novelraw Chapter 117 : Xinlan Gives Birth to a Daughter, the Deaths of Grandmother and Grandson
Chapter 117 : Xinlan Gives Birth to a Daughter, the Deaths of Grandmother and Grandson
117: Xinlan Gives Birth to a Daughter, the Deaths of Grandmother and Grandson
Yan Chi’s black robe was covered in black dust, its hem torn in many places, and Bai Feng, who had landed behind him, was in an even more wretched state; his white robe was filthy, with a large hole burned in his back. Yet seeing that both had emerged intact, everyone could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Qin Wan looked up at Yan Chi, silent and unmoving for a moment.
Yan Chi coughed lightly twice and raised a hand to pat his clothes. Seeing the black ash fly up, he quickly took a step back. He briskly finished patting down his robe, but Qin Wan still did not move.
Yan Chi’s brow furrowed. He fixed his gaze on Qin Wan. "What’s wrong?"
Xu He, standing nearby, was sweating profusely. Hearing this, he said, "Your Highness suddenly rushed into the fire, and Ninth Miss was terribly worried outside. This servant has never seen Ninth Miss in such a state."
Qin Wan snapped back to her senses. She turned, frowned at Xu He, then looked away and met Yan Chi’s smiling eyes. Seeing him smile, Qin Wan felt inexplicably ill at ease. Her expression turned cold as she said, "Did Your Highness consider what would happen if you went in and couldn’t get out?" As soon as she spoke, she noticed a burn mark on Yan Chi’s left shoulder.
His robe was scorched black. Being black, it was impossible to tell if he was injured. Qin Wan frowned. "Are you hurt?"
The smile in Yan Chi’s eyes did not fade. "It’s nothing… you were worried about me."
Qin Wan felt his words made the firelight seem even brighter and her face even hotter. She wanted to argue but didn’t know what to say.
And Yan Chi’s answer was tantamount to admitting he was injured. Qin Wan said again, "Even if it’s a minor injury, it should be looked at."
Yan Chi shook his head and only looked at Bai Feng. Qin Wan suddenly felt uneasy and also looked at Bai Feng. Xu He was faster than Qin Wan, moving over to glance at the burned hole in Bai Feng’s back before turning to Qin Wan. "Ninth Miss, the skin is broken a little. I’m afraid it was singed by the flames."
Qin Wan nodded and committed this to memory, about to ask Yan Chi how severe his injuries were, when Yao Xinlan suddenly cried out in pain.
Madam Lin wept, "Xinlan? Xinlan… don’t be afraid, you’re out… you’re out…"
If not at the cost of Qin Chen’s injuries, Madam Lin would have been very willing to save Yao Xinlan. Yao Xinlan was favored by Madam Jiang, and more importantly, her disposition was excellent. Madam Lin had no reason to dislike her, and since she was carrying the Qin family’s first great-grandchild, Madam Lin doted on her even more.
Qin Chen had laid Yao Xinlan flat on the ground. Madam Lin held her upper body. Both she and Qin Chen were covered in black soot. Her skirt was riddled with burn holes, and Qin Chen’s hem was burned halfway off. Both had their share of minor injuries, but thankfully, none were serious.
Remembering Yao Xinlan’s pregnancy, Qin Wan hurried to her side.
Madam Lin was wiping the black soot from Yao Xinlan’s face with a handkerchief. Yao Xinlan coughed lightly twice and opened her eyes. She stared blankly at Madam Lin, then saw Qin Chen and the others standing nearby. Her eyes reddened, and tears rolled down.
"Xinlan, don’t be afraid, Chen’er saved you…"
Madam Lin comforted her in a low voice. Yao Xinlan turned and grabbed Qin Chen’s hand. "Brother Chen…"
Qin Chen was even more covered in soot than Yan Chi and Bai Feng. He clasped Yao Xinlan’s hand in return, his own eyes growing slightly moist. "Lan’er, I said I would save you."
Yao Xinlan’s lips were pressed tightly together. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say, only subconsciously touching her stomach as if to confirm her child was safe. Madam Lin’s tears fell in streams. "Thank heavens, thank goodness…"
Before the word "goodness" was fully out, Qin Chen suddenly said, "Mother, Grandmother is still inside."
At these words, Madam Lin’s face immediately changed. "No! Chen’er! You’ve already done your best by saving Xinlan!"
A dark, unreadable emotion swirled in Qin Chen’s eyes, as if a thousand complex feelings were surging, yet also as if a vast emptiness remained, only darkness. He placed Yao Xinlan’s hand in Madam Lin’s and shot to his feet.
