Chapter 427 Children

When the Song father and son hurried back from the palace, the lights were already on and the guests who had come to attend Song He's third bathing ceremony had already left.

Song Mo nodded to Song Yichun and returned to Yizhitang.

Song Yichun stood on the bluestone corridor on the main road of the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion and remained silent for a long time.

Although the emperor did not treat him very closely in the past, he did not treat him as an outsider. But this time when he entered the palace, he clearly felt the emperor's coldness and alienation towards him. The emperor even said to him something like "the failure to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children is the root of chaos in a family."

Could it be that the emperor heard something?

Or did Song Mo complain about something in front of the emperor?

When Song Yichun turned his head to look at Yizhitang, his eyes were like poisoned knives.

Song Mo is really capable of doing such a thing!

Otherwise, why would those military officers in Kyoto be so alert whenever Song Mo is mentioned?

Song Yichun felt upset when he thought of this.

He shook his sleeves and returned to Xiangxiangyuan.

Song Han's injury had improved a lot, and he greeted Song Yichun at the door with a cane.

Song Yichun looked at his pale face, and his heart softened. He said, "Why don't you just take a rest? Is your injury better?"

Song Han smiled and said, "The doctor my father hired for me is very skilled. I only took three doses of medicine and I feel much better." He supported Song Yichun to the main room and said, "I heard that the emperor gave Dong Ge a title today? The emperor is still very kind to my father. We are the only family in Kyoto who has such an honor."

All the credit was attributed to Song Yichun.

Song Yichun felt very comfortable with what he said, and his voice became even gentler: "This is also because the emperor sees our family's loyalty for generations. So, our family only needs to follow the emperor's instructions, and as for other things, it has nothing to do with us. Only in this way can this favor continue for a long time."

Is he referring to the Duke's Mansion?

It seems that my father has kept in mind my plan to marry a girl from the Jiang family.

Song Han sneered in his heart, but said: "My father taught me right. I am older now, I have seen a lot of things, and I know the importance of things. I will never be as ignorant as before."

Song Yichun said "hmm" with satisfaction, stopped, and said, "I will go to the palace to ask for a marriage for you in a few days. You should study hard at home these days and don't cause trouble, lest the nobles in the palace are displeased when they hear about it. Do you understand?"

Song Han was stunned.

Song Yichun thought that it was not bad to have such a silly son, at least he would listen to her in everything and would not act on his own and embarrass herself.

"Silly boy!" He walked into the hall with a smile, but in his heart he was thinking that he should arrange two maids to inform his son about the personnel changes.

Song Han watched Song Yichun enter the house and slowly returned to the east courtyard where he lived.

Qixia and Caiyun hurried over to greet them.

He waved his hand, sent all the servants away, entered the inner room, and quietly moved the statue of Guanyin on the east side of the inner room, revealing a small portrait.

The person in the portrait is wearing an embroidered silk garment, looking elegant and graceful, with a hint of strength and pride between her brows.

"Mother!" he murmured, tears falling instantly, "I didn't mean to do that... I really didn't know the medicine was poisonous... I didn't dare to tell you... You had already begun to doubt at that time... I know that although you don't like father, you have never doubted him... I was afraid that if I told you, father would find out... Xingfang who was by your side had been bribed by father. If father denied it, and she did something else and couldn't find evidence, I would be dead without a burial place... I took advantage of their inattention and When I was about to die, I would quietly sprinkle half of the medicine and mix it with water... I thought that this way you could survive until your brother came back... But I didn't expect that my father told you about my life story, and you were so angry that you died..." His face was covered with water stains, "Mother, you love me the most. You will never blame me no matter what I do wrong. This time, you will definitely forgive me, right?" He said, stroking the person in the portrait, his expression gradually becoming fierce, "Don't worry, your son will definitely avenge you..."

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However, Song Mo returned to Yizhitang, took a bath, changed his clothes, and went to the inner room.

Dou Zhao was being served crucian carp soup by Ganlu. When he saw him coming back, he hurriedly ordered the maids to serve the meal: "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? I left some on the stove for you!"

Song Mo nodded and lay on the bed, looking at his sleeping son.

Seeing Dou Zhao lowering his head to drink the soup, he stretched out his fingers and secretly poked his son's little face a few times.

Yuan Ge'er, who had eaten and drunk his fill, pouted and ignored him.

Song Mo poked him again.

Yuan Ge'er frowned, turned his face to the side and continued to sleep.

Song Mo stretched out his finger to poke him again, but was caught by Dou Zhao who had just finished drinking the fish soup.

She couldn't help but feel angry and amused at the same time, and asked, "What are you doing?"

Song Mo felt embarrassed as if he had been taken advantage of. He smiled and said, "I saw that he has been sleeping the whole time and didn't even open his eyes to play for a while..."

Do you want the child to play with him for a while?

Dou Zhao smiled and said, "Newborn babies are all like this. They sleep for eleven hours out of twelve hours a day, and spend the remaining hour eating, drinking, defecating and urinating. They only open their eyes occasionally."

"Really?" Song Mo was a little disappointed.

Ruotong came in to report that dinner was ready.

Song Mo had dinner outside.

Dou Zhao had already packed up and was ready to rest.

Mothers usually sleep on the outside of their beds, fearing that their children would fall to the ground when they fell asleep. Although Yuan Ge'er was just born and still tied in a swaddle, Dou Zhao still slept on the outside out of habit, and Song Mo slept on the big kang next to the window these days.

