CHAPTER 1196: CHAPTER 757: BIRTH FORCEPS AND THE NAME OF THE SECOND SON

The hall was filled with an atmosphere of solemnity, with a sense of fate lingering in the air. As the Shield Guard Ters called out, everyone’s attention turned to him. In his hands, Ters solemnly held an unknown brass instrument.

This never-before-seen instrument resembled a slender, curved clamp. The clamp was about a forearm’s length, not thick, and even somewhat thin. Its front end comprised two tightening leaves with holes in between, matching the shape of the infant’s head, while the rear end featured dual handles with grooves for gripping and applying force... At first glance, this mysterious instrument looked more like a short clamping weapon, leaving its purpose undetermined momentarily.

"It has been created? Brass obstetric forceps! Simple in form, yet capable of saving countless mothers and infants as a holy relic!..."

Upon seeing the instrument in Ters’ hands, Xiulote’s spirit lifted, and a look of hope appeared on his face. He murmured softly to himself before urgently grabbing Itoya the High Priest for questioning.

"Itoya the High Priest, are you certain Nashu’s difficulty in childbirth is due to the mismatch of the infant’s skull and inadequate birthing force?"

"Uh... Your Highness, this is roughly the situation. However, as I mentioned before, the fundamental cause was the herbs she consumed, which harmed the genesis of life..."

"Itoya, take this!"

Xiulote swiftly took the brass obstetric forceps from Ters, sterilized them in a ceramic pot filled with alcohol, then handed them to Itoya the High Priest.

"Time is of the essence, no time for explanations! These are forceps for aiding childbirth, a holy relic inspired by divine revelation! You are familiar with the birth canal, carefully locate and clamp the infant’s skull within... Then, clasp the infant’s head and gradually apply force along with the rhythm of childbirth to extricate the infant gently!"

"Ah? Goddess! Using... using these forceps to clamp... clamp out the infant?"

Upon hearing His Highness, Itoya the High Priest trembled, her entire being shivering. This was not the same as choosing to save either the mother or the child; both lives needed preservation! She would have to personally clamp the infant out, and if anything went wrong, she would directly be the culprit for harming the royal bloodline, facing execution by blood sacrifice...

"Your Highness, with divine witness! I... I have never used these forceps... I cannot guarantee..."

"Proceed without hesitation! Steady your hands, sharpen your mind, and muster more courage!"

Xiulote saw through Itoya the High Priest’s concerns at a glance and promptly reassured her to calm her mind.

"With divine witness! Do your best; even if you fail, I will not harm you! Apply a bit of force; the infant’s skull is soft, do not fear!..."

Given confidence by Xiulote, Itoya the High Priest steadied her nerves, holding the new forceps, her face a mix of laughter and tears. Having delivered numerous infants, she indeed knew that an infant’s skull was soft and could deform to some extent. However, wasn’t this a different matter entirely? Usually, even in case of failure, she remained the esteemed High Priest. But now, failure could lead to her being sacrificed on the altar!

"Then, Your Highness, I will give it my utmost!"

Taking a deep breath, Itoya the High Priest held the forceps, testing them with two clamping motions in the air. She briefly reflected, recalled her experience from hundreds of childbirths, and quickly grasped the essence, understanding the subtleties involved.

"Ah! So that’s how, how it’s clamped and forced! Truly, truly a wondrous divine revelation!"

With newfound inspiration, Itoya the High Priest felt invigorated, almost glowing in enthusiasm were it not for the urgency of the moment. With such a treasure, the majority of difficult births now had a solution!

Often, what a mother lacked was that crucial aid during childbirth to overcome key obstacles. Infants with mismatched skulls could also utilize these forceps, allowing skull deformation through narrow birth canals. Even, in a decision to forsake the infant, forceps could disregard force, easily extracting stillborns...

"Divine revelation... truly a divine revelation!..."

Countless thoughts swirled within Itoya the High Priest’s mind in mere moments. Subsequently, she collected all her thoughts, concentrated all her focus, and initiated the attempt to clamp the infant’s head.

This difficult birth involved an infant positioned upward, body downward, a rare breech delivery. Based on experience, such birthing positions often posed danger. So initially, when Itoya the High Priest saw the little foot emerging first, her heart skipped a beat. It was precisely this position that enabled her to recognize that this was a rather large Prince.

