The red silk hanging from the vermilion lacquered gate of the Prince's Mansion was still swaying gently in the evening breeze. The gold dust on the wedding character had not yet fallen off, but the delivery room was already in an uproar. Chen Weiwan clutched the handkerchief embroidered with lotus flowers, her fingertips turning white from the force, and the silk was deeply wrinkled, as if she wanted to rub all the grievances of her past life into this silk handkerchief. When the first clear cry tore through the twilight, the midwife stumbled out the door, the swaddling clothes in her arms still stained with fresh blood: "Congratulations, Your Highness! The little prince is safe!" Before she finished speaking, another sharper cry shook the gilded wedding character on the beam and the powder fell off. The midwife then raised her voice: "And there is a little princess! It's twins, a boy and a girl!"
Xiao Yu, standing guard outside the door, suddenly straightened his back, his knuckles white from gripping the doorframe, and the hem of his moon-white brocade robe had already been rubbed into three deep wrinkles. The Seventh Prince, known for his ruthless killing on the battlefield, was now trembling with nervousness like a new soldier entering the battlefield. Then, from the inner chamber, came Shen Weiwan's weak, yet disdainful voice: "Seventh Prince, is holding a baby any harder than fighting in battle?"
He then cautiously reached out his hands to hold the soft little ball of flesh. Unexpectedly, the swaddled baby boy suddenly swung his lotus root-like arms, and his plump fingers snapped, precisely grasping the gold and jade hairpin on the nurse's head. The nurse cried out in pain, and the pearl tassels scattered across the floor like a broken thread, clattering against the blue bricks. Even more hilarious was the sight of the baby girl in Shen Weiwan's arms, who, facing the hastily approaching emperor, spat out a large mouthful of milk foam, splashing it squarely onto the most prominent dragon pattern on the bright yellow dragon robe, as if dotting the dragon's eye.
"Good! Good!" The emperor laughed so hard he rolled back and forth, even casually wiping the milk stains off his robe with his sleeve. "My grandson and granddaughter are truly extraordinary! Such grip and accuracy—they're truly the perfect inheritance of a general's daughter and a royal son!"
Chen Weiwan turned to Xiao Yu with a bitter face, her sweaty hair sticking to her cheeks: "It's over, it's over. I'm afraid my talent for cheating people has been maxed out. In my last life, I cheated the Liu family, and in this life, I'm afraid I'll be cheated by these two little ancestors until I cry and lose my way."
Xiao Yu's eyes curved in a smile, and he reached out to pinch his son's chubby face, only to be met with a merciless scratch. "Follow my wife," he said with a doting tone, "the disciple surpasses the master!" Before he could finish his words, his daughter in his arms suddenly kicked hard, and the peony bun that Chen Weiwan had painstakingly tied for half an hour instantly came loose. A red gold and kingfisher hairpin clattered to the blue bricks, startling Chuntao next to her so much that her hand trembled and she almost spilled the ginseng soup.
The Queen Mother hurried over, leaning on a jade dragon-headed cane. She didn't even bother to adjust her gold-rimmed glasses, which had slipped down her nose. The moment she caught sight of the two babies, she smiled widely, her wrinkles smoothing out. "I've already thought of it! The boy will be named Xiao Kengkeng, and the girl Xiao Wawawa—such resonant names!"
"Puff——" Shen Weiwan almost spit out the ginseng soup she had just drunk. She quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, but tears welled up in her eyes: "Mom, isn't this name too..."
"It's settled!" the Queen Mother declared, signaling the maid to bring the sandalwood box. Inside, two sets of small clothes were neatly folded. The soles of the tiger-head shoes were concealed with a mechanism, and a fine linen bag was sewn into the corner of the swaddling clothes. "See? These tiger-head shoes spread itching powder when you walk, and the chili bag in the swaddling clothes will protect you from those with bad intentions. Anyone who wants to secretly carry us and trick us will have to pass these two tests first!"
The doctors in the delivery room were stifling laughter until their shoulders were shaking. The old butler, listening outside, shook his head and tapped his cane against the bricks. "Well, it seems the once-good-old Prince's Mansion is about to become a den of scams."
Three days later, as per custom, she went to the Cining Palace to pay her respects. As soon as Shen Weiwan placed Kangkang in the Empress Dowager's arms, the little one burst into tears, his chubby little hands precisely grasping the pearl tassels on the Empress Dowager's phoenix crown. The Empress Dowager cried out in surprise, her hair clattering with pearls and jade, nearly ripping the entire headdress off. Even more amazing, Wa Wa drooled all over the Empress Dowager's pearl headband, giggling and blowing bubbles. Far from being annoyed, the Empress Dowager laughed so hard she slapped her thigh, "Just like Wan'er! So much like! When she first met me, she slammed her rouge box on my head!"
Xiao Yu held his forehead helplessly: "Mother, are you praising the child or insulting your wife..."
Shen Weiwan raised her eyebrows and continued, with a cunning light in her eyes: "Your Highness doesn't understand this. In the Queen Mother's mind, the one who can cheat people is the most well-behaved baby!"
On the day of the full moon banquet, nearly all the dignitaries of the capital turned out, crowding the Prince's residence. Shen Weiwan specially dressed Kengkeng in the tiger-head shoes given by the Empress Dowager and put a small hat embroidered with chili peppers on Wawa. The Imperial Tutor, relying on his long-standing friendship with the royal family, reached out to tease Kengkeng, but suddenly jumped up and shouted, "What's in those shoes? It's tickling me!"
Chen Weiwan covered her mouth in feigned surprise, but glanced at Chuntao, who was smirking, "Ah, did you step on some grass? My family's shoes have been fumigated with ambergris imported from the Western Regions for three days and three nights."
The Queen Mother immediately chimed in, the pearl necklace on her chin swaying as she moved: "You think you can touch my grandson's things so casually?"
The Grand Tutor was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, but he could only watch Kenkeng clapping and laughing in Shen Weiwan's arms, shouting incoherently: "Itchy! Itchy!" His saliva dripped down his chin onto the brand new brocade, forming a small wet mark.
The more exciting part was yet to come. At some point, Wawa had crawled into the arms of Li Shangshu's wife, and her tiny, lotus-like hands suddenly grabbed the pearl earring on her earlobe. She cried out in pain, and Wawa burst into tears, tears streaming down her face. The unsuspecting guests chided her, "Look at you, Madam Li! How could you have frightened this child like that?"
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