Doted By The Regent King

Chapter 1687 - 1625: Leaving It to Fate

The room was thick with the stench of blood. Everywhere Wufu looked, basins of bloody water still lay on the ground, not yet taken away, chilling her to the bone.

To give birth and lose so much blood—no wonder it made one’s heart tremble.

"A woman giving birth walks once past the Ghost Gate Pass"—the saying suddenly echoed in Wufu’s mind, making her shiver all over.

"Miss." Purple Jade came over, eyes reddened. Seeing how thin she’d become, her face white as snow, her heart ached all the more.

Wufu went to Madam Zhou’s bedside and knelt, taking her hand. Even though several braziers were burning in the room, her hand was still icy, icy cold.

"Mother, I’m back!" Wufu wrapped her hands around hers, forcing a smile to her lips.

The woman on the bed had sunken cheeks, disheveled hair, and vacant eyes. The color of her face was a dull blue-gray, her lips were cracked; the whole person was like a flower already withered, stubbornly clinging to the branch, refusing to fall.

Madam Zhou struggled to open her mouth and rasped, "You... have grown thinner."

A hint of pity and guilt flashed in her eyes. Toward this daughter, she had not fulfilled a mother’s duty; it was instead the daughter who had always protected her.

Wufu’s tears fell, yet she curved her lips and said, "It’s nothing, I just got tired from the journey. Don’t be afraid, Mother, Wufu is here with you!"

She looked toward her abdomen, then turned a cold gaze on the two Midwives kneeling on the ground and asked, "What is going on?"

Her voice was cutting and ice-cold. Compared with the maidservant Purple Jade, she exuded even more authority and dread, making their bodies tremble uncontrollably.

"Spare us, County Lord, spare us, County Lord."

"Miss, it’s dystocia." Purple Jade stepped forward to report, "The fetus is malpositioned, the child’s hand is stuck in the birth canal. If we forcefully pull, I fear that..."

Wufu’s heart sank. She looked at Madam Zhou, whose gaze was desolate, and her own nose stung with sourness.

"And this is?" She noticed an old man in the room. Seeing the compassion in his eyes, her heart sank even further.

"This is Old Imperial Physician Xu, a healing hand famed for saving noble daughters."

"Imperial Physician, is there nothing you can do for my mother?" Wufu asked, "You can ignore the child, as long as my mother is safe."

She ignored the faint trembling that passed from the hand in hers, and stubbornly fixed her gaze on the old man.

"We must leave it to Heaven’s will." Old Imperial Physician Xu sighed. The fetus’s limbs were stuck in the birth canal; he too was helpless.

Wufu immediately turned to Purple Jade. "The Ghost Doctor is back as well. Go bring him here."

Purple Jade nodded and went out.

"Wufu." Madam Zhou panted heavily. "Save the child, the child."

"Mother, you are the most important."

"No, the child," Madam Zhou insisted.

Wufu bit her lip and met her eyes. "Mother, we can have another child. If you are gone, how is he to live?"

Madam Zhou’s hand moved to her own belly, tears streaming as she shook her head.

Her child, her child.

Wufu pressed her lips together and looked at the two Midwives. "You truly have no way at all?"

"County Lord, if we forcefully pull, the mother’s body will surely be harmed," Midwife Ma said, mustering her courage. "Also, it has been a long time since the water broke. I fear the child is already..."

"Silence!" Wufu snapped, glaring a warning at her, then turned to the old man. "Imperial Physician Xu, please trouble yourself to take her pulse again."

Imperial Physician Xu nodded. With that touch of the pulse, his heart sank further. He looked at Wufu, eyes full of pity.

Not only was the fetal pulse within the womb no longer distinct, even this Madam showed signs of decline. This hurdle would be hard to pass.