"Your Highness, with divine protection! I have clamped the infant’s head... I need the mother’s cooperation, exerting force together!"

"Good! With divine protection! Nashu, hold on, hold on a little longer!"

Kneeling on the ground, Itoya the High Priest grasped the forceps cautiously applying force, repeatedly chanting "strive" with her mouth. On the birthing bed, although Nashu’s face was pale as blood, hope glimmered in her eyes for the first time, becoming bright. She clenched her teeth resolutely, enduring the excruciating pain, desperately straining to cooperate.

Minute by minute elapsed, a mere quarter hour felt as lengthy as a year! The side hall was silent; everyone held their breath, watching the infant’s body gradually emerging, the stagnant childbirth advancing once more. It wasn’t until moments later, the infant’s head finally fully emerged, separated from the mother’s body!

"Good! Good! It’s out!"

High Priest Itoya suppressed a surge of excitement, took up the sharp Obsidian Dagger, and expertly severed the baby’s umbilical cord. Then she held the child in her arms, carefully felt the distinct heartbeat, and firmly slapped the baby’s buttocks a few times.

"Wah! Wah!..."

In a split second, the baby’s loud cry erupted from its little body, resembling the hard-earned spark of fire kindled from wooden friction!

"Ah... it’s out..."

Hearing the baby’s cries, Nashu’s pale lips finally relaxed. She looked into His Highness’s eyes, offered a weak smile, then closed her eyes and leaned her head to the side, falling still.

"Nashu?!"

Seeing this, Xiulote was suddenly startled. He quickly reached out to check her breath, discovering she had merely fainted from exhaustion, while the sheets behind her were thoroughly soaked by sweat from pain, as if washed by water.

"Wah! Wah!..."

The baby’s cries continued, bright like the call of an eagle.

"Fate was once ominous! But at this moment, before the altar of Divine Revelation, the shadow of the God of Death has receded!..."

High Priest Itoya displayed devotion, chanting solemnly. Then she lowered her head, cradled the baby in both hands, and respectfully handed it to His Highness Xiulote.

"Your Highness, this is a robust baby! His head is large, and his body is heavy. When he grows up, he will surely become an outstanding Jaguar Warrior! Praise the Chief Divine!"

"Praise the Chief Divine!"

Xiulote sincerely prayed, before receiving his heavy son, cradling him and scrutinizing. This was his second son, but the first child he witnessed being born. Now, he held the sturdy child, looking at the wrinkled little face, listening to the lively cries, his eyes became somewhat blurred.

In this haze, some distant and unforgettable memories gradually surfaced in his mind. In those already faded memories, a young and robust man once lifted him with both hands, a broad smile on his face. A middle-aged man wearing a stone crown once held him, excitedly calling his name...

And today, that young robust man had aged in time. The middle-aged man with the stone crown had closed his eyes, becoming a handful of yellow earth. And the once little self now held a baby, transforming into the man of those days.

"Father... Grandfather!..."

Xiulote whispered softly, standing for a long time. Until Guard Commander Ecatl lowered his head and gently requested.

"Your Highness! The name of this Prince?..."

"His name? Let him be called Xutel II..."

"Your Highness!"

Upon hearing this, Guard Commander Ecatl’s brow twitched, eyes revealing shock, quickly speaking to interrupt. In that instant, Xiulote had a strong impulse to bestow his grandfather’s name upon this second son, in a form of nostalgic memory.

But he swiftly became clear-minded. In the Mexica Alliance, the father or grandfather’s name could be granted to children, but it implied a special expectation, symbolizing some unspoken inheritance of status. Just like Montezuma II, bearing Montezuma’s bestowed name, inherently a successor of Predecessor Monarch Asayacatl’s lineage. And such status did not align with the child’s current identity.

"Hmm... then call him Xo Telpochtli Chicauhtica! (Xo Telpochtli Chicauhtica)"

Upon hearing such a name, Guard Commander Ecatl let out a sigh of relief. "Telpochtli" means "young warrior," and "Chicauhtica" implies "healthy and strong." This name contained no divinity nor favored inheritance, merely the name of an ordinary Samurai.

After establishing the complete name, Xiulote’s face embraced a bright smile. He lifted the crying baby high in his arms, loudly declaring to everyone.

"Thus, from today, my son shall be known as ’Shaokang!’ Xiushaokang!"