The palace maids wept in low voices, and even the imperial physicians quietly wiped their eyes. But Imperial Noble Consort Helena Hsieh abruptly stopped crying, lying calmly on the bed, her gaze vacant as she stared at the canopy above, as if she felt no pain at all.
Her pain—both physical and emotional—had numbed her completely.
"I don't want to die. I want to watch my child grow up." Helena suddenly spoke, her voice soft but each word clear and firm.
Even a palace maid could feel her suffering, but the child's father could not. The Emperor could disregard her life or death, but she herself could not.
Helena regained her composure and said to the midwife at her side, "Go tell His Majesty that I cannot give birth, and the little prince is also in danger. Ask him to summon Serena Feng—tell him this is my last request."
She hadn't wanted to drag Serena Feng into this, which was why she'd asked Serena to examine her before labor, just to ease her mind. But she never expected things to spiral out of control, forcing her to gamble everything on her child's life.
"Your Ladyship..." The midwife was reluctant. Although she'd accepted Helena's gifts, she didn't dare deceive the Emperor—and besides, she'd also taken the Empress's bribes.
"Go, or it will be two deaths—mother and child both." Helena had made up her mind. If she couldn't survive, she wouldn't bring this child into the world. Her child would never acknowledge another woman as mother.
"Yes, yes, yes!" The midwife, terrified that Helena might truly give up and drag her down as well, hurriedly scrambled out of the room.
"Your Ladyship, don't worry. Miss Feng will definitely save you." Helena's chief palace maid, seeing her mistress's renewed will to live, quickly wiped away her tears.
The Emperor didn't care for Her Ladyship, but they did.
"Mm." Helena responded, taking a deep breath and forcing down wave after wave of pain. It felt as if she was being torn apart below, but even that couldn't compare to the pain in her heart.
"Go, cut me a slice of blood ginseng to hold in my mouth. I need to save my strength until Serena Feng arrives. I absolutely refuse to die like this." Helena realized she'd never wanted to live so badly as she did in this moment.
"Your Ladyship, don't worry. Miss Feng will be here soon." The palace maid hurried off to fetch the blood ginseng, but as soon as she stepped into the outer room, she saw Serena Feng already there, washing her hands and changing clothes.
"Miss Feng, how did you get here so quickly?" The maid's face lit up with joy upon seeing Serena. She'd seen Serena slip away quietly and hadn't expected this at all...
"I was worried about Her Ladyship, so I stayed outside the whole time." Serena felt she owed it to her conscience—after all, Helena had gone into labor early because of her.
"Miss Feng, you're so good. My Lady did not misjudge you—Miss Feng, your great kindness and virtue, I will remember forever." The maid knelt before Serena and bowed her head deeply to the floor.
Most people would avoid a difficult labor like Helena's, not wanting trouble. But Serena ran straight toward it—this was more than just kindness.
"I'm a doctor. How could I just stand by and watch someone die?" Serena finished changing, quickly pinned up her hair, and just then a little eunuch brought her medicine chest.
"Alright, stop kneeling. Come with me—your Lady still needs you." Serena grabbed the medicine chest and rushed into the birthing room like a whirlwind.
The birthing room was stiflingly hot, the air thick and murky. Even Serena found it hard to breathe, let alone the woman in labor.
"Your Ladyship, I'm here." Serena went straight to Helena's side, took her hand, and offered comfort and encouragement.
"Serena, it hurts so much..." Helena's tears, which she'd just dried, began to flow again. All the strength she'd forced herself to muster crumbled as soon as she saw Serena, leaving her like a wronged child.
"Don't be afraid, Your Ladyship. With me here, the pain will end soon." Serena squeezed Helena's hand tighter, silently reassuring her and giving her strength.
"Mm, mm." Helena nodded quickly. Seeing Serena's calm and confident demeanor, she gained even more faith.
Once Helena was soothed, Serena finally had a moment to inspect the birthing room. When she saw the incense burner filling the air with white smoke, her face darkened and she ordered the palace maids to throw it out immediately.
The doors and windows were all shut, making the room suffocating even without incense. Burning it was just asking for trouble.
"Miss Feng, the blood aura in the birthing room is too strong. If we don't burn this incense, it might harm the noble consort," the midwife protested.
Serena didn't bother arguing. She shot the midwife a cold look and said, "Throw it out. Don't make me say it twice."
"Yes, ma'am." The palace maids of Radiant Hall trusted Serena completely; whatever she said, they obeyed. Serena had them throw out anything unnecessary and open a small vent for fresh air. After her cleanup, the room finally felt breathable again.
Serena checked Helena's condition and found that she was completely exhausted, yet her birth canal hadn't opened. No wonder the midwife called it a difficult labor—if things went on like this, Helena's baby could suffocate inside her.
In Helena's case, a caesarean section would be best. But this was the palace—Serena couldn't clear the room of all witnesses, nor did she trust the midwife or the physicians. Besides, since she'd entered, Helena's strength seemed to have recovered; judging by her current state, she could hold out until she gave birth. If natural delivery failed, surgery could still be an option.
Serena secretly injected Helena with a labor-inducing drug and prepared to perform a perineal cut to help open the birth canal. Before doing so, she found an excuse to send the midwife and medical assistant out, leaving only Helena's palace maid inside.
Of course, this couldn't take too long.
"Ah..." The maid gasped in shock when she saw Serena's actions, but luckily she was clever enough to cover her mouth immediately, keeping quiet.
"Remember, you saw nothing today." Serena gave her a cold look, and the maid quickly lowered her head in fear.
Serena trusted Helena's attendants. She believed in Helena's methods—whatever happened in the birthing room today would not be leaked.
The room was stiflingly hot. Soon sweat beaded on Serena's forehead, but with the maid busy tending Helena, Serena could only lift her arm to wipe the sweat away before continuing her work...
When Helena's cervix finally opened, Serena let out a deep breath of relief. "Bring the midwife back in," she ordered.
Serena could deliver the baby herself, but she wasn't a professional. Seeing Helena's condition much improved and that a natural birth was now possible, she let the midwife handle it. This way, the midwife would also share in the credit and have no reason to resent Serena or spread rumors.
"Yes, ma'am." The maid hurried out to the outer room.
"Serena, my child..." Helena, seeing Serena pause, asked urgently despite her weakness.
"Don't worry, Your Ladyship. You and the little prince are both safe. Once the midwife returns, everything will go smoothly." Serena's hands were covered in blood, so she didn't approach Helena.
Serena's words were like a calming anchor; Helena relaxed completely, managing a weak smile. "Serena, thank you."
Thank you for not abandoning me when even my child's father did; thank you for risking your own safety to save me at the brink of life and death.
Serena Feng, meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my life as Xie Yankai...