Chapter 429: Playing with Toys?

Jian Yi, the Minister of Personnel, along with 26 others, traveled across the country to pacify the military and civilians.
Ke Xian, a censor, and imperial censors He Zhong, Zheng Weihuan, Luo Tong, and others were appointed as governors of Jiaozhi.
At the beginning of June, due to these two developments, all three main halls were burned down, and this great disaster seemed to have come to an end. In the eyes of the officials in the Ministry of Rites, the only discordant note was perhaps the emperor’s birthday, during which he did not receive congratulations—nothing more. As for Zhang Yue, who also responded to the edict calling for honest advice, since the emperor merely said his reasons were insufficient without accusing him of spreading nonsense and disrupting governance, it indicated that, now that the sea ban had been lifted, Zhu Di was gradually willing to consider proposals related to the sea, though he was not yet ready to act hastily.
Thus, the most urgent matter at hand was to avoid suspicion in Jiaozhi. Only after Yuan Fangming sent someone to inform him and another to relay the news secretly did he learn that that afternoon, Zhu Di had summoned Zhang Fu, the Duke of Yingguo, and later Zhang You, the Marquis of Yangwu. Although the final appointment had not yet been announced, anyone with a bit of sense could realize that the candidate for governing Jiaozhi had already been chosen.
Jiaozhi was a place where civil officials were demoted, and it was not a good destination either for military officers. Therefore, upon hearing this news, the Dongfang family thought it must be a joke. When the messenger insisted it was true, she almost wanted to bang her head against the wall. Having faced rejection from the elderly Lady Gu and having always gotten along poorly with her sister-in-law Feng, she eventually went to the western courtyard, sat opposite Sun Shi and Du Wan, and wept bitterly.
“Back then, he left me and our two sons in Jiaozhi for ten years. Now that he’s finally returned to the capital to be honored, he hasn’t even enjoyed peace for a few years before being sent back to that dark place again. Can’t he see that Li Bin, the Marquis of Fengcheng, was once a strong and healthy general but is now half-dead from illness? What will happen to our family if something happens to him? I’ve been strong my whole life—just to see him point at our sons. If he can avoid it, I’d rather not have that title of marquise!”
Although Du Wan had some distaste for this second wife due to her advice last time, seeing her now unadorned, with a sallow complexion and swollen eyes, no longer showing her usual sharpness, she couldn’t help but feel pity. Yet, aside from the fact that she was merely a niece-in-law, even without that relationship, she couldn’t dissuade Zhang You from his desire to achieve greatness. So, she could only offer vague reassurances to her mother-in-law. But when she saw that the Dongfang family member kept talking nonstop and refused to leave, she grew increasingly frustrated—until Xiao Wu suddenly rushed in, finally cutting off her endless chatter.

Xiao Wu called Mrs. Dongfang and Mrs. Sun “Second Madam” and “Third Madam,” then happily sat down beside Du Wan, beaming with joy and saying, “Sister, there’s great news at home! The emperor has issued an order to confer titles on our late father and mother. It seems our late father was granted the titles of Fengzheng Daifu, Xiuzheng Yinfu Daifu, and Hanlin Xueshi, while our late mother was granted the title of Yiren!”
Traditionally, titles were conferred once for ranks from seventh to sixth, once for fifth rank, and then once each for third, second, and first ranks. Du Wan remembered that when her father returned to serve in the government, her late grandparents had already received a title. Though she wasn’t surprised by this news, she was still quite pleased. At that moment, Mrs. Dongfang’s face suddenly changed, and she could no longer sit still. She stood up and left. Since Du Wan was not in a position to move, Mrs. Sun took Amber to see her off.
“Thank goodness Second Madam has gone,” Qiu Hen quickly poured a cup of tea from the silver pot. Seeing Du Wan’s flushed face, she opened the window wider before turning back and saying, “The weather has been especially hot this year. Since you can’t use ice, shall I fetch a basin of water for you to wash your face?”
“No need. When Second Madam was here just now, you must have wrung the towel countless times! If it weren’t for her determination to wait today, you wouldn’t even know how many times you’d have to wring it. You’ve been standing here for so long—go rest once they return. It’s so hot; there’s no need to do everything by yourself.”
Realizing Du Wan had seen through her earlier thoughts, Qiu Hen smiled awkwardly. However, when Amber returned, Mrs. Sun had gone to Mrs. Feng’s room. Not daring to leave without supervision, she simply sat down on a small stool to do some needlework. After Amber brought tea and water, she also stepped aside to draw patterns. All that could be heard in the room was Xiao Wu’s chatter.
“It’s said that the imperial decree was written by Scholar Da Shen—his handwriting is absolutely beautiful…”
“My parents don’t really care about these things. Mother even joked with me, saying I almost became the daughter of a duke… Hmph. People say that old monk is some honorable duke or something, but to me, he’s just that old monk who picked me up from the street. Whether my father is an official or not, I really don’t care…”

