Ye Xian was accompanying the Old Marquis as he received medical treatment.

After the Marquis of Chang Xing’s incident, the Old Marquis began suffering from constant minor ailments. In these two years, he had aged considerably, his posture suddenly becoming hunched and his hair turning largely white. In his youth, he had campaigned in both the north and south, striking awe in all directions, but his body had also accumulated many old wounds. Now that he was aging, these old injuries began to torment him.

It had rained a few days ago, and the Old Marquis’s knees had become red and swollen, preventing him from walking.

Madam Gao had made him a pair of knee protectors to wear overnight, but they weren’t very effective.

Imperial Physician Guo took the Old Marquis’s pulse and then went aside to write a prescription.

Ye Xian handed a bowl of red date and white fungus soup to the Old Marquis.

“I heard… the cabinet has confirmed Fu An as Minister of War?” the Old Marquis asked Ye Xian slowly after taking a sip of the soup.

Ye Xian made a sound of agreement: “Fu An has certainly worked hard and achieved much. Besides, he’s not Zhang Ju Lian’s man, so I don’t want to interfere.”

The Old Marquis narrowed his eyes, his expression already showing signs of age. “Back then in Qinghai, I fought alongside him…” He paused, catching his breath, “Unlike Zuo He De who charges recklessly, Fu An is too cautious. He lacks drive… If not for his well-timed strategy to raid the enemy camp and burn their provisions, he probably wouldn’t be qualified to be Minister of War even now… Hasn’t he sought patronage from Duke Zheng Guo?”

Ye Xian said, “Chang Hai is also quite shrewd. Although he has a good relationship with Chen Yan Yun, he has never involved himself in Chen Yan Yun’s affairs for all these years. No matter whom he seeks patronage from, he won’t be able to secure his position anyway.”

The Old Marquis laughed, shaking his head with a sigh: “Chang Shun, you’re just too young! Do you think Zhang Ju Lian and Chen Yan Yun can be manipulated at your whim? Not to mention Zhang Ju Lian, Chen Yan Yun is deeply calculating. Compared to him, you’re still ten years short in experience.”

Hearing the name Chang Shun, Ye Xian felt somewhat displeased.

“You’d better just take your medicine properly. Why concern yourself with these matters!” he said coolly. “You’re already old, yet you refuse to accept it… The court now belongs to the younger generation. I still have some reservations about Chen Yan Yun, but Zhang Ju Lian is also aging and in my view… he may be losing some control over Chen Yan Yun.”

The Old Marquis laughed heartily again: “Fine! The world belongs to the young. But do you know the saying, ‘Though Lian Po is old, can he still eat his fill’?”

Ye Xian glanced at his grandfather, not wanting to speak further. He handed the soup bowl to a waiting-maid, put on his cloak, and walked out of the main hall.

He might be proud and arrogant, but so what?

He was naturally skilled at playing with intrigue, sparing no means to achieve the best results. Others might have scruples, but he had none.

Imperial Physician Guo gave the prescription to the steward before following Ye Xian out.

Ye Xian stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the hydrangeas in full bloom, remaining silent for a long time.

“Chen Yan Yun summoned you to assist in his wife’s delivery. How did it turn out?”

Imperial Physician Guo complained silently—he wasn’t there to deliver the baby… he was a proper imperial physician, only there to prescribe labor-inducing medicine. However, he didn’t dare explain and respectfully answered, “In response to Your Lordship, Chen San Furen had a difficult labor, but in the end, both mother and child are safe with no major issues.”

Ye Xian fell silent again. Imperial Physician Guo was quite patient, just waiting for him to speak.

“If Chen Yan Yun asks you to treat his wife again, you must put your heart into it. Why not prepare some medicine to send over? I hear postpartum recovery requires proper care.”

Imperial Physician Guo was surprised. He raised his head, wanting to see the expression on the young lord’s face, but the young lord had his back to him, making it impossible to see.

He had thought… the young lord was asking about Chen San Ye’s affairs merely for political reasons. But it seemed the young lord wasn’t concerned about Minister Chen at all, but clearly about his wife! He even wanted to send postpartum recovery medicine over. Without a proper explanation, how could he deliver medicine to someone’s wife?

Ye Xian might have realized this too and sighed: “…Never mind, give the prescription to me. I have my ways.”

Imperial Physician Guo acknowledged and withdrew with a bow.

…

After feeding the baby, the wet nurse brought him over.

Having been fed, the baby was ready to sleep, lying obediently in his swaddling cloth.

Fearing he might choke on milk, Gu Jin Chao picked him up from the bed and gently rocked him while patting his back.

Sure enough, the baby gave a milky burp, his small, soft body continuing to sleep against his mother.

Gu Jin Chao felt a tenderness in her heart and was reluctant to put him down, so she walked back and forth in the room.

Madam Zhu came in.

Madam Zhu had been assigned by Lady Chen, who feared that Gu Jin Chao, being young, might not know how to care for the child properly. Lady Chen had specially assigned Madam Zhu to serve the third household, essentially becoming the child’s nanny. This position had considerable prospects, potentially becoming the managing servant for the thirteenth young master’s household in the future, so Madam Zhu was very cautious.

Seeing Gu Jin Chao rocking the baby, she quickly smiled and said, “Madam, this won’t do… If the child is always rocked like this, he might cry when no one is rocking him. We can’t spoil him!”

Only then did Gu Jin Chao realize this issue and dared not rock him anymore. She held him in her arms and walked for a while, but feeling her strength waning, she finally placed him on the bed to let him sleep.

