Di Ming

Chapter 421 Birth of a Daughter and Betrothal of a Sister: Double Happiness

The next day, the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhu Yin sent a messenger to the Duke of Wei's mansion in Nanjing, to be presented to Xu Xiaobai in person.

Tiger Fang had its own independent private postal system. Although it wasn't the imperial court's 600-li express courier service, it was still much faster than the imperial court's 300-li regular courier service. Just seven days later, Xu Xiaobai received Zhu Yin's letter.

When the Duke of Wei opened the letter, he indeed saw familiar handwriting; the calligraphy was that of a contemporary master. It read:

"...I have a sworn sister, as dear as a sibling, named Wu You. My sister is nineteen years old, beautiful and intelligent, serene as the autumn moon, elegant as the spring breeze. Though not a rare gem, she is one in a million, and I cherish her like a precious pearl. Noble men have repeatedly sought her hand in marriage, but to no avail, for she is of noble character and will not marry anyone but a man of exceptional talent... Caiwei and I often say, who could be worthy of my sister? Only a hero of this era..."

"Your mother's three-year mourning period has ended, and the mourning period is over. Now that my brother has returned home auspiciously, we should celebrate his marriage. My brother is a man of refined character, virtuous and talented, gentle as the spring sun and lustrous as jade, a true gentleman and a man of noble bearing. Moreover, his family has a long line of officials and a distinguished lineage. My brother's talents are perfectly matched with my sister's; it is truly a perfect union, a match made in heaven. May we forge a bond of brotherhood, a marriage alliance, and a harmonious relationship, may our friendship last forever..."

"I sincerely hope to forge this bond with you, brother, and that you will not try to curry favor with me..."

Below the letter, Wu You's birth date and time were also written.

After reading Zhu Yin's letter, Xu Xiaobai couldn't help but laugh and said, "So Zhihu has a sworn sister who is still unmarried. If I had known this earlier, I should have sent a letter to ask for her hand in marriage."

Without a second thought, he agreed without hesitation, filled with anticipation. He didn't even consider whether their birth charts were compatible.

There was no other reason than that this woman was Zhu Yin's sworn sister and was favored by Zhu Yin.

Who is Zhu Yin? The two have known each other for nearly ten years, so Xu Xiaobai certainly knows him very well.

Zhu Yin appears gentle and polite to everyone. However, this Mr. Zhihu actually has very high standards, and there are very few people who can meet his approval.

The reason he barely accepted her was because of their past relationship in the Jurchen tribe when she was young.

Given that Zhihu is a man of such stature, it's easy to imagine that his sworn sister, Wu You, is no ordinary woman. Even if she isn't as remarkable as Caiwei, she is certainly extraordinary.

Even if this woman were just average, he would still be willing to marry her off to Zhihu.

Xu Xiaobai was very happy and immediately went to inform his aunt, Madam Shen.

Because of the deaths of his father and mother, he was unable to marry, and his aunt, Madam Shen, managed the household registers, keys, and account books on his behalf.

"Aunt," Xu Xiaobai said as he entered his aunt's Buddhist shrine, "Marquis Jiangning, Zhu Yin, is my closest friend. He has a younger sister..."

"Although Mr. Zhihu is renowned throughout the land..." Madam Shen's expression showed slight displeasure, "he has after all been demoted to the position of county magistrate. Rumor has it that the Emperor is suspicious of him and has not rewarded his merits. I fear he may face unforeseen disaster in the future. How can my family arrange a marriage with him? If we are implicated..."

Xu Xiaobai's tone also turned cold, "My Wei State Duke's Mansion is the head of the founding nobles, sharing the fate of the country. How can we be easily implicated?"

"Countless people throughout the world are willing to form a marriage alliance with Zhihu, and I don't want to miss out..."

Madam Shen closed her eyes somewhat unwillingly. "Fine, I won't interfere in this matter. You can go find a matchmaker to arrange the betrothal yourself."

She knew that this time there was nothing she could do to stop her nephew from getting married.

