Autumn in Jing City was usually sunny. The day was as warm as in spring and the noon was as hot as in summer. But the chill of autumn would come at night eventually.

However, on the evening of August 23, Madame Tao and the womenfolk of the Marquess’s Mansion stood in the chilly wind without wearing their cotton-padded jackets or furs. Even so, they were all sweaty.

As Madame Tao Junior’s screams came out of the delivery room, He Shuijin raised her handkerchief gently and wiped Madame Tao’s sweat carefully. She comforted her in a soft voice, “Grandmother, don’t worry. the eighth sister-in-law is well taken care of during her pregnancy. She’ll give birth to the kid safely. You’ll have a healthy grand-grandson!”

Madame Tao smiled reluctantly, “I know…” She caught sight of Qiu Yelan who was twisting her handkerchief not far away and called her over in a hurry. She asked in a low voice, “How’s Zheng’er?”

Jiang Qizheng was found out to be pregnant a few days later than Madame Tao Junior. So, their due dates were close. Now Madame Tao Junior was in labour. Although Jiang Qizheng wasn’t, she wouldn’t be long. She had been staying at her maiden home since being found pregnant. So, she needed to be taken care of at that moment as well in case no one was there when something happened to her.

“Sheng Shishui is there.” Qiu Yelan answered in a hurry, “Shishui has experience. With her in charge, Qizheng will be reassured.”

“That’s good!” Madame Tao gave Madame Tao Junior all her attention at that moment. She asked about Jiang Qizheng in order to ease her mood. And she wanted to show others that she didn’t forget her granddaughter even though she was about to have a grand-grandson. She nodded and then looked towards the room with concern. She murmured anxiously, “It has been so long… Don’t use up your strength!”

Her voice was low. But He Shuijin and Qiu Yelan who were near her both heard it. They looked at each other nervously. Although neither of them had kids, they heard about it from the old maids. Madame Tao Junior’s present condition wasn’t good. She was in critical condition since she was a woman in her thirties who was giving birth to her first kid.

Moreover, she had been in poor health. Her screams died down after struggling for so long, which showed that she almost used up her strength. If she couldn’t keep pushing when the baby’s head just came out, the result would be devastating!

Seeing how nervous Madame Tao was, they forced themselves to be calm and comforted her, “It won’t be like that. Mom Hu is inside… How wouldn’t she come out and tell us when something is wrong? And you have asked the imperial doctor to wait outside, haven’t you?”

However, their words didn’t make her feel easy.

Madame Tao Junior struggled until dawn, but still failed to give birth to the baby. Seeing the morning light through the window, she grabbed Mom Hu’s hand with her dying breath, “I’m dying! Please go out and tell grandmother to save my baby at all cost!”

Mom Hu also knew that Madame Tao Junior and her baby would both be dead if they continued to waste time. So, she didn’t decline her request and went out to tell Madame Tao what happened, “The midwife also said that the baby might suffocate if we didn’t do anything!”

Madame Tao had been waiting for a night and half-day. When she heard that, her face became as white as a sheet at that moment, “Send the imperial doctor in!”

“Madame, should we let him save Madame Tao Junior or her baby?” Mom Hu asked in a low voice with her head down.

He Shuijin and Qiu Yelan supported Madame Tao on each side and they clearly felt her body trembling. And then she choked, “She’ll have another kid! Save her, of course!”

Everyone could tell that Madame Tao lied. Because Jiang Yadan didn’t like Madame Tao Junior. It was a happy surprise that she was pregnant. The Jiang Family won the fight with the Empress Dowager’s party at the beginning of the year, which made them more powerful and their offspring more popular. So, the number of Jiang Yadan’s concubines and mistresses grew larger. Was there any chance for him to sleep with his wife again?

Besides, Madame Tao Junior was already above 30. And she had difficult labour this time, which would damage her health more or less. It was uncertain if she could get pregnant again after she recovered.

Madame Tao Junior most likely wouldn’t have a kid of her own if she lost this one!

So, Madame Tao just wanted Mom Hu to comfort her by saying that she would have another kid.

Everyone knew it, so did Madame Tao Junior. So, she asked the imperial doctor to save her baby when he went in, “Don’t save me. Don’t!”

You are reading story Real Empress from a Noble Family at novel35.com

Mom Hu held back her tears and comforted her, “We’ll do as you say. Don’t worry. Please let the imperial doctor treat you, okay?”

“I’d rather die if only I survive!” Madame Tao Junior wasn’t fooled. She stared at Mom Hu with clear eyes. Seeing her determined look, Mom Hu knew that she couldn’t take the responsibility. So, she went out to consult Madame Tao.

“Just do as she says!” Madame Tao froze for a while and then she collapsed with tears running down her face amid the screams of her granddaughters-in-law, “How have the women in my family sinned?”

Madame He went towards them with tears in her eyes. She asked He Shuijin and Qiu Yelan to take Madame Tao to rest, “You don’t need to be here for what’s coming!”

They took Madame Tao back to her yard and helped her go to bed. They waited outside as Madame Tao wanted to be alone.

“How did this happen?” He Shuijin held back her tears to avoid upsetting Madame Tao. But when they went out, she began to cry uncontrollably. She murmured while snuffling, “Although the eighth sister-in-law is a little old to have a baby, the imperial doctors have been taking care of her. They said everything was good!”

