Chapter Twenty-Seven: Born Under an Unlucky Star

Giving birth is a precarious journey; the line between life and death is as thin as a sheet of paper. Whether one drinks chicken soup or meets the King of Hell depends entirely on fate.

Xiao Chunyu had gone into labor prematurely, triggered by a fit of rage, and to make matters worse, the midwife arrived late. By the time the midwife reached her bedside, one of the infant’s feet was already protruding.

"Good heavens, it’s a breech birth!" The midwife, terrified, turned to leave immediately. "You had better find someone more skilled. This old woman does not have the ability to handle this."

"Grandma Zhang, I beg you, show mercy and save my young mistress!" Seeing the situation spiraling into disaster, Molan threw herself at the midwife’s feet, clutching her legs tightly. "Grandma Zhang, please, I implore you, save my mistress!"

"Yes, she is the eldest granddaughter of the Xiao household. If only the Old Master were still with us, or even the Second Miss—she would surely know how to save her. But the Old Master has passed, and the Second Miss has returned to the Shu region. Grandma Zhang, I beg of you, save our mistress. We will certainly repay your great kindness in the future."

"The Xiao household? Dr. Xiao’s direct granddaughter?"

"Yes, Grandma Zhang..."

"Very well." Grandma Zhang stopped in her tracks. "Years ago, when I ran into trouble while delivering a child for a noble lady, it was Dr. Xiao who arrived in time to save my life. Since she is Dr. Xiao’s granddaughter, I will fight the King of Hell himself to save her today."

"Thank you, Grandma Zhang! Thank you!" Molan kowtowed in sheer relief.

"Stop kowtowing and let go of my legs! You’re getting in my way!"

The midwife returned to the bedside, rolled up her sleeves, and slowly began the delicate process of pushing the infant’s foot back inside. However, Xiao Chunyu’s condition remained dire.

"If it comes to it, do you save the mother or the child?" The midwife finally asked the cruel question.

"Save the mother!" Nurse Zhou, Molan, and Jianlan cried out in unison.

"Save the child," a weak voice interrupted. Xiao Chunyu whispered, "Midwife, please, you must save my baby."

"Mistress!" Nurse Zhou sobbed uncontrollably. "Mistress, a child without a mother is like a blade of grass. Have you forgotten the Old Madam’s words? 'As long as the green hills remain, there will be firewood to burn.' Mistress, please!"

"Nurse Zhou, if only one of us can survive, I want it to be my child."

The events of that morning had already turned her heart to ash. Her grandfather was gone; her father, uncle, and elder brother were all exiled to the northern deserts; and her grandmother had taken her mother back to the Shu region, leaving her alone in the capital to endure days that felt like years. If something happened to this child, would the Wu family ever let her live? She was tired. She no longer wished to fight.

"Mistress..."

"Nurse Zhou, when the time comes, please raise the child for me. If one day my grandmother and mother return, kowtow to them on my behalf and tell them that Yuer was unfilial."

"Mistress..." Nurse Zhou, Molan, and Jianlan wept bitterly.

"Enough, enough! It hasn't come to that yet, why are you crying?" The midwife said, clearly frustrated. "I am going to adjust the fetal position. You lot, if you have nothing to do, go wait outside. Don't disturb her state of mind."

The midwife channeled all her lifelong expertise into the task, correcting the position inch by inch.

"Come to think of it, this technique for correcting the fetal position was taught to me by your Second Miss," the midwife recalled. "I never imagined I would have to use it on your mistress one day. What a stroke of good fortune."

"Thank you, Midwife." Xiao Chunyu’s tears fell again. "My second sister is so intelligent, yet she was abandoned by her betrothed. By the time my grandfather’s three-year mourning period ends, she will be eighteen, and she is so far away..."

"What are you worrying about? A fortunate woman does not enter an unfortunate house. The Second Miss is a woman of great wisdom; the man who marries her must have accumulated much virtue in his ancestors to deserve her," the midwife comforted her. "And you, Eldest Miss, you must be strong. The baby is in the right position now, though you will have to endure a bit more pain. Stay strong, give birth safely, and wait for the Old Madam and the others to return to the capital and reunite with you."

"Thank you, Midwife." Hearing this, her spirit revived. Yes, her only hope was that the Xiao family would return to the capital. If she could safely deliver her child, she would consider it a sign of heaven’s grace.

After another hour of agonizing pain, Xiao Chunyu finally gave birth.

"It’s done! It’s done!" The midwife was drenched in sweat. "A little miss has arrived."

"Congratulations, Second Young Mistress!"

Upon hearing it was a girl, Nurse Zhou’s heart sank. Given the temperament of the Wu family, her mistress’s life would likely be difficult.

"Reward them. Nurse Zhou, give everyone in my courtyard a month’s wages as a bonus." Xiao Chunyu used her private funds to reward the servants—this was a decision she could still make. "And give Grandma Zhang a red envelope with ten taels of silver."

"Then this old woman thanks the Eldest Miss." She addressed her as "Eldest Miss" out of respect for the Xiao family.

"You’ve suffered, Midwife, it is well-deserved." Suddenly, Xiao Chunyu felt something was wrong. "Midwife, why does it feel like something is still flowing out of me?"

"What?"

The midwife was stunned and quickly checked. Disaster—it was hemorrhaging! The placenta had been delivered, and though she had rested for a while, the bleeding had started.

"Quick! Send for a doctor!" This was beyond the midwife’s capabilities.

"What is happening?"

"Get a doctor, the Second Young Mistress is hemorrhaging!"

The courtyard descended into chaos. Nurse Zhou could only beg the Bodhisattva for protection.

"Praying to the Bodhisattva isn't as good as praying to your Old Master. Your ancestors were all imperial physicians; perhaps there is some way to stop the bleeding." The midwife sighed. "If only I had learned more from the Second Miss that day."

"Wait." Xiao Chunyu felt incredibly faint, but the midwife’s words made her snap to attention. "Nurse Zhou, quickly, bring me the pills from the red porcelain bottle!"

The midwife watched in astonishment as Xiao Chunyu swallowed two pills.

"This is medicine my second sister prepared for me," Xiao Chunyu said. "Grandma Zhang, do not worry, I will be fine!"

When the doctor arrived, the midwife noticed that the hemorrhaging had indeed stopped.

"The Second Young Mistress has suffered a severe loss of blood and qi; she must recover properly, or it will affect her future ability to conceive."

"What is this?" Wu Fang entered, covering her nose. "Dr. Zhang, are you saying she can no longer bear children?"

"I am saying the Second Young Mistress must recuperate properly." If she didn't recover her health, how could she bear more children?

"Understood. Someone, see Dr. Zhang out." Wu Fang looked at Xiao Chunyu with a mocking smile. "You are truly born with bad luck."

Xiao Chunyu was so angry her face turned pale!

"This young lady from the Wu household has a truly vicious tongue." The midwife had seen many bad people, but never anyone this cruel. She felt indignant on Xiao Chunyu’s behalf. "I wonder who would ever want to marry a girl like that?"

She had already made a silent decision—she would help the Eldest Miss seek justice for this insult.

However, what she didn't know was that revenge often comes at a high price. Within a day, every noble family in the capital knew: the Second Young Mistress of the Wu household had ruined her health giving birth to a girl and would never bear children again, and the Wu family had a young lady with a poisonous tongue who claimed the Second Young Mistress was born with bad luck.