When the child’s milk name was reported to Song Yichun, he let out a cold snort at Liao Bifeng, saying, “Only girls are named ‘Yuanjie’, how can a boy be called ‘Yuange’? Go tell him to name the child ‘Dongge’ instead.”
Liao Bifeng smiled and agreed, then went back to report to Song Mo. Song Mo pretended not to hear and continued to call the child “Yuange”. Naturally, the people in Yizhi Hall followed Song Mo’s lead and called him “Yuange”, while the people in Duke Ying’s manor called him “Dongge” in front of Song Yichun and “Yuange” in front of Song Mo.
Chen Qushui teased, “Usually, the younger the child, the more such names can ward off evil and avoid disasters. But with ‘Yuange’ and ‘Dongge’, it’ll be troublesome if someone slips up. I think we should just call him ‘Young Master’. Yuange is the eldest legitimate grandson of Duke Ying’s manor, and his great-grandfather is no longer around, so this title is fitting.”
Liao Bifeng seized the opportunity to stir things up, saying, “Then let’s call him Young Master. It’ll save a lot of trouble.”
When someone reported this to Song Mo in an attempt to curry favor, although his expression remained unchanged, he rewarded that old woman with two taels of silver.
With this, the servants in the manor understood the direction of the wind and began calling Yuange “Young Master”.
People outside the manor heard this and couldn’t help but wonder, “Then what do you call your family’s Second Young Master now?”
The people from the manor laughed and said, “He’s still called Second Young Master.”
The outsiders couldn’t help but laugh: “So the nephew has climbed over his uncle’s head.”
“Well, the Second Young Master isn’t married yet, right? When he gets married, his title can be elevated then.”
Usually, the person being criticized is the last to know.
By the time Song Han found out, this matter had already spread throughout the capital and had been a joke for a long time.
Despite this, the formal name “Mingyi” that Song Mo had given the child was only used for one evening. On the day of the third-day celebration, Wang Ge, who had been promoted to Junior Supervisor of the Qianqing Palace, personally came to Duke Ying’s manor to deliver an imperial edict. The Emperor had bestowed the name “He” on Yuange.
Song Mo and Song Yichun were astonished.
Only the royal family would use such an obscure character for naming, to avoid taboos.
The Emperor was completely following royal customs in naming Yuange. And the Emperor wasn’t a fussy person; he couldn’t even recognize all of his grandchildren, so how would he think of bestowing a name on Yuange? Moreover, naming was always a matter for the family elders. Song Yichun hadn’t even spoken up, yet the Emperor had overstepped. Although this was a supreme honor, it came so unexpectedly that it made them uneasy.
Song Mo accepted the imperial edict, and together with Song Yichun, invited Wang Ge to the small flower hall for tea.
Song Yichun asked Wang Ge, “How did the Emperor think of bestowing a name on our child?”
Wang Ge dealt more with Song Mo, and although Song Yichun hadn’t been in the Emperor’s favor these past two years, he was still one of the five seal-holding commanders of the Five Commands. Wang Ge considered himself on good terms with both Song’s father and son, so he spoke frankly, “The Emperor is waiting for this servant to return and attend to him, so I won’t beat around the bush with the Duke and the Young Master.
Your family’s eldest young master has benefited from the Third Imperial Grandson’s good fortune. Yesterday was the Third Imperial Grandson’s third-day celebration, and the Emperor went to the Eastern Palace. Seeing the Third Imperial Grandson plump and healthy, eating and sleeping well, he was delighted and bestowed a name on the Third Imperial Grandson.
Early this morning, the Emperor suddenly remembered that your family’s eldest young master was only one day younger than the Third Imperial Grandson and would be having his third-day celebration today. So he ordered the Court of State Ceremonial to write an imperial edict and sent this servant as an imperial envoy to your manor to proclaim it.”
Was it really like this?
Song Yichun strongly suspected that Song Mo had pulled some strings.
But this wasn’t the right occasion to probe further.