"Chen’er."
"Brother Chen."
Madam Lin cried out, and Yao Xinlan shot up, gripping Qin Chen’s hem desperately. Tears streamed down her face. "Brother Chen, what are you going to do? Who can you not bear to leave behind?"
Qin Chen did not look at Yao Xinlan, trying to force his way back into the inferno with a surge of dark energy.
"Lan’er, I cannot abandon Grandmother."
Yao Xinlan shook her head repeatedly. "No, Brother Chen, don’t go! If you go in, you won’t come out. Our child is about to be born. Brother Chen, if not for our child, please…"
Qin Chen’s strength did not waver. Nearby, Qin Xiang couldn’t help but say, "Eldest Brother, don’t go! I’m begging you, don’t go."
Qin Li and Qin Shuang also crowded around. Qin Shuang cried, "Eldest Brother, don’t go!"
Madam Lin looked at Qin Li. "Li’er, watch your brother! Don’t let him go!"
Qin Li acknowledged her and immediately went to Qin Chen to restrain him, but Qin Chen suddenly exerted force, first shaking off Yao Xinlan’s grasp, then shoving the approaching Qin Li away.
Qin Li was ill and weak at the moment. Being pushed like this, he staggered back several steps and nearly fell to the ground.
Qin Chen glanced back, his gaze resolute as he looked at Madam Lin and Yao Xinlan, then swept over the surrounding crowd. When his eyes met Qin Wan’s, they seemed to pause for an instant, but he pressed his lips together and said nothing, only turning swiftly and sprinting toward the fire!
"Chen’er! Chen’er!"
"Brother Chen! Brother Chen!"
In the direction Qin Chen had left, Yao Xinlan crawled forward one step, her cries tearing at the heart. But no matter how moving her cries, Qin Chen still charged headlong into the fire, his figure disappearing in a flash. As his form vanished, Madam Lin’s vision went dark and she collapsed to the ground. Meanwhile, Yao Xinlan tried to get up and follow at all costs, but halfway up, a sharp pain seized her belly.
She cried out in pain and fell heavily to the ground, yet she still wailed, "Brother Chen, come back… Brother Chen, come back…"
Moshu, weeping, rushed forward to hold Yao Xinlan. She glanced down and suddenly screamed, "Miss! Miss is bleeding!"
The barely conscious Madam Lin heard this and forced open her heavy eyelids. Sure enough, where Yao Xinlan had just crawled, there was a shocking patch of bright red. Madam Lin felt a sharp pain in her chest. "Xinlan!"
Qin Wan immediately went to Yao Xinlan’s side. Seeing Qin Wan, Moshu, ignoring Qin Chen and Madam Lin for the moment, pleaded hastily, "Ninth Miss, I beg you, save our miss! She’s bleeding!"
Yao Xinlan’s pregnancy was nearly eight months along, the most dangerous time. After the ordeal she had suffered today, and then the shock from Qin Chen, the fear would naturally affect the child. Qin Wan paused beside Yao Xinlan, took a careful look at the stain on the ground, and her brow immediately furrowed. "This is bad. Sister-in-law’s water has broken!"
Hearing this, Madam Lin dared not treat it lightly. "Her water broke! But… Xinlan still has more than a month before…"
As she spoke, the wet patch on the ground grew larger. The amniotic fluid, mixed with blood, spread into a large, startling puddle, making all who looked on tremble with fear. Qin Wan felt Yao Xinlan’s pulse with one hand and touched her belly with the other. After a few flickers of her gaze, she made her decision.
"Carry Sister-in-law back to Linfeng Courtyard. With her water broken, the child must be delivered. Otherwise, both mother and child are in danger."
Madam Lin’s legs were too weak to stand. "It’s only eight months, how can she give birth…"
Qin Wan’s brow was furrowed like the character "Chuan," but her tone was exceptionally calm. "I have a way. Let’s get her back first."
Madam Lin dared not delay and quickly pointed to two nearby servant women. "You two, quickly, carry the Young Mistress back…"
Yao Xinlan was still weeping, her body growing weak in a very short time. The pain made her consciousness grow hazy, and she subconsciously cried out "Brother Chen." The two servant women Madam Lin had pointed out looked at each other, then grabbed a nearby wooden plank, placed it on the ground, and together moved Yao Xinlan onto it before lifting her up.
