Chapter 1047: 1047
Seeing Ning Jing anxious, Mu Linger could only get to the point .
“Big sis Jing, once you use this medicine, you’ll never be able to have another baby again . ”
Bai Yuqiao was floored by the admission . “It’s that potent?”
Ning Jing fell silent . Seeing this, Mu Linger quickly scrambled to say, “Big sis Jing, just pretend I said nothing at all! We’re not using it, we won’t!” She almost wished she could slap herself . She too, felt that the medicine was too venomous .
But Ning Jing was very calm . She asked, “Miss Bai, how many days until Jun Yixie’s midwives arrive?”
“Two more days,” Bai Yuqiao replied .
“Good!” Ning Jing nodded . “Linger, help me make that medicine . I’ll use it tonight . ”
“Don’t!” Mu Linger refused as tears streamed down her face .
Ning Jing pulled her over and carefully wiped away her tears . “Linger, be good and listen to me . ”
Mu Linger shook her head . “But big sis Jing, what about your future? If you give birth to a girl, Tang Li’s parents will chase you off!”
Tang Li was the sole heir to the clan! If Ning Jing ended up birthing a girl, then there would be no one to inherit the Tang Clan’s legacy . Tang Li’s parents and all the Tang Clan elders would never allow it to stand . They would cause difficulties for Ning Jing and even force Tang Li to wed again .
Ning Jing only laughed at the fact that Mu Linger was thinking so far ahead . “They wouldn’t dare!”
Mu Linger didn’t believe that, but Ning Jing grinned and said, “At worst, I’ll steal Tang Li away . It’s not like I need the Tang Clan . ”
Mu Linger only burst into sobs . “Big sis Jing, stop smiling, won’t you? Don’t make any more jokes!” How could you be so calm in the middle of a crisis?
Ning Jing tugged at Mu Linger’s hands and grew serious . “This is the only way . It doesn’t matter if they discover my pregnancy, but if Miss Bai is suspected, we’ll never get out of here . The plans for the northern expedition will be exposed too . Mu Linger, now isn’t the time for childish temper tantrums . You should know better!”
Of course Mu Linger knew better, or else she wouldn’t have agreed to Manager Jin’s blackmail in the first place .
“Good girl, go write up that prescription . We don’t have much time,” Ning Jing coaxed .
Mu Linger bit her lip and refused to budge .
“Are you going to not?” Ning Jing turned fierce .
Scared, Mu Linger sprang to her feet as more tears dribbled down her cheeks . If Ning Jing turned really stern, she would be scared .
“Are you going to keep crying?” Ning Jing sounded even more savage .
“I’m going…” Mu Linger had no other choice but to wipe away her tears and write down the prescription .
Ning Jing exhaled before turning towards Bai Yuqiao, only to see the girl gaping at her .
“Miss Bai, I’ll have to trouble you to prepare our own midwife,” Ning Jing said .
Bai Yuqiao creased her brows as her heart grew stifled with pain . She wanted to say something, but words failed her at the sight of Ning Jing’s calm and collected self . In the end, she managed, “Ning Jing, it’s the Tang Clan’s fortune to have a daughter-in-law like you! If they ever chase you off in the future, we don’t need to give a hoot!”
Ning Jing gently caressed her big belly with a chuckle, but didn’t say a thing . Soon enough, Mu Linger returned with the finish prescription . The mix of ingredients and their quantities were all very queer, but thankfully common . Tiger’s Den had some of its own, while others could be picked out from the array Bai Yuqiao brought in today . Mu Linger reluctantly handed the prescription into Bai Yuqiao’s hands .
“You two should make preparations too . I’ll go collect the ingredients and find the midwife,” Bai Yuqiao said .
Ning Jing nodded resolutely . Since she’d made her choice, then it was time to act . Mu Linger was still rooted to her spot after Bai Yuqiao left .
“Linger, go get ready . I’ll be leaving my life and the baby’s in your hands tonight!” Ning Jing said .
Mu Linger recovered her wits as she realized things had just gotten serious . Childbirth was a huge deal and full of complications, much less when the mother was using a special prescription . Naturally, Ning Jing had chosen her words on purpose to wake Mu Linger to her senses!
“Alright! I’ll go get ready!” Mu Linger cried as she rushed outside .
Once everyone was gone, Ning Jing abandoned all pretenses . She had always been a decisive woman and would never fear or regret any of her choices, no matter how earthshaking . Right now she just…missed Tang Li .
Tang Li, you’re really going to be a father . Do you know?
Tang Li, once you’re a father, you can’t be sloppy anymore . You need to set a good example for the child, understand?
While Bai Yuqiao and Mu Linger had to prepare people and things, Ning Jing needed to prepare her heart .
—
Everything was ready after an hour . Their midwife was on standby in the room while Mu Linger personally handed the bowl of decoction to Ning Jing .
“Big sis Jing, do you want to think it over again?” Mu Linger still couldn’t help asking .
Ning Jing only pretended not to hear and didn’t reply . She picked up the bowl and downed it in one gulp . Immediately, Mu Linger grew tense . Even Bai Yuqiao was on edge . Silence filled the room until one could almost hear the time crawl by . Contractions would begin an hour after taking the medicine . Right now, they had to wait .
