A Mistaken Marriage Match: Mysteries in the Imperial Harem-Chapter 68
Mysteries in the Imperial Harem: Chapter 68
Chapter 68: Danger (Part 2)
The neat footsteps were gradually soften but Qing Feng’s heart was still not under control and was beating severely. When Chen Zhen just moan, she was already scared out of her wits. Qing Feng dare not look at the figure at the back of the sedan. She was wearing a palace maid attire that was already drench with sweat and the dark red dress was stained to a dark red colour by her bleeding. The joints of the long fingers that were cluttering the cushions were white and her eyes were staring wide open at the top of the sedan. Fu Ling was afraid that she would cry out on the way and made her bit down a white cloth which Qing Feng felt that during the journey, she almost could not breath properly.
The scent of blood made Qing Feng nausea and she used her collar to over her nose so as to reduce the scent. It was a good thing that they were reaching Qing Feng Hall and she heard Fu Ling running into the courtyard and spoke to the bearers, “Carry it to the steps.”
The sedan was just placed on the ground when Fu Ling immediately said, “All of you can withdraw.”
The eight men looked at one another and even though their faces showed bewilderment, they did not stay any longer and left the courtyard.
Such a big sedan was carried to the front of the room door and that made the palace workers who were originally at the courtyard, came running over. Lan-er look curiously at the sedan and asked, “Older sister Fu Ling, what is with her Ladyship?”
“Mistress is feeling a little uncomfortable with today’s celebration as it was too noisy. Mistress said that you all have been working hard these few days and since there a celebration today, you all can go and watch the festive.” Fu Ling went forward and did not let her walk up the steps.
Mistress was not feeling well and they as servants headed out to watch the buzz? Lan-er found it funny, “This… Is not right.”
“There is nothing that is not right. Mistress needs peace and quiet, all of you can leave.” Chen Zhen was having a difficult birth and it was almost half a shichen (1 shichen = 2 hours) since then. Not sure how was she doing now. These people still stood there not moving and it made Fu Ling anxious as she coldly scolded, “Still don’t go!”
Seeing that the always gentle Fu Ling suddenly turned hostile, the timid palace maids were frighten till their neck shrank. Lan-er was not scolded like this my anyone and she was so annoyed that she hrumphed before she ran out. Feeling Fu Ling’s cold stare pointing at her, Xia Yin also immediately left the courtyard. The other palace maids and eunuchs looked at one another but dare not not leave. Not to mentioned that her Ladyship was in the sedan, and even if her Ladyship is not in a sedan, they dare not disobey the words from a fifth ranking female official.
When the palace attendants all left, Fu Ling looked at the blank Ru Yi and urgently instructed, “Go and lock the main doors and side doors.”
“Oh.” Recovering her mind, Ru Yi quickly rushed to close the doors.
There was no movement in the sedan the entire time thus Fu Ling gently open the curtains and whispered, “Mistress?”
When the sedan was placed down, Qing Feng turned around to check on Chen Zhen’s situation and found that she, who was previous breathing difficultly, was no longer moving and just lay there quietly with her eyes wide open, without any energy. Qing Feng was so scared that she quickly took the white cloth that she was biting from her mouth but she still kept her mouth slightly open but no longer breathing violently. Qing Feng’s heart was like in her throat and she was so nervous that she had forgotten to breath. Her trembling fingers slowly reached out to Chen Zhen’s nose and when she felt the weak breathing, she then gave a heavy sigh of relief.
At this time, Fu Ling voice flowed into the carriage and Qing Feng called out, “Come over and help her up the bed.”
When Fu Ling climbed into the sedan, she was also frighten at Chen Zhen’s condition. After confirming that she was still alive, both of them used all their strength to move the semi-conscious Chen Zhen out of the sedan. Qing Feng was pregnant and Fu Ling was also a frail weak female and thus after struggling for a while, they were already tired when they could then managed to get Chen Zhen to the front of the carriage.
“Ru Yi!”
Ru Yi just closed the doors when she heard Qing Feng’s shouts and hastily ran over. Seeing the scene in front of the sedan, Ru Yi froze on the spot. She had guessed that there was something strange in the sedan but did not think that there was another person inside, moreover a pregnant women. And this person was Imperial Concubine Hui who was banished to the Cold Palace!
