Chapter 68. Delivery Chamber
Delivery Room
I hate taking medicine. Since I was young, every time I got sick, if the herbal decoction wasn't sweetened with honey, I'd rather die than take it. The nourishing soups my family used to make were no different. The cook often went to great lengths to ensure I couldn't taste the flavor of the medicinal ingredients.
So, when I started my herbal business and managed the most profitable medicine shop in the entire Yongdu, I never once took any medicine from it.
After Xu Ji gave birth, I felt it was necessary for me to invite a physician to come and take a look.
I mentioned this matter to Wei Tan, and he gave me a puzzled look, saying, "No illness, no pain, why take medicine?" After that, he flashed a mischievous smile and continued, "If Furen is in a hurry, why not try a bit harder at night? We've only practiced eight out of the diagrams on the yellow silk…"
This rascal understands nothing. I decided to bypass him and had Ah Yuan inquire with Li Shang. After learning about the situation, Li Shang immediately started gathering information. He found out from a noblewoman who frequently visited Yannian Hall that Physician Wang from the Imperial Medical Office was exceptionally skilled in matters of fertility. Many women who had gone through his treatments had successfully borne children. Therefore, I chose a suitable day and invited Physician Wang to my home.
After taking the pulse and inquiring about daily matters, Physician Wang smiled while stroking his beard and said, "Furen's health is generally fine, just a mild deficiency of qi. Taking some medicine will help regulate it. Furen and Da Gongzi have been married for less than a year, there's no need to rush."
I thanked Physician Wang and had the steward escort him out. Then I openly handed the prescription left by the physician to Ah Yuan and asked her to go to Yannian Hall to get the herbs.
When Ah Yuan brought back the medicine, she also brought news from the herbal garden. The medicinal seedlings had been planted, but it would take some time for them to grow. Li Shang didn't let the workers at the herbal garden sit idle either; he had them take up some pharmaceutical tasks, making medicinal pills to supply the pharmacies in the city.
There's another matter: Wu Zhang and Liang Wen joined forces to resist Wei Jue, causing tension between the north and south. As a result, Gongyang Gui's courier services were temporarily suspended, which was Li Shang's idea. Since the 4th month, to prevent espionage, the Ministry of Justice has been closely monitoring communications between the north and south. Being cautious, Li Shang advised Gongyang Gui to halt their caravan services.
During the spring, Li Shang had accumulated a considerable amount of inventory, so even if the trade routes were cut off, it could be sustained for a while. If necessary, temporarily closing down Yannian Hall wouldn't be a big issue either, as there were other matters to attend to.
The alliance between Liang Wen and Wu Zhang had caused significant turmoil within the court. Their refusal to surrender stirred other warlords' ambitions as well. Wei Jue intensified his military training, appointing Wei Tan as a commander to conduct naval exercises on the rivers near Yongchi Lake and Yongdu.
Wei Tan was incredibly busy, returning home every day covered in sweat and with his neck sunburned from the harsh sun. Sometimes, he would even stay outside for several days in a row. The next time he was seen, he had gotten even darker than before.
I asked Zhou Shi and Zhu Shi for remedies to treat sunburn and used a mixture of medicine powder and honey to make a paste, which I applied to Wei Tan's neck.
As the days went by, before we knew it, it was already the sixth month, and the wedding day for Wei Zhao was approaching.
Xu Ji was still in the delivery room (for recuperating) and couldn't come out. Guo Furen had to tend to her grandson and also manage Wei Zhao's wedding preparations, keeping herself incredibly busy. As the daughter-in-law, I should have helped share the load with my mother-in-law. However, Guo Furen seemed unwilling to let me get involved in either matter. She said I was young and didn't understand how to handle things, and the experienced maids like Zhang Shi around her were more adept at managing such affairs.
I visited Xu Ji in the delivery room a couple of times. She lay on the bed, her gaze never straying from her son's swaddled bundle. The birth of a son is considered a joyous occasion by all, yet perhaps due to Wei Zhao's impending wedding, even though Xu Ji had maids attending to her every need, yet her complexion was not as rosy as it was before giving birth.
When visited by outsiders, she continued to smile as modestly and graciously as she had always done before.
One time, I went to the storeroom to pick out some silk fabric for decorating the walls of the bridal chamber. I cut a few samples and intended to bring them to Guo Furen. As I passed by Xu Ji's delivery room, I decided to step in and visit her.
