Chapter 1168: Extra Story 2: First Birthday Banquet (Part 2)
Marquis Dongxiang and Mrs. Tang are absolutely straightforward in educating their son.
The next day, Mrs. Tang and Princess Fu Yun went to Prince NanAn Mansion and indeed did not take Young Master Su along.
Young Master Su pleaded bitterly, but she remained indifferent.
In front of Prince NanAn Mansion, the bustle rivaled that of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, and Princess NanAn was even more overwhelmed than Mrs. Tang.
After all, Mrs. Tang could confer with the Duchess of Chong and had Madam Shen, and Third Madam Shen to help entertain guests.
Prince NanAn Mansion had few offspring, Prince NanAn had no brothers, and Princess NanAn had no sisters-in-law to discuss things with.
Dongxiang Marquis Mansion did not send invitations, nor did Prince NanAn Mansion; during Huwa’s first birthday banquet, Princess NanAn verbally invited Mrs. Tang and the Princess Consort, as they had close relations, making formal invitations unnecessary.
Yet, people didn’t realize Princess NanAn thought this way and assumed Prince NanAn Mansion was imitating Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, sending no invitations and allowing guests to come by choice.
This voluntary approach led to a full house at Prince NanAn Mansion, keeping Princess NanAn extremely busy and prompting her to pull Mrs. Tang to help.
Mrs. Tang was both amused and helpless.
From the precedent set by Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, why hadn’t Prince NanAn Mansion learned from it?
Commandery Prince NanAn dragged Chu Shun and others to help him greet people, thrilled at the large turnout for his son’s first birthday banquet.
However, this joy lasted only half an hour, until his son Xun Yi’s grabbing ceremony abruptly ended it.
Forget about greeting guests — he wished he could immediately send these guests away.
His son had thoroughly embarrassed him.
Commandery Prince NanAn felt very defeated.
With most guests present, similar to Huwa’s grabbing ceremony, the Young Prince was placed on the table to see what he’d grab.
Despite an array of intriguing items, none caught Young Prince Xun’s eye.
Although young, Young Prince Xun already had a distinct personality.
Crawling around, he disliked objects on the table, grabbing them and tossing them to the ground.
The abacus was heavy, so he couldn’t lift it and used his foot to kick it instead.
After several attempts, the wet nurse quickly stepped forward to remove the abacus.
No item pleased him, except for an egg.
The egg rolled back and forth, somewhat entertaining.
But the table was slick, and not every time was there something to stop the egg.
And so, with a loud crack, the egg fell to the floor.
Young Prince Xun ran to the table’s edge to look at the egg, and Princess NanAn quickly held him back to prevent him from falling.
Young Prince Su crawled over again, and Princess NanAn again pulled him away.
A group of people stifled their laughter, forcing Princess NanAn to bring another egg.
Just as everyone thought Young Prince Su was interested in the egg.
Crack.
Young Prince Xun lifted foot, directly kicking the egg off the table.
The crowd: "...."
Everyone watched as he tossed everything from the table, then crawled around, finally tiring and laying down to tug at his own socks.
It’s quite normal for kids to tug at their socks.
He tossed the socks he pulled off too.
Young Prince Xun then publicly gnawed on his toes.
He nibbled with great enthusiasm, totally ignoring the crowd.
Commandery Prince NanAn: "...."
Honestly.
He didn’t want to admit this was his son at all.
Why was he supposed to be interested in his grabbing ceremony?
"Take him away," Commandery Prince NanAn said, rubbing his forehead.
"Hurry, take him away."
The way he relished eating was hard to watch.
Huwa was one and could already talk, but Young Prince Xun couldn’t.
Princess NanAn looked at Prince NanAn, "Hasn’t he grabbed something he likes yet?"
"He likes his own feet," Prince NanAn said, feeling exhausted.
"...."
Grabbing other things, even a bun, people would say he’s lucky and destined to enjoy the world’s delicacies.
But this toe nibbling, what good can be said about it?
