Chapter 437: Emergency

The Bei Li pregnant woman let out a heavy cold snort, her gaze arrogantly sweeping over everyone.

"With just you lot, you dare question me?"

"You Central Plains have a saying: 'If one wants to add a crime, why worry about lack of pretext?' I have learned it today."

Having said that, she lifted her head and no longer looked at anyone.

The military dependents were completely enraged, the scene briefly spiraled out of control.

"You abducted my daughter, return my daughter!"

Gu Xixi had just approached, not seeing who in the angry crowd had bumped into that pregnant woman.

The two Bei Li people obviously hadn't expected the situation to suddenly become like this.

The pregnant woman staggered backward and fell; the older woman tried to grab her but couldn't keep her footing, and fell as well.

The surroundings fell into a momentary silence.

The tight crowd loosened a bit, allowing Gu Xixi and Lv Jing to see clearly what was inside.

After falling, the older woman didn't care about herself, immediately scrambled up, anxiously saying something.

Judging by her appearance, she was probably asking about the pregnant woman's condition.

With the older woman's support, the pregnant woman slowly sat up.

She lowered her head, one hand covering her abdomen, sitting for a long time without standing up.

Everyone present were women, each to some extent able to empathize.

Actually, nobody had intended to lay hands on a pregnant woman.

Some worriedly looked at the pregnant woman, yet refused to believe these Bei Li people: "That auntie's own body is cushioning her; she clearly didn't fall hard, could she be faking it?"

Still others were uneasy, yet barked anxiously: "Hey, are you alright?"

At this moment, the pregnant woman suddenly bent over, tightly clutching her abdomen, her expression seeming very painful.

The older Bei Li woman was greatly startled, lifted her head and tremulously cried to the crowd, "Save! Save her!"

She said this while repeatedly kowtowing, her forehead making light thuds against the ground.

Sensing the pregnant woman might truly be in trouble, the military dependents were still dazed.

Gu Xixi had already pushed through the crowd, taking a few steps to reach the pregnant woman.

"Let me have a look."

She briefly said, squatted down and first felt the pregnant woman's skirt—no broken amniotic fluid.

Then she went to grab the hand the pregnant woman had pressed to the ground, but encountered resistance.

The Bei Li pregnant woman twisted her wrist, stubbornly refusing to let Gu Xixi touch her.

At this critical juncture, Gu Xixi had no patience either: "If you don't want two corpses, don't move around."

The pregnant woman stared fixedly at Gu Xixi, but eventually stopped struggling.

Although Gu Xixi couldn't take a pulse to diagnose, she could at least judge the pregnant woman's condition from pulse frequency, and whether she had reached the critical moment of labor.

Only seeing her hold her breath and focus for a moment, she turned to the crowd and said, "She hasn't reached full term yet."

"It's just that the fetal qi has been disturbed; right now it's still very dangerous, and moving is truly inadvisable."

"Could everyone lend a hand to lift her back to her dwelling?"

The military dependents snapped out of it, each rushing off in haste.

In the village there were some military supplies that had been retired, among them a wooden stretcher.

Soon someone fetched the stretcher.

Two sturdy women, one in front and one behind, lifted the stretcher and positioned it beside the pregnant woman.

They urged the two still hesitating Bei Li people who were still dazed: "What are you staring at? Quickly help lift your family onto it!"

The older woman was convinced these people's kindness was genuine, and hurriedly helped everyone lift the pregnant woman onto the stretcher.

West of the Dependents Village.

The military dependents, after a long absence, entered this empty room and found that the originally dilapidated, dirty room had been cleaned very tidy.

Originally there were a wooden bench, stools and such furniture, still usable enough.

After being tidied up by the two Bei Li women, it actually resembled a home.

Everyone carefully placed the pregnant woman on the bed.

Her cheekbones' tendons protruded, she clenched her jaws without a sound.

Young Zao Hua couldn't help but say, "If it hurts, just call out; we're all women, no need to be shy."

"After giving birth, it's normal for the tooth roots to feel sore; don't go biting your own teeth to pieces first."

Zao Hua's last pregnancy was twins; if not for Lao Langzhong's medicine, she might have had a difficult labor.

Thus she could deeply empathize with women's suffering in pregnancy.

The Bei Li pregnant woman glanced at Zao Hua, her sharp gaze seemingly softening.

"I'm fine; this bit of pain is still tolerable."

Lv Jing rushed in quickly, holding a large bundle in her arms.

Panting, she said, "Here I am, here I am, the medicine has come!"

"And the landlord, your needle kit!"

This bundle was personally prepared by Lao Langzhong.

Although recently the Northwest Army's military doctors have had some spare time, they occasionally come to the Dependents Village for consultations.

But the military doctors are not skilled in gynecology.

So Gu Xixi still thought to prepare a few common medicines for the military dependents.

And Lao Langzhong considered the most common female emergencies, preparing respective patent medicines for their convenience.

Among them, the Consolidate Qi and Calm the Fetus Pill precisely matches the symptoms of the North Departure pregnant woman.

Gu Xixi opened the needle case, had someone boil water, sliced a piece of ginger, cooked it into a bowl of light ginger water, then took two pills and dissolved them.

Immediately, several people divided the work and went to do it.

With everyone working together, the time of a meal passed.

After the pregnant woman received acupuncture and took the medicine, her expression was noticeably less painful.

Gu Xixi felt the pulse, and the heart rate also stabilized.

Only then did she sigh in relief, saying, "I'll leave you the pills for three days."

"Continue taking it tonight, one pill each time, twice a day, for three days straight."

"You've just seen how to use the medicine; for these three days, just rest in bed."

Looking at the medicine packet handed over by Gu Xixi, the pregnant woman said thanks.

But she herself did not move; it was the older woman who received it with both hands.

The pregnant woman said, "Just now I saw you holding two pills."

Gu Xixi felt somewhat amused, "Indeed, these medicines were prepared for my friends; you weren't originally included."

"I also hate to give you too much."

"But rest assured, since I'm giving you medicine, I would never misuse it."

"One pill each time is the normal dosage; just now your situation was urgent, so for emergency rescue I used double the amount."

The pregnant woman signaled the older woman to help her sit up.

She stared at Gu Xixi, then suddenly crossed her hands before her chest and bowed.

"Sorry, I judged you with a petty heart."

Gu Xixi waved her hand indifferently, "As long as you understand what's going on, that's fine."

The pregnant woman solemnly said, "Yi Na, that's my name."

"Young lady, with a doctor's benevolent heart, you saved my and my child's lives; I swear on my own life to the True God."

"If I return home safely, I will surely repay your kindness!"

Gu Xixi was stunned.

Given the circumstances, she had originally just lent a hand.

She hadn't expected this person to actually swear on her life to repay the favor in the future.

A military family member who knew the customs of the North Departure people whispered in Gu Xixi's ear, "I've heard that they all believe in that True God; even the Great King must kneel before the True God."

"Being able to swear on the True God feels like it's sincere."

Although Gu Xixi had clearly saved a person, her attitude toward Yi Na turned cold: "I'm not some healer."

"You don't need to repay me; once you safely give birth and leave the Great Undertaking, we probably won't meet again."

Yi Na saw Gu Xixi about to leave and hurriedly asked, "I still don't know your name, benefactor."

Gu Xixi, already at the door, sighed silently; she had originally not wanted to say.

She turned her head and smiled, "Gu Xixi."

Returning to the village, Lv Jing walked and said, "She wants to repay you; just go along with her."

Gu Xixi said, "She might not be an ordinary North Departure person."