Chapter 160: Delivery Imminent! [Many Thanks for Everyone's Support! A Second Bow!]

"This..." Old Physician Chen's expression stiffened.

"Physician, you have worked hard," Xu Xu Zaijing said, presenting a piece of silver and placing it into Old Physician Chen's hand.

"Then, please take a seat, Nurse, and place your wrist here."

Having spoken, the Physician closed his eyes to feel the pulse.

By the Shen hour of the afternoon, Old Physician Chen departed the Sheng family gates with two pieces of silver and a belly full of Lei tea, while Nurse Cui wore a face full of smiles.

The next day, Brother Qingyun stood bowing at the entrance of Yishou Hall, saying, "Physician, there is a female physician from the Ren family of Bianjing in my household; hearing you are a master of gynecology in Yang Zhou, she specially invites you to the restaurant over there to exchange medical insights."

Old Physician Chen of Yishou Hall frowned and asked, "Could it be the Ren family of the Great Shoes from Bianjing?"

"What the Physician says is correct."

"Good, good, good, let me change my clothes," Physician Chen said with a laugh as he returned to the courtyard; after the Physician had changed, looking at the tall horse at the entrance of Yishou Hall, he asked Brother Qingyun with confusion, "This..."

Brother Qingyun waved his hand at the entrance, and a carriage was driven over: "Please, sir."

Winding and turning through the city,

when the Physician lifted the curtain to emerge from the carriage and looked up, he saw the large Sheng-character lantern hanging at the entrance not far away.

The aroma of yesterday's Lei tea surged into the Physician's heart once more.

"Physician, please come this way."

The Physician smiled, ascended to the second floor of the restaurant, and discovered that the noble Young Master from the Sheng residence of yesterday was also on the second floor.

Xu Xu Zaijing also saw the old gentleman and nodded his head in greeting.

Just after the Wei hour had passed,

this Old Physician Chen and Lady Xu Pingmei's female physician exchanged a mutual "I have learned much" on the restaurant's second floor.

"Regarding today's matters, I trouble you, Da Da Niangzi," Xu Xu Zaijing said, clasping his hands.

"It is no trouble; I too have benefited greatly today! Let us then go to the Sheng family; the Lady instructed me to feel the pulse of that Wei Xiaoniang."

"Very well, please."

With that, Xu Xu Zaijing and Brother Qingyun accompanied Lady Ren together to the Sheng family residence.

Watching Nurse Cui of Shou'an Hall lead the female physician to the side courtyard, Xu Xu Zaijing sighed with some distress; walking toward Shou'an Hall, he muttered to himself, "It has been two days and still no birth? Tomorrow we must invite someone to stay and guard; this change is too great!"

Many aspects of observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking were much easier for the female physician; looking at Wei Wei Yuyi's concerned gaze, Lady Ren smiled and said, "It is clear that Wei Xiaoniang has exercised very well these past days; the fetus is already of normal size."

"Then, do you know when the delivery will occur?" Wei Wei Yuyi asked.

Lady Ren said with a smile, "Within these few days; perhaps the household should prepare the midwife."

"Good, thank you," Wei Wei Yuyi thanked sincerely.

Hearing Lady Ren's words, Nurse Cui walked to Wei Wei Yuyi's side and said, "Since the female physician says so, I shall stay in this courtyard today, to provide extra care."

"Thank you, Nurse."

That evening, inside Linqi Pavilion, Lin Lin Qinshuang paced back and forth somewhat irritably.

"Wei Xiaoniang, Wei Wei Xiaoniang's younger sister has arrived."

"After drinking Astragalus tea for these days, nourishing for so long, and eating seafood for several days, why has she still not delivered? The nurse in that shrew's courtyard is about to return!"

Hearing Lin Lin Qinshuang's words, Zhou Zhou Xueniang looked awkward and did not reply.

"Little wench! Little whore! Come, let us go to the side courtyard to look!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, if you go over at this time, no matter what happens, we cannot escape involvement!"

"As the managing Da Da Niangzi, what is wrong with me going to show concern for a concubine about to deliver?" Lin Lin Qinshuang asked, somewhat losing her composure, then flicking her sleeve she walked outward.

"Wei Xiaoniang, please think thrice!"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang hurriedly followed.

Soon, the two arrived at the entrance of the side courtyard accompanied by servants.

Lin Lin Qinshuang: "Go, knock on the door."

Zhou Zhou Xueniang: "Wei Xiaoniang? Wei Xiaoniang? Our Wei Xiaoniang has come to see you; please open the door!"

"Sister Wei, your delivery is imminent; I, your elder sister, have come to see you!" Lin Lin Qinshuang also said from the side, her voice shrill yet forcibly pretending to be soft.

