Chapter 101 I secretly hope this good luck will continue...
On the third day of the ninth month, the Duke of Lingguo's mansion sent someone to deliver the good news.
Zheng Chunyun gave birth to a son this morning, and both mother and child are safe and sound.
"That's wonderful!" Shen Lingyue gave Yan Yi a high five, then asked the maid who brought the news, "How is Sister Zheng? Did she give birth smoothly?"
The maid smiled and nodded repeatedly: "It went smoothly. Our lady had a good pregnancy and didn't suffer much. From the time she went into labor last night to the birth of the little prince, it only took five or six hours."
It only takes five or six hours...
Shen Lingyue felt a pang of pain and quietly took a breath.
However, given the limited medical resources in ancient times, childbirth was truly a matter of luck and physical condition, so she couldn't say anything.
"When would be a convenient time for us to visit?" Shen Lingyue asked again.
The maidservant replied with her hands at her sides, "Our Duke dotes on his wives, so he doesn't plan to hold a grand celebration for their third-day-after-birth ceremony. He will only invite close relatives and friends to attend. Before I left home, I was repeatedly instructed to make sure that the two young mistresses were invited."
Yan Yi smiled and agreed, "Go back and tell your wife that we will definitely participate."
On the day of the baby's third-day celebration, the two of them went to the Duke of Ling's mansion early in the morning.
Mei Fang came out to greet them from afar and bowed to the two of them, saying, "Miss has been looking forward to seeing you two since she woke up this morning. Please come with me."
She and Chen Hu got married in March of this year. Now she has styled her hair into a bun and dressed as a married woman, and still stays by Zheng Chunyun's side.
They originally planned to get married last winter, but Zheng Chunyun had just been diagnosed with pregnancy. Mei Fang was worried about having someone else take care of her, so she postponed the wedding for a few months until Zheng Chunyun's pregnancy was stable before she agreed.
After Gu Lin and Chen Hu became sworn brothers, they made some renovations to the courtyard in the northeast corner of the Duke of Ling's mansion. After he and Mei Fang got married, they could live their own lives behind closed doors, and it was very convenient for them to come to the main courtyard via the alleyway.
Yan Yi noticed that Mei Fang would raise her hand to gently support her lower back when going up the steps. Looking at her round and full face, she felt a kind of maternal gentleness and couldn't help but ask her about it.
“Madam Zhou has a good eye; it’s been more than three months already,” Mei Fang said with a smile. “Miss is always worried that I’m getting tired and wants me to go back to my room to lie down. But Brother Hu is at the camp all day, and it’s no fun for me to stay there alone. It’s better for me to come and keep Miss company and also take care of the young master.”
Mei Fang has already been released from her indenture, and Chen Hu is a military officer with a position. Her relationship with Zheng Chunyun has long surpassed that of master and servant. To put it bluntly, she can now be considered half a household member of the Duke of Ling's mansion.
Shen Lingyue congratulated her upon hearing this, saying, "Next year, there will be two children in the household to keep each other company."
The two entered the inner room, where Zheng Chunyun was already sitting on the headboard, waving happily and asking the maid to move a round stool to the bedside so they could talk.
As soon as Shen Lingyue sat down, she couldn't wait to ask, "Didn't the maid say your delivery went smoothly? Why do you still look like you've had a hard time?"
Zheng Chunyun was pale, wearing a headband, and looked a little swollen and tired.
She noticed the worry and fear on Shen Lingyue's face and comforted her by taking her hand: "Even if everything goes smoothly, you still gave birth to a child. Otherwise, why would you need to stay in confinement? You can just rest and recover."
Shen Lingyue held her slightly cool fingertips and subconsciously lowered her voice, "Does childbirth hurt?"
Zheng Chunyun thought for a moment and then said truthfully, "It was extremely painful, especially when I was about to give birth. The midwife kept telling me to push, but I felt like I really had no strength left, and it felt like I was about to give up at any moment..."
But the memory of that momentary pain has become brief and blurred. With the child's first cry, it seems that the hardships of the past ten months have taken on a different meaning.
Zheng Chunyun turned to the side, letting the two see the baby sleeping soundly beside her, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips, "For him, everything is worth it."
The baby, only three days old, was even smaller than the infants seen in TV dramas. Shen Lingyue held her breath and stared at him for a long time without blinking, not daring to reach out and touch him.
