Chapter 104 The Birth (Part 2): "Master, a messenger from the First-Class Duke's Mansion has delivered some things, including an invitation. Lord Changtai will be at home next month..."

"Sir, a messenger from the First-Class Duke's Mansion has delivered some gifts, including an invitation. Lord Changtai is hosting a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet at his home next month, and he would be honored to have the honor of attending."

"There's only a post for your uncle, not for me."

Ever since the news of Galdan's capture spread after the Emperor's return to the capital, people have been sending gifts and invitations to her home non-stop. Only now did Shen Wanqing truly understand what it meant for her home to be bustling with activity and visitors.

So this is the kind of treatment you get for making great contributions in battle. No wonder so many people are still willing to rush forward and risk their lives even though they are the first to charge into battle.

To truly achieve upward mobility across social classes, one either needs the diligent and fortunate efforts of several generations, or to seize the opportunity to make a name for oneself during a chaotic era, or to make meritorious contributions while there is still a war to fight, otherwise, one doesn't know when the opportunity to make military achievements will come again.

"Replying to Madam, the First-Class Duchess sent over a lot of ginseng, cinnamon, and clothes, shoes, socks, and toys suitable for children."

The person who came to deliver the gifts was the old nanny who served Lady Guarjia, the wife of Changtai. Originally, Urgun wanted to bring people in to kowtow and pay their respects to Shen Wanqing, but she waved her hand repeatedly, saying that she dared not.

Knowing that Shen Wanqing was about to give birth, he dared not disturb her rest. After delivering the things, he went to Tongjia's side to kowtow and pay his respects before leaving.

"Look, everyone's hoping I'll give the old man a son."

The clothes, shoes, socks, and toys that were delivered were clearly intended for boys, including several old clothes worn by babies. It was obvious that Guarjia had specially put them in for good luck.

Compared to the custom in later generations of choosing neutral colors and styles for gifts for expectant mothers, Guarjia clan members made no attempt to hide their wish that Shen Wanqing would give birth to a son.

"The First-Class Duchess gave birth to three sons in one go, and then two daughters seven or eight years later. In recent years, when members of the imperial family and noble families get married, those with enough prestige are very willing to invite her to be a wife of complete fortune."

Shen Wanqing knew this, of course. When the Crown Prince married Shi Qionghua, one of the ten brides was from the Guarjia clan. She was the first in line after the other imperial wives, while she herself was just a relative who was forced into the marriage.

"It seems that when we got married, the old man's influence wasn't enough."

The women who were to be the wives of Yulang and me that year were all elders of the Hesheli clan. However, at that time, the Hesheli family was not qualified to have a woman from the Guarjia clan be the wife of Yulang. Even the First-Class Duke's Mansion did not send any of its masters; they only sent the head steward to deliver the congratulatory gifts.

"It's all thanks to Madam's ability that Master and our family are living such a prosperous life. If it weren't for Madam supporting this family these past few years, I don't know what my life would be like."

Yu Lang took the bow and arrow that the child was playing with from Shen Wanqing's hand, and then beckoned Qing Shuang and Jiang Xue to take all the things that Guarjia had sent over and put them in the storeroom.

At this point, the baby is about to be born, what's the point of talking about whether it's a boy or a girl? If it were up to Yulang, as long as the child is his own, everything would be fine.

"Stop being so sweet-talking. I think I had a pretty comfortable life back in the military camp. You didn't have to worry about the affairs of the lieutenant commander. When you had duties, everyone you met had to call you 'Master.' You never had to worry about having enough money. If you were happy, you could buy a knife; if you weren't, you could go out for a big drink with Su He and the others. Those were such comfortable days."

"I couldn't remember at all, but after Grandma mentioned it, I actually started to remember."

In the last two or three months of her pregnancy, besides her belly being so big that it was difficult to even bend over, the most uncomfortable thing for Shen Wanqing was that her back and legs would ache and swell after sitting for a long time. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it was just very annoying.

