Chapter 174

Chapter 174

Outside the room, Grandfather Han and the others were overcome with joy and excitement.

Inside the delivery room, Han Zhang, ignoring the midwife taking the child away to be cleaned, focused solely on holding Shen Qinglan's hand, gently wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his voice a little hoarse from the scare:

"Does it still hurt? How do you feel?"

"No... it doesn't hurt anymore. With you here, husband, it was... it was just a little pain, truly."

Although Han Zhang's ability had alleviated the pain, childbirth was still no easy feat, and Shen Qinglan's face remained somewhat pale.

However, his spirits were indeed still quite good. Seeing Han Zhang's worried expression, he offered a reassuring smile, his eyes full of nothing but Han Zhang.

This obedient yet fragile and dependent demeanor made Han Zhang's heart melt, soft and tender, his eyes full of warmth:

"You worked so hard, sweetheart. It's a boy. When the midwife carried him past, I caught a glimpse—his brows, eyes, and nose look just like me. This is just what you wanted."

"Really? Husband, I want to see the baby. Have someone bring him over quickly so I can take a look..."

Hearing it was a boy who looked just like Han Zhang, Shen Qinglan's eyes lit up immediately, and he eagerly urged him to bring the baby over.

It wasn't that he minded having a boy, but as a lad himself, he knew all too well how hard life was for girls and boys in this day and age.

He and his husband were merely minor officials, not the imperial family with absolute power over life and death. They couldn't guarantee their kid would never get bullied. Better to pray the child wasn't born into that kind of life than to let him suffer later.

He just couldn't stand the thought of their kid being picked on.

A boy was better—if he had talent, he could make it no matter what, unlike girls and boys who had to depend on others, hoping to find a good spouse to have a decent life.

The midwife, who was cleaning the child nearby, overheard the couple's conversation and quickly brought the baby over, showering them with compliments:

"Lord Prefect, young master, take a look! The young master is sturdy! That cry was so loud and strong. In all my years of delivering babies, I've rarely seen one with such strength. He's sure to grow up to be a real man of standing!"

"And this little face—oh my, so handsome! He's practically a spitting image of the Lord Prefect—those eyebrows, that face... When he grows up, he'll surely win over plenty of girls and boys!"

Calling him a spitting image was a bit of a stretch, but the child's features did indeed bear a striking resemblance to Han Zhang—you could tell at a glance they were father and son.

Yet the lines of his features also subtly blended Shen Qinglan's delicate beauty, softening Han Zhang's sharp edges into something cuter and more refined.

He'd definitely grow up to be a gentle, refined gentleman.

Shen Qinglan couldn't tear his eyes away, reaching out to gently touch the baby's curled-up little fist, thrilled: "Husband, he really looks like you! So handsome, and these little arms and legs are sturdy too."

"Of course he's sturdy—he's a solid six pounds five ounces."

Because of how a lad's body works, not only was the pregnancy shorter than a woman's, but the baby was usually smaller too, so this weight made him a real chubby little guy.

"The curve of his nose and his little mouth look more like you... So well-behaved."

Han Zhang, loving the baby because it was his husband's, couldn't get enough of him. He couldn't help leaning in to nuzzle the baby's soft cheek, breathing in that milky baby smell, his heart completely melting.

This was his kid—his and his husband's, bound by blood.

Shen Qinglan watched Han Zhang cherish their baby so dearly, the smile in his eyes and on his face impossible to hold back. Then, remembering something, he quickly asked:

"Oh, husband, have you decided on our baby's name? What shall we call him?"

They'd actually been thinking about names for a while but still hadn't settled on one.

It wasn't that they couldn't come up with names, but rather that they both treasured the child so much that no name felt good enough for their little one.

Now that the baby was here, they couldn't put it off any longer.

Han Zhang held Shen Qinglan's hand and said gently, "I've decided. Our Han family motto: Filial piety and brotherly love first, benevolence and righteousness in heart, hold to humility, persist with diligence, inherit ancestral virtue to stand firm, continue scholarly legacy to expand our enterprise, bless future generations, and preserve our true nature."

"I'm the sixteenth generation, the 'Qin' generation. Our baby is the seventeenth generation, the 'Cheng' generation, so his name is Han Chengyi."

"'Yi' means a mountain peak, tall and unshakable—may my son carry on our legacy and stand strong, passing down the Han name for generations."

The real meaning was about 'holding onto what we've built'—he didn't want the empire he'd worked so hard to build to fall apart in the second generation because of a useless son.

Shen Qinglan, who always saw Han Zhang through rose-colored glasses, nodded right away: "Good, Han Chengyi it is—that's a wonderful name! And the nickname? Husband, what shall we call our baby?"

"The nickname..." A little smile flickered in Han Zhang's eyes. "Let's call him Xiao Tao'er."