Prince NanAn felt awkward, those who came to congratulate felt even more awkward, as no blessings had been given for his grabbing ceremony.
Luckily, with so many people around, everyone waited on each other to speak, and no one started.
Chu Shun slapped Commandery Prince NanAn’s shoulder, "What does your son like?"
"I don’t know what he likes," Commandery Prince NanAn said, feeling exhausted.
Other things he played with and threw away after a while, a lot of things got broken.
No one knew what he liked.
He often liked sucking his hand.
Whenever this was mentioned, it deeply troubled Commandery Prince NanAn.
Young Prince Xun liked sucking his hand, though it was clean, it was unpleasant to watch.
Several times, Commandery Prince NanAn removed his hand, only for Young Prince Xun to put it back.
Commandery Prince NanAn glared at him, and Young Prince Xun pitifully offered his hand towards his mouth, as if feeding him...
Clearly misunderstanding Commandery Prince NanAn’s intentions, thinking he wanted to eat.
Commandery Prince NanAn, unsure what switched in his mind, actually bit down.
Princess NanAn entered just in time to see him biting Young Prince Xun’s hand, raised hers, and slapped the back of his head.
With a sudden force, Commandery Prince NanAn’s head collided with Young Prince Xun’s.
Young Prince Xun cried for half an hour before calming.
Even after a few days, his forehead was still a bit red.
During these past few days, Commandery Prince NanAn lived through hell, not receiving a single friendly face.
He just wanted to know why his son was so fond of sucking fingers!
He needed to ask his sister-in-law to find a way to help his son break this habit.
He feared one day his son would generously offer him his toes to chew.
Commandery Prince NanAn: "...."
Ever since Yaoyao gave him a son, he had lost face so many times.
He’s only one year old.
Once he grows older, Commandery Prince NanAn felt his life would turn bleak, nature would lose its color, and the sun and moon would fade.
He didn’t know if Dongxiang Marquis Mansion accepted one-year-olds, he wanted to send him to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to grow up with Huwa.
Before Commandery Prince NanAn sought Su Jin, Nie Yao had already asked Su Jin for advice, and Su Jin taught her a few methods.
Nie Yao followed them one by one, but had little effect.
For instance, wrapping his hand with a cloth, which Young Prince Xun bit through, was ineffective.
Next, applying bitter water on his hand.
Young Prince Xun cried bitterly, but couldn’t change his finger-sucking habit.
Having tried several methods without success, Commandery Prince NanAn sought Su Jin again.
Su Jin specially prepared some pills, instructing Commandery Prince NanAn to take them back, dissolve them, and apply them to Young Prince Xun’s hands and feet.
The bitterness lasted a month, unlike the lickable bitter water.
Within three days, Young Prince Xun’s finger-sucking habit was corrected, albeit at the expense of others, because inadvertently he’d shove hands into Princess NanAn and others’ mouths, leaving them with a bitter taste.
Before Young Prince Xun, the Ninth Prince considered Young Master Su to be the most mischievous, above all else.
But with Young Prince Xun, the Ninth Prince felt Young Prince Xun could rival Young Master Su.
Young Master Su didn’t dare provoke Marquis Dongxiang.
But Young Prince Xun specialized in provoking Commandery Prince NanAn.
Both Huwa and the Little Princess spoke before turning one, Young Prince Xun seemed to delay a bit, making Princess NanAn anxious.
She and Nie Yao often held Young Master Su teaching him to talk, maids teaching too, often pointing at Commandery Prince NanAn saying, "That’s your papa, call papa...."
After over a month of teaching.
Young Master Su clumsily hugged Commandery Prince NanAn’s leg, raising his little head to look at him, "Call papa...."
Unlike other kids making a single attempt at saying a word.
Young Master Su uttered several words right from the start.
His enunciation was exceptionally clear.
At least Commandery Prince NanAn heard him clearly.
Commandery Prince NanAn: "...!!!"
If not for the maid promptly taking him away, he would have tossed his son out the window.
