Do You Know?: Rule the World

"My stepmother..."

Gu Tingye was speechless for a moment and couldn't think of any rebuttal.

Zhao Han smiled gently and said softly, "In my opinion, a truly loving mother should be like Yan Shi, who taught her children by drawing on bamboo sticks, rather than using indulgence as a form of love."

"Brother Zhao's words make sense, but why would my stepmother want to harm me? I've never offended her, and I've treated my third brother very well."

Zhao Han probably knew the reason why Xiao Qin hated Gu Tingye, but if he said too much, it might make Gu Tingye suspicious.

He shrugged and filled Gu Tingye's glass of wine.

"I don't know about that. If you really want to know, you might as well investigate secretly after returning to Bianjing."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, Brother Zhao!"

Gu Tingye picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Just then, there was a faint and hurried knock on the door.

Zhao Han looked in the direction of the voice, and soon saw Changqing and Minglan jogging into the main hall.

"Brother-in-law, my mother is having a difficult birth, and none of the midwives in the mansion are here!"

"I went to ask the doctor, but he saw that I was young and didn't want to go with me!"

"Dad and Madam are not at home either, so I can only come to ask my brother-in-law for help!"

Minglan's voice was trembling, her hair was disheveled, and her soft strands stuck to her sweaty forehead. Her lips were slightly blue from the cold, and her hands were red, swollen, and broken from knocking on the door desperately.

"How could such a thing happen to the dignified Sheng family? And they even let you, a little girl, run out to seek medical advice?"

Gu Tingye shook his head and sighed softly.

Generally, the mansions of dukes and marquises would specially provide for several midwives.

Ordinary officials' families would hire a few midwives to come to their homes when their wives became pregnant.

Two taels of silver were given as tea money every month, and an additional ten taels of red envelope were paid when the baby was born.

When the young lady in the Sheng mansion gave birth, there was no midwife present, and the young girl in the mansion was even asked to go out to ask a doctor.

If this were to get out, the Sheng family would be completely disgraced.

"Brother-in-law, my little sister is almost out of strength, please help me save her!"

Tears as big as beans rolled down his face, and his little body was a little shaky due to excessive fear and excitement.

Zhao Han turned his head and looked at Gu Tingye, "Zhong Huai, I'm afraid I can't drink with you today."

Gu Tingye quickly waved his hand and said, "Human lives are at stake, go and do your work!"

At this moment, Changqing had already ordered his servants to prepare the carriage outside the door.

Zhao Han hurried to the door and carried Minglan directly into the carriage. Mother Hu followed behind and hurriedly instructed, "Brother, go to Yishoutang in Pipa Lane. It's a famous gynecologist in the city."

"Okay!" Zhao Han responded, and the driver headed straight for Pipa Lane.

Minglan crossed her arms over her chest, curled up into a ball, and her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

"You're running out wearing such thin clothes." Zhao Han said, and hurriedly took off the cloak from his shoulders and wrapped her in it.

Feeling the sudden warmth, Minglan raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes, "Brother-in-law, will something happen to my mother?"

Zhao Han's eyes darkened. He had already reminded Xiaodie that Wei Xiaoniang should have seen through Lin Qinshuang's trick.

If Wei Xiaoniang dies in childbirth today, it can only be said that it is God's will.

However, he still comforted her, "Don't worry, Miss Wei is blessed by fate. Once we hire a doctor, she will definitely be able to give birth safely."

"Yeah." Minglan nodded and raised her hand to wipe away the tears that were about to roll down.

The rear house of the Sheng Mansion, where Wei Xiaoniang lived.

Xiaodie stood by anxiously, wiping Wei Xiaoniang's sweat with a handkerchief.

"Hold on, little girl. The girl has gone to get a doctor and will be back soon."

"Luolu, pour some hot water over here. My little girl said she wants to drink some water."

Luoluo is Wang Ruofu's person, and she doesn't have any bad intentions towards Wei Xiaoniang.

She picked up the kettle and said hurriedly, "There's no hot water in the kettle. I'll go boil some."

"Why is the hot water in the kitchen so slow to boil today? I wonder if my little girl needs it?"

As soon as Lin Qinshuang learned that Wei Xiaoniang had broken her water and was in labor, she hurried over with Zhou Xuenniang.

He was currently guarding outside the house, occasionally tiptoeing to look inside, with a hint of viciousness and gloating in his eyes.

"Where is the Sixth Miss?" Lin Qinshuang asked in a low voice.

"I don't know where that girl Xiaotao ran off to just now. I think she was probably frightened by the bloody scene in the house."

Lin Qinshuang held a round fan in her hand and curled the corners of her mouth.

"That's right. Even though the sixth girl looks smart, she's only an eight-year-old child."

"Send someone to look for her. If they find her, send her to Mo'er and let him play with her for a while."

Zhou Xuenniang nodded repeatedly.

