Because of her husband’s choice of milk name, Qian Jiaoniang choked on her porridge. Xing Muzheng quickly patted her back. “How did you choke?”
Qian Jiaoniang forced the porridge down. “Are you teasing me?”
“Teasing you?”
“Ni’er?”
Xing Muzheng’s face showed no jest. “Why not? He was a breech birth. Isn’t Ni’er fitting?”
“But calling him that will make him think we dislike him.”
“You call Chou’er Chou’er*. Didn’t he turn out fine?”
* means ugly
“How not? He was often upset about that name when he was little. I had to tell him again and again that the more we called him Chou’er, the more handsome he would grow—and only then he stopped fussing.” Qian Jiaoniang said. “If this little one grows up and asks, and we tell him the truth, what will he think?”
Xing Muzheng lowered his eyes to gaze at her. “I want him to remember this day, always. Your life was risked to bring him into this world.”
Qian Jiaoniang blinked in surprise, deeply moved. She hadn’t thought of it that way.
“Still, just the single character Ni might stir gossip. Why not add another character?”
Scooping another spoonful of porridge, Xing Muzheng fed her. “What should we add?”
Chewing, Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes darted around the room. But all she saw were curtains and hangings, nothing else.
“It’s too stifling. I still have to stay in confinement. Surrounded like this, I’ll suffocate.”
Suier hesitated. “But Madam, you’re still in your month of confinement. You mustn’t be exposed to the wind.”
Xing Muzheng said, “Since Madam feels stifled, then let it be opened.” The windows in the room were shut anyway; it should do no harm.
With both masters speaking, Suier could only obey. After serving Qian Jiaoniang her porridge, she also brought six boiled eggs. Usually, Qian Jiaoniang would eat at most two, but today she actually finished all six. She drank her medicine, and then Suier carefully led people to take down the surrounding curtains. Before long, the heavy drapes were removed, and the room instantly grew much brighter. When Qian Jiaoniang lifted her gaze, she faintly saw the snow piled outside the window. Suddenly struck with inspiration, she turned her head toward Xing Muzheng and said:
“You said our little one was born on a snowy day. Why not add a ‘Snow’ character to his name, and call him Ni Xue (Defying Snow)?”
Xing Muzheng raised his brows. “That’s not bad. Though I fear Chou’er one will be upset.”
Qian Jiaoniang giggled. “In that case, let’s give him an extra character as well.”
“What character would suit him?”
Qian Jiaoniang thought for a moment. “Chou’er was born at noon, when the sun was strongest. How about adding a ‘Yang’ (Sun) character?”
“Chouyang?” Xing Muzheng chuckled softly. “That’s amusing enough.”
The more Qian Jiaoniang thought about it, the prouder she became. “Then hurry and write to him… oh right, have you told him his younger brother was born?”
“Not yet.” Xing Muzheng had spent these past two days keeping watch over the unconscious Qian Jiaoniang, leaving little thought for anything else.
“Then quickly write. Chou’er must be counting the days. Hong Juan is the most attentive—if Chou’er asks her, he’ll know I was due around these days.”
Pushed by Qian Jiaoniang, Xing Muzheng had someone bring brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, moved a small desk onto the bed, and sat facing her to write. Whatever she said, he wrote down. When she finished, he added two more lines of his own, signed it, dried the ink, and sealed it into an envelope.
“This letter won’t be intercepted, will it?”
“Rest easy.” Just those two simple words from Xing Muzheng steadied her heart.
He went out with the envelope, and when he returned, his hands were empty.
After her medicine, Qian Jiaoniang was already drowsy. Xing Muzheng came over to undress her. “Sleep. Whatever else, we’ll speak of tomorrow.”
She nodded, letting him take off her clothes. As she lay under the covers, she asked, “Where will you sleep?” Originally, she had people clear out the side room for her confinement, yet when she woke, she was still in their own chamber.
“Of course, I’ll sleep here too.” With that, Xing Muzheng began changing his clothes.
Qian Jiaoniang was startled. “Why are you still sleeping with me?” She had just given birth—everyone said this was a great impurity. Some families even had women deliver in a separate, purified hut, for fear of defiling the main house. During confinement, people usually kept as far away as possible.
“In winter your hands and feet always turn cold when you sleep. Likely just as Doctor Bai said—you’ve suffered a great loss of vitality. If I sleep with you, at least I can keep you warm.” As he spoke, Xing Muzheng had already taken off his boots and climbed into bed. He lifted the quilt, took her small hand, and said, “See?” As expected, it was icy cold.
Qian Jiaoniang whispered, “I’m fine. You’d better sleep somewhere else. My body isn’t clean… I won’t be able to bathe for over a month.” She remembered last confinement, even she felt she smelled foul.
But Xing Muzheng paid it no mind. “What of it? Back when I was at war, going a month or two without a wash was common. A bunch of men crammed in one tent—have you ever smelled that stench? Don’t dwell on such meaningless things. The only important matter is to rest well and recover.”
Qian Jiaoniang fell silent for a while, then buried her head against his chest.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to read the rest of the chapters in the book in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