Madam Lin supported herself on Qin Xiang’s arm and stood up on trembling legs. She subconsciously followed Yao Xinlan a few steps, when suddenly, a tremendous rumbling sound erupted behind everyone. Madam Lin froze in her steps. Turning her head, she saw the entire roof of the Buddha Hall’s main house collapse completely. The collapse sent up a towering plume of flames, dazzlingly bright and searing everyone’s eyes. As if struck by lightning, Madam Lin stood there stunned, only managing a cry of "Chen’er" before completely fainting.
Qin Wan also saw the commotion. She paused for only a second before sharply calling out to the two servant women who were also frozen.
"What are you standing around for? The Young Mistress can’t be delayed!"
Startled by Qin Wan’s shout, the two snapped out of it and hurried forward. Qin Wan turned her gaze to Yan Chi. Yan Chi understood her meaning. "You go ahead. I’ll watch things here. If there’s anyone who can be saved, I will save them…"
Qin Wan nodded and hurriedly followed Yao Xinlan away. Moshu wept silently, not daring to look back. She tightly gripped Yao Xinlan’s hand, and the barely conscious Yao Xinlan, thinking she was holding Qin Chen, gripped Moshu’s hand until it hurt.
Qin Xiang and her sister burst into tears. Two servant women helped up the fainted Madam Lin and also began to wipe their tears. Yan Chi scanned the group and said in a deep voice, "Take the Mistress back. Everyone else, continue fighting the fire."
The two servant women moved to leave, but Qin Xiang did not go. "I want to see Eldest Brother come out. I want to see Eldest Brother come out…"
Qin Shuang cried without moving. Qin Li also stood to the side with a grief-stricken expression.
Yan Chi looked at the house, now transformed by the fire, his gaze deep and dark. He didn’t know what motive Qin Chen had for insisting on rescuing Madam Jiang, but judging by the current situation, he knew that Qin Chen and the others inside the fire were unlikely to have survived.
…
…
"Miss… Miss, don’t be afraid. Ninth Miss is here…"
Two servant women carried Yao Xinlan toward Linfeng Courtyard, with Moshu following close behind, holding Yao Xinlan’s hand and constantly talking to her. However, Yao Xinlan’s breathing was shallow, and she murmured, "Brother Chen… don’t go…"
Moshu glanced back in the direction of the Buddha Hall. Seeing how immense the fire was, tears streamed down her face.
"Miss, the Young Master didn’t go in. Miss, please be at ease."
Yao Xinlan kept talking, so Moshu repeated this several more times. It seemed Yao Xinlan finally heard her words, for she lay quietly. But soon, her brow furrowed again. "It hurts… it hurts so much…"
Moshu’s heart ached. "Miss, don’t be afraid. Ninth Miss is here. Ninth Miss will heal you."
Yao Xinlan’s face was covered in black soot. Now, sweating from the pain, the sweat mixed with the soot into a greasy grime that clung to her face. As Moshu wiped it away, Yao Xinlan’s grip on her hand gradually weakened!
"Ninth Miss! What do I do? Miss’s hand has no strength left!"
Qin Wan followed swiftly at the rear. Hearing this, she immediately ordered, "Don’t panic. Let’s get back first, then prepare the medicinal herbs right away."
Moshu’s face was streaked with tears, but seeing Yao Xinlan’s condition, she could only force herself to stay calm. Fortunately, the two servant women carried her very steadily, and they reached Linfeng Courtyard smoothly. The moment they entered the courtyard gate, all the servant women inside were stunned.
The fire at the Buddha Hall had already become known throughout the Qin residence. Half of the people from Linfeng Courtyard had gone, and the other half remained on watch. Everyone knew Yao Xinlan had gone to the Buddha Hall, and they were already extremely worried. They never expected their fears to come true.
"Lay the Young Mistress on the bed. Help her remove her outer clothing!"
"Two more of you, heat water, bring strong spirits, and get cotton cloths."
The moment they entered the courtyard, Qin Wan gave two orders. Two matrons acknowledged the command and went to prepare hot water and other items. Qin Wan, along with Moshu, carried Yao Xinlan inside. Yao Xinlan was carried straight into the inner chamber and placed on the bed. Qin Wan closed all the surrounding windows while instructing Moshu, "Only leave her inner garments. Cover her with a brocade quilt so she doesn’t catch a chill. Wipe her down."
Moshu, still wiping tears, followed her instructions. Qin Wan went back outside. Several servant women were waiting under the eaves for instructions. Qin Wan immediately said, "Your Young Mistress is about to give birth. Everyone, pull yourselves together and be vigilant!"