Outside the corner gate, Zhao Han had already arrived with the doctor from Yishou Hall, but he found that the dark wooden door was tightly closed. No matter how much Minglan knocked on the door, no one answered.

"Stop knocking, let me do it." Zhao Han walked forward and pushed the wooden door. He was worried that he had no place to use his strength, but he didn't expect that he would be presented with the "door" so soon.

He clenched his fists, and his knuckles made a crisp sound. Seeing this, the old doctor tactfully took a few steps back, holding the medicine box.

Zhao Han took a deep breath, raised his foot and kicked suddenly——

Just listen to "bang".

The door latch broke instantly and the wooden door burst open. Such a noise naturally attracted men and women to come and watch the fun.

"This is the residence of Tongpan Sheng. What happened inside?"

"Who knows, but this fellow is so strong that he could break the bolt with one kick."

"Hey, hey, hey, isn't this the young man from the Zhao family who just got engaged to the eldest daughter of the Sheng family a while ago?"

"..."

Asking for a monthly ticket~

Chapter 16 Safe Delivery

Amidst the whispers of the crowd, Zhao Han grabbed the medicine box from the doctor's shoulder and, under the guidance of Minglan, dragged him straight to Wei Xiaoniang's yard.

"Slow down, slow down. I'm already sixty-eight years old, and my old bones are about to fall apart."

Zhao Han walked over and said, "My daughter has been in labor for a long time. Her life is at stake. It is extremely urgent. I hope the doctor will forgive me."

The doctor's expression froze when he heard this. His gray beard was disheveled in the wind. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

"In that case, then... then you should lead the way quickly."

After saying that, he actually took the initiative to quicken his pace.

Outside Wei Xiaoniang's room, Xiao Tao sat on the stone steps with red eyes and a look of despair. Her thin shoulders trembled slightly, and it was obvious that she had just cried.

Listening to the shrill moans coming from the house from time to time, tears couldn't stop falling.

"Where did Sixth Miss go? I'm asking you a question!" Zhou Xuenniang grabbed Xiao Tao's arm and asked with gritted teeth.

Xiao Tao was so frightened that she was shaking all over. Just when she was hesitating about how to start,

Minglan was seen running towards her, followed by Zhao Han and a panting old doctor.

Lin Qinshuang and Zhou Xuenniang, holding round fans, looked at each other and felt something was wrong.

"Sister-in-law, this is the inner house for the women. How can you bring outsiders here without permission? It's against etiquette."

Lin Qinshuang frowned, and there was a hint of blame in her gentle voice.

Zhao Han took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Lin Qinshuang, and said in a serious tone, "This is Doctor Kong from Yishou Hall. Miss Lin, please be careful."

"So it's Doctor Kong. Sixth girl, you're really something. You sneaked out without telling me."

"If you want to call a doctor, just tell me that you are not well. There is no need to trouble my brother-in-law."

"When your father comes back and finds out, he will definitely punish you for being ignorant."

Lin Qinshuang covered her slightly pale face with a round fan, and spoke gentle and considerate words, but she was secretly resentful in her heart.

"Are there any more cakes? I'm almost out of strength!" Luoluo's voice came from the room.

Doctor Kong turned his head to look at Zhao Han and said anxiously, "If the woman loses her strength, it will be dangerous. Let me go in and take a look."

With Zhao Han here, Lin Qinshuang didn't dare to stop him. She pinched the bamboo bones of the round fan tightly with her fingertips.

"Doctor Kong, please go in. God bless, Sister Wei will give birth safely and continue the Sheng family's lineage."

When the doctor entered the room, he saw Wei Xiaoniang lying on the bed with her face as pale as paper and barely breathing. The mattress beneath her was soaked with blood. Only a few young maids were busy serving her.

"Why isn't there even a midwife... This is..."

Xiaodie held a handkerchief in her hand and said angrily, "Some midwives got drunk, some went home, and one even suddenly disappeared."

"If the doctor has anything to do, just tell me to do it!"

Doctor Kong looked her up and down, sighed softly, then rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to take her pulse.

As soon as his fingertips touched Wei Xiaoniang's wrist, his face suddenly darkened and he hurriedly opened the medicine box and took out the silver needle.

"The fetus is too big, no wonder it can't be delivered."

"After all, they are a well-known family in Yangzhou. Is there no doctor to tell this young lady?"

While Doctor Kong was speaking, he didn't dare to stop what he was doing.

Xiaodie pursed her lips. Ever since Zhao Han reminded her, she had indeed secretly consulted a doctor, and the doctor had told her truthfully that the fetus in Wei Xiaoniang's belly was a little large.

But during this period of time, nutritious meals were delivered like water, without missing a single day.

Every time they had a meal, Zhu Lou would come over and watch.

If Wei Xiaoniang refused to eat, Lin Qinshuang would whisper in Sheng Hong's ear, saying that she was ungrateful and had let him down.