Live Again, Love Anew

Chapter 22- The Reason Why

Summary

Lan Yue finds out why she was killed.

Beginning Note

I was going to have a filler chapter to lead into this one and reassert some minor plot points but I just decided to jump right into it.

Minor Warning- medical talks, vaguely accurate medical knowledge and medical cultivation (because I'm not a doctor and don't want to do a bunch of research)

Lan Yue

Lan Yue's death date is approaching; There's just over half a month until the time comes.

She's been diligent. She reports anything and everything she can to the boys in hopes of helping, but nothing has been of any use.

There was a servant that strayed too close to her cottage; They were relatively young and new, and just got lost.

Her breakfast tasted off one morning; The kitchens had simply used rice from a different region than usual.

She had been hearing strange noises from around her cottage in the middle of the night; A fox had found an old burrow in the cottage's foundation and had been making renovations.

She had reported every suspicious noise and person, had reported even the smallest changes in her life, and yet none had brought them any closer to stopping her death.

But for the past few days she had felt... off. The boys were due to visit soon, and she would tell them about this, but deep down she knew; This was it. The time matched. She would die in less than a month, and while they still didn't know who was going to kill her, with dawning horror, she at least knew why.

When the servant arrives with her breakfast, she asks for a healer.

The servant, a kind, older woman who has been her personal servant from day one but remains nameless, smiles. "It's that time again?" The servant arranges her breakfast neatly on the tray, even going so far to brew Lan Yue's tea. At her protest, the servant says, "No, dear. I can do this much. And besides, today is a day for celebration. So let me make you tea."

A day for celebration, but Lan Yue only feels dread and fear.

The servant leaves, and an hour later, there's another knock on her door. The servant enters first, retrieving her breakfast dishes with another kind smile and leaving as quick as she came. Then two more people enter her home; A young woman in her 30's or 40's that's been her main healer for as long as she's been here and an older woman nearly as tall as Lan Yue is with greying hair curling at her temples.

"Good morning, Madam Lan." Her main healer says, ever professional but also kind. "You requested a healer, correct? Could you tell me your symptoms or what's ailing you? Oh, and don't mind the woman with me, she's just an assistant that's helping me with my rounds today."

Lan Yue shifts wearily, unsure if she wants her suspicions confirmed. "I... I think I may be pregnant." She feels nauseous at the words. She wants to cry. This is what kills me. I died because I was with child, and my child died with me.

The healer, noticing her nausea but misinterpreting the source, says, "Was it the nausea that alerted you? Your nausea started pretty late with your other children, but all pregnancies are different. Could you lay down?"

Lan Yue stands from the table and tries to control her breathing. It wouldn't help to be sick right now. She reclines on the bed and parts her robes, already knowing the procedure.

"Sorry if my hands are cold." The healer murmurs before prodding at her abdomen with both her fingers and her spiritual energy. The healer closes her eyes and focuses. Lan Yue feels the energy spreading through her abdomen in thin, probing, tendrils.

Then the healer suddenly frowns. "Pass me the oil, please." She directs her assistant. The older woman reaches into a leather bag and retrieves a bottle of oil. The healer rubs it over Lan Yue's abdomen and Lan Yue feels more spiritual energy flow through her, this time feeling like a blanket instead of separate tendrils.

"What's wrong?" Lan Yue whispers, a creeping numbness crawling up her spine.

The healer's eyes flutter open, looking immensely sorrowful. She takes a steadying breath and says, "I have good news, and bad news." She swallows. "Which... would you like to hear first?"

Lan Yue's heart plummets to the depth of her guts before creeping up her throat. "What?" She intones hollowly.

The healer shakes her head. "I'll start with the good news." She smiles, genuine, but barely there. "Your speculations were correct. You're pregnant, Madam Lan. About a month and a half along."

Lan Yue almost doesn't want to ask. She's sure that she's crying now. If being pregnant is the good news, then what's the bad news?

"The bad news," The healer continues quietly. "Is that you are pregnant with twins. There are two very distinct concentrations of energy."

"W- why-" Lan Yue's voice shakes. "Why is that bad news?"

"Madam Lan." The healer says seriously. "In your last pregnancy, there was a prolonged labor, in which one of the twins didn't survive the birth."

"You don't need to remind me." Lan Yue chokes out, not meeting the healer's eyes.

"I'm not trying to remind you, but it is an important detail." The healer consoles softly. "Because of the prolonged labor, there was damage to your reproductive system. At the time, I believed that you could heal without any lasting effects, but it seems that wasn't the case." The healer takes a cloth and starts wiping the oil off Lan Yue's abdomen. Not meeting her eyes, she continues. "The damage has healed, but scars remain. I'm afraid that your womb will never be as strong as it once was. And as I'm sure you know, twins pose a very high risk by themselves, but with the weakness of your womb, there's only about a 30% chance that all three of you will survive the birth."

Lan Yue's hands clench into fists. "... A C-section?"

The healer shakes her head. "Even if we did a C-section for the birth, there is a high chance the pregnancy wouldn't make it far enough for that to be possible. You already have a history of qi imbalances during pregnancy, and with your womb so weak, it is likely your body will terminate the foreign qi of your children to try and correct the balance. There are also the normal concerns of miscarriages, along with a higher risk of blood clots and qi deviation." The healer sighs. "To put it plainly, Madam Lan, as a healer, I can't condone you continuing the pregnancy. There are too many risks, and while children are a blessing, your health is my top priority. My professional recommendation would be to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. I would also recommend you get surgery to prevent any more pregnancies." The healer stops to think for a moment. "Does your family have a history of twins? Are you or one of your parents a twin?"

Lan Yue feels like she has whiplash. What does this have to do with anything? Weren't you just prattling on about how me and my children are going to die? "I was adopted as a child." Lan Yue admits, quiet and confused and overwhelmed. "I don't know."

The healer shakes her head. "It's nothing really. It's just that this is your second set of twins and twins run in families. Twins by themselves are rare, so I wondered if your bloodline could explain it."

The healer sighs. "Madam Lan. In the end, this is your body and your children. Please speak to your husband within the week about a decision. Either terminate the pregnancy, or choose to keep it, and while I will do everything in my power to save all three of you, if there happens to be a life or death emergency, I will put your life first." The healer packs up her things. "This early it will be up to fate, so your next checkup will be at the two month mark, in about two weeks."

The healer leaves, but the assistant doesn't immediately follow. Instead, she stands at the edge of the bed, a serene smile on her face, as if she were a benevolent god.

"Don't worry, dear."

A hand is placed on her shoulder. A mother's touch.

"I'll save you."

End Note

... Thoughts?

See you next week!