Chapter 450: Provoking
Editor: Atlas Studios
Veins popped out on Li Jinghua’s hand that was gripping the blanket. Another wave of pain passed. She shook her head vigorously and said, “No, no, I’m not giving birth anymore. Ah Ling, Ah Ling, quickly get the midwife to think of a way to get the baby out. Don’t care about me. I feel like I’m dying from the pain!”
Ignoring her, Mu Yangling turned to ask the midwife, “How is it?”
The midwife was sweating profusely. “The position of the baby is wrong. As the child is in a horizontal position now, we have to shift the baby before she can deliver the child.”
Mu Yangling’s eyes were filled with ruthlessness as she asked coldly, “Didn’t you guys pat your chests and ensure that there was no problem with the fetal position a few months ago?”
Mu Yangling knew that in ancient times, giving birth was like stepping into the gates of hell. If the fetus was in an improper position, they would most likely be entering the gates of hell. Hence, when Li Jinghua was only six months pregnant, Mu Yangling started to hire a midwife and a doctor to take her pulse regularly to ensure that there was no problem with the fetus’ position.
Although they could not guarantee that there were no mistakes, it would give them greater assurance. However, who knew that despite the low probability of misdiagnosis, this would happen?
The midwife immediately explained, “Fourth Madam, we weren’t wrong in our assessment of the fetal position. This dislocation was caused by the fall.” The midwife said in a low voice, “It’s most likely because the baby was hurt from the collision. The baby flipped over inside and was lying horizontal in an instant. I don’t know where she was injured…”
Mu Yangling’s expression changed slightly. The human body was very mysterious. The fetus in her womb might be unaffected from the fall, but it was also possible that the fetus was hurt. It would be fine if it only hurt the baby’s limbs, but she was afraid that it would hurt its brain or internal organs.
Mu Yangling was furious, but she couldn’t verify. She could only ask, “How are you going to flip the baby over?”
The two midwives looked at each other and said in a low voice, “We have a sister who is skilled at this. Fourth Madam, please invite her over.” Although the midwife was speaking with her back facing Li Jinghua, she still tried her best to lower her voice as she told Mu Yangling the method.
It was very simple. The midwife would reach into the uterus and adjust the fetus’s position before Li Jinghua gave birth. This was also the only chance. If it still didn’t work, she could only try her best to protect the adult. She would poison the fetus to death and then take out the stillborn.
However, looking at how tormented Li Jinghua appeared, it was a question if she could get pregnant again in the future.
Mu Yangling had obviously thought of this too. At only 19, Li Jinghua was too young and her body had yet to fully mature. This calamity would definitely affect her physical condition.
Mu Yangling made a prompt decision. “Calm Eldest Madam down and brew some medicine to stabilize the fetus and nourish her qi. I’ll go find the midwife you mentioned now.”
Mu Yangling lifted the curtain and went out to look for Qi Haoran. When Qi Haoran, Fan Zijin, and Madam Xia saw her coming out, they stood up and asked, “How is it?”
Mu Yangling briefly explained the situation. Qi Haoran said, “I’ll get someone to find her.”
At the side, the women of the Shu family were secretly anxious and asked, “Lord Qi, it’s already dark. Let’s go back and see if there’s any ginseng at home that’s old enough to be sent over. What do you think?”
Qi Haoran’s face sank. Before he could speak, Mu Yangling looked over angrily, making the women from the Shu, Zhang, and Zhou families turn pale. Mu Yangling sneered and said, “You’re not to go anywhere. You’d better pray that my sister-in-law and nephew are fine. Otherwise, we won’t let this matter rest.”
The expressions of the few of them changed slightly. Two young ladies looked at Mu Yangling angrily, but they were pulled back by their sister-in-law and did not dare to contradict her. At this moment, they were at a moral disadvantage. If they continued to say nasty things and create a conflict with the Qi family, it would be even more disadvantageous for them. Hence, no matter how anxious they were to go back, they could only pretend to be worried about the person in the delivery room and try their best to help.