Time soon passed, but it felt like an eternity to the three women inside . Both Mu Linger and Bai Yuqiao never took their eyes off Ning Jing, who remained with her head bowed and nerves stretched taut . It would be a lie to say she wasn’t nervous .
“Aiya, that’s no good . Miss Jing, you have to walk around a bit and do some exercise . Only then will the birth be easy,” a midwife have to speak up .
“That’s right, that’s right!” Mu Linger suddenly remembered .
Ning Jing had a lot of trouble walking with such a big belly, so the midwife hurried over to help . “Just walk around the room . A little more is good, it’ll help . ”
Mu Linger ran over to help support Ning Jing as well, who ended up walking in nonstop circles around the room . As she walked and walked…suddenly!
Ning Jing stopped and cried, “Pain, it’s starting to hurt . ”
The faint sensation of labor pains were very familiar to her because she’d felt it a couple of times before . The midwife had said they were only false symptoms before, so these had to be the real ones . Everyone grew tense and Bai Yuqiao was left at a loss for what to do . She anxiously asked, “Then should she lie down right now?!”
“Walk! Keep walking! The more she walks, the easier it’ll be to give birth,” the midwife said .
None of the three young women in the room had ever given birth . Even Mu Linger, who studied medicine, knew real childbirth was different from reading it in the books . Furthermore, it varied widely between individuals, so all of them were listening to the midwife’s advice now . Gradually, Ning JIng’s labor pains came more frequently and in more intense bursts until she couldn’t walk anymore .
“Hold on, Miss Jing . Listen to this old woman . If you suffer a bit more now, there’ll be less agony later . ”
“Walk a bit more for the baby to come out sooner . You won’t have to suffer as much then . The first baby never comes quickly . Hold on and walk a few more circles…”
The midwife coaxed and encouraged while the courageous Ning Jing grit her teeth and kept talking . If pain had ten levels, then serious burns and slipped discs qualified for level eight to nine . Labor pains topped out the chart at ten . One could very well imagine just how excruciating it must feel, but this wasn’t even the worst of it yet .
Abruptly!
Ning Jing froze in her tracks and looked down, only to see a warm current running slowly down her legs . Alarmed, Ning Jing was lost for what to do . Mu Linger and Bai Yuqiao exchanged tense looks . Fortunately, Bai Yuqiao’s midwife was very dependable and didn’t panic . Firmly, she declared, “Her water’s broke . Hurry and lie on the bed, you’re going to give birth soon!”
The midwife and Mu Linger helped Ning Jing out into a smaller room next door while Bai Yuqiao held the door . This space had been prepared especially by Bai Yuqiao under the midwife’s instructions . Different homes and different midwives had varying requirements . Although the birthing room in Tiger’s Den wasn’t as well outfitted as the one by Tang Li in the Tang Clan, it still showed signs of Bai Yuqiao’s care . Everything inside was exceptionally clean and all of the windows were sealed shut . Two servant girls stood on attendance inside, brought by the midwife to be her assistants . They had already prepped the hot water .
Next to the bed was a small table laid out with candles, scissors, needle and thread, gauze, and a few bowls of medical decoctions . The middle of the second lunar month in the north was the beginning of their spring, but it was still very chilly at Tiger’s Den . Thus, the midwife ordered two stoves to be placed in the room to maintain a cozy temperature .
Ning Jing was helped onto the bed . After her water broke, pain started washing over her in waves . If she was any else, she’d be screaming by now . But she hadn’t said a peep . Bai Yuqiao assumed a post by the door and reassured Ning Jing, “Don’t worry, leave everything outside to me!”
“Alright”! Ning Jing replied with difficulty .
Bai Yuqiao stood guard outside before she soon heard Ning Jing’s pained screams and the midwife coaxing her to breathe and use more strength . Her heart seized at the sound as she saw the servant girls running in and out to change the hot water . She almost wanted to run in and see what was the matter .
“Almost! Almost there! I can see the child’s head! Give another push!”
Abruptly, the midwife’s surprised exclamations filled the room . Bai Yuqiao released her breath in relief . She was only responsible for delivering messages and had nothing to do with Ning Jing’s life and death, much less the safety of her baby . But for some reason, her heart had been sailing up and down with the entire birth process .
At this moment, another servant girl ran out with a tub of hot water . Bai Yuqiao sprang to her feet and started to ask her about the situation when a guard suddenly rushed inside .
“Miss Bai, bad news bad news!”
Bai Yuqiao startled, afraid to hear what terrible report this guard had brought her . They would never enter these rooms unless it was an emergency . She stared and didn’t ask, hoping in vain this would stave off any catastrophes .
Unfortunately, the guard rushed to report, “Miss Bai, the Duke of Kang’s sent inspectors here again . And there are two midwives with them! They’re waiting in the front courtyard right now . ”
Bai Yuqiao’s heart almost stopped at the news! What do I do?
By her side, the servant girl panicked and dropped her tub, sending bloody water all over the floor…
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