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Geng Shi'an checked the pulse of the two children and said to Wen Zixia, "Don't worry. Although the children were premature and somewhat underdeveloped, they are still healthy. With proper care, they will be as robust as normal children in four to five years."
Wen Zixia thanked him and handed the child back to Hanno. She then said to Geng Shi'an, "Brother Geng, I know it's a bit awkward, but could you please take a look at Zhou Le? She has suffered a lot and lost a lot of blood; I'm really worried."
Hearing this, Geng Shi'an felt concerned as well. Ignoring the bloodiness of the delivery room, he walked inside. Wen Zixia tried to follow but was stopped by the midwife. Hanno spoke up, "Let her in!"
The midwife hesitated, saying, "It's bad luck for a man to enter the delivery room."
Hanno replied, "It’s fine; your son-in-law doesn’t care about such things. He is more concerned about your sister."
The midwife sighed, acknowledging that the son-in-law was a good man, and moved aside to let Wen Zixia enter the room.
Hanno handed the two children over to the nursemaid and another caregiver who had been waiting nearby, instructing them to take the babies to the nursery for proper care. After all, although newborns were protected by spiritual energy, it wasn't good for them to be exposed to cold air.
As Hanno entered the room, Geng Shi'an had already checked Li Zhoule's pulse. He addressed both of them, saying, "Zhou Le has lost too much blood and is quite weak. However, there is still a spark of life within her that will help her recover. With proper nourishment for three months, she should regain her health. Unfortunately, this childbirth has left some aftereffects; she won't be able to conceive again for at least ten years."
Wen Zixia felt relieved upon hearing that Li Zhoule was physically fine and dismissed any concerns about having more children. "I already have two sons; that's enough."
Geng Shi'an patted Wen Zixia on the shoulder, thinking that his brother had made a great choice in marrying such a wonderful sister-in-law. Little did he know that their relationship had been one of childhood sweethearts.
"Zhou Le has always had a good pregnancy; why did she suddenly go into premature labor?" Geng Shi'an asked.
"It was an accident," Wen Zixia sighed and recounted the incident involving the startled horse to Geng Shi'an.
Like Hanno, Geng Shi'an did not believe that the startled horse incident was merely accidental; it was possible that someone was targeting Elder Brother Li. Unable to deal with him directly, they resorted to harming his loved ones instead.
"Don't worry about this matter. Just take good care of your wife and child; let your brother-in-law handle the rest."
As soon as Geng Shi'an finished speaking, Elder Brother Li's voice rang out, "That's right! Anyone who dares to harm my sister and nephew will not get away lightly!"
Not only had Elder Brother Li returned, but Yue Yunfei had also come along to see what help he could offer. Before long, Mo Yan, the Princess, and Qi Xueru arrived as well. Although both were pregnant and shouldn't have been out, they couldn't sit still upon hearing about Li Zhoulesheng's accident and hurried over. With more people around, the presence of the elders from both families ensured that the pregnant women were well taken care of.
Once they arrived and learned that the baby had been safely delivered, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Then they clamored to see the baby—especially Mo Yan, the Princess. Hanno led them to the nursery. The nursery was arranged in a modern style, with thick carpets covering the floor. Aside from two cribs, there was no other furniture in the room, but it was filled with plush toys bought from modern stores piled up in one corner. This room was the sunniest in the entire courtyard and contained a specially customized battery-operated heater and humidifier to regulate the temperature and humidity.
The cribs were also custom-made, crafted entirely from solid wood. The railings and protective barriers were covered with soft protective covers, and the mattresses were made of coir with an additional layer of cotton on top. Babies should not use spring mattresses; using overly soft ones too early can lead to spinal deformities during their growth. The bedding was made from fine white cotton fabric for easy monitoring of the baby's stool color.
The three of them approached the cribs where two babies were already asleep, their tiny fists resting against their cheeks, looking adorably awkward. However, someone failed to appreciate their charm. Mo Yan, the Princess exclaimed, "Why are they so ugly? They look like red monkey bottoms!"
"Your Highness, don't say that; they're actually quite cute," Qi Xueru quickly advised, though her insincerity was evident—she too thought the babies were rather unattractive.
Hanno chuckled softly, "Newborns always look like this; they'll get better as they grow. Besides, babies with redder skin tend to become fairer as they grow older."
"Is that true?" both expectant mothers asked in unison.
"Absolutely," Hanno replied. "If you don't believe me, come back when they're a month old; I guarantee they'll be so cute and beautiful that you'll want to take them home."
Mo Yan sighed in relief at his words: "That's good to hear! I was so worried about having such ugly children."
Hanno couldn't help but laugh; the reactions of these two expectant mothers were truly endearing.
