Chapter 1088: Chapter 1078: Crown Prince (4)
"Not big enough yet." Xiqiu touched her son’s face. "In a few more years, when Zhi is as big as his older brother and can settle on a marriage, then he’ll be grown up."
Zhi pouted. "I don’t want to get married, women are the most troublesome." He said this and tugged at Xiqiu. "Mother, I’m going to continue practicing."
Xiqiu shook her head and laughed.
With Chunliu and Bihuai, she returned to the main courtyard. Tiancheng came running from outside like flying, and Xiqiu stopped to look at him and ask somewhat nervously, "Is there news from Fourth Master?"
"Madam." Tiancheng laughed until his eyes disappeared. "The Crown Prince... The Crown Prince has been established!"
Xiqiu didn’t react at first, her heart beating like a drum. Chunliu excitedly asked loudly, "Established the Crown Prince? What’s the situation, has the Emperor awakened? Is his condition stable?"
"Yes, the Emperor awoke last night." He paused. "Early this morning, he summoned six cabinet ministers, established the Eldest Prince as the Crown Prince, sealed the Second Prince as Prince Ning stationed in Shanxi, and the Third Prince as Prince Xiang with territories in Hu-Guang..."
Xiqiu breathed a long sigh of relief, tightly gripping Chunliu’s fingers.
Chunliu felt the Madam’s fingertips were icy, she supported Xiqiu and foolishly laughed.
Tiancheng was also very happy and spoke of many things from the palace. Xiqiu listened calmly, but in her heart, she pondered over the Second Prince’s territory; Shanxi is not wealthy and even faces annual threats of Yellow River flooding disasters, with successive natural calamities and poor tax revenue. Why did the Emperor give the prosperous Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the Third Prince but Shanxi to the Second Prince?
Suddenly, she remembered that the family of Old Madam Shen, that is, the maternal family of the Second Prince, had their ancestral home in Shanxi.
Could it be that the Second Prince himself chose this place?
In an instant, many questions filled her mind. She turned to look at Tiancheng, thinking that only when Fourth Master Xiao returns can these doubts be clarified.
"Madam." A maid hurriedly entered, "The elder brother-in-law has arrived."
"Please invite him in quickly." Xiqiu smiled. Without waiting for the person to respond, she went to greet Tong Shen Zhi. On the way, she saw Tong Shen Zhi, wearing an official robe, striding towards her. He looked in good spirits but had dark circles under his eyes. It seemed he hadn’t slept well last night. She happily called out, "Big brother."
"Why have you come here?" Tong Shen Zhi saw her coming over, his tense expression relaxed a bit. Xiqiu asked, "Are you here because there is something urgent?"
Tong Shen Zhi nodded slightly, lowered his voice and said, "The edict will be issued today, securing Min’s position as Crown Prince, without a doubt." After saying this, he paused and continued, "The Great Governor is not here, so I’ll tell you first. The Emperor’s health is not in serious trouble, and the court can open tomorrow. You and the Great Governor..." He paused again, "might consider taking the opportunity to reside in Fujian or Shu for a while." After thinking, he added Songjiang and Baoding.
Songjiang is Fourth Master Xiao’s ancestral home, Baoding is Xiqiu’s ancestral home.
Xiqiu understood. This was suggesting they should avoid staying while Min gained power to prevent the Emperor from feeling wary of the Xiao family.
"I understand." Xiqiu nodded, "When Fourth Master returns, I will discuss this with him."
Tong Shen Zhi nodded again, glanced at Xiqiu, hesitated for a moment and said, "Take care of yourself. I must go to the government office." After saying this, he waved his hand, retraced his path back, without even having a cup of tea.
Xiqiu followed him for a few steps, finally relieved, turned around to go back, but hadn’t taken a step when she heard a call: "Madam."
Xiqiu turned her head and saw a servant woman from the outer courtyard leading a woman in a green bijia entering. Xiqiu recognized her; she was one of Ruan Jingliu’s...
Seeing her anxiousness, could it be that something happened to Ruan Jingliu?
She nervously asked, "Why are you here? Has something happened to your Madam?"
The woman was both anxious and happy, twisting her face and speaking incoherently: "Our Madam is going into childbirth, I came to inform Madam." Usually, for childbirth, birth date and time are kept secret, and it is certainly not common to report at the onset. If the woman came, it must be either at Ruan Jingliu’s or Second Master Qin’s instruction.
Ruan Jingliu would only report happy news after the birth to prevent Xiqiu from worrying, so it must have been Second Master Qin, afraid and wanting her support.
"Has the midwife been invited? When did it start?" Xiqiu asked.
The woman answered one by one, "The blood appeared before dawn, and Madam managed to get up and eat a bowl of noodles with two eggs." She paused and continued, "The midwife had moved into the mansion days ago and is currently with Nanny Rong in Madam’s room, attending to Fourth Madam, no need to worry."
How could she not worry? Ruan Jingliu’s first childbirth was bound to be difficult. Xiqiu thought about it then turned and instructed Chunliu, "Stay home to wait for Fourth Master and look after Zhi and them." She paused and then told Bihuai, "You go and call Nanny Cen, follow me to the Qin Mansion."
Bihuai and Chunliu responded and returned to the courtyard, Xiqiu then said to the woman from the Qin Mansion, "You go back first, I will be there shortly."
The woman acknowledged.
Tiancheng hadn’t left yet, overhearing Xiqiu planning to go out, he hesitated to speak. Xiqiu recognized his worry. In recent days, Xiqiu had frequently gone to and from the Marquis Mansion, people outside were already aware. After all, the Marquis Mansion was like home; if Xiqiu went to the Qin Mansion now, tomorrow everyone would be certain of her recoveries indeed.
She was not worried; Min was already established as the Crown Prince; she ought to slowly recover.
Waving her hand, she waited for Nanny Cen and Bihuai to come, then took them to the Qin Mansion.
Xiqiu had just left the mansion when Fourth Master Xiao entered. Tiancheng seeing him leave reported, "Madam has gone to the Qin Mansion, Second Madam Qin seems to be going into childbirth." He added, "...Madam asked me to inform Fourth Master that he should rest awhile; she might be back late."
Fourth Master Xiao didn’t expect Ruan Jingliu to be in labor, his heart paused for a moment. Having stayed awake the whole night, he was also fatigued. After thinking, he said, "I’m going to the Qin Mansion to check." He was uneasy about Xiqiu being alone at the Qin Mansion. Based on his observations during Xiqiu’s last birth, Qin Yuanfeng was not someone who could oversee the situation.
Xiqiu alone couldn’t manage everything.
Tiancheng pursed his lips but chuckled, suddenly realizing Wan’er was surely at the Qin Mansion too, he hesitated whether he should go and have a look.
Thinking about Qin Yuanfeng’s fickle, calculating ways; constantly alternating between warm and cold attitudes, Tiancheng couldn’t help but laugh, chasing after Fourth Master Xiao and said, "Fourth Master, wait for me." He followed along.
Comments