As Yu Lang spoke, he casually lifted Shen Wanqing's leg and placed it on his own lap, then took off her embroidered shoes and kneaded and massaged her slightly swollen and inflamed instep.

"Ouch, be gentle, be gentle. Just say what you want to say. Don't try to be this attentive, I can't handle it."

"The doctor specifically instructed me to massage you more these two months, otherwise the swelling will get worse and worse, and you won't even be able to walk properly, let alone give birth. How about it, my skills are pretty good, right? I specifically learned it from the doctor yesterday."

Yu Lang refused to admit his ulterior motives, which were not something he could openly discuss. He knew that since he had made a great contribution, he would definitely have to hold a banquet upon his return. His family would arrange all of that, so he wouldn't have to spend any money himself. However, he couldn't keep eating at home with so many colleagues and friends.

Before he even arrived in the capital, Akdun had already mentioned to him that several good restaurants had opened in the capital this year, and he would definitely find time to go and have a good meal there. He couldn't let them pay for his meals when he went out with them.

However, Yu Lang's current silver is limited. Before, when he followed the army out of the capital, Shen Wanqing not only prepared a full range of things for Yu Lang, such as wound medicine and typhoid medicine, but also sewed a lot of silver notes and a gold bar about the width of a finger into the inside of his inner clothes.

Everyone knows that gold and silver are insignificant in the face of war and life and death, but having some is better than having none. In the unlikely event that a life-or-death situation arises, and you're just short of a few gold or silver notes, but have none on hand, wouldn't that be incredibly frustrating?

As she spoke, Shen Wanqing was sitting under the lamp watching Xueyan sew gold bars into Yulang's clothes, while Yulang sat obediently on the other side, cracking walnuts for Shen Wanqing with a small hammer. She had to eat a few walnuts every morning and evening since becoming pregnant, and whenever Yulang was home, this was his job.

Now that everyone has returned safe and sound, the silver notes and gold bars that were sewn in have all been taken out. Yu Lang didn't think anything was wrong at first, until he remembered that he was supposed to treat everyone and realized that he was penniless.

“I know what you’re thinking. This money was originally prepared for you. Since you haven’t used it, there’s no need to keep it. Yesterday, I had the accounting department exchange it for loose silver and banknotes and give it to Changlu to keep. You can spend this money as much as you want until it’s all gone.”

"Don't be stingy when the master treats you. But there's one thing you have to remember: don't drink too much and fall into other people's traps. You can't cause any trouble before His Majesty bestows any rewards."

"I certainly wouldn't dare drink too much. I can't leave Grandma alone. I just made an appointment to meet them at noon and came back in the afternoon."

After receiving Shen Wanqing's approval, Yu Lang lived a carefree life for a while. He not only hosted meals everywhere, but also asked Mu Ge to help him buy two new knives from his uncle.

Only after the money in his pocket had been almost spent, and the court had finally decided on how to reward those who had gone on this expedition, did the Crown Prince call Yu Lang, who had already become too ambitious, back to Yuqing Palace.

Before the Emperor returned to the capital, the Crown Prince selected one of the people who had been beaten half to death and sent him to Mingzhu's residence from among those who had been caught deliberately spreading false battle reports.

The next day, the officials who had been secretly opposing Yinreng, the Crown Prince who was in charge of the country, all changed their ways and became exceptionally obedient. They did not overstep any boundaries until the Emperor returned to the capital.

Even when Emperor Kangxi learned of this, he simply took the people who spread the rumors from Yinreng and executed them discreetly, thus covering up the matter.

Firstly, Mingzhu is still useful, just like Suo'etu. Killing Mingzhu would not only be useless but might even have the opposite effect, so there's no need to punish him for one thing.

Besides, if Mingzhu were really punished for this matter, wouldn't the Crown Prince's prestige be even greater? At present, the Qianqing Palace obviously does not intend to use Mingzhu's head to enhance the prestige of the Yuqing Palace.

