Feng Jin was certainly not one to be trifled with. She had offered her help in good faith, but instead of gratitude, she was met with hostility and blame.
It was then she understood the saying, "No good deed goes unpunished." Since they had made their choice, why should she insist on intervening?
Her maidservants, who followed her closely, intercepted Madam Sun. These maids Feng Jin had brought with her possessed some skill in martial arts. They promptly subdued Madam Sun.
"Let me go, let me go!" Madam Sun struggled frantically.
"Release her," Feng Jin commanded her maids. There was no point in holding Madam Sun; it only meant hearing her wail longer.
Once released, Madam Sun dared not cause further trouble. She took a step back and quickly retreated to Feng Ruoyan's side.
The midwife was startled by the scene and dared not continue her work.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry and save my daughter!"
Seeing the midwife hesitating, Madam Sun urged her on.
"This..." The midwife was also hesitant, her gaze drifting to the Third Prince.
"Continue," the Third Prince said, not believing a word Feng Jin had said. In his eyes, Feng Jin could treat so many people not because she truly possessed skill, but merely due to luck and coincidence.
With the Third Prince's approval, the midwife resumed her task.
"Ah!"
Feng Ruoyan, who had already fainted from the pain, felt an intense agony in her abdomen. She immediately arched her body in pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
She gripped Madam Sun's hand tightly, her nails digging in. The pain caused Madam Sun to cry out, "Yan'er... be gentler..."
The midwife's hand found the placenta and with a sudden force, it was ripped away.
Feng Jin turned her head away, unable to bear the bloody spectacle.
"Young Madam, shall we go outside?" Cai Qing quickly shielded Feng Jin's view and helped her away.
"Let's go."
As Feng Jin stepped over the threshold, the midwife's startled cry echoed from behind.
"Ah! Blood..." The midwife's eyes widened as she saw the blood-soaked bedsheets. She was so frightened she could barely articulate her words.
In all her years of practice, this was the first time she had encountered such a situation. Childbirth was already a perilous journey, akin to passing through the gates of hell, but such profuse bleeding was unprecedented.
"Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician!"
The Third Prince was also shaken and urgently called for the Imperial Physician.
"Quick, fetch the medicine to stop the bleeding... use acupuncture!"
The Imperial Physician employed every possible method to staunch the flow, but it was futile. "Your Highness, the uterus is severely damaged. I fear... I fear we cannot save it."
"Useless... utterly useless. If Yan'er dies, I will have all your nine generations buried with her!"
The Third Prince kicked the Imperial Physician fiercely, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Witnessing this, a small flame ignited in Feng Jin's eyes. Damn it, doctors in ancient times had such a high-risk profession; one wrong move could endanger their entire lineage.
Even more detestable was this Third Prince. It was he who had ordered the midwife to manually detach the placenta, yet now he blamed everyone else, failing to acknowledge his own fault.
"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!" The Imperial Physician knelt on the ground, trembling as he begged for mercy.
"Drag them away and have them executed!"
With Chu Yanxi's command, guards from outside rushed in and dragged the terrified men out.
"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness!"
"Stop!"
Feng Jin's sharp command halted the guards.
"I can save him, but you must release these Imperial Physicians!"
Unable to bear watching them die unjustly, Feng Jin decided to act as a fisherman once more.
"If you save Yan'er, this Prince will reward you handsomely. But these incompetent physicians deserve to die."
Feng Jin was truly taken aback by his arrogant pronouncement. "Then I apologize, Third Prince. I truly cannot save her."
"What did you say? How dare you defy my command? Do you believe..."
"If the Third Prince wishes to kill me or have my nine generations executed, so be it. I said I cannot save her, and I cannot save her."
There was no point in continuing a conversation with such a person. Feng Jin turned to leave.
"Wait!"
The Third Prince called out to Feng Jin's retreating back, his face etched with indecision.
Feng Jin turned around, casting a disdainful glance at the Third Prince. "If the Third Prince has nothing else, I shall take my leave."
"Please, Young Madam, save Yan'er. I apologize for my previous transgressions!"
The Third Prince, still concerned for Feng Ruoyan, finally lowered himself to apologize to Feng Jin. "Release the Imperial Physicians."
Feng Jin sighed softly, realizing she was destined to play the role of the savior today. She stepped forward to examine Feng Ruoyan's condition.
"Be gentler!" Madam Sun, worried that Feng Jin might harm Feng Ruoyan during the procedure, deliberately remained to watch.
"If Aunt Sun believes I intend to harm Feng Ruoyan, she is welcome to find someone else to save her. I, for one, do not wish to save her."
Madam Sun's face paled with anxiety. She knew deep down that besides Feng Jin, no one else could save Feng Ruoyan's life. "No, I... I won't say anything more."
Feng Jin cast Madam Sun a look of disgust, then, while grinding a silver needle, inserted it into an acupoint, stopping the bleeding.
She then placed a slice of ginseng into Feng Ruoyan's mouth, instructing her to hold it.
"Wonderful, the bleeding has finally stopped!" Seeing the blood flow cease and Feng Ruoyan's complexion improve slightly, Madam Sun believed Feng Ruoyan was out of danger, unaware of the greater troubles that lay ahead.
Feng Jin reached out to feel Feng Ruoyan's pulse. The bleeding had only been temporarily halted; Feng Ruoyan's life was still hanging by a thread.
"Aunt Sun, may I speak with you for a moment?"
Feng Jin stated her intention and walked out of the room. Madam Sun followed close behind.
Outside the room, the Third Prince had been waiting. Liu Menghan had arrived at some unknown time and was diligently attending to him, yet received no notice.
Seeing Feng Jin emerge from the room, the Third Prince hurried forward to inquire, "How is Yan'er?"
"The bleeding has temporarily stopped, but... the placenta has not been completely expelled, and the uterus is severely damaged. To save her life, her uterus must be removed, which means Feng Ruoyan will never be able to bear children again."
This outcome was a tragedy for any woman, but at this juncture, preserving her life was the only option.
"You are spouting nonsense! I knew from the beginning you had ill intentions. You want to harm my daughter!"
Madam Sun shifted all blame onto Feng Jin, convinced she intended to harm Feng Ruoyan.
"I warned you all earlier that the placenta should not be removed forcefully. You insisted on doing so, and now that something has gone wrong, you blame me. I am trying my utmost to save her life."