Xu Ji had her head wrapped in a cloth, breastfeeding her baby. When she saw the silk fabric in Ah Yuan's hands, her gaze paused for a moment.
"With only five days left until the wedding, the mansion must be very busy," she whispered softly.
Remembering the exact day so clearly, it can be seen that Xu Ji had been thinking about this matter in her heart.
I smiled and replied, "The matters within the mansion are being taken care of by many people. Ji should focus on nurturing and taking care."
Xu Ji pursed her lips, nodding silently.
On the night just before the wedding, during the meal, a maid came to report that Xu Ji had a persistent fever. Everyone was surprised, and when Guo Furen heard the news, she hurriedly asked, "How is my grandson?"
"Xiao Gongzi is fine," the maid replied.
Guo Furen frowned and said, "Xiao Gongzi must not remain in the delivery room any longer. Have the wet nurse bring him into my room."
The maid acknowledged and left to carry out the instruction.
Wei Tan and I exchanged glances. Just then, Wei Zhao spoke up, "Muqin, I'll go take a look." With that, he got up from his seat.
"Why are you going?" Guo Furen stopped him, saying, "The delivery room is impure, and men are not supposed to enter within three months. Moreover, you are getting married tomorrow; you must be cautious!"
Wei Zhao hesitated.
Just then, the maid hurriedly returned and said to Guo Furen, "Furen, Xu Ji is holding onto Xiao Gongzi and won't let us take him away. Furen, look…"
Guo Furen's expression changed, and she immediately got up, heading towards the back hall.
Seeing the situation was not favorable, I said to Wei Tan, "Qie go take a look." After that, I also got up and followed.
The sky had already darkened, and there was a bright light coming from Xu Ji's delivery room. As the maid saw Guo Furen approaching, she quickly opened the door and lifted the thick curtain. I followed inside, only to hear the wet nurse urging, "...Ji's health is not good. Xiao Gongzi is not even two months old yet. If he catches an illness…"
"I am not ill!" Xu Ji's tone was unusually firm, "My child stays with me. No one can take him away!"
"Is that so?" Guo Furen sneered and walked forward with her head held high.
The wet nurse and maid quickly stepped aside when they saw her.
Xu Ji sat on the bed, holding the swaddled bundle, with her hair disheveled under the cloth. When she saw Guo Furen, her face turned pale in an instant.
Guo Furen walked up to her and said, "What do you mean 'your child'? What do you mean by 'take away'?"
Xu Ji looked at her, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She stood up with the baby in her arms, then suddenly knelt before Guo Furen, crying and saying, "Furen, Qie carried this child for ten months, gave birth to him with my own flesh and blood. The bond between mother and child is inseparable. Caring for my child myself ensures his well-being. Furen, please take pity on me!"
Seeing her condition, Guo Furen couldn't bear it and she said seriously, "Xu Ji, you are currently unwell. It's not suitable for Xiao Gongzi to stay here. Let me take care of him for you. Once you recover, I will certainly send him back to you."
Xu Ji shook her head and pleaded through tears, "Qie is not unwell! Begging Furen to let Qie keep this child. Qie will do anything to repay the kindness!"
Guo Furen's face turned red with anger. "How could you utter such absurd words!" she exclaimed. With that, she ordered the maids to hold Xu Ji down, forcibly separating the baby from her grasp.
"Zhi Er!"Xu Ji cried out hoarsely, her tears heart-wrenching.
Feeling a bit uneasy myself, I hesitated for a moment and then walked outside as well.
Just as I reached the doorway, I suddenly caught sight of Wei Zhao. He stood in the courtyard, his eyes fixed in this direction. The lantern light was too weak to discern his expression clearly.
After a brief moment of thought, I approached and said, "Er Shu."
"Zhangsao," Wei Zhao greeted with a bow. After a pause, he asked, "How is Xu Ji?"
No sooner had he spoken than Xu Ji's cries resounded once more. I noticed a slight stiffening in Wei Zhao's expression.
"Xu Ji is just slightly unwell, and with some rest, she should be fine. I'll stay here to look after her. Er Shu, you should go back," I advised.
Wei Zhao's lips tightened slightly. After a moment, he bowed slightly to me and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Zhangsao." With that, he turned and walked away.
As I watched him leave the courtyard and was about to return to the delivery room, I caught sight of someone standing at the corner of the veranda. Ren Ji was dressed in plain clothes, partially concealed by a pillar. Though the light was dim, her serene gaze and graceful posture were unmistakable.
