Chapter 6: Approaching Labor

Chapter 6: Approaching Labor

Time passed calmly, but the child in Jiang Hui’s womb showed no signs of arriving.

Her belly seemed to grow even larger, heavy and pulling down. Therefore, she rarely ventured out anymore. The Imperial Medical Bureau arranged daily rotations at Yaohua Palace, and the Empress also decreed that Jiang Hui need not visit to pay respects, advising her to rest and focus on her pregnancy.

Now finding it exhausting to stand, sit, or even lie down, Jiang Hui was barely managing to make herself comfortable on the soft couch, lying on her side and watching Ping Auntie, along with Hawthorn and Pomegranate, cutting out window decorations from red paper. In addition to couplets, lanterns, and paper cuttings sent by the Palace Internal Affairs Department, extra red paper was provided for the consorts to craft decorations themselves if they felt inclined.

Outside Yaohua Palace, the little eunuchs and palace maids were busy cleaning the several side halls and annexes that had been locked up for years. There was much to do, but since they had been given extra rewards in advance, everyone worked efficiently and cheerfully.

The New Year was approaching.

Okra and Wan Song were sitting on the other side, sewing clothes for the baby. The basket was filled with washed, soft fabrics, and some small items like belly wraps and tiger head hats were scattered on the couch.

Inside the basket, neatly folded, was a patchwork robe sent by the eldest Princess of Chengping a few days ago. On the table was a red and white drum painted with a child holding a carp, a gift from Jiang Hui's younger brother, Jiang Yun, for his future niece or nephew. Locked away in her dressing box was a gold and jade longevity lock, a gift from Jiang Hui's father, the Marquis of Ningyuan, sent through the Emperor.

The Marquis of Ningyuan returned to the capital in early December. It is said that the Emperor allowed him to stay in the capital to celebrate the New Year with his family before returning to the northern frontier. Separated by the palace walls, father and daughter could not meet as easily as mother and daughter, only catching a distant glimpse of each other in the Jianzhang Palace.

After the Emperor took charge of Jianzhang Palace, strict rules were established, and passing letters inside and outside the palace became difficult. With the busy New Year period, the eldest Princess of Chengping couldn’t find time to visit the palace. Even her mother, the Empress, would be hard to see until the New Year's Eve palace banquet.

The room was very warm, even a bit stuffy. Seeing Jiang Hui's expression, Wan Song quietly went to the window and opened the small gap a bit wider, letting in fresh air laden with the scent of new snow.

Aunt Ping must have inherited her family's skills; the rabbits she cut out were lively and lifelike, incredibly adorable.

Jiang Hui picked up one and examined it closely, praising it repeatedly.

Shan Zha, always talkative, seeing Jiang Hui in good spirits, joked, "It's hard to say whether the little master will be born in the Year of the Tiger or the Rabbit."

"As long as the mistress gives birth safely, what does it matter whether it's the Year of the Tiger or the Rabbit?" Aunt Ping, skillfully working her hands, said seriously.

Okra said, "Those born in the Year of the Tiger are full of yang energy, while those in the Year of the Rabbit are clever and astute. Both are good."

Pomegranate joked, "Okra has indeed read many books with our mistress. Her words are always so comforting and pleasant to hear."

Jiang Hui smiled slightly, "The zodiac sign is not so important, as long as the child is healthy."

Despite saying this, Jiang Hui probably hoped a bit more for a Year of the Rabbit birth, as her child chose to come on the first day of the new year.

At that time, the Emperor issued edicts for a general amnesty and the change of the era. While leading the royal family and officials to the Grand Temple for a sacrificial ceremony, he received news of Jiang Hui's labor. Unable to return immediately, he sent Sheng An back to attend to her.

Under the leadership of Ping Auntie and Qing Feng, everyone in Yaohua Palace was busy yet orderly, diligently fulfilling their duties without any sign of panic.

