Real Empress from a Noble Family

Chapter 422 Giving Birth and the Completion of the Baby’s First Month of Life

Qiu Yelan thought Jiang Qilai was in conflict with the Jiang Family. After Jiang Yashuang came back, she asked him and he said, “She did not come back these days because some days ago her wet nurse was seriously ill. She was brought up by her wet nurse and they were deeply attached to each other. Two days before mother’s return, she had gone with her to the south to seek advice from a retired imperial doctor. After mother came back, her family sent a maid to explain it. I suppose there was a mess in the Jiang Family so no one told you.”

After listening to his words, Qiu Yelan dispelled her suspicion. After all, when Madame Zhuang just came back, almost everyone in the Jiang family was focused on the internal warfare. So, no one was really in the mood to talk about that the daughter born by a concubine didn’t go back to visit her official mother. However, even if there was a reason for this incident that Jiang Qilai didn’t come back, she should keep contact with her maiden family. Qiu Yelan had married Jiang Yashuang for two years, but she never showed up no matter what the time was, the New Year or other festivals! Wasn’t she too distant from the Jiang Family?

She remembered that Jiang Yadan had made a special mention of Jiang Qilai as he divided the lychees. Jiang Yadan valued her, not to mention Jiang Yashuang, who would never neglect the sister. In such a circumstance, Jiang Qilai still didn’t return home to show up. Qiu Yelan really didn’t know how she thought.

But it was the business of her husband’s siblings. Although she married Jiang Yashuang, she did not grow up with them. So, she couldn’t be sure whether they had conflicts with each other or not. Thus, she stopped the conversation. She said, “Just now Mistress Gu sent a maid to tell me the situation about Jingheng. What do you think?”

Jiang Yashuang asked her what was going on and then he frowned, “Let me ask my mother for the arrangement on him. But how did he see the scene where his mother died? I don’t know whether there was someone who intentionally did this.”

A few moments later Madame Zhuang came back. She heard the thing of Jiang Jingheng from her son and daughter-in-law. She said calmly, “Go to find some medicine that can comfort him. And then go to find the guy who frightened him. Tell Mistress Gu to comfort him carefully in case that he loses his voice forever!”

Madame Zhuang just said so for the thing. And then she talked about the marriage of Zhuang Man and Ling Zui. “Your uncle and aunt have already accepted. Tomorrow I will send a maid to inform the Mansion of Princess Royal. But I will leave these two days. So, I am afraid that I am not ready to prepare the bride-price. But I have already prepared the gift for them. I put it in the hall. Please send it to them for me!”

Qiu Yelan and Jiang Yashuang said yes. They teased Zhuang Man and Ling Zui for a while and then asked maids to serve them dinner.

Two days went by in a flash. Ling Zui and Zhuang Man did not have time to settle their engagement before she left. But both families sent people to see Madame Zhuang off. Ten miles outside the pavilion, Madame Zhuang looked back at her niece and her god son’s youthful appearance. She was very pleased. And she waved them to farewell for a long time.

Qiu Yelan was disappointed that it was inconvenient for her to farewell her mother-in-law who treated her as her own daughter because of the pregnancy.

But her maids comforted her that they would reunite in Beijiang in two years. So, she was relieved.

Madame Zhuang left Jing City in June, the hottest period in a year. Madame Tao felt happy in secret, “The Emperor got married this year. So, all the officers in the court could not avoid the summer. The rest of the family was all right. I was afraid Yelan would be sick in such a hot summer here because of her pregnancy! It was fortunate that her mother-in-law was there in June. Otherwise, if anything had happened to her, it would have been my fault.”

Since Qiu Yelan had been in peace and safe in June, she would enjoy the much cooler July. There were two things in July. One was that the letter written by Sir Jingbo and his wife that they supported the marriage arrived in Jing City. With this handwritten letter, the six ceremonies of betrothal and marriage, which had been shelved before, could begin. The other was that Ruan Ciyi gave birth to a son. And they were safe. This made Li Qianzhi, who had only two daughters with his first wife, extremely happy.

Even though Qiu Yelan, who was about to give birth in August, could not express her congratulation to her, she was still pleased. Ruan Ciyi gained a firm foothold with this son in her husband’s family. Otherwise, she had to rely on Qiu Jinglan and Qiu Yelan.

Since the beginning of August, the atmosphere of the fourth branch had been a bit tense. Jiang Yashuang was anxious about his wife. He even wanted to ask for leave to stay with his wife. But Marquess Qin and Madame Tao did not allow him to leave. Jiang Yashuang could also muddle through the reprimand given by Marquess Qin, but he had to listen to what Madame Tao reminded him of. “If you make such a fuss, your wife will be frightened by you. What if something terrible happens because of you?”

Unluckily, the production date was one day earlier than the date estimated by the imperial doctor. This day Jiang Yashuang just went out. When Qiu Yelan was talking to Su He, suddenly the pain stroked her.

Su He was scared and ran out to call for help. She ran so fast that she tripped over the threshold and nearly lost her front tooth!

