Chapter 68 A Gift from Heaven: The Best Gift for the Bai Family
On a drizzly morning, an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage quietly stopped outside the side gate of the Bai residence.
Bai Lian got off the carriage and knocked on the door.
"Miss, why are you back?!" It was Cuizhu who came out to answer the door. When she saw Bailian wearing a cloak, carrying simple luggage, and looking haggard, she immediately felt uneasy and hurriedly went forward to help her.
"Why are you the one opening the door? Where are Uncle Gu and the others?" Bai Lian stepped into the familiar courtyard, her gaze sweeping over the empty corridor.
"The master and mistress have both fallen ill... They need someone by their bedside, so Uncle Gu and Aunt Liu have gone to take care of them."
These words struck Bai Lianxin like a heavy hammer. Upon hearing them, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and her steps became unsteady, almost causing her to collapse.
Cuizhu noticed the change in her mistress and hurriedly helped her up. "Miss, what's wrong? Come inside with me quickly!" She then turned and shouted to Qingmei, who was passing by, "Sister, sister, go and call the doctor to the mistress's room!"
Inside Qinglian Pavilion, everything remains exactly as it was when Bailian left.
Every single object was spotless, as if time had stood still, waiting only for her return.
Bai Lian lay on her familiar bed, looking around at the place that held countless memories for her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
The doctor rushed over, and as soon as he felt Bai Lian's pulse, he looked up in shock, "Miss, this..."
"Don't panic, I already know I'm two months pregnant," Bai Lian said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Cuizhu hurriedly knelt before her bedside, tightly grasping Bailian's icy hand. She knew this should have been a joyous occasion, but at this critical juncture... "Miss, what has happened?"
"Don't tell Father and Mother yet, let me think about it some more." Bai Lian gently patted Cui Zhu's hand. As intelligent as she was, she understood and silently retreated to the side.
Cuizhu gave the doctor some money as a reward, asked him to prescribe more tonics, and ordered him to keep quiet and not mention the matter to anyone.
After making the arrangements, Cuizhu went to the kitchen and asked Aunt Shen, with whom she had always been on good terms, to cook a special meal for her.
"Miss has been busy with the war and her health has deteriorated a lot. You need to pay more attention to the meals you prepare for her in the future and make sure she is well nourished," Cuizhu instructed, her heart pounding with anxiety. She didn't know if Bailian wanted to keep it a secret from everyone, or how long she intended to keep it a secret.
When Cuizhu returned to Qinglian Pavilion, she found that Bailian had already gotten up and was sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze, which was quite unusual for her.
When Cuizhu saw her once dashing young lady looking so haggard, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.
“Miss, if you have anything on your mind… you might as well tell me. Perhaps I can help you.”
"Cuizhu, how are my parents' health?" Bailian asked slowly, her eyes vacant.
"It seems there's nothing seriously wrong at the moment. It's just that I was too sad and couldn't sleep at night, which exhausted my body."
"Then do you think they can welcome this little life?" Bai Lian gently stroked her belly and looked up at Cui Zhu.
“Miss,” Cuizhu bent down and held Bailian’s cold hands, “you don’t need to worry. You should trust in the master and madam’s feelings for you. How could they not love their grandson?”
"But this is also the bloodline of the Jia clan..." She should have stayed away from the "culprit" who caused her brother's death long ago.
“Miss, please forgive my bluntness, but everyone has witnessed your relationship with the Emperor over the years, and the Master and Madam are well aware of it as well. That’s why they feel at ease letting you stay in the palace.” Cuizhu gently placed her hand on Bailian’s hand, sharing the small hope in her womb with her. “Even though there are many regrets, these will not change the fact that he is the fruit of your love.”
“But…” Bai Lian was already in tears. Since becoming pregnant, she had become much more sentimental and prone to tears. “I’m still afraid that my parents will be traumatized by this. They lost their child, but I have a child now…”
"But Miss, have you ever considered that this new life might also become a source of emotional support for them?"
These words seemed to awaken Bai Lian, dispelling her confusion of the past few days and clearing her mind. Yes, why should she doubt Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er's feelings for her?
"Cuizhu, come with me to Madam's room."
Changsun Rao'er had just taken her medicine and was lying half-reclined on the bed, panting. This sudden grief overwhelmed her. Whenever she woke up, she would start crying, and when she was tired of crying, she would fall back asleep. This continued for several days, leaving her completely exhausted.
Bai Lian pushed open the door and saw Changsun Rao'er's appearance. Her heart ached, and she hurriedly went forward to hug her.
"Mother, I'm back."
Hearing her daughter's voice, Changsun Rao'er's muddled mind cleared up a bit, and she slowly spoke in a hoarse voice, "It's Lian'er, it's good that you're back. Can you... spend more time with your mother?"
Bai Lian's eyes immediately welled up with tears again. "Mother, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay in the manor with you and Father."
Just as the two embraced and wept, Bai Moyuan, supported by a servant, staggered in. He was feeling much better and had just been able to get out of bed, so he wanted to check on his wife's condition.