Nurse Cui glanced at Wei Wei Yuyi beside her, shook her head to signal her not to speak, then spoke aloud:

"Wei Xiaoniang, I am Cui Cui Ruan from the Old Lady's courtyard; the sky is already late, and it is dark and lampless; you should return."

Hearing Lin Lin Qinshuang's voice, Wei Wei Yuyi revealed a cold sneer at the corner of her mouth, then walked into her own sister's bedroom.

Hearing Nurse Cui's voice from inside, Lin Lin Qinshuang's expression grew somewhat gloomy,

"Then, I trouble you for your efforts, Nurse."

With that, Lin Lin Qinshuang turned fiercely and left.

Returning to Linqi Pavilion, just upon entering and seeing the vase at the doorway, Lin Lin Qinshuang slapped it down directly; furthermore, the items on the table in the main hall were swept to the ground by Lin Lin Qinshuang in one swipe, clearing the tabletop completely.

She kicked away an embroidered stool and threw a potted flower in the room directly onto the ground; panting heavily, she still felt her anger unresolved.

"This old hag, just to create obstacles for me, actually sent someone surnamed Cui to the side courtyard!"

"Old undead! Old hag!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, keep your voice down!"

Crash,

the books on the bookshelf were thrown to the ground.

Throughout this night, Wei Wei Yuyi carefully tended to Wei Wei Shuyi together with Nurse Cui.

In the side room of Shou'an Hall, Xu Xu Zaijing's candle did not extinguish all night; Seeing Qingcao boiled until drowsy,

fortunately, nothing happened in the side courtyard, and another night passed safely.

The next day,

just after the Wu hour,

The two carriages carrying Sheng Hong and his wife, returning from Runzhou, had already entered the main gate of the Sheng family compound.

Seeing the maids and older female servants standing in attendance at the second gate, Sheng Hong and Wang Wang Ruofu disembarked from their carriage together, while Sheng Hualan, on the carriage behind, also stepped down using a footstool.

Wang Shi glanced at Nurse Zhao, whose face was flushed red, and asked, "Have you been drinking wine again?"

"Replying to Wu Da Da Niangzi, this humble servant, this humble servant's legs are in severe pain; I drank some to stop the pain."

"Hmm, is Lady Wei doing well?"

"Well! Very well! Yesterday, even her younger sister from her natal family came."

Hearing this, Sheng Hualan smiled and said, "Father, Mother, then I shall go see Wei Wei Xiaoniang."

"Mm." Sheng Hong nodded with a smile; regardless of anything, Sheng Hualan cared for her younger brothers and sisters, even those still in the womb.

Wang Wang Ruofu merely cast a sidelong glance at her eldest daughter.

One ke after the hour of Wei (after 1:00 PM).

On the carriage returning from the mountain to Yang Zhou, Mama Fang cradled the already sleeping Xiao Xiao Xiaotao, while the Old Lady held Minglan; sensing the little girl's unease in her arms, the Old Lady asked, "Ming'er, what is wrong?"

"Grandmother, I am worried about Wei Wei Xiaoniang; I do not know if she is well."

"Good child, there are people at home to look after her; nothing will happen. Sleep first; when you wake up, we will have arrived."

"Mm."

Looking at the two sleeping little girls, Mama Fang hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

The Old Lady frowned, looking at Mama Fang, who had followed her for more than half her life, and asked, "What is it?"

"Old Lady, the concubine at home has still not sent news of delivery by today; in my heart..."

"With Cui Cui Ruan there, nothing will go wrong! You are just thinking wildly!" The Old Lady said to Mama Fang, whose face took on an expression of reluctance.

"You have been with me for so many years; is there anything you cannot say?" The Old Lady frowned.

"Miss, it is just that I am afraid of stirring up your sad memories; these past few days, being so far..."

Hearing Mama Fang's words, the Old Lady paused for a moment, then sadness welled up in her eyes: "It has been decades; why bring this up now!"

"I was just thinking, if Lady Wei could give birth to the child today..." Mama Fang said, full of hope.

"Then what meaning would that have!" The Old Lady shook her head.

Mama Fang spoke no more, but in her heart, she silently prayed.

Just arriving at the hour of Shen (3:00 PM).

The carriage entered Yang Zhou City, and upon reaching the second gate of the Sheng family compound, the carriage door was opened; Mama Fang and Xiao Xiao Xiaotao disembarked first, and as the Old Lady took Mama Fang's hand to step down, she looked around and asked, "Why does the courtyard feel so chaotic?"

"Old Lady! Wei Wei Xiaoniang is about to give birth!" A Sheng family servant, seeing the Old Lady disembark, hurriedly reported.

