Chapter 360 - 360: Women Are Most Afraid Of The Cold
Chapter 360 - 360: Women Are Most Afraid Of The Cold
“Of course! Your family only has this one son, and she should bear the responsibility of continuing your bloodline. Moreover, you treat her even better than me, her birth mother. I’d be worried if she weren’t in a hurry.”
“Enough with the praise. Let’s have some tea!”
As they chatted, a servant rushed in, followed by Princess Mu, cradling a child in her arms. Without waiting for the servant to report, she knelt in front of
Qiao Mai.
“Mother-in-law, please save Lin’er.”
Qiao Mai immediately noticed the child’s purplish face. This was the child she had delivered.
She hurriedly took the child into her arms and checked his pulse. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. He was fine, but the next second, he became like this. The medical hall said there was no hope, but I thought of you. Please, save the child. ”
Qiao Mai quickly used her spiritual power to examine the child. Typically, the child accidentally swallowed something in such cases.
She began by checking the child’s airway and lungs. As expected, something was lodged in the airway, fortunately not completely blocking it. Otherwise, the child would not have survived for so long.
She turned the child upside down, gave a firm pat on his back, and dislodged the obstructing object from his airway.
Instantly, the child started crying and breathing heavily.
Princess Mu hugged the child, tears streaming down her face. Qiao Mai waited until she calmed down before speaking.
“You lack of common sense. Avoid giving small things like beans to children. Be more careful.
Amidst sobs and laughter, Princess Mu replied, “Yes, yes. It’s my fault. I won’t let it happen again.”
Looking up, she noticed the Queen and quickly attempted to bow, but the Queen gestured for her to rise.
“No need for formalities here. Take good care of the child.”
Several years had passed, and Qiao Mai was seeing the child she had delivered for the first time. He should have been the eldest grandson of the Qiao family. Unfortunately, his surname was now Jiang.
Qiao Mai conjured a box of ice cream and handed it to the child.
“Eat up!”
The little boy stopped crying, accepted the ice cream, and politely bowed to
Qiao Mai. “Thank you.”
Qiao Mai gestured for Princess Mu to sit down. “How have you and Miss Xiao been lately?”
“Things are fine with them, but on my side…”
“You and Miss Xiao are good girls. Don’t hesitate to come to me if there’s any trouble.”
“Mother, I regret it. I should have stopped him back then.”
“You can stop a person but can’t stop their heart. If he was only going to pay respects at the grave, I wouldn’t have let him go. His heart had long left this family. I believe he joined the military with the idea of shining brightly, not to glorify my family.”
“I understand.”
“Good. Don’t mention what happened today to your husband. Pretend as if nothing happened.”
“Why? He should be grateful to you!”
Qiao Mai coldly snorted. “Has he ever truly been grateful? I’m sure there’s been resentment in his heart for a long time.”
Princess Mu sighed lightly without saying anything more. After a short while, the child finished the ice cream. She carried him, bid farewell with a bow, and left.
The emperor and Yuan Jiaqi walked out of the room, finding themselves with some free time. The emperor decided to read some travelogues, so Yuan Jiaqi accompanied him to choose some.
“This ‘Journey to the West’ is good, and so is ‘The Legend of the White Snake.”‘
“Are there really demons in this world?”
“Yes, but they won’t appear in the mortal realm.”
“Then where are they?”
“I don’t know. People say there’s an underworld, but I’ve never seen it. You’ll only find out after death. Unfortunately, your memories will be erased after crossing the bridge.”
“Haha, Mother-in-law, you speak in such an amusing way.”
At that moment, Jiamei entered. “Father, Mother, Mother-in-law…”
“Sit down. What brings you here?”
“I checked the accounts and the warehouse today.”
“Don’t tire yourself.”
“It’s not tiring at all. I enjoy this kind of life.”
At the entrance of Yuexian Pavilion, a carriage stopped, and two white-bearded men got off. The Chief and Deputy Chief Physicians had arrived.
“We greet the emperor and empress.”
“No need for formalities. Examine the princess for peace of mind.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The two men sneakily glanced at Qiao Mai. For some reason, they felt even more nervous facing her than when facing the emperor.
Jiamei blushed. She understood the significance of having her pulse checked.
Despite being married for a while, there had been no movement in her belly. While her mother-in-law and husband were not anxious, she couldn’t help but feel impatient.
She obediently extended her hand and stared fixedly at the two imperial physicians.
“How is it?”
“The princess’s body is healthy. The pulse feels a bit slippery, but it’s uncertain.”
The emperor and empress suddenly stood up, startling the two old physicians.
“Isn’t that a sign of pregnancy?”
“Yes, it might be a bit early in the term. We cannot be certain right now.”
Qiao Mai tapped the table, “Jiamei, extend your hand. Let me check.”
The emperor smacked his forehead. He nearly forgot that his in-law was a skilled healer. She effortlessly resolved the issue of his son’s poison, something many others couldn’t handle.
Hiding her excitement, Jiamei extended her hand, and Qiao Mai promptly examined it with her spiritual energy. After a while, she withdrew her fingers. “She is one month pregnant. It is a bit early to determine the gender. Well done, both of you. Here’s a reward.”
The physicians hastily tried to decline. After all, the emperor was present, and accepting such gifts could be equated to bribery.
“Take it. It’s a reward for good news.”
“Thank you. We will take our leave.”
Once they left, the emperor and empress grabbed one of Jiamei’s hands, laughing heartily.
“This is wonderful! You’re pregnant! Now you can have children for your husband.”
Qiaomai rolled her eyes. “I haven’t said anything yet, and you two are happier than I am. It makes me seem indifferent.
“Haha.”
Qiao Mai was in a good mood. “For the first three months, try to minimize activities. If you want to eat something, ask the kitchen to prepare it. No need to change our lifestyle; even in the palace, the food isn’t necessarily better than ours.”
“Yes, Mother. Haha.” “Keep warm. Women should avoid cold food.”
“Got it, Mother.”
“Now, is there anything specific you’d like to eat? Let your mother-in-law work her magic for you.”
“Well, there’s nothing particular I’m craving right now.”
“If there’s any discomfort, inform me, and don’t bother with physicians. It’s easier to find me.’
Seeing Qiao Mai’s concern for Jiamei, the emperor and empress were delighted. The empress suddenly recalled the day Princess Mu came when Qiao Mai produced that delicacy.
“Mother-in-law, that day when Princess Mu came, what was in that little box you gave to her child?” Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow. “You can eat it, but Jiamei can’t. It’s too cold.”
“Can I try a few bites?”
“That you can.”
With a wave of her hand, several boxes of ice creams appeared on the table.
“Here, one box for each of you. It comes with a small spoon. Jiamei, eat only half.’
The two men and three women sat in the cool shade of the courtyard, each holding a box.
“Why didn’t you bring these out before?” “Mother-in-law, this is delicious!”
“When we leave, can I take a few boxes with me?”
Qiao Mai was speechless. She knew no one could resist such delicacies.
“Jiamei, you can indulge yourself a bit every few days after giving birth. As for you, my dear in-laws, considering your age, don’t overindulge either. When you leave, each of you can take two boxes. Not more.”
“Can we eat at your place?”
“Sure, as long as you don’t mind a potential upset stomach.”
Princess Jiamei’s pregnancy became the talk of the town, and the news about Qiao Mai’s medical skills also surfaced.
However, no one dared to hire her for treatment; they couldn’t afford it..