Chapter 779 Resign yourself to fate
"Oh! The whole yard is covered with fallen leaves!"
"Speak softly, don't wake up my wife, or Huang Yan'er will punish you later."
"My lady slept well today."
"My young master got better yesterday, and my wife was in a good mood, so she naturally slept well."
"It's strange! After little uncle was born, Duoduo always liked to stand on the roof and shout."
"You don't know about this."
"Tell me about it!"
"Just before the little uncle was born, a big bird came to our house. It was really big and it landed on the delivery room. Duoduo went up quietly and didn't even dare to catch it."
"Oh my God! A big bird... Why does this look like a vision?"
"It was a strange vision. You didn't see the expression on Eunuch Huang's face at that time. It was extremely ugly. The Duke's wife's face was full of clouds. Your mother went to change her clothes at that time and didn't see it. She came back smiling. I don't know what she would do after knowing it."
"This... Could it be that Young Master is the reincarnation of some god?"
"Who knows? But apart from the sons and grandsons of the dragon, how many people dare to say that there were strange signs when their children were born?"
"Huang Yan'er is here."
In the bedroom, Li Tian slowly opened her eyes.
"Big bird?"
She didn't know anything about this.
Huang Jin would not tell her that the Duke's wife's smile was a little forced when she left that day, and Li Tian thought she was tired. Now she must be worried!
The maids saw it, so...
"Madam!" Huang Yaner said outside.
"I'm awake." Li Tian said.
Squeak!
Huang Yaner slowly pushed open the door, and behind her was the wet nurse holding a swaddling baby.
"Give me the child!" Li Tian took the swaddling clothes, looked at the still sleeping child and smiled, "It's only been a few days, and your face has become fair and clean."
The wet nurse was found by the Chang family, who said that her family had been innocent for three generations and there was absolutely no problem with her.
"Young Master is blessed at first glance." Jiang Qingzhi was a very popular minister close to the emperor. Being able to become the wet nurse of his child meant that, although she would not become extremely wealthy, it was a sure thing that her family would have no worries about food and clothing.
If you do it well, you might even become an official in the future.
If you don't believe me, just look at Lu Bing. He relied on his mother to be the wet nurse of the current emperor, and he became successful from then on.
The child slowly opened his eyes. His clear eyes made Li Tian's heart soften. "My son, I will give you a name when your father comes back."
"Meet Madam."
A maid's voice came from outside, followed by Chang's laughter, "Tian'er."
"mother."
Chang said outside the door: "Wait a minute, let me get rid of the cold air in my body before opening the door."
Chang stamped her feet and rubbed her face outside the door for a long time before pushing the door open.
"Give me the child!" Chang took the swaddling clothes, looked at the child carefully, and smiled, "It looks exactly like you when you were a child."
"Mom, do you still remember what I looked like when I was a child?" Li Tian didn't believe it.
"Even if your own child is in his seventies or eighties, you will still remember what he looked like when he was a child. If you don't believe me, just wait and see." Chang said firmly.
"Wow!" At this moment the child suddenly burst into tears.
"He must have pooped." Chang opened the swaddling clothes and took off the diaper very familiarly, "Sure enough."
The wet nurse quickly took the child and went out to deal with it.
There was a strange smell in the room, but neither the mother nor the daughter thought it was bad.
"This child looks lucky. You are also lucky to have a boy." Mrs. Chang sat by the bed and said with a smile, "When he learned that you had a son, your father was so happy that he went into his study and never came out. Later, I went to call him for dinner, and when I went in, I saw that your father was scratching his head and thinking about a name for the child."
"Really?" Li Tian couldn't help laughing.
"Isn't it?" Chang slapped her thigh. "I told you that naming a child is the right of the father and grandfather. You are the grandfather! Don't get confused."
