CHAPTER 26: CHAPTER 26: XIAO CHUNYU GIVES BIRTH

Capital, Wu Mansion, old women and maidservants rushed back and forth in a hurry.

"Quickly, go find Second Master to come back, Second Young Mistress has gone into labor."

"What’s the use of calling Second Master? Find a doctor, send for the midwife!"

"Wasn’t Second Sister-in-law supposed to give birth around the Dragon Boat Festival? Why is she going into labor at this time?"

"Isn’t it because of that wretched maid Xiao Lan? She climbed into Second Master’s bed last night. Second Young Mistress was furious upon hearing the news in the morning, and has been in pain all day long..."

"Second Sister-in-law really shouldn’t be so jealous. It’s perfectly normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Does she still think she’s that young lady from the Xiao family? She should take a good look at her current situation, why meddle in Second Brother’s affairs?" Wu Fangfang’s voice was loud: "Does she still think she’s that eldest young lady from the Xiao family? She’d better understand her current situation and stop meddling in Second Brother’s affairs!"

"Fourth Miss, you should say less."

Nanny Ma couldn’t hold back: "To be honest, matters concerning the masters shouldn’t be something we as servants meddle in. As a woman, this old servant truly believes that Second Master handled this matter improperly."

"Nanny Ma, what do you mean?"

"Fourth Miss, you’re not married yet. When you are, you’ll understand."

Why should women make things difficult for women? Last night, Xiao Lan, that wretched maid, climbed into the bed. Second Master enjoyed it and treated her as a mere concubine, which wouldn’t have mattered much. But he insisted on telling Second Young Mistress that he wanted to elevate her to a concubine and have Xiao Lan serve tea.

Second Young Mistress was shocked and angry, her face flushed with rage, and she refused to drink tea, saying it was for Second Master’s own good since taking a concubine during mourning would ruin his reputation. She didn’t drink the tea but rewarded Xiao Lan with a silver bracelet.

As a result, Xiao Lan was quite displeased because she wasn’t elevated to a concubine. Relying on Second Master’s new favor, she became arrogant, thanked Second Young Mistress for the reward, and added: "People say the Xiao Mansion was confiscated, it seems to be true. No wonder Second Young Mistress can’t produce anything nice; perhaps the good stuff has been sent to aid her family."

Pregnant and devastated by her family’s misfortune, she was constantly ridiculed even by a newly elevated concubine, yet Xiao Chunyu, being gentle, couldn’t scold them, only made herself tremble with anger and tightened her belly, crying out in pain.

Her dowry maid Molan helped her into the inner chamber to rest for half an hour, but it didn’t get any better. At a loss, Molan ran to find Nanny Ma, who then arranged to find Second Master, call a doctor and a midwife.

However, today happened to be the day Madam returned to her family, and the First Young Mistress went to Han Mansion to attend her cousin’s wedding, leaving this huge Wu Mansion to be managed by the irresponsible Fourth Miss.

Listening to her criticize Second Young Mistress, Nanny Ma wished she could stuff her mouth with a rag!

Thinking was: you’ll know how painful it is when your man takes a concubine right before you give birth.

"I won’t end up like her when I get married," Fourth Miss continued with her shocking words: "The Xiao family was confiscated and exiled; my Second Brother didn’t divorce her, that’s her blessing."

"Fourth Miss, you should return to your courtyard and rest."

Nanny Ma was furious, her face turning livid. Despite being an elder in the mansion, she supported reasoning over kinship.

In good conscience, how is Second Young Mistress not deserving of Second Young Master?

Back then, it was the Wu Mansion that rushed to propose marriage. With the former Madam nearing her end, the Wu family feared delaying Second Young Master’s marriage and requested an early marriage. The Xiao Mansion didn’t make things difficult, agreeing promptly.

Doctor Xiao’s character was noble, his medical skills exceptional; in the Capital, many influential families respected the Xiao Mansion greatly, yet Fourth Miss excelled at kicking others when they’re down.

"Rest, fine, I don’t enjoy watching her give birth. If there are any issues, don’t come to me," Wu Fang turned and left.

Nanny Ma wished she could spit at her twice.

How could one be so heartless?

She remembered when Second Young Mistress first entered Wu Mansion, Fourth Miss was eager to call her Second Sister-in-law with great enthusiasm.

Second Young Mistress had given her quite a lot of beauty creams brought from her family... in the end, Second Young Mistress’s sincere heart was fed to the dogs!

Inside, Xiao Chunyu clearly heard Wu Fang’s words, biting her lip tightly as tears poured out.

"Miss, don’t cry," Molan’s own face was streaked with tears: "Miss, servants have heard that during childbirth, you definitely need to conserve energy and have enough strength to give birth."

"Oh, you need to eat something too. Jianlan, hurry to the kitchen and boil a few eggs for Miss. She must eat well to have the strength to deliver the young master."

"Okay, I’ll go right away,"

Jianlan was also a dowry maid. Their parents worked at the Xiao Mansion, and when the Xiao females returned to Shu City, they returned the servants’ contracts. This grace they always remembered, swearing to serve Miss well.

Molan wiped Xiao Chunyu’s sweat while comforting her, frequently running out to check if the doctor and midwife had arrived.

"Doctor Zhaang is here," Nanny Ma said: "Jiang, the midwife from the east of the city, wasn’t home, the old servant sent someone to the west of the city to invite Zhang, the midwife, she should arrive soon."

"Where is Second Young Master?" Molan still hoped Second Young Master could be by her side at this moment since she is his rightful wife.

"Someone saw Second Young Master went to the academy; Fourth Miss instructed that Second Young Master’s studies shouldn’t be disturbed."

The retainer reported, Nanny Ma gritted her teeth in anger; this Wu Fang is truly incapable of achieving anything.

What does it mean by ’not to disturb’?

"Hope her husband doesn’t disturb when she’s giving birth in the future!"

Knowing her husband hadn’t returned, Xiao Chunyu’s tears flowed again.

This morning when he brought people to serve tea, she’d already lost hope!

What mutual affection and harmony between spouses were merely self-deception.

Earlier he promised not to take a concubine, yet here they were, barely a year into marriage, and he took one. What’s more, this happened during his birth mother’s mourning period; he cared not at all and dallied with the maid, and she couldn’t intervene. It’s truly insulting!

At this moment, Xiao Chunyu regretted it.

Back when Wu family came to propose, her grandfather advised considering it.

But unexpectedly, she ran into Second Young Master Wu at the Jade Pavilion, who was extraordinarily kind to her, and she was thus wooed.

When her grandfather said Wu family was full of gossip and was not a good home, she was already charmed by Wu’s appearance and eventually fulfilled her wish to marry the man she fell for at first sight.

All along, she believed Second Young Master Wu was an exception within the Wu family, deeply affectionate and committed to her.

Who would have thought, when her grandfather fell into hardship, he changed face.

With tears flowing, Xiao Chunyu missed her family terribly.

"Miss, the eggs are here, Miss, you must eat some."

Like Molan, when no one’s around, they habitually still called her Miss.

"I can’t eat."

Xiao Chunyu moaned again in pain.

"Miss, you must eat even if you can’t," Molan said: "Servants heard mother say giving birth is exhausting, you must eat well, have enough strength to deliver."

Xiao Chunyu pursed her lips.

"Miss, for yourself, for the Xiao family, for the future little master, you must eat more."

"Fine, I’ll eat!"