“Father said that he is satisfied with his current position as an official. The first thing he wants to do now is to discuss with Minister Xia ways to improve the currency system. Although he can’t increase taxes, he also can’t just sit by while people evade taxes arbitrarily. The government should protect honest people, not those who are difficult or dishonest merchants. The second thing is to enforce strict regulations on land ownership, preventing imperial relatives, officials, and landlords from acquiring too much fertile land. Father also said that although there are many uncultivated fields now, there might not even be enough land in the future…”
When Zhang Yue entered, Xiao Wu was speaking enthusiastically. Although he had only heard the latter half, he already held Du Zhen in high regard for his far-sightedness. Throughout history, strict regulations on land transactions and annexation existed at first, but later these rules became mere formsality. It was hard to say how long the current policies would last. Du Zhen surely understood all these principles, but his teacher had his own sense of right and wrong, which didn’t require him to worry about.
When Du Wan saw Zhang Yue enter, before she could greet him, Xiao Wu happily stepped forward and called him brother-in-law, repeating the good news. Hu Bo helped Zhang Yue take off his outer robe, while Qiu Hen went outside to fetch water. Soon everything was arranged, and Zhang Yue sat down on the chair next to Du Wan, smiling bitterly. “Xiao Wu just said a lot. My impression is that whatever father wants to do are all difficult tasks with no reward.”
“That’s just father’s temperament. Mother has always said he’s very stubborn. Once he decides on something, nothing can make him change his mind.” Du Wan was also worried, but when it came to her father, she felt admiration. “When I was young, mother used to teach me with father’s notes from his studies. One of the most important principles I still remember clearly: ‘To be upright before heaven, not ashamed before earth; those who can be at peace with themselves through self-reflection are true gentlemen.’”
Xiao Wu had been forced by Du Wan to learn to read and write, and later, under Feng Yuanming’s guidance in medicine, he was forced to study the I Ching and the Huangdi Neijing. By now, he was used to such formal expressions and couldn’t help repeating them. Even Zhang Yue, who had been taught by Du Zhen for four years, had his own thoughts on these typical Du-style statements. Even Hu Bo, who was working over there, couldn’t help stopping for a moment upon hearing this, then sighing quietly.

Yet before dinner time, the peaceful atmosphere in the room was interrupted by a groan. Seeing Du Wan’s suddenly furrowed brows and pale complexion, Zhang Yue suddenly had an idea and jumped up from his chair in shock. After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Wu also rushed to Du Wan’s side, checked her pulse, and upon seeing the chair, immediately turned to Qiu Hen and Hu Bo and shouted, “Hurry up and call those midwives, along with a few reliable people, to move her to the west wing room!” After a flurry of activity, Qiu Hen and Hu Bo rushed outside to find help, while Xiao Wu, worried at seeing Du Wan sweating profusely, gritted her teeth, took out a cloth bag, and pulled out several thin silver needles but hesitated to use them recklessly. Although she had treated patients and performed acupuncture before, handling Du Wan’s diagnosis and treatment was usually her responsibility, but now her master was in the suburbs searching for medicinal herbs. If something went wrong with an acupuncture treatment, it could be disastrous. Thinking that labor was still about ten days away, she grew even more anxious. It wasn’t until she saw Zhang Yue holding Du Wan’s hand but pacing anxiously like an ant on a hot pan that she calmed down slightly and bravely inserted a few needles. Though nervous, she was relieved when she noticed Du Wan’s expression improving, suggesting the needles did indeed have a pain-relieving effect. Soon after, Mrs. Sun arrived with four older maids. Having given birth twice herself, she was highly experienced. With just one glance, she ordered that Du Wan be moved to the west wing room using a sliding pole. Since everything in the west wing room was cleaned daily with boiling water and mugwort was already prepared, two midwives also arrived in a hurry. After bringing in the necessary items, the women entered the delivery room and slammed the door shut, leaving Zhang Yue outside. Despite having experienced his mother’s terrifying childbirth, the feeling now was completely different. Zhang Yue worried about the delivery room not being thoroughly disinfected, feared the midwives might mishandle the delivery, remembered rumors that it took pregnant women at least an hour or up to a day or two in the delivery room, and thought of childbirth as the most terrifying ordeal for women in those times… Although it was evening and the weather wasn’t as hot, he stood in the middle of the yard, drenched in sweat, looking as if he had just been pulled out of water.