Xu Xiaobai immediately replied to Zhu Yin, agreeing to the marriage. Because Nanjing was far from Pengshui, a matchmaker was dispatched to deliver the betrothal letter and gifts together.

At the same time, Xu Xiaobai sent a document to the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing to report his engagement to Zhu Yin's sister. As a Duke, his engagement had to be reported to the Ministry of Rites. Before the formal wedding, he also had to submit a memorial to the Emperor.

Of course, the emperor would not object unless there was a sufficient reason.

After the formalities of marriage are completed, the wedding will take until at least October. But once the engagement is finalized, he will be at ease.

……

Starting from the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhu Yin spent almost every day with Ning Caiwei. He delegated most of the county affairs to the county magistrate, the registrar, and a few staff members, effectively becoming a hands-off magistrate.

Unless it's a murder case, he won't personally preside over court proceedings. He'll just stay in the inner quarters with Caiwei, helping her with calligraphy and playing the zither, and sometimes he'll personally prepare meals for pregnant women and feed his wife.

On May 20th, the Zhu family began offering sacrifices to the birthing bed and the birthing goddess, Lady Linshui, and presented wooden puppets of the "Thirty-Six Palace Maidens." The entire inner courtyard was shrouded in smoke.

Furthermore, in the back hall of the county government office, the official residence, and every household posted talismans depicting the six Ding and six Jia. Zhu Yin even personally used a hoe to bury a small iron ox under the birthing bed to ward off the evil spirits causing trouble during childbirth.

Humans are greatly influenced by the spirit; otherwise, why would spiritual civilization be so important? Humans cannot be materialistic; only science and technology can.

When his wife was about to give birth, Zhu Yin naturally followed local customs and would certainly not advocate materialism or oppose feudal superstition.

Upon learning of Caiwei's due date, Qin Liangyu sent a labor-inducing kit. Even Hao Yunlai's wife personally delivered a pregnancy-supporting pillow.

When the people of Pengshui County heard that the county magistrate's wife was about to give birth, countless people spontaneously burned incense and prayed for her safety and good fortune. Incense and candles in both urban and rural areas were sold out.

On May 25th, just as Caiwei was about to give birth, Zhu Yin finally received the betrothal letter and gifts from Xu Xiaobai, along with the matchmaker.

Zhu Yin was very satisfied with Xu Xiaobai's sincerity after reading the letter of appointment and the betrothal gifts. He immediately accepted the silver goose and personally wrote Wu You's birth chart and the letter of appointment.

Just as Zhu Yin was writing the betrothal letter, Yunniang came into the study with a joyful expression, "My lord, the lady is about to give birth!"

Zhu Yin quickly put down his pen and ran briskly to the delivery room that had been prepared in advance. He saw that the door was full of maids, holding towels, basins of water and other items, and they all looked nervous.

Inside the delivery room, Ning Qingchen, Qin Liangyu, Madam Hao, and others had already arrived. Obstetric instruments such as forceps and scissors were also ready and prepared.

The birthing bed had already been sacrificially prepared; the chicken blood at the foot of the bed had dried; a talisman depicting the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden was hung on the curtains for safe childbirth; and a shrine and incense burner were set up inside the birthing room for burning incense and praying to the gods. These are all customs that cannot be omitted.

Ning Caiwei lay on the bed, her expression seemingly calm, but her originally snow-white skin had turned sallow, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"Caiwei..." Zhu Yin stepped forward and took her hand. "How are you?"

Ning Caiwei forced a smile, "My stomach hurts, it's getting worse..."

Zhu Yin touched her wet forehead and said, "If your stomach hurts, just shout it out. Don't hold it in. Qingchen said your baby is in the right position and you'll definitely have a natural birth."

Ning Caiwei nodded, then suddenly looked pained. "Little Tiger, you can go now. I'm fine."

"My water broke! I'm already bleeding!" Ning Qingchen shouted. "Little Tiger, you go out first!" Then she picked up a lip-biting cloth and stuffed it into her sister's mouth.

