Chapter 427 — The Child
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 2 of 2
Song Sui was most insistent: "There is the wet nurse besides. Carry on like this and you will ruin your health."
In her last life, that was exactly how she had ruined her health.
Dou Zhiwei's eyes grew a little stingy.
She lay down as told. With her eyes open she watched Song Yan carry the child rather clumsily back and forth about the room, chattering nonsense to him, and before she knew it she had fallen asleep.
When she opened her eyes again, Yuan Heng was sleeping peacefully by her pillow, and looking at Song Yan, he was pressed cheek to cheek with his son, sleeping sweetly.
Looking at those two faces, one large and one small, Dou Yan felt as if a feather had brushed her heart—a tickling sensation, and with it some indescribable feeling that filled her breast to bursting.
She could not help but gently stroke Song Zhi's face...
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At the Jing Duke's residence, the three madams were all seated in the hall, waiting for their mother-in-law, the Duchess of Jing, to finish her toilette so they might go in and pay their respects.
Second Madam Zhang asked Third Madam Zhang, née Feng, in a low voice, "Why did you come back so late yesterday? Was the third-day bath at the Yingzhen Duke's household very lively?"
She had deliberately come back late yesterday, precisely to miss the evening salute and save her questions for this morning, when everyone would be gathered to pay respects.
Her sister-in-law's question was like a ladder held out to her. She could not help brightening, and with a smile and a glance at Wei Wan, she said, "Lively? It was nothing short of magnificent! His Majesty even bestowed a name upon my newborn nephew!"
Second Madam Zhang was taken aback and was about to say something when the Duchess of Jing, supported lightly by her personal attendant, came out and happened to catch the words. "His Majesty bestowed a name upon whom?" she asked.
"Upon the eldest legitimate grandson of the Yingzhen Duke's household!" Third Madam Zhang then told the Duchess of Jing, with a good deal of exaggeration, what name the Emperor had given the third imperial grandson, what name he had given Yuan Heng, what gifts the Crown Princess had sent to the Yingzhen Duke's household, how many guests had come, how lavish the Dou family's third-day bath gifts had been, and so on.
The Duchess of Jing was somewhat surprised to hear it, and sighed. "The Yingzhen Duke's household does indeed have face!" Then she instructed her personal attendant, "When Yuan Heng turns one month, I shall go and join the festivities too."
Third Madam Zhang was overjoyed. She took the Duchess of Jing's arm and said with a smile, "Mother, that kingfisher-and-pearl phoenix hairpin you wear today is truly beautiful. Those are southern pearls inlaid on it, are they not?"
"Trust you to have sharp eyes," said the Duchess of Jing with a smile, and went off to the adjoining sitting room.
Wei Wan followed woodenly behind her mother-in-law and her two sisters-in-law, thinking bitterly: A pack of relatives a thousand miles removed, and already they are so puffed up they cannot tell east from west. If you have the ability, get the Emperor to bestow a name on your own son... Yet in her heart she knew that the Third Madam had heard of the business of the sisters swapping marriages and was mocking her.
Thinking of the maid who had been sent back by Dou Ming, she twisted the handkerchief in her hand into a pickled mustard green.
Two days later, Wei Wan still could not restrain herself and paid a visit to her natal home.
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On the day of the child's one-month celebration, not only did the Duchess of Jing come in person, but the wife of the Heir of the Marquis of Changxing and the wife of the Marquis of Yan'an, who never socialized with anyone, both arrived as well. The wife of the Heir of the Marquis of Changxing explained to Dou Yan the moment she came through the door: "My mother-in-law very much wished to come and see the eldest young master, but feared it might disturb the child, so she had to give it up."
The Marchioness of Changxing was a widow in seclusion, and it did not suit her to attend such a joyous occasion.
Dou Xin made conversation with her: "Please thank the Dowager for me. When the child is a little older, I shall bring him to pay his respects to her." And since the Marchioness of Yan'an was Wang Yu's mother, and the wife of the Heir of the Marquis of Yan'an, née An, was on close terms with her, she went up warmly to greet the Marchioness of Yan'an, and herself ushered the ladies into the small flower hall, where they sat with the womenfolk of the Dou family. Old Madam Lu and Princess Ninghuai, who had arrived early, were already seated in the warm chamber adjoining the flower hall, chatting; everyone greeted one another, laughter and talk abounding, and it was very lively indeed.
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Sisters and brothers, here is today's second update. I beg for your pink votes!
o(∩_∩)o~
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