The matrons all agreed. Qin Wan said, "Go brew ginseng soup! And get zhimu and honey!"
These were all medicinal herbs and tonics. The two matrons nodded and immediately turned to leave.
But before they had taken two steps, Qin Wan said again, "Also, go to the pharmacy. Get zuixin hua, sheng cao wu, xiang bai zhi, dang gui, chuan xiong, four qian of each. And two qian of tian nan xing. All ground into powder. Quick!"
Qin Wan then turned back inside. The moment she entered, Moshu looked at her. "Ninth Miss, the miss is still bleeding…"
Qin Wan walked forward, lifted her inner garment, and looked. Yao Xinlan was only eight months pregnant; her pubic bones were still closed. Although her water had broken, it was difficult to see the cervix dilate. Qin Wan took a shallow breath. "First, stop the bleeding. In her condition, Sister-in-law most likely cannot deliver on her own. We can try, but if it doesn’t work, we can only use a Cesarean to take the child out…"
Moshu’s face turned pale. "What? A Cesarean! Ninth Miss…"
Moshu’s voice trembled. Qin Wan, however, suddenly said in a firm voice, "Do you trust me?"
Shocked by Qin Wan’s calm words, Moshu stared blankly at her for a moment, then nodded with tear-filled eyes. "I do! This servant trusts Ninth Miss! The miss also trusts Ninth Miss! Ninth Miss, I leave the miss in your hands!"
Qin Wan nodded. "Good. You assist me."
Moshu nodded repeatedly. Meanwhile, Yao Xinlan, on the verge of death, moved her lips. "It hurts… Brother Chen… it hurts so much…"
Hearing this, Qin Wan felt a pang in her heart. She went forward to feel Yao Xinlan’s pulse, then took out silver needles from her sleeve and pricked her jianyu acupoint. Soon, the matron from outside brought what Qin Wan had requested.
"Ninth Miss, the water is heated, and the spirits are boiled!"
Cold Moon was still in Qin Wan’s sleeve, stained with Qin Chen’s blood. Qin Wan washed her hands, then used strong spirits to cleanse Cold Moon. She then instructed the others, "Wash all the cotton cloths with the spirits and let them dry. And find some nettles!"
Qin Wan’s commands were like gold. The matrons dared not delay and hurried to follow her orders.
Having the experience of rescuing the Grand Princess before, even though Qin Wan had never delivered a baby on her own, she now felt more certain. "Talk to your mistress. Don’t let her fall asleep."
Moshu hurried to Yao Xinlan’s head and whispered in her ear, "Miss… Miss, don’t sleep. Miss, do you remember what the Master wrote in his letter today? The Master sent people to come see you…"
Moshu kept talking to Yao Xinlan, but her breathing grew weaker and weaker. Moshu, at a loss, turned to look at Qin Wan. "Ninth Miss, what do we do? She’s… she’s losing her breath…"
Qin Wan’s expression was calm and composed, but her eyes darkened. "The ginseng soup. Go and urge them on."
Moshu was already flustered and could only follow Qin Wan’s instructions. Hearing this, she turned and rushed out. Qin Wan used a cotton cloth dipped in the boiled hot spirits to clean Yao Xinlan’s lower abdomen. Soon, Moshu returned with the ginseng soup.
"Feed it to her."
Moshu fed it to Yao Xinlan mouthful by mouthful. Just then, the matron returned with the zhimu, honey, and the other powdered herbs Qin Wan had requested. With clean hands, Qin Wan crushed the zhimu into a powder and rolled it into a pill with honey. After Moshu finished feeding the ginseng soup, Qin Wan fed the honeyed pill to Yao Xinlan. After waiting a moment and seeing that the bleeding had stopped significantly, Qin Wan finally removed the silver needles.
As soon as the needles were out, Yao Xinlan’s eyes, which had been about to close, flew open.
Moshu was overjoyed. Qin Wan said firmly, "Prepare to begin."
Moshu’s heart jumped at Qin Wan’s words. Before she could comfort Yao Xinlan, Yao Xinlan cried out, her face covered in sweat. Qin Wan said quickly, "Sister-in-law, try it. If you can give birth on your own, try…"
Hearing this, Moshu said, "Miss, Miss, don’t be afraid of the pain. Hold on!"