Moreover, this expedition was a great victory, and Galdan was captured alive. This was a fatal blow to the Dzungar Khanate. The Dzungars were bound to be in chaos for a while, and it was hard to say whether they could recover afterward. Even if there were more battles to fight in the future, the overall situation would be completely different from before.

With the court and the common people celebrating in such a joyous atmosphere, Kangxi would certainly not allow Mingzhu's matter to spoil the mood at this time. Even if he were to punish him, he would have to wait until after this period and find another pretext to punish him.

“Mingzhu is a shrewd person. Over the years, rather than saying he supports the First Prince, it would be more accurate to say that he has always been loyal to the Emperor.”

The emperor needed a Grand Prince who could counterbalance him as the crown prince, so Mingzhu did her best to promote Yinzhi.

Even if the Emperor really just wanted to find a whetstone for Yinreng, or even wanted Mingzhu to actually be that whetstone, and Yinzhi was just a facade, so that when the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Yinzhi could be left to Yinreng to continue to use as a favor.

However, Mingzhu harbored selfish motives. He wanted to use the whetstone to completely break Yinreng's sword, and then use the opportunity to completely attach the eldest prince's cloth to his own whetstone. If the eldest prince could succeed to the throne, Mingzhu would be the only powerful regent minister in the court.

"Your Highness, I understand what you mean. Lord Mingzhu and Lord Suo are both pillars of the court. I am still young and have a lot of experience to learn. How dare I compare myself to you two?"

"It was truly an accident that I captured Galdan this time. We can't elevate me to a higher position just because of this accident. Without the necessary skills, I might fall and die even if I went up there."

Mingzhu's actions were the Emperor's will. Suo'etu was already in deep trouble and couldn't get back on the sidelines. According to Yinreng's plan, it would be better to continue pushing them both onto the stage to fight each other. Yulang was still young and shouldn't be involved at this time.

To be honest, Yulang's ability to capture Galdan alive this time was somewhat beyond Yinreng's expectations. According to his plan, as long as Yulang returned safely from this expedition, that would be enough for him to be rewarded for his merits.

Originally, the Crown Prince wanted to transfer him to the Ministry of War for a few years of training, or to the Infantry Commander's Office. Now, neither place is quite suitable. His merits would at least warrant a position as Vice Minister of War or Left or Right Wing Commander-in-Chief in either of those places; otherwise, they wouldn't be worthy of his achievements.

But Yu Lang is only twenty-one this year. How could someone so young be put in such a position? Yu Lang is right. If he were put in such a position, it would not be a sign of favor but a disaster. Before long, he would be tricked by those old foxes below him until there is not even a bone left.

"I know you're a sensible person, but it's still unfair to you. It would have been better if you had made such a great contribution a few years later."

“Master, you really treat Galdan like a radish or cabbage. He just stays in one place and won’t move. We can just go over and bring him back whenever we want.”

"Alright, alright, I was just saying it and you just took it as a joke. I was just speaking up for you. If such a great achievement had gone to the eldest son, the whole world would know that our dynasty has produced a great and capable emperor. But you got it, and it's been so long since you returned to the capital, and Father Emperor hasn't even summoned you."

"Tomorrow is the award ceremony. I will be standing behind the commanders. I will receive my due reward. Whether I am summoned or not makes no difference."

"You're quite generous, don't you know you've been implicated because of me?"

"This servant only has the Crown Prince as his master, so there is no question of whether he has been implicated or not. Without the Crown Prince's expedition this time, this servant would not be able to become the commander of the firearms battalion, and this credit naturally does not belong to this servant."

Yinreng had already learned from Kangxi about the arrangements for Yulang. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. After all, Yulang was currently a favorite of his, and he wasn't just doing his job to earn a salary. What he wanted was naturally more than just ordinary rewards.

However, this was just wishful thinking on Yinreng's part. Originally, Yulang hadn't thought about these things. Yinreng summoned Yulang to Yuqing Palace and gave him a long lecture, which made Yulang feel uneasy all night after leaving the palace.

