Chapter 47

A few days later, Yingxiang was having dinner at home when someone suddenly knocked on the door. It was a messenger.

This address was the one Wen Shi had mentioned in a previous letter home. This time, his family replied, and judging from the fairly neat handwriting on the envelope, Yingxiang guessed that it was written by Wen Xiaowu.

The envelope feels quite heavy and looks thick.

Thank you.

After watching the messenger leave, Yingxiang, who could read, didn't rush to open the letter. She put it inside and continued eating.

She gets hungry very quickly lately and can only eat small amounts frequently. Her belly is getting bigger and bigger, and her daily activities are becoming very inconvenient. Right now, she mostly walks around in the yard.

When she had nothing to do, she would look at the sky, look at the ground, flip through travelogues and stories, and look at the sheep. After eating and drinking her fill, the baby in her belly moved, and Yingxiang was in a good mood. Since there were no prenatal checkups, she could only rely on her own senses.

Coming out of the kitchen, Yingxiang looked at the plump ewe. Wen Shi was quite good at choosing sheep; these past few days, he would take the sheep directly to the outskirts of the city after school in the evenings.

As expected, after school today, Wen Shi put down his book box and was about to lead the sheep out when Yingxiang stopped him.

"Husband, a letter has arrived from home. You don't need to go today; take a rest."

Yingxiang felt that it wouldn't matter if she didn't release them for a day; she neither liked nor disliked animals and was quite easygoing about it.

Wen Shi went in, opened the envelope, and after reading it, he gave Yingxiang the three hundred taels of silver notes inside. Then he began to write a reply in his own hand.

Yingxiang stared at the silver note, somewhat dazed. She picked up the letter, read it, and felt a mix of emotions. She really hadn't expected this.

Old Man Wen actually sold all the family's land and sent the money to Wen Shi, telling him to study hard, not to worry about money, and not to neglect his health.

After reading the letter, Yingxiang felt that this thin piece of paper was surprisingly heavy.

It wasn't easy for Old Man Wen to get to this point.

Even if there was favoritism in the past, there's nothing to criticize at this moment. This is no small sum of money. Yingxiang hid the money carefully.

Wen Shi stood calmly in front of the desk, watching the letter paper gradually dry, preparing to send it back tomorrow.

Just then, the sheep outside suddenly bleated. At first, Wen Shi ignored it, but it kept bleating, so Wen Shi quickly went out. He had grown up in the village and was very familiar with these domesticated animals, knowing how to milk and care for them.

Wen Shi thought for a moment, then went to the kitchen and took out a clean earthenware pot. After that, she went to the sheep pen to milk the sheep. Ying Xiang was shocked when she saw this, but she was more curious.

She simply stood aside, keeping a certain distance, and watched directly.

"I won't go out to herd the sheep today. This goat's milk will be warmed up later, my wife, would you like some?"

This is a good thing.

"I won't drink it."

Yingxiang recalled that during her early pregnancy, she drank a whole tub of prenatal milk powder, which certainly provided all the necessary nutrients. This fresh goat milk looked good, but she didn't eat mutton, so how could she possibly be willing to drink goat milk?

"That's good."

Wen Shi turned to look at his wife, somewhat puzzled.

"I won't drink it."

Yingxiang repeated herself. Of course she knew goat milk was nutritious, but she really didn't like it. She sighed helplessly when she smelled it. After a while, she couldn't squeeze any more out, so she picked up the earthenware pot and went to the kitchen, closing the sheep pen along the way.

"Husband, don't drink it directly. Boil it and heat it up."

Seeing that Wen Shi was about to drink the goat milk after pouring it into a bowl, Yingxiang quickly spoke up.

"Isn't it cold?"

"It's not a matter of hot or cold. It's better to be warmer. Although it's spring, the weather isn't that hot. Don't be tempted by coolness. If you catch a cold, you'll feel uncomfortable."

Yingxiang was afraid that if she said too much, Wen Shi would insist on asking her to get to the bottom of things.