"Is it the 'Tao' from the mythical beast Taotie?" Shen Qinglan's eyes widened slightly.

"Yes," Han Zhang nodded in explanation. "Sure, Taotie's known for being greedy in old stories, but it's also a guardian beast that stands for power and wealth—majestic and fierce."

"Picking this name, first, I hope our son gets divine protection and never wants for anything—eating well is a blessing, and good fortune runs deep. Second, I hope he'll have a big heart and bold spirit, like Taotie swallowing up the world. This name is neither vulgar nor common—it fits perfectly."

Though humble names were said to make children easier to raise, his son would one day inherit the throne—he couldn't give him a laughable nickname that would be recorded in the history books.

Han Zhang recalled the famously weepy Emperor Li Zhi (nicknamed "Erfeng") and decided to follow his naming style, using a divine beast from the Classic of Mountains and Seas to bring auspicious protection to his son.

Shen Qinglan's eyes sparkled with admiration: "Husband, you're amazing! This nickname is perfect—unique and full of blessings! Xiao Tao'er, Xiao Tao'er... Our little Xiao Tao'er."

The midwife, who had been eavesdropping, silently marveled at the exchange.

Indeed, the Lord Prefect—a scholarly official family—even naming a child was so refined, with family mottos, generational rankings, and ancient divine beasts. It all sounded so cultured and grand!

Unlike the village names like Dog Egg, Iron Ox, or Dung Ball that people teased about...

So Taotie was a divine beast? And a symbol of wealth?

Oh my, that sounded so promising—she decided her next grandson would be named that too! To share in the fortune and nobility of the Prefect's young master!

With that thought, the midwife's smile grew even more radiant, and her flattery flowed like honey:

"Oh my, Lord Prefect, the name you've chosen is so scholarly and imposing! I may not understand all those fancy words, but it sounds extraordinary—a name fit for a towering, great figure!"

"Blessed, truly blessed! With this name, the young master will surely have everything he wishes for, eat well, grow strong, live a long life, and enjoy endless wealth and glory!"

These auspicious words hit right at the heart.

Shen Qinglan, delighted by the flattery, said with a beaming smile to everyone in the room:

"Today, our little Xiao Tao'er has arrived safely—a great joy. You've all worked hard, bustling about. The rewards I'd prepared remain as planned, and today each of you gets an extra two taels of silver as celebration money. Let's all share in the happiness!"

Two taels of silver! That was no small sum—enough for an ordinary farming family to live frugally for several months.

The midwife and the maids and page boys helping in the room were overjoyed at the news, quickly kneeling in unison to kowtow in gratitude, auspicious words pouring out like a flood:

"Thank you for the generous reward, young master! Thank you for your grace, Lord!"

"May the young master and Lord enjoy a hundred years of love and boundless blessings!"

"May the young master grow healthy and strong, safe and happy, clever and bright!"

Sweet words of blessing filled their ears, and Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan, the new parents, wore beaming smiles of pure joy on their faces.

Indeed, their baby was truly that clever, healthy, and blessed!

As the eldest great-grandson of the Han family, Han Chengyi's arrival in this era represented far more than just a new addition to the household—it meant the arrival of a new heir for the Han clan.

After all, ancient customs dictated that the eldest branch inherited the family estate, and the eldest son of the eldest son had always been a leading figure within the clan.

Thus, to celebrate Xiao Tao'er's birth, not only did the midwife and household servants receive rewards, but Han Zhang and Shen Qinglan had also prepared grain in advance, and on the very next day after Xiao Tao'er's arrival, they sent people to set up a free porridge stall outside the city, following the customs of prominent families back then, to earn blessings for the child.

In addition, Han Zhang had Grandpa Han invite Clan Chief Han over to discuss holding a sacrificial ceremony at the Han clan's former ancestral grounds in the neighboring Quyang Prefecture when Xiao Tao'er turned one month old.

Beyond comforting the spirits of their ancestors and proclaiming the Han clan's resurgence, the greatest purpose was to see if any other members of the Han clan had survived the disaster.

After all, back then, the entire Han clan had been reduced to just Grandpa Han and a group of children.

But those daughters and young men who had married out, since they were living with their husbands' families, had each escaped the disaster, and surely some of them were still alive or had left descendants.

Regardless of whether these people were now thriving or struggling.

As long as he could gather these scattered clan members, Han Zhang would gain not only potential allies but also more capable hands to help him deal with Tongpan Yang and others, and eventually take control of the Yunyang Prefecture region.

After all, one's own clan members, however unreliable, were still more trustworthy than strangers.

Because once their names were written into the clan registry, the mere threat of "extermination of the nine clans" would be enough to keep everyone united.

Xiao Tao'er's one-month celebration banquet was the perfect opportunity for the Han clan to reorganize their genealogy!