Chapter 199 You should take good care of Li Niang and... and the cat.
(Thanks to Fat Tiger 10 for casting a monthly vote.)
Li Chunli and Liu Shu's first child was a baby girl born on the 15th of the seventh lunar month.
A child born at this hour received no treatment at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, not even a wet nurse, and Li Chunli had to breastfeed him herself!
Even though Li Chunli was willing to breastfeed, she was already injured during childbirth, so where would she find enough energy to produce enough milk to support a child?
Having had to feed her child rice porridge for two days, Qin Tao looked at the baby in her arms, who resembled a kitten, and the baby's weak breathing was truly heartbreaking.
After Qin Tao raised her head, she saw Li Chunli leaning against the brocade quilt on the bed. Looking at Li Chunli's lips, which were devoid of any color, Qin Tao knew in her heart that things could not continue like this. She had to find a wet nurse and also take good care of Li Chunli's health.
Where in such a wealthy family would someone personally breastfeed their child?
Qin Tao fed the last mouthful of rice porridge into the mouth of the little girl, whose nickname Li Chunli had given her, "Cat." After patting her to help her burp, she coaxed Cat to sleep.
As soon as she put the cat down, Qin Tao took a clean cloth, dipped it in hot water, and used it to wipe Li Chunli's body. It would take some time for the lochia to clear up.
After watching Li Chunli drink most of a bowl of meat porridge and coaxing her to fall asleep, Qin Tao gave a few instructions to the maid who was in charge of serving Li Chunli, then carefully wrapped the cat up again and went out with the cat.
What is Qin Tao going out to do?
Naturally, they would go find someone who could ensure that Mao'er and Li Chunli could live a good life in this palace!
Who is this person?
The only one who could be the cat's father, the biological father of the child born to Li Chunli, is Crown Prince Liu Shu!
Qin Tao had assumed Liu Shu was a sentimental person, after all, she had witnessed Liu Shu's behavior on the day Li Chunli gave birth, and he seemed like a man who would care for others.
But reality is a slap in the face!
Liu Shu hasn't shown up even once in all the days since the kittens were born.
If you say that a woman in the postpartum period needs to sit in confinement and you can't come into the house, that's true.
If you can't come to see Li Chunli, then at least you can come and see the cat, right?
This is your own child!
Even if you don't come yourself, sending someone to deliver some supplies would be good. At least it would make Li Chunli more comfortable and better to eat, right?
But after so many days, not only have we not received anyone, we haven't received a single item either!
Li Chunli risked her life to give birth to your child, and you didn't even show any appreciation?
Liu Shu, where is your heart now?
However, no matter how angry Qin Tao was inside, she maintained a calm and composed demeanor on her face.
She bribed the midwife who delivered Li Chunli's baby that day beforehand. From the midwife, or rather from the midwife's husband, the man who worked as a stableman in the Prince's mansion, she learned that Liu Shuhui would be taking a carriage out at 9:00 AM that day.
Qin Tao, carrying the cat, carefully avoided the maids and servants walking back and forth on the road, heading towards the corner she had to pass to get to the stables.
When they reached the corner, Qin Tao, holding the cat, hid behind the wall and quietly waited for Liu Shu to arrive.
The cat is an obedient and good child. As long as it has food in its belly, it will behave itself without crying or making a fuss.
The cat was fast asleep. Qin Tao pulled back a corner of the blanket and looked at the cat sleeping soundly with its eyes closed. Her eyes were full of tenderness.
A little over fifteen minutes later, Qin Tao heard footsteps approaching from afar. She knew that Liu Shu was coming.
Liu Shu walked in front, and her page followed a step behind her.
As the two passed the corner, Liu Shu initially didn't notice Qin Tao standing by the wall. It was only after Qin Tao called out "Your Highness" that Liu Shu stopped in her tracks.
Turning around, Liu Shu saw Qin Tao standing by the wall, holding a cat. All the anger in Qin Tao's heart turned into pity when she saw Liu Shu.
Qin Tao stepped forward and knelt down directly in front of Liu Shu, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression. She knelt on the ground, holding the cat in her arms, and looked up at Liu Shu with a pitiful and pleading expression.
The pageboy was startled and quickly stepped forward to block Liu Shu's path.
After being startled, Liu Shu took a closer look and recognized Qin Tao's still relatively young face. He had lived in Qin Tao's house for a while and had been personally taken care of by her. Liu Shu immediately recognized her as Qin Tao, the mother of his maid Li Chunli.
Liu Shu said to the page who had already scolded Qin Tao, "Wait."
Qin Tao knew at this moment that she had to seize the opportunity. She didn't need to pretend anymore. As soon as she thought about what Li Chunli and Mao'er had gone through these past few days, tears streamed down her face as if they were free.
When people cry, especially women, it takes a lot of skill to cry beautifully without being annoying.
Qin Tao is a woman who cries very easily.
She used to cry a lot in front of Mr. Li, which made him feel sorry for her, but it caused Ms. Li a lot of trouble.
At this moment, she cried very restrainedly, her red eyes, the two lines of clear tears flowing from the corners of her eyes, her red nose, and even the degree to which she raised her chin were all controlled by her.
At least, seeing Qin Tao crying like this, Liu Shu couldn't bear to let his page scold her.
"You are Li Niang's mother, why don't you take good care of Li Niang?"
"So you've come all this way?"
Qin Tao remained silent, but carefully lifted a corner of the blanket in her arms, revealing the thin cat's little face.
"Your Highness, Cat is your own child. Please, Your Highness, grant Cat and Sister Li a way to live."
Looking at the little face wrapped in a blanket in Qin Tao's arms, and hearing Qin Tao call her "Cat," Liu Shu knew that this was the child born on the fifteenth of July.
His child with Li Chunli.
Liu Shu, who subconsciously took a half step back before standing still, felt a little embarrassed for a moment when she saw Qin Tao's tearful eyes looking at her.
Before his embarrassment could subside, Qin Tao began to recount the treatment she had received while staying at Li Chunli's courtyard these past few days: "...There wasn't even a wet nurse, and the cat has been drinking rice gruel for two days straight..."
Her voice, tinged with tears, evoked pity, especially since Qin Tao was talking about his concubine and their child.
"Your Highness, please have mercy on Sister Li and Cat!"
Looking at Qin Tao, who had lowered her head, and listening to what Qin Tao said, Liu Shu knew in his heart that because Mao'er was born in the 15th of the seventh lunar month and was a little girl, she was not favored by the princess, at least not as much as she was favored by Shou Ge'er.
The princess was displeased, and those below naturally changed their tune accordingly, which is why Mao'er didn't even have a wet nurse.
You know, Shou Ge'er is still drinking human milk.
"Okay, I understand."
I'll talk to my mother later and arrange for two wet nurses to go there, and also give some money to Li Niang.
Please take good care of Li Niang and...and the cat.
After saying that, Liu Shu turned and left.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com