After Yingxiang finished speaking, Wen Shi was taken aback. Upon closer examination, Yingxiang's words made sense. He simply poured half a can of goat milk into a large bowl, then added water to the pot, preparing to boil the water and heat the milk.

Yingxiang turned around and went back into the house.

Looking at the plump ewes in the sheepfold, Wen Shi thought that Yingxiang wouldn't drink it since her foal hadn't been born yet, so he could only drink it himself. After the sheep milk was heated, Wen Shi picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The early spring morning was still chilly. The next morning, Wen Shi tried to milk the cows again and got some more goat milk, which he heated up and drank.

He couldn't concern himself with family matters right now, but as long as Old Man Wen wasn't confused, everything would be fine.

On the way to the academy, Wen Shi straightened his back, looked at the people coming and going around him, and thought about the things that had happened recently, but there was nothing unpleasant about it.

From any perspective, the family cannot sever ties, especially while the father is still alive. Since it is given by the family, why not accept it?

If he doesn't want it, Old Man Wen will definitely have more to say.

In the county, Old Man Wen went back to do these things himself. Of the three hundred taels of silver, ten taels was Wen Shi's commission for the land, but he didn't take it. Wen Shi had told him this privately before he left.

The rest was from selling all the remaining farmland in his family. Old Man Wen didn't think much of it and sent it directly to Wen Shi for his own use.

Of course, everyone in the family knows about this.

The only one who was resentful was Xiuyu. She had approached Liu Shi privately many times, but it was to no avail. Liu Shi was not stupid. Although she had her own biases, she knew that she could not make decisions on important matters.

Now that the third son has become a tutor to a high-ranking official, his future is sure to be bright. This sum of money is no small amount, but as long as Wen Shi can become an official, it's not a waste.

As the weather grew hotter, spring rain became as precious as oil. After half a month, a light drizzle began to fall almost every day, making the people extremely happy.

Yingxiang had great difficulty moving around, and judging by the time, she was already more than eight months pregnant.

Taking advantage of the day off, the two went to the clinic.

"You are in good health, there is nothing wrong with you, and the baby in your womb is also very healthy."

Upon hearing the doctor's words, the couple breathed a sigh of relief. Yingxiang had already prepared everything for the child, and the baby's clothes and socks had been washed and stored away long ago. He had even gone to the carpenter's shop to have a cradle made for the child.

The weather is gradually getting warmer, and some people have started wearing dresses. Wen Shi also remembered the midwife's matter. He had to study and couldn't leave Yingxiang alone at home, which wasn't safe. Right now, he didn't have to go to the fields, but there were still chores to do.

“My wife, I will start looking for someone in a few days. It doesn’t matter if it costs some money, but you will need someone to take care of you.”

Yingxiang didn't refuse. If it were a premature birth or something, the risk would be too great for her to be alone at home. She should find someone to help her. She didn't know how to take care of a child and would have to learn.

"Let's find two older women. That way, neither of us will have to worry about anything at home for now. As for when we'll need them, we'll see after you've finished your postpartum period."

Yingxiang didn't refuse. Postpartum care is very important, and she didn't want to suffer from postpartum illnesses later on.

Seeing that his wife did not resist, Wen Shi finally found two elderly women through the introduction of his classmate. They both looked hardworking and capable. He tidied up his study and let them live there first, while he moved the screen and bath tub to his own room.

The two honest and hardworking rural women were also very diligent in their work.

With two more people in the house, Yingxiang wasn't difficult to take care of. With someone helping with cooking, chores, and herding sheep, Wen Shi felt a bit more relaxed.

She now finds it very difficult to bend over, making it impossible for her to enter the kitchen. She even has to stand to take a bath. The two old women, one named Granny Wang and the other Granny Wen, are kind-looking and very hardworking. After a few days of getting to know each other, Yingxiang decided to keep them both.

With these two around, she and Wen Shi felt much more relaxed. There were no more housework to do, so Wen Shi could concentrate more on his studies, and she didn't have much to do either.

