the same time.

Hua Zhi came forward and greeted all three. Zhu Shi, who doted on her daughter, caught her before she could complete the bow. “Were you not up front teaching? An unmarried young woman coming here serves no purpose.”

The words were spoken without any particular intent, but Qi Shi and Xia Shi both wore somewhat uncomfortable expressions — it sounded rather as though the eldest sister-in-law was deliberately showing off her daughter’s ability to serve as a teacher in front of them.

“How is the Fourth Aunt?”

“This is her second — by the timing, the birth is less than twenty days early. The child has grown well, so there should be no complications.”

Hua Zhi gave a small nod, then turned and took Shao Yao’s hand. “Let us go in and see the Fourth Aunt.”

“No.” Zhu Shi caught Hua Zhi at once. “What would an unmarried girl be doing in a delivery room? Do you still intend to find a husband or not?”

“Mother — I am going.” Shao Yao was equally unmarried. There was no reason to let Shao Yao enter while she herself stayed outside over such scruples.

“It is all right, Huahua — I will go by myself.” Shao Yao gave her hand a gentle squeeze, thinking to herself that it hardly mattered, since no one wanted her anyway.

Hua Zhi did not reply. She simply disengaged her hand from her mother’s with quiet resolve. “Mother, I need to go.”

Zhu Shi bit her lip. Though her face was still full of disapproval, she made no further attempt to stop her. She thought back to what her own mother had said on her last visit. Yes — she could not stand in her daughter’s way. Her daughter was so much more capable than she was; she must not hold her back. Just as her mother had told her — even if she did not understand, even if she could not see the reason, it did not matter. Whatever her daughter needed to do, her support was what mattered.

Seeing this, Qi Shi and Xia Shi quickly gave the eldest sister-in-law a nudge. Xia Shi pressed urgently, “That filthy place of a delivery room — how can we allow an unmarried girl to walk in there? If word gets out, will any of the Hua Family’s young women still be fit to marry?”

Never mind Hua Zhi — they had daughters of their own to think about!

Zhu Shi’s resolve began to waver, and she opened her mouth to speak. But Hua Zhi had already stopped and turned back around. “If a family cannot even accept this much, would you truly want your daughter marrying into it? Do not push my mother. In the end she will listen to me.”

Qi Shi and Xia Shi were struck speechless by the sheer matter-of-factness of her words. Since when did a mother have to listen to her own daughter? Only someone as soft-natured as the eldest sister-in-law could be managed this way — if it were their daughters trying this, they would never stand for it.

“The noodles are here.”

Hua Zhi glanced at the maid carrying the bowl, then said, “Ying Chun, stay here and look after my mother.”

“Yes.”

Zhu Shi wanted to say she needed no looking after, but when she caught sight of the displeased faces of her two sisters-in-law, she swallowed the words back down. She was very much afraid of quarreling with people and saw no real point in it — backing down a step never hurt anyone — but since her daughter had seen fit to protect her, she would accept it gratefully. She was genuinely glad for it.

The door stood half open. The smell of blood reached them before they entered. Hua Zhi paused at the threshold, took several breaths to adjust, and then went in.

Wu Shi had a smooth round piece of wood clenched between her teeth — the pain was clearly severe. The hair at her temples was soaked through with sweat.

Seeing Hua Zhi enter, everyone in the room went still with surprise. Wu Shi took the wood from her mouth and scolded her. “What are you doing here? Can you lend me your strength and birth this child for me? Get out.”

Hua Zhi drew Shao Yao forward. “Go and have a look.”

Shao Yao dutifully settled herself on the edge of the bed and took Wu Shi’s wrist to read her pulse.

Wu Shi was momentarily stunned, and then the panic that had been building inside her — from going into labor ahead of time — suddenly and inexplicably settled. The separation between men and women was a strict one: even when the Hua Family had been at its height, a physician would only be called to take a daily reassurance pulse before the delivery itself. During the actual birth, no physician would enter the delivery room, and none would be willing to do so. Women in labor walked to the gates of death alone.

Thanks to Zhi’er, she had received a level of care that even the consorts in the imperial palace might envy.

“The pulse is sound.”

Hua Zhi looked toward the midwife. “Is the baby’s position correct?”

The midwife had been making her rounds to noble households for years, and had delivered several of the Hua Family’s young masters and young ladies. She had crossed paths with the eldest young miss before, but on this visit to the household she had only just come to learn that Hua Zhi was actually the one managing the entire family. And the Hua Family was far from the struggling household outsiders described — from where she stood, the inner courtyard looked much the same as it always had.

She admired the Hua Family’s eldest young miss greatly, and answered her with proper respect. “Yes. The position is correct at present.”

Hua Zhi gestured for the maids to support the Fourth Aunt into a sitting position, then took the bowl of noodles herself and sat down on the edge of the bed to feed her, her expression perfectly composed — as though she were anywhere but a delivery room that was supposedly off-limits to unmarried young women. “You heard her — the pulse is sound and the baby’s position is correct. There is nothing wrong. All you need to do is put your strength into bringing this child into the world. He is in a hurry to come and see it.”

Wu Shi’s eyes grew hot. She ate in large mouthfuls, broth and noodles together, finishing the entire bowl without leaving a drop. “Now get out of here — your Fourth Aunt owes you a debt of gratitude.”

Hua Zhi did not linger. She led Shao Yao outside.

Zhu Shi hurried forward at once. “How is she? Is your Fourth Aunt all right?”

“She is fine. Where is Nanny Lin?”

“You said to keep everyone confined, so I had her stay in my room to keep watch.”

“On that note,” Xia Shi interjected, “Zhi’er — it is only the Fourth Sister-in-law going into labor. Was all of that really necessary? Surely you do not suspect us of plotting something?”

Chun Xiang had likely been too agitated when she came — she had announced her news rather loudly, and both classes in the clan school had probably overheard. Fortunately, she had only mentioned that the Old Madam had been given a fright and had not said anything about her having fainted. Hua Zhi had no intention of concealing it either — if anything, she was prepared to be quite forthcoming. “Both Grandmother and the Fourth Aunt were frightened by the thunder, and I worried that unrest might follow, so I confined everyone as a precaution. I was unclear in my explanation, and I am sorry for the alarm this caused the mistresses.”

The Old Madam had been frightened? The several daughters-in-law exchanged startled glances. How had they not received even a word of this?

“I have already taken Shao Yao to see Grandmother — she is all right. Since Grandmother does not wish to make a fuss of things, please act as though you know nothing.”

Zhu Shi hesitated. “But we already know — how can we pretend otherwise?”

“When I left, Grandmother had just lain down to rest. Going over there now will only disturb her.” Hua Zhi settled the matter decisively. “Mother — send someone to find Nanny Lin and have her go in to help the Fourth Aunt.”

“Yes, all right.”