Chapter 360: Women Must Avoid Cold

Qiao Mai poured her a cup of tea, "Look, even I as a mother‑in‑law am not in a hurry, but you as a mother are getting anxious."

"Of course, you only have this one son; she ought to bear the responsibility of continuing your family line. Moreover, you treat her so well—better than I, as a birth mother, could—so it would be strange for me not to be anxious."

"Alright then, stop flattering me, have some tea!"

While the two were talking, a servant rushed over, followed by Mu Junzhu, who cradled a child in her arms; before the servant could report, she stormed in and knelt before Qiao Mai.

"Mother‑in‑law, please save Lin'er."

Qiao Mai saw at a glance the child's bluish‑purple face; this was a child she had delivered herself.

She hurriedly took the child in her arms and checked its pulse, "What's happening?"

"I don't know. He was fine, then suddenly this. The Yiguan said there's no hope, so I thought of you—please save the child."

Qiao Mai immediately used her spiritual power to examine the child; in such cases it's usually that the child has accidentally choked on something.

So she first inspected the child's trachea and lungs; indeed, something was lodged in the trachea, but fortunately not a complete blockage, otherwise the child would have died long ago.

"Yes, mother‑in‑law, hehe."

"Eat up!"

"The Princess's body is completely normal; I feel a slight slippery pulse, but I'm not certain yet."

Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow, "You can eat, Jia Mei cannot, it's too cold."

"Mother‑in‑law, I regret it; I really should have stopped him back then,"

"Wonderful, child, you're pregnant now; you can publicly spread your branches for your husband."

"Mother‑in‑law, that day when Mu Junzhu came, what was in the little box you gave her child to eat?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"A few bites should be fine, right?"

Then she turned the child over, slapped hard with her palm, and the object stuck in the trachea rushed out of the child's mouth.

"Take it if you want; it's a happy thing, this is a reward."

"Yes, perhaps the month is still early, so we can't be certain yet."

"Understood, mother‑in‑law."

Watching Qiao Mai's nervousness toward Jia Mei, the Emperor and Empress were both very pleased; the Empress suddenly recalled the food Qiao Mai conjured when Mu Junzhu arrived that day.

The Imperial Physician hurriedly gestured, joking, "The Emperor is present—what's the difference from taking a bribe?"

"Mother‑in‑law, this is delicious,"

"Don't overexert yourself?"

"Your humble servant has seen the Emperor, Empress."

"Mother‑in‑law, when you leave, let me take a few boxes, okay?"

"If anything feels off, send someone to tell me quickly; go to the Imperial Physician, or better yet, come to me for convenience."

"That one is fine."

"He has no common sense; some small bean‑type things must not be given to him."

"He really doesn't want anything to eat, huh,"

"Not at all tiring; the daughter‑in‑law quite enjoys this life."

Mu Junzhu clutched the child and began to cry; Qiao Mai waited until she had cried enough before speaking.

"She's pregnant, just one month along, still small, so it's understandable she can't deliver yet; thank the two Imperial Physicians for their hard work," Qiao Mai took two silver notes from her sleeve and handed them over.

The Emperor and Yuan Jiaqi stepped out of the room, idle, and the Emperor also intended to look at travel journals or similar scripts; Yuan Jiaqi took him to browse.

As soon as they left, the Emperor and Empress lost their composure, each grabbing Jia Mei's hand and laughing uproariously.

In that instant, the child wailed, breathing with all its might.

Qiao Mai tapped the table, "Jia Mei, extend your hand, mother will give it to you."

"Why? He should be grateful to you, right?"

"Are there really monsters in this world?"

"Yes, but they don't appear in the mundane world."

"My second brother is fine; it's just me, sigh~"

The Emperor and Empress rose with a sudden movement, startling the two old men.

Two men and three women sat in the shade of the courtyard, each guarding a box while eating.

"Avoid the cold; women are most averse to chill."

The little boy stopped crying, took it politely, and bowed to Qiao Mai, "Thank you,"

"Ha ha"

After dutifully completing the pulse check, he stared steadily at the two Imperial Physicians.

Qiao Mai invited Mu Junzhu to sit as well, "How have you and County Lady Xiao been lately?"