"Okay!" Zhu Yin gave Caiwei a deep look, patted her hand, and turned to leave the place where the woman was in labor.

Ning Caiwei gripped the bed sheet tightly, staring at Zhu Yin's back until he could no longer be seen.

Just in case, she had left a will, hoping that the tiger cub would fulfill her last wish should she die in childbirth.

Zhu Yin didn't go far; she waited outside the delivery room, her heart pounding in her chest.

It was late May, and the weather was sweltering. Coupled with his anxiety, Zhu Yin was soon drenched in sweat. At that moment, he was filled with unease and found it difficult to feel the joy of becoming a father.

The composure and confidence he had shown earlier were completely gone.

Caiwei has a very good foundation. Over the years, she has studied martial arts and archery, making her physical fitness far superior to that of the average woman. If it is a natural birth, she can give birth in as little as ten minutes or as long as an hour.

If it takes more than an hour, things won't go smoothly.

But thinking of Ning Qingchen's presence and the advanced instruments like forceps, Zhu Yin breathed a sigh of relief.

From the delivery room came faint groans of Caiwei, and Qingchen's clear yet powerful voice: "Push! Push! It's almost over! It's almost over!"

Upon hearing this voice, Zhu Yin's heart was gripped by an invisible hand once again, making it difficult to breathe. He broke out in a cold sweat, feeling sticky all over.

"Chirp...chirp..."

"Quack quack..."

The cicadas in the trees and the frogs in the pond were making Zhu Yin feel extremely annoyed. Mr. Zhihu, who was usually very calm, was now very anxious.

Three children appeared behind Zhu Yin. Five-year-old Zhu Weiming asked like a little adult, "What are you doing here, Dad?"

Feng Yaoli tilted her head, biting her finger, and asked, "Why is Father standing in the sun?"

Zhao Jingzhong (Huang Taiji) tugged at Zhu Yin's sleeve, "Father, let's go cool off."

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "Father is waiting for your sister; she'll be here soon."

Is our little sister coming? The three children couldn't help but wonder, which little sister?

But soon, they were drawn to Little Black.

Little Black, its tongue lolling out, obediently coiled at Zhu Yin's feet, its gaze fixed intently on the delivery room. The three children stroked its fur, and it closed its eyes contentedly.

Zhu Yin patted Xiao Hei's head and murmured, "Old friend, you're nine years old now, but I'm about to become a father for the first time."

Suddenly, Little Black's ears perked up, and it darted like an arrow towards the garden not far away, quickly snatching a small red fox in its mouth.

The red fox was still very small, looking like it had just been born. It was only the size of a fist, and its fluffy fur was very cute.

"Eek..." The little red fox made a cute, childlike cry, its timid fox eyes looking pitifully at Zhu Yin, as if it might be bitten to death by the little black fox at any moment.

The three children looked on with adorable surprise when they saw the little red fox.

"Give me!"

"I want!"

"mine!"

"Don't hurt it." Zhu Yin looked at the little red fox that hadn't been weaned yet and couldn't help but think of his own child who was about to be born.

He picked up the trembling little red fox, touched its ears, and discovered it was female.

Just then, Ning Qingchen suddenly called out joyfully from the delivery room, "It's done! She's out!"

Immediately afterwards, the loud cries of a baby rang out, instantly drowning out the chirping of cicadas and the croaking of frogs, but Zhu Yin felt as if he were hearing celestial music.

Joyful sounds immediately filled the delivery room.

"It's a girl, and both mother and daughter are safe!"

"She was born so easily, in less than a quarter of an hour!"

"Quickly prepare warm water and towels!"

Then Ning Caiwei's strong voice rang out: "Thank you for your concern, I'm fine."

Qin Liangyu came out beaming and waved, saying, "Zhihu, Caiwei gave birth to a daughter, and both mother and daughter are perfectly safe!"

Only then did Zhu Yin breathe a sigh of relief, and he was overjoyed to go inside to take a look.

"Hey, hey..." Qin Liangyu stopped him, "Don't go in yet, what's the rush! I'll show you later."

