Chapter 279: Accompanying the Birth
Bai Jingyu complained: "Why are you touching it? Don't I know that the smell of burning the wrong incense sticks is unpleasant? But you really can't touch it..."
Meimei lamented in her heart: I am really too idle to do anything. Xu Junying is right. Why should I care about what happens in other people's bedrooms? The ancients were so stubborn. How can they change their superstitions in a short time?
She just came to take a look out of kindness. If it were someone else, they would have just sat there and left, but she was too nosy and ended up like this.
Xu Junlang said to Bai Jingyu: "The smell is indeed unpleasant, and my sister-in-law is also kind-hearted, so don't think too much about it."
Bai Jingyu was a little depressed. Meimei knew that she was not a petty person, but she cared too much about the baby in her belly. She was afraid that she would be too cautious and it would be detrimental to the birth. After thinking for a while, she said:
"Okay! This is my fault. When you give birth, I will accompany you from beginning to end. I don't believe this evil. If any monster dares to come near, I will kill it for you and ensure the safety of you and your child! Okay? Be happy for a while, okay?"
Bai Jingyu looked at her with a squinting eye and chuckled: "Do you have that ability? Why are you like this? You just like to meddle in other people's business!"
Meimei waved her hand in annoyance to chase away a mosquito: "That's enough. I won't do such stupid things again! I don't understand these rules either. My nanny has gone back to her parents' home. It's not like you have Huang Mama by your side, teaching you all these weird and unfounded taboos... Oh, Huang Mama is really something. Why didn't she stop me?"
She looked at Xu Junlang: "It was Second Master! Second Master forced her!"
Xu Junlang smiled bitterly: "I don't understand either, I just follow what my sister-in-law wants..."
Bai Jingyu chuckled: "You two have grown up for nothing! Well, just like my sister-in-law said, you two have to accompany me to give birth to the baby. Only in this way can I feel at ease!"
Meimei looked at her and said, "I can do it. Second Master...even if he wants to, Second Madam won't allow it."
Xu Junlang said: "Sister-in-law is by your side. I can stand outside the gate and accompany you from beginning to end!"
Bai Jingyu looked at them, his eyes suddenly reddened, he pursed his lips and nodded: "With you here, I'm not afraid of anything!"
Cuisi came in at this time and handed a small square brocade box to Meimei. Meimei opened it, took out two pieces of brown sawdust, and handed them to Xiangyun beside her: "This is the fragrant wood chips for repelling mosquitoes. Burn them in the fumigation cage. After burning for a while, there will be no mosquitoes. You can close the screen windows and doors and replace them with this kind of fragrant chips."
She handed the small brocade box to Bai Jingyu and said, "This is summer scented tea. It has a light fragrance and can drive away evil spirits and relieve heat. It was newly made in the palace and is said to be suitable for young children. The Queen asked the Marquis to bring back two boxes the day before yesterday. I'll give you one box and I'll give some to Rulan later."
Bai Jingyu took it and said with some embarrassment: "Thank you, sister-in-law. It's from the palace. It's so precious. I got a box myself..."
Meimei glanced at her and said, "Aren't you special? You like to believe in this and that, and I'm afraid of you, so I bribed you!"
Bai Jingyu couldn't stop laughing, and Xu Junlang couldn't help laughing either. Huang's mother came in and said, "Dinner has been served, but should it be served in the room?"
Xu Junlang said, "Put it in. Go and ask the elder sister and elder sister-in-law to have dinner with us before going back."
Meimei shook her head: "No, you guys use it, I have to go back to see Heng'er..."
Just as she stood up and was about to leave, Bai Jingyu suddenly turned pale, covered her stomach and groaned, "Am I about to give birth? My stomach hurts so much... It hurts so much!"
Everyone was startled and gathered around to look at her. Xu Junlang and Xiangyun helped her lean against the cotton pile. Meimei asked, "What happened? Does it still hurt?"
Bai Jingyu took a breath and said, "I feel better now. My stomach suddenly contracted just now and it hurt so much!"
Huang Mama nodded and said, "Second Madam, the baby is about to be born! Quick, go and tell Madam!"
Meimei frowned slightly: Bai Jingyu didn't give birth earlier or later, and she gave birth just because I came to her room and caused this? She really can't get away with it, and I have to stay here and watch over her.
He immediately called Xiangyun, "Hurry up and feed your grandma!"
Bai Jingyu frowned and said, "My stomach hurts a little, I'm a little scared, and I can't eat..."
Meimei glared at her, "It's not your first time giving birth, what are you afraid of? You should know that you can't give birth without strength. Eat! Eat as much as you can, try to eat as much as possible... Huang Mama, have you prepared everything you need for the birth? Where's the midwife? Call her to wait by your side immediately. Set up a fire in the water mill to boil water. Keep clean, boiled water on standby at all times. Throw clean white gauze, white linen, and scissors into the pot and boil them. Do you have hot water now? Get it ready. After dinner, Second Madam, take a break and take a bath. Remember to dry your hair after washing it!"
Huang Mama hesitated: "Replying to the eldest grandma: the midwife was kept in the mansion a long time ago, and other things were taken care of immediately, but the second grandma is in pain and is about to give birth, and she still needs to wash her hair and take a bath?"
"Jingyu, do you think you can wash?" Meimei looked at Bai Jingyu. She was still able to cooperate with Xiangyun and eat one bite at a time.
Bai Jingyu swallowed a mouthful of rice, and Xu Junlang wiped her mouth for her. There was a grain of rice next to it. Bai Jingyu said, "I want to wash it. It's been very hot these days, and I'm sweating..."
