Read Novel Full Chapter 255
Chapter 255: The Imperial Doctor
Cen Xi found it easy to summon an imperial doctor into the palace discreetly. Doctor Xu initially thought he was being summoned by one of the palace’s minor nobility. It wasn’t until he was brought to the imperial study that he was somewhat confused.
Seeing Cen Xi waiting outside the study, Doctor Xu quickly inquired in a low voice, “Eunuch Cen, has His Majesty sent for me?”
Cen Xi nodded. Doctor Xu wanted to ask more, but Cen Xi smiled slightly and said, “We don’t know the details. Doctor Xu, please go in.”
Once inside, Doctor Xu emerged looking quite dazed.
The emperor had sent a secret envoy for him.
He specialized in gynecology and had been working in the palace for decades. Now he was given a secret mission, instructed to return to the imperial medical bureau, take a day off tomorrow with a fabricated excuse, and then go out with the emperor’s envoy…
Doctor Xu felt like he might be involved in some major palace secret. His legs were shaking a bit.
……
After waiting for a day, An Qi set off the next day with some high-quality medicines for pregnant women. He met up with Doctor Xu, who was dressed in civilian clothes, and they boarded the boat.
From the moment he boarded, Doctor Xu kept covertly observing An Qi. Although An Qi had a very regular appearance, there was something about him that made it easy to overlook him.
Having been an imperial doctor since the previous dynasty and having spent decades in the palace, Doctor Xu quickly realized An Qi’s identity.
An imperial guard.
Such qualities were typical of guards trained by emperors or noble families.
After sailing for a while, Doctor Xu finally gathered the courage to ask, “Sir, may I inquire where we are heading?”
An Qi, who was more reserved outside of his colleagues and the emperor, replied succinctly, “Shezhou.”
Shezhou.
Doctor Xu began to think carefully about the place.
Then it hit him—Shezhou! Shezhou! That was a place the emperor personally conquered!
His mind raced with the implications, and his nerves were nearly frayed. It wasn’t until he calculated the timing of the emperor’s conquest of Shezhou that he realized something was off.
No, the timing doesn’t match.
Doctor Xu’s heart, which had been in suspense, finally relaxed.
After a half-month voyage, when they arrived at the governor’s residence and met Governor Zeng, Doctor Xu remembered Concubine Fan, who had been awarded the third-rank title.
He wondered if perhaps the governor’s wife was pregnant?
But would this warrant the emperor’s attention? Unless it was a complicated case that local doctors couldn’t handle, a request from Governor Zeng might be plausible. However, it wouldn’t typically require a secret edict and a clandestine mission to the capital, would it?
Doctor Xu’s anxiousness lasted until he entered Governor Zeng’s study and realized who he had been summoned for.
It was a commoner, the woman named Sang who had presented the plow.
Following Concubine Fan’s maid out of the city, and seeing the archway outside Daxing Village, then heading into the village, Doctor Xu was genuinely shaken.
Despite his speculations, he never expected the emperor would send him out of the palace for this plow-presenting woman.
It had been over eight months since the plow was presented in January. Sang Luo, the woman who presented the plow, might be remembered by some, especially those who knew of the plow’s presentation in Chang’an, but few would have a lasting impression of Sang Luo herself. Apart from the farmers, who would remember her?
No one had an impression of her.
In fact, nobody even knew she was a young woman.
Doctor Xu knew the emperor valued talent, but this level of concern gave him a new understanding of the current emperor.
Perhaps there were other reasons he didn’t know about, but he didn’t delve into it. This was far better than being caught up in palace secrets—at least he didn’t have to be fearful. As long as he didn’t go back and babble, that would suffice.
……
An Qi returned after a month, and Sang Luo was now more than eight months pregnant, almost nine. Her belly was noticeably large, much bigger than Zhou Ge’s, causing concern for everyone.
In common folk belief, having twins made it more likely to give birth to twins. Several midwives—Mrs. Chen, Mrs. Lu, and Wei Lingzhen—had come to check and wondered if it might be twins.
However, determining if it was twins from the pulse was difficult due to the limited experience or traditions of the doctors. Shen Lie had consulted three doctors in town, all of whom said they couldn’t determine it. Although Nanny Zhong had heard from her teacher about such matters, she couldn’t find any signs of twins either.
Sang Luo could only manage her diet carefully, neither daring to starve nor to overeat, as there was no option for a cesarean here.
She was so anxious that she couldn’t sleep well at night. Shen Lie, even more so, couldn’t sleep and avoided playing with the child as he did before. Instead, he now talked to the baby, asking it to not grow too quickly and to wait until it was born to grow more.
He didn’t want to pressure Sang Luo or show any sign of worry.
Several times, he dreamt of his childhood hardships during the famine, recalling how his mother passed away soon after giving birth to Shen An and Shen Ning.
For the first time, Shen Lie felt such fear. The new home had been dedicated with an imperial decree and ancestral tablets. Unable to sleep, he went to offer incense to his ancestors, praying for the safety of Sang Luo and the child, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
When Sang Luo awoke in the middle of the night, she noticed Shen Lie had just returned. Her keen nose detected the faint scent of incense on him, and she guessed what he had been doing.
“Did I wake you?”
Sang Luo shook her head, took Shen Lie’s hand, and said, “Don’t be too anxious. The belly is bigger, but Nanny Zhong is already living with us, so everything will be fine.”
Shen Lie nodded, showing rare vulnerability in front of Sang Luo, carefully holding her. “It will go smoothly.”
His Ah Luo was kind-hearted, and even if it was a matter of human life, heaven should protect her to live a long and peaceful life.
But his past experiences made it hard for him to relax. He swallowed and said, “Ah Luo, let’s only have this one child. We won’t have any more.”