"I don't know; people say there's an underworld, but I've never seen it. You only know after you die and go there, but unfortunately Meng Po doesn't give a chance—a bowl of soup makes you forget everything."

"Sit down, what are you busy with?"

"Here, one box each; the box comes with a small spoon, Jia Mei only needs to eat half,"

"A slippery pulse, that's a joyous pulse, right?"

Qiao Mai rolled her eyes, "I, the mother‑in‑law, haven't even said anything yet, yet you two are so happy, making me look not so much of a mother‑in‑law."

Jia Mei's face flushed; she knew what pulse‑asking meant. She'd been inside this long, and her own belly still showed no sign; the mother‑in‑law and husband weren't anxious, but she herself had been for a long time.

"Where is that?"

"You and County Lady Xiao are both fine; if anything comes up, feel free to come find me."

"What would you like to eat now? Shall I, as the mother‑in‑law, conjure one for you?"

Qiao Mai fell silent; she already knew that no one could refuse such a delicacy.

With a wave of her hand, several boxes of ice cream appeared on the table.

At that moment, Princess Jiamei walked in from outside, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, mother‑in‑law,"

"Hmm, no need for such formalities; the two of you should request a safe pulse for the Princess."

"Daughter‑in‑law understands,"

Qiao Mai was in a good mood. "For the first three months, try to move as little as possible; don't overexert yourself. If you want anything to eat, have the kitchen make it for you. Our family's life doesn't need any special upgrades. If you can't get it here, you certainly can't elsewhere; even the Imperial Palace doesn't necessarily have better meals than ours."

"I glanced at the household Account Book and checked the warehouse."

Qiao Mai snorted coldly, "Has he ever let out his breath? He must have had a knot of resentment in his heart for a long time."

Mu Junzhu cried and laughed at the same time, "Yes, yes, it's my fault for not paying attention, I'm a bad mother; it won't happen again."

It had been several years, yet this was the first time Qiao Mai saw the child she had delivered; technically he should be the Qiao family's eldest grandson, but unfortunately his surname is now Jiang.

"Hmm, when you go back, don't bring up the child‑saving matter to him; just act as if nothing ever happened."

She looked up, saw the Empress, hurried to bow, but the Empress waved her hand away.

At the entrance of Yuexian Pavilion, another carriage stopped; two white‑bearded elders got out, the chief and deputy heads of the Imperial Hospital.

"Haha, mother‑in‑law, you speak so amusingly."

"How so?"

The two glanced secretly at Qiao Mai; for some reason, facing Fu Wang's consort made them more nervous than facing the Emperor.

"Hmm, why haven't we seen you bring this out before?"

Qiao Mai glanced at the book in his hand, "Journey to the West is fine, and Legend of the White Snake works too."

Qiao Mai flicked her hand, and a box of ice cream appeared, which she handed to the child.

Mu Junzhu let out a soft sigh, said nothing more; after a short while, the child finished the ice cream, Mu Junzhu lifted the child, bowed to the two, and left.

The Emperor slapped his head hard, almost forgetting that mother‑in‑law is a master; many cannot neutralize the son's poison, yet she dissolved it effortlessly.

"Here, no need for such formalities; just take good care of the child."

"Thank you, Princess Consort, I take my leave."

"You can stop a person, but not a heart. If they were merely sweeping graves, I still wouldn't let them go. The eldest's heart has long left this home; surely since the day they entered the army, they have pursued glory for the family, but not to glorify my household."

Princess Jiamei could not hide her excitement, reached out, and after a quarter of an hour, Qiao Mai withdrew her jade‑like finger.

"After Jiamei gives birth, you can eat some every few days; you two, mother‑in‑law, are getting older and shouldn't overindulge. When departing, each takes two boxes, no more."

"Can we eat at your house?"

"Yes, as long as you aren't afraid of an upset stomach."

Princess Jiamei's pregnancy spread through Jingcheng in a day, and at the same time, Fu Wang's consort's medical skills were exposed.

But no one knows how skilled she is, and no one dares to ask Fu Wang's consort for treatment; they can't afford her.

(End of Chapter)