Upon seeing that it was a daughter, Jin Xiaoran's attitude immediately underwent a complete 180-degree change.
The initial anger, indifference, and even some disgust transformed into surprise, joy, and gratitude.
"Thank God for giving me a precious daughter!" Jin Xiaoran's hands trembled slightly as he held the baby. He could hardly believe that such a wonderful thing had happened to him!
"Daughter, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have hit you. It's all my fault." Jin Xiaoran kept apologizing to the baby in his arms, gently rocking her and lovingly checking her body for any red marks from the beating.
Looking at his daughter's little arm, which was red from his beating, his eyes filled with tears, and his face turned red. In the end, he couldn't hold back and shed a few tears.
"It's all Dad's fault, he hit too hard."
They say men don't easily shed tears, but he longed for a daughter. His son, though filial, was too dull, always wearing a cold expression.
Having a daughter these days is wonderful; a daughter is like a warm cotton-padded jacket, a little darling.
"Yun Ge, we have a daughter! It's so wonderful to have a daughter, she'll definitely grow up to be as beautiful as you!" Jin Xiaoran wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and held the baby tightly in his arms.
"Congratulations, General! Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!" The palace servants and midwives of Xiaoyue Pavilion knelt on the ground, loudly proclaiming auspicious words.
Seeing how happy the master is, the reward tonight will definitely be plentiful!
"A generous reward! Yan Ying, go and distribute the rewards to them. I need to spend some time with Madam." Jin Xiaoran instructed the guard beside him.
"Yes, General." Yan Ying nodded. "Come with me to collect your reward!" Yan Ying waved her hand and led the maids and servants out.
Jin Xiaoran, holding the baby, beamed with joy. "Wife, what do you think we should name our daughter?"
"Let me see my daughter." Xun Yunge tugged at Jin Xiaoran's sleeve.
"Come and look at her! Our daughter is so beautiful! Her eyes are so bright and lively, like yours, and her face is so delicate. Her eyes are like black pearls!"
"Really?" Xun Yunge listened to Jin Xiaoran's description and imagined what her daughter would look like, with eyes like black pearls, she would be so beautiful!
Jin Xiaoran quickly placed his precious daughter in Xun Yunge's arms.
The couple looked at the baby girl inside the quilt, and the baby girl blinked her eyes at them.
The baby girl was thin and small, with a sallow complexion and little light in her eyes. She looked very tired, as if she had just gone through a life-or-death battle.
The baby girl's skin on her arms and legs was also wrinkled, and she didn't look very healthy.
"Perhaps she wasn't born full-term, that's why she's so thin and small," Xun Yunge sighed.
"Yes, he looks a bit dull, not very bright."
"What do you think we should name our daughter?"
"How about Huihui? I hope our daughter will be clever and quick-witted in the future," Xun Yunge said, coming up with a name.
“Yes, that’s good.” Jin Xiaoran nodded in agreement.
"Yu Yu is fine too. She'll definitely grow up to be like a precious jade, crystal clear." Xun Yunge pondered that she had to be very careful when naming her daughter and choose a name that sounded wonderful.
“Hmm, this one is not bad either.” Jin Xiaoran nodded again.
"But many of the young ladies from prominent families in the capital have the character 'jade' in their names."
"It's a bit too ordinary, not special enough." Xun Yunge shook her head slightly. She wanted to give her daughter a unique name.
"We need to find another one."
“Hmm, another one is fine too,” Jin Xiaoran echoed again.
"Can't you have a little bit of your own opinion?!" Xun Yunge turned to look at the person next to her and gave Jin Xiaoran a disgruntled look.
"I'll do whatever you say." Jin Xiaoran chuckled.
"Wife, look at our daughter, she's so skinny, she looks like a roast chicken."
"How dare you talk like that?" Xun Yunge slapped Jin Xiaoran in displeasure.
The baby girl in her arms also started crying loudly, seemingly understanding that her own father had said she looked like a roast chicken, and was very dissatisfied.
"Our biggest wish is for our daughter to grow up healthy and strong."
"That's right. It's best not to get sick and to grow up healthy and happy."
"How about we name him Zhuangzhuang?" Jin Xiaoran suggested, "This would definitely be a unique name."
"Hmm, that's a good name, Jin Zhuangzhuang. He'll definitely grow up strong and healthy!"
"Okay, then let's call him Zhuangzhuang!"
"Oh, Zhuangzhuang, let Daddy hug you!"
...
Inside the Zichen Palace, just as dawn broke, Yun Beiye was already seated at his desk, beginning to review memorials.
"Your Majesty, I heard that Lady Jin, who lives in Xiaoyue Pavilion, has given birth." Zhao Zhongquan brought in breakfast, placing rice porridge and braised beef on the desk, and then poured Yun Beiye a cup of hot tea.
"Oh? Is that so?" Yun Beiye raised an eyebrow and took a sip of tea.
"Boy or girl?" Yun Beiye took a big gulp of porridge and picked up a slice of braised beef, putting it in his mouth.
"I heard it's a girl," Zhao Zhongquan replied, bowing his head as he served food to Yun Beiye.
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Old Jin has a daughter too?" Yun Beiye raised an eyebrow. Among the ministers, apart from Prime Minister Xue, no one else had a daughter or granddaughter. Old Jin was lucky, having a daughter as soon as he arrived at the palace.
"It seems our palace is truly blessed!"
"You can have a daughter just by living in the palace!"
Zhao Zhongquan was speechless and could only agree, "Yes, Your Majesty is right. It's all thanks to Your Majesty."
"Yes, Old Jin has a daughter. That's perfect. Duoduo doesn't have any sisters. We can take the Jin family's little girl to Fushuang Palace so she can play with Duoduo."
Zhao Zhongquan stiffened upon hearing this. Was the Emperor of Nanyang trying to snatch a minister's child?
This baby has just been born, and already has to leave its parents? What a poor child, born in this freezing weather, and now has to be taken to another palace to be raised.
Zhao Zhongquan felt a pang of guilt, but dared not say anything.
"Why are you still standing here?" Yun Beiye looked at Zhao Zhongquan, puzzled, seeing that he hadn't moved.
Seeing Zhao Zhong's troubled expression, Yun Beiye said, "Ah, convey my decree to bestow the title of Princess Jiaping upon the eldest daughter of the Jin family, and to allow General Jin and Madam Jin to visit Fushuang Palace at any time. It just so happens that her brother also lives in Fushuang Palace, so it will be convenient for the two siblings to live together and take care of each other. Go and make the arrangements quickly!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, this old servant will go immediately."
...
The decree quickly reached Xiaoyue Pavilion. Zhao Zhongquan, looking troubled, held the promotion and paced back and forth outside the pavilion.
Jin Xiaoran and Xun Yunge looked rather grim inside the bedchamber.
"What does Your Majesty mean by this?!"
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