Chapter 456: Quick, Come and See if She’s Going into Labor

Chapter 456: Quick, Come and See if She's Going into Labor

The more Mo Jiuye talked, the more frightened he became. He had never been so nervous, not even during his first battle.

All the way back, he kept holding onto He Zhiran, his speech becoming somewhat incoherent.

This was the first time He Zhiran had seen him like this, and she wasn't sure what to say to calm him down.

In any case, among the three of them, she, the one about to deliver, seemed the most composed.

Upon returning to their courtyard house, Mrs. He immediately ordered Madam Li to go and summon Madam Mo.

Facing her own daughter's labor, Mrs. He felt like an ant on a hot pot, completely at a loss.

Before long, Madam Li brought Madam Mo over, along with all the sisters-in-law.

Madam Mo was well aware of the dangers of a twin birth. However, having faced countless storms in life, she remained much calmer than others.

Since there was a pregnant woman due to give birth at home, Madam Mo had already found out about a skilled midwife in the village, who was said to have over twenty years of experience in delivering babies.

In this era, women in labor usually called for a midwife. Wealthy families would also have a physician on standby. In case the birthing mother encountered any danger, the physician could provide timely treatment.

On her way over, she had already sent someone to fetch the midwife from the village and instructed Liang Hao to gallop into town to fetch a doctor.

At this moment, He Zhiran was leaning against the bed, supported by Mo Jiuye.

In fact, she wasn't feeling any discomfort right now. It was likely just fatigue from being outside all day.

Madam Mo sat by the bedside, holding He Zhiran's hand.

"Ran Ran, don't be afraid. Your mother and I will stay here with you."

He Zhiran could tell that though her mother-in-law appeared calm on the surface, she was actually nervous to the core.

"Mother, I'm not afraid. It's just childbirth; I can do it."

Seeing her like this, Third Sister-in-law, with red eyes, walked over.

"Ninth Sister-in-law, we all know you're going through a lot. We'll be with you. Once the baby is born, you won't have to worry about anything.

With so many sisters-in-law here, we'll take turns looking after the baby, ensuring you have a proper confinement without any hassle."

"Yes, Ninth Sister-in-law, we can all help you take care of the children. It’s a shame there are only two. We don't know how long it'll take before each of us gets a turn to care for them for a day," eldest sister-in-law added with a hint of teasing.

Her words had a significant effect. The womenfolk began claiming they wanted to be the first to help take care of the baby.

Soon, the sisters-in-law were vying to be the first to help, not wanting to fall behind.

This sudden competition temporarily made everyone forget about He Zhiran’s impending labor.

While everyone chatted about who would be first to take care of the baby, the midwife had already been summoned.

Seeing the midwife arrive, Madam Mo quickly stepped forward and asked.

"Midwife Zhao, please help me check on my daughter-in-law. She was in the fields for too long today and now feels a downward pressure in her belly.

She is due in about ten days. Please check if she is going into labor."

Midwife Zhao had assisted in countless deliveries throughout her life and had even helped with a twin birth once before.

That time, she had witnessed the mother dying along with the babies due to difficult labor, resulting in the tragic loss of three lives.
Therefore, she had a deep-seated resistance to delivering pregnant women carrying twins.
If it weren't for Mrs. Mo repeatedly seeking her out and offering her a generous reward, she truly wouldn't have wanted to take this job.
Zhao the Midwife saw He Zhiran as someone on the brink of death, her eyes brimming with pity.
However, as a midwife, she couldn't show too much emotion in front of the expectant mother and could only nod solemnly to Mrs. Mo.
"Don't worry, I'll examine her first."
He Zhiran thought that, ideally, she would wait until everyone left and then perform a thorough check-up.
But seeing everyone's concerned and anxious faces, she couldn't bring herself to ask them to go and could only allow Zhao the Midwife to examine her.
What Zhao referred to as an examination was merely based on her experience—palpating He Zhiran’s abdomen and asking a few questions.
After the examination, Zhao the Midwife's expression relaxed slightly.
To be honest, she was quite skilled at handling single pregnancies, but when it came to twins, she had only encountered it once and didn't have much experience.
The examination only involved detecting the babies' heartbeats, and she couldn't really explain the specifics.
"The sensation of the baby descending is indeed a sign of impending labor. However, she has only just begun to feel discomfort, so I don't think she will go into labor today.
Listen to me, everyone. It's better if you all go back and rest. Having so many people around could make the expectant mother nervous, which wouldn't be good for her labor."
These words hit He Zhiran right in her heart.
As someone accustomed to life and death, her perspective on childbirth was based on her own experience.
She understood that labor was challenging, and even under normal circumstances, women would suffer.
At the very least, she had taught Mo Jiuya the cesarean section technique and had access to an incredible medical space, so she would not be in danger.
However, facing the impending labor, it was impossible for He Zhiran to remain completely calm.
Yet, no matter how strong she was inside, seeing her family members so anxious naturally increased her mental burden.
Mrs. Mo, who had given birth ten times, felt somewhat more relaxed after hearing Zhao the Midwife's words. She took Zhao's hand and asked, "Midwife Zhao, how is the position of the babies in my daughter-in-law's womb?"
In the Imperial City, when she gave birth, a well-known midwife would always check the baby's position first.
Seeing Zhao using the same technique to feel He Zhiran's belly, she wanted to understand more to have some peace of mind.
After all, an incorrect fetal position was a major cause of difficult labor, especially with twins. If the babies were in the wrong position, it could be life-threatening.
When asked about the fetal position, Zhao the Midwife appeared somewhat embarrassed, but she chose to be honest.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Mo, but with your ninth daughter-in-law carrying twins, the babies are pressed closely together, and I can't determine their positions."
Although Mrs. Mo hadn't given birth as many times as her in-law, she was equally concerned about this issue.
Hearing the midwife's words, she completely lost her composure.

Madam He had tears welling up in her eyes as she held onto Elder Zhao.

"Are you saying that it’s still unclear whether my daughter will be able to deliver smoothly?"

Seeing that Madam He was overwhelmed with concern, Lady Mo quickly realized that Elder Zhao might say something negative that could upset He Zhiran. She immediately stepped forward and gently pulled Madam He away.

"In-law, it's normal that Elder Zhao can't determine the position of the fetuses with Zhiran carrying twins. It's not as worrying as you're imagining..."

While speaking, Lady Mo turned away from Madam He and winked emphatically at her, signaling that she should stop inquiring.