The Empress Dowager in Cining Palace, upon hearing the news and thinking of the Emperor's limited progeny – with only two daughters so far – couldn’t contain her concern and personally visited Yaohua Palace. She was slightly surprised to find the Empress already waiting there.

"Why is the Empress here?"

On New Year's Day, not only did the Emperor have to offer sacrifices at the Taimiao Temple, but the Empress was also supposed to wait at Fengyi Palace for the wives of the officials to perform the congratulatory rites. It was reasonable for her not to be at Yaohua Palace.

The Empress, already dressed in her phoenix crown and court attire, intricate and detailed, had clearly come hurriedly upon hearing the news.

She stood up to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and then explained, "I heard the Consort suddenly went into labor. It's her first childbirth, and I was worried, so I came to see."

The Empress Dowager nodded, kindly saying, "I’m here to look after things. Go back to oversee the congratulatory rites."

"Yes," replied the Empress, leaving Qing Mama and Xia Chan to assist, and hurried back to Fengyi Palace with her entourage.

Her wise and fitting behavior further cemented her stature as the Empress, much to the Empress Dowager’s satisfaction.

The birthing room was still quiet. Having had two sons and a daughter, with only the Emperor surviving, the Empress Dowager was experienced and knew it was still early, instructing her attendants to prepare nourishing foods like ginseng chicken soup.

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s voice from behind the door, Jiang Hui persisted in greeting her and was comforted. However, she couldn't bear the increasingly intense labor pains and let out cries of pain.

Lan Song, carrying the soup and cooked rice, maneuvered past the busy midwife and doctor to Jiang Hui, her eyes brimming with tears, "Mistress, eat a little first, you'll need the strength later."

Jiang Hui managed a nod, supported by Qiu Kui, slowly eating while enduring the pain, her temples soaked with sweat.

After finishing the chicken soup, the midwife reached down to check and exchanged a glance with the doctor, her expression subtly changing.

She instructed Lan Song, "Please prepare a towel for the Mistress to bite on; I need to turn the baby."

Jiang Hui, in the throes of pain, didn't notice the midwife’s expression, but Qiu Kui did and discreetly approached her, whispering, "Mother Qian, is there a problem?"

Mother Qian, the midwife, was a neatly kept old woman with wrinkles that still showed signs of careful maintenance. Perhaps due to the heat of the charcoal in the room, her eyes were moist with sweat as she gravely said, "Miss Qiu Kui, everything with the child in the Mistress’s womb was fine until now, but the labor has started with the baby in a transverse position."

Okra was startled and asked urgently, "What do you need me to do?"

"You and Wan Song must hold the mistress down, making sure she doesn’t move too much or hurt herself."

Okra nodded repeatedly and quickly instructed Hong Ying, who was bringing ginseng soup, "The midwife said it’s a transverse birth. Help them prepare for a forceful delivery, and if anything goes wrong, let me know immediately."

The Empress Dowager, presiding outside the birthing room, heard from a nervous medical maid that the Imperial Consort might have a difficult labor. Frowning, she repeatedly urged Imperial Physician Liu to check the pulse and perform acupuncture.

At the Grand Temple, under the Emperor's insistence, the rites were expedited, allowing Xiao Sheng to return to Yaohua Palace before the hour of Chen.

Upon entering Qionghua Hall, he immediately heard Jiang Hui's uncontrollable cries of pain. On the way, Sheng An had sent a eunuch to report the Consort's difficult labor. Xiao Sheng, worried, walked briskly towards the birthing room.

"Sheng'er!" The Empress Dowager stood up to stop the Emperor, comforting him, "Imperial Physician Liu has already performed moxibustion on the crucial acupoints, and the midwife and medical maid have completed the manual adjustment. The situation is stable now, and you mustn’t enter the birthing room, it’s bad for your health."

Xiao Sheng exhaled slowly and said solemnly, "Mother, that's Hui'er in there, giving birth to our child."

The Empress Dowager, understanding her son's feelings, sighed lightly and watched as the Emperor entered the birthing room.