Sometimes He Qing felt like he was about to become an immortal.
Everything is like the wind passing by my ears, and does not linger in my mind at all.
It was not until winter came and Empress Dowager Zhang, who had been pregnant for ten months and was about to give birth, that He Qing's peace was broken.
Although their interactions hadn't been as frequent in recent months, Empress Dowager Zhang and He Qing had always maintained a close relationship. While He Qing was the elder, they were of the same age, which reduced the awe and awe. As one of the only three masters in the palace, He Qing was the only person Empress Dowager Zhang could speak with.
As the birth approached, Empress Dowager Zhang's moods began to fluctuate again. She worried about giving birth to a child, then worried about any unexpected complications during the birth. She was so worried she couldn't eat or sleep. This was a crucial time for her, with not only the Grand Empress Dowager but also the court officials watching closely. How could she dare allow her to remain in this state?
Because Empress Dowager Zhang said she was anxious and wanted someone to accompany her, He Qing was personally invited out of the Wendao Palace by the Empress Dowager. She was asked to move into the Kunhua Palace temporarily to live with Empress Dowager Zhang, comforting her from time to time to prevent her from being anxious.
The current supply of the palace, led by Kunhua Palace, was even surpassed by that of the Grand Empress Dowager herself. It was already mid-winter, the wind was biting cold outside, and the first snow of the year was about to fall, but inside the house, it was warm and cozy, like spring.
As He Qing entered the room, she shivered at the overwhelming heat. A palace maid came forward to take off her cloak and led her inside to pay her respects.
Empress Dowager Zhang was now in a very poor condition and spent most of her time in bed. Upon seeing her, he half-sat up, had a pillow placed behind him, and said with a smile, "I didn't mean to disturb Master Zhen's peace, but I've been feeling very uneasy and longed for someone to talk to. So, I've asked you, Your Majesty, to invite Master Zhen to stay with me for a while. Please forgive me, Master Zhen."
"What are you talking about?" He Qing first sat on the incense burner to warm his hands and body, then went over and sat down beside her. "The Queen Mother's belly holds the fate of the Great Chu Kingdom. Although I am a monk, I am also a monk of the Great Chu Kingdom. How can I not care? Originally, even if you didn't mention it here, I also wanted to ask for mercy."
Childbirth is too dangerous for women; it's like stepping into the gates of hell. He Qing at least knew a little about modern medicine. Although as a young girl, she didn't understand much about childbirth, she had learned a lot from the ubiquitous popular science, not to mention disinfection and cleaning, which were not yet systematically taught in this era.
But if she wanted to help, she first had to get approval from the higher-ups. Now that the Grand Empress Dowager had asked her to take care of Empress Dowager Zhang, she could prepare immediately.
With her around, Empress Dowager Zhang was indeed much more relaxed. Her diet and sleep habits returned to normal, and she would try to make time during the day to walk outside with He Qing.
It was outside, but it was actually just the porch. A thick curtain hung on the outer end kept the cold out. To keep her from getting bored, they'd brought in a number of evergreens. Because of the warm temperature, they were doing well.
At the other end of the corridor is the delivery room arranged by He Qing. Although it cannot be completely sterile, it is basically based on the highest achievable standards, which I think will be of some help.
Every time they went out for a walk, He Qing would bring Empress Dowager Zhang over to see it, and show her what each arrangement was used for and what its benefits were, so that she could have an idea of the delivery process and not be frightened by worries.
This was also the reason He Qing used to convince the Empress Dowager and the imperial physicians. It would also benefit Empress Dowager Zhang if she knew everything was under control.
As usual, the two of them rested for half an hour after lunch and then went out.
He Qing supported Empress Dowager Zhang as they walked slowly forward, telling her some relaxing stories. As they walked, Empress Dowager Zhang suddenly paused, pointed ahead, and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, Master, look!"
At this time, He Qing's mind was completely focused on her. He had already looked in the direction she pointed, but saw a few white spots emerging from the green plants next to him.
The two walked closer and saw that the white color was indeed the newly sprouted flower buds.
He Qing reacted even faster, smiling and saying, "This is a good omen! The Empress Dowager is about to give birth, and that's why the flowers are blooming in such auspicious signs." He then turned and instructed the people following him, "Tell them to take good care of the flowers and report back when they bloom."
Empress Dowager Zhang waited until she finished speaking before she came to her senses. She held He Qing's hand tightly and nodded, saying, "Master, what you said is absolutely right."
In reality, it was simply because the temperature in the corridor was too high, and the flower had probably become confused, thinking that spring had arrived, and thus formed buds. However, in this era, out-of-season items were definitely not a good sign, as they went against the four seasons and defied yin and yang. Fortunately, He Qing's explanation stopped people from viewing the flower as something strange, and she naturally agreed.
After all, there were only a few flower buds, so the two did not stay for too long and continued to move forward.
After a while, there was another burst of surprised shouts and noises outside the curtain. It turned out that the first snow of this winter had finally fallen.
"Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest, and it's also a good omen." He Qing said immediately, "It shows that with God's blessing, everything will surely go smoothly."
Empress Dowager Zhang nodded with a smile, but it faltered mid-sentence, giving way to a look of pain. She placed her hand on her stomach and slowly bent over, the pain returning. She'd been experiencing these symptoms for the past few days, but this time they were particularly intense. The pain was so intense that she couldn't speak, and she clutched He Qing's wrist tightly with one hand.
"Someone come quickly! Carry the Empress Dowager into the delivery room first, and arrange all matters according to the drill." He Qing shouted hurriedly.
Childbirth was the most important thing at the moment, and any effort was worth it. So He Qing assembled a team, assigned everyone a task, and had them practice several times a day. These past few days, whenever Empress Dowager Zhang had a stomachache, she'd practiced this routine, and she'd become quite adept at it. Upon hearing the instructions, they immediately prepared.
Two strong maids half-supported and half-carried Empress Dowager Zhang into the delivery room. The hot water was already boiling and all the necessary supplies were ready. The imperial physician, the female doctor and the midwife were immediately invited over. They washed their hands first and changed into clean clothes in the outer room before being allowed in.
It was not until the imperial physician and the midwife confirmed that the baby was really going to be born that He Qing sent someone to deliver the news to Ziping Palace.
All that’s left is to wait.
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