Chen San Ye returned from Lady Chen’s place and entered the inner chamber to see her and the child.

Gu Jin Chao was watching the baby sleep, adjusting his swaddling cloth. She hadn’t even noticed him come in.

Chen San Ye, seeing her staring at the child, couldn’t help but smile: “You looked at him for a long time last night. Haven’t you had enough yet?”

Gu Jin Chao sighed. Only now did she understand the feeling of being a mother—her child, whom she couldn’t bear to take her eyes off.

“I just can’t get enough of looking at him…” her voice was lazy and content.

He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed, also looking at the sleeping child.

His face was so small, with chubby cheeks, and a pink, delicate little mouth that made one feel overwhelming affection. And this was his and Jin Chao’s child.

He reached out to embrace her, but Gu Jin Chao let out a small moan of pain when he touched her chest.

Chen San Ye frowned: “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”

She didn’t need to breastfeed and didn’t have much milk anyway, but still felt uncomfortable—swollen and painful.

Gu Jin Chao turned her face away and said softly: “You… just don’t touch that area.”

Her jade-like face had a tinge of crimson. It was rare to see her shy like this. Chen San Ye noticed where his hand was placed and realized. He smiled and leaned close to her ear: “I could help massage it for you, return the favor.”

Gu Jin Chao pushed him away and retreated into the bed. She hadn’t bathed for the past two days. She had sweated a lot during childbirth, and when she used a hot towel to wipe her body, Madam Sun had nagged her for a long time. During this postpartum confinement, a woman was delicate—unable to touch water or catch a breeze. Even she felt she didn’t smell good and didn’t want Chen San Ye to notice. And not washing her hair for a month… who knew what state she would be in!

Chen San Ye released her, coaxing her resignedly: “I was just joking with you.” He opened his palm to show her what was inside: “This is the longevity lock I used when I was small. Mother just found it and said to give it to the child to wear.”

A longevity lock that Chen San Ye had used?

Gu Jin Chao took it to look. Indeed, unlike newly made gold locks that gleamed brightly, this gold lock had a soft luster and was slightly grayish.

Gu Jin Chao suddenly had an idea: “San Ye, what do you think of calling the child’s milk name ‘Chang Suo’ (Long Lock)?”

Chen San Ye stroked her hair: “The milk name is naturally yours to decide. Chang Suo is fine. When it’s time for the child’s formal name, I will give it.”

Of course, he would give it! He had also said before that he would personally teach the child to read in the future.

Gu Jin Chao thought silently, with a father and teacher who had placed second in the imperial examinations, that this child would have no problems with composition in the future.

As they were talking, the baby twisted his little head, perhaps feeling uncomfortable, and suddenly cried out loudly.

Gu Jin Chao was about to pick him up to comfort him, but Chen San Ye had already reached out to hold him.

He was very tall. Gu Jin Chao, though not short among women, only reached his chin. The baby was still tiny, and he held him, walking back and forth, gently comforting him. Gu Jin Chao leaned against the pillow, quietly watching Chen San Ye soothe the baby, his tone low yet gentle.

After crying for a while, the baby was comforted. Chen San Ye called Madam Zhu in to check, and indeed, he had wet himself again. Madam Zhu changed his diaper, wrapped him up again, and placed him back beside Gu Jin Chao. The little one had tears on his eyelashes, his little face red, looking pitiful.

Gu Jin Chao kissed his cheek; he had a milky scent, and his face was soft.

Chen San Ye told her: “I need to go to the outer courtyard for a while. You should rest more and move less. If you can’t comfort the child, let Madam Zhu come in to help. This little one won’t stop once he starts crying; you probably won’t be able to comfort him.”

Gu Jin Chao indeed had no experience in childcare. But diligence could make up for lack of skill; she didn’t believe she could raise this little one well.

The previous night, the child hadn’t slept with her. Chen San Ye, fearing the baby would disturb her, had the two wet nurses take care of him, resulting in them being woken four or five times during the night. The child was peculiar; sometimes he would cry even when he wasn’t hungry or wet.

Gu Jin Chao had once woken up and heard the baby crying in the east side room, desperately wanting to get up and check on him. Why was he crying so distressfully…

After Chen San Ye left, Madam Wang and Madam Ge came in succession to keep her company and see the baby.

In the afternoon, Chen Xuan Yue came over after finishing his lessons.

He rushed straight to Gu Jin Chao’s bedside, with Nanny An unable to stop him from behind. However, he quickly halted at the bedside, curiously looking at the baby in the swaddling cloth: “Aunt, why doesn’t he open his eyes?”

Gu Jin Chao whispered to him: “He’s sleeping. Do you keep your eyes open when you sleep?”

Chen Xuan Yue tilted his head, thinking seriously, then said: “Oh, I think mine are closed too.”

He asked again: “Will he get up to play? I made toys for him!”

Gu Jin Chao smiled: “We’ll have to wait until he’s a bit older before he can get up and play. You made toys for him?”

Chen Xuan Yue nodded proudly and carefully brought out a paper crane.

“I learned it from Nanny An,” he held the crane’s head, eagerly showing it to Gu Jin Chao. “Look, when you pull its tail, it will fly.”

He pulled the paper crane’s tail, running in circles with it: “Flying, flying!”

Gu Jin Chao smiled and called him over to sit down. “Aunt saw it. It flies!”

Chen Xuan Yue smiled, his smile extremely bright.

He placed the paper crane in Gu Jin Chao’s hand and earnestly instructed her: “When the thirteenth brother wakes up, you can fly it for him to see. He hasn’t seen it before!”