Chapter 33: The Residence of Earl Wuyi

Feng Chuchen and Auntie Wang took Datou to the reed marshes to bury the deceased child.

Nuchal cord (cord around the neck) is a difficult problem. In her previous life, monitoring relied mainly on B-mode ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring.

A skilled TCM practitioner can determine if fetal movement is abnormal by feeling the pulse, but they cannot hear the fetal heartbeat. Abnormal fetal movement does not always mean a nuchal cord, but if the fetal heartbeat is also abnormal, there is a high probability of a nuchal cord.

In the cases delivered by her eldest aunt, the proportion of nuchal cord was the highest. From her aunt's notebooks, it was clear she had been researching this issue constantly.

She had attempted to use acupuncture to stimulate fetal movement within the womb and had even explored certain needle techniques, but she died before she could complete her work.

Feng Chuchen knew some solutions from her previous life.

If discovered early, the parturient could change the fetal position to relieve the cord entanglement through appropriate exercise, the knee-chest position, the left lateral position, or the lithotomy position.

However, the fetus in the uterus is uncontrollable, and these methods are not always completely effective.

If the entanglement is very tight, modern medicine can perform a C-section, but in ancient times, it was difficult to manage. Even the most skilled midwife, Midwife Feng, could reach into the birth canal to loosen the cord, but that was not successful every time.

Thinking of this, Feng Chuchen recalled her aunt's hands. They were smaller, fairer, and softer than most people's; Heaven had granted her this livelihood...

To minimize tragedies as much as possible, the best method was early monitoring.

Once an abnormality was detected, appropriate exercises or movements should begin. Of course, she also needed to continue her aunt's explorations, hoping for good results.

Feng Chuchen thought of the single-ear wooden stethoscope from her previous life, which could both listen to the fetal heartbeat and accurately diagnose other ailments.

A stethoscope is not as comprehensive as TCM pulse reading, but it is much more intuitive in certain aspects.

Integrating Chinese and Western medicine to take advantage of each other's strengths.

Feng Chuchen immediately drew a diagram: a hollow wooden tube, about a foot long, with a diameter of one and a half inches, slightly wider at the bottom in a trumpet shape.

It would be better if it could be connected to a rubber tube, but unfortunately, rubber did not exist in this era.

She went out to find Liu, the carpenter who was building the memorial arch, and explained the specifications.

Thinking it was a toy for Feng Buqi, Liu the carpenter laughed, "That's easy to make. I'll guarantee it's well-made and give it a coat of bright lacquer."

Feng Chuchen thanked him and gave him one hundred copper coins.

On the afternoon of the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, during the late hour of the Shen period, a carriage raced toward the Feng residence.

The workers building the arch stopped their tasks and looked toward the carriage.

An elderly woman jumped out of the carriage.

She hurriedly pounded on the courtyard gate, "Is Miss Feng in?"

Banxia ran out to open the door; she did not recognize the woman.

She asked, "What can I do for you, Ma'am?"

The woman handed over a notice and said, "I am from the residence of Earl Wu Yi. I am here to see Miss Feng."

Banxia knew that when dealing with women from great households, it was best to address them as "Momo" (Nanny/Matron).

She hurriedly said, "Please wait a moment, Momo. I will go report to my lady."

She took the notice to the main house.

Feng Chuchen had just finished acupuncture for Feng Buqi, and the siblings were huddled together talking.

She took the notice and glanced at it. "Please come in."

The woman hurried inside and said, "Miss Feng, my Second Young Mistress has been in labor for a day and a night and still hasn't delivered the child. My Lady is anxious, fearing the child will be in danger upon birth.

"My Lady heard that Miss Feng knows how to use the Shangyin Divine Needle and can also treat uterine bleeding. She wishes to invite Miss Feng to wait at the residence, so that if the Second Young Mistress or the infant is in danger, she can administer the needles."

The Earl of Wu Yi was surnamed Wen, serving as the Commander of the Right Guard of the Imperial Army, a third-rank military official. Although he held a title and an official position, he was not among the top-tier nobility; even if they could invite imperial physicians or female physicians, it was not easy to secure the very best.