"Your father was not convinced and kept mumbling something... His son-in-law was clumsy and if he gave the child a bad name, it would have a big impact on his life. He was saying, "I've eaten more salt than he has eaten bread, and I've crossed more bridges than he has walked... Oh my! It's so funny."
Li Tian whispered, "This child is a blessing. Mother, have you ever heard of any child being born with a strange sign?"
Chang was startled, then smiled, "There are so many. When I was at my mother's house, a neighbor had a baby and boasted about it... When the baby was born, there was a purple cloud covering the delivery room, which lasted for a long time. Another family said that when the baby was born, there was a strange fragrance... Oh my! How can there be so many strange phenomena!"
"They are just foolish men and women, and others will only treat them as jokes." Chang patted her daughter's hand and said angrily, "Having a son is enough, don't force it. Besides, your son-in-law is now in a high position and very rich. Your father often said at home that it is enough for your son-in-law to be at this point. Don't do these unnecessary things...you..."
Chang looked at her daughter with a calm face, "You...can't be..."
Li Tian nodded, "When the baby was born that day, a large bird landed above the delivery room and refused to leave no matter how hard we tried to drive it away."
Chang: “…”
The mother and daughter looked at each other in silence.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Tian smiled bitterly and said, "This child is a devil. Not only does he cry a lot, but he also attracted some big bird."
"What devil?" Chang sighed, "People say that only those who dislike goods are the ones who buy them. I know you are worried about your child. But Tian'er, this matter... depends on the emperor's opinion."
"After giving birth that day, Huang Jin returned to the palace. I think His Majesty was also informed of the big bird's incident, but rewards continued to flow into the palace. Concubine Lu Jing gave a lot of things, including a small bellyband she made herself, which was very pleasing..."
"When the royal family wants to show favor to someone, who wouldn't use confusing means? But Tian'er, don't be confused by those rewards. Many emperors in the past dynasties have done this while secretly sharpening their knives while giving out rewards."
"I know." Li Tian was a little anxious after only a few days of confinement. "My husband is leading the army to fight outside, and we don't know whether he will win or lose. This child was born with a strange sign, and everyone would be suspicious." "For some reason, your father's temperament has become more and more strange in recent years. Do you know why I tolerate him?" Chang patted her daughter's hand. "No matter what, as long as he is here, he will hold up the sky for us. This is a real man."
But what about my husband?
Li Tian was a little confused at this moment.
"You are weak right now, don't use your brain, wait until news of the war arrives before deciding anything."
……
After Tang Shunzhi had a falling out with the Xinxue people, he moved out of Shen Lian's house. Shen Lian tried hard to keep him, thinking that he was angry with him, but Tang Shunzhi smiled and said that since they had different beliefs, it would be awkward to live together.
He explained the reason in a casual manner and then moved out of the Shen family. He wanted to rent a place to live temporarily, but he happened to meet an old friend from the outside world, Ling Qing, and then he went to live in Xiyun Temple in the west of the city.
Life in the Taoist temple is very regular. People get up before dawn, wash up, have morning lessons... and have breakfast.
"Are you used to it?" Ling Qing is over fifty years old, but looks like he is forty years old.
"Simple meals are the most nourishing. They taste very simple." Tang Shunzhi drank the last mouthful of porridge, ate the remaining cake, stood up and left the cafeteria with Ling Qing.
The morning light outside the courtyard was bright, the stone slabs were wet with dew, and green moss was growing tenaciously in the cracks of the slabs.
"I heard that you have a close relationship with the uncle of Xin'an Lane?" Ling Qing asked.
"Ok!"
"Yesterday, some nobles came to burn incense, and I heard them mention that uncle." Ling Qing said, "They said that when his wife gave birth that day, a big bird stayed above the delivery room for a long time and did not leave."
"Eh!" Tang Shunzhi exclaimed, "Is it a rumor?"
"I don't know, but the pilgrims who came later also discussed this matter." Ling Qing said to Tang Shunzhi meaningfully, "This matter can be big or small. I also know the great impact of this war on the Ming Dynasty.
