Chapter 146: Difficult Labor?

Xie Residence.

After sending away the wolf-like mother and son of the Song family, Madam Zhang finally let out a long breath.

She watched the smug look on Song Wenbo’s back as he left, and a cold glint flickered in her eyes… This matter could not be blamed on her.

Back then, Xie Yao had coldly watched as her daughter Jiao-jiao was humiliated by Song Wenbo. Now… hmph!

Madam Zhang snorted lightly, turned, and quickly walked deep into the main courtyard, entering the room where Xie Yujiao was resting during her pregnancy.

Xie Yujiao was lying on the bed, in very poor condition.

Her complexion was waxen yellow, her face swollen, her limbs thin as sticks, while only her belly jutted high, giving her a ghastly appearance.

The delicate, fragile beauty of the past was nowhere to be seen.

“Jiao-jiao.”

Madam Zhang’s heart ached terribly.

Even though she had discovered the medicine in Jiao-jiao’s tonic and promptly sought a doctor to protect her daughter and the child, it was already a bit too late.

She suspected that Song Wenbo had noticed her attempts to protect Jiao-jiao and the baby, and had secretly harmed her daughter in ways she did not know.

Jiao-jiao’s condition worsened with each passing day.

And since Song Wenbo’s earlier poisons had damaged her daughter’s health at its root, Madam Zhang had to use every possible means just to keep her alive.

Even with all the careful care, her state was still dire.

“Has husband left?”

Xie Yujiao raised a trembling hand to her cheek, eyes shifting toward the door but of course, she could not see anything.

Song Wenbo had long since gone.

At the mere mention of him, Madam Zhang wished she could hack that wretch to pieces right then and there.

If not for him, how could her beloved daughter have ended up like this?

Her heart seethed with hatred, but she did not show it on her face. Her voice was soft and gentle, “Son-in-law is favored by His Majesty. He originally insisted on seeing you, but an urgent matter arose, so he left.”

Xie Yujiao’s lips curved slightly, a faint blush spreading across her pale face, the look of happiness on her features, “Husband is just clingy like that.”

Madam Zhang lowered her gaze slightly.

“When I give birth and recover, I can soon see Husband again.” Xie Yujiao’s eyes shone with longing.

The past few months of her late pregnancy had been marred by drugging and her condition was extremely poor. She did not want her husband to see her so disgraceful, and so had agreed to remain in the Xie household.

Madam Zhang reached out to gently pat her daughter’s head, only murmuring perfunctorily in response.

As they spoke, Xie Yujiao suddenly felt a sharp pain in her belly. Her waxen face turned bloodless in an instant. “Mother, it hurts… so much, it hurts…”

Madam Zhang reacted immediately.

It was labor!

She shouted toward the door, and Momo Liu rushed in with the servants, the whole courtyard falling into a tense but orderly frenzy.

Madam Zhang sat at the bedside, tightly holding her daughter’s hand, speaking softly to comfort her: “Jiao-jiao, don’t be afraid. Mother is here.”

“Mother will stay with you the whole time.”

The waves of pain came violently, mercilessly.

Xie Yujiao wanted to die from the agony. She clutched Madam Zhang’s hand desperately, and at this moment, strangely enough, she did not ask for Song Wenbo.

Instead, she kept crying out, “Mother, it hurts, it hurts so much… Mother…”

Over and over, until Madam Zhang’s eyes were brimming with tears. Her heart broke completely, wishing she could take the pain in her daughter’s place.

The daughter she had treasured like a precious jewel since childhood, why did she have to endure such torment?

Besides Song Wenbo… there was also Xie Yao!

It should have been that little wretch suffering all of this!

The lamps in the main courtyard burned all through the night. Inside and outside the estate, chaos reigned. With such commotion, how could the news be kept secret…

Though Madam Zhang locked down the courtyard as tight as a drum, Xie Yujiao’s cries of pain could not be hidden. Word quickly spread.

Xie Yujiao had gone into labor.

This birth was extraordinarily difficult.

By the next morning, the entire room reeked thickly of blood.

Xie Yujiao had nearly lost all strength to scream.

Her whole body was drenched in sweat, her damp hair plastered to her face, her complexion deathly pale, lips cracked dry, eyes unfocused, breath faint like a thread…

Madam Zhang had been by her side all night as well. Her own eyes were swollen like walnuts, bloodshot from crying. She clutched her daughter’s hand and kept repeating in a hoarse whisper, “Mother’s here, Mother’s here…”

That night, Master Xie had only sent someone to ask once, then gave no further word. Song’s household never showed their faces either.