"Alright, alright!" Zhu Yin beamed. "I'm not in a hurry, not in a hurry." Qin Liangyu chuckled. "Why have you suddenly become so silly? Is this still Mr. Zhihu?"

"Congratulations, my lord!" the surrounding maids congratulated in unison.

"Reward them!" Zhu Yin said to Jin Yunniang, "Give each person three months' wages! Prepare a baby shower! I want to have a grand banquet for the guests!"

Everyone was very happy. They had thought that since the lady had given birth to a daughter, the lord might not be so happy. But it turned out that this was not the case at all, and the lord was still very pleased.

Soon, the baby's placenta was removed, tied with red thread, and hung on the western branch of a nearby mulberry tree, which was also a custom.

Not long after, Zhu Yin was invited into the delivery room and finally saw Ning Caiwei and her daughter.

Ning Caiwei was radiant and full of joy, holding a small baby in her arms.

The newborn baby was a bit ugly at first glance, and was currently nursing in swaddling clothes. This first nursing experience was, of course, Ning Caiwei personally breastfeeding the baby. Naturally, a wet nurse had also been chosen.

"My wife has worked hard." Zhu Yin sat by the bed, gently touching the baby's little hand, feeling immense joy and wanting to hold the baby immediately.

Having lived two lives, this is my first time being a father.

"Were you worried?" Ning Caiwei patted the baby, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "I'm fine. I'll let you hold the baby after I've fed it."

Zhu Yin nodded. "Yes, I saw her breastfeeding. This little thing has a really good appetite; she eats so fiercely with her little mouth."

At this moment, his gaze was not on the pinkish-white snow-capped peaks, but on his daughter's little mouth sucking hard.

Ning Caiwei held the baby who had fallen off her body, her face full of maternal smiles, her eyes gently stroking the infant like spring water.

Having lived two lives, she is now a mother for the first time.

The little one ate voraciously and quickly, soon finishing his breast milk, letting out a burp, and falling asleep in the blink of an eye.

"You're full so quickly?" Zhu Yin took his warm, cuddly daughter. "How could you possibly finish it all?"

Ning Caiwei rolled her eyes at him, and Zhu Yin realized he had misspoke. Qingchen was still standing there.

Zhu Yin chuckled, bent down and kissed the baby. His nose was filled with the sweet smell of milk, and he felt his heart melt.

Although it's a padded jacket for summer, it's definitely not breathable.

He carefully examined the little girl's face, unable to discern who she resembled, but the more he looked, the more he liked her, and he couldn't resist giving her another kiss.

The little girl was already asleep when her father kissed her, and she smiled unconsciously. But the smile didn't disturb her sleep.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but recall a poem by Baiju Temple, and recited: "A pearl in the palm shines like the moon, illuminating the twelve stories of the Qionglou Tower."

"Little Tiger, have you chosen a name yet?" Ning Caiwei asked. "Have you been thinking about it for a long time and still haven't come up with one?"

Zhu Yin carefully held his daughter. "I had thought of a few names, but I wasn't quite satisfied with any of them. They were all a little bit off. Just now, I suddenly saw Xiao Hei catch a little red fox that had just been weaned, and I thought of a perfect name: Ying Ning."

"Yingning?" Ning Caiwei was taken aback. "Isn't that the fox fairy from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio who always loved to laugh?"

Zhu Yin nodded and smiled, "Yes, that carefree, naturally cheerful fox spirit. You see, Yingning has the character 'Ning' in her name, and your surname is Ning. Zhu Yingning not only sounds nice, but it's also unconventional. I hope my child will be as carefree as Yingning, and also have the cleverness of a fox spirit."

Ning Caiwei was also very satisfied. "Zhu Yingning is a very nice name. I like it very much. It's quite a coincidence that you discovered the little red fox right after I gave birth to her."

