Chapter 60 Difficult Childbirth If Qiu Yu heard what Aunt Shuncai said...

When Qiu Yu heard what Aunt Shuncai said, her mind went blank.

She was completely incredulous: "She was fine yesterday. It's not like she had a difficult childbirth and suddenly she's in such bad shape!"

Aunt Shuncai: "Su Shuo told me herself that she had a difficult labor. She went into labor last night. They hired a midwife and she stayed up all night. This morning, they hired another midwife from the town and called all her family members over!"

Su Shuo is Ni Yafeng's husband.

Qiu Yuruo was extremely panicked. "Have you called a doctor?"

Aunt Shuncai looked at her with disapproval: "You child, how can the doctor even get in when a woman is giving birth!"

If Qiu Yu knew that she was living in a feudal era, she would usually think that she could get by by being tolerant of the feudal system.

These words from Aunt Shuncai made her realize for the first time how truly cannibalistic feudal ideology can be!

Having transmigrated to this era, she never intended to change it, but at this moment, a deep sense of resentment arose in her heart.

But no matter how much resentment there is, it cannot shake the mindset of the masses in this era.

The only thing she could think of now was to persuade Su Yunting, since he was a scholar and his words carried more weight than hers.

Qiu Yuru's thoughts flashed by in an instant. She turned to look at Su Yunting, but before she could speak, Su Yunting grabbed her hand and said, "Let's go straight to the clan leader's house. No matter what you think, I'll stand by your side."

The carriage passed the entrance to their alley and headed directly towards the clan chief's house. Qiu Yuruo held Su Yunting's hand tightly and said in disbelief, "I've read... storybooks before. In those storybooks, powerful families could call a doctor even if a woman had a difficult childbirth!"

"Here, I didn't initially perceive such strict separation between men and women. Why is it that when it comes to childbirth, we can't even see a doctor?"

Having served as a close advisor to the emperor for over a decade, Su Yunting knew, even without ever specifically inquiring, that doctors were allowed to enter the delivery room when the concubines in the harem gave birth.

Su Yunting said to his wife, "Powerful families do indeed call doctors when women give birth, but ordinary farmers don't. I think one reason is that they are afraid of spending money."

Secondly, few doctors in rural areas are proficient in obstetrics and gynecology. Even if you invite one, the doctor may not come, and even if he does come, it's basically a waste of time.

Over time, this led to the rule that women should not consult doctors during childbirth.

Another reason is the mindset of those pedantic people: they'd rather die than lose their integrity.

Qiu Yu's resentment stemmed from this final reason.

Fortunately, he had mentioned from the beginning that wealthy women could hire doctors during childbirth, which gave her some peace of mind.

When the carriage arrived at the clan chief's house, Qiu Yuruo jumped off the carriage without waiting for the driver to set up the stool and ran straight into the clan chief's house.

The atmosphere at the clan chief's house was oppressive. Only Grandma Ni Yafeng was in the courtyard, waiting for the water to boil at the kitchen door.

Since last night, I don't know how much water has been boiled in the kitchen.

Ni Yafeng's mother-in-law, who had been looking forward to the birth last night, saw her daughter-in-law go from suppressing her groans to crying out in pain, until the midwife pulled her out and told her, "It's a difficult birth, not easy to give birth."

Her hopes turned into deep worry.

They also asked the town's midwives for help and notified the daughter-in-law's family. A day passed, and the midwives tried everything, but the baby still hadn't been born.

The delivery room was so oppressive that Ni Yafeng's mother-in-law couldn't take it anymore. She took over the task of boiling water from her eldest daughter-in-law and came out to catch her breath.

When Qiu Yuruo came in, she saw her and asked, "Auntie, how is Ya Feng?"

Grandma Ni Yafeng didn't answer Qiu Yuruo's question, but only asked her, "Why did you come here?"

According to custom, women who have never given birth are not allowed to approach a woman giving birth.