Qin Wan spread Yao Xinlan’s legs apart and looked carefully for a moment. "Sister-in-law, the baby is coming! Sister-in-law, push…"
Yao Xinlan’s eyes were filled with moisture, but hearing Qin Wan’s words, she subconsciously pushed. But with the push came a gut-wrenching pain. Yao Xinlan shook her head in despair. "I… I can’t… I’m going to die…"
"The miss won’t die. Miss, hold on a little longer…"
Yao Xinlan shook her head, her legs going limp. Qin Wan called to the two matrons. "Help the Young Mistress."
The two matrons were older and had some experience. One came up to support one of Yao Xinlan’s legs, and they both placed their hands on Yao Xinlan’s abdomen, pushing gently. One of them shouted, "Young Mistress, push! If you don’t push, the baby will suffocate…"
Hearing this, Yao Xinlan struggled to push again. She gripped the brocade quilt beneath her with both hands, her forehead sweating so much it soaked her collar. But no matter how hard she pushed, the baby’s head was still not visible. And the blood, which had been partially stopped, began to flow again. Two other matrons were responsible for cleaning up the blood. Seeing basin after basin of bloody water being carried out, the faces of the two assisting matrons turned pale.
"Ninth Miss, I’m afraid the Young Mistress can’t deliver…"
One of them said with a trembling voice. Qin Wan’s expression hardened. "Go open the medicine packet on the table. Mix the powders of those six herbs, add strong spirits, and have the Young Mistress drink it…"
Moshu turned to prepare it. Qin Wan was clearly prepared for this; the spirits were also boiled. Moshu was used to these tasks and quickly prepared the medicinal brew. However, this brew was different from usual medicine, and being mixed with spirits, it smelled quite strange. As Moshu fed it to Yao Xinlan, she said, "Ninth Miss, what is this…"
"Anesthetic powder," Qin Guan replied, picking up the Han Yue blade that lay nearby.
At the sight of Qin Wan picking up a blade, the two servant women looked at each other in horror. Then, they saw Qin Xin lift Yao Xinlan’s inner garment. A faint smell of spirits mixed with the scent of blood filled the room. Seeing Yao Xinlan swallow the Mafei San, Qin Xin waited while gesturing over Yao Xinlan’s swollen belly. The two servant women watched with trembling hearts. After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, the two servant women watched in disbelief as Qin Wan’s blade sliced across Yao Xinlan’s belly…
"Ninth Miss… you can’t…"
Their faces instantly turned as white as ghosts. One cried out, and the other’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground. The sharp blade of Cold Moon cut open Yao Xinlan’s belly, and the two servant women could even see Yao Xinlan’s flesh and blood parting.
The two matrons cleaning the blood were also scared out of their wits. Moshu’s heart was in her throat. But in the midst of all this shock, Qin Wan’s expression never changed. Her focus was entirely on the blade, on every inch of Yao Xinlan’s flesh and blood. A calm and powerful certainty that subdued Moshu’s fearful heart.
"Don’t scream! Ninth Miss is a medical immortal of our time. Only she can save the Young Mistress!" Moshu warned them. The matrons, though still looking terrified, did not dare to make another sound to disturb Qin Wan.
Qin Wan, her sleeves rolled up, had blood all over her hands. Large drops of cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
"Moshu."
Qin Wan called out. Moshu immediately came over with a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. After wiping away the sweat, Qin Wan continued to work on Yao Xinlan’s lower abdomen. A strong smell of blood filled the room. Moshu didn’t dare to look, only gripping Yao Xinlan’s hand tightly. But soon, Moshu felt Yao Xinlan’s hand slowly grow cold.
"Ninth Miss… the miss’s hand is cold…"
Moshu fought down her fear, but a sense of dread grew in her heart. All her life, besides seeing people fight and get injured with cut-open bellies, she had never seen a living person’s abdomen cut open.
Qin Wan’s expression was calm and severe, as if she hadn’t heard Moshu’s words. The matrons in the room exchanged a glance. Though they didn’t speak, their eyes were filled with grief. The Young Mistress was giving birth prematurely, and after suffering such massive bleeding, mother and child were likely lost. Moreover, Ninth Miss’s method was so horrifying. childbirth was already a trip to the gates of hell; cutting open the pregnant woman’s belly would only cause her more pain and suffering…
These matrons were all close servants who had come with Yao Xinlan from Jianzhou. Thinking this, their eyes reddened. They had watched Yao Xinlan grow up. If mother and child were to die tonight, not only would their futures be ruined, but their hearts would also ache.
