Watching the bellies of his concubines grow, Ding Wei felt a mixture of joy and apprehension. The joy came from the prospect of soon seeing his own children in this world. The apprehension stemmed from the medical and sanitary conditions of the era, where childbirth often meant life-or-death stakes due to complications or postpartum hemorrhage. Even more frustrating was the ignorance of the common people, who viewed labor as "unclean" and a "blood-borne omen." Giving birth at home was a major taboo, and the idea of a husband being present was nothing more than a fantasy. Among ordinary families, women were often forced to give birth in temporary straw sheds erected near graves or roadsides. For these women, the process of bringing life into the world was a gamble with their own lives. The pain, the danger, the squalid environment, and the uncertain future were enough to break one’s heart.
Determined to break these backward traditions, Ding Wei decided to start with the Imperial Palace. He immediately ordered the construction of "garden-style" delivery rooms in the gardens of the residences of every concubine nearing her due date. He instructed the builders that these rooms must be spacious, equipped with specialized delivery beds, and situated in the garden.
Not long after the first garden delivery room was completed, Le Jinru went into labor. Ding Wei appeared in the room personally to accompany her, organizing staff to use alcohol for sterilization. The midwife, seeing th…
Chapter 592