What is she doing here? I was surprised, but before I could look closely, she vanished in a flash, disappearing from sight.
Returning to the delivery room, I found Xu Ji lying on the bed, no longer crying out. She stared at the canopy above, her eyes empty and vacant.
"Shao Furen." There were only two maids left here. When they saw me, they quickly bowed in respect.
I approached and gently touched Xu Ji's forehead. It was slightly warm, but not too serious.
"Xu Ji is sweating. Go fetch some warm water to wipe her down," I instructed the maids.
The maids responded with a nod and left the room.
I was about to get up when suddenly, my hand was held. Turning my head, I saw Xu Ji looking at me, her reddened eyes making her weary face even more apparent.
"He once said when he marries me, take care of me for a lifetime..." she murmured, her voice soft and hoarse, "I disregarded Furen's humiliation, I ignored my parents' scolding, but he hasn't given me anything, not even my own son…"
I was taken aback for a moment. She referred to "him," which was undoubtedly Wei Zhao, but it wasn't clear whether "Furen" meant Guo Furen or Wu Furen.
"Ji is tired now. Rest assured and take some rest. After you recover, Gushi will surely return Xiao Gongzi back," I comforted her.
Xu Ji looked at me for a while, and then, a faint bitter smile appeared on her lips. She released my hand and closed her eyes.
The room grew quiet, and as I looked at the silent, I felt a bit regretful about following in. Guo Furen only thought about her grandson, did not hesitate to turn hostile, Wei Zhao hesitated to enter the delivery room, and here I was, a daughter-in-law, trying to help sort out the aftermath.
As I lost in thought, Ah Yuan arrived.
"Furen, Da Gongzi wants you to return," she said in a hushed tone, glancing at Xu Ji on the bed.
I nodded. There wasn't much for me to do here. I instructed the two maids to take good care of Xu Ji and got up to leave.
"Why were you gone for so long?" As I entered the room, I saw Wei Tan's furrowed brow and the untouched meal on the table.
It was then that I realized I had only eaten half of my meal earlier. The smell of food made my stomach suddenly feel empty.
I looked at Wei Tan with innocent eyes and whispered softly, "Xu Ji fell ill, and Gushi is overwhelmed. Qie should help out." Lately, I had noticed that this approach worked on Wei Tan as well. When there was something I needed to ask or discuss, and I couldn't win an argument with him, doing this often had good results.
Wei Tan looked at me, and indeed, the tension in his face eased. However, he didn't let up with his words, pinching my nose and raising an eyebrow, he said, "I've noticed that Furen has become quite good at answering back lately."
I smiled and decided to change the subject, "Qie is hungry."
*****
Wei Zhao's wedding procession was grand. He was dressed in ceremonial attire, wearing a golden crown, and traveled by carriage from the Wei Residence to the Palace to welcome the princess. I stayed behind at the residence with other family members. According to Ah Yuan, who went out to see the spectacle, music played throughout the journey, and the streets were crowded with onlookers, as if the entire city had come out to witness the event.
Listening to her description, I couldn't help but recall the past. The wet nurse used to proudly declare "When Nǚjun got married, only a princess could be comparable." However, with the passage of time, that statement became bitterly ironic. When I married Han Guang, there were many spectators in Chang'an, but everyone knew I had been expelled from the imperial palace. As for my marriage to Wei Tan, forget about a grand wedding procession; I didn't even greet my in-laws (a part of wedding process), only after returning to Yongdu that it was finally done.
Wei Tan and Wei Zhao, the elder son and the younger son, the grandeur of their wedding processions were as different as night and day.
As I lost in thought, the music outside grew even louder, and I heard a servant say, "They're here!"
I looked out and saw Wei Zhao, dressed in luxurious attire, helping his bride down from the carriage adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays (a type of craft; 螺钿).
"Furen..." Suddenly, Ah Yuan tugged at my sleeve, and I turned to look. She gestured for me to look behind. I glanced and couldn't help but be surprised.
Behind the crowd, Xu Ji's hair was done up in a bun, her face adorned with elegant makeup. She was dressed in the same dark brocade gown she had worn when she arrived in Yongdu, exuding the same graceful demeanor.
She stood quietly in the corridor, resembling a delicate statue, watching as Wei Zhao and his new bride slowly approached.