“Perhaps it is simply their fate,” Eleventh Young Mistress said. She had never imagined that Xu Sijie would integrate into this family so quickly. Come to think of it, Xu Sizhun’s warmth and openness was also an important reason. A thought stirred within her, and she seized the moment to remark, “Though Zhun Ge has a gentle nature, he has the capacity to accept others. For an ordinary person, this would earn him only a reputation for generosity — but for an heir apparent, it is a rare and admirable virtue.”

Xu Lingyi could not help but fall into thought.

Nanny Song and Nanny Tian came in carrying a bowl of millet and sweet potato congee.

Nanny Tian noticed that Xu Lingyi was still holding the child, and said with a smile: “If my lord is not at ease, let this servant hold the child for a while — you may rest a moment too.”

The room’s maidservants and matrons had already been chosen before the child was born. She neither needed to nurse the child herself nor personally care for him — whenever she wished to see him, she could simply have the wet nurse bring him to her. Even the delicate Xu Sizhun had been reared in exactly this manner. The same was true in other noble and wealthy households. But she had wanted to raise the child herself. This was a clash of two very different philosophies. Each person had a way of living that felt comfortable to them, and she had no desire to change anything, nor to make herself appear an eccentric. She had thus taken the roundabout approach: on the pretext of not finding a suitable candidate, she had postponed appointing a head matron for the child’s chamber. She had thought that once the child was born, she would keep him in her own room for a while — perhaps two or three years. By then Binju’s child would be older, and she could have Binju come serve as the head matron. With no senior and experienced person watching over the nursery just now, it was no wonder Xu Lingyi was uneasy about leaving the child in the hands of the nursery staff.

She had not expected Xu Lingyi to personally tend to the child.

Was it not said that fathers do not cradle their sons?

Eleventh Young Mistress felt a pang of guilt, and without waiting for Xu Lingyi to reply, she said: “My lord, please place the child on the bed beside me.”

“There is no need,” Xu Lingyi said. “He is not yet as heavy as a sword.” But remembering how mother and child shared one heart, and how dearly won this child had been — he himself could hardly take his eyes off the baby, let alone Eleventh Young Mistress. So he placed the child at Eleventh Young Mistress’s pillow side after all.

Nanny Song served Eleventh Young Mistress her congee.

Having just given birth, her body was still depleted — nothing too rich or greasy was suitable. Rice wine and carp were used to promote milk production. The millet sweet potato congee was mild and light, replenishing the vital energy and blood. One could tell from the food alone that no one expected her to nurse the child herself.

Eleventh Young Mistress thought for a moment and said: “I would like some egg rice wine.”

Xu Lingyi looked toward Nanny Tian, signaling her to go and bring the rice wine.

Nanny Tian quickly replied: “That is a heating food. The physician has said your constitution runs cold. If you truly wish to eat it, wait a few days — once you have passed the early confinement, I will make it for you.”

She and Nanny Wan were both experienced women of many years’ service, specially sent by the Grand Dowager to care for Eleventh Young Mistress. Naturally, they had the most authority to speak on the matter.

Xu Lingyi then laughingly asked Eleventh Young Mistress: “What else would you like to eat?”

Meaning she should ask for something else instead.

Eleventh Young Mistress could only sigh inwardly and give in: “There is nothing else I particularly want.”

That night, Nanny Tian and the maidservants of the child’s room — Red Markings and Autumn Rain and Xiulian — kept watch in the room, while Xu Lingyi rested in the study.

Looking at the sleeping child, Eleventh Young Mistress felt as though she had no milk, yet was unwilling to give up entirely and tried anyway to nurse the child. The baby, however, turned his head away and went to sleep, paying her no mind whatsoever.

Eleventh Young Mistress felt a quiet anxiety inside, and could do nothing about it.

She was wondering whether the difficult birth had left her too depleted to produce milk, or whether the delay in stimulating milk production had cost too much time.

* * *

In the Grand Dowager’s apartments, the Second Madam had been invited to keep her company.

“…It is fortunate there was no real disaster — only a great scare — and I was drenched in a cold sweat.”

