Qingyun exhausted all her strength unloading the supplies from the donkey cart.
After wiping the sweat from her forehead, she skillfully flicked the whip and guided the obedient donkey back toward the village to return it.
Meanwhile, back at the estate, the nanny stared at the mountain of goods and let out a heavy sigh before silently beginning to organize everything.
But the moment her eyes landed on the pile of pig offal, her expression immediately darkened.
In her heart, her young miss had once been a precious daughter raised with care and dignity. Even if she had not lived an extravagant life, she had still grown up comfortably.
Now, seeing her reduced to eating pig intestines and organs just to survive made the nanny’s heart ache terribly.
The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt, as though she had failed the late madam’s final trust.
At that moment, Mu Yuqing walked out of the house.
The instant she noticed the nanny squatting there quietly wiping away tears beside the pork, she immediately understood what was going through her mind.
Quickly stepping forward, Mu Yuqing gently squeezed the nanny’s shoulder.
“Nanny, don’t be upset. Things will only get better from here. We’ll get through these hard days together.”
Then she winked playfully.
“And don’t underestimate these pig organs either. Once I cook them properly, I guarantee you’ll enjoy them so much you’ll practically want to swallow your tongue.”
The nanny forced out a smile, though she clearly did not believe her words.
After all, in everyone’s eyes, pig offal smelled foul and unpleasant. Very few people were willing to eat it willingly.
But Mu Yuqing remained completely confident.
She asked the nanny to fetch some wood ash so they could properly clean the intestines.
Looking at the large pile of ingredients before her, intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, and stomach, she felt it would truly be a waste to throw any of them away.
Now that she finally had enough spices, she planned to make a huge pot of braised offal.
Without wasting time, she immediately got to work.
The lungs, liver, and intestines all went into the braising pot, while the remaining ingredients were set aside for soup later in the week.
Before long, the rich aroma of braised meat filled the entire kitchen.
The savory fragrance drifted through the courtyard, making everyone secretly swallow their saliva.
By evening, the braised platter was finally complete.
Mu Yuqing sliced portions of each ingredient and even stir-fried some braised large intestines together with spicy chili peppers.
At dinner, the nanny cautiously picked up a piece and took a small bite.
The next second, her eyes widened so dramatically they nearly popped out of their sockets.
“Oh heavens! This tastes even better than regular meat! I wouldn’t trade this for premium pork even if someone offered it to me!”
Qingyun immediately burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
“Nanny, weren’t you the one who said this stuff wasn’t fit for people to eat? But now you’re eating faster than anyone!”
“You silly girl!” the nanny snapped back, though her chopsticks never stopped moving. “You ate plenty yourself! Did you forget the face you made while washing those intestines earlier?”
Qingyun quickly laughed awkwardly and tried to interrupt before the nanny exposed her further.
The entire family finished dinner amidst laughter and cheerful teasing.
After cleaning up, everyone returned to their rooms to rest, exhausted from the day’s hard work.
Deep into the night, while Mu Yuqing was sleeping soundly, someone suddenly shook her awake urgently.
“Madam! Tie Niu’s wife has gone into labor! Tie Niu is outside the courtyard panicking and begging you to save her!”
Qingyun was breathing heavily, her face pale with anxiety.
Mu Yuqing immediately sat up.
“I’m coming.”
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, hurriedly put on her clothes, and grabbed the medical kit she had prepared beforehand.
As she rushed toward the door, the nanny stopped her in shock.
“Miss, when did you learn how to deliver babies? I’ve stayed by your side all these years and never once heard about this! Besides, you’re still an unmarried young lady. Aren’t you afraid of such bloody situations?”
Mu Yuqing smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, nanny. I happened to read about it in medical books recently. Besides, saving someone’s life is far more important than fear.”
By the time they arrived at Tie Niu’s house, painful screams were already piercing through the night air.
Without hesitation, Mu Yuqing rushed straight inside.
She quickly washed her hands in a basin, put on the gloves she had prepared earlier, and walked toward the bedside.
Xiao Li’s face was pale as paper, and her hair was soaked with sweat.
After checking her condition, Mu Yuqing discovered that her cervix had already dilated six centimeters.
The baby would arrive very soon.
“Xiao Li, listen carefully to me,” Mu Yuqing said calmly and steadily. “Don’t scream. You’re wasting your strength and disrupting your breathing. If the pain becomes unbearable, take slow deep breaths and try to relax. Do you understand?”
Perhaps because Mu Yuqing remained so calm, Xiao Li gradually settled down as well.
About an hour later, she was finally fully dilated.
“When I tell you to push, follow the breathing method I taught you earlier, alright?” Mu Yuqing said softly.
Xiao Li bit her lip tightly and nodded.
After another fifteen minutes of agonizing effort, a loud and healthy cry suddenly rang through the room.
A baby boy had been born safely.
Mu Yuqing skillfully cleaned the newborn with gentle, practiced movements.
The child’s skin was fair and delicate, and his tiny wrinkled face instantly softened her heart.
She carried the baby outside and handed him to the anxiously waiting Tie Niu.
The moment Tie Niu saw his son, his face lit up with overwhelming joy.
Afterward, Mu Yuqing returned to the room to deliver the placenta and clean everything up.
She then carefully stitched the small tear from the delivery.
“I’ll come back in seven days to remove the stitches,” Mu Yuqing instructed Xiao Li while working. “Until then, make sure to wash with warm water twice every day. Understand?”
“I understand, Miss Mu,” Xiao Li replied weakly, enduring the stinging pain from the needle.
Only after everything had been completely handled did Mu Yuqing finally let out a sigh of relief.
Turning toward the doorway, she called out softly:
“Auntie Lin, please come inside and change the bedding to clean, dry sheets.”