"Alright, then it shall be a caesarean to retrieve the child."
Feng Jin nodded and said in a deep voice. Since they had made up their minds, she could proceed with confidence, with nothing more to consider.
"I request all imperial physicians to observe. If any issues arise, I can explain them clearly."
After much deliberation, Feng Jin still felt it was best to have these imperial physicians stay. This way, if any problems occurred later, she could explain herself, avoiding further trouble.
"Madam, rest assured. If anything does happen, we will testify for the young madam. We implore Madam to extract the child as soon as possible."
The leading imperial physician immediately responded to Feng Jin's words. They were all in the same boat now; if anything went wrong, no one could escape. It was best to stabilize Feng Jin and deliver the child quickly so they could be truly safe.
"With your assurance, I am somewhat relieved."
With their guarantee, Feng Jin's heart finally settled a little, and she began the surgery.
The imperial physicians nearby watched as Feng Jin calmly cut open the产妇's abdomen with a knife. Blood spurted out like a fountain. The bloody scene was so overwhelming that even the experienced midwife could not bear it and vomited.
Even the imperial physicians suppressed their nausea, but their faces were extremely pale, clearly on the verge of retching.
In contrast, Feng Jin remained composed, as if performing a simple task like slaughtering a chicken, showing no fear on her face.
As Feng Jin retrieved the child, she was startled. The child's face was bluish-purple, and there were large patches of blue-black spots on its body. It looked as if it had been poisoned in the womb, and having been trapped inside for so long, it was unlikely to survive.
"This child… how can the child look like this!"
The imperial physician, seeing such a child for the first time, was astonished. How could they explain this to His Majesty?
"Why is the child covered in blue-black spots, and its face is also bluish-purple? Could it be… could it be…"
The midwife bit back the words that were on the tip of her tongue. She dared not speak them. Merely guessing in her mind was already terrifying. If she were to voice it, her own life might not be spared. For her own safety, these words had to be buried deep within.
At this moment, Feng Jin had no time to tend to the near-death Liu Menghan. If her guess was correct, Liu Menghan had been poisoned during her pregnancy. Now that the child had been delivered, the toxins within her body would likely be difficult to suppress further.
She might succumb to the poison soon and also be beyond saving. It was truly a pity that this child, an innocent victim, would follow its mother shortly after being born, without even having a chance to see the world.
After clearing the infant's mouth and nose, Feng Jin vigorously patted the child's soles. Her hands were already aching, but the child still showed no sign of crying. She continued with chest compressions, and only then did the child exhibit faint breaths.
Feng Jin wrapped the baby and handed it to the midwife, not bothering to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She gasped, "The child has just begun to breathe. Quickly take the child back to the palace for His Majesty to see."
As long as Emperor Xuanwen saw the living child, their mission would be considered complete. At that point, even if Emperor Xuanwen wished to blame them, he would have no legitimate reason.
"Yes, hurry back to the palace… quickly back to the palace!"
The imperial physician now understood Feng Jin's true purpose and urged the midwife to hasten back to the palace with the child.
After handing over the child, Feng Jin rushed to tend to Liu Menghan, needing to quickly stitch up her wound.
By the time she finished, it was already past midnight. Feng Jin collapsed onto the ground, weak and exhausted, her clothes soaked with sweat. Her hair was damp and stuck to her skin, and her breathing was heavy.
Finally, she had finished these tasks. It had been utterly exhausting. All that remained was to see if Liu Menghan was strong enough to wake up.
However, whether she woke up or not, she was unlikely to escape death.
...
"How is it, Emperor? Has the child not been born yet?"
The Empress Dowager also learned of Liu Menghan's critical condition during childbirth and rushed to inquire.
Although Chu Yanxi was guilty, the child was innocent. Ultimately, it was royal blood, her great-grandchild. No matter how much she disliked the Empress and Chu Yanxi, she would not blame the child for their crimes.
"Greetings, Mother. Your subject has dispatched imperial physicians and a midwife. Feng Jin has also rushed there. There should be no incident. So much time has passed; they should be returning by now."
Emperor Xuanwen was also filled with worry. So much time had passed, and the child should have been born by now. Why was there still no news? What was causing this delay?
Just as Emperor Xuanwen was pacing anxiously and preparing to personally leave the palace, the midwife, flustered, entered, carrying a basket.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty, the Third Prince Consort has given birth to a little imperial grandson!"
"Good… Excellent! Quickly bring the child for me to see."
Emperor Xuanwen was overjoyed, and the weight on his heart finally lifted. He eagerly stepped forward to see the child. This action earned him a few disdainful glances from the Empress Dowager. How could he be so overjoyed at the sight of just an imperial grandson, more so than when he himself became a father? Truly pathetic.
"Your Majesty… the little imperial grandson, he…"
Before the midwife could finish speaking, Emperor Xuanwen had already lifted the blanket covering the child. Upon seeing the infant in the basket, he staggered back a step, almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, Eunuch Fu behind him quickly steadied Emperor Xuanwen.
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
Seeing that Emperor Xuanwen was unharmed, the Empress Dowager slowly sat back down, leaning on her chair. "What is it? Seeing your grandson has made you so excited that you can't even stand steady!"
"Mother, look… this child… this child…"
Emperor Xuanwen pointed a finger at the cradle, unable to articulate what he wanted to say.
The Empress Dowager furrowed her brows slightly, sensing that something was amiss. She slowly stood up and walked towards the midwife, stating sternly, "Uncover the blanket!"
The midwife knelt on the ground, her voice trembling slightly, "Empress Dowager, please forgive me. It's better if the Empress Dowager does not look…"
"I said, uncover it!"
After a moment of hesitation, the midwife's hand trembled as she lifted the blanket.
The Empress Dowager's gaze fell upon the basket. The moment she saw the child, her heart gave a sudden jolt. After a moment of hesitation, she reached out and re-covered the child with the blanket.