Xing Muzheng was always resolute in action. After two days, he decided to depart in secret. At the time of departure, the sky was still pitch-dark. When he rose, he didn’t wake Jiaoniang. Because of the pregnancy, she had grown more sluggish and slept longer than usual.
“Sleep well.” Xing Muzheng pressed her shoulder lightly, kissed her rounded belly, and said, “Father will be back soon. Don’t make mischief in your mother’s belly.”
His words dissolved much of the sorrow of parting. Qian Jiaoniang chuckled softly, cupping his head to kiss his face. “Go quickly and return quickly. The child and I will be waiting at home.”
Xing Muzheng kissed her deeply, caressed her face with love, then rose and strode away.
Fortunately, the little one in her belly was well-behaved, staying quietly inside, only moving hands and feet in broad daylight. Qian Meiniang often brought over Ping Ge’er to chat with her sister.
Since Second Brother Zheng had gone to Yongan, Meiniang’s family had been brought without argument into the Marquis’s residence, living in a separate courtyard, with maids and old women to serve. Under Qian Jiaoniang’s guidance, Qian Meiniang had even learned to keep accounts. With no chores to do in the household, she had also begun to practice her writing.
Grandmother Zhou often came as well, though her health had declined lately. Zhou Cuilian had in recent years been managing Jiaoniang’s businesses outside and was often absent from Yuzhou. Now, under her and Xing Muzheng’s aides, Qian Jiaoniang’s enterprises had grown larger and larger. Anything related to women—embroideries, jewelry, cosmetics, rouge—all were thriving. Branch shops had opened in one city after another. Yanluo guarded Yuzhou, selecting clever and capable people to train as managers. If not for Yongan being like a fishbone stuck in the throat, in another ten years or so, even without the immense wealth of treasure, the Marquis’s household would have enough strength to weather its trials.
Because of Zhou Cuilian, Qian Jiaoniang asked Grandma Zhou to move into the main courtyard so she could be looked after nearby. But Grandma Zhou refused no matter what, afraid of passing her illness to her. Qian Jiaoniang had no choice but to send a few more matrons to keep her company and chat with her.
Time slipped by between sun and moon, and in the blink of an eye Qian Jiaoniang’s belly had rounded into a great sphere. When she was more than eight months along, Xing Muzheng returned. Seeing him come back safe and sound, whole and uninjured, Qian Jiaoniang was both relieved and overjoyed. Even though he did not bring back good news, she did not mind.
Indeed, though they had the treasure map, they still needed a master of geomancy to locate the dragon’s vein and find the burial site. The treasure lay hidden deep in the perilous wilderness, in ancient forests and high mountains, where even local hunters dared not venture.
If it had been the Xing Muzheng of old, having reached such a place, he would never have given up until he achieved his goal. But now he had ties, and those ties weighed heavier than his very life. Nothing could compare to Qian Jiaoniang and their two children.
With gold and silver mountains laid before him, anyone else’s blood would run hot. Xing Muzheng, however, remained calm.
Had his heroic spirit waned? On the return journey, Xing Muzheng had asked himself this. But he denied it. He believed he had finally found his resting place, his root. And without this root, he could accomplish nothing.
When the time came, on a quiet morning, Xing Muzheng suddenly felt dampness and, lifting the blanket, saw that Jiaoniang’s water had broken. He immediately carried her into the prepared birthing room and sent word for the midwife.
The midwife had long been staying in the residence. She and Doctor Bai entered the birthing room together, while Qin Momo calmly directed the maids in their tasks. Xing Muzheng stayed outside. He was never bound by taboos and wanted to go in and stay with Jiaoniang, but she herself knew how disheveled childbirth could be and did not want him to see her that way.
Not long after, Qian Meiniang and Grandma Zhou rushed over. Everyone was excited and happy, not too worried, for this was her second child. The elders all said that after the first, later births came easily—sometimes the baby was born after just a nap.
Xing Muzheng stood straight outside the door, his face betraying no tension, yet his tightly clenched fists behind his back revealed otherwise.
Half an hour later, Qian Jiaoniang’s cries grew louder. Xing Muzheng took a sudden step forward.
Inside, the room was in uproar. The midwife shouted for “Madam to push,” then suddenly screamed, “The feet are coming out first!”
A child born feet first—this was a breech birth.
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