He hurriedly said a bunch of “thank you for the Emperor’s grace” and similar phrases and stuffed two large red envelopes to Wang Ge.
Song Mo quietly asked Wang Ge, “What name did the Emperor bestow on the Third Imperial Grandson?”
Wang Ge then used tea water to write the character “Chong” on the tea table.
Chong: A wild swan flies ten thousand miles, soaring high into the azure sky.
He: The shaft of a feather, taking the large feathers as two wings, flapping and flying high.
Song Yichun drew in a sharp breath.
What did the Emperor mean by this?
Did he want Yuange to assist the imperial grandson?
Song Mo, however, was very grateful.
Whether the Emperor had made a spur-of-the-moment decision as Wang Ge said, or knew that his father was unkind and intentionally elevated this child, having this name bestowed by the Emperor was like putting a protective talisman on the child. Anyone who wanted to give the child trouble would have to think twice now.
He rewarded Wang Ge with two more large red envelopes before seeing him off. He then enshrined the imperial edict in the ancestral hall and went to the palace with Song Yichun to express their gratitude.
The inner courtyard was already in an uproar.
People who came to attend Yuange’s third-day celebration were congratulating Dou Zhao one after another.
Dou Zhao smiled and said “thank you” to each of them.
The midwife also felt honored, looking at the large and small silver and gold ingots in the basin, she couldn’t stop smiling, “Oh my, this old woman has also benefited. I can show off to the neighbors when I go back.”
Suxin and the others serving Dou Zhao covered their mouths and laughed.
The Fifth Madam couldn’t help but sigh, “The Fourth Young Master truly has face before the Emperor. The child isn’t even three days old, and a name has already been bestowed.”
The Sixth Madam nodded, but said, “What’s more admirable is the Fourth Young Master’s single-hearted devotion to Miss Shou.” She felt somewhat fearful, thinking that if she had stubbornly opposed this marriage at the time, wouldn’t she have harmed Miss Shou?
It seemed that in the future, she would need to be more cautious in her words and actions.
Madam Cai, on the other hand, had undisguised envy: “The Fourth Young Madam’s luck is indeed better than the Fifth Young Madam’s. When they were young, there’s no need to mention it. When they grew up, even though the Fifth Young Madam snatched her betrothal, she still managed to marry into a noble family. Not only did she marry in, but she married even better than before. One can’t help but admire her!”
Madam Guo didn’t know what to say and didn’t respond. Madam Han had always looked down on Madam Cai’s vulgarity, so she just smiled without saying anything. Dou Wenzhang’s wife, the First Madam Wen, wanted to ask how Dou Ming was doing, but seeing that no one mentioned Dou Ming at all, she swallowed her words and couldn’t help but sigh for Dou Ming in her heart.
The First Madam Song, however, felt bitter inside.
Now that Dou Zhao had given birth to a son, her position in the manor was even more secure.
Her words about the midwife that day were just testing the waters, and she feared there would be more questions to answer in the future.
But she didn’t know anything, how could she respond?
Thinking about how she had first offended Dou Zhao by taking over the household management of Duke Ying’s manor, and now Dou Zhao suspected her of being involved in Song Han and Jiang Yan’s affair, she felt like jumping into the Yellow River.
If Dou Zhao didn’t believe she was innocent at all, and this affected her children’s prospects, would her husband and son still respect her?
The First Madam Song felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. She glanced at the Third Madam Song and the Fourth Madam Song.
The Third Madam Song was very dissatisfied with the Song family women being seated near the door and was quietly grumbling to the Fourth Madam Song, trying to encourage her to complain.
The Fourth Madam Song smiled and listened on the surface, but in her heart, she disdained this.
The third-day celebration was naturally a matter for the maternal family, and the Dou family was renowned and generous. If they didn’t sit in the place of honor, who would?
She thought of the few words Dou Zhao had said when they came to visit on the day Yuange was born.
