The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

"This humble woman, Xiao Chunnuan, greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

When Chunnuan knelt down, she was filled with emotion.

The last time I went to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, she was still the Empress.

Over the past decade, things have changed, but the dignity of the royal family has never changed.

The grandfather did not want his sons to follow in his footsteps, nor did he want them to enter the palace to serve the imperial family.

He knew all too well the hardships of serving a ruler, like walking on thin ice.

But her grandfather probably never imagined that she, Xiao Chunnuan, would still be unable to escape the ordeal of entering the palace.

"No courtesy, get up."

The Empress recalled the scene when she saw Xiao Chunyu, who had rolled over iron nails.

The girls of the Xiao family are all wonderful!
"Thank you, empress."

Spring warmth rose.

"I summoned you to the palace this time because the Empress is about to give birth, and all the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital are men, so I am not at ease with them," the Empress Dowager said. "Panpan has always said that your medical skills are good. Since Panpan praises you, I trust you too."

"Your Majesty, this humble woman only has a hobby and has never studied medicine in depth. Your Majesty the Empress is of noble birth, and this humble woman..."

"Spring warmth, I know what you're worried about." The Empress Dowager interrupted her before she could finish, saying, "I promise you that whatever happens when I summon you to the palace to assist the midwife in the Empress's delivery will be none of your concern."

"The Empress Dowager..."

Chun Nuan suddenly looked up at the Empress Dowager at the head of the table, deeply moved by this trust!

"I know that Physician Xiao and his family are loyal and devoted officials. It is the royal family that has wronged you."

"Don't dare!"

Hearing the Empress Dowager's apology, Chunnuan's nose tingled and her eyes reddened: "Grandfather, did you hear this belated apology?"
"Go, spring warmth, I believe in you."

What else can be said but to agree when spring arrives?

"Mother, Panpan also wants to go see her sister-in-law."

"Go on, child, your sister-in-law is thinking of you."

Inside a side hall of Kunning Palace, the brazier was burning brightly, but the air was thick with a suffocating tension.

A corner of the bright yellow curtain was lifted, and the Empress leaned against the phoenix couch covered with thick brocade cushions. Her face was as pale as paper, and the stray hairs on her forehead were soaked with sweat and clung tightly to her skin.

She clutched the brocade quilt in one hand, her knuckles turning white from the force, while the Empress Dowager held her other hand tightly. Each time the abdominal pain struck, her body would tremble violently, and suppressed cries of pain would escape from between her teeth, making one's heart tighten.

"Your Majesty, push a little harder! The baby's position has moved down!" The midwife knelt by the bed, her voice urgent, changing hot towels one after another, all soaked with the Empress's sweat.

Four imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy stood outside the tent, their brows furrowed. They would peek out from time to time, then quickly withdraw their hands, whispering amongst themselves. The medicine bowls were changed again and again, but the Empress still could not give birth smoothly.

When Chunnuan entered the palace carrying her medicine box, she happened to be there during a contraction.

The Empress suddenly arched her back, nearly fainting from the pain. The Empress Dowager quickly patted her back, her eyes reddening, "My child, bear with it a little longer. Spring is coming, and I will surely keep you safe!"

"This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress."

"Spring is here, no need for formalities, come here."

The Empress beckoned to her. Chunnuan stepped forward and curtsied, her gaze quickly sweeping over the Empress's face before she placed her hand on the Empress's wrist.

The pulse felt weak and feeble at her fingertips, yet it was beating extremely fast, clearly indicating exhaustion and complications due to a slight deviation in the baby's position, which was hindering the delivery. She withdrew her hand and whispered to the Empress Dowager and the imperial physicians.

"Your Majesty, Imperial Physicians, Her Majesty the Empress is deficient in qi and blood, and the baby is slightly misaligned. If we force her to push, it may harm both the mother and the prince. I have a method that may correct the baby's position, but Your Majesty's cooperation is required."

The head physician, Li, frowned, his tone tinged with skepticism: "Miss Xiao, what method do you have? The Imperial Hospital has already tried acupuncture and herbal medicine, but neither has been able to correct the baby's position. What if something goes wrong if we try it rashly?"

"Don't worry, Physician Li. Although my method is not a technique commonly used in the palace, it has been tried many times among the common people and has never gone wrong."

Chunnuan spoke firmly, taking a pill from her medicine box and instructing the Empress to take it. She then took out several silver needles.