How did Imperial Concubine Hui got pregnant? Was it the Emperor’s child? Why was she now here and what was the relationship between her and Qing Feng that made Qing Feng take such a big and dangerous risk? Her mind was in a mess and after seeing the blood stained skirt, Ru Yi suck down a breath of cold air.
“Quickly come and help.”
Qing Feng cry woke Ru Yi’s panic and she dare not think anything more and quickly stepped forward to hold the crumbling Chen Zhen. Three of them finally manage to move her. Perhaps it was the tossing and turning of the child inside, the seemingly fainted Chen Zhen woke up again and stared to cry out in pain as her hands waved about and her breathing were short and rapid.
It was difficult for Chen Zhen to finally have some energy so Qing Feng urgently called, “Where is the midwife?!”
“I have gotten her and Wu-er to wait by the side door.” Fu Ling answered as she ran out of the courtyard.
Clutching Chen Zhen’s hands so that she would not hurt herself and settling down herself a little, Qing Feng instructed the already frightened Ru Yi by her side, “Ru Yi, blot all the doors and windows shut and prepare hot water.”
“Oh, yes.” Ru Yi rushed to shut the windows and the door when the person on the bed suddenly cried out, “Ah!”
Qing Feng did not know what do to when she heard the cries of pain and difficult twist and could only hastily say, “Chen Zhen, you must hold on! Didn’t you say that you want something from yours and his blood? If you do not hold on then you and your child would be finished!”
Chen Zhen suddely grabbed her wrists with a large force, “I want this child. Save me… Save me…”
The intermittent sound was like a knife, poking her from time to time. Knowing that she could hear her words, Qing Feng immediately replied, “I know, I know. Imperial physician is reaching and you and your child would be just fine. You must hold on!” Her wrist hurt badly but Qing Feng’s heart was not as panicky as it was in the sedan. At least Chen Zhen had the energy to grab her.
“Mistress, the midwife is here. Imperial Physician Lin is also here.” The doors to the room was opened and Fu Ling rushed in bringing a few people in. The first one who ran to the edge of the bed was Wu-er.
“Mistress? How are you, don’t scare Wu-er!” Wu-er was so scared that her legs went weak. Whoever who saw Chen Zhen current condition would also be scared.
“Both of you stand there looking stunned for what. Quickly do what that is needed to be done! She… Cannot make it already.” Chen Zhen’s hands were outrageously cold and even though Qing Feng did not have any medical skills, she could feel that her life was slowly slipping away.
Lin Feng hurriedly opened up his mahogany medicine box and took out a century-old ginseng slice before handling it to Qing Feng and said, “Put it below her tongue.”
Qing Feng held the ginseng slice and look at the Chen Zhen who was going into another trance. What if the ginseng slice accidentally stuck on the stuck in her throat? Staring at Lin Feng, Qing Feng anxiously said, “She is now in so much pain that she is using her mouth to breath, how to bite it down?!”
Lin Feng pull out a red coloured bottle from his medicine box and placed it into Fu Ling hands, “Spread it below her tongue.” Finishing his words, he went back to the medicine box to search for something else.
Fu Ling unplug the bottle and smelt it before informing Qing Feng, “It is Ginseng powder.”
How she cannot be bothered too much about it, Qing Feng held on Chen Zhen’s chin and Fu Ling carefully sprinkled a little powder under her tongue.
“Hot water, hot water is here!” Ru Yi entered while carring a large basin of hot water and the midwife took it over before instructing, “Some clean soft towels are required.”
“Oh oh.” Ru Yi ran out again.
Lin Feng finally found a long cloth and when he opened it, there were needles of varying thickness and length. Reaching Chen Zhen’s side, Lin Feng spoke to the midwife, “I will perform acupuncture to induce labour, you will do the delivery.”
“Yes.” A difficult delivery was actually something that nine would die and only one survive. But now that there was a Imperial Physician presence, the midwife’s heart was settled a little and she immediately start to prepare for the delivery.
As he pull out an acupuncture needle, Lin Feng instructed, “Someone must hold her shoulders down and not let her move around.”
“All right.” Qing Feng did not think about anything and pressed her hands on Chen Zhen’s shoulders.