Due to the considerable commotion, people from various rooms and courtyards either sent others to check or came in person, filling the courtyard with people. Zhang Chao now had a son and a daughter, but seeing Zhang Yue so anxious, he couldn’t help but recall his wife’s and concubines’ deliveries. He realized he had almost forgotten his wife’s delivery, and it seemed he wasn’t even there during Huixiang’s delivery—remembering nothing at all—so he didn’t know how to comfort Zhang Yue. The others, though they spoke, failed to address the issue effectively; it was only Zhang Jing, who kept holding Zhang Yue’s hand and shouting, that eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.

From evening until the moon rose high, Lingxi had already accompanied Lady Gu into the delivery room, while the other elders sat in the main house in the western courtyard waiting for news. The incessantly crying Zhang Jing was also forcibly taken away by her nurse. Seeing that Zhang Yue refused to enter the house, Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi had no choice but to send their wife to keep an eye on the elders while they paced back and forth in the courtyard with Zhang Yue, feeling uneasy at the sounds coming from the delivery room. Seeing Zhang Yue’s pale face, they too grew worried.

Zhang Qi couldn’t hold back any longer and pulled Zhang Chao aside, whispering, “Could something really be wrong?”
Zhang Chao snapped, “Tch! You jinx! Be careful—your third brother might fight you if he hears that! Can’t you say something nice?”
“I’m just worried, aren’t I?”
Zhang Yue, who was tightly gripping his palm, couldn’t hear anything at that moment. All he could see was the tightly closed door, and all he could hear were the occasional groans. Though they weren’t heart-wrenching cries, every sound struck his heart like a heavy hammer, making him want to burst through the door of the delivery room right away.
At that moment, Li Yun came out of the main house. Seeing Zhang Yue’s distraught state, she glanced displeasedly at Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi before stepping forward lightly. She cleared her throat and said, “Third brother, don’t worry. It usually takes a whole day or night for a woman in labor to give birth. Since we don’t hear any cries from your sister-in-law, it means nothing serious is happening. She’s strong, and Dr. Feng also said that it’s fine if labor takes a bit longer.”

Although others had advised him before, Gu and Sun, who had actually given birth, entered the delivery room, while Dongfang was at a loss, as she lacked the experience like Li Yun. At that moment, snapping out of her daze, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but nod gratefully at Li Yun. Only then did he feel his legs go numb, and the hunger he had completely ignored before surged up again. Just then, a loud cry suddenly came from the delivery room, which had been quiet for a while.

Zhang Yue, still not recovered from his anxieties, was stunned. Suddenly, he felt two heavy thumps on his back, and soon after, he saw Zhang Chao’s excited face. In an instant, he understood what that cry meant and his face lit up with joy.

As the door to the delivery room was suddenly pulled open and someone poked their head out, the curious Zhang Qi quickly stepped forward and asked, “A boy or a girl?”

It was Xiao Wu who poked her head out. She was momentarily stunned by the question but soon laughed and exclaimed, “It’s a boy! Brother-in-law, both mother and child are safe. My sister is fine too—don’t worry!”

It wasn’t until he heard that both mother and child were safe that Zhang Yue truly breathed a sigh of relief, too exhausted even to lift his head to wipe his sweat. Only now did he realize that although becoming a father was indeed something worth celebrating, the waiting period was almost unbearable. When his aunt Feng came out of the room and said something to him with a smile, he didn’t even have the energy to force a wry smile.

“Brother Yue, once a woman gives birth, it becomes much easier each time. You and your wife need to work hard.”

Having been nearly scared to death on the first try, what about the second? Unless everything could be guaranteed safe, one experience of braving death was already enough to be terrifying!