Chapter 456

Strategies of a Noble Lady Chapter 463: Newborn (Part 2)

Half-asleep, Lady Eleven seemed to hear a child crying.

She sat up abruptly to find Nurse Wan sitting calmly on the heated brick bed, gently patting Jing'er in her arms.

"Madam," Qiuyu, who was attending to her, hurried forward. "What's wrong?"

Hearing the commotion, Nurse Wan also turned toward them.

Daytime thoughts become nighttime dreams. With the child refusing to nurse, how could she rest peacefully?

"It's nothing," Lady Eleven leaned back against the pillow. "How is Jing'er?"

Qiuyu's expression darkened. "He woke once. Nurse Wan had Wet Nurse Gu feed young master Jing, but he wouldn't nurse. She had to give him some water instead."

Lady Eleven grew anxious. "What time is it?"

"Nearly noon - still a quarter hour to go."

"Has Physician Wu been summoned?"

Qiuyu shook her head. "The page said Physician Wu is on palace duty today. He won't leave until 2 PM."

After leaving the palace and traveling to Hehuali, it would be nearly 3 PM. Better to send someone to wait at the palace gates than seek an imperial decree.

Nurse Wan brought Jing'er over. "Don't worry, Madam. The Marquis went to the palace immediately!"

Lady Eleven started. "When?"

"He left at 10 AM."

Nearly two hours ago.

Presenting his credentials, meeting the emperor, obtaining permission, returning to Hehuali... Each procedural step would take until 2 PM at best - when Physician Wu would be leaving anyway.

Lady Eleven paused thoughtfully. The Marquis knew palace protocols better than she - yet he'd gone. Was action more comforting than waiting?

She took her son from Nurse Wan, gazing at his sleeping face before kissing his baby-soft cheek.

Fourteen hours since birth, and he'd only taken water... Was he rejecting the wet nurse? Feeling unwell? Unable to tell her...

She nervously adjusted his swaddling blanket.

A maid announced, "Madam, the Eldest Daughter is here!"

Qiuyu hastened to explain, "She came earlier but left when she saw you both sleeping, saying she'd return." She retrieved a small box from the clothing cabinet. "The Eldest Daughter brought this this morning."

Inside lay exquisite gold bracelets adorned with crabapple blossoms.

"Please show her in," said Lady Eleven, surprised.

Zhenjie entered in a white quilted jacket and rose-red sleeveless overcoat, her cheerful appearance brightening the winter day.

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Lady Eleven had Qiuyu bring an embroidered stool for her to sit on, then pointed to the box and said, "What is this? It's far too extravagant."

Zhenjie, hearing this, grew slightly uneasy and replied softly, "Second Young Master gave it to me before he left for Falling Leaves Mountain. He said it was for Sixth Brother."

Really?

Lady Eleven gazed at the crabapple flowers dangling from the bracelet.

In their culture, crabapple flowers symbolized maidenhood—typically given to girls. At that time, the baby hadn't been born yet, and there was no way of knowing whether it would be a boy or a girl. Moreover, her child was the second legitimate son. Given Xu Siyu's cautious nature, if he were to give a gift, it would most likely be a gold locket inscribed with something like *"Peace Every Year"* or *"Good Fortune and Prosperity"*—something utterly safe and conventional...

Why would he give a small bracelet with dangling crabapple flowers?

Could it be that Zhenjie had taken the initiative herself—perhaps this bangle was something she had worn as a child?

Thinking this, Lady Eleven smiled and asked, "Why did you come so late?"

Zhenjie was born just days after Xu Siyu. Though they hadn’t grown up together like other siblings, ever since she was old enough to understand, she had heard the maids and nannies murmuring about *‘our second young master’* this and that, and she had longed to meet this elder brother. When she finally did, she found him clever and lively, bold enough to plop straight onto the steps—unlike her, who had to place an embroidered cushion on the chair before sitting, afraid of dirtying her clothes and displeasing the Grand Madame. She had envied him... Later, she also felt he was pitiable... especially after Qin Yi's death. Neither their father nor mother had touched Qin Yi's belongings, but Xiulan, who had learned the abacus from Lady Wen and was later assigned by Lady Eleven to serve in her own quarters, overheard Lady Wen saying that apart from a few registered items, Qin Yi had squandered all the rewards and gold ornaments Second Young Master had accumulated over the years, leaving behind less than a hundred taels of scattered silver... When she heard the senior servants discussing what gifts to give Sixth Brother, worried that Xu Siyu might be in a difficult position, she remembered the pair of gold bangles—given by the Wen family at her full-moon celebration but never worn—that Lady Wen had recently returned to her. She selected these... Afraid her aunt might question her, she deliberately arrived late.

She couldn’t help but fidget nervously. "I... I waited for news from here all yesterday... stayed up late... and overslept." The more she spoke, the guiltier she felt. Remembering Lady Eleven's usual advice—when unsure what to say, it's better to say nothing than to feign sincerity—she quickly straightened her posture and raised her voice slightly, forcing a smile. "Mother, I heard from Wan Mama that Father named Sixth Brother 'Jin.' Is that true?"

