Chapter 45: Hidden Ailment

Several charcoal braziers were burning in the delivery room, keeping it relatively warm.

Grandmistress Wen sat in a specially made chair, a thin quilt draped over her.

If it weren't for her first pregnancy and a normal fetal position, most women would prefer sitting positions for childbirth. It was the most comfortable.

Ropes still hung from the ceiling. If she couldn't deliver in a sitting position, she could switch to other postures.

Auntie Wang pulled back the quilt.

Grandmistress Wen was wearing a cotton waistcoat; only the straps above her chest were fastened, leaving the lower part open. She wasn't wearing trousers either.

Auntie Wang crouched down to inspect her lower body and said, "It's still early. Grandmistress, get up and walk around a bit, eat something, and then drink a bowl of labor-inducing soup."

Feng Chuchen checked her abdomen again. "The baby is head-down, the position is normal, but it hasn't dropped into the pelvis yet."

Only after Grandmistress Wen stood up did Feng Chuchen notice that specialized chair.

It was a "luxury birthing chair" made of Phoebe zhennan wood. The seat was similar to a flushing toilet from a previous life, with a "U-shaped" opening in the middle to facilitate the midwife's assistance and the baby's descent. A large basin was placed underneath to catch the child.

Before long, another midwife hired by the Wen residence arrived.

It had been agreed beforehand that the delivery would be led by the female physician of the guard, assisted by Midwife Wang, with Midwife Li supporting the waist.

The female physician was in her thirties and continued to practice even after marriage; she was in charge of the delivery.

Female physicians held official ranks, so Feng Chuchen, Auntie Wang, and Midwife Li all knelt to pay their respects to her.

"Physician Wei."

Physician Wei looked at Feng Chuchen and Midwife Wang—who were wearing strange clothes and strange face masks—and found them particularly eyesore.

Feng Chuchen was a young lady, so it was appropriate for her to wear a mask in the delivery room. Furthermore, Feng Chuchen had indeed learned genuine skills from Midwife Feng; it was she who had adjusted Grandmistress Wen's fetal position before labor.

However, for Midwife Wang, a mere country midwife, to don such an outfit was simply obnoxious.

She snorted coldly, "Midwife Wang, why are you also wearing a mask to cover your face? If you find the smell of the delivery room unpleasant, you shouldn't be in this profession."

Auntie Wang was secretly annoyed but was unwilling to offend her.

She explained with a good temper, "Oh, Physician Wei, you misunderstand me. I'm not wearing this mask for my own sake, but for the sake of the mother and the baby. When we speak to them at close range, we might accidentally spray saliva on them if we aren't careful. You female physicians are all screened and have no hidden ailments. But in the folk midwifery trade, you find all sorts of people; if someone has a hidden illness, wouldn't they pass on their 'sickly qi'? Even bad breath is an issue. When I saw our young lady produce these masks, I made one for myself. Grandmistress Wen is a person of high status, and I am simply afraid of causing her discomfort."

Not only did Physician Wei and the other assisting elderly women laugh, but even the pained Grandmistress Wen cracked a smile.

Nanny Li smiled and said, "Midwife Wang is quick with her hands and even quicker with her tongue."

Feng Chuchen gave Auntie Wang a mental thumbs-up; she was very wise in how she handled people. Such a good woman had not been cherished by her former in-laws, who had driven away a fine daughter-in-law.

At the beginning of the Hour of the Pig (around 9:00 PM), as the contractions intensified and the cervix dilated, Grandmistress Wen's cries of pain became increasingly frequent.

Auntie Wang continuously used a cloth dipped in warm water to wipe her lower body, while Physician Wei used her hands to press and massage her abdomen.

At the end of the Hour of the Tiger (around 5:00 AM), Grandmistress Wen successfully gave birth to a girl.

As soon as the baby came out, she opened her mouth and wailed loudly.

A nanny guarding outside laughed, "Oh my, such a loud voice—it must be a young master."

The Wen Heir was overjoyed.

The next moment, he heard Physician Wei's loud voice: "Congratulations, Grandmistress, it's a girl, and a very beautiful one."

The Heir's joy faded slightly.

