"Master, what's wrong?" Hearing the commotion in the inner room, Cui Niang immediately got up, grabbed her outer robe, and ran to Lanqin's window, asking through the gauze curtain. She and Nianxue had been taking turns keeping watch in the outer room outside Lanqin's main house. Lanqin's due date was approaching, and the two dared not be careless, keeping watch themselves.
"Cui Niang, my stomach hurts a little, and it feels damp down there. Please light a candle and take a look." Lan Qin didn't dare to turn over.
Cui Niang immediately lit the candles, and then came to lift the gauze curtains to check on Lanqin. She saw that there was some bleeding down there, but it seemed that her water had not yet broken.
"Is it starting, Cui Niang? I'm afraid I'm going into labor." Lanqin rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking to herself, "Why is it starting in the middle of the night?" Fortunately, the delivery room and all the necessary supplies were ready, just waiting for Lanqin to give birth.
"My lady, please lie down for a moment. I'll go and call someone. Don't be afraid." Cui Niang's heart tightened. She had been guarding Lan Qin closely for months, and had finally managed to protect her safely until now.
Cui Niang hurriedly ran out to call for help, and soon the entire south courtyard was lit up with candlelight. Before long, everyone in the courtyard got up, even Master Niu, and busied himself boiling water in the kitchen.
"Cui Niang, we need to send someone to tell the master and the princess. Even though the midwives are staying here," Nianxue said to Cui Niang. Just half a month ago, the fourth master had already arranged for two midwives to stay in the south courtyard, ready for Lanqin to give birth at any time.
"Let Si Hua go and invite the master, and let Lan Qi go and report to the Fujin," said Cui Niang.
After giving these instructions, she and Nianxue helped Lanqin get off the bed and went to the next room on the left, which was Lanqin's delivery room.
Si Hua and Lan Qi each carried a lantern and plunged into the night. Si Hua hurried along with her lantern, thankfully there were streetlights in the Fourth Master's mansion, so it wasn't too dark.
However, when Si Hua arrived at the front courtyard, she found it empty; the Fourth Prince had not yet returned to the manor. It turned out that after the Crown Prince returned, he often kept the Fourth Prince overnight at Minqing Palace. The Fourth Prince's busyness not only did not lessen, but actually increased; in short, the Crown Prince always managed to find something to make the Fourth Prince "work overtime."
Originally, the Fourth Prince had been thinking that Lanqin's due date was approaching, and he wanted to go back to be with her as soon as possible. However, the Crown Prince would sometimes insist on keeping him there, just like today when he insisted on drinking with him, so he had no choice but to stay in the palace.
Meanwhile, Lan Qi ran all the way to the main courtyard and knocked on the gate for a long time before finally waking up the old woman guarding it. The old woman rubbed her eyes and cursed a few times as she opened the door. When she opened her eyes and saw that it was just a maid, she became even more annoyed.
"Our concubine is about to give birth, hurry and inform the principal wife!" Lan Qi was too lazy to say more to her and directly stated her purpose.
Upon seeing this, the old woman guarding the gate quickly shut up and, not daring to delay, hurriedly let Lan Qi in.
The old woman led her to the maids' quarters and woke up Lingxiu, Qiuchan, and several other head maids from the Fujin's quarters before reporting to the Fujin.
The Fujin was a light sleeper, and Lingxiu only called her a few times through the gauze curtain before she woke up.
"Reporting to Your Highness, the concubine has made her move!" Lingxiu reported.
The princess was stunned for a moment, her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately sat up, personally lifting the gauze curtain to reveal her slightly serious face.
"Let's change. Fourth Master hasn't returned today, and I can't not go!"
Lanqi stood outside the house, waiting anxiously, but she didn't dare to urge the Fujin. Besides, the Fujin's arrival might not be of much help to her mistress; she was just very anxious herself.
When Lan Qi arrived at the South Courtyard with the Fujin, Lan Qin was wandering around there. Meanwhile, Cui Niang and Nian Xue were helping her walk.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you giving birth in the delivery room?" The Fujin asked Lanqin in surprise when she saw this scene as she entered the room.
"Your Highness, my cervix hasn't dilated yet. I need to walk around more to help it open up, which will make childbirth easier. Also, walking more is beneficial for the baby's position and the timing of engagement. So, please come to the main room and sit for a while," Lanqin replied, still in good spirits.
The princess suddenly heard several unfamiliar words that she did not understand at all. She looked at Lanqin in surprise. Although she had never heard of some of the words before, she understood their general meaning.
"How can this be? Childbirth is a dangerous and unclean affair for a woman. If you wander around like this, you'll spread blood and filth everywhere. How can you do this? Cui Niang, quickly take your mistress to the delivery room!" the Fujin shouted sternly. She had never seen a woman run out during childbirth before; it was simply unbelievable!
When Cui Niang saw the Fujin scolding her like this, she hesitated. She had initially objected when Lanqin wanted to be carried around by herself, but Lanqin was her mistress and she couldn't disobey her mistress. But now that the Fujin had spoken, even though Lanqin was her mistress, the Fujin was still Lanqin's mistress.
Lanqin looked at the Fujin and silently rolled her eyes in her heart, thinking: You probably wish I would die in childbirth along with my unborn child.
"My lady, my baby is in a slightly breech position. If I don't move, it will be very difficult to correct the position. Does my lady not wish for the Fourth Prince's child to be born safely?" Lanqin didn't care about anything else and could only speak sarcastically like this.
"Consort, you're talking nonsense. I, the primary wife, have always wanted you to give birth to the child safely." Seeing Lanqin's unusual behavior, the primary wife felt a bit more concerned.
"Then why won't you let me walk here, my lady? Whom am I bothering? If you find me unclean, please go back. I'll apologize to you after I give birth to the child!" Lanqin's sharp tongue could completely surprise the lady.
Sure enough, the Fujin looked at her with an expression as if she didn't recognize Lanqin. She knew that she must not do anything that would give the Fourth Prince any leverage, otherwise he would blame her for not being a proper Fujin when he returned.
"Since Consort insists on going this way so that the child can be born safely, then let's do it this way. I'll go to the main room and wait." The consort finally gave in.
However, our Comrade Lanqin walked until dawn. Her attack had already started around 3 AM. She had been gone for almost an hour and a half.
People in the manor began to get up, and the first light of dawn gradually faded. Other parts of the courtyard also received the news and began heading towards Lanqin.
The first to arrive was naturally Madam Song. As soon as she entered the South Courtyard, she saw Lanqin, who was already exhausted, being supported by Cui Niang and Nianxue and spinning around.
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