Madam Zhang turned to the midwife and physician. “No matter what, save the mother.”

She could tell…The situation was not looking good.

She quickly said to Momo Liu, “Go find Master, ask him to request the Imperial Physician immediately. Hurry!”

News of Xie Yujiao’s labor did not reach Xie Yao until the next morning.

“Your Highness, it is said that Second Young Lady went into labor last night,” reported Zhuqing.

Though she could not learn much from the main courtyard, the informants said Second Young Lady had screamed the entire night, her cries audible from far away.

It was chilling to imagine.

Especially since the Crown Princess herself was due any day now…

Seeing Zhuqing’s expression, Xie Yao asked, “What is it?”

Zhuqing carefully glanced at her, fearful of frightening her, and whispered, “It is said… it may be difficult labor.”

Xie Yao froze for a moment.

Then she asked, “I heard Physician Liu of the Imperial Medical Bureau is skilled in such cases. Has the Xie household requested him?”

After all, Song Wenbo was favored at court, and Xie Cheng was a senior minister. With both men petitioning His Majesty for such a matter of life and death, the emperor would not refuse.

Zhuqing’s voice lowered even more, “They have not.”

“This morning, someone from Madam Zhang’s side did go looking for Master Xie, but he had already gone to court.”

“And as for the Song family… they haven’t shown up at all.”

Disdain flickered across Zhuqing’s face.

Whether it was Song Wenbo or Master Xie, their behavior was truly disgusting.

—–

At the Xie Residence.

Just as Xie Yujiao’s face had turned paper-white, finally, Momo Liu’s voice rang outside: “Madam, the Imperial Physician is here!”

There was no time to care about anything else.

Madam Zhang hurriedly welcomed him in, begging the physician to apply his needles.

Truly, the skill of an Imperial Physician was unmatched!

After just a few needles, Xie Yujiao’s condition stabilized. Ginseng slices were placed in her mouth, and she endured until evening.

At last, good news came.

“She’s delivering! She’s delivering!”

“The head is out!”

“…”

Amid cries of joy, Xie Yujiao felt her body relax. Darkness closed in, and she fainted instantly.

Thus she did not notice, that although the child was delivered, the jubilant voices in the room suddenly stopped.

Silence fell like death.

Madam Zhang held the swaddled infant in her arms, her expression shifting rapidly, her face turning exceedingly ugly…

When Xie Yujiao awoke, it was already the next day.

“The child…”

Her very first words were to ask for her baby.

Madam Zhang had just come over after resting the night. At the question, she tried to soothe her, “Jiao-jiao, you have just given birth, your body is still frail. You must rest well.”

But Xie Yujiao would not listen. She demanded to see the child.

Madam Zhang had no choice.

She ordered Momo Liu to bring the baby forward.

The moment Xie Yujiao saw it, her vision went black. She nearly fainted on the spot. She threw the bundle away violently. “This….this is my child?”

“No… impossible!”

Her face twisted, voice hoarse and shrill. “This is not! This is absolutely not my child!”

“Jiao-jiao…” Madam Zhang quickly caught the bundle, her eyes full of pity as she looked at her daughter. “Do not worry. Aside from you and me, only Momo Liu knows of this matter.”

As for anyone else who might have known…

She would take care of them, one by one.

But Xie Yujiao kept shaking her head. “Mother, this isn’t my baby. There must have been a mistake…”

Her child should not be like this. She and her husband’s child should have been healthy, plump, outstanding in every way…

At that moment, Momo Liu’s voice came from outside, “Madam.”

“News has just arrived from the Crown Prince’s residence. The Crown Princess has gone into labor.”

After all, the Xie family was her maiden home. Such a momentous event had to be reported.

A vicious glint flashed in Madam Zhang’s eyes.

So she was giving birth too.

Her wretched mother had died not long after childbirth, her body damaged in delivery. Best if this little slut met the same fate.

Best if it were two lives lost at once…

Even as that thought passed through her mind, her sleeve was suddenly tugged tightly. She looked down with gentle eyes….

Only to meet Xie Yujiao’s gaze, obsessive and half-mad.

“Mother, help me.”