Chapter 75: The truth exceeds expectations (2) (2/2)

“Then why did she die in labor?!” Han Yunxi suddenly asked. She hadn’t forgotten the most crucial question.

Yet Han Congan’s smile only turned disdainful. “Han Yunxi, what do you think? Let me tell you, your mother’s wisdom far surpassed yours. She didn’t even have to worry about any the concubines in my house. More than that, do you think I’d want her dead?” Han Congan could tell that Han Yunxi suspected him, but he thought this kind of suspicion was extremely laughable.

“Han Yunxi, I had the least motive to murder your mother,” he said clearly, word by word.

Although he had been jealous, although he hated the child with no relations to him in her womb, Han Congan wasn’t so cruel and ruthless as to kill her. Moreover, Lady Tianxin had agreed to make him a director of the medical academy. If she died, he and the Han Family would be most affected.

“I refuse to believe she died from difficulties during labor! There has to be a problem in here somewhere! My mother was a doctor, so wouldn’t she be clearest about her own body?” Han Yunxi asked angrily.

Han Congan had no reason to kill her mother, but she couldn’t accept her cause of death as childbirth. From what she understood, Lady Tianxin hadn’t discovered anything wrong before she gave birth. There were no hurdles with her body, so if it was a difficult labor, the baby was to blame. Han Congan looked at Han Yunxi for a long time before opening his mouth.

“Han Yunxi, you were born as a baby with your feet on the lotus flower. For you to survive is already your fortune.”

These words verified Han Yunxi’s guesses. ‘Feet on the lotus flower’ sounded pleasant to the ears, but it was very horrific. It was another name for the so-called “breech position,” when a baby was right-side-up in the womb so its feet came out first. In this situation, it was very easy for the child to die from lack of oxygen and the mother from bloodloss. In modern times, a Caesarean section was mandatory for hospitals to accept such mothers. In ancient times, medical treatments were vastly limited. Aside from special cases, the midwife would typically ask one question: do you want to save the big one, or the little one?

“My mother didn’t say anything before she went to give birth?” Han Yunix asked.

Although feet on the lotus flower was a very dangerous situation, Lady Tianxin was already a special case herself. With her medical skills, she should’ve been able to feel out the position of the baby with her hands. Once she realized the baby’s position, she could adjust things with acupuncture and moxibustion. Even if the baby hadn’t shifted by then, she should have told the midwife before labor and made preparations.

But Lady Tianxin never spoke up. Giving birth was a monumental task, so why would she allow herself to fall into danger? Han Yunxi’s suspicions were exactly what Han Congan hadn’t been able to figure out.

He shook his head. “No. I asked multiple times, but she said things were very well.”

Han Congan remembered that the palace had sent a midwife over ahead of time, but he didn’t hear the midwife say anything either. When the midwife discovered that the baby had her feet on the lotus flower, she was frightened as well.

Han Yunxi firmly shook her head. “Something must have gone wrong!”

“Perhaps the problem came from your mother, but…” Han Congan sighed. She’d been dead for so many years that the truth to the riddle might forever be a stone sunk in the sea.

“Then what about the poisonous scar on my face?” Han Yunxi asked again. If she remembered correctly, this wound had existed since she was born. That was poison, so how could it exist as soon as she was born? Did someone drug Lady Tianxin? To kill her? Wouldn’t that place her daughter in danger as well?

This was the only clue left. Han Yunxi anxiously looked towards Han Congan, but he only lowered his head.

“What’s the matter?” Han Yunxi grew restless.

Han Congan kept silent for awhile before raising his head again. “The poison scar on your face didn’t exist when you were born. It…it was I who poisoned you.”

“What?!” Han Yunxi was enraged. She didn’t expect this either!

Han Congan looked away from her angry eyes. “Your mother was dead, so what was the use of keeping you?”

To him, Han Yunxi was simply someone else’s flesh and blood. She had no relation with him. But even a child like this had been decided on as the Qin Wangfei, so not only did he have to raise her, but dote and favor her like some sort of revered ancestor. If Lady Tianxin was still around, perhaps Han Congan could endure it. But Lady Tianxin had suddenly left just like that. How could Han Congan take it?

He couldn’t, and he even hated Han Yunxi. If it wasn’t for this child, Lady Tianxin wouldn’t have died! He could neither kill her or throw her away, so his only option was to destroy her. Ruin her looks and refuse to teach her medicine so the empress dowager would give up. Sure enough, when the empress dowager realized she was an ugly girl, she merely observed from the sidelines. After determining that Han Yunxi had no medical talents, she didn’t renounce the betrothal, but basically despaired of anything. After all, the empress dowager had anticipated Lady Tianxin to birth a daughter as remarkable as herself.

Because her wedding had been arranged, Han Congan kept raising Han Yunxi, but like a servant more than anything else. He even hoped that one of the daughters in the Han household could take her place in marriage. Sadly, he later accepted the thorny task of treating the crown prince’s illness and earned the empress dowager’s grudge. From then on, he didn’t dare to mention anything about the arranged marriage ever again.

Han Yunxi finally saw through Han Congan, her smile cold. “Han Congan, what was the use of keeping me? You dare say that your position as a director of the medical academy had none of my mother’s hard work? You’re a hypocrite who bit the hand that fed you!”

Lady Tianxin might have died, but she still fulfilled her promise to let Han Congan become a medical academy director. Wasn’t it just because of this title that the Han Family gained great benefits these past years? Otherwise, why would the Han Family stand out amongst all the medical families in Tianning?

Han Yunxi stood up. She believed what Han Congan said today, but she still looked down on him. A doctor valued medical ethics. If a person didn’t have even basic decency, how could he speak of professional ethics?

Seeing Han Yunxi’s reaction, Han Congan stood up in alarm. “Han Yunxi, I’ve told you all I know. Are you going to go back on your promise?”