"Who would kill her?" Nianxue asked in disbelief, but the princess's words often came true. This was an experience Nianxue had come to understand, which was why her initial surprise and doubt about Lanqin's words had turned into complete disbelief.

"I don't know either, but how could she suddenly—" Lanqin's hand suddenly stopped. She stared at the wound on Yun Yuan's scalp, feeling that her guesses and suspicions were indeed true...

"Gege, what's wrong?" Nianxue naturally noticed Lanqin's expression.

"Nianxue, let's go find Doctor Zhou." Lanqin suddenly took a few steps back, pulled Nianxue along, and left.

Zhou Zifeng was locked in another room. The old eunuch guarding the door agreed to let Lanqin and the others see him, so he naturally helped her unlock the room.

Dr. Zhou was seen with his hands tied behind his back with hemp rope, lying on the ground in a miserable state.

Upon seeing someone arrive, Zhou Zifeng, as if seeing a lifeline, shouted loudly, "It wasn't me! I didn't molest her!"

"Nianxue, help him up!" Lanqin said, staring at Zhou Zifeng lying on the ground.

When Zhou Zifeng saw that it was Lan Qin, he knew she was someone the Fourth Prince cared about, but the Fourth Prince wasn't there at the moment, and the Fujin was in charge. But what choice did he have now besides accepting her help?

Nianxue helped Zhou Zifeng up, and the three of them went back into the room where Yun Yuan's body was kept. Zhou Zifeng was also quite frightened.

"If you want to clear your name, come and see this!" Lan Qin rolled her eyes at Zhou Zifeng, who dared not approach.

So cowardly, no wonder you got framed. If you keep being such a coward, you'll be killed without even knowing how.

Zhou Zifeng walked to where Lan Qin was standing and saw her point at Yun Yuan's head and say, "Take a good look here. Was it caused by hitting someone with a heavy object? Then, based on your medical knowledge, judge when this wound was probably made."

Zhou Zifeng looked at Lan Qin as if she were listening to gibberish, then looked at the wound and said, "This was caused by hitting her with a heavy object. It looks like she lost a lot of blood at the time. It must have been hit just before she was thrown into the lake."

Lanqin nodded in satisfaction and said, "Take another look at her. How long did she stay in the lake to get like this?"

Suppressing his shock, Zhou Zifeng carefully examined Yun Yuan's fingers and abdomen.

“She must have been thrown into the lake yesterday. Judging from the swelling of her skin, she has been in the water for more than ten hours,” Zhou Zifeng said.

"Dr. Zhou, I still need to help you plead your case. Go to the Fujin (Madam's wife) and ask her to investigate. As for if she summons you again, you should know what to say." Lanqin inwardly despised Dr. Zhou's audacity. With his current abilities, there was absolutely no way he could have killed someone.

At this point, Zhou Zifeng realized that Lan Qin had indeed helped him, and now that there were so many suspicious points, he had to investigate.

When Lanqin helped Nianxue to the main courtyard, they did not see the Fujin (wife), because Yanyu had gone into labor.

"Princess Niu, the Fujin has already gone to Yan Yu's place. What do you need the Fujin for?" Xia He stayed behind in the main courtyard.

"Let's wait until Princess Yan Yu gives birth before we talk about it." Lan Qin knew that there was no point in talking about Zhou Zifeng now, so she could only wait until Yan Yu gave birth.

The two, mistress and servant, came out of the main courtyard. Nianxue said, "Princess, shall we go and take another look?"

Lanqin nodded and then took Nianxue's hand and went to Yan Yu's room, where Song Shi, Geng Shi, Wang Shi and Wu Shi were already there.

"My sister is here!" Madam Song called out when she saw Lanqin approaching.

"She went into labor suddenly. I heard that the midwife was brought in by her mother herself," Geng said.

"Is she worried about the Fujin?" Lanqin glanced at the Fujin's back, who was standing outside the delivery room.

“They are sisters!” Geng added.

“Even sisters cannot compete with favor and power,” said Madam Song.

“The matter of Yun Yuan might not be so simple!” Lan Qin said.

She couldn't understand who had killed Yun Yuan and was now framing Doctor Zhou. Who was it? Who had Yan Yu's personal maidservant offended to deserve such a fate?

"What does my sister know?" Madam Song asked, noticing Lanqin's unusual behavior.

"Yun Yuan has marks on her head from being hit by a hard object; she must have died before she drowned herself." Lan Qin's gaze shifted from the Fujin (principal wife) to Wang Shi and Wu Shi. Of the Fourth Prince's women, besides the one giving birth inside, and Yin Shi who had been confined to her quarters, the rest were all in this courtyard. The mastermind behind Yun Yuan's murder must be among these women.

"You mean, someone killed Yun Yuan first and then framed Doctor Zhou?" Madam Geng lowered her voice.

"It's just speculation right now, but we'll have to wait until the one inside gives birth to see what happens," Lanqin said quietly.

Painful groans echoed from the delivery room, cries that seemed to encapsulate a woman's lifelong hope and support. The idea that a mother's status depends on her son has been a shackle imposed on women for thousands of years in feudal society. And the men waiting outside, at this critical moment concerning the lives of mother and child, are asked the same question that has been asked for millennia: save the mother, or save the child?

Yan Yu was shouting hoarsely inside, while the women outside each had their own thoughts, including Lan Qin.

“The Princess Consort already has the Fourth Prince. If Yan Yu were to give birth to another prince, the Princess Consort’s position would be absolutely secure,” said Madam Song.

“Yan Yu is not qualified to raise a child herself. If it is a prince, then the Fujin will have two princes,” Geng Shi also said.

In this way, a morning passed. Those standing outside took turns going back to have their meals.

After Lanqin finished her meal, she didn't rush off. She thought she'd take a nap first, since standing outside would be pointless anyway. The Fujin (wife of the emperor) didn't say she had to be there.

After Lanqin finished her midday rest, she took Nianxue's hand and went to Yanyu's courtyard again.

As it turned out, just like in the morning, the baby still hadn't been born. The same people were still standing outside the yard.

Inside, Yan Yu felt like she was dying from the pain; she never imagined childbirth would be so painful.

"Mother, I'm dying, please let him out!" Yan Yu's eyes were wide open; she had already lost a lot of blood. Her face was slightly pale, and a slice of ginseng to boost her energy had been cut and placed in her mouth.

"Yu'er, every woman has to go through this, just try harder!" Seeing how difficult it was for Yan Yu to give birth, Madam Liu felt sorry for her.

"Mother, please think of something! I really can't go on. I don't want to die, I don't want to die!" Yan Yu was now completely helpless in controlling her own life; she could only feel her strength draining away little by little. She felt so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Granny, how is it? Why isn't the baby coming out yet?" Liu asked the two midwives.

"Alas, perhaps the baby is not in the correct position. Madam, help the princess up and let her walk around a bit more, otherwise, with the baby in this position, it will be difficult to give birth!" said a midwife.