"The woman used silver needles to stimulate several acupoints to relieve the pain and guide the fetus back into the correct position. During this time, Your Highness needs to relax your body and adjust your breathing according to the woman's instructions, so that the effect will be twice as good with half the effort."

The Empress Dowager looked at the Empress lying on the bed in unbearable pain and gritted her teeth: "Do as you say!"

"The Empress Dowager?"

Several imperial physicians outside the curtain were very worried. If anything went wrong, would it be her fault or the fault of their group?
"The matter of delivering the baby is up to Chunnuan; the matter of saving lives is up to you."

The Empress Dowager's meaning was clear: Chunnuan was in charge of the Empress's childbirth; if anything happened to the Empress, the imperial physicians would be responsible for saving her life.

The group of imperial physicians were both angry and anxious, but they were completely helpless.

Having received confirmation, Chunnuan immediately took action. She instructed a palace maid to bring hot water, which she gently applied to the Empress's lower abdomen. The warm sensation penetrated the clothing, causing the Empress's tense body to relax slightly, and her cries of pain lessened.

Next, Chunnuan took out silver needles, sterilized them over a candle flame, and carefully inserted them into the Empress's Hegu and Sanyinjiao acupoints. Her technique was extremely fast, yet incredibly steady. The moment the silver needles entered the acupoints, the Empress felt a warm current spreading along the acupoints, and her abdominal pain was indeed relieved considerably.

"Your Majesty, try to inhale slowly now. Relax your abdomen when you inhale, and gently exhale, like blowing out a candle. Take it slowly, don't rush." ​​Chunnuan squatted by the bed, her voice soft yet carrying a comforting power.

The Empress nodded with difficulty, following Chunnuan's guidance to regulate her breathing. At first, she was somewhat flustered, but as the abdominal pain gradually subsided, her breathing slowly became steady. The Empress Dowager stood to the side, tightly clutching her handkerchief, her gaze fixed intently on the Empress, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The palace was so quiet that only the Empress's breathing and Chunnuan's soft guidance could be heard. The imperial physicians also held their breath, watching the Empress's reaction behind the curtain.

About fifteen minutes later, Chunnuan suddenly said, "Your Majesty, now you can try to exert a little force, but take it slowly and don't use brute force!"

The Empress gritted her teeth and, following Chunnuan's instructions, slowly pushed. This time, she didn't experience the excruciating pain she had before; instead, she could clearly feel a force guiding her from her abdomen. After about half a cup of tea's time, the midwife suddenly brightened up and exclaimed, "I see it! I see it! The prince's head is out! Your Majesty, give it another push!"

The Empress rallied, and with her last ounce of strength, the prince was born safely with a loud cry. The midwife quickly picked up the prince, cleaned his mouth and nose, wrapped him in a clean brocade cloth, and presented him to the Empress Dowager: "Empress Dowager, it's a prince! Congratulations, Your Majesty, it's a prince!"

The Empress Dowager looked at the wrinkled little face in the swaddling clothes, tears streaming down her face. Her hands trembled as she took the prince, her voice choked with emotion: "Good...good...it's good that he's safe..."

After giving birth to the prince, the empress weakly closed her eyes, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Chunnuan quickly stepped forward and gave the Empress a few more acupuncture treatments to replenish her blood and qi. Then she had someone bring over the ginseng soup that had been prepared in advance and fed it to the Empress spoonful by spoonful.

Imperial Physician Li stepped forward, carefully examined the Empress and the Prince's condition, and bowed to Chun Nuan, saying, "Miss Xiao's medical skills are superb, I admire them! If it weren't for Miss Xiao, the Empress and the Prince would probably have suffered greatly today."

The other imperial physicians echoed her sentiments, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at Chunnuan. The Empress Dowager, holding the prince, approached Chunnuan, her voice tinged with gratitude: "Miss Xiao, we owe you so much for today. Whatever reward you desire, just tell me, and I will grant it!"

Chunnuan quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is too kind. I only did what I was supposed to do and dare not ask for any reward. As long as the Empress and the Prince are safe, I will be content."

In the spring, she helped the Empress give birth to a prince safely. The Emperor rewarded her with one hundred taels of gold and one hundred bolts of silk.

Chunnuan quickly expressed her gratitude, but inwardly she breathed a long sigh of relief—she had finally passed this test that concerned her life and the honor of her family.

The tense atmosphere inside the hall gradually dissipated, replaced by joy and jubilation. Only the warm sunlight outside the window remained, silently witnessing this life-or-death act of protection. (End of Chapter)