The one who came to report was Dieyin, a maid from Chunying Garden. She had been sent by Fukang'an to stop Yan Ning from eating the meal that had been brought from the kitchen that day. However, in her panic, she first recounted what had just happened in Chunying Garden.
Yan Ning was somewhat taken aback, and hurriedly pulled the agate-red brocade cheongsam that Lan Xiang was holding onto her body. Seeing this, Zhu Xiang immediately stepped forward to fasten the butterfly-wing buttons for Yan Ning.
Knowing that she was the only one in the manor who still harbored thoughts and had the opportunity to harm Wu Chun's unborn child, Yan Ning hurriedly rushed to Chun Ying Garden. If Wu Chun had eaten something that caused her premature birth, she would be implicated in the minds of everyone in the manor.
Dieyin said that Zhao Xing had already gone to the kitchen to search for where the saffron came from. Thinking that the kitchen must be filled with pleas for mercy and excuses, Yan Ning walked even faster.
Considering the unborn child in Yan Ning's womb, Zhu Xiang helped her walk mostly along the flat, wide mansion path. After circling around several Taihu stones, Yan Ning felt a tightness in her chest and a fever. She took off her cloak and tossed it haphazardly into Zhu Xiang's hands. Her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and because of the wind, Yan Ning herself couldn't tell whether the sweat clinging to her eyebrows was cold or hot.
The journey from Jian Gong Zhai to Chun Ying Yuan involved passing several pavilions and artificial hills. Along the way, Yan Ning bumped into and knocked down early spring blossoms, their pink and white stamens staining her agate-red cheongsam. Agate-red was originally a brocade-like crimson, and Yan Ning was wearing cloud brocade. Thus, the tiny stamens that fell on her body slid off, leaving faint stamen marks.
On the way, Dieyin, who had run to Jian Gong Zhai to report, told Yan Ning that Wu Chun had only drunk half of the bird's nest soup she had taken from the kitchen that morning when she experienced unbearable abdominal pain. Fortunately, Fukang'an was at Chun Ying Yuan, and the doctors and midwives rushed there as if they had stepped on the wind. The doctor said that Wu Chun had added a very heavy amount of top-grade saffron to the bowl of bird's nest soup she had drunk.
Fukang'an feared that Yan Ning's food might contain saffron or other substances that could cause miscarriage, so he ordered Dieyin to go to Jiangongzhai to inform Yan Ning that she should not have breakfast.
When Yan Ning and her party arrived at Chun Ying Garden, seven or eight of the city's most outstanding doctors were already waiting in the hall, while three midwives were busy in the inner room.
Heavy curtains hung down, blocking the sunlight from entering the courtyard. The main hall of Chunying Garden was somewhat dim, lacking any sense of the clear and bright morning light.
As Fukang'an paced back and forth in the hall, he immediately stepped forward to greet Yan Ning and reprimanded the servants, including Zhu Xiang, who were following behind her, "How could you let Madam go out without a cloak? You'll catch a cold and your skin will be so tight!"
His brows furrowed, and his voice was icy cold. Zhu Xiang, Ju Xiang, and Lan Xiang immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness. The matter of Ran Xin and Ran Yu had made the servants of the Fucha Mansion clench their skin.
Yan Ning glanced back at the three people who looked panicked and said to ease the tension, "I was walking too fast and sweating a lot, so I took it off halfway!"
Fukang'an was about to say something when a tearing pain shot through Wuchun's body from the inner room; like a wild cat's cry suddenly breaking the stillness of the night, yet more mournful than a wild cat's cry.
Upon hearing the voice, Yan Ning trembled involuntarily; she lost her balance and stumbled to the ground, whereupon Fu Kang'an pulled her into his arms.
Seeing Yan Ning tightly protecting her lower abdomen, Fukang'an was filled with anger. Dieyin, who had been sent to Jiangongzhai to deliver a message, had misunderstood his intentions and relayed the wrong message.
He originally only wanted to stop Yan Ning from using the breakfast and tonics served by the kitchen staff this morning, fearing that Yan Ning's meals and tonics might contain substances that could cause pregnant women to miscarry. He never expected that the messenger Dieyin would bring Yan Ning to Chunying Garden.
Having experienced Xiang'er's ordeal, Fukang'an had gained some experience with childbirth. He feared that if Wuchun were also unable to give birth smoothly, her tragic cries would frighten Yan Ning and harm the fetus in her womb.
Intermittent screams and tearing sounds could be heard. After helping Yan Ning sit up, Fukang'an lingered behind the curtains of the inner room. His deep crimson robe was hidden behind the deep crimson curtains, making it impossible for Yan Ning to separate him from the curtains.
The maids went in and out, exchanging basins of water. Yan Ning sat in the main seat. Although she couldn't see the water in the basin, she could guess that the water brought from the inner room was stained with blood.
She dared not approach, nor enter the inner room, the scenes of Hibiscus Garden lingering in her mind. Although she disliked Wuchun, she had never harbored any intention to harm the child in her womb.
Fukang'an ordered Zhuxiang to take Yan Ning back to Jian Gong Zhai, but Yan Ning wanted to stay by his side. If something were to happen to the child in Wuchun's womb, his guilt would be far greater than that of the stillborn Dejia.
Fukang'an knew Yan Ning's feelings and no longer forced her to leave. He sat back in the main seat, one hand behind his back, the other tightly holding Yan Ning's hand. Yan Ning knew that he was afraid, afraid that he would see a pale, lifeless face like Tong Dejia's.
From the first light of dawn to the deep twilight, Wu Chun's voice was as hoarse as a night owl's. A baby's cry followed weakly after Wu Chun's voice.
Fukang'an was overjoyed. He immediately stood up and went to the inner room to greet the midwife who came out to announce the good news. Yan Ning's hands were empty, leaving only a layer of sweat; her heart was also empty, and she had to slowly tighten her grip and force a dignified smile onto her face.
The midwife, her hands stained with blood she hadn't had time to wipe away, knelt before Fukang'an and Yan Ning to offer her congratulations.
"Congratulations, General! Congratulations, Madam! Concubine An has given birth to a daughter. Both mother and daughter are safe and sound!"
Yan Ning's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled, only to be overshadowed by sorrow again. Her husband had fathered a child with another woman, yet she was to receive congratulations and share in that woman's joy.
Fukang'an didn't see the fleeting sorrow on Yan Ning's face. He walked back to her and took her hands in his. "Yan Ning, Heaven hasn't punished me, and our child will be safe and sound!"
Yan Ning met Fukang'an's burning gaze and nodded gently. Then she buried her face in his chest, the forced smile on her face hidden in his embrace.
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