"Not yet. I heard they will reach the outskirts today and enter the city the day after tomorrow!" Nanny Cen helped the Grand Dowager up the steps. The Grand Dowager paused her steps upon hearing this. She had been recuperating since yesterday and had just taken her dicine; she was unaware of the happenings in court, so she couldn’t help but express her displeasure: "Go, inform Fourth Master to return. Xiqiu must be feeling uncertain about her first childbirth; having him here would surely calm her nerves."
Nanny Cen hesitated and then recounted the matter of the Emperor’s decree, sowhat uneasily saying, "I thought carefully, perhaps we could secretly send a ssage, but I don’t know if Fourth Master could find a way to return."
The Grand Dowager mused for a mont, then nodded and said, "Have Tiancheng make a trip to the governnt office and let the Marquis submit a morial to the palace!"
Nanny Cen listened and then laughed, nodding in agreent.
The Grand Dowager stepped inside the room and saw Xiqiu lying there with her eyes closed, Ruan Jingliu sitting beside her, while Bihuai and Biwu, the two young maids, were quietly preparing items needed for the delivery. It was very quiet and orderly. The Grand Dowager nodded approvingly and gave Xiqiu an appreciative look.
Ruan Jingliu stood up upon seeing the Grand Dowager, who gestured with her hand, saying, "Sit down, you’ll be busy later."
Ruan Jingliu nodded and sat back down beside the bed. The Grand Dowager sat by the bed watching Xiqiu, whose thin face was scrunched up. As if hearing so sound, her large almond-shaped eyes opened wide, and she imdiately smiled, "Mother, why are you here? Are you feeling better?"
"I ca after taking so dicine. How could I stay at ho while you’re having a baby?" She said as she tucked Xiqiu in with a smile, "It’s quite the right ti to give birth. The weather is gradually warming up without being too hot, and by next year, the child can wear light clothes while learning to walk, which will be very convenient..."
Xiqiu nodded at her words, and the Grand Dowager held Xiqiu’s hand comfortingly, "When the labor pains start, don’t panic, just follow the midwife’s instructions, take it one step at a ti... I’ll be outside!"
"I understand, Mother." Xiqiu nodded, "Please go sit next door, don’t tire yourself out."
The Grand Dowager nodded, and Nanny Tang ca over with a smile, looking at Xiqiu, "Our lady cannot co over..."
"I know." Xiqiu smiled and nodded, understanding the First Madam’s intention, "Nanny Tang, accompany Mother to rest next door. We don’t know when the baby will co, and it’s not right for everyone to wait here all night."
Bihuai and Biwu helped the Grand Dowager, and along with Nanny Tang, they all left the room to rest in the next room.
The two midwives ca after having their al and touched Xiqiu’s belly. Nanny Cai shook her head and said, "It seems we have to wait a little longer!" Xiqiu frowned and looked at Ruan Jingliu, "Why don’t I walk around the room a bit? It might help with the delivery."
Ruan Jingliu found it reasonable and ca up to support Xiqiu. However, the two midwives were quite alard, "Madam, you can’t do this, you’re about to give birth. The baby might get stuck in the womb and not co down. What if walking injures the baby?"
They ant that the baby had likely descended and was stuck near the pelvis. Walking and moving her legs could easily injure the baby. Xiqiu didn’t argue with them and waved her hand, "I know what I’m doing." Then she let Ruan Jingliu support her as she walked back and forth slowly in the room.
The two midwives watched as sweat densely ford on their foreheads.
After walking for a while, the labor pains started again. Xiqiu couldn’t bear it and lay back down, repeating this until evening without any further progress.
In the room, Xiqiu heard Min and Xing talking. She looked outside but didn’t see Min rushing in. Ruan Jingliu wiped her sweat and comforted her, "The Grand Dowager is here; she’ll take care of them."
Xiqiu agreed. At this ti, Madam Jiang and Tong Xiyan arrived. Madam Jiang burst in after lifting the curtain, leaving Tong Xiyan outside. She rushed in and asked, "I heard you only saw the red and there’s no other movent yet, right?"
"Yes, saw the red this morning, but I don’t know when it’ll co. So people see the red for three to five days without any signs of labor, so have movent soon after the red... it’s different for everyone."
Madam Jiang consoled Xiqiu, "You should eat more. I was like this last ti, tense and in pain with a long labor, no mood to eat, but during delivery, I didn’t have the strength, and I don’t know how uncomfortable it was." After Madam Jiang spoke, Chunliu laughed and added, "Madam ate three to five als, each ti twice or thrice as much as usual."
Madam Jiang laughed upon hearing this and brushed Xiqiu’s loose hair behind her ear, "You’re still smart!" Xiqiu also laughed and asked, "Is Fourth Sister outside?"
"Yes, I told her not to co in." Madam Jiang said, her eyes flickering. Tong Xiyan’s identity was sowhat... Xiqiu’s eyes moved slightly, looking at Madam Jiang, "There aren’t so many rules; you kept her outside. She must be very anxious by now."
No sooner had Xiqiu spoken, when the curtain was lifted and Tong Xiyan indeed strode in, eyes fixed on Xiqiu, asking, "Are you all right? Any signs yet?"
After a while of laughter and chatter with Xiqiu, the tense atmosphere eased a little. Madam Jiang and Tong Xiyan, hearing that the Grand Dowager was here, rose to greet her.
In the room, only Xiqiu and Ruan Jingliu were left. Ruan Jingliu frowned and said, "Did the Great Governor ntion when he can return?"
"I don’t know." Xiqiu shook her head, "They say he’s camped outside the city waiting to see the Emperor, maybe in three days."
Ruan Jingliu’s eyes shifted, then she took Xiqiu’s pulse, saying, "Send soone to the outskirts to inform him, or submit a request to the palace to have him summoned. There are so many soldiers; it can’t rely on him alone!"
Things are not as they were before; they still couldn’t figure out the Emperor’s true intentions, so Fourth Master Xiao being cautious in court was better.
Seeing Xiqiu not speaking, Ruan Jingliu glared at her but said no more...
The two children fell asleep, and the Grand Dowager turned to speak with Nanny Tang, "While it’s not past curfew yet, go ho and put Yuzhen at ease, so she won’t worry."
Nanny Tang agreed, and carrying a lantern, she left the room.
The entire courtyard was quiet. Suddenly, there was a sharp scream from the other room. The Grand Dowager jumped up from the rose bed and said to Ziwei, "Go and see if there’s any activity."
"Yes!" Ziwei went out, and returned soon after, reporting, "They say the water broke, and labor has started?"
With experience, the Grand Dowager frowned and exchanged a look with Madam Jiang...
Tong Xiyan didn’t understand and asked, "What’s wrong?"
anwhile, contractions ca over Xiqiu in waves. She held Ruan Jingliu’s hand and looked at the midwives, asking, "Are you sure it’s the water breaking?"
"Yes!" At this mont, the midwives didn’t have ti to doubt Xiqiu’s familiarity with obstetric terms, only feeling strange that although this was her first birth, she seed to know everything.
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