"What? Mother!" Hearing this, Minglan immediately ran toward the side courtyard, with Xiao Xiao Xiaotao running after her.

The Old Lady, holding Mama Fang's arm, looked at her, her eyes filled with both disbelief and hope.

"Come, let us go see." Saying this, the Old Lady walked with Mama Fang toward the side courtyard.

Along the way, the Old Lady Sheng's hand trembled as she gripped Mama Fang's, and in a low voice she said, "Sister Suqin, do you still remember what hour it was back then?"

"Miss, how could I not remember? It was one ke into the hour of Xu." As she spoke, tears streamed down Mama Fang's face.

As they neared the side courtyard, Wei Wei Shuyi's cries of pain from childbirth became clearer.

Turning the corner into the courtyard, Sheng Hong hurriedly bowed with clasped hands and said, "Mother, why have you come here!" Wang Shi and Sheng Hualan also hurriedly performed a bow.

The door to the side room of the side courtyard stood open, with everyone inside waiting.

Others in the courtyard also hurriedly bowed and offered greetings.

"Childbirth adds a new member to the Sheng family; of course I must come."

As the Old Lady spoke, she walked into the side room; Mama Liu hurriedly brought an embroidered stool and placed it beside the Old Lady, while Minglan, her expression somewhat panicked, also hurried to the Old Lady's side.

The Old Lady stroked Minglan's hair, comforted her for a moment, and then said, "With Grandmother here, everything will be fine."

Then the Old Lady turned her head and asked:

"How long has it been?"

"Replying to Mother, it has been nearly one double-hour," Wang Shi replied.

"Hmm, is everything prepared?"

"Mother, everything is prepared; there is even a mountain ginseng root kept in reserve." Hearing Wang Shi's words, the Old Lady nodded.

As the sun slanted westward, Sheng Hong approached the Old Lady and said, "Mother, perhaps you should return first; we do not yet know how long this will take. Previously, when Shuang..."

The Old Lady glanced at him, and Sheng Hong did not continue speaking.

As the sky gradually darkened, candles were lit in the side room, and food was sent from the kitchen; since the Old Lady would not leave, neither Sheng Hong nor Wang Wang Ruofu dared to depart.

In the bedroom of the side courtyard, Wei Wei Shuyi's throat had grown hoarse; covered in sweat, she panted, frowning as she wondered what would have happened if she had not reduced her nourishment during these past days and had exercised by walking.

"Wei Xiaoniang, here, drink some water." Mama Cui brought a bowl of warm water to Wei Wei Shuyi's lips.

"Nanny, what hour is it?"

"It is approximately exactly the hour of You."

Labor pains surged, and Wei Wei Shuyi frowned and cried out again.

Mama Cui hurriedly wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked, "Nurse Zhao, how much longer do you think it will take?"

"Soon, soon; let Wei Xiaoniang drink some ginseng soup to gather her strength," Nurse Zhao said, lifting the quilt at the foot of the bed.

"Ah!!!" Wei Wei Shuyi's screams continued to ring out from the bedroom.

Mama Fang glanced at the Old Lady, then quietly exited the side room and went to the bedroom door; seeing Mama Cui preparing to carry in the ginseng soup, she hurried over and whispered a few words into Mama Cui's ear.

Mama Cui Cui Ruan frowned, her eyes filled with sudden realization! Then she slapped her own thigh hard, filled with self-reproach for forgetting something so important, before turning and entering the room where Wei Wei Shuyi lay.

After feeding Wei Wei Shuyi the ginseng soup and seeing her spirits somewhat restored, Mama Cui glanced at Nurse Zhao, who was busy at the foot of the bed, then leaned close to Wei Wei Shuyi's ear and whispered, "Wei Xiaoniang, today is the Old Lady's child's birthday, exactly at one ke into the hour of Xu; I beg you, please gather your strength."

Surprise filled Wei Wei Shuyi's eyes, and more sweat beaded on her furrowed brow; she nodded to Mama Cui, her eyes full of gratitude, then opened her mouth as Mama Cui placed a twisted strip of cloth between her teeth to protect them; Wei Wei Shuyi bit down hard, her eyes filled with determination.

"Dang! Dang! The hour of Xu has arrived."

Listening to the time being called out on the street, Wei Wei Shuyi clenched her teeth, gripped the quilt tightly with both hands, and summoned every ounce of strength in her body.

In the courtyard outside the bedroom,

Upon hearing the time called out, the Old Lady in the courtyard rose to her feet and also tightly grasped Mama Fang's hand.

Apologies for the late update; I'm writing slowly.

If there are any typos or awkward passages, please do not hesitate to point them out, esteemed readers.

(`) Sending love.

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(End of Chapter)