Chapter 125: Difficult Labor

"I have never encountered such a situation before. Second Miss, what should we do? Oh, what are we to do!"

Mother Huang was struck with terror at the scene. Because the Eldest Young Mistress had been in labor for so long, they had been forced to take matters into their own hands. But now, with complications arising, no one dared to take another step, for a human life hung in the balance.

Xu Ruojin was well aware of the urgency of the situation, but now that she was caught in it, what could she do? Li Qiuping had already exhausted her strength; even if they tried to force food into her mouth, she could no longer even let out a sound.

"No matter what, we must save the Eldest Sister-in-law first. If the baby still cannot be delivered, she will be in grave danger."

Xu Ruojin’s words left Mother Huang stunned. "Then... what about the little master?"

"It would be best if both could be saved, but if one must be chosen, it must be the mother."

"No!" Li Qiuping suddenly wailed, "The child—choose the child! I would rather die than not give birth!"

"Have you lost your mind?" Xu Ruojin was shocked, unable to believe her ears. "Do you really not care about your own life?"

"What life? I only want my child, I want my child!" By the end of her cry, Li Qiuping nearly lost consciousness.

Xu Ruojin stood frozen, not knowing what to say. Mother Huang stamped her feet in anxiety. "Second Miss, please, you must make a decision!"

"Save the mother, we must save her life!" Xu Ruojin made a firm decision. Li Qiuping was delirious and could not be trusted to make this choice. Besides, compared to a mother’s life, was a child truly worth so much? Xu Ruojin could not comprehend the courage behind Li Qiuping’s decision, for she was not a mother herself. But she knew this: if the mother lived, there might be more children in the future, but if only the child remained and the mother perished, then everything would be lost.

Li Qiuping no longer had the strength to cry out. Just then, sounds erupted from the courtyard. Chuncao opened the door to find several experienced midwives arriving. Seeing the scene inside, they were initially startled, but then they pushed Xu Ruojin aside. "Second Miss, we have it from here. It is not appropriate for you to be here. Please leave."

"Can both be saved?" Xu Ruojin asked anxiously.

"We will do our best."

"If you can only save one, you must save the Eldest Sister-in-law..."

"Rest assured and wait outside."

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut.

***

Xu Ruojin had barely wiped her hands clean when she was pushed out. Chuncao quickly brought her water to wash her hands and face. Just then, Hongxing came running from outside. Seeing Xu Ruojin there, she let out a long breath of relief. "It was pure chaos out there. The Master, upon hearing the news, sent for these midwives to step in, but it’s been nearly impossible to find a doctor or a proper midwife."

"Why has it taken so long?" Xu Ruojin felt as though time had slowed to a crawl.

Hongxing curled her lip and whispered in Xu Ruojin’s ear, "You have no idea—it’s been a total bloodbath over at Concubine Liu’s courtyard."

"And now?" Xu Ruojin started to ask, but quickly waved her hand. "Forget it, don't say any more. Let’s just wait for news about the Eldest Sister-in-law."

Listening to the cries from the room and the clamor of the midwives, Hongxing looked at the Second Miss’s weary face and couldn't help but complain, "Only you have such a kind heart. If it were anyone else, who would bother? After the way they plotted against you, they’d all be wishing you dead."

Xu Ruojin gradually calmed herself. "I am not doing this for her, but for myself."

"For yourself?"

"Yes." Xu Ruojin patted her chest. "If I didn't help, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Hongxing pressed her lips together and said nothing more; she knew she couldn't win an argument with the Second Miss, so she simply stayed to wait with her.

Concubine Liu had been helped away by her maids to rest until a doctor could be summoned. As for Madam Yang, after being struck and attempting to throw herself against a wall in despair, Xu Yaohui had ordered the maids to take her back to the main courtyard, where he locked the doors to speak with her privately.

"Ever since I married into the Xu family, what have I done wrong? When you brought that wretched girl home, I tolerated it. But now, even a concubine dares to speak ill of me behind my back. As the mistress of this house, do I have any dignity left? Do I have any face at all?" Madam Yang sobbed until her face was drenched in tears. Her pitiful appearance softened Xu Yaohui’s anger slightly.

"Your recent behavior has been a disgrace to the Xu family, and yet you still feel aggrieved?" Xu Yaohui snorted coldly. "I warned you long ago not to interfere in Ruojin’s marriage, and yet what did you do? You kept scheming and caused so many troubles. You are the reason for today’s results—what is there left to cry about? And Young Master Yan—to have him see you berating Ruojin so recklessly, do you know what kind of condemnation I will face?"

Xu Yaohui sighed coldly. "And before I could even deal with these matters, you started this scene. Are you trying to tear the Xu family apart?"

Madam Yang was stunned. "I only wanted what was best for the Xu family!"

"If you wanted what was best, why did you refuse to listen to my arrangements and insist on acting clever? Eh?"

Xu Yaohui’s icy gaze made Madam Yang tremble. "I... I was afraid that once she married, she would no longer care for the family. Who could have known they had so many tricks up their sleeves..."

"Enough!" Xu Yaohui looked at her. "From today on, you will stay in your courtyard and reflect. Do not concern yourself with Ruojin’s affairs again; I will handle them personally."

Madam Yang’s heart turned cold. She stared blankly at Xu Yaohui. "Is that wretched girl more important to you than me?"

***

"I—" Before Xu Yaohui could finish, Mother Huang came running in. "Master, Madam, it is bad! The Eldest Young Mistress is having a difficult labor; we can only save one!"

Madam Yang immediately asked, "Is the baby born? Is it a grandson or a granddaughter?"

"It is a grandson."

"Need you ask? Of course, save the grandson!"

"But Second Miss, she ordered us to save the Eldest Young Mistress..."

"Don't listen to her! Save the grandson, you must save the child!"

Madam Yang’s shrill command frightened Mother Huang, but with no time to lose, she turned and raced back toward the first branch’s courtyard.

When Mother Huang returned, Xu Ruojin was still instructing the midwives to do everything to save Li Qiuping’s life.

"Second Miss, the Master and Madam will be here soon. You should wait outside." Mother Huang forcibly pulled Xu Ruojin away, closed the door, and relayed Madam Yang’s orders to the midwives.

The midwives immediately began their work.

Xu Ruojin, having been pushed aside and seeing Mother Huang’s furtive actions, felt a tightening in her chest, a chill creeping up her spine. She lunged back into the room. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the midwife, disregarding Li Qiuping’s safety, cut a wide incision to pull the child from the womb.

"Ah!" A piercing scream echoed!

"It’s born! The young grandson is here!"

"Eldest Sister-in-law!"

Xu Ruojin rushed to the bedside. A pale face, gray lips, and a face soaked in tears—if not for the slight movement of her fingers, she would have looked like a corpse.

"What are you waiting for? Save her!"

Xu Ruojin grabbed the midwife, but the woman was helpless. "The doctor hasn't arrived; there is no one here who can save the Eldest Young Mistress."

"So you are just going to let her die?"

Unable to bear the sight, Xu Ruojin took the hemostatic medicine from her kit and began applying it to Li Qiuping. But it was in vain.

The blood flowed faster, pouring out uncontrollably. No matter what Xu Ruojin did, she could not stop the hemorrhaging. Li Qiuping choked, and blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. She looked at the infant now wailing loudly and a brilliant smile broke across her face. Looking at Xu Ruojin, she moved her lips, unable to make a sound, but mouthed a few words: "I'm sorry... I... was... wrong..."

Slowly, she closed her eyes.

She passed away.