"Mother... this child, how can..."
The Empress Dowager raised her hand, stopping Emperor Xuanwen's words, and strode to the chair, sitting down heavily with a face full of worry. "Tell me, what exactly is wrong with this child? How could it be like this? If you don't tell me the truth, I will take your life immediately!"
"Reporting to Her Imperial Majesty, the little imperial grandson was born prematurely. He was in the womb for too long and could not be born. It was only when Lady Ling performed a Cesarean section that the little imperial grandson was delivered. The little imperial grandson was born looking like this. Lady Ling said it was caused by prolonged oxygen deprivation. As for the large patches of blue on the little imperial grandson's body, it should be caused by poisoning during pregnancy."
The midwife knelt on the ground, trembling as she spoke these words, fearing that any wrong word would cost her her status and life.
"Nonsense! How could she be poisoned during pregnancy? It's clearly your incompetence, and you're still trying to shift the blame!"
Emperor Xuanwen roared angrily, his temper impossible to suppress, even flames flickering in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, every word I say is the truth. The imperial concubine was already frightened and shaken. She had no strength to give birth during labor!"
"You wretched slave, how dare you..."
"Emperor, that's enough!"
Just as Emperor Xuanwen was about to erupt, the Empress Dowager opened her half-closed eyes and stopped him.
"This child's situation is retribution. It's all self-inflicted. Those who sought to harm others have ultimately reaped what they sowed. It's just a pity for the child, who has suffered such torment for no reason!"
Without needing to guess, it was clear that Liu Menghan had intended to harm someone but was instead harmed, leading to this situation.
"Then, Mother's meaning is..."
"Send this child away. Don't let him suffer any longer!"
Such a young child, to bear such pain, her heart truly ached. It would be better to let the child go peacefully, with less suffering.
Emperor Xuanwen also understood the Empress Dowager's intention and was shocked. He quickly spoke up to persuade her, "Mother, this child is of royal blood, our grandson. How can we do this? With so many skilled physicians, I don't believe we can't save this child. Isn't Feng Jin skilled in medicine? She could perform a Cesarean section, so she must be able to save this child!"
With this thought in mind, Emperor Xuanwen impatiently shouted outside, "Go summon Feng Jin to the palace. Tell her to come immediately without delay!"
...
"Save... save..."
Liu Menghan mumbled deliriously, her hands moving weakly. After struggling for a long time, she slowly opened her eyelids and looked around. The intense pain in her abdomen instantly cleared her mind.
"It hurts... it hurts..."
"You know it hurts? Then you're not dying immediately."
Feng Jin, who was waiting outside, heard the sound and hurried in. She walked to Liu Menghan's side and felt her pulse.
The poison was spreading very quickly. In a short time, it would reach her internal organs. It seemed Liu Menghan's end was near, perhaps tomorrow.
"You... why are you here... what do you want to do!"
When Liu Menghan saw Feng Jin, her eyes widened. The fear in her eyes was undeniable. She wanted to move back, but the pain made it impossible for her to even budge.
"Don't waste your strength. I won't kill someone who is already dying. You can rest assured."
Someone who was about to die, if she were to kill her, it would be a waste of effort, or she would have a problem with her brain, or perhaps she was too idle and had nothing else to do.
Dying... A flicker of panic crossed Liu Menghan's mind. Her instinct for survival was incredibly strong. She used all her strength to grab Feng Jin's sleeve and pleaded, "Save me... I'll give you anything you want!"
She didn't want to die. She wanted to live... to live, as long as she lived, there was still hope.
"I can't save you. It's too late!"
Feng Jin's tone carried a hint of regret. Such a good age, the beginning of life, to end it so abruptly was indeed regrettable. But unfortunately, these things were all self-inflicted by Liu Menghan.
In a way, this was retribution. The net of heaven was vast and its mesh was wide. Not retribution has not yet come.
"Save me... save me!" Liu Menghan refused to give up, continuing to tug at Feng Jin's sleeve. Now, only Feng Jin could save her life. No matter what, she would not let go of this lifesaver.
"You were poisoned during your pregnancy, and the toxins were transmitted to the child through the placenta. The child was born with the poison in his body, and you would die of the poison after childbirth. Neither you nor the child would be spared."
The poisoner was truly malicious. This method of killing the spirit and the body, who could bear it?
Ten months of hard work and a lifetime of pregnancy, a difficult birth facing death, and now to be told that the day of childbirth would be the day of their deaths – such a situation would be unbearable for anyone.
Liu Menghan suddenly seemed to have lost all her spirit. She appeared weak and powerless, in a state of near-death.
"The child... the child... where is it?"
After a long pause, Liu Menghan finally remembered the child. She wanted to see her child before she died.
"The child's condition is worse than yours. He is unlikely to survive tomorrow. The child has already been sent to the palace."
Compared to Liu Menghan, she felt more pity for the child, hoping that the child would have a good afterlife.
"Please... let me see the child."
"It's better not to see him. Seeing him will only cause you more pain. If you don't see him... you can depart more peacefully..."
Liu Menghan's body had not yet been fully poisoned. She felt somewhat better now. Once the poison erupted, it would be a true, bone-gnawing, heart-piercing pain.
Feng Jin hesitated for a moment, then decided to say, "I have a medicine that can allow you to depart without pain. If you need it, I... I can give it to you."
She was a doctor, and her life's work was to save the dying and heal the injured. In the past, she always encouraged her patients to persevere. This was the first time she had hoped that Liu Menghan would depart sooner.
Out of humanitarian concern, at this moment, she only wanted Liu Menghan to be more comfortable, at least not in so much pain.
"Help me... let me see the child."
Feng Jin sighed helplessly, bent down to meet Liu Menghan's gaze, "I can do nothing about the child's situation. Think carefully about what I've told you. If you need it, just call me. I'll be outside."
As her words fell, Feng Jin stood up helplessly and walked out of the prison cell.