However, the Fan family had just sent over a 500-year-old ginseng. The Qi family had also gone out to buy an aged ginseng. Clearly, they no longer needed their help because they would then have to produce a ginseng that was more than 500 years old.
The Zhang and Zhou families did not have it, but the Shu family did have an 800-year-old one. However, that was just a precaution for the elders. Not to mention Madam Li, even if one of the Shu daughters-in-law were to encounter such a thing, the ginseng wouldn’t be used on them.
Madam Xia said, “Ah Ling, I’ll go in with you.”
“Aunt, go to the side room to change your clothes and wash your hands before going in.”
Madam Xia only thought that this was an order from the doctor, so she didn’t find it troublesome. She went to the side room with a dark expression before going in with Mu Yangling. Seeing Li Jinghua lying on the bed with lifeless eyes, Madam Xia’s eyes turned red. She went forward and held her hand. “Good child, you have to hold on.”
Li Jinghua’s eyes did not move at all. Mu Yangling was secretly anxious when she saw this. If Li Jinghua herself gave up, it would be useless no matter how hard they tried.
Li Jinghua had been in pain since the morning until now. She had long become numb to the pain, but this was not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing was that she had completely lost her strength and fighting spirit.
The midwife brought the medicine in and said in a low voice, “The medicine is ready. Drink it.”
Seeing that Li Jinghua wasn’t reacting, Mu Yangling picked her up and poured the medicine down her throat. Then, she turned around and said to Wen Cui, “Is the midwife here?”
“She’s here. She’s changing her clothes and smoking her hands next door.” Wen Cui looked at Li Jinghua anxiously and said in a low voice, “Fourth Madam, do encourage Eldest Madam so that she will pull herself together.”
Mu Yangling looked at the listless Li Jinghua and held her hand tightly. “Sister-in-law, I know this is very difficult, but you have to persevere. Think about Big Brother, think about your parents and brother.”
Tears flowed out of Li Jinghua’s eyes as she muttered, “I know, I know, but it’s too difficult. The child hasn’t even moved. I’ve already been in labor for a day. I don’t have any strength left. I really don’t have any strength.”
Madam Xia said angrily, “You’ve only been in labor for a day. Others manage to give birth even after being in labor for three days. Is it so difficult for you to persevere?”
However, Mu Yangling knew the difference. Those who spent three days in labor might spend one or two days preparing for the labor pain in the beginning, and weren’t truly in pain for long. However, Li Jinghua had suffered a knock to her stomach. Her uterus did not open up first, nor did her amniotic fluid break first. Instead, it was her uterus blood that flowed out first. The pain she suffered was several times worse than others.
Other pregnant women got to rest for a while between the bouts of pain, but she was in pain all the time. It was fine if she was numb from the pain, but she was severely depleted of strength. If the fetal position was normal, it would be alright if she gave birth as soon as the uterus opened, because the doctor could stop the bleeding quickly. But the thing is, the fetal position was not right…
Looking at Li Jinghua, who appeared as though her heart had turned to ashes, Mu Yangling felt a mixture of heartache and anger. She felt that if she were a mother, she would never give up even if she had to use her last bit of strength, unless the doctor said that the baby in her stomach was gone.
“Sister-in-law, if you want to die, just die. Bring my nephew along. Even if Big Brother will be sad, he’ll just stay a widower for a year. After a year, he’ll naturally marry another wife. See if he can still remember you. Oh, you still have parents and brothers. I just heard that your father and brothers are sick. What kind of life do you think they can live in the Li family after losing their married daughter?”
“Sister-in-law, they will feel sorry for you, but they will quickly forget about you because they have to face the hardships of life. Who will still be in the mood to think about you? You have lived 19 years in vain. No one will continue your bloodline and no one will remember you. If you die, everything will dissipate!”