The Second Madam tucked in the Grand Dowager’s bedcovers: “After a great ordeal comes great fortune. The Marquis has come through countless battles unscathed — he is a man of great fortune. You need not worry!”

The Grand Dowager gave a sound of assent, then said: “You do not know. At the time I thought, if something had happened to Eleventh, would not Fourth be burdened with the reputation of being a bringer of ill fortune to his wives? I truly ached for him in that moment!”

“Is it not all over now?” the Second Madam said, taking the Grand Dowager’s hand. “Put your heart at ease and take good care of yourself — you still have great-grandchildren to look forward to seeing born.”

The Grand Dowager then thought of the grandchild who had just arrived.

Several more measures of joy added themselves to her face: “Just look at him — arriving neither too early nor too late, choosing to come into the world on the tenth day of the tenth month. With hair so dark and thick, a forehead so broad, a nose bridge so high — I can see he will be a fortunate one.”

The Second Madam thought of that little creature who had opened his eyes the very moment he was born, and the corners of her own mouth lifted: “If he were not a fortunate one, how could he have found his way into Fourth Uncle’s household!”

* * *

At that same hour, the Fifth Madam was speaking with Nanny Shi: “Speaking of it, her luck is truly not bad — a son on the very first try. I think Zhun Ge’s days will not be easy going forward.”

“Living one’s life is rather like drinking water — whether it is cold or warm, only oneself knows.” Nanny Shi smiled. “The Fourth Young Master is the heir apparent. Living a solid and grounded life, what is there that is not good about it?” She then changed the subject. “I notice your monthly cycle this month is more than half a month late. Tomorrow the physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau will come to take the Fourth Madam’s pulse — would you like to have them come see you as well?”

The Fifth Madam understood what Nanny Shi meant. She said idly: “When I was carrying Xin Jie’er, I felt unwell from the very start. This time, nothing at all. I think it is better to wait a while longer before saying anything. So as not to be mistaken. And just now they have given birth to a son over there — if I were to do this at the same time, people would think I am trying to compete with her. That would only invite unnecessary ridicule.”

Nanny Shi nodded.

It was best if the Fifth Madam could think this way. Between sisters-in-law, it was not unlike being neighbors. Although they did not live together, they crossed paths morning and evening. If one were always seeking to be first in everything, when would there ever be peace? Keeping one’s door closed and living one’s own life well — that was the proper way.

“Your usual cycle has been quite regular — yet this time there has been not the slightest sign?” Nanny Shi steered the conversation toward the matter of children, which concerned the Fifth Madam most.

“Not the slightest sign at all!” The Fifth Madam sighed. “I still do not know what the situation is — speaking of it now is far too premature.”

At least the subject had been redirected.

* * *

In the small courtyard east of the main chambers, Concubine Wen was troubled over what to send as a gift for the third-day washing ceremony.

“By then, the Grand Dowager, the Second Madam, and the Third Madam will all be present. If my gift is too lavish, Concubine Qiao and Concubine Yang will no doubt be put in a difficult position. But if it is too modest, the Second Madam and the Fifth Madam both know I have shops of my own outside — they may well think me stingy.” She asked Dong Hong with some uncertainty, “What if I send my gift tomorrow, before the ceremony? I could give a private gift to the Madam, and then make a separate contribution alongside everyone else at the official gathering?”

Concubine Wen treated the few maidservants around her very well, and so the maidservants all had somewhat lively dispositions. Dong Hong laughed at hearing this: “If the Fourth Madam accepted it, would that not make her appear to be one who loves money? Rather than sending two gifts, I think it would be better to take what you intended to give privately and have it made into a bracelet or collar necklace or something of that kind for the Sixth Young Master. The Fourth Madam will certainly be delighted to see it. Besides, could the Second Madam and the Fifth Madam really go so far as to make things difficult for you over such a small matter, and reach their hand into the affairs of the Fourth household?”

Concubine Wen listened and nodded, smiling: “Our Dong Hong has grown up — the things she says now come out in such an orderly, well-reasoned fashion.”

Qiu Hong laughed with embarrassment.