He's been making quite a splash lately, throwing tantrums wherever he goes, making everyone think Lord Yu is about to rise to prominence. If tomorrow it's my turn and I get nothing but some gold and silver as a reward, I'll be utterly humiliated.

"Go to sleep! The Emperor just doesn't want to overly promote you, the Crown Prince, he's not crazy. You won't be shortchanged in the slightest.

Do I really need to explain the meaning of "spending a thousand pieces of gold to buy a horse's bones"? The Dzungar Khanate hasn't been completely conquered yet. Even after that, there are still the Uyghur and other regions to worry about. How could we possibly alienate the generals of the entire nation for the sake of just one person?

"I understand the logic, but I just can't fall asleep."

"It's good that you can't sleep. You can lie on the other side and massage my calves."

"Did you have another cramp during the day?"

"I smoke every day. If you can't sleep, give me a massage. I'm sleepy."

Upon hearing this, Yu Lang quickly climbed to the other side of the bed, put his wife's fair legs on his body, and massaged them carefully.

Of course it would be nice to have someone give you a massage. Shen Wanqing didn't stand on ceremony with him at all. While rubbing her right leg, she stretched her left foot to press against his firm and taut abdomen, rubbing her toes against him. In just a few moments, she had Yu Lang's fur standing on end.

"Grandma, please don't provoke me. I'm already suffering so much, and if you keep doing this, it won't just be me who suffers if I develop health problems."

"Tsk, you're really not smart at all. The doctor doesn't say you can't do anything reckless, but he didn't say you can't use other methods either."

Yu Lang has been gone for so long. Shen Wanqing, who wasn't thinking about sex much in the early stages of her pregnancy, has been having these thoughts constantly lately. If Yu Lang had just gone to sleep peacefully tonight, that would have been fine, but he's been restless, so it's no wonder Shen Wanqing is causing trouble.

The two of them held their breath and dared not raise their voices, for fear that the maid in the next room would hear the noise and come to stop them. What should have been a perfectly legitimate marital affair was instead turned into an affair between the two of them.

Unfortunately, Shen Wanqing actually enjoyed this feeling. Afterwards, she leaned against Yulang, still sweaty, and refused to move away. Yulang, mindful of her large belly, dared not move.

The two slept close together until morning, when Biyun, who was preparing to help them wash up, bumped into them. She then quickly got up to send Yulang to the palace to attend the award ceremony.

Most people knew that Yu Lang hadn't stayed in the firearms battalion.

The Firearms Battalion is the Emperor's personal guard. It's normal for Yu Lang, as a staunch member of the Crown Prince's faction, to temporarily lead a Firearms Battalion on an expedition. But if he wants to stay in the Firearms Battalion under the circumstances, or even has the idea of ​​taking control of it, then he's courting death.

However, the fact that Emperor Kangxi granted him the title of Second-Class Viscount and Commander of the Plain Yellow Banner still surprised everyone, since having a noble title or not were two completely different concepts.

Having a title meant entering the ranks of the nobility. Not only could the title of Second Class Viscount be passed down to one's children and grandchildren, but there was also a quota for Enqiwei (a military rank) that could be passed on to one's son. This is the meaning of the so-called "bestowing titles on one's wife and children".

Moreover, Yu Lang's ancestors were viscounts, and Shuai Yanbao's elder brother's lineage has inherited the title to the rank of first-class baron. Now that Yu Lang has been granted the title of second-class viscount, the significance of this is truly indescribable.

"Will it not be as convenient for you to enter Yuqing Palace in the future?"

"The Crown Prince hasn't taken back the waist token he gave me. I don't need to go to the palace every day normally, but if the Crown Prince summons me, I still have to go."

The current arrangement was certainly the Emperor's intention, but both the Crown Prince and Yu Lang obediently accepted it, which means that both of them agreed that he could no longer stay in Yuqing Palace.

"I can't be the only one in the Crown Prince's life forever. Right now, the Crown Prince likes me, so everything is fine. But what if he doesn't like me one day? It's better to keep a distance."