Fortunately, Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Qu were experienced. They calmed down and came to see what was going on. After making sure that she was about to give birth, they methodically ask people to help Qiu Yelan to walk into the delivery room which was already prepared. They also called the birth maid who lived in the front house in advance, then ordered people to boil water and inform old Madame Tao and others…

Seeing that they were solemn and calm to arrange things well, Qiu Yelan, who was anxious about her first-time delivery, was relieved. “My body has always been well. During pregnancy I asked doctor to take my pulse frequently so I won’t have an accident!”

Though she thought so, when she was about to deliver and the pain started, she was in huge panic!

It was fortunate that Madame Tao arrived there in time. She comforted her through a window. Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Qu cheered her up in the delivery room. Four hours later, the baby, the first trueborn son of Jiang Yashuang, was born.

Even though Qiu Yelan was healthy, she was exhausted. She struggled to look at the baby’s red face. Seeing that the kid was healthy, she fainted!

… A day and a night had passed before she awoke. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Mrs. Zhou waiting in front of her bed with red eyes. When she saw Qiu Yelan awake, she said with joy, “You are awake! What is your feeling now? Are you still tired?”

“No. Where is my kid?” Qiu Yelan knew the rules. The puerperia needed to stay in the delivery room for a month, in which period even her husband should not come in. So, she didn’t feel strange that Jiang Yashuang wasn’t there. But she didn’t find the kid so she was worried, “Is the kid here?”

Mr. Zhou smiled, “Madame Tao was afraid that he would bother you. So, she asked us to clean up the next room for him.” And then she said, “Mrs. Qu is watching him. Please be assured. He is fine. Just have some food and then I will bring the baby to you.”

Qiu Yelan believed in the maid of her mother-in-law. So, she was relieved and smiled, “Has my husband come back? Has he seen the kid?”

“He already came back. After making sure that you were fine, he went to see the condition of the baby. Madame Tao taught young master how to hold the baby by himself. They stayed in the next door for a long while.” Mrs. Zhou smiled and went to wring out the handkerchief in the water carried by Chen Shui. She went to scrub for Qiu Yelan, “Marquess Qin also came here. And he rewarded you a lot of treasures.”

Qiu Yelan didn’t care about the treasures. After washing her face, she had some food brought by Mrs. Zhou. And then she urged Mrs. Zhou to bring the baby to her.

“Look at our kid, Lanlan. He looks like you!” When the kid was brought in, Jiang Yashuang followed to walk in. But he could not enter the room. So, he stood beside the window and talked to his wife through it. Though she could not see his expression, she could tell that he was happy. “We will be happy in the following days!”

Qiu Yelan looked at the baby. She was speechless. The child was born yesterday, but now he was still red. His facial features were still not clear to recognize. So, she didn’t think he was handsome, not to mention he looked like her!

“I hope he will be handsome after he grows up.” Qiu Yelan kissed the baby. No matter what he looked like, she was his mother, who would never abandon him.

The reason why she urged to see the baby was that she wanted to check out whether he was healthy, not to make sure that he was handsome. She was satisfied that the baby could cry loudly, and he was full of strength when he stretched out his hands and feet. Qiu Yelan was relieved because that she was worried her kid would die. “It seems that the kid gets our genes to have a healthy body condition.”

“Does he have a name?” Though Qiu Yelan loved him so much, it was her first time to be a mother. So, the gesture she held the baby made the baby uncomfortable. Seeing the baby crying, Qiu Yelan was in a muddle. After Mrs. Zhou guide her to adjust the baby’s position, the baby stopped. She wiped her sweat and smiled at her husband who was standing outside, “If you haven’t made the decision, show me the name you have already chosen.”

Jiang Yashuang was helpless, “My grandfather just sent a servant to tell me that when he was a month-year-old, he would give him a name.”

What he meant was that Marquess Qin would give a name to his great grandson, instead of letting the couple name him.

The right to give a name to the first trueborn son was seized by the elders. Qiu Yelan was speechless. But she knew that it was because Marquess Qin valued her son. Otherwise, he would not send a servant specially to tell them. After all, he had so many great grandsons, whose parents begged him to give their kids names.

“I hope that grandfather gives him a nice name!” Qiu Yelan knew that their grandfather had literary talent. Almost all kids in Jiang Yashuang’s generation were given names by him. Though she could not come up with a name for her son, she was not worried about him.

When the baby was a month old, Marquess Qin announced that the seventeenth great grandson’s name was Jinglang. Jiang Yashuang and Qiu Yelan read it twice after they heard it. They were all satisfied with it.

Though they just considered whether the name was nice or not and whether it was good for the kid’s future, the others didn’t agree with them.

Jiang Tianqi stealthily said to Jiang Tianao, “Lang means the sound of reading. If the kid is Yashuang’s first trueborn son, it is possible that he will join the army. But why father gives him such a name…”

“Do we have to discuss it?” Jiang Tianao said without emotion, “Jiang Yashuang and his wife are sweet and healthy so how can they only have one kid? The first son goes to study and became an official, and the next son joins the army… Their sons will exist in both the court and the army. They can totally kick us out!”

They stared at the kids who were held by Marquess Qin and introduced them to everyone. Their expression was complex. And then they coincidentally took a swag of wine.