Zheng Chunyun, however, was much bolder. She skillfully picked up the swaddled baby and asked the two of them, "Want to try? Consider it a rehearsal."
Shen Lingyue shook her head repeatedly, "I can't, I dare not."
Zheng Chunyun then looked at Yan Yi.
Yan Yi thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll give it a try. If I hold you in the wrong way, Sister Zheng, please correct me in time."
"Come on, give me your hand, support him like this..."
Zheng Chunyun pointed and guided Yan Yi with the same meticulous attitude one would use in an experiment, perfectly replicating her movements, down to the exact angle of her raised hand, and steadily cradling the baby.
She could clearly see the little guy's rosy cheeks when she looked down; they were so tender, even smoother than almond tofu. Suddenly, he spat out a bubble of saliva with a "pop."
Yan Yi didn't feel comfortable holding the child for too long. After making sure she remembered the muscle movement, she returned the child to Zheng Chunyun.
Shen Lingyue asked, "Have you and Brother Gu named the baby yet?"
"We haven't decided on a formal name yet, so we'll just call him by his childhood nickname, Brother Bai."
Zheng Chunyun carefully wiped the baby's mouth with a handkerchief and explained to the two of them with a smile: "My husband said that he was ambushed and fell off a cliff. Fortunately, a cliff cypress growing on the rock face cushioned his fall and absorbed most of the impact, which allowed him to survive by chance."
Gu Lin named his eldest son Bai, hoping that the cliff cypress that had saved his life would continue to bless him and Chunyun's child.
We hope that Brother Bai will be able to brave the harsh winter and snow and uphold the honor of the Gu family in the future.
"My two younger sisters, I have a favor to ask."
Zheng Chunyun looked at the two of them earnestly, "I would like to have Bai Ge'er recognize you as his godmothers, so that our two families can visit each other like close relatives, is that alright?"
Although she was able to escape her previous miserable marriage thanks to the divine guidance of the Goddess of Mystery, Zheng Chunyun had a vague feeling that this good fortune was brought to her by the two people in front of her.
She secretly hoped that this good fortune could also be passed on to her children.
"Sure, what's so difficult about that? I love other people's kids the most."
Shen Lingyue made a heart shape with her hands in front of Bai Ge'er from afar, saying, "Grow up quickly, baby, and you'll have three mothers to take care of in the future."
When the time came for the baby's third-day celebration, Zheng Chunyun was not allowed to show her face, so her two newly appointed godmothers, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi, entertained the relatives and friends on her behalf.
They gathered around the bathtub, taking turns throwing peanuts, red dates, gold and silver ingots into the water, symbolizing health, wealth, and freedom from illness and disaster.
The midwife picked up Bai Ge'er, first patted his body with a green onion, then gently placed him in the basin for a sitz bath, splashing water onto his forehead while chanting a series of auspicious words.
Bai Ge'er seemed to be still half asleep. After being fussed over like this, he opened his mouth and started to cry unhappily.
The midwife's face lit up with even more joy, and she laughed, "Our little prince cries so loudly! He will surely follow in his father's footsteps and become a great hero who fights on the battlefield."
Shen Lingyue looked at Gu Lin. He could now stand and walk steadily without crutches, but the upright Duke would still clench his fists nervously at his son's cries, as if he were about to snatch Bai Ge'er from the midwife's hands at any moment.
After this ceremony, the midwife took away the gold, silver, and copper coins from the basin with satisfaction, and the wet nurse took Bai Ge'er away, preparing to take him to a side room to breastfeed.
Mei Fang came over and invited the two to take their seats.
Halfway there, Shen Lingyue reached into her purse and suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to take out the gift she had prepared for Bai Ge'er.
She let Yan Yi go first, then turned around and quickly returned to Zheng Chunyun's courtyard.
As soon as I entered, I bumped into a woman dressed as a maid, who was sneaking around outside the side room.
Without thinking, Shen Lingyue called out, "Hey, what are you doing?"
The man looked up as if startled, but turned and ran the instant he met Shen Lingyue's gaze.
Shen Lingyue's eyes widened, "...Qin Zhengzheng?!"
How did she manage to sneak into the Duke of Ling's mansion?
Soon, Gu Lin arrived with his men. As soon as he entered the room, he strode towards Zheng Chunyun, hugged her and Bai Ge'er tightly, and asked her in a low voice, "Didn't I tell you to stay in bed? Why did you get up?"