When Wang Jian went to war with the fate of the country, he sent people back to Xianyang frequently to ask the King of Qin for land and houses to appease the King of Qin. Chang Wei Bo is also facing such a crisis today, but he has not made any moves..."
Tang Shunzhi then went to Xin'an Lane.
He was a free and easy person. When he saw Fucheng, he didn't keep him in suspense and asked him directly about the matter.
Fu Cheng was stunned, "Who said that?"
Tang Shunzhi frowned slightly. "You are the housekeeper, you should be cautious. Go ask Qingzhi's wife."
Fucheng laughed dryly and went to the backyard himself.
After learning about this that day, Fucheng issued a gag order. Xia Yan found out about it later and thought he was being stupid. Issuing a gag order at this time seemed like an attempt to cover up the truth, but since things had come to this point, he decided to just go with the flow.
Xia Yan asked Fu Cheng to keep it a secret from Li Tian for the time being, as she was worried that she would suffer from postpartum anxiety and anger.
After resting for a few days, the imperial physician said that Li Tian was in good health and had recovered well, so Fucheng was ready to tell him about it.
Li Tian said, "But what about the big bird?"
My lady actually knew about it... Fucheng lowered his head, "This old slave is wrong, please punish me, my lady."
Li Tian said: "You have good intentions in this matter, but... you must be punished!"
"Yes!"
"A fine of one month's salary!"
Isn't this just three cups of wine as punishment... Huang Yan'er thought secretly.
Jiang Qingzhi was very generous to the people around him, and would give money whenever he had nothing to do, calling it a bonus. The bonus was the most generous at the end of the year. Fucheng was the housekeeper, and the year-end bonus was so much that it made people jealous.
"My lady, Mr. Jingchuan is here and mentioned this matter, but I deny it." Fucheng glanced at Li Tian.
"You!" Li Tian said, "You have been in the palace for many years and are used to being cautious, but you don't know that the more cautious you are, the more suspicious the outside world will be. Just be open and honest. If we have no guilt in our hearts, there is no need to hide it."
"Yes."
Fucheng was so ashamed that he reflected on his behavior on the way to the front yard and found that he was indeed too cautious.
Being cautious in the palace is a virtue and a means of self-protection. But this is the Earl's Mansion, not the palace.
Tang Shunzhi was pacing in the yard, and when he saw Fu Cheng coming, he stopped.
"Mr. Jingchuan, I was rude." Fu Cheng thought of the relationship between Tang Shunzhi and Jiang Qingzhi, so he apologized first.
"So, this is true?"
"Yes."
Tang Shunzhi narrowed his eyes, "Qingzhi is not here, and Lord Xia didn't say anything?"
"Lord Xia said that he would go to the West Garden today to discuss this matter with His Majesty."
This means not to cover up.
"Mr. Xia is mature and prudent, but..." Tang Shunzhi said, "The key to this matter is not the child, but Qingzhi."
Fu Cheng frowned, "Please speak frankly, Mr. Jingchuan, and I will tell my wife and Mr. Xia later."
Tang Shunzhi's eyes were solemn. "If this battle ends peacefully, everything will be fine. If it is a great victory... Qingzhi's prestige will be unparalleled, and this big bird incident will become a means for those people to attack him. It will add fuel to the fire!"
Fu Cheng said, "Lord Xia had sent people north that day, but the palace needs to make up for it."
"It's too late." Tang Shunzhi shook his head. "According to the time calculation, the war should be over by now."
Fucheng stood there in a daze.
"What about that?"
Tang Shunzhi was a genius and all-rounder as described by Jiang Qingzhi. At the moment Xu Wei and Hu Zongxian were not at home, so Fu Cheng had no choice but to ask him for advice.
Tang Shunzhi put his hands behind his back and sighed, "I'll leave it to fate!"
(End of this chapter)