* * *

In the rooms facing theirs, Xiu Yuan’s brow was tightly furrowed: “It is already too late today — this matter, let us speak of it tomorrow with the Concubine.”

Zhu Rui nodded.

People in ancient times believed that one’s birth date and hour were intimately bound up with one’s fate, revealing everything about one’s destiny, and so they would not lightly let others know it. It was two hours after Eleventh Young Mistress gave birth before the news was released that the child had been born.

And so Xiu Yuan and her companions had only just received word.

“What gift should we send?” She frowned in vexation, murmuring to herself. “Concubine Yang’s gift will likely be the same as ours — but as for Concubine Wen’s household…we ought to ask after her plans. If we could pass along a word to her, that would be even better.”

Zhu Rui offered no reply.

She had no interest in these matters — she had other things weighing on her heart.

Zhu Rui was two years younger than Xiu Yuan. When one thought on it, she was no longer young either. That Xiu Yuan’s marriage had been so long in coming gave her cause for wariness. A few days before, she had sent word through a messenger to her own parents, hinting at the matter in a roundabout way.

She had no way of knowing whether her parents had understood.

Thinking of all this made her heart grow restless.

* * *

Concubine Yang was also somewhat vexed at that moment.

She had not expected the Madam to truly give birth to a son.

Word had it that during the labor she had even called the Marquis into the birthing chamber to accompany her. Such a pampered and delicate creature, heedless of propriety — how had she managed to catch the Marquis’s eye?

Concubine Yang thought on this, feeling as though a mouthful of air were lodged in her chest and could not be expelled. She drew several deep breaths before the sensation passed somewhat.

If she went on waiting, the child would only grow older and older, the Marquis’s attachment to the child would grow deeper and deeper, and her own chances would grow fewer and fewer.

Her expression grew faintly dim.

* * *

The following morning, Nanny Song went to deliver red-dyed eggs to friends and relatives on orders, while Xu Lingyi sat at Eleventh Young Mistress’s bedside to consult with her about names for the child: “Before, we had prepared several options — more for a girl than for a boy. Yesterday I went over them again. Let us see which character would suit.”

Xu Lingyi handed her a sheet of white paper on which were written the characters “Cheng,” “Jin,” “Qian,” “Liang” — a sequence of more than ten names in all. He also explained each one: “Cheng — ‘the sincere person brings himself to completion’; Jin — ‘be frugal of body and economical of use, so as to sustain one’s parents’; Qian — ‘modest and temperate is the gentleman, who may thereby cross great rivers’; Liang — ‘one in whom all place their trust is called Liang…'” Then he said, “I think ‘Qian’ is the finest. To conduct oneself with modest humility is to be able to encompass all things, with a heart broad enough to hold mountains and rivers…”

Yet it could also be interpreted to mean that a ruler who governed with humility could extend his might to the four seas and bring foreign kingdoms to bow in submission.

Eleventh Young Mistress smiled and said: “Let us call him ‘Jin’ instead. Filial piety is the foremost of all virtues. I hope he will grow to be a child who honors his parents.”

Xu Lingyi understood at once.

He felt a trace of discomfiture.

Eleventh Young Mistress took his hand: “I hope he will grow up at my side, and in the years to come, will also bring joy to those around him.” Her tone was entirely sincere.

Xu Lingyi held Eleventh Young Mistress’s hand in return and said nothing for a long while.

The child lying beside Eleventh Young Mistress let out a great wail.

Eleventh Young Mistress fumbled in a panic to pick up the child: “From yesterday until now, he has eaten nothing at all?”

Hearing the commotion, Nanny Wan had already come in at a trot.

“Allow me, allow me!” she said with a cheerful smile, moving to take the child. “He must be hungry — let me carry him to the wet nurses to be fed.”

But Eleventh Young Mistress said: “Have the wet nurse come in here.”

She wanted to see for herself what the crying was about, and then her heart would be at ease.

She continued speaking while gently patting the child.

Nanny Wan went at once to summon the wet nurse.

Xu Lingyi called out loudly to Lin Bo: “Has there been any word yet from the nursing agency?”