Qiu Yuruo's question went unanswered, but she heard Ni Yafeng's faint groans. Without answering Ni Yafeng's mother-in-law, she went straight into Ni Yafeng's room.

Ni Yafeng's mother-in-law quickly ran over and grabbed her: "You child, that room is not for you to go in. Hurry up and go home. After the baby is born, I will have Yafeng's sister-in-law inform you."

Grandma Ni Yafeng was used to a life of luxury and had very little strength, but Qiu Yuruo didn't dare to struggle when she was being pulled by her, for fear of being pulled down.

All he could do was call out into Ni Yafeng's room, "Sister-in-law, how is Yafeng? Come out and tell me."

Ni Yafeng's sister-in-law came out of the delivery room, pulled her aside, opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Qiu Yuruo grabbed her hand and said urgently, "Sister-in-law, let's get a doctor for Ya Feng! Getting a doctor might give her a chance to live. We can't just keep letting things drag on like this!"

Sister-in-law Ni Yafeng said with tears in her eyes, "How can a woman let a doctor see her when she's giving birth!"

Qiu Yuruo: "Those who don't call a doctor are poor families. I heard that even the wives of high-ranking officials can call a doctor to help them during childbirth. We ordinary people can't be more particular than those wealthy families!"

After Qiu Yuruo finished speaking, not only was Ni Yafeng's sister-in-law energized, but Ni Yafeng's husband, who was kneeling in the main room, also raised his head at once.

He said eagerly to his grandfather, "Grandpa, it's true that a woman can call a doctor when she's giving birth. Please let me go!"

The clan chief looked at his grandson, who had the best chance of changing the family's fortunes, sighed, and said, "Do you think the doctors in our town are the same as the doctors that those noblemen hire?"

Doctors who treat important patients can enter the delivery room, take a pulse, and prescribe a medicine. At most, they might stick a few needles into the mother's head or hand.

Do the doctors in town have that kind of skill? I don't know if the prescriptions they write based on pulse diagnosis are accurate, but the most important thing is that they don't just use needles on the head and hands!

Shuo'er, a wife whose innocence has been violated cannot be buried in the Su family's cemetery after she dies. Even if she survives, she is still not to be kept!

Just let her leave with a clear conscience!

In summer, the bamboo curtain hanging on the door of the main room allows one to clearly hear what is being said in the courtyard. If Qiu Yu were in the courtyard, she could also vaguely hear what is being said inside the room.

After hearing the clan leader's words, Qiu Yuruo just wanted to go over and give him a good scolding.

But cursing wouldn't solve the problem, so she forced herself to calm down and control her emotions, asking her sister-in-law Ni Yafeng, "Is Yafeng's mother in the delivery room?"

Sister-in-law Ni Yafeng nodded.

Qiu Yu let go of her hand and ran into the delivery room.

Ni Yafeng, the eldest sister-in-law, said, "You can't come in!"

But he deliberately slowed down half a beat before chasing after her, only to find that Qiu Yuruo had already pushed open the tightly closed door and gone inside.

She dodged the midwife who tried to stop her and went straight to Ni Yafeng's mother, asking her urgently, "Auntie, if we get a doctor for Yafeng, she still has a chance to live, but if the doctor sees her, she'll probably be divorced. Are you willing to let her see a doctor?"

Ni Yafeng's mother stood up abruptly, inwardly cursing herself for being so foolish. Women who have lost their husbands or divorced have all been with two or more men. As long as her daughter can live, she's willing to divorce her. She's only ever heard of men who can't afford to get married, she's never seen a woman who can't get married!

She suddenly grabbed Qiu Yuruo's hand, "Daughter, I can't leave, please help me go and fetch a doctor right away."

When Qiu Yuruo came in to tell Ni Yafeng's mother these things, she was already prepared to be targeted and retaliated against by the clan leader.

She didn't want to be an enemy of this era, but there are different circumstances for living a life of compromise. There are some things you can compromise on, but if you don't do them today, you will live the rest of your life in pain, regret, and self-blame.