Ning Qingchen sat to one side, looking somewhat dejected. She suddenly sneered:
"Little Tiger, you've had a daughter. Aren't you happy?" Then he lowered his voice, "It's not a son. In the future, you won't be afraid that your son won't be able to wait because of the small age gap between father and son."

Zhu Yin stared at him, "What are you saying? Even if it were my son, I wouldn't worry about something like this. What's wrong with you? It's ridiculous."

Ning Qingchen stood up. "You all can chat as a family. I'm going out. Don't worry, the delivery went smoothly. My sister didn't suffer any damage to her health, and there are no problems at all."

After saying that, he glanced at his newborn niece and left with a complicated expression.

Ning Caiwei chuckled, "This child, why are you jealous again?"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "I'm jealous of my niece, aren't I afraid people will laugh at me?"

Although Ning Qingchen had gone out, she had been listening intently. Upon hearing the conversation in the delivery room, she couldn't help but stomp her foot and then suddenly burst into laughter.

Looking at the white clouds over the Tianshan Mountains, she said to herself, "From now on... we'll be a family of four."

After saying that, he suddenly saw Xiao Hei and added, "And you too!"

……

In the county magistrate's hall, Zhu Yin, dressed in a blue official robe, sat upright, exuding an air of authority.

On either side of the spacious hall, several official plaques were arranged, bearing inscriptions such as "Silence," "Avoidance," and "Seventh-Rank Official," creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Inside and outside the main hall, officials and staff were gathered in large numbers, as if attending a court session. The duty officers stretched all the way outside the hall.

Zhu Yin had served as a county magistrate for three years and was already familiar with grassroots administration. For example, the position of county magistrate was by no means a minor official; it wielded considerable power!
The well-being of the entire county's 90,000 inhabitants, and the common people within a radius of over a hundred li, were all under the control of the county magistrate. He was truly a local tyrant.

To say that a county magistrate is a lowly official with a low rank shows a lack of understanding of his importance.

Zhu Yin, of course, would not be manipulated by clerks. In less than a month after taking office, he completely controlled the entire Pengshui County. From the county magistrate down to the yamen runners, who dared to disobey him? No matter how powerful the local tyrant was, he could not withstand his rule.

After three years, Pengshui County had become much better. The county was well-governed, the government was efficient, and the people lived in peace and contentment. Even in the Miao people's Jiuli village, many community schools were established for people to study and learn to read and write.

Yesterday, Caiwei gave birth to a daughter safely, and Zhu Yin immediately convened a court session to personally oversee the affairs of state during this period.

Fortunately, his staff and subordinates had already handled things well, so he no longer needed to do it personally.

When Zhu Yin's staff and officials learned that he had a daughter, they all offered their congratulations.

Congratulations, my lord, on the birth of your precious daughter!

"If you have a beautiful daughter, you can earn ten thousand coins a year!"

"Congratulations, Your Excellency!"

Zhu Yin, beaming with joy, said, "The day after tomorrow is the third-day celebration for my little girl Yingning. I would like to invite you all to attend and have a drink with us. I will not send out invitations or name cards; you may simply walk in."

Everyone cupped their hands in greeting and said, "That is indeed our wish, we dare not ask!"

...

On May 28th, guests came to the magistrate's residence for his third-day-old celebration. The residence was filled with distinguished guests, and the air was filled with the melodious sounds of traditional music. The place was decorated with a festive atmosphere.

A bow and arrow and a sieve were hung on the door of the delivery room. The bow and arrow symbolized shooting away evil spirits, while the sieve filtered out misfortune.

The Zhu family prepared mugwort leaves, locust branches, and lemongrass to remove fetal toxins, and after boiling them, they began to bathe Yingning.

As soon as the guests were seated, Yingning was brought out by Caiwei. Then Jin Yunniang held the child up to show everyone, indicating that this was the baby for the third-day celebration.

There are three steps to washing a baby, as the song goes: "First, wash the face to open the seven orifices; second, bathe the heart and chest to open the sea of ​​qi; finally, wash the lower genitals to eliminate the source of impurity."