However, he still comforted her through the window, "That's fine, that's fine. I like girls too."

He then sent someone to inform the Eldest Madam Wen.

The repeated use of "that's fine" made Grandmistress Wen feel a pang of bitterness, but seeing the tiny little baby held before her eyes—a small bundle that looked very much like the Heir—her heart overflowed with love.

She said softly, "My precious baby."

Since she had given birth to it, it was a treasure.

Physician Wei tied the umbilical cord, washed the baby, and weighed her. "Five catties and nine taels," she announced.

Auntie Wang cleaned up the placenta, while the other nannies tidied Grandmistress Wen and carried her to a bed in the north room.

Only Feng Chuchen was idle, observing everything in the room.

At the end of the Hour of the Tiger, Feng Chuchen and Auntie Wang left.

Light snow was still falling, the cold wind was piercing, and it was so dark one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

Auntie Wang carried a horn lantern in one hand and walked back to the small courtyard arm-in-arm with Feng Chuchen.

Before long, the main kitchen sent over hot water and two large bowls of chicken noodle soup.

Being famished, Feng Chuchen ate the noodles in one go, even though they were slightly cool.

Auntie Wang said, "Pre-natal examinations are truly important. If it weren't for Miss's acupuncture and the exercises she made her do, Grandmistress Wen's labor wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Feng Chuchen replied, "There was also luck involved; the fetal position was corrected..."

Had it not been corrected, and had there been severe umbilical cord entanglement, the fates of mother and daughter would have been grim.

Feng Chuchen slept until she woke naturally. Feng Buji was sitting obediently at the foot of her bed, watching her.

"Have you eaten?"

"I have. I should head home today, right?"

"Mhm."

Feng Buji went out, and Feng Chuchen put on her clothes.

Auntie Wang was already up.

"Breakfast has been delivered; it's warming on the stove."

After finishing her breakfast and packing her things, Feng Chuchen was preparing to say goodbye to Madam Wen and Grandmistress Wen when Nanny Liu, who served Madam Wen, arrived.

She gave Feng Chuchen ten taels of silver and Auntie Wang two taels.

This was their wages and bonus.

She added, "Miss Feng, my mistress has something she wishes to discuss with you privately."

The implication was that she was only invited alone.

Feng Chuchen understood; having given her so many benefits, the reason was about to be revealed.

The weather cleared, and the morning sun was bright, though the cold wind remained biting, stinging the face.

The room was as warm as spring. Madam Wen and Wen Shu were sitting on the heated kang in the side room.

Madam Wen bowed slightly and smiled. "As expected of Physician Feng's successor; you truly surpass your teacher. I know that without Miss Feng's prior treatment, my eldest daughter-in-law could not have delivered so smoothly."

Sitting in a round chair to the side, Feng Chuchen said modestly, "Madam Wen overpraises me."

Madam Wen took Wen Shu's hand and said, "Shu'er's health is not very good, and I would like to ask Miss Feng to take a look. There are some matters that Miss Feng should keep to herself."

Feng Chuchen's mind raced. Wen Shu had a hidden ailment, but she hadn't specified what it was.

If Feng Chuchen couldn't find anything, she wouldn't know what the illness was.

If she did find something, it would prove she had the skill to treat it, but she would be strictly forbidden from speaking of it.

Feng Chuchen smiled. "I shall do my utmost."

There was no hint of modesty in her tone.

Blushing, Wen Shu sat down beside Feng Chuchen and extended her fair wrist.

After diagnosing the left wrist and then the right, Feng Chuchen examined her tongue coating.

After some deliberation, she said, "Fourth Young Lady frequently experiences lower abdominal pain, more severe on the left side. Her menstrual cycle is irregular and accompanied by blood clots. This is caused by blood stasis obstructing the uterus or the uterine vessels. Fourth Young Lady must have been exposed to extreme cold in her youth..."

"Through regulation, the cold-dampness and dysmenorrhea have been alleviated, but the irregular blood flow in the uterine vessels has shown no improvement... If not properly regulated, it will be difficult to conceive."

Feng Chuchen had not only detected a blockage in the left fallopian tube but could even specify exactly which segment was blocked.