Seeing Dou Zhao lying down, he squeezed onto the bed and said, "I'll help you take care of the child. Why don't you sleep on the inside?"

Thinking of Song Mo's behavior just now, Dou Zhao was worried and said, "I'm still feeling a little uncomfortable and don't want to move. Wait until the child is older, then you can help me take care of him!"

Song Mo slept on the inside and said, "If you have anything to say, just call me."

Seeing that he was in high spirits, Dou Zhao agreed with a smile and asked the maids to come in and turn off the lights.

Since she was taking care of the child by herself and had a whole day of socializing the next day, she closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly.

In the middle of the night, she was awakened by the crying of her child.

She hurriedly sat up, but found that Song Mo and the child were gone.

Dou Zhao broke out in a cold sweat and shouted "Yan Tang" loudly.

Song Mo walked in awkwardly, holding the child in his arms: "I, I saw you were sleeping soundly, so I took the child to the wet nurse to feed him, but who knew he wouldn't eat..."

This is the son I gave birth to!

Dou Zhao felt warm inside and said softly, "I'll feed her."

Song Mo embarrassedly handed the child to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao turned sideways to feed the child.

Song Mo sat by the bed and watched.

The child was full and had his diaper changed. He became energetic and opened his eyes to play.

Dou Zhao couldn't help but yawn.

Song Mo hurriedly said, "I'll take care of the child, you go to bed."

How could Dou Zhao sleep?

Song Mo was very persistent: "No, we still have a wet nurse. You will ruin your body if you do this."

In her previous life, she had ruined her body in this way.

Dou Zhao's eyes were a little sad.

She lay down as she was told, and watched Song Mo with his eyes closed as he walked around the room awkwardly holding the child, talking to the child in a messy manner, and actually fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes, Yuan Ge'er was sleeping soundly beside her pillow. Then she looked at Song Mo, who was sleeping soundly with his face against her son's.

Dou Zhao looked at the two faces, one big and one small, and his heart felt as if it was pricked by a feather. It was itchy, and there was an indescribable emotion that filled his chest.

She couldn't help but gently touch Song Mo's face...

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At this time in the Mansion of Duke Jing, the three ladies were sitting in the hall waiting for their mother-in-law, the wife of Duke Jing, to finish washing up so that they could go in and pay their respects to her.

Mrs. Zhang's second wife asked Mrs. Feng, Mrs. Zhang's third wife, in a low voice, "Why did you come back so late yesterday? Was the baptism ceremony at the Duke of Ying's mansion very lively?"

She came back so late yesterday on purpose, just to miss the evening's sleepiness and save the words for when everyone came to greet them this morning.

Her sister-in-law's words were like a ladder handed to her. She couldn't help but cheer up. She smiled and glanced at Wei Tingzhen, then said: "It's more than lively! It's simply very powerful! The emperor even gave a name to my newly born nephew!"

Madam Zhang was startled. Just as she was about to say something, Lady Jingguo, supported by her personal nanny, came out. She happened to hear the noise and couldn't help asking, "Who did the emperor give the title to?"

"The eldest grandson of the Duke of Ying's Mansion!" Mrs. Zhang San told the wife of Duke Jing what name the emperor gave to the third grandson, what name he gave to Yuan Ge'er, what the crown princess gave to the Duke of Ying's Mansion, how many guests came to the Duke of Ying's Mansion, how many third-day baptism gifts the Dou family gave, etc., all of which were exaggerated.

Lady Jingguo was also a little surprised when she heard this, and sighed, "After all, the Yingguo Mansion is respectable!" Then she instructed her personal nanny, "When Yuan'er's full moon comes, I will go and join in the fun."

Mrs. Zhang San was overjoyed. She took the arm of Lady Jingguo and said with a smile, "Mother, this kingfisher hairpin you bought today is really beautiful. Are there South China pearls on it?"

"You have sharp eyes." Lady Jingguogong smiled and went to the banquet room next door.

Wei Tingzhen followed her mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law with a dull expression, thinking bitterly: They are just distant relatives, yet they are so cocky that they don't know where to go. They even have the guts to ask the Emperor to give their son a title... But in her heart she knew that the Third Wife was mocking her after hearing about the sisters' easy marriage.

She thought of the maid sent back by Dou Ming, the handkerchief in her hand was twisted into dried mustard greens.

Two days later, Wei Tingzhen couldn't help but go back to her parents' home.

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When the baby was one month old, not only did the wife of Duke Jing come in person, but also the wife of Marquis Changxing and the wife of Marquis Yan'an, who never socialized with others, came. The wife of Marquis Changxing explained to Dou Zhao as soon as she entered the house: "My mother-in-law wanted to come and see the eldest son, but she was afraid of disturbing the child, so she had to give up."

The wife of Marquis Changxing is a widow and is not suitable to attend such a festive occasion.

Dou Zhao greeted her with a smile: "Thank you, Madam. When the child is older, I will bring him to pay his respects to you." Because the wife of the Marquis of Yan'an was Wang Qinghuai's mother and the wife of the Marquis of Yan'an's eldest son, Mrs. An, was on good terms with her, she went up to the wife of the Marquis of Yan'an warmly and greeted her. She personally invited several ladies to the small flower hall and sat with the women of the Dou family. Madam Lu and Princess Ningde, who had arrived early, were sitting and talking in the warm pavilion next to the small flower hall. Everyone greeted each other and laughed heartily, and it was very lively.