With Hanno's spiritual support, Li Zhoule and the two children were in excellent health. Before they knew it, the day of the Three Washing Ceremony had arrived. Elder Brother Li did not make a grand event out of it; it was just their family along with the Geng Yue family. However, Hanno had invited the two most renowned midwives from the capital. The midwives, also known as Fortune Matrons, were essentially part of the "aunties" in traditional customs. Those who engaged in this profession hung a wooden sign at their door that read: "Swift horses and light carriages, we handle washing," adorned with red ribbons as a lure. The rituals performed during the Three Washing Ceremony were exceedingly elaborate, and only these specialized midwives could execute them meticulously.
Since there were not many guests, the items added to the two washing basins were few but valuable—golden collars, golden locks, jade pendants, and so on—amounting to over a thousand taels in total, which made the two midwives beam with joy. The midwives relied on the earnings from these additions; everything placed in the basins after the ceremony belonged to them. In ordinary households, while more items might be added for auspicious meanings, they typically included fruits like longan, lychee, jujube, peanuts, and chestnuts. Wealthy families might include some gold and silver trinkets, but nothing compared to the generosity displayed by the General's household. These offerings would be enough for both families for an entire year.
Hanno watched intently as the midwives conducted the Three Washing Ceremony. She had only seen such customs on television before, but those depictions were incomplete compared to witnessing the full process now. Hanno took out her phone and secretly recorded the entire event, planning to replicate it when her own child was born in modern times.
The two children had grown quite a bit and looked plump and adorable. Mo Yan, the Princess, and Qi Xueru no longer found them unattractive; they adored them completely and held them tightly in their arms. The children responded by relieving themselves, prompting Consort Qirui to clap her hands in delight: "Good! Good fortune! With this child's urine blessing, you are sure to give birth to a healthy baby!"
Mo Yan and Qi Xueru blushed but wore smiles of happiness. Hanno led them to her room and changed them into new clothes she had made for them. These garments were crafted by the maids of the residence but made from fabric brought from modern times. The colors were vibrant and stunningly beautiful when worn. Mo Yan and Qi Xueru immediately fell in love with these outfits and asked Hanno where she had purchased them. Hanno did not disclose her origins but gifted each of them some fabric so they could make their own.
After the banquet concluded, the elders from the Geng Yue families left Li Residence first. Elder Brother Li called Yue Yunfei and his wife, Geng Shi'an and his wife, as well as Wen Zixia into his study to share his findings from his investigations.
"Is this possible?" Yue Yunfei exclaimed after reading through the documents.
Geng Shi'an sighed: "There is nothing impossible here; Wei Feng has been too extraordinary in his abilities. The Emperor is worried that he will eventually overshadow him, so he has taken precautions."
Mo Yan also sighed: "It's not just about Li Wei Feng; my father is also being cautious of the Emperor."
Yue Yunfei suddenly turned to his wife: "What? My father-in-law is also being wary of the Emperor? Why haven't I heard him mention this?"
Mo Yan replied: "Father does not want you to worry too much; however, he has begun to gradually withdraw from court affairs."
Yue Yunfei rubbed his face: "I am such a fool."
Mo Yan, the Princess, reached out and grasped Yue Yunfei's hand. "Don't think like that. Sometimes knowing too much can be detrimental. My father fears that if you learn about this, it might create a rift between you and the Emperor. You're not the best at hiding your feelings, and if you show even a hint of dissatisfaction in front of him, it could bring you trouble."
Elder Brother Li said, "It's all my fault for not being as cautious as the prince and letting Yue Yunfei know about this matter."
"No," Mo Yan, the Princess, quickly shook her head. "It's better for Yue Yunfei to know now. Since the Emperor already harbors suspicions about you, he is bound to be wary of Yue Yunfei as well. If Yue Yunfei remains oblivious, he might fall into the Emperor's schemes in the future."
Yue Yunfei nodded vigorously. "Brother, don't blame yourself. I think it's good to be aware early on. Don't worry; I can act well enough not to raise any suspicions with the Emperor. I used to think our current Emperor was wise and magnanimous, unlike his father and brother, but it seems I was mistaken!"
Hanno scoffed, "All emperors are the same. Absolute power leads to absolute corruption. I’ve long since deemed this Emperor untrustworthy; you're just worrying for nothing!"
"Yes, yes, yes, you're right. I shouldn't have ignored your advice," Elder Brother Li replied.
"The Emperor is currently just cautious of us; he hasn't taken any other actions yet. We should pretend we don't know anything and just keep our guard up," Elder Brother Li said to everyone.
They all nodded in agreement.
Hanno added, "However, we cannot let those responsible for Zhou Le's premature birth go unpunished."
Everyone nodded again.
"But some grasshoppers are still jumping around!"
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