Manbao imdiately grabbed the dicine box and got off the carriage, saying to Director Xiao, "Director Xiao, I’ll go with them first, so I won’t return to the Imperial Hospital."
Director Xiao glanced at the ti; it was already afternoon, and there wasn’t much for the next morning shift, so he nodded in agreent.
Manbao took over his horse from another guard, mounted it, and left.
Doctor Xiao glanced at the guard left behind and beckoned, "Let’s go, I’ll give you a ride."
"Thank you, sir."
Manbao galloped towards the Tang Family. Fortunately, there was another city gate in the eastern suburbs to enter from, leading directly into the inner city. It was just four blocks away.
Upon reaching the Tang Family, the servants who were waiting imdiately took the horse from her. A mama who was serving in Madam Tang’s room was waiting there specifically. As soon as Manbao got off the horse, she greeted her, "Miss Man, our Madam has already started labor."
Manbao followed her with the dicine box, asking, "Nothing unusual, right?"
The mama replied, "Everything is fine, it’s just twelve days earlier than you estimated. Our Madam feels a bit uneasy."
Manbao comforted, "She’s carrying twins, so it’s normal for it to be a bit early."
The mama also had so experience in this area and knew early on that their Madam was pregnant with twins, so the family had made a particular effort to understand it.
But when it cos to the mont, they’re still a bit anxious. After all, even a single birth is difficult, let alone twins?
Arriving at the courtyard, Tang He was already waiting. Seeing her, he imdiately approached, "You’re here?"
Manbao nodded and asked the mama to fetch hot water for her to wash her hands before asking Tang He, "Senior Brother Tang, aren’t you going to the office?"
"I took a leave." In fact, it was absenteeism, but since he’s the county magistrate, who would report him for skipping half a day’s work? He could just say he ca ho to find so docunts and no one could say he was wrong, right?
Manbao washed her hands before entering to see Madam Tang, who was already sweating profusely and biting tightly on a piece of cloth to stay silent. Seeing Zhou Man faintly, her eyes brightened slightly.
The midwife was already familiar with Zhou Man, as she often ca to check on Madam Tang during this ti. Moreover, this Imperial Doctor Zhou was quite famous in the capital’s midwifery circle, having successfully delivered two critical pregnant won at a young age, with one even needing a C-section.
So the midwife imdiately made room for her to see, saying, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, Madam is dizzy and can’t muster any strength."
Manbao first checked the birthing situation, then felt her pulse, and asked, "How long has she been in labor?"
One midwife checked the hourglass and said, "It’s been three quarters of an hour."
Not too long and not too short. This is her second child, so the delivery should be quicker.
Manbao gently asked Madam Tang, "Do you feel short of breath, scholarly sister-in-law?"
Madam Tang also knew her condition was not right. While taking deep breaths, she said, "I don’t know why, but I’ve been a bit dizzy these past two days. Just now, when the amniotic fluid flowed down, I didn’t have any strength at all."
Manbao reassured, "It’s okay, I’ll give you a few needles, and after drinking a bowl of dicine, you’ll be fine. Rest now and save your strength. There’s still enough amniotic fluid, so the child won’t be in trouble for now."
Saying so, she turned to write a prescription. Handing it to a maid, she said, "Make it quickly, it has to be soon."
The maid, hearing this, dared not delay, took the prescription, and ran out.
Manbao then opened the needle kit and started to give Madam Tang acupuncture. After a short ti, she seed to regain so energy and found her breathing much easier.
Manbao observed her complexion, felt her pulse again, and then continued to insert more needles, targeting her head this ti.
The two midwives were dumbfounded, wondering how it related to giving birth, as she was needling the head instead of the belly?
Manbao inserted six needles into her head, and seeing that she seed to have fallen into a light sleep, she then went to check her belly and quietly communicated with the midwives, "I feel the baby’s position hasn’t changed."
"Yes, the exercises you taught Madam to do have helped keep the baby’s position correct."
Manbao nodded with satisfaction and applied more needles to make the baby more comfortable inside, thus giving Madam Tang more ti.
The room quieted down, and after waiting for about two more quarters of an hour, Manbao removed the needles. When Madam Tang, who had briefly napped, reopened her eyes, she was much more energetic. The maid also brought the ergency decoction, now at a perfect temperature after being cooled with cold water.
They handed it to Madam Tang to drink.
Once the dicine was consud, Manbao glanced down at her belly, "I’ll give you a massage, and when you feel stronger, listen to the midwife and push."
Madam Tang nodded.
Manbao then massaged her swollen belly. Perhaps because Zhou Man had removed the needles or due to the dicine, the previously inactive belly began to stir again. Madam Tang felt intense pain, but she knew this was actually a good sign, indicating the baby was healthy.
Manbao massaged several tis until Madam Tang couldn’t help but cry out in pain. She imdiately gave way to one of the midwives, who after checking the cervix said, "Good, Madam, take a deep breath, hold it, hold it, good, push downward, push downward..."
Madam Tang gritted her teeth and pushed. The midwife cheerfully exclaid, "Yes, you’re using the right strength, keep going, congratulations Madam, you now have the strength, a few more pushes and the baby will be out..."
Manbao continued to massage her belly, occasionally giving a push to assist the baby. With two midwives guiding, the first child was born soon.
The midwife carefully caught the baby, cut the umbilical cord, handed it to another midwife, and then continued to check the belly...
Manbao also felt the belly and said to the sowhat dazed Madam Tang, "There’s one more; we can take a short break."
She then removed the needles and applied a few more, giving the pale-faced Madam Tang so more vigor. The midwife was astonished. If they had such skills, how many more lives could be saved during childbirth?
Half of the deaths in childbirth were due to abnormal fetal positions, and the other half were due to a lack of strength.
Madam Tang was dizzy from the start of labor, clearly belonging to the latter. They hadn’t held much hope initially.
This ti, Manbao only needled for about a quarter of an hour, then whispered to Madam Tang, "Adjust your breathing slowly, then follow the midwife’s instructions."
The midwives snapped back to reality—the first child was out, and the second shouldn’t be left inside too long, or it might suffocate.
Madam Tang nodded, took so deep breaths, and followed the midwives’ instructions.
Manbao massaged her again. After a while, the belly finally showed so activity—aided by the birth of the first, the second child ca out easily.
The mont the child was born, the midwife was startled. She glanced at Zhou Man.
Zhou Man also saw the child; he was very small, only slightly larger than the midwife’s palm.
She frowned, took the child from her hands, cleaned his mouth and nose, felt his chest for the faint heartbeats, nodded slightly, and whispered, "You take care of Madam first."
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