Chapter 564 It's all because of filial piety!
After seeing that Li San Niang refused both the consultation fee and the Yue family's carriage, and then hailed a carriage on the street to leave, the old woman returned home. With a sullen face, she went back to the inner room and gave a wink to Madam Yue, who was sitting by the bedside, gently comforting Tang Lijiao, who was frightened by Li San Niang's words.
Madam Yue said a few more words of comfort to Tang Lijiao before getting up and leaving the inner room.
Back in her own courtyard, Madam Yue, sitting on a low couch in the side hall, waved her hand to dismiss the maids who were standing there, and then gestured to the old woman to sit down and answer her questions.
"That Dr. Li did not accept the consultation fee, saying that she was unable to see the patient herself and therefore could not accept the fee."
The old woman, who had been speaking with her head down, raised her head and looked at Madam Yue with a worried expression. She said, "Madam, that Physician Li didn't even ride in our mansion's carriage. She and her disciple simply stopped a carriage on the street."
Madam, they wouldn't have gone to find Lady Liu Ruyi, would they?
Madam Tang's only remaining relative in Chang'an is her cousin. If Madam Liu were to learn of Madam Tang's current state, would she send a message to Jiangnan East Road?
What will we do then?
Upon hearing this, Madam Yue's heart skipped a beat; what she feared most had come to pass!
Back then, because the old lady of the Yue family was terminally ill and said that she wanted to see her grandson get married before she died, the father-in-law swallowed his pride and begged the Tang family again and again to allow Tang Lijiao to marry into the Yue family ahead of schedule.
Who would have thought that, despite the ominous signs of a marriage arranged to bring good fortune, Old Madam Yue actually pulled through.
Tang Lijiao was petite and beautiful, just like a woman from Jiangnan. She spoke Mandarin with a soft accent, and she was always tactful and considerate, always putting Yue Wenyuan first.
How could a mother-in-law from both the first and second generations of her family not like a daughter-in-law who is so devoted to her husband?
But no matter how much you like a daughter-in-law, you still have to make sure she produces offspring for your family.
After Tang Lijiao reached marriageable age, she consummated her marriage with Yue Wenyuan and successfully discovered she was two months pregnant at the beginning of this year.
If everything goes according to plan, then Tang Lijiao should take good care of her pregnancy, wait for the baby to ripen and give birth to a little girl or a little boy, and live a good life as a daughter-in-law without worrying about food or clothing.
But how can things in life always go smoothly?
When she learned that Tang Lijiao was pregnant, Madam Yue, the matriarch of the Yue family and the first person in charge of filial piety, was overjoyed and immediately took out many fine items from her private treasury to reward Tang Lijiao.
Then, Madam Yue, being from the north and having come from the countryside, felt that women, especially pregnant women, should eat and drink well to nourish the fetus in their womb, which was the bloodline of the Yue family.
As Old Madam Yue said, "Jiaojiao is so small now. If she doesn't eat more, how can she feed the baby in her belly?"
"Quickly, have the kitchen prepare plenty of delicious food and send it over, so that Jiaojiao can gain some weight."
I dare not refuse the gift from the elder.
From the very beginning, Tang Lijiao didn't know how to refuse. She felt that since the old lady had asked her to eat, and she was indeed very hungry, she ate everything.
But who could have imagined that by the time Madam Yue discovered that Tang Lijiao's belly was more than a third larger than that of an ordinary woman, Tang Lijiao was already more than four months pregnant.
Madam Yue had successfully given birth to three sons and two daughters. How could she not know that pregnant women should not eat too much, otherwise the baby in the womb would grow too big, and it would be difficult to give birth no matter how hard they tried?
Therefore, Madam Yue instructed the kitchen to stop giving Tang Lijiao the extra two meals and three snacks.
But here's the problem: Old Madam Yue disagrees!
Where did you get so fat?
Jiaojiao is so lucky!
Only blessed women can give birth to blessed children!
Therefore, Madam Yue disagreed with reducing Tang Lijiao's meals, and Tang Lijiao's stomach had been pampered before, so how could she really resist eating more?
During this time, Tang Lijiao's dowry maid did try to help and even sent a letter to Liu Ruyi.
But Tang Lijiao was the boss, and with the support of her mother-in-law, Liu Ruyi was pregnant at the time, so she had no interest in managing her cousins' affairs.
This resulted in the fact that when Madam Yue returned home from visiting her youngest daughter who had just given birth to her first child in a neighboring state, she discovered that Tang Lijiao's belly was not only surprisingly large at seven months, but she also had difficulty getting out of bed.
Even Tang Lijiao's eating, drinking, and toileting all required the help of her maids.
At this point, Madam Yue realized that she was in big trouble!
But it was too late. Tang Lijiao was already more than seven months pregnant. Could she possibly change it back?
At that time, Madam Yue summoned her eldest daughter-in-law, who had stayed home to manage the household while she was away, and questioned her about it.
But the eldest daughter-in-law of the Yue family had no way to defend herself. She choked back her sobs and said, "Mother, I have also given birth to two sons and a daughter. How could I not know that a woman must abstain from certain foods when she is pregnant?"
But my words have no effect!
I spoke with Jiaojiao and told her not to eat too much of this.
She listens to me obediently in front of me, but behind my back she still eats as usual.
Moreover, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Yue family, who was kneeling on the ground at the time, looked up at Madam Yue with a helpless expression and said, "Mother, Grandma tells the kitchen every day to either stew fish soup or boil chicken soup, and she sends it to Jiaojiao's courtyard all the time."
As a granddaughter-in-law, how could I possibly speak ill of my grandmother?
Sitting on the low couch, thinking about everything that had happened before, Madam Yue's vision went black and she almost fainted.
"lady!"
It was the old woman sitting on the stool who noticed in time and helped Madam Yue, who was about to fall backward, thus preventing her from falling onto the couch.
Madam Yue recalled what the old doctor from Jishantang, a famous doctor in Chang'an, had said after she secretly invited him to examine Tang Lijiao: "Madam Yue, it will be difficult for such a large woman to give birth in the end."
It's already this late in the month, and I'm truly powerless to do anything about it.
To be frank, even a god descending to earth wouldn't be able to save him in this state!
Madam Yue was furious. "How am I going to explain this to my in-laws?!"
When Liu Ruyi finally had some free time, Tang Lijiao's dowry maid came to her door and recommended the female doctor Li San Niang to Tang Lijiao.
That's why today, the Yue family's mother-in-law went to the clinic to ask Li San Niang to come out and make house calls.
"What to do? What to do?"
Given Jiao Jiao's current condition, both the old doctor at Jishantang and this highly skilled female doctor from today's clinic say that Jiao Jiao will not survive.
What... what should we do?
While Madam Yue was feeling distressed and troubled, Li San Niang and Qiu Xiang had already met Liu Ruyi.
Skipping the pleasantries, Li San Niang succinctly recounted to Liu Ruyi her experience of seeing Tang Lijiao at her in-laws' house that day.
"I am not the kind of doctor who would hide my illness from people; I always say what I think."
I heard from Madam Yue that it was Lady Liu who recommended me to Lady Tang.
Liu Ruyi had only been in confinement for a little over two months, and her body was still somewhat weak. Even on a hot day, she was still wearing a half-length robe.
Upon hearing what Li Sanniang said, Liu Ruyi immediately had a bad feeling, but still nodded in agreement.
"I've already told my wife about this situation. I've told her the truth, and now Madam Tang is just counting down the days!"
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