Yun Jinnian sighed softly, "Alright, just have the child in peace, and whatever you want afterwards, I will do my utmost to help you!"
Mrs. Xia, having received Yun Jinnian’s assurance, felt as if she had gained strength.
Soon enough, the midwife was summoned. After examining Mrs. Xia and wiping her down with hot water, she said, "The due date is not yet here, I fear it’s going to be a difficult labor!"
"Use whatever methods you have to keep her hanging on by a thread," Yun Jinnian instructed.
With that, the midwife felt relieved. She glanced at Yun Jinnian and, seeing a mere child speaking with such authority, felt an urge to prove herself, "Then I do have a way!"
Yun Jinnian applied acupuncture on Mrs. Xia, inducing her labor pains. The midwife, bold in spirit, kept busying herself below Mrs. Xia, carrying out basin after basin of bloodied water as Mrs. Xia’s cries were unceasing.
Only when the darkness was complete did they hear the child’s cry, "Wah wah..."
In the small hall, the crowd was overjoyed.
In the bedroom, Yun Jinnian gave Mrs. Xia another pill to swallow, and watched the midwife cleaning the child in warm water.
"A son or a daughter?" Yun Jinnian asked softly.
"A daughter!" the midwife said with a slight sigh.
Yun Jinnian, however, smiled, "A daughter is good!"
"But she’s weak and might not survive. The child was born in the eighth month due to an accident..." the midwife said worriedly as she wrapped the child.
Poor mother, she had fought so hard to give birth to her.
"She will survive!" Yun Jinnian spoke with certainty.
He looked over at the unconscious Mrs. Xia.
This child, she must survive, she must live.
Her fate is not good, so let Fa Zun cast her horoscope and choose a good name to support her. Carefully nurture her, and she will be able to live.
"If she is well cared for, she might indeed stand a chance!"
The midwife finished wrapping the child, and Shi Jiayu entered the bedroom, "Where is the child? I’ll bring her out for everyone to see!"
The midwife handed over the child to Shi Jiayu.
Looking over at Mrs. Xia on the bed, clad in tattered clothes, she sighed secretly that the child was indeed lucky, a stroke of fortune.
Otherwise, survival would be in question, let alone being born.
After Mrs. Xia’s placenta was delivered and her body cleaned, Yun Jinnian called for Nanny Qian and others to tidy up the bed, letting Mrs. Xia rest comfortably and placing the child by her side.
The baby, wrinkled and tiny, looked quite tender in Yun Jinnian’s eyes.
"Generously reward the midwife for her hard work!"
Having received her reward, the midwife left for home, cheerful and satisfied.
As for the third-day bathing ceremony, it’s her choice whether to come if invited; this reward alone equaled a year’s earnings from delivering children.
After freshening up, Yun Jinnian went to see Yun Bi.
"Uncle, I’ve caused you trouble!"
Yun Bi shook his head, "No trouble at all. In fact, I should thank you. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have known that such chaos was reigning in my inner courtyard!"
A whole family conspiring to bully a single woman, it was simply detestable.
"I am curious, why was Nuandong’s father so indifferent towards Nuandong, her sisters, and his daughter-in-law?"
Yun Bi sighed, "It is said that back in the day, Nuandong’s father had a sweetheart, but Mrs. Xia insisted on marrying him, which led to his aversion to her and his negligence towards Mrs. Xia and her girls!"
"And the truth?" Yun Jinnian felt that Mrs. Xia was not that type of person, being so timid and accommodating.
"The truth is quite different. Nuandong’s father’s sweetheart was a fortune-seeker who married a wealthy young master, while the Fen Family matriarch, knowing Nuandong’s mother’s timid nature, schemed to marry her off. The Fen boy is also a worthless character..."