"Ninth Miss! The miss, she…"
Moshu called out softly again, but Qin Wan’s brows remained unmoved. Yao Xinlan’s face was covered in a cold sweat, and her eyes were now closed. Not only that, but when Moshu checked Yao Xinlan’s breath, she could barely feel it. A chill crept up Moshu’s spine. She didn’t blame Qin Wan; her heart was filled only with grief. Yao Xinlan had suffered too much these past days. And that was one thing, but now she was about to lose her life as well. Moshu suddenly felt a resentment toward Qin Chen.
At this thought, Moshu froze. What had happened to Qin Chen?
"Wa…"
Moshu was staring intently at Yao Xinlan’s face when, suddenly, a faint baby’s cry rang out. At the sound, Moshu whipped her head around to look at Qin Wan, only to see that at some point, a tiny, blood-covered infant was in Qin Wan’s hands. The child was the size of a cat, its hair sparse, its features obscured by blood and mucus!
Moshu felt all the blood in her body rush with joy. "Ninth Miss!"
"Bring the washed cotton cloths… you two, take her…"
The two matrons were staring blankly. Moshu quickly shouted, "What are you doing! Hurry!"
Qin Wan, drenched in sweat, held the small child. The long period of intense focus left her unable to summon a smile, but looking at the wriggling child in her palm, she felt a sense of relief in her heart. Following that, a feeling of abundant fullness filled her heart. This tiny infant had no blood relation to her, yet she felt she could feel the baby’s heartbeat in her palm.
"It’s a girl…" Qin Wan said, her voice already hoarse.
Moshu’s tears fell like rain, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up. A matron took the child with the clean cotton cloths. Qin Wan cut the infant’s umbilical cord and began to suture Yao Xinlan’s wound.
"Bring me a needle! And bring the nettles."
The two matrons held the baby. Moshu collected herself and quickly responded to Qin Wan’s words. Soon, the needle and nettles were brought over. Qin Wan quickly cleaned them and miraculously turned the nettle stalks, softened in strong spirits, into thread. Moshu didn’t dare get close, but she watched wide-eyed as Qin Wan sewed Yao Xinlan’s wound like sewing clothes.
"Moshu, fetch the medicine. Bring a portion of notoginseng powder, then get three qian each of licorice root, mugwort leaves, cinnamon bark, donkey-hide gelatin, and dried rehmannia root. Simmer it in cold water quickly."
Qin Wan spoke very quickly, but her hand movements were exceptionally slow. Moshu acknowledged her and, as she turned to run out, saw that the two matrons had already properly wrapped the baby and wiped its face clean. Seeing the little one’s wrinkled, small face moving slightly, Moshu’s eyes reddened again. The baby was born. Her mistress could not die!
Qin Wan sewed the wound with excruciating slowness. Meanwhile, Moshu returned very quickly. By the time Qin Wan finished sewing and cleaning up, Moshu’s medicinal brew was already prepared. As Qin Wan bandaged Yao Xinlan’s abdomen, she said, "Feed this to Sister-in-law. Half a bowl every half-hour, until she wakes up."
Moshu hurriedly fed Yao Xinlan the medicine, but for some reason, Yao Xinlan vomited it up as soon as it went down. Moshu grew anxious. "Ninth Miss, the miss can’t drink it…"
"Force it down." Qin Wan’s tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.
Moshu hesitated for a moment, then suddenly took a sip herself, pinched Yao Xinlan’s nose, and fed it to her mouth-to-mouth. Seeing Yao Xinlan’s throat move, Qin Wan finally felt relieved.
"Half a bowl at a time is enough."
After saying this, Qin Wan had finished bandaging Yao Xinlan’s abdomen. Meanwhile, the baby in the matrons’ arms began to whimper. Seeing that Moshu had successfully fed half a bowl, Qin Wan finally let out a breath. "Cover her with a clean brocade quilt and put two warming pans by her to keep her warm. Only open the outermost window."
Moshu acknowledged everything and then stepped forward to look at the baby held by the matron.
"Ninth Miss… Ninth Miss is truly divine…"
The matron said, her eyes full of tears. Qin Wan then said, "Has a wet nurse been hired for the residence?"
The matron sighed. "A wet nurse was chosen long ago, but she hasn’t been brought into the residence yet, because the Young Mistress still had over a month until she was due."
Qin Wan nodded. "This is a joyous occasion. Go and inform the Mistress."
As the words left her mouth, Qin Wan remembered that Madam Lin had seemed to faint earlier. She wasn’t sure how to arrange things at the moment. "A wet nurse is essential. Does anyone know the original arrangements? Go and invite her now. In the Young Mistress’s condition, she cannot nurse the child."
