"No! Mother, you mustn't say such things!"
Song Chaoyu was truly panicked this time!
The blood beneath Concubine Liu made her tremble, her eyes reddening further. "If you leave, what will become of me? Mother, you can't leave Yu'er alone in this world! I can't live without you! Please, you must hold on, alright? We are all here, everyone is here, everything will be alright, please don't give up, okay?"
In her previous life, she had already lost someone once. How could she let go again in this life?
Perhaps it was seeing Song Chaoyu's tears, or perhaps it was another wave of pain that made Concubine Liu involuntarily grip Song Chaoyu's hand tighter. "Alright! Alright! I promise you, I will try my best! Yu'er, you must know that everything mother does is for our own good! I will try, I will definitely try!"
"Ah—"
The intense pain made Concubine Liu cry out again.
However, this time, after a brief cry, she lost her voice—
"Not good!"
Fan Jiangyue, who was preparing medicine nearby, heard Concubine Liu fall silent and hurried forward. "Where are the ginseng slices you were told to prepare?! Quickly, let Concubine Liu hold them in her mouth, don't let her lose this breath! I will give her acupuncture. If she cannot wake up, this child will not be born, and she herself will be in critical condition!"
These words felt like a knife piercing Song Chaoyu's heart, causing immense pain.
"Where are the ginseng slices!?"
However, when Tiaohong went to fetch the ginseng slices, she discovered that the ones prepared in the box had vanished!
She cried out, but no one answered.
Song Chaoyu frowned and looked outside. "What happened?"
Tiaohong sent someone to the warehouse to find ginseng, while she placed the empty box before Song Chaoyu. "Miss, the prepared ginseng slices are gone!"
This was clearly intentional, but it was not the time to investigate.
Song Chaoyu released Concubine Liu's hand and hurried out.
Before Song Chaoyu could say anything, the Old Madam understood her meaning and said to Granny Yin beside her, "Go to my courtyard and bring all the superior mountain ginseng sent from home for Concubine Liu!"
Song Chaoyu looked at the Old Madam with gratitude, but saw Fan Jiangyue frown and emerge from the inner room. "I fear ordinary ginseng will not suffice. I just gave Concubine a needle treatment, and she showed no reaction! If we are to sustain her breath and prevent her from losing strength, we must have the finest Changbai Mountain ginseng!"
"Changbai Mountain ginseng?"
This item was extremely rare. Looking across the capital, perhaps only the palace possessed it.
Song Chaoyu's brows furrowed tightly.
The Old Madam hesitated before speaking, "I recall that when Prince Chang returned, the Emperor, concerned for his frail health, specifically bestowed two branches upon him. General Liaoyuan also received a bestowal, but General Liaoyuan left the capital a few days ago, and I don't know if he took the Changbai Mountain ginseng with him."
So, it could only be Mu Changxi?
Song Chaoyu stood up, about to leave.
The Old Madam looked surprised. "Fourth girl, where are you going?"
Song Chaoyu turned back slightly. "Grandmother, Jiangyue, you must save my concubine's life! I will beg if I must, to obtain that Changbai Mountain ginseng! I entrust my concubine to you!"
Although she did not wish to see Mu Changxi, for her concubine's sake, this was something she had to do. She could not retreat!
What Song Chaoyu did not expect was that as soon as she ran out of the Song family gate, she saw Mu Changxi's carriage stopped at the entrance!
She froze, and Mu Changxi, who was being helped out of the carriage, also froze.
"You..."
Mu Changxi looked at Song Chaoyu with confusion.
Without a word, Song Chaoyu knelt directly before Mu Changxi. "Your Highness Prince Chang, please save my concubine!"
The moment Mu Changxi saw Song Chaoyu kneel before him like this, he couldn't quite articulate the feeling in his heart.
It was as if a needle had pierced him fiercely, causing great pain.
He quickly pushed his wheelchair forward. "Get up quickly, what are you doing?"
Song Chaoyu refused to rise. "I implore Your Highness Prince Chang to lend our Song residence a branch of Changbai Mountain ginseng to save my concubine and the life of her child!"
"Get up quickly!"
Seeing Song Chaoyu kneeling like this, Mu Changxi felt a surge of anger. "I came here precisely to deliver this. I have also brought an imperial physician familiar with difficult births. If you continue to kneel and block my way, you truly won't be able to save your concubine."
Song Chaoyu raised her head in disbelief and indeed saw two boxes containing mountain ginseng in Mu Changxi's hand.
He had actually brought both branches of Changbai Mountain ginseng bestowed by the Emperor!
The imperial physician accompanying Mu Changxi also stepped forward and helped Song Chaoyu up. "Good child, quickly take us to the back courtyard so we can save your concubine!"
Song Chaoyu knew that there was no time to lose.
She quickly led them inside. The household members were also surprised that Mu Changxi had arrived so promptly with the Changbai Mountain ginseng.
Upon entering, Mu Changxi explained to the Old Madam of the Song family, "When your household's servant went to find Master Song, I happened to overhear their conversation. I thought that if a woman were in distress, ginseng to sustain her breath would be most beneficial. Therefore, I brought this ginseng, hoping it would not be considered an imposition on the Song family."
"No, no, no, thank you, Your Highness Prince Chang!"
Although the Old Madam of the Song family was surprised, she felt even more gratitude towards Mu Changxi.
She had someone take one branch of ginseng away, and insisted on returning the other to Mu Changxi.
Indeed, as soon as the ginseng was placed in her mouth, and with the combined efforts of Fan Jiangyue and the imperial physician's acupuncture, Concubine Liu soon awoke, crying out in pain once more.
At the same time, Song Yuan had also rushed home. "What happened? Wasn't it too early? Why is she giving birth today?"
He was surprised to see Prince Chang upon entering.
However, before he could say anything, the imperial physician emerged from the back, his expression grave. "Master Song, Concubine Liu's condition is likely dire! The child in her womb has been jostled and it is not yet time. But Concubine Liu has already gone into labor, so we can only use medicinal decoctions to induce labor. However, there is one matter I must ask Master Song about."
He wiped the sweat from his brow. "If we can only save one between mother and child, and the child cannot emerge, we will have to resort to special measures, which may gravely endanger Concubine Liu's life. Alternatively, we can save Concubine Liu, but the child might suffocate in the womb. Master Song... what is your decision?"
Such difficult choices had been common since ancient times.
Song Chaoyu's eyes turned towards Song Yuan.