Chapter 22: Ancient Midwifery

"You want me to kneel?"

A Yue laughed heartily and said proudly, "You female don't have that ability."

"You'll find out soon enough—A Yue, will you kneel?"

A Yue didn't believe Nan Qinghuan could do that; seeing everyone watching her, she didn't want to lose face, "Fine, if I can save the mother and child I'll kneel; if you can't cure them, you can wait for death."

After saying that, A Yue went in first, and Nan Qinghuan followed right behind her. Inside, the Cave was filled with gusts of cold wind, and on the stones the round‑bellied pregnant women were wailing in pain.

She saw several pregnant women with swollen bellies.

Beside the pregnant women were several other women who seemed to be midwives; when they saw A Yue arrive, they immediately stood up. "Shamaness, you're finally here. They still can't give birth. We've prayed to the fetal deity and fed them the birthing herb, but…"

A Yue glanced at Nan Qinghuan. "No need. There's a Shaman Healer here who's formidable. Nan Qinghuan, you go."

Nan Qinghuan gave A Yue a cold stare. This woman had tried to kill herself over Ying's matter, but now she wouldn't even save her own people; instead she wanted to watch these women die with a detached eye and then take the Plague God's reputation for herself.

She will not get her way.

She's not a good person either, but now is not the time for a grudge; she must save people.

"She—she's not Ying's female, how could she manage it?"

A female wildling was very disappointed in Nan Qinghuan, "Why did the Shamaness bring a White‑skinned Female?" Nan Qinghuan gave no further explanation, and immediately went to a birthing woman's side. The woman was about a dozen years old, her belly as big as a ball, wrapped in Beast Skin, and the stone beneath her was already stained red with fresh blood.

It was heartbreaking to watch.

"Sister Qinghuan…"

Axi looked at her anxiously, "What should we do?" Nan Qinghuan was unhurried, then went to check the other two pregnant women and found their conditions were the same.

"Axi, go fetch boiling water; have everyone else leave."

She was about to start the delivery; A Yue, seeing her put on a show, said, "I want to see what you can do; everyone stay out and wait."

After the crowd left, Nan Qinghuan got to work. The pregnant women couldn't deliver because of malpositioned fetuses, and these wildlings knew nothing about childbirth, so many were dying.

Soon, Axi brought the boiling water. "Qinghuan, the hot water you wanted has arrived."

She hurriedly began preparing; there were no scissors or similar tools, but she had secretly hidden a Fruit Knife on her person, which would have to do.

She placed the Fruit Knife over the fire to sterilize it; the conditions were crude, but there was no other way, so she made do.

Once ready, she asked hurriedly, "Axi, what is the birthing medicine you mentioned?"

Axi stepped forward, "Qinghuan, it's the birthing herb; eating it makes the child be born."

"Show me."

Seeing the so‑called birthing herb, she was so angry she almost vomited blood. "Isn't this just what modern people call mint leaf? This can induce birth? Good grief, it's treating lives as if they were weeds!"

"It hurts, it hurts me to death."

The pregnant woman wailed miserably, and she was also frantic, "Don't rush, one at a time."

She had performed deliveries before, but delivering three in one go was something she truly hadn't tried.

"Don't be anxious, I will help you."

She went to a pregnant woman's side and examined her lower body, finding that the cervix was already ten centimeters dilated, allowing a natural delivery. She breathed a sigh of relief; fortunately they were strong, otherwise they'd have died long ago.

This pregnant woman was fully capable of delivering herself. She whispered softly, "Don't shout uselessly; follow my instructions. I'll tell you when to inhale and exhale; do as I say, I'll help you, okay?"