Free Web NovelChapter 985: Chapter 981: Meeting (1)
"Second Brother." Zhi sat on the ground, twisting bamboo strips haphazardly in his hands, "Where has Big Brother gone, why isn’t he coming over?"
Xing was painting rabbits and roosters on pure white Xuan paper and then dyed the colors with paint. Qingyuan and Qingshan used clips to hang them in the room to dry. The four of them were busy and enjoying themselves. Putting down the brush, Xing replied, "Fifth Aunt is unwell, so he has to stay home to take care of her."
"Oh." Zhi barely nodded, not having much impression of Fifth Madam, and said helplessly, "Third Brother isn’t here, and neither is Big Brother, so we’ve made so many lanterns, and no one will play with them." He sighed, theatrically.
Xing, wearing a plain white robe as they were still in mourning, squatted beside Zhi to help him, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Big Brother and Fifth Uncle will come tonight." After a pause, he added, "Tonight, when we put the lanterns in the lake, Third Brother will surely see them."
"Really?" Zhi’s eyes lit up, "Will Third Brother see them?"
Xing, imitating Fourth Master Xiao’s manner, ruffled Zhi’s hair and replied with a smile, "Yes, so we should make more, so he can see them more clearly." After saying that, he stood up, "I’ll wash my hands and come back to help you." He hurriedly went to the washroom, wiping away tears.
It had always been the four brothers. Now that Min was missing, whenever he thought about it, an emptiness and sadness filled his heart.
Zhi, however, worked harder on the lanterns, happily shouting towards the washroom, "Let’s make a carp lantern, it’s Third Brother’s favorite." Xing, inside, splashed water on his face and replied, "Okay!"
The two made three to four lanterns with their heads down. At this moment, Zhi heard light footsteps in the courtyard, and he looked up, grinning, "Mother!"
"How many have you made?" Xiqiu walked in lightly, wearing an overcoat of imperial concubine color embroidered with peony patterns, her hair styled with a pearl and jade hairpin and a mutton fat jade orchid hairpin. Zhi smiled and pointed at the results, "We’ve made four, one for each of us."
Xiqiu knew who he meant by the four people, so she nodded with a smile, "Good!" Then she looked at Xing, "You should get ready!" This year’s Mid-Autumn moon worship would be hosted by Xing.
"Fourth Aunt, I..." Xing lowered his head, appearing somewhat nervous. Xiqiu smiled and said, "We all know it’s your first time, the Marquis and your Fourth Uncle will be with you, don’t be nervous."
Xing nodded, still a bit nervous, "I understand." After saying so, he wiped his hands with a cloth, then was the first to leave the room.
Xiqiu squatted in front of Zhi, pointing at the carp lantern, "This is beautiful, who is it for?"
"For Third Brother." Zhi smiled brightly, "Second Brother said once we put it in the lake, Third Brother will see it."
Xiqiu nodded, "Yes, he will surely see it." She continued, "Once you finish, go to Grandma’s place. Xuan, Wan, and Yong are all here, okay?"
"Got it." Zhi wasn’t very interested. Xuan was okay, but Wan was like a little kitten who didn’t speak, and Yong would only babble noisily, so he didn’t want to play with them.
Xiqiu gave instructions to Qingshan and Qingyuan, then returned to the Grand Dowager’s room, where it was filled with the laughter and cries of children. Yong was fair and chubby, with eyes like Xiao Yanzheng’s, large and slightly upturned at the corners, smiling like a crescent moon. He was lying on the Arhat Bed playing with the Grand Dowager’s Buddha Beads, looping them around his neck one circle at a time but, unable to get them off, tugging desperately. Xuan was on her tiptoes beside him, anxious, "Take it off over your head, oh, how silly!"
Yong’s little mouth opened, and he began to wail, alarmed by which Ziwei ran over to coax him, helping to take off the Buddha Beads from his neck.
Yong’s loud crying, echoing like thunder, startled Wan in her swaddling clothes.
Xuan then ran, displeased, to complain to Xiao Yanzheng...
The Grand Dowager, holding Wan and comforting her, saw Xiqiu enter and beckoned, "Come and see, is the child feeling uncomfortable somewhere? She’s not sleeping well."
Xiqiu walked over with a smile, took Wan in her arms. Seeing her crying her lungs out, suddenly she spat up milk. Frowning, she quickly wiped it away with a cloth and looked up at the Grand Dowager, "Mother, how many times has she spit up today?"
The Grand Dowager didn’t know either and turned to ask Wan’s wet nurse, who replied anxiously, "Since last night, she’s been like this, spitting up about seven or eight times."
"So many times and no one mentioned it?" The Grand Dowager showed displeasure, hurriedly taking Wan and patting her, expressing dissatisfaction towards Lianqiao, "So many people, yet can’t even take care of one child properly." Finished, she said to Ziwei, "Go fetch the Imperial Physician." freeweɓnovel.cøm
Xiqiu had someone give Wan some water. Hearing the child was unwell, Lianqiao rushed over too. The Grand Dowager scolded upon seeing her, "She’s so little, any carelessness can’t be afforded." Lianqiao lowered her head, her eyes red, remaining silent. The Grand Dowager added, "Let’s leave her with me for today. When the Imperial Physician checks her, if there’s no major issue, then you can take her back." She then turned her loving gaze back to Wan, her only granddaughter in the family, since Lyuzhu was not close.
Lianqiao’s face changed upon hearing this, nervously trying to explain, "I don’t know what’s happened, maybe it’s the cooling weather." She worried the Grand Dowager would want to keep Wan in her room. If so, she, as the concubine, wouldn’t have any hope left, struggling even to see her daughter: "Tonight I’ll watch her with the wet nurse."
The Grand Dowager remained silent, her face stern, leaving Lianqiao’s face pale as she looked to Xiqiu for help. Xiqiu’s eyes shifted slightly...
"Mother." Xiqiu gently touched Wan’s tear-streaked face, "Let’s wait and see what the Imperial Physician says."
The Grand Dowager nodded, Lianqiao secretly exhaled a breath of relief, stepping aside to wait.
Xiao Yanzheng, soothing his son, spoke up in between, "I think she caught a bit of a chill. Xuan went through a similar phase around this age, appeared to have food retention, and got better with time."
The room’s atmosphere finally eased a bit, Wan perhaps relieved after vomiting, perhaps tired from crying, slipping back into a hazy sleep.
When the Imperial Physician arrived, he felt her pulse and said, "The little one has some food retention. I’ll prescribe some medicine, keep her stomach empty in the afternoon and observe her. If it doesn’t improve, I’ll come back with another remedy."
Ziwei took the prescription to have the medicine prepared and showed the Imperial Physician out, while the Grand Dowager shot a cold glance at Lianqiao, prompting her to lower her head further, fearing the Grand Dowager’s anger and words...
"What do you usually eat?" Xiqiu asked Wan’s wet nurse. Fearing the family would think her milk was inadequate, the nurse quickly replied, "This morning, I ate soy-stewed trotters, for lunch, half a chicken and two bowls of rice." She paused, worried Xiqiu wouldn’t understand: "It’s for lactation."