Money should be spent when necessary; being too stingy is useless. Health is important. Both of them are good at childbirth and have given birth to several children, so their experience goes without saying.

Yingxiang was also thinking privately that if the two of them really did a good job and could take care of the child, then she would go out and look for a business after her confinement period, so she wouldn't have to stay at home to take care of the child wholeheartedly. Their wages weren't much, and as long as she had more income, she wouldn't be unable to afford it.

Before you know it, Yingxiang is almost full term.

In recent days, she has clearly felt that the baby is about to be born, and her stomach often hurts in waves. The two old women also said that it's almost time and she will give birth soon. Although everything for childbirth has been prepared, Yingxiang is also mentally prepared.

But she was still worried, and Wen Shi was also uneasy. He was somewhat absent-minded and almost lost in thought during class.

Right now, he just hopes the baby will be born soon so the two of them can relax a bit.

That evening, while it was still light, Yingxiang was sitting in the courtyard when she suddenly felt a warm, wet sensation in her lower body. She screamed in fright, and the two older women realized what was happening and looked at her, knowing that she was about to give birth.

Although they hadn't been there long, Yingxiang, their hostess, was quite kind, and the two immediately helped her into the house and onto the bed.

"Boil water, boil water, and bring the wine, scissors, scissors, and boil water."

The abdominal pain intensified, and Yingxiang lay on the bed, unable to stop herself from screaming. Her hair was a little disheveled, but she couldn't care less about that at the moment.

The two old women were quite steady; they even pulled down her pants, but she was really worried and afraid something would happen. At this time, Wen Shi was not yet there.

After school, Wen Shi declined his classmates' invitations, saying that his wife was about to give birth and he had to go back first.

"Brother Wen, why do you always use the same excuse? You did the same thing the other day. Besides, you have family at home. Let's go have some drinks and have some fun."

Wen Shi was being pulled along by his classmate, but for some reason, he felt uneasy. He pulled his arm away, shook his head in refusal, and walked straight out.

"Let's go, let's leave."

Halfway there, a clap of thunder sounded, and the once clear sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds, and it looked like a heavy rain was about to fall. Wen Shi quickened his pace to get home.

Summer was approaching, and the streets were bustling with activity. He was anxious and impatient. Just as he reached his doorstep, he heard his wife calling from inside. His expression changed, and he immediately pushed the door open and went inside.

He originally intended to go straight in, but he was stopped at the door by Granny Wen, who was carrying a bowl of bloody water.

“Master, you can’t go in. The woman is giving birth. You should wait outside.”

"Go quickly, go and boil some water for me."

For a moment, Yingxiang inside felt like she was about to die from the pain. Damn it, why does childbirth hurt so much? She gripped the blanket tightly with her hands.

"Push harder, Madam Wen, push harder!"

Wen Shi still wanted to go in, but unexpectedly, Granny Wen handed him the basin of water and ran in again. Helpless, Wen Shi went out to pour out the water and went to the kitchen to boil water.

He kept telling himself that his wife would be alright and that he would be fine.

Right now, the torrential rain was pouring down like beans from a bamboo tube. Wen Shi listened to the pattering rain and kept looking towards the door. The once bustling street was now deserted. Wen Shi boiled a pot of water and was about to push the door open when Granny Wen pushed him out again.

He shouted angrily.

"The hot water is ready."

"Yes, yes, I know. Master, please wait at the door and keep watch. It's not convenient for us to help Madam Wen give birth. This is a life-threatening situation for a woman. Please, please don't cause any trouble."

Upon hearing this, Wen Shi, though still somewhat impatient, didn't rush to go inside.

From dusk until dark, the rain was about to stop, but Yingxiang still hadn't been born. The two kept urging her to push, but she was exhausted.

On a pessimistic note, could it be that she really is going to die here? Yingxiang was startled by her own thoughts. Her face was pale and her clothes were completely soaked. She listened to Granny Wen's words and used all her strength for the last time.

The next second, the baby's loud cry rang out, and at the same time, that familiar electronic voice echoed in her mind again.