Chapter 329 Hongxiu's Difficult Childbirth
Finally, after countless kiln openings, the cooled crucible was opened, revealing a uniform grayish-blue color in the "ash cake" inside. It had a dense texture and produced a crisp sound when struck.
After grinding it into powder, mix it with water and sand to make several small cubes, and place them in a cool place for maintenance.
A few days later, when Old Shi used the back of his hoe to smash the small blocks with all his might, a shocking scene unfolded.
The hoe blade was chipped with a small nick, while the gray cube only had a white spot smashed into it, remaining completely intact!
The villagers who were watching gasped in surprise.
"This...this..." Old Shi held the hoe, his face full of disbelief.
Master Yan was so excited that his beard trembled, and he picked up a piece to examine it carefully:
"As hard as iron and stone! Solid as a single piece! A marvel! Truly a marvel! Miss Xiao Qiu, the hardness of this 'cement' far surpasses that of rammed earth bricks and stones!"
Jiang Ling breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
Although the strength of this rudimentary cement did not meet the standards of modern cement, and its compressive strength was probably only about half that of modern cement, it was sufficient for this era to combat the still immature gunpowder.
The cement firing process was just getting on track, and Jiang Ling was bending down to check the firing temperature.
In recent days, villagers have been taking turns guarding the kiln. The first batch of cement has been successfully produced, and they are currently busy firing the second batch, with a third batch to follow.
Sufficient cement must be produced before the battle to reinforce the caves. Alternatively, more shelters could be built.
As evening fell, the sky darkened and the snow began to fall heavily again.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the cave dwelling, and Sister-in-law Shi rushed in, covered in snow and wind, her face pale with anxiety: "Old Shi! Old Shi! Something terrible has happened!"
Old Shi had just finished checking the kiln temperature when he heard this and quickly turned around: "Why are you in such a panic? What happened?"
Sister-in-law Shi, panting heavily, spoke rapidly, "A little over an hour ago, we found a pregnant woman in the snow at the west end of the village! I don't know where she came from, she collapsed in the snow, and she was about to give birth, but... but she's too weak, and she's having a difficult labor! The midwife said she might not make it, so I rushed here to call you to take a look!"
Upon hearing this, the villagers in the cave stopped what they were doing, their faces showing worry.
Jiang Ling happened to be standing nearby and overheard this.
In the cold nights of the North, childbirth is already a matter of life and death for pregnant women, let alone a difficult delivery; if the baby cannot be born, it will truly mean the death of both mother and child.
Upon hearing this, Old Shi's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stood up: "Quick! Get my medicine box!"
He was the only person in the village who knew some medical skills, and it was his duty to help at this moment.
Jiang Ling recalled that she had read some cases about childbirth in medical books. Right now, with the villagers watching over the cement firing, there was nothing urgent.
Jiang Ling stepped forward and said, "Elder Shi, let me go with you to take a look. Perhaps I can be of some help."
Old Shi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, the young lady is a woman of her own mind, more people means more strength."
Without hesitation, Jiang Ling quickly washed her hands in the lukewarm water outside and followed Old Man Shi and Sister-in-law Shi, hurrying towards Sister-in-law Shi's courtyard.
The snow was still falling, and the cold wind whipped up snowflakes that stung my face. The snow under my feet was ankle-deep, and every step left a clear footprint.
Before she even reached the courtyard gate, Jiang Ling heard intermittent cries of pain coming from inside, mixed with the midwife's hoarse urging: "Push harder! The baby's almost out! If you don't push now, it'll be too late!"
In the courtyard, several women were carrying basins of reddish snow water out and splashing it onto the white snow, creating dark water stains that were particularly glaring.
A strong smell of blood filled the air.
Jiang Ling followed Elder Shi into the house, where a warm feeling mixed with the smell of blood rushed towards her.
The room was dimly lit, with only an oil lamp on. Several women were gathered around the bed, and the midwife was kneeling on the edge of the bed, busy with her work, her brows covered in sweat.
The woman in labor was curled up on the bed, her hair disheveled and plastered to her face. Her face was ashen, and her cries of pain grew weaker and weaker, clearly indicating that she had exhausted all her strength.
Old Shi strode forward, disregarding any need to avoid suspicion, and placed his hand on the woman's wrist, his brows instantly furrowing.
Jiang Ling stood aside, listening to the faint cries of pain, and found them becoming increasingly familiar.
She unconsciously took two steps closer and gently brushed aside the messy hair on the new mother's forehead.
Under the dim light, that pale, haggard, yet all too familiar face was reflected!
"Hongxiu?! Hongxiu! How could it be you?! What are you doing here?!"
Jiang Ling was shocked and quickly knelt down to hold her icy hand.
Hongxiu was already in a daze and her consciousness was blurred. Hearing this familiar voice, she struggled to open her heavy eyelids.
In the blurry light and shadow, she saw Jiang Ling's face. Her eyes were initially blank, then filled with an incredulous tenderness. Her voice was so weak it was almost inaudible: "Sister Jiang... is that you? I... I dreamt of you again... It's so good..."
Jiang Ling gripped her hand tightly, her voice urgent yet gentle, "Hongxiu, it's not a dream! It really is me! Look at me, I'm right here! Hang in there!"
Hongxiu's fingers twitched almost imperceptibly, her unfocused gaze seemed to try to refocus, but in the end she just closed it helplessly, and a turbid tear slid from the corner of her eye and disappeared into her hair.
"Sister Jiang... I'm so tired... I can't hold on much longer..."
Jiang Ling felt a pang of sadness as she sensed the faint force coming from her hand.
She knew this was not the time to press for answers; the most important thing was to ensure Hongxiu could give birth smoothly.
She took a deep breath, suppressing her shock and worry, and gently comforted her, "I know you're tired, just hang in there a little longer, okay? With me here, and so many villagers helping you, you'll be alright, and the baby will be alright too!"
Old Master Shi had finished taking Jiang Ling's pulse. He shook his head and whispered, "Her pulse is too weak. The woman has exhausted her strength. I'm afraid..."
Jiang Ling immediately interrupted him, her gaze resolute. "We can't give up! I've seen similar cases in medical books. When a woman is in difficult labor, in addition to pushing, she can also adjust her breathing and use gentle pressure to help the baby adjust its position. Midwife, please let her rest for a bit and don't urge her to push anymore!"
The midwife was also anxious and helpless. Seeing that Jiang Ling spoke with certainty and knowing that she knew medicine, she stopped with some doubt.
Jiang Ling stuffed the last small piece of chocolate from her pocket into Hongxiu's mouth to help her regain her strength.
He leaned down, whispered in Hongxiu's ear, and instructed her gently, "Hongxiu, listen to me, inhale slowly, then exhale slowly, gather your strength, and I'll let you use it later, okay?"
Hongxiu nodded weakly, slowly adjusting her breathing in rhythm with Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling then asked the woman next to her to bring a bowl of warm brown sugar water, and fed it to Hongxiu little by little with a small spoon to replenish her strength.
After a moment, Jiang Ling felt that Hongxiu's breathing had stabilized a bit.
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