Following Li's instructions, Mingyan immediately went to fetch Doctor Zhou.
Madam Song was surprised by Madam Li's kindness in sending someone to visit her and even arranging a doctor for her. In fact, Madam Song had started coughing a few days earlier, but because it was approaching New Year's Day and the Fujin (Madam of the Household) had many things to do, she had been enduring it without making a sound.
She had originally intended to force herself to attend the banquet today, but just before leaving, her body became unusually hot, and she simply couldn't hold on any longer.
After taking Song's pulse, Doctor Zhou immediately instructed Song's personal maid, Qingping, to go with her to get the medicine. Seeing that she had finished the task assigned by Li, Mingyan called Qing'er, a young maid from Song's room, to serve her, and then left.
After Dr. Zhou brought the medicine, Qingping busied herself with decocting it.
Song felt her head was about to split open, and Qing'er was too young. She usually only did some rough work under Qingping that didn't require much brainpower. Now that she was asked to take care of someone who had a fever, she was completely at a loss.
Following Doctor Zhou's instructions, Qingping knew that the medicine must not be boiled and that she had to keep a close watch on it at all times. However, she was worried that Qing'er, being so young, might ruin the medicine, so she had no choice but to watch over it herself.
Meanwhile, Song felt as if her head was about to explode, and her entire body felt like it didn't belong to her. Her consciousness began to drift away, and she felt as if she were walking on a dark road, with nothing but darkness ahead and no light at all.
Song felt very scared and wanted to scream, but her throat was as if it had been given a mute drug and she couldn't speak. Her lips were so dry that they seemed to be about to crack.
Suddenly, she heard the cry of a baby, so heartbreaking, so heartbreaking.
Although Mrs. Song only heard that cry for a little over a month, she had already memorized it. It was the cry of her first child!
"Baby, baby!!" Song cried out anxiously, suddenly raising both hands and grabbing wildly in the air.
Seeing Song Shi's state, Qing'er panicked and immediately asked with a tearful face, "Princess, what's wrong?"
But Madam Song couldn't hear her cries. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her hands flailing wildly in the air, repeatedly calling out, "Baby, don't cry, Mommy's coming~~"
Fine snowflakes were still falling outside. The winter night was very quiet, and the crying from Song's house in the north courtyard sounded unusually clear. A faint light seemed rather lonely in the black and white winter night.
Zi Ran received a message from Li Shubao, saying that Lan Qin asked her to come and see Song Gege to see if there was anything she could do to help.
When she arrived at Song's house, she heard the cries of a little maid and a woman's sorrowful cry, "Baby, baby!"
Zi Ran entered the room and saw a very young girl kneeling on the wooden footstool in front of the bed, constantly trying to pull on the arm of the woman on the bed.
"What's wrong with Princess Song?" Zi Ran quickly went up to ask.
When Qing'er saw that someone had finally arrived, she quickly turned her head and cried, "Gege seems to have been talking nonsense."
Seeing Song Shi's appearance, Zi Ran's face sank down, a truly heartbreaking sight. Women in the inner quarters, without the emperor's favor, are nothing like ordinary couples in humble households. Although they live in poverty, they laugh and talk every day, finding peace and harmony in their relationship.
"Quickly fetch a basin of water and wring out a handkerchief." Zi Ran pulled Qing'er's arm. "I'll take care of her here."
Qing'er quickly stood up and did as Zi Ran said. In fact, she didn't know Zi Ran at all, but anyone who could come here must be someone sent by Consort Li. It was Ming Yan who had invited the doctor earlier.
Zi Ran noticed that Song Shi's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and when she touched Song Shi's hand, she found it to be alarmingly hot.
After Qing'er brought the water, Zi Ran quickly wrung out a handkerchief to wipe Song Shi's sweat. She then instructed Qing'er to lift the quilt off Song Shi and pull up the clothes on her arms and legs.
"Miss, what are you doing?" Qing'er asked, puzzled. She was afraid that Song Shi would scold her when she woke up if she casually took off her clothes like this. Besides, it was the middle of winter, and she wasn't covered with a blanket and was taking off her clothes. Wouldn't she freeze to death?
"Naturally, we need to cool her down. Don't say anything more, just do as I say!" Zi Ran had already started to unbutton Song's undergarments.
It turned out that Li Shubao had returned to deliver a message, telling her Lanqin's instructions: Go check on Song Shi. If her fever hasn't subsided, use physical methods to lower it. Undress her, don't cover her with blankets, and wipe her arms and legs with cool water.
Sure enough, when Zi Ran came over, she saw that Song Shi was still covered with a quilt, but beads of sweat were dripping down her head.
Qing'er dared not disobey, so she had no choice but to follow Zi Ran's instructions.
After the blankets and clothes were removed, Zi Ran was responsible for wiping Song's arms, and Qing'er took a handkerchief to wipe her legs.
After these actions, Song seemed to feel more comfortable and gradually stopped talking nonsense, becoming quieter.
Qingping's medicine was finally ready. When she rushed back with the medicine, she saw a stranger standing in the room. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Ziran from Niu Gege's quarters.
"Sister Qingping, you're finally back!" Qing'er said as soon as she saw Qingping walk in.
Qingping ignored her and stepped forward with the medicine, asking, "Gege, what's wrong? What are you doing?"
"Don't ask anything, let Song Gege drink her medicine first." Naturally, Qingping was holding the medicine.
Zi Ran and Qing'er helped Song Shi sit up, and Qing Ping sat on the edge of the bed and fed her spoonful by spoonful.
After taking the medicine, Zi Ran laid Song Shi down and said to Qing Ping, "Gege's clothes are all soaked with sweat. Go find a set of clothes for her and keep wiping her body with warm water to dissipate the heat."
Qingping had never heard of such a strange method before, and asked in bewilderment, "Did Doctor Zhou instruct you to do this?"
Seeing their strange looks, Zi Ran had no choice but to explain, "This is a method my princess learned from Westerners to cool down, and it seems to be very effective."
Seeing Qing'er nod, Qingping agreed with some skepticism.
After the three maids worked for a long time, Song Shi finally showed signs of her fever subsiding.
Meanwhile, the banquet in the Li family's courtyard had already begun.
The Fourth Master had given specific instructions, so the kitchen naturally dared not be careless. A large eight-treasure pickled cabbage hot pot was brought out; the duck meat inside was cooked until tender and flavorful, its aroma filling the air and whetting one's appetite. Next came the five-color beef tenderloin, squirrel-shaped fish, Sichuan peppercorn chicken, and four-happiness meatballs…
Lanqin sat next to Geng Shi, exchanging a few words with her from time to time, and then picked up her chopsticks and kept putting various delicacies into her small bowl.
Seeing that Lanqin seemed completely unaffected by her, while she herself still had little appetite and barely touched the dishes on the table, Yan Yu felt increasingly suffocated.
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