Qiu Yelan was in a mess. She said after crying for a while, “First was Gu E’nuo in the first lunar month and then many other women appeared… How could she be happy no matter how virtuous she is?”

She thought Jiang Yadan should take most of the blame for Madame Tao Junior’s difficult labour.

He Shuijin covered her mouth in a hurry after hearing what she said and whispered, “Don’t ever say that! The sensible ones know that you’re mad at Yadan because you take pity on Madame Tao Junior, the others will assume that she did this to herself because she was jealous!”

Qiu Yelan knew she was right. She was angrier and sighed, “I can’t live like this anymore!”

“Maybe they can save them both.” Normally, He Shuijin would tease her, “Our eighth sister-in-law is unloved. But Yashuang loves you.” But she wasn’t in a good mood and changed the subject. She whispered, “Both of them may be safe, right?”

But only one was safe…

Two hours later, news came from the fourth branch, “Young master was born. The imperial doctor had checked and said he was in good health. But Madame Tao Junior… Madame Tao Junior wants to talk to Madame Tao!”

Normally, she needed to rest after giving birth to her baby. But she insisted on talking to Madame Tao, which meant that she had some last words to say.

Qiu Yelan couldn’t help crying out loud!

She didn’t listen to the words He Shuijin said and followed Madame Tao to the delivery room. But the imperial doctor stopped her, “Let Madame Tao Junior talk to Madame Tao first!” He implied that Madame Tao Junior could only talk to Madame Tao about the arrangements after her death at her last breath. She didn’t have time to say goodbye to Qiu Yelan!

Qiu Yelan didn’t know how she got back to her yard. She only knew that Jiang Yashuang was also crying when she entered the room. He asked hoarsely, “Is the eighth sister-in-law gone?” She wanted to answer him. But she fainted.

When she woke up, Madame Tao Junior’s mourning hall was ready.

The Jiang Family gave their granddaughter-in-law a grand memorial service. Although the service was solemn, people’s mood wasn’t sad. It was partly because Madame Tao Junior was a junior. They couldn’t hang white cloth all over the Marquess’s Mansion, considering the elders of the Jiang Family. Most importantly, it was because a lot of people who came to pay their respects couldn’t hide their true feelings as one of their beautiful daughters, granddaughters, and nieces might be Jiang Yadan’s next wife.

They didn’t need to worry about the result of the power struggle between the Empress and the Empress Dowager if their families and the Jiang Family became in-laws. Because the Jiang Family had already won!

If they weren’t afraid of Madame Tao, they would be celebrating Madame Tao Junior’s death in public. For them, the trueborn Madame Tao Junior left behind was the only fly in the ointment!

However, they were optimistic again on the thought of Jiang Yadan’s harem, “Who knows how long this trueborn could live? He has a lot of brothers and sisters whose mothers are all scheming.”

Seeing those women who pretended to express condolences pushing those pretty girls that were gorgeously dressed to Madame Tao, Qiu Yelan couldn’t hold back her anger and asked, “Grandmother, is there any happy event in our family?”

Madame Tao asked spiritlessly, “What do you mean?”

“Our guests are all dressed up luxuriously. It seems that they aren’t here to express condolences. They come here to congratulate us.” Qiu Yelan glanced over those pretty girls coldly, “The smell of their makeup is so overwhelming that I almost feel dizzy! Grandmother, please forgive me if I have said something inappropriate!”

What she said embarrassed everyone. Those girls’ faces all turned red. Some of them who were arrogant and willful looked angry because they were humiliated!

But when Madame Tao squinted at each of them, the madams and young ladies all put on meek looks in a hurry.

After all, Empress Jiang had become Empress Dowager Jiang. As her mother, even if Madame Tao couldn’t decide on Jiang Yadan’s marriage all by herself, she definitely had a vote! Whoever wanted to be Jiang Yadan’s next wife needed approval from her.

“Mom Hu, ask them to leave. I’m not in a good mood to join in the fun!” Madame Tao didn’t blame Qiu Yelan and she even didn’t say a word of blame to her, which meant that she agreed with Qiu Yelan. Besides, she used the terms “join in the fun” which made those guests feel too ashamed to show their faces.

However, Madame Tao didn’t care if they were embarrassed, given her current status. No one dared to say a word. They all looked down embarrassedly and pretended to be meek.

Seeing this, Madame Tao didn’t scold them. She staggered to her feet and said flatly, “Yelan, follow me. I need to talk to you about something!”

Qiu Yelan went forward and held her with doubt. When they got into the inner chamber, she saw a cradle in front of Madame Tao’s bed. Looking at the sleeping baby in the cradle and thinking of Madame Tao Junior who lay in the coffin, Qiu Yelan felt sad and turned her head in a hurry!

“Qianbin gave him a pet name, An, when she was dying. She hoped he could have a lifetime of peace.” Madame Tao also felt like crying. But she closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. She approached the cradle and said without looking up, “As for his name, she said you and Yashuang should decide it!”

“Yashuang and me?” Qiu Yelan was wiping her face and then she was stunned after hearing what Madame Tao said. Even if she didn’t want Marquess Qin and Empress Dowager Jiang to name him, his father Jiang Yadan was still alive. How could she ask them to name him?

“Yes.” Madame Tao said flatly, “She wanted you to raise him… I wonder if you’re willing to?”