A matron stepped forward. "Thank you, Ninth Miss. This servant knows. I’ll go right away. But… there are guards at the residence gate. This servant…"
Qin Wan thought for a moment. "I’ll write a note as a guarantee. Take it and see if it works. If not, we’ll figure something else out."
Qin Wan went to a nearby desk, took the Four Treasures of the Study, and wrote a note. Soon, the matron left with Qin Wan’s note. Although Madam Lin had fainted earlier, Qin Wan didn’t know her current condition. Thinking it over, she still had a matron go check on Madam Lin. A short while later, the matron returned to report:
"Ninth Miss, the Mistress is awake and has heard the news. But… she seems a little disappointed. She’s lying in bed and can’t get up. And… and news came from the Buddha Hall. The fire has been mostly extinguished, but there’s no sign of the Young Master coming out."
Qin Wan’s heart sank. After all this time, Qin Chen still hadn’t emerged. Even if he had peerless martial arts, he was no match for Yan Chi, who couldn’t stay inside for long either.
Qin Wan nodded. "I see. You all just take good care of the Young Mistress then."
The matron sighed. "Yes. We servants will definitely do our best."
As she spoke, Qin Wan walked to the window. She had been covered in cold sweat, and now that it was cooling, she felt a chill on her body. The fire at the Buddha Hall was indeed not as fierce as before, but its bright light still illuminated the eastern night sky. Qin Wan wanted to go and see, but she was worried about Yao Xinlan, so she had to remain at Linfeng Courtyard.
"Ninth Miss, the Little Miss is so well-behaved."
Qin Wan turned to look. Moshu, having finished feeding Yao Xinlan, had picked up the little miss. Qin Wan remembered what Yao Xinlan had said earlier. "Qiqi. Sister-in-law said before that if she had a daughter, she would name her Qiqi."
"Would Ninth Miss like to hold her?" Moshu, grateful to Qin Wan, offered the baby in her arms.
Although this little one was delivered by Qin Wan from Yao Xinlan’s belly, Qin Wan had never actually held a baby before. She accepted cautiously. Just then, Qiqi’s closed eyes suddenly opened. Although her face was wrinkled, her pupils were extremely dark. Qin Wan took a liking to her eyes at once. She called softly, "Qiqi?"
The little one seemed to hear Qin Wan’s words and opened her mouth slightly.
Moshu said quickly, "Ah, the Little Miss likes Ninth Miss…"
Qin Wan’s lips curved into a slight smile, and a trace of warmth finally surfaced on her chilled body.
The newborn was fragile. Qin Wan held her for a moment before handing her back to Moshu. Although the wet nurse had not yet arrived, all the baby’s necessities had been prepared. Qin Wan had the matrons watch the baby while she and Moshu kept vigil over Yao Xinlan.
After this series of events, it was now the latter half of the night. The night outside was as dark as ink, and the room was quiet. Moshu fed Yao Xinlan the medicine twice more, but she still showed no sign of waking.
"Ninth Miss, why isn’t the miss awake yet…"
Qin Wan also felt a sense of heaviness in her heart. "Let’s wait a little longer."
The smell of blood had not yet dissipated from the room. Qin Wan opened the outermost window for a moment, and the air in the room improved slightly. Time passed minute by second. At Mao shi, the matron who had gone to fetch the wet nurse returned to Linfeng Courtyard with a woman in her thirties. Seeing that the wet nurse had been brought back, Qin Wan felt relieved, but she couldn’t help but sigh as she looked at Yao Xinlan, whose eyes were tightly closed on the bed.
"Ninth Miss… someone outside is looking for you."
A servant woman guarding the door came to report. Qin Wan’s spirit stirred. She glanced at the eastern sky and only then realized that the bright firelight had diminished considerably. Qin Wan hurried to the courtyard entrance. Sure enough, Bai Feng was accompanying Yan Chi to the gate. Qin Wan stepped forward to curtsy. "Greetings, Your Highness the Heir Ap…"
Before the word "Apparent" was out, Yan Chi suddenly grabbed her arm. "You have blood on you?"
Qin Wan looked down and saw that there were indeed specks of blood on her misty-green skirt. She curved her lips. "It’s not mine. It’s Sister-in-law’s." As she spoke, her tone softened. "Sister-in-law has given birth. It’s a daughter."
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow and released Qin Wan’s arm. "You saved her."
Qin Wan’s eyes and brows were filled with exhaustion. She shook her head. "Although the child was born, Sister-in-law hasn’t woken up yet. She lost too much blood last night, and she was also traumatized. The method I used was also risky. I don’t know if she’ll wake up."
