Entrust the Child to Her

Especially on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Royal etiquette is so strict that offering New Year's greetings involves countless kowtows, making it feel like an ordeal.

Unexpectedly, Princess Qingyi went into labor ahead of schedule.

It was already evening when the Princess's Residence sent the message.

"She had a difficult labor, it lasted a whole day and night." The old nanny wiped away her tears. "I'm afraid she's not going to make it. The princess misses you and wants to see you..."

Gu Wanning was terrified and hurriedly ran outside in her slippers.

Yiling also squeezed onto the carriage.

Gu Wanning's mind was in turmoil.

In ancient times, childbirth was absolutely a life-or-death ordeal for women.

Especially in cases of difficult childbirth, the chances of survival are very small once it occurs.

Gu Wanning only regretted that she wasn't a doctor.

At this point, even if surgery isn't an option, a cesarean section is a last resort.

But she was powerless to do anything about it.

"By the way, where's Hua Ying? Er Ya, go and call her!"

The old nanny wiped away her tears and said, "She's been here the whole time. The Third Master of the manor invited people over this morning; the head of the Imperial Medical Academy and more than a dozen people were there... It's no use..."

Even the Third Concubine couldn't do anything?

Gu Wanning felt a lump in her throat, a dull ache in her heart, and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Such a wonderful sister-in-law, deeply in love with her second brother, a perfect couple, and now she's gone?

Chapter 284 Handing the Child Over to Her

"Alright, stop crying." Yiling pulled out her handkerchief and handed it to Gu Wanning. "You haven't even seen the person yet, you don't know what's going on, why are you crying? Maybe if you go there, everything will be alright."

Gu Wanning had no interest in paying attention to her.

Yiling leaned against the side wall of the carriage, occasionally lifting the curtain to look outside, but she did not disturb Gu Wanning any further.

When Gu Wanning arrived, the lanterns under the eaves of the Princess's Residence were already lit, making the desolate courtyard look even more bleak.

Third Concubine and Gu Anfang were indeed there.

The two stood under the eaves, talking in hushed tones.

Gu Wanning rushed forward, grasped her Third Concubine's hand, and asked, "What happened?"

"Sister, I tried my best." The Third Concubine looked guilty. "It was twins, but only one came out, the other couldn't... There is medicine we can use, but we're afraid it will cause the princess to bleed uncontrollably, and then the princess..."

"Then save the adult!" Gu Wanning almost shouted.

"No."

This is not an option.

There are only two choices: either lose both the baby and the mother, or risk everything to rescue the child.

Logically speaking, the latter is the obvious choice.

But Gu Anwei refused.

He clung to a sliver of hope, always feeling that he could save his wife.

It's his fault, it's his fault.

Why did he get her pregnant?!

If they didn't have children, they would surely be able to stay together for a long time, accompanying each other through life, a love story that would make even immortals envious.

While the Third Concubine and the imperial physician were inside trying to save her, Gu Anwei was outside uncontrollably banging her head against the wall, breaking her forehead and drawing blood. This frightened all the servants in the Princess's Residence's residence.

If Gu Anfang, he probably would have either slammed his head against the wall to his death or become mentally impaired.

There was nothing that could be done at this point, so Gu Anwei went inside to keep Princess Qingyi.

"The only person the princess wants to see is you," the Third Concubine said softly. "Please come in quickly."

Gu Wanning didn't dare to delay and stepped inside.

The room reeked of blood.

Princess Qingyi lay on the bed, her face deathly pale, her breath barely a whisper.

Her hand was grasped by Gu Anwei, who was kneeling on the footstool.

Gu Anwei was humming something softly, looking very calm, not at all as hysterical as her Third Concubine had described.

When he noticed Gu Wanning enter, he slowly turned to look at her, his face displaying an almost eerie calm.

He even smiled at Gu Wanning and said, "My little sister's here."

Gu Wanning had a very bad feeling.

With his second sister-in-law acting like this, and his second brother still able to laugh, it's clearly...

He had the intention of going to keep his second sister-in-law company!

"Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law," Gu Wanning called out, her voice choked with sobs, "Yiling has already sent someone to invite Yi Xiu, Second Sister-in-law wouldn't be... wouldn't be..."

Yi Xiu was their last lifeline.

"Come here, your second sister-in-law has something to say to you. She's very tired, so let her speak slowly and quietly. Come over and listen."

Gu Wanning sat down on the round stool by the bed and then noticed that Princess Qingyi's hair was already soaked with sweat.

"Second Sister-in-law—" She was filled with mixed emotions and only dared to call out once, fearing that if she said another word, tears would uncontrollably stream down her face.

"The child, the child is in your hands." Princess Qingyi reached out her other hand to grasp Gu Wanning's hand, speaking rapidly as if afraid that if she didn't speak now, she wouldn't have the time or opportunity to say it later. "Gu Wanning, I'm entrusting her to you."

Gu Wanning's eyes were filled with tears, "Once my second sister-in-law gets better, we'll take care of him together."

"Here you go, here you go, you can be his mother. It's okay if you forget me, treat him like your own child, I'll leave everything to you..."

Gu Wanning burst into tears, nodding repeatedly, "Okay, give him to me, my child. I don't have children, this is my own son. I won't let him fall into the hands of a stepmother, Second Sister-in-law, don't worry."

Even with the deepest affection, and even with unwavering love both then and now, Princess Qingyi still chose Gu Wanning when it came to her own affairs after death.

The child she risked her life to save cannot fall into the hands of a stepmother.

Gu Anwei too young and too outstanding.

He won't remain unmarried forever.

Princess Qingyi never dared to think that way, and she couldn't bear to see him all alone in the future.

"Thank you, sister." Princess Qingyi finally received the promise she wanted, and lay there, seemingly relieved.

Gu Anfang reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Now you can rest assured."

"I'm worried about you," Princess Qingyi said with difficulty. "Erlang, promise me you'll be alright. Don't argue with your father-in-law, he's very, very good... Find a kind and caring woman to spend your life with... I can't hold on any longer, I'm sorry..."