Qiu Yuruo replied, "Okay!"

She turned and went out, and Ni Yafeng's mother followed her out, saying, "They don't need to divorce her. I'll make Su Shuo and my daughter divorce right now."

As Qiu Yu came out of the house, she saw Ni Yafeng's husband, Su Shuo, also coming out of the main room.

When Su Shuo saw Ni Yafeng's mother, he said, "Please take care of Yafeng for now, mother-in-law. I'll go to town to fetch a doctor right away."

Ni Yafeng's mother relaxed a little. "Okay, go quickly."

Seeing that he didn't need to persuade his mother-in-law again, Su Shuo was about to go to the backyard to hitch up the car.

Su Yunting, who had just paid the driver, said to him, "There are carriages right outside the door. You can just hire one to go to town."

Su Shuo didn't have time to thank him and ran out immediately.

The son-in-law went to fetch the doctor, and Ni Yafeng's mother prepared to go back to continue watching over her daughter. Ni Yafeng's sister-in-law followed her directly. Before entering the house, Ni Yafeng's mother heard her say, "Auntie, Grandpa has a ginseng in his hand."

When Ni Yafeng spoke, she didn't look at her aunt, and she continued walking forward without stopping.

Ni Yafeng's mother stopped in her tracks, turned around and looked at her in-laws who were still at the kitchen door, and said, "Sister-in-law, whether your family will acknowledge Yafeng as your daughter-in-law or not, I must save my daughter. Our two families have no other conflicts. Considering that our two families have not done anything wrong, could you please go to someone in the village and ask for some ginseng or something to keep my daughter alive? I will definitely repay you double later."

Grandma Ni Yafeng was at a loss for words when the clan chief spoke up from the main room: "Don't go looking outside. Take the ginseng I've been saving and use it."

The grandson has already gone to fetch a doctor. The granddaughter-in-law's innocence cannot be preserved. Since things have come to this, it's better for her to be alive than dead.

Ni Yafeng's mother-in-law went to her father-in-law's room to get ginseng, and Ni Yafeng's mother waited outside, wanting to watch as the other party brewed the ginseng soup.

Looking at Ni Yafeng's mother's series of actions, Qiu Yuruo felt fortunate that her friend had a mother who truly loved her.

If Ni Yafeng's mother shares the same thoughts as the clan chief, Qiu Yuruo would have no right or means to save her, no matter how much she wanted to.

After watching her mother-in-law enter the main room, Ni Yafeng's mother said to Qiu Yuruo, "Daughter, could you please go to my house and call Yafeng's three brothers over?"

Ni Yafeng's mother regretted not trotting her niece-in-law along. Of her three sons, only her youngest son was still unmarried. Her eldest son's wife had gone back to her parents' home for some business, and her second son's wife was pregnant and couldn't come along.

At the time, she thought that no matter how many people came, they wouldn't be of much help. Now that she needed people, she could only ask Qiu Yuruo for help.

If Qiu Yu knew that Ni Ya Feng's family home was in Ni Jia Zhuang, just three miles away, she would agree without hesitation after Ni Ya Feng's mother finished speaking.

After leaving the clan chief's house, Su Yunting said, "We borrowed Brother Su Huai's mule cart; driving there is faster than walking."

Su Yunting consistently demonstrated his support for his wife through his actions, which eased Qiu Yuru's heavy heart.

If Su Yunting were to ask to borrow someone else's mule cart, Qiu Yu would not agree. It wasn't that she didn't want to ride in the cart, but she was worried that the clan leader would make things difficult for them later.

But Su Huai is different. Su Huai is a rare person who is truly benevolent and not pedantic. Moreover, his son is his own apprentice. In the eyes of outsiders, the two families were originally of one mind. If the clan leader really wants to take revenge in the future, it doesn't matter whether he uses Su Huai's family's car or not.

Upon hearing their reason for using the vehicle, Su Huai angrily exclaimed, "Our clan leader should have called a doctor directly when he invited the midwife from town this morning!"