Wu-er stepped forward and said, “Your Ladyship, let this servant do it.” Her mistress had grabbed Qing Feng’s wrist until there were a few deep bruises and Qing Feng’s forehead were filled with sweat as she sat at the edge of the bed with her protruding belly. Wu-er felt thankful to Qing Feng but she did not understand what she did what she did.
Remembering that she was still pregnant, Qing Feng nodded her head and stood up to let Wu-er sit at the top position of the bedside.
Lin Feng started the acupuncture and not sure which point did he poke, the already weak Chen Zhen on the bed suddenly shouted that Wu-er could almost not control.
The midwife got more anxious as she encourage as she shouted, “Use strength, use more strength! It is almost finished!”
The fairly spacious chambers became stuffy because the doors and windows were closed. With the mid-wife calling out and Chen Zhen’s cry of pushing, Qing Feng felt that her belly was hurting. Fu Long discovered Qing Feng’s abnormal situation and quickly said, “Mistress, you should go out and wait. There is too many people here.”
Qing Feng dare not continue to stay and let Fu Ling support her out to the soft cushions outside to sit down. After catching her breath, Qing Feng then asked, “Was the journey here smooth?”
“Mistress do rest assure, when we came we did not encounter any guards and this servant let the bearers carry the sedan to the road outside the cold place and did not go in at all. The Imperial Concubine Hui only entered the sedan when the bearers were sent away. As there were eight people carrying the sedan, even though there was an additional person in it, there would not be any differences. Even if they find it weird along the way, they would not know what exactly is going on.”
As she reply Qing Feng, Fu Ling took her pulse and even though it was a little messy, fortunately there was nothing serious.
From afar, the drums sounded again, and each time it sounded, there were more energy to it. The celebration would not end that quickly and there was also a dinner banquet later at night. There would be a ton of things that will keep Yan Hong Tian and Xin Yue Ning occupied. With that, this was much more safer than the Cold Palace. As long as the child was delivered safely, everything that comes after would be much easier.
“Ahhh—”
Another cry of pain came out from the chamber that made Qing Feng gripped to hear it, “Quickly go in to help.” Fu Ling was a female medical attended and had some medical skills. She should be more helpful than Wu-er and Ru Yi.
“But…”
Qing Feng slightly smiled and said somewhat reluctantly, “Don’t worry, I am fine. Just a little… Scared. I wished that both of them would survive. Quickly go ahead.”
“En.” Fu Ling nodded her head gently and entered the chambers.
“Use more force, it will be out soon!”
“Mistress, you must hold on…”
“More force…”
Qing Feng half laid on the soft cushions as she watch the chaos behind the screens. So it seems that giving birth to a child is such a scary thing. Her hands were on her aching belly as she felt her arms and legs getting cold.
Qing Feng did not know how long this torment went on and only saw Ru Yi coming out to refill a few rounds of hot water. Finally there was a call of relief, “She has delivered, she has delivered!”
Delivered? Qing Feng got up on her feet and rushed into the inner chambers and only saw the mid-wife carrying a small baby and the baby still have blood stains all over it and it’s skin was purple in colour and the facial features were all knitted together, looking nothing like Yan Hong Tian or Chen Zhen at all. This child and the fair white baby that Qing Feng had imagine were nothing alike!
He did not move at all and did not make a sound. Qing Feng asked in a trembling voice, “He… Why is he not crying?” He was… Not dead right?
The mid-wife place the baby’s head slightly downward as she carried and smack the butt hardly twice. The baby finally cried and Qing Feng was secretly relieved. Its just that the baby’s cries were not too loud and it did not cry for long.
Fu Ling used the warm water to wash the traces of blood from the baby and picked up a piece of white linen to wrap him up.
Qing Feng curiously said, “Show it to me.” Fu Ling brought the baby to Qing Feng and Qing Feng reach out and carried the baby. Qing Feng was amazed at the incredible soft little thing. It seems that there was no bones and the skin was no longer purple but not white, instead it was pinkish in colour. Qing Feng reached out and poked the baby’s cheek and the little baby even pouted its lips. Qing Feng chuckled and asked, “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a prince.”
This was great! Qing Feng’s heart jump for joy but the next moment, the banging of the doors outside shock her so much that she almost could not carry the child.
“Bang bang bang!”
Other than the almost unconscious Chen Zhen and the innocent baby in her arms, everyone’s face turned white.
