Chapter 373: Unable to Explain to the Empress Dowager
“Rest assured, Your Highness, I will ensure that no one disturbs you.”
With the Crown Prince’s reassurance, Ye Jiamei finally felt a sense of relief. She bowed respectfully before entering the side chamber and shutting the heavy doors behind her.
Inside, the two pregnant women, their mouths gagged and their bodies bound, trembled on their respective beds.
As soon as they saw Ye Jiamei enter, their tear-filled eyes gleamed in the dim candlelight, silently pleading for mercy.
Seeing their pitiful state, Ye Jiamei sighed helplessly.
“Do not be afraid. I will ensure both you and your children remain safe. You must understand that if I do not deliver your babies, neither of you will leave here alive. In this, we share the same fate.”
The two women had realized the moment they were bound that something terrible awaited them.
Despite Ye Jiamei’s assurances, their terror remained unwavering.
With no assistants to aid in the procedures, Ye Jiamei decided to administer a mild sedative that would not harm pregnant women. Once they fell into a deep sleep, she carefully transported one of them into her medical facility.
Since she was working alone, every step had to be executed with precision, ensuring no complications. As a result, even a relatively straightforward caesarean section took her nearly an hour to complete.
After consuming a small meal for sustenance, she carefully cleaned up the first mother, ensuring both she and her newborn were stable, before returning them to the original chamber.
Without rest, she proceeded with the second surgery.
This time, the challenge was even greater.
Not only did she need to focus on the operation, but she also had to monitor the first mother’s condition in the adjacent room.
Though she had guaranteed the Crown Prince their survival, it wasn’t his demand that motivated her—rather, it was her own unwillingness to see innocent women suffer.
Thankfully, everything proceeded smoothly.
By the time she carried the second mother out, night had fully descended.
As the doors to the chamber swung open, Ye Jiamei made sure to leave a few traces of blood to maintain the illusion of traditional childbirth. Then, she walked out calmly.
At once, the waiting Empress, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess rushed forward.
“The procedures were successful,” Ye Jiamei announced.
“However, they require close monitoring. This room is not suitable for their recovery. I suggest relocating them to a nearby chamber, where they can be attended by experienced wet nurses and palace maids.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress’s face twisted in disbelief.
“Impossible!” She snapped.
“A child’s birth should be accompanied by cries—yet we heard nothing! You—village woman—what trickery have you employed?! Have you secretly swapped the infants?!”
It was true.
Everyone present—not just the Empress but even the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince himself—had noticed that no cries had come from within the chamber.
The Empress, who already doubted Ye Jiamei, found it even harder to believe that she had succeeded.
At her accusation, the Crown Prince sneered coldly.
“Mother, is it so difficult for you to believe that Doctor Ye possesses exceptional medical skills? Or are you simply unwilling to accept that she might be able to treat Father?”
His words struck a nerve.
The Empress’s expression darkened instantly.
How could she possibly take the blame for deliberately sabotaging the Emperor’s treatment—especially with the Empress Dowager’s trusted aides present?
Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile.
“How absurd! Why would I wish to hinder a miracle doctor? I only seek the Emperor’s recovery!”
“Then all is well.” The Crown Prince’s voice remained icy.
“This palace is heavily guarded. Not even a mosquito could slip through, let alone an infant switch. And why rush to conclusions? The two women bear surgical scars, do they not? They still need three days of observation before Doctor Ye will proceed with Father’s treatment. This is hardly reckless, is it?”
At that moment, a senior palace attendant stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has sent me to examine the mothers. She wishes to hear my report firsthand.”
Sensing the growing tension, the palace maid intervened at the perfect moment.
With this, the Empress finally reined in her emotions, realizing that her reaction had been too extreme, and that she might draw suspicion if she continued objecting.
She forced herself to smile at the attendant.
“Of course. I was merely concerned for His Majesty. I find it difficult to believe such a miraculous technique, but if the women truly bear surgical scars, then I have nothing left to say.”
Yes.
All they needed to do was check the women’s abdomens—if they had truly been cut open, then the proof would be undeniable.
Even at this stage, the Empress refused to believe Ye Jiamei had actually pulled off a successful C-section.
The senior palace attendant nodded and entered the chamber alongside the Empress and Crown Princess.
As they pulled back the curtains, the dim candlelight illuminated the two women, who still lay motionless in a deep sleep.
Both were as pale as death.
Concerned, the attendant quickly checked their breathing before lifting the blankets covering their bodies.
But just as she reached for their clothing, Ye Jiamei spoke up.
“Senior attendant, their wounds have only just been stitched. If the coverings are removed now, infection could set in.”
“Hah!”
The Empress scoffed, seizing the opportunity to accuse her once more.
“Doctor Ye, what a convenient excuse! You mean to tell me that after all this, we are expected to take your word for it? How can we confirm your claims without examining their wounds?!”
Her earlier doubts had returned full force—she was convinced that Ye Jiamei was a fraud, and that this entire procedure was a deception.
She had to expose this woman for the charlatan she was!
At the Empress’s challenge, Ye Jiamei’s expression darkened with hesitation.
“Your Majesty,” she said carefully, “as a woman yourself, surely you understand the toll of pregnancy and labor. These women have just endured an unprecedented procedure. If we disturb them now—”
“Enough!”
The palace attendant interrupted firmly.
“Her Majesty is right. Without verification, how can I face the Empress Dowager?”
At her words, the Empress smirked triumphantly.
“That’s right. If you truly have nothing to hide, then there should be no reason to refuse.”
“Let’s see the truth.”