Zheng Chunyun's face paled even more, her brows furrowed, and she stared intently at Qin Zhengzheng, whose hands were bound behind her back and who was pinned to the ground. She asked in a trembling voice, "Why did you come here? What do you want to do to my child?"
Just now, Bai Ge'er was taken to the front to have her bathed. She was a little tired and wanted to take a nap.
Later, the wet nurse brought Bai Ge'er back, and Mei Fang happened to go to the neighboring courtyard where a banquet was being held to entertain guests, creating a brief vacuum in the courtyard.
She couldn't imagine what Qin Zhengzheng would have done to Bai Ge'er if Shen Lingyue hadn't turned back halfway and had instead sneaked into the wet nurse's room, given her current deranged state.
Qin Zhengzheng stared at her intently, then suddenly began to struggle wildly, screaming, "It was you! You all ruined everything for me! I hate you! I'm going to kill your child and make you suffer like I did!"
Yan Yi arrived a step too late after receiving the message. She and Shen Lingyue stood in a corner, looking at Qin Zhengzheng's current appearance, and could hardly recognize her.
Although Qin Zhengzheng wasn't exactly a stunning beauty in the past, she was at least a pretty girl who was loved by Gu Yuan.
Now, just over a year after being expelled from the Duke of Ling's mansion, she looks seven or eight years older, her skin is rough, her figure is slightly swollen, and her clothes are very shabby, even worse than those of the head maid in the Duke's mansion.
Zheng Chunyun closed her eyes and said coldly, "Your child with Gu Yuan died earlier this year because you two argued constantly. You were pregnant and kept drinking, so the child you gave birth to was born weak and could easily die from a cold. But that is not a reason for you to harm my son."
"How could it not be?!" Qin Zhengzheng's eyes were filled with hatred. "If you hadn't kicked us out of the house, would Gu Yuan have argued with me? My child was born a noble young master in the Duke's mansion. When he was sick, he could have the best doctors and the best medicine. Would he have died so easily? My child is gone, but your child was born. It's clear that your son took my son's life!"
Zheng Chunyun was so angry at her twisted logic that she felt dizzy and weak, and could only lean on Gu Lin.
Bai Ge'er seemed to be frightened as well, and cried even harder than when he was being bathed on his third day.
Gu Lin gestured to the wet nurse to take Bai Ge'er to the quiet room next door to soothe him, and Mei Fang hurriedly followed.
With a slight effort, he lifted Zheng Chunyun up and gently placed her back on the bed, tucking her in.
"Don't get angry with irrelevant people, leave it to me to handle."
Gu Lin walked up to Qin Zhengzheng and looked down at her. Although he didn't say a word, an invisible killing intent emanated from him, pressing down on her back as if it were a physical force.
Qin Zhengzheng shivered inexplicably, a sense of fear rising in her heart, and dared not make a loud noise anymore.
“I will not lay a hand on a woman, so I will report you to the authorities for trespassing on the Duke’s residence and attempting to take liberties with the future heir. The specific sentence and duration will be decided by the Shuntian Prefecture.”
Qin Zhengzheng's face instantly turned ashen. "No, we can't report this to the authorities!"
If she were imprisoned, wouldn't Gu Yuan have a reason to divorce her?
She began to struggle again, pleading, "Your Excellency, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I was bewitched. Please, have mercy on me this time. I promise I will never dare to do it again!"
She tried to appeal to emotions, choking back tears as she said, "I'm just a mother who lost her son. I didn't want this to happen. I must have been possessed to do these things out of control..."
Gu Lin wasn't hooked at all, and said calmly, "If you don't want to go to jail, then tell me the truth: who helped you infiltrate the Duke's mansion?"
He managed his household like an army, and while the large Duke's mansion wasn't exactly impregnable, it was at least well-organized and strictly regulated.
Even if the family was celebrating the baby's third birthday today and was a little more relaxed, it would have been impossible for Qin Zhengzheng to sneak into the backyard so easily.
Qin Zhengzheng avoided eye contact and stammered, not daring to speak.
“I know even if you don’t say it.” Gu Lin’s expression became even calmer, with a self-deprecating tone of “knowing it all along.”
"It's my mother, isn't it?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Here it comes [Let me see] Ugh, my period always makes me so prone to back and stomach aches. I've been sitting all day and I'm completely numb 5555
Don't forget to leave a comment on the previous chapter!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