Could it be that those rumors in the manor were true?
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but glance at the resting room to the west.
Princess Ningde and Old Madam Lu were resting there, with Jiang Yan serving tea.
The two elderly ladies looked at Jiang Yan, but their conversation was about something else.
“With this name bestowed by the Emperor, Yuange’s position as the eldest legitimate grandson is secure. The position of Duke Ying will never fall to that person.” Princess Ningde said, taking a light sip of tea.
“Our family has elevated Duke Ying’s manor so much, it’s not to make a wedding dress for a bastard of unknown origin,” Old Madam Lu raised her eyebrows, her expression no longer showing her usual kindness and benevolence, instead appearing cold and stern, revealing the authority and aura of the family matriarch. “It’s such a pity for Miss Yan, such a beautiful young lady, ruthlessly harmed by that cheap woman! No matter how well-behaved and sensible that bastard acts, just thinking about him having that cheap woman’s blood makes me sick!”
Her sister-in-law had always been the most unyielding, never tolerating even a speck of sand in her eye. It was only because of her advanced age that she had become somewhat restrained.
Jiang Yan’s matter, however, had triggered her temper.
Princess Ningde could only say, “If the matter gets bigger, it would be a scandal after all, which wouldn’t benefit Yantang either. We can only take it slowly.”
Old Madam Lu nodded and said, “Let’s not talk about other things. First, we need to get Huisun’s dowry back, then help arrange a marriage for Song Han, let him set up his household, and separate from the main family. This way, I won’t lose my appetite every time I see him.”
“I’m afraid the Duke has other ideas,” Princess Ningde pondered. “Why don’t we ask the Empress Dowager to arrange a marriage for Song Han? Every year, there are female officials released from the palace, and some relatives of the imperial concubines went to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Any of them would be suitable for him.”
Most of the imperial concubines came from humble backgrounds, and their sisters were often newly rich, with few presentable ones. After marrying into the family, without female elders to guide them, it would be good enough if they didn’t make mistakes. Hoping for them to compete with Dou Zhao was probably beyond their ability, even if they had the desire.
Old Madam Lu was very satisfied with Princess Ningde’s idea and whispered, “Then we shouldn’t delay. Take the opportunity when you enter the palace to congratulate on the Third Imperial Grandson’s full month celebration to sound out the Empress Dowager’s opinion.”
Princess Ningde smiled and agreed. Just then, a servant boy came running in: “An eunuch from the Eastern Palace has come on the orders of the Crown Princess to deliver congratulatory gifts for the Young Master’s third-day celebration.”
Song Mo and Song Yichun had both gone to the palace to express gratitude, and Dou Zhao was still in confinement, so the First Madam Song went out to express thanks and brought the gifts back.
It was just a pair of “step-by-step promotion” gold ingots, but because it was bestowed by the Crown Princess, it held a different meaning. The midwife held it in her hands, feeling somewhat dizzy.
Everyone couldn’t help but offer another round of congratulations.
Jiang Liuzhu came to congratulate Yuange’s third-day celebration.
She had helped cover for Jiang Yan before, so Jiang Yan felt close to her and led her to pay respects to Old Madam Lu and Princess Ningde.
Jiang Liuzhu was witty and eloquent, making the two elderly ladies laugh heartily from time to time.
Jiang Yan obediently served tea and water to everyone on the side.
On the way back from Duke Ying’s manor, Old Madam Lu sighed to Princess Ningde, “Unperturbed by honor or disgrace, that’s the true demeanor of a lady from a noble family. How can this be achieved just by having an official father or brother, or having some money in the family?”
Jiang Liuzhu’s father-in-law was just a small commander, and her husband was a commoner, yet she stood among the ladies, neither humble nor arrogant, calm and composed.
Princess Ningde patted Old Madam Lu’s hand, “Yantang’s wife is sensible. With Ah Yan by her side, she will guide Ah Yan well.”
“I hope so,” Old Madam Lu smiled bitterly.