After saying this, she added, "What about the Buddha Hall?"
Yan Chi’s gaze darkened slightly. "The fire has been mostly extinguished, but the people inside…"
Qin Wan was stunned for a moment, but her face showed no emotion. After a long while, she lowered her eyes and sighed.
Yan Chi, afraid she would take Qin Chen’s death to heart, said, "It was his own choice. His past evil deeds have been exposed, and now that I’ve caught him red-handed, his future would not have been good anyway. He had been in the fire once before; he knew how dangerous it was inside."
Qin Wan gave a bitter smile. "Your Highness doesn’t need to console me. I won’t grieve for the man who tried to kill me. But in the end, they were several lives. After tonight’s turmoil, the Qin residence is truly finished."
Yan Chi’s chin lifted slightly. "Even without tonight, the Qin residence’s downfall was inevitable."
Just then, a yamen runner suddenly arrived from the east. He came before Yan Chi and said, "Your Highness the Heir Apparent, the corpses have been found inside. So far, only two have been found, both in the main house. The fire in the Buddha Hall hasn’t been put out yet. The remaining corpse should be inside the Buddha Hall. We are still continuing to extinguish the fire…"
Yan Chi nodded, and the runner bowed and turned to leave.
Qin Wan frowned. "Two corpses in the main house?"
At that time, Qin Chen had said he was going to rescue Madam Jiang, and Caihe had also gone into the Buddha Hall. If there were two corpses in the main house, didn’t that mean Qin Chen had indeed brought one person out? But who was it?
Yan Chi understood Qin Wan’s thoughts. He glanced into Linfeng Courtyard. "If you want to know who those two corpses are, we can go and see."
Thinking this over, Qin Wan found it feasible. Yao Xinlan was still unconscious; waiting here would do no good.
"Alright, let’s go and see."
As soon as she spoke, Qin Wan and Yan Chi walked together toward the Buddha Hall. It was now the hour before dawn, the darkest and coldest part of the night. As they walked, Qin Wan glanced at Yan Chi’s shoulder for an instant. "Your Highness, come with me to the courtyard later so I can apply some medicinal ointment to your wound."
A faint smile appeared in Yan Chi’s eyes, and he nodded with a soft "Mmm."
They walked side by side, with Bai Feng trailing far behind. Hidden by the night, it looked as if only the two of them were walking together. For a moment, Qin Wan didn’t know what to say, and Yan Chi also remained silent.
This night had been far too long, so long that Qin Wan had experienced life and death, and Yan Chi had nearly perished in the sea of fire. Now, walking together side by side, the smell of blood from Linfeng Courtyard and the clamor of the fire scene suddenly faded away. It felt as if only the two of them were left in the vast world. Though they didn’t speak, Qin Wan felt a great sense of peace.
After walking a few more steps, Qin Wan finally said, "Thank you, Your Highness the Heir Apparent, for saving me tonight. You warned me long ago, but I was still careless. Fortunately, I didn’t implicate you. Otherwise, I would be terribly uneasy."
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan for a moment. "Do you think I would fear being implicated by you?"
Qin Wan was taken aback, unsure of the meaning behind Yan Chi’s words. Then, Yan Chi withdrew his gaze. "When I warned you, I knew you would never act entirely according to my wishes. Tonight, you followed Qin Chen to find the painting. You have your own judgment and your own sense of justice. If you were to avoid all risks just because of my warning, then you wouldn’t be you."
As he spoke, Yan Chi’s breath lightened. "I’m just glad I arrived in time."
Qin Wan pressed her lips tightly, feeling the peace she had just found in her heart thrown into disarray by Yan Chi’s words. Her thoughts were in a tumult when she looked up and saw they were outside the Buddha Hall. The fire in the main house had been extinguished, and two charred corpses were laid out in the courtyard. Qin Li knelt dazedly before them. Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang were nowhere to be seen.
Seeing Qin Wan and Yan Chi approach, Qin Li slowly rose to his feet.
Qin Wan had come to identify the bodies. She walked directly to the two scorched corpses and could clearly see that the larger one was Qin Chen. The other one, with its skin and clothes indistinguishable, could only be identified by its bones.
Because they had been burned to death, both corpses were slightly curled. Qin Wan knelt down, reached out, and felt the joints on the corpses. Soon, she frowned. Both Qin Li and Yan Chi watched her. Qin Wan stood up and said, "It is the Old Madam."