Chapter 496 The First Birthday Ceremony
Kogoro's birthday happened to coincide with Li Sanniang's day off.
Because Li's mother had previously promised to hold a proper first birthday celebration for Xiao Wulang, Li San Niang sent a message to the midwives at the midwifery school in advance, saying that she would not be attending classes this time.
The letter stated that the classes had to be cancelled because of the baby's first birthday celebration.
To Li San Niang's surprise, aside from her disciples Song Fuling and Linglan who came to visit in person, everyone else who didn't come that day also brought children's toys and food.
Watching Li San Niang, Song Fu Ling, and Bao Ya busily placing items on the table with Wu Qiao Lan, Li's mother said to Ling Lan, who was holding Xiao Ping An, "Thank you for coming to our home to witness the ceremony. Little Wu is such a small child, how could he have such a big honor?"
You'd better eat a lot later; it won't take you half a day to prepare this.
Lily of the Valley is so eloquent! "What language are you speaking?"
How could I possibly miss my master's nephew's first birthday celebration?
It's not far away; I can walk here.
"It's just a copy of the Three Character Classic. I can tell from Xiao Wu's appearance that he's intelligent; he's bound to amount to something in the future."
On this day, everyone speaks well of others. Even though Li's mother knew that Linglan was deliberately saying nice things, she was still very happy to hear these words.
Apart from Li Da Xiong and Li Er Lang who were on duty, and Li Da Lang who was at the border, everyone else in the family was at home that day.
Because of the summer holiday, Li Sanlang and Xiao Silang were also at home that day.
Li San Niang was helping Bao Ya and Song Fu Ling arrange the items on the table as Wu Qiao Lan had instructed when a hearty laugh came from outside the door.
Li San Niang looked up and exclaimed in delight, "Master! Junior Brother!"
"Young Master Fang is here too!" Li San Niang looked back again and saw that Fang Chengxian had also come in.
The reclusive Dr. Liang, who had always lived in the backyard next door, and the young boy from Shaoyang were welcomed into the main hall by Li's father and Li's second brother.
"Shaoyang, Fang Langjun, and I are just joining in the fun, so let's put this jade pestle up to make up the numbers."
As Dr. Liang spoke, the young boy from Shaoyang opened the wooden box in his hand, revealing a pure white jade pestle inside.
The young boy from Shaoyang handed the wooden box to Li San Niang.
Holding the pestle, Li San Niang immediately sensed the warm and smooth texture of the jade; it was a fine piece of jade.
Seeing that her father nodded, Li San Niang carefully put the jade pestle back into the wooden box and placed it neatly in the center of the long table. Next to the pestle was the "Three Character Classic" that Ling Lan had brought.
At this moment, Fang Chengxian's servant, Duoshou, also stepped forward, carrying a wooden box in his hand.
Fang Chengxian smiled and said to Li's father and second brother, "It is Chengxian who has bothered you."
This is a delicate little abacus made of gold; may Kogoro one day enter the Ministry of Revenue and rise through the ranks.
At the same time, Duoshou opened the wooden box, revealing a small, golden abacus about half the size of an adult's palm.
Li San Niang immediately thought, "Amazing!"
The abacus—this is probably the most valuable thing on the table besides the pestle.
Moreover, Fang Langjun is too good at talking!
This abacus can be used for bookkeeping, for business, or even for holding a high-ranking official position in the Ministry of Revenue!
Everyone loves to hear nice things, and in any case, the Li family members present were all smiling happily.
Qin Niangzi from the Women's Help Association also brought a copy of the "Thousand Character Classic," but at this moment, Li's mother, Qin Niangzi, and Li Ersao were helping Xiao Wulang take a bath.
Li San Niang looked at the long table and saw that it was almost fully set up, with books like the "Three Character Classic" and the "Thousand Character Classic," and Li Erxiong had also put a copy of the "Compendium of Materia Medica" on it.