"Lian'er, why are you back?" Bai Moyuan felt a surge of joy upon seeing Bai Lian.
Bai Lian looked at Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er. The words Cui Zhu had just spoken to her came to mind. She bit her lip and said resolutely, "Father, please sit down. I want to tell you and Mother something."
She lowered her eyes, as if using all her strength: "I'm pregnant, it's his child."
The room became extremely quiet, almost so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Bai Lian looked up and saw Changsun Rao'er covering her mouth and crying, while Bai Moyuan seemed to be lost in thought.
Bai Lian panicked, not knowing what to do. "Father, Mother, I..."
"Lian'er, I'm so happy." Changsun Rao'er raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, but she still managed a smile.
Bai Moyuan, who was standing to the side, asked, "Does His Majesty know about this?"
“He knows that I asked him… to give me more time.”
"Lian'er, he truly cares for you." Bai Moyuan sighed, looking at his daughter with a complicated expression.
"Father, Mother, Lian'er doesn't know..." Bai Lian finally had to speak out about the grievances she had been holding back for days. "I don't know if I can give birth to this child safely. I'm very worried. I'm afraid of this chaotic world, and I'm also afraid that he will be like me..."
Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er were both stunned, and it took them a while to realize what Bai Lian was worried about.
“Lian’er, don’t be afraid,” Changsun Rao’er held Bai Lian’s cold hands tightly. “We just need to love this child wholeheartedly and believe that everything will get better.”
Bai Moyuan, standing to the side, also cast an approving glance at Bai Lian. "Lian'er, your appearance is the best gift Heaven has given to the Bai family. Now you have brought us new hope." He paused and continued, "You don't need to blame yourself too much for your brother's matter; it's all fate..."
Looking at her parents who were trying their best to comfort her, Bai Lian was filled with emotion. Yes, if that's the case, why not face her own heart honestly?
-
As the moon rose, the candles in the back hall of the Imperial Household Department were still lit.
The chief eunuch, Deshun, dismissed his attendants, leaving only his trusted steward. His usually calm face now betrayed a hint of caution.
He lowered his voice and instructed the steward, who stood respectfully with his hands at his sides:
“Listen, prepare fifty pieces each of men’s and women’s baby clothes, in all sizes from newborn to one year old. The fabric…” He paused slightly, tapping the air with his fingertip, and emphasized, “must be the finest ‘clear water silk,’ soft inside and out, without the slightest roughness. The embroidery patterns must be auspicious, but remember, no dragon or python patterns are allowed. Only subtle patterns like ‘abundant offspring’ and ‘peace and good fortune’ are acceptable, and the colors must also be elegant.”
The steward understood immediately and dared not ask any more questions. He simply bowed and said, "Yes, I understand. I will find the most reliable embroiderer to do it secretly in the dark room, without going through the records room."
De Shun nodded slightly, then composed himself and continued, "All the loose threads must be hidden inside, not a single extra thread is allowed. There will be a reward for doing it well, but if even a whisper of it leaks out..." He didn't finish his sentence, but simply dusted off his whisk.
The steward felt a chill run down his spine, lowered his head even further, and repeatedly agreed.
"Also, find me some soft cotton cloth with floral patterns from Songjiang Prefecture. This cloth is the most absorbent and breathable for swaddling clothes. Also, get two bolts of Yun brocade for the outer blanket. It should be embroidered with a 'Hundred Children' pattern. The stitches must be fine and dense so as not to hurt the little master," Deshun instructed one by one.
As he spoke, he began to carefully check the samples that had just been delivered. The Imperial Household Department was already filled with a dazzling array of baby products.
He ran his fingertips over a pair of silk pillows, then picked up the enamel bathtub and weighed it in his hand.
"Hmm, the weight and workmanship of this basin are acceptable." He put down the bathtub, picked up a cotton gauze towel, and examined it carefully under the light. "This towel is no good; it needs to be rinsed three more times before it can be used."
He turned to the steward and earnestly instructed, "I felt something was missing just now. Go to the storeroom and find a piece of the finest Hetian jade. Find the best jade craftsman to carve a pair of bells with gold pills inside. The sound must be clear and melodious, not harsh. Also, have the Imperial Hospital prepare some 'Jade Complexion Lingzhi Ointment' according to an ancient prescription. That stuff is the gentlest and is excellent for wiping the young master's body."
Finally, De Shun emphasized, "Remember, everything must come from our family's 'private' resources."
"This servant understands." The steward, who was recording these minute requests, was secretly alarmed upon hearing this. Was Eunuch Deshun going to use his entire fortune? Just which unborn young master was this…?
"What are you thinking about? Get back to work!" De Shun glanced at him sideways, and the steward hurriedly retreated.
Having finally finished arranging everything for Galorin in his own name, Deshun sat down, took a sip of tea, and rested for a while. He couldn't help but feel a little emotional, thinking, "Speaking of our master, he really has a lot on his mind."
He gazed in the direction of the most prestigious palace, a hint of expectant smile flashing in his eyes.
Phoenix Dance City is about to have a momentous occasion.
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