To be safe, they wanted Feng Chuchen on standby. Whether it was the child or the mother in danger, she could provide treatment.

Feng Chuchen remembered that when her aunt passed away, a steward from the Earl of Wu Yi's residence had sent five taels of silver as condolence money.

Her aunt had delivered a difficult birth for Lady Wen of the Wu Yi residence; even the female physicians were helpless, but her aunt had successfully managed it.

Among the high-ranking families who sent stewards to pay respects to her aunt without the use of divine needles, the Wu Yi residence was the only one.

Feng Chuchen desperately wanted to go, but she felt apprehensive.

She said hesitantly, "Not every infant in danger is suitable for the Shangyin Divine Needle. Furthermore, although my aunt said I had learned it, I have never actually performed it, so I do not know if I have truly mastered it."

In case she lacked the "destiny" for it, she had to manage expectations.

The woman presented two taels of silver. "Please, Miss Feng, make the trip. My Lady also knows the mystery of the 'This Life Incense.' If it is not suitable, she will not blame you."

Feng Chuchen was not a formal doctor and could refuse, but the Wu Yi residence was offering a high price to have her on call.

Feng Chuchen signaled Banxia to take the silver and said, "Please wait a moment, Momo."

Since she wouldn't be back by tonight if she left now, she would take Auntie Wang with her.

The midwife hired by the Wu Yi residence would surely be experienced. Auntie Wang was not there to deliver babies, but merely to accompany Feng Chuchen.

She packed her bundle containing the "This Life Incense," silver needles, an incense burner, specially prepared hemostatic medicine, her work clothes, and a mask, along with a small box of Sophora Flavescens ointment.

This was a medicinal ointment she had made herself for treating the lower body, kept in an old wooden box used for storing incense.

After giving instructions to Feng Buqi, Banxia, and Shaoyao, she boarded the carriage with Auntie Wang.

On the carriage, Mother Liu explained the situation of the Second Young Mistress of Wen.

It was her first pregnancy, and the baby was in a malpresentation. She had been unable to deliver for a long time, and just as she was finally about to give birth, the feet came out first. The midwife had to push the feet back in to try and correct the position...

The Wu Yi residence was located within the Imperial City, and they did not arrive until dusk.

Two red lanterns on the corner gate swayed in the evening breeze.

The carriage entered the corner gate, and the group disembarked, hurrying through the second gate and into a small courtyard.

A man in his twenties was pacing anxiously in the courtyard, while several maidservants and older women stood under the eaves.

The delivery room was set up in the southern room of the west wing. A woman emerged from the room carrying a basin of bloody water and poured it out.

Mother Liu said, "Reporting to the Second Master, this is Miss Feng."

Second Master Wen looked at the young girl before him. She was so young; could she really do it?

He cupped his hands and said, "Miss Feng, please do your utmost."

Feng Chuchen bowed slightly and said, "If the infant is suitable for acupuncture, I will certainly do my best. However, I have never performed this specific needle technique before, so I cannot guarantee success."

A look of deeper disappointment crossed Second Master Wen's face, but he still said, "Just doing your best is enough."

Lady Wen walked out from the main house, saying anxiously, "The baby is malpresented, and my daughter-in-law can no longer even scream. If only Midwife Feng were still alive..."

Feng Chuchen had Auntie Wang sterilize the silver needles with boiling water. She put on her work clothes, donned her mask, and entered the delivery room.

This was a specially arranged delivery room, with a frame bed against the wall and a specialized birthing chair beside it. If the parturient became too exhausted, she could lie on the bed or rest in the chair.

In front of the bed sat a large overturned basin. The parturient stood upon the basin, her hands gripping wooden poles hanging from the ceiling, while a strong woman held her from behind.

The parturient was also giving birth in a standing position.

Her eyes were closed, her mouth agape, her expression one of agonizing pain. Wet hair clung to her head, obscuring half of her face.

One midwife crouched at her side, wiping her lower body with a wet cloth. Another midwife stood in front, manually guiding the fetal position on her abdomen.

Two other assisting women stood to the side.

Judging by her attire, the midwife guiding the fetal position was a female physician.