Next to the books were an inkstone and a writing brush, which Li Sanlang had specially brought from the study of the four little ones.
At the very bottom of the book is a seal, which belongs to Brother Li.
Sister-in-law Li brought it specially, saying, "My eldest son said he's bringing it out for Xiao Wu's first birthday celebration, hoping that Xiao Wu will become a higher official in the future."
Next to the seal were Dr. Liang's jade pestle and the small gold abacus given by Fang Chengxian.
Next, after Li's mother had thoroughly washed and cleaned the items, she placed in copper coins and a ten-tael silver ingot.
Li San Niang was the funniest; she put the peach wood sword she had bought for the four little ones and Lu Zhu'er to play with on it as well.
Li's mother wanted to stop her, but Li's second sister-in-law looked at the peach wood sword and said, "Mother, my aunt put it away very well."
If Xiao Wu could follow in his elder brother's footsteps and join the army to make a name for himself, that wouldn't be so bad.
That's how the peach wood sword wasn't taken off the long table.
Of course, there were more than just these things on the long table. There were also wooden rulers, bronze scales, toy wooden bows, arrows, and so on, making the long table full.
As Li San Niang was calculating the time, she was just about to ask if she should go and urge Li's mother and the others who were giving Xiao Wulang a bath when she saw Li's mother carrying Xiao Wulang into the room.
Kogoro was dressed up specially today. He was wearing a bright red outfit that had been made in advance, which made the already fair-skinned and cute Kogoro look especially good today.
Li San Niang wanted to reach out and hug him.
"This child has a full forehead and a high nose bridge; he has a good face."
"Oh my, Master, you can read faces too!"
Li San Niang was surprised that the old doctor Liang could say such a thing. The old doctor Liang stroked his beard and shook his head: "How could I know how to read faces? I've just read a few books and know a little bit about it."
An incense burner was placed at the head of the main hall.
Then, Li's father, leading his second brother who was holding Xiao Wulang, stepped forward, offered incense, and bowed three times. Li's father said, "Li Jianjie, the third-generation descendant of the Li family, is turning one year old today..."
Li San Niang was essentially telling her ancestor that her descendant, Li Jianjie, was turning one year old today, and that she hoped her ancestor would bless him with intelligence and good fortune from the afterlife.
After incense was lit and three bows were made, Kogoro, dressed in a bright red shirt, was placed on a long table covered with a red cloth.
Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li came to the other end of the long table and teased Xiao Wulang to crawl forward.
Everyone was watching Kogoro intently, and every move he made captivated everyone's attention.
Even Lu Zhu'er, who was being held in Li San Niang's arms, was staring intently at Xiao Wu Lang without uttering a sound, wanting to see what Xiao Wu Lang could grab first.
"Wulang, come, come, come to your mother."
Li Ersao held a piece of cake at the other end of the long table, teasing Xiaowulang. Xiaowulang seemed to want Li Ersao to hold him, or perhaps he was just attracted by the cake, and crawled over to her again and again.
Kogoro passed the peach wood sword, skipped the "Compendium of Materia Medica," climbed over the "Three Character Classic," touched the cover of the "Three Character Classic" a couple of times, and then put his hand down.
Kogoro's every move had everyone's hearts under his control.
When it came to the pestle, Kogoro reached out and grabbed it, and didn't let go!
Brother Li called out Xiao Wulang's name from the other end. Xiao Wulang looked up at Brother Li and then crawled forward. In just a few moments, he reached Brother Li's hand.
"Good, good, my son, you aspire to be a doctor and follow in your footsteps to become a renowned physician!"
When Li Erxiong picked up Kogoro, who was still holding the pestle, he felt something uncomfortable against his chest. He reached out and found that it was the small golden abacus that Fang Chengxian had given him, hanging on the sachet hanging on Kogoro's waist.
Brother Li, holding the small abacus, smiled at Xiao Wulang: "Well, it turns out you're quite the money-lover, young man."
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