Lady Eleven grew even more certain her guess was correct.

Though she didn’t know what these two were scheming, Zhenjie's protectiveness toward Xu Siyu was far better than kicking him while he was down. So she played along. "Your father and I both thought the name was good..."

Before she could finish, Jin’er suddenly burst into tears.

Lady Eleven hurriedly picked him up and called for Wan Mama, "Did he wet himself again?"

Wan Mama rushed over and unwrapped the swaddling—the diaper was dry.

"Maybe he's thirsty?" Wan Mama hesitated.

"Then give him some water!"

Zhenjie watched curiously from the side as Jin’er puckered his little mouth and spat out the water.

"Could he be hungry?" Lady Eleven suggested.

Hongwen dashed off to fetch Gu Shi.

This time, Jin’er latched on smoothly, but after a few sucks, he started wailing again.

Gu Shi's face paled.

Wan Mama, paying no heed, called for another nursing maid.

Jin’er turned his face away and cried even louder, coughing as if choking.

Wan Mama held him upright, patting his back gently, but he only cried harder, coughing mid-cry.

"He's not wet, he won’t drink water, and he only took a few sucks of milk before refusing again. What’s wrong with him? Could it be some other illness?" Remembering the midwife mentioning that his shoulder had gotten stuck during birth, Lady Eleven kicked off the blankets and tried to get out of bed.

"My Lady, you mustn’t get up!" Wan Mama cried in alarm. "The doctor said you must rest for several days, or you’ll suffer childbed fever!" Caught between stopping Lady Eleven and not daring to put the baby down, she could only shout, "Qiuyu! Help Her Ladyship lie back down!"

The baby’s cries tore at Lady Eleven's heart, putting her past listening. Not only did she insist on getting up to hold him, she began swaying as she walked, patting his back all the while.

Wan Mama was beside herself with worry.

She recalled how Lord Xu had stayed in the delivery room with Eleventh Miss during labor and rushed to the palace for the emperor's consent upon hearing the child was ill...

If the mistress took a turn for the worse...

She could only hope Tian Mama, who was instructing the kitchen maids in the small kitchen to prepare food for Eleventh Miss, would arrive soon!

Meanwhile, Zhenjie initially felt embarrassed watching the wet nurse feed Jin Geer, but as his crying intensified, she grew concerned and tugged at Wan Mama, asking, "What should we do?"

Though frantic, Wan Mama had a sudden inspiration. Gritting her teeth, she suggested, "Mistress, perhaps we should have Auntie Peng examine him?"

Eleventh Miss was surprised. "Is Auntie Peng still in the mansion?"

Wan Mama nodded. "Both midwives and Auntie Peng remain here." Worried Eleventh Miss might not understand, she added, "Lord Xu was so pleased that he asked them to stay until after the Thirdday Ceremony for Young Master Jin."

The Thirdday Ceremony was presided over by the midwives, who could keep all the blessing basin offerings afterward.

Remembering Auntie Peng's behavior during the delivery, Eleventh Miss hesitated.

Wan Mama, desperate to get Eleventh Miss back to bed, said, "Didn't Auntie Peng clarify she doesn't assist deliveries? The empress sent her specifically for her pediatric expertise." She guided Eleventh Miss toward the bed. "Being palace-trained, she must have genuine knowledge—otherwise the imperial physicians wouldn't tolerate her. Why not let her examine him? If her advice proves sound, we'll follow it. If not, we'll consider it just another doctor's opinion."

Eleventh Miss watched her wailing son and calculated that even if Lord Xu succeeded, Imperial Physician Wu wouldn't arrive for two more hours. Could she simply watch her son suffer that long?

With this thought, she decided: "Have her come examine him!"

Hongwen dashed out without waiting for formal orders.

Wan Mama sighed in relief and took over soothing the crying Jin Geer.

Eleventh Miss felt a pang of pain below and allowed Zhenjie to help her back to bed.

In less time than it takes to steep tea, Auntie Peng arrived.

This time she wore a true-purple overjacket, still appearing rather eccentric.

Wan Mama presented the child.

Having learned the reason for her summons en route, Auntie Peng immediately took Jin Geer's pulse.

The infant's arm was tiny, Auntie Peng's fingers thick. Eleventh Miss grew displeased seeing improper finger placement on the pulse points. Noting her darting eyes rather than focused attention, Eleventh Miss doubted her diagnostic ability. Yet Auntie Peng soon declared: "Young Master Jin must have inhaled something during delivery, now lodged in his throat. I have an ancestral remedy—three doses of Reviving Spring Pills will cure him." She produced three wax pills the size of quail eggs from her pouch. "Dissolve these in water and give in three doses."

Normally Eleventh Miss would have sent her away with some silver. But now she burned with anger.

If you want to swindle money, at least choose your moment. How dare you dose a child? What if complications arise? This is sheer recklessness!

Her expression darkened as she refused the pills. "A floating pulse drifts like wood on water; a surging pulse roars like floodwaters; a weak pulse floats faint, broad and slow. What pulse do you find in our Jin Geer?"