"If you don't feel particularly uncomfortable, take a shower, change clothes and prepare for delivery. You've just started to have abdominal pain and your water hasn't broken yet. You might have to wait until late at night to give birth. You can take a bath first. It's hot and humid in early summer, so taking a bath is better than not taking a bath. Mother Huang, it's okay. Ask the maids to carefully wait on you while you take a bath!"
Meimei discussed with Xu Junlang again: "Second Master, have you arranged for a doctor to be on duty?"
Xu Junlang said, "I told my eldest brother some time ago that he had called the people at the Imperial Medical Clinic, and I also went to meet the two doctors in person to ask for help. At this hour, the people at the Imperial Medical Clinic have already gone home. How can I find them? I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you again!"
"Your eldest brother has gone to the military camp outside the city. He will stay outside for a few days. How can we find him?"
Xu Junlang was stunned, and Bai Jingyu couldn't eat anymore: "What should we do?"
Meimei said, "Don't be afraid. He has said that Baizhan may be able to find the person. Let Baizhan go. The Second Master is here to accompany Jingyu, so she can feel more at ease. When the Second Madam comes and asks you to go, you can go, but don't go too far. Just stay outside and accompany her - you said it yourself!"
Bai Jingyu reached out to grab Xu Junlang's hand, but Xu Junlang held her hand back and nodded with a smile: "Yes, I remember, I'll be with you at the gate!"
Meimei looked at Bai Jingyu leaning in Xu Junlang's arms, her face filled with happiness and emotion.
She smiled slightly, called Cuixi and Cuisi over, and instructed them: "Cuisi, go to the front yard first and find Baizhan, and ask him to go to the palace immediately to find the imperial physician who will take care of the delivery from Eunuch Ji, and bring him back directly to the courtyard of the Second Master of the West Mansion. Go and come back quickly! Then you go directly back to Qinghua Courtyard and watch Heng'er with Xia Lian. Come to me if you have anything. Cuixi, take two guards to the South City Pharmacy. The people in the store recognize you. Ask Doctor Duan... Why not invite Doctor Duan and Doctor Bai? At this time, it's better to have more doctors. Just say that the Second Madam in the mansion is giving birth and what medicines are needed. Ask them to consider and bring them all!"
Cuixi and Cuisi left one after another. Xu Junlang looked at Meimei sitting at the table, pondering. The light shone on her, and her silhouette was soft and gentle. He lowered his eyes, then raised them again, sighed softly, and said to Xiangyu who was standing on the side:
"Get a new cup of tea for Grandma."
Just as Meimei thought, the second wife came in and immediately pulled Xu Junlang out of the room, scolding him with a sullen face:
"Giving birth is the most important thing for a woman. Blood and evil spirits are both very bad for a man's fortune. I have taught you so many times, and you understand. It's already this late, why are you still staying here? Go! The farther the better, go to the study in the front yard and rest!"
In the room, Meimei comforted Bai Jingyu, and Bai Jingyu said calmly: "It is not necessary for him to stay by my side. I just want to see how important the status of our mother and son is in his heart. He is willing to make some efforts to make me happy, and he should be content! Giving birth is a woman's own business, and men... just leave!"
Bai Jingyu was different from the Queen and Feng. She was the second child. Meimei was on guard as if facing a formidable enemy, which made the two doctors Duan and Bai from Qiancaotang laugh and cry. The imperial physicians from the palace came, and they were asked to accompany her, but in the end, no one was used. Meimei only whispered in Bai Jingyu's ear when she was in the most pain: "Second Master is accompanying her at the gate of the courtyard, and Second Madam refused to leave even if people pulled him!"
Tears flowed from Bai Jingyu's eyes. She tried her best to cooperate with the midwife. After struggling for a while, she finally gave birth to a white, fat and strong boy at four o'clock in the morning!
The midwife followed the imperial physician's instructions and took care of the pregnant woman. She announced, "Mother and child are safe!" and the whole courtyard cheered. Meimei couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. This time, she would never dare to touch the pregnant woman's room even if she was beaten to death. She had that much responsibility on her mind, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't panicking or afraid!
Afterwards, several sisters-in-law sat together and talked about this. Bai Jingyu laughed so hard that he fell backwards: "How could I be the kind of person who would stick to a rut? Even if I had my eyes on you, I would have to stick with you... I feel at ease knowing that you are by my side from beginning to end!"
Ning Rulan said: "When I was pregnant, my sister-in-law wasn't even around!"
Meimei glared at them: "So I am here to accompany you to give birth to a son?"
Bai Jingyu said seriously: "It's okay if you don't want to accompany me. You give birth and we will accompany you!"
Meimei lowered her eyes: Well, we have to drop this topic and can’t talk about it any further.
Early in the morning on the eleventh day of May, Meimei had just gotten up and was dressing when she heard the housekeeper and the head steward of the Hou Mansion answering in the corridor:
"Madam Young Master: Someone from the palace has arrived with the imperial edict. Madam Young Master, please go to the front hall to receive it!"
Meimei hurried to the front hall, but it turned out that the empress suddenly wanted to go to the imperial temple to burn incense and pray for the prince. The emperor was busy with state affairs and could not go with her, so he allowed her to bring more women from outside the royal family to accompany her. In addition to Meimei and the women from outside the royal family who went with her last year, there would be more than a hundred women from outside the royal family. Meimei was stunned: hundreds of women from outside the royal family, each with two or three maids, plus countless palace maids and eunuchs, and thousands of guards and imperial guards, how huge would this team be? It was indeed a royal formation, extraordinary!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