Sang Luo couldn’t imagine the risks Shen Lie was worried about.
Sang Luo’s gaze softened, and she playfully reproached him, “Aren’t you afraid that there might be two babies in here? The child might get upset if you say such things.”
Everyone had speculated whether there were twins, and with Shen An and Shen Ning being twins, and her belly growing rapidly, even though Nanny Zhong had checked Sang Luo’s pulse numerous times without confirming twins, Sang Luo couldn’t help but think in that direction. She was hesitant to have high expectations but also worried about Shen Lie’s comments.
Shen Lie tapped himself on the mouth, admitting, “I spoke out of turn.”
He then gently patted Sang Luo’s belly.
Sang Luo smiled and said, “Take off your outer coat and sleep. You haven’t slept well for days; your eyes are even darkening. I’ll be fine. Heaven should still favor me and the child.”
As a time-traveling woman, she wasn’t concerned about her fate as a female protagonist. With the world being so chaotic, surviving was a blessing, and having a peaceful end was also a possibility.
In times like this, Sang Luo found comfort in boosting her confidence in such matters, which made her feel more at ease.
……
When Doctor Xu arrived, Nanny Zhong had already been living with the Shen family for five days. Sang Luo’s belly was so large that a birth at nine months was plausible.
To ensure a safe delivery, Sang Luo often walked in the yard, holding her waist. Shen Ning and Nanny Zhong accompanied her. Hearing some noise outside, the three peered towards the second gate and saw Concubine Fan’s maid, Xiao Xing, leading a man with a short beard in his fifties into the courtyard.
“Lady,” Xiao Xing greeted Sang Luo, “This is Doctor Xu, whom my lady invited to check your pulse.”
Upon learning that Doctor Xu was invited by Concubine Fan, Sang Luo thanked him and nodded in acknowledgment. “Thank you for your hard work.”
She then led him to the main hall.
Seeing Sang Luo’s large belly, Doctor Xu understood why the emperor had sent him. Her belly was significantly larger than usual.
Nanny Zhong was the most informed about Sang Luo’s condition. After some discussion, Doctor Xu took out his pulse pillow and began to check Sang Luo’s pulse. Shen Ning and the others held their breath, barely daring to breathe.
Being an experienced palace doctor specializing in gynecology, Doctor Xu had some skill. His family even had a tradition of pulse diagnosis, and he had received some genuine teachings.
The pulse that the doctors in Shezhou and Nanny Zhong couldn’t determine, Doctor Xu found with his three fingers lightly pressing and adjusting on Sang Luo’s wrist. After listening intently for a while, he revealed a slight smile.
“It’s good news. Madam, you are carrying twins, which is why your belly is so large.”
Sang Luo and Shen Ning were overjoyed, and Nanny Zhong’s eyes also showed happiness, though she was curious. She almost asked a question but realized she was probing into a specialist’s domain and, with a smile, changed the subject.
Doctor Xu also breathed a sigh of relief. With twins, and with Nanny Zhong, who was skilled in medicine and worked for the Fan family, there was no cause for concern. He said to Sang Luo, “Madam, if it’s convenient, I would like to stay here for a while until the delivery of the twins. After that, I will return to report back to Concubine Fan.”
This was something Sang Luo could not refuse. She promptly arranged for him to stay, and Shen Ning went off cheerfully to make arrangements.
When Shen Lie returned from his studies, he heard Shen Ning in the kitchen preparing meals. He came out with a smile, saying, “Elder brother, my sister-in-law is carrying twins!”
Before Shen Lie could ask more, Shen Ning excitedly shared the news about the elderly doctor invited by Concubine Fan. Shen Ning was overjoyed, “There are two babies, brother. We don’t need to worry now. Nanny Zhong said that if there are two, the large belly isn’t a big issue. It’s safe. Moreover, Doctor Xu will stay with us for a while and leave after my sister-in-law delivers safely.”
Shen Lie was pleased. When he entered the main room and saw Sang Luo, she was no longer pacing the yard. She was focused on making several outfits for the baby, and Nanny Zhong was assisting with the tailoring.
Seeing this, Shen Lie and Sang Luo shared their happiness. Nanny Zhong, observing this, smiled and discreetly left. Shen Lie looked at Sang Luo’s belly with curiosity, “So it’s really twins.”
Sang Luo smiled, “Feeling relieved now?”
In the ancient times without cesarean sections, the biggest concern during childbirth was the size of the baby. Knowing it was twins, and given her good physical condition from practicing martial arts in the mountains, Sang Luo felt much safer. The only thing left was to care for the babies properly after birth.
Shen Lie smiled, “Twins are great. Whether they are two boys, two girls, or one of each, at least they will have a companion.”
He was determined not to let Sang Luo bear more children. He understood the risks only too well and did not wish to go through them again.
Noting the numerous outfits Sang Luo had made, he said, “Don’t do all the sewing yourself. It’s fine to get some help; making so many clothes can strain your eyes.”
Sang Luo replied with a smile, “Nanny Zhong and An Ning are helping. You don’t need to worry about this.”
Shen Lie was also thinking about another matter. He said, “Rest a bit. I’ll go thank Doctor Xu.”
He then went to the eastern wing to see Doctor Xu.
Although the doctor was invited by Concubine Fan, Shen Lie had begun to think more deeply about it, especially since the doctor was staying at their home and would leave only after ensuring a smooth delivery for Sang Luo.
He made a special trip to thank the doctor. Hearing the subtle accent in the doctor’s official speech, Shen Lie finally relaxed. He bowed deeply and said, “I am grateful for your care of my wife.”
He was thankful to the doctor and even more so to the person behind the doctor. Despite any ulterior motives behind the concern, Shen Lie was sincerely grateful.