The person in charge of the three-part ritual was Zhuang Shu, the wife of Feng Menglong. In front of all the guests in the living room, Zhuang Shu recited the Growth Mantra. Then she unwrapped the baby and washed its face, praying that the infant would have sharp hearing and eyesight.

While gently washing the baby's face and ears, she said, "Bathed face reveals sweetness and bitterness."

"Giggle giggle..." The baby suddenly laughed, laughing heartily, kicking her little legs, her innocent eyes full of clear laughter... Perhaps Zhuang Shu tickled her ears.

Then change the water. This is the first wash.

The second washing is of the chest and abdomen, a prayer for the baby to have an open heart and a large belly. As Zhuang Shu washed, she said, "Wash your heart to discern loyalty from treachery."

"Giggle giggle..." The baby laughed even harder, perhaps because it was ticklish?

After the second wash, the water is changed again. The third wash is to cleanse the genitals, praying for the baby's safety and health, and freedom from all illnesses. Zhuang Shu then said, "Cleanse the genitals and continue the incense offering."

The guests nodded in congratulations and then threw copper coins and silver fragments into a copper basin next to the baby. This was the "adding basin gift," where copper coins symbolized the addition of a son and silver fragments represented wealth and prosperity.

Next came the cutting of the baby's hair. This was a very important step in the third-day-after-birth ceremony. However, it was Mrs. Hao who did it.

Mrs. Hao is very meticulous and gentle, making her well-suited for tasks involving scissors.

The baby's hair on the top of the head is not cut to protect the fontanelle from convulsions; this is called "hundred-year-old hair." The sideburns are completely shaved, meaning to prevent "hair from covering the ears." Other parts of the head are also shaved.

After cutting the hair, Madam Hao gently stroked the baby's head and said, "May all the hair return to its source, growing back like spring grass." She prayed for the hair to regrow.

"Giggle..." the baby laughed again.

Madam Hao said, "This child is blessed; he loves to laugh."

The baby's first hair was cut off, placed in a brocade pouch, and given to Ning Caiwei to keep.

Then, they used mugwort to moxibust the baby's fontanelle, which is an ancient custom to prevent the baby's fontanelle from being chilled and convulsed.

The baby's parents sat side by side in the hall, both with smiles on their faces, watching the guests perform the ritual of adding a basin to the baby's body, finding the "clinking" sound very pleasant to hear.

"Giggle giggle..." Upon hearing this sound, the baby laughed again.

Now all the guests knew that the Marquis of Jiangning's daughter loved to laugh.

After the bath and haircut, the child was returned to Ning Caiwei's arms. Her father, Zhu Yin, then took out a longevity lock and put it on her.

Thus, the third-day-after-birth ceremony came to an end. Next was a banquet, where almost all the prominent figures in the county were present, including more than a dozen Miao elders, each one feeling honored to be there.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the joyous atmosphere, a beaming Zhu Yin suddenly stood up, raised his cup, and said:

"I have another piece of good news to share with you all: my younger sister, Wu You, has been betrothed to the Duke of Wei, and the engagement ceremony between our two families has been completed. It is a double celebration for our family."

When everyone heard that Zhu Yin was to marry into the Duke of Wei's family, they all raised their glasses to congratulate him, saying that it was a double blessing and auspiciousness.

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "I have been in Pengshui for three years, and thanks to the kindness of the people, I have been able to bring prosperity to this region and allow the people to live in peace and contentment. Today, I am doubly happy and wish to share this joy with the people of this county. Every household in this county, regardless of clan affiliation, will be rewarded with one tael of silver!"

"What?!" Everyone was incredulous upon hearing this. "There are 16,000 households in this county. If each household receives one tael of silver, that's 16,000 taels of silver!"

What a big spirit!
Very few people know that this peaceful and joyous third-day-old ceremony was a prelude to Zhu Yin's upheaval and coup.

Very few people know what kind of turmoil this seemingly cheerful couple, celebrating their daughter's third-day celebration, will soon unleash!
...

P.S.: Next chapter, Rebellion!

(End of this chapter)