"Besides, I should stay home for a while. After the baby is born, you can't be the only one to take care of everything at home and in the village. Even if you had two more hands, you still wouldn't be able to manage it all."

The Plain Yellow Banner has five commanders. The daily duties of a commander are to handle banner affairs. Under a commander, there are usually five or six lieutenants. Yu Lang's current job is an enlarged version of a lieutenant. From daily training to banner affairs and dispute mediation, there is nothing that is not his responsibility as long as it is within his jurisdiction.

In the past, when I was by the Crown Prince's side, I was in charge of overall management. Once I made a decision, my subordinates would naturally carry it out. Now that I'm out of Yuqing Palace and dealing with the Banner Affairs, I'll have to be more careful about the things I manage from now on.

Currently, Yulang only holds the position of a captain and does not take on any other duties. These next few years are a good time for him to settle down and manage affairs outside the palace and within the banner system. When the Crown Prince needs someone in the future, he will be more capable and experienced in both his methods and temperament.

In addition to the title, second-class viscounts were also granted land and estates. Emperor Kangxi was particularly generous in this regard, personally selecting one large and one small estate from the imperial estates to bestow upon Yulang.

Shen Wanqing did a rough calculation and found that the smaller one alone would generate at least 1,500 taels of silver a year. As for the larger one, she heard that it also came with its own small forest farm and ranch, which would be quite impressive if calculated in detail.

Perhaps overwhelmed by this generous gift, Shen Wanqing shook her head and sighed a few times before feeling a tightening in her abdomen. At first, she thought it was fetal movement, but after a while, the same feeling returned, a vague, indescribable pain. Shen Wanqing then realized that she was about to give birth.

Shen Wanqing had also been worried and anxious. Giving birth is not easy these days, and she didn't want to risk her life for this child. But when the time actually came, she wasn't nervous anymore. She even had a vague thought in her mind: if she really lost her life for this, would she be able to go back to the source?

However, such a thought only flashed through her mind. After all, the possibility of going back was slim, and it was quite possible that she would die and turn to ashes. Therefore, Shen Wanqing remained exceptionally calm throughout the entire childbirth process, with only her trembling hands betraying her near-death fear.

Shen Wanqing went into labor in the afternoon. Because it was her first pregnancy, her cervix dilated slowly, and she didn't give birth until dawn the next morning.

When the midwife came out of the delivery room carrying the baby, she almost kicked Yu Lang, who was sitting by the door. Seeing the midwife carrying a large, unidentifiable bundle, he pointed towards Madam Xu and Madam Niohuru, then stumbled and tumbled into front of Shen Wanqing.

Shen Wanqing had just been served by her maid and had all her dirty bedding and clothes changed to clean ones. When she saw Yu Lang come in, she still had the energy to grin at him.

"It's alright, things went fairly smoothly for me."

"Grandma, you scared me to death."

It's said that childbirth is a life-or-death ordeal for women, and no matter how capable Shen Wanqing is, she's no exception. She doesn't push or scream recklessly, but every time she hears the midwife's rhythmic pushing, at most 40% of her screams are from pain, and the other 60% are filled with anger.

Hearing this, Yu Lang, who was waiting outside the delivery room, felt his legs go weak. He felt that even when he was fighting on the battlefield, his anger was only this much. It was clear how terrifying and painful childbirth was.

"What did you give birth to? Did you even see it?" In this house, there was no chance of anything like a baby being switched at birth. Several midwives took care of the baby right after it was born, so Shen Wanqing really didn't have time to look.

“There wasn’t enough time.” Yu Lang shook his head, then nodded. “I heard from the midwife that it was a boy.”

Shen Wanqing couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. This child really knew how to pick his timing. His father had just earned him a viscount title, and he rushed over. It really meant he had a title to inherit.

————————!!————————

Red envelopes are dropping in the comments section of this chapter! [Let me see!][Starry-eyed]