Shen Yuan ignored what Aunt Zhao said, threw Chu Qiuyue aside, and pulled Liu Mama into the house.

Inside Liu's bedroom, the fire in the stove had long since gone out because no one was tending to it, and the room was cold and damp.

Liu lay alone on the bed, clutching her stomach and twisting her legs incessantly. Her forehead was damp with sweat, and her face was contorted with pain.

Granny Liu rushed forward anxiously, peeked out from under the covers, and exclaimed, "Madam is about to give birth! Quickly bring over everything we prepared earlier."

"Okay! Okay!" Cui'er hurriedly went to get the things needed for the delivery.

Suddenly, Madam Liu pushed away Granny Liu's hand, "What are you doing here now? I've treated you with courtesy and sincerity these past few days, and you've abandoned me at this time! Since you're unwilling to sincerely help me, I don't want you to deliver the baby anymore. Go away... go away!"

Although Liu was barely breathing, her words of condemnation against Granny Liu were resounding.

She looked at Granny Liu with resentment and sadness, her eyes filled with disappointment.

She treated people with sincerity, but she couldn't get sincerity in return!

"I can disregard whatever you think of me, my wife. But now that the baby is about to be born, you must cooperate with me and ensure the baby is born safely!"

Granny Liu plopped down on the edge of the bed and quickly tidied up the bedding for Madam Liu. She then placed a folded quilt behind her back so that her upper body could lean slightly forward to make it easier for her to exert force.

Liu looked at Granny Liu with a blank expression in her eyes.

Aunt Zhao told her that Granny Liu had run away with the money. But if Granny Liu had run away, why did she come back to deliver her baby?

Did she come back to help me, or to harm me?

Liu couldn't figure it out, but she didn't have time to think about it. A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, causing her to curl up like a shrimp.

Outside, Aunt Zhao was blocked by Xiao Ling with a knife, and could only listen to the sounds coming from inside.

It's been almost two hours since Liu started labor. Her labor has been dragged on for so long that even if the baby is born, it will probably have suffocated long ago.

If this child died at the hands of Granny Liu, then she would certainly be held responsible!

At that time... Aunt Zhao's lips curled slightly. At that time, such a big pot could only be placed on Liu Mama and Shen Yuan!

Thinking of this, Aunt Zhao felt a little smug. She was no longer in a hurry to go inside. Instead, she stood at the door of Madam Liu's bedroom and watched with disdain as Cui'er hurriedly ran in and out.

Footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, and Master Wang returned with a group of people.

Upon seeing Master Wang, Aunt Zhao looked utterly astonished.

"Master, you... why are you back?"

Master Wang went to Yuncheng yesterday, which is why Aunt Zhao dared to make a move against Madam Liu in the mansion.

Upon seeing Master Wang return, Aunt Zhao felt a chill run down her spine. She absolutely could not let the master know what she had done!

Master Wang strode into the courtyard and frowned in displeasure at the sight of the densely packed crowd. "There's not even a gatekeeper in the front yard. Why are you all here? Aren't you going to work? Don't you want your monthly wages?"

"Master, please calm down!" All the maids and servants in the courtyard knelt on the ground.

Seeing that Master Wang was looking at her, Aunt Zhao explained anxiously, "Master, you've misunderstood. It's not that they neglected their duties. It's just that Madam suddenly went into labor today, so everyone came to take care of her!"

"What? My wife is about to give birth? Why didn't anyone send me a message?"

"Because thieves have entered the manor, we cannot send a message to the master!"

Aunt Zhao winked at Master Wang, signaling him to look at Xiao Ling.

"Master, my sister suddenly went into labor this morning. I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, but when I got here I found out that the midwife my sister had hired had run away! She left my sister alone in the house!"

"Luckily I arrived in time to find out about this! As soon as I heard about it, I immediately sent someone to find Liu the midwife and made two preparations. I also sent the gatekeeper to invite Wang the midwife from the east of the city to come and help!"

"Who knew that Liu the midwife would later lead a group of people into the courtyard, not only injuring Yue'er, but also deliberately threatening the servants in the mansion with my life. I heard her say that she planned to forcibly remove the child from my sister's belly!"

"Master, my sister is not even ten months pregnant yet. How can she give birth prematurely? That midwife Liu has ulterior motives and doesn't care about my sister's life or death at all! You must stop her!"

Upon hearing this, Master Wang angrily pointed at Xiao Ling and shouted, "Guards, seize him!"

The servants of the wealthy man's mansion surrounded Xiao Ling with wooden sticks in their hands. Because they were wary of the long knife in his hand, the servants did not rush forward but approached Xiao Ling step by step.

Even though Xiao Ling knows martial arts, he is no match for a group of people.

Just as tensions were running high, Shen Yuan emerged from Liu Shi's bedroom.

"Master! It's this wretched girl! She's the one who's been instigating Liu the midwife behind the scenes. The three of them are in cahoots!" Aunt Zhao pointed at Shen Yuan with great emotion. If Xiao Ling's long knife hadn't been held against her neck, she would have rushed forward and strangled this wretched woman, Shen Yuan.

Master Wang angrily shouted, "Arrest all three of them!"

The servants immediately rushed towards Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan pulled out a dagger from her sleeve, forcing the servants to retreat. "Master Wang, the lady is still inside, enduring the pain of childbirth. This is not the time to interrogate anyone. Even if my grandmother and I are guilty, we should let her deliver the baby first before we question her!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of a baby crying suddenly came from inside the room.

Suddenly, the entire courtyard fell silent, and everyone looked toward the bedroom where Madam Liu was.

Has she given birth?

How could this be? So fast? Aunt Zhao's face was frosty. She had deliberately fed Liu Shi tonics and sweet soups for several months to make her pregnancy too big and difficult to give birth to. Why was Liu Shi able to give birth to the child smoothly?

"She's given birth? She's given birth!" Forgetting everything else, Master Wang rushed into the room. "Madam gave birth? What did she give birth to? Quickly, let me see her!"

Seeing that Liu had given birth safely, Xiao Ling put down the knife in his hand.

Aunt Zhao immediately pushed him aside and rushed into the house.

Shen Yuan followed closely behind.

Inside the bedroom, separated by a screen, Madam Liu lay on the bed on the east side. Seeing Liu Mama wrap the baby up and place it beside her pillow, Madam Liu smiled, her brows faintly showing the surprise and excitement of becoming a mother for the first time.

"Is this my child?"

"Yes, congratulations, Madam, on the birth of your son."

As soon as Granny Liu finished speaking, Master Wang squeezed to the bedside. He looked at the baby in his swaddling clothes, whose vernix caseosa had not yet been completely removed, and his mouth stretched almost to his ears.

"I have a son! I have a son! I finally have a son!"

"Son?" Aunt Zhao staggered two steps, but luckily a maidservant caught her in time to prevent her from falling.

Despite months of planning and countless precautions, she still couldn't prevent Liu from safely giving birth to her child, a baby boy!

Aunt Zhao was so angry she was about to vomit blood.

Just then, the baby in the swaddling clothes, whose lips were pale, suddenly stopped crying, closed his eyes, and lay motionless in the blanket, as if he had suddenly stopped breathing.

Madam Liu's expression changed drastically: "What happened? What's going on?"