In the second year after Bai Lian and Ning Muyan were married, Bai Lian became pregnant.
Although he had long expected that, given how he and Ning Muyan had been carrying on, a pregnancy would come soon enough, the fact that it only happened in the second year of their marriage had actually given the two of them plenty of time alone together.
The child arrived at just the right moment. Aside from the elders in the family who thought it had taken a bit too long, the couple themselves felt the timing was perfect.
Bai Lian was better than anyone at taking care of a pregnancy. Over the past two years he had prescribed fertility-supporting medicines for countless married women and male spouses from other families. The chubby, healthy eldest son born to the Qi family was practically a living advertisement for his skill.
However, in the second year after Qi Zhuo passed the imperial examinations, Gu Weiyan moved to the capital with their child, and Bai Lian lost one of his close companions from the literary gatherings.
Even though Bai Lian knew very well how to care for himself during pregnancy, the elders in the household were still uneasy. As a result, three or four additional servants were assigned to attend to him.
After becoming pregnant, Bai Lian rarely went out to see patients anymore. Ironically, because he made fewer house calls, his reputation only grew. On one occasion, even a noble lady from the capital came all the way to seek treatment from him.
During the first few months he still went out fairly often. But once the pregnancy reached five or six months and his belly became obvious, he hardly left the house at all.
He spent most of his days strolling around the residence. The Ning estate was enormous, more than enough for wandering about. Still, Ning Muyan worried that he might feel bored staying at home, so whenever he had time he would take Bai Lian out for walks. If they went farther, they would visit the city; if nearby, they would stroll through the Pear Blossom Garden.
That year happened to be the triennial provincial examination.
All the students from Ning Muyan’s classroom were preparing to sit for it. Although Yongchang Prefecture had its own examination center, a new policy had been introduced that year requiring local candidates not to sit for the exam at their home testing site. In other words, even students from their own prefecture had to travel elsewhere to take the examination.
Because of this, preparations had to begin a month in advance. The academy lost at least half a month of classes, and the schedule became tight and hurried.
Naturally, Ning Muyan was extremely busy.
Ning Zhengyu also shut himself in to study day and night. With both her husband occupied and Ning Zhengyu—who usually loved to bicker with him—no longer causing trouble, Bai Lian suddenly found himself living in unusual quiet and was a little unaccustomed to it.
Still, his father visited him even more frequently than before, carefully watching his diet and making sure he drank his pregnancy medicine. At the same time, he warned Bai Lian not to consume too many tonics or grow too lazy, fearing that the baby might grow too large and make the delivery difficult.
In early summer, Madam Shi from the capital made a special trip back as well. She visited Bai Lian and brought him many fine things. However, she did not remain long in the prefecture city—after half a month she returned to the capital, planning to come back again in winter, when the child would already have been born.
Bai Lian felt that he was surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. His days passed smoothly, and before he realized it, autumn had arrived.
The provincial examination, also called the Autumn Examination, took place in the ninth month.
After seeing off all the academy students who were participating, Ning Muyan finally found himself with some free time.
Once he had sent off the last student from his classroom, he let out a long breath.
“Headmaster, do you also have great expectations for this batch of students?”
A passing instructor saw Ning Muyan standing outside the classroom with his hands clasped behind his back and stepped forward to greet him.
Ning Muyan had been planning to buy some snacks on the way home to coax Bai Lian, but he stopped when the instructor addressed him.
He had great confidence in himself. If those students had truly studied what he taught them, the provincial examination would be no problem at all. Of course, whether they passed would still depend on their diligence and fortune.
Even so, he answered modestly.
“Every examination brings the same concerns.”
The instructor laughed. Whether instructor or headmaster, anyone who taught students could not help worrying whenever an examination came around. It was only natural.
“Headmaster, Instructor Wu is here as well!”
Hearing the voice, Ning Muyan turned around and saw that it was the vice-headmaster. He greeted him.
“Now that all the academy’s candidates for the provincial examination have left for their testing sites, we have been tense for quite some time. Why not gather at Yingchun Pavilion today for a meal?”
“Headmaster, come along. You rarely attend banquets. A small gathering like this is harmless. Today we should relax.”
Ning Muyan was not fond of drinking parties or lively gatherings. He would rather go home and spend time with Bai Lian, especially now that the expected delivery date was approaching.
“I will host a gathering another day. Today I still have matters at home—”
Before he could finish speaking, Qingmo hurried in.
“Young Master!”
Panting heavily, he said, “The principal spouse is about to give birth. Please hurry back!”
Ning Muyan’s expression changed instantly. Without even taking time to bid farewell to his colleagues, he rushed out with Qingmo.
The vice-headmaster and the instructor were not surprised at all to see usually composed Ning Muyan in such haste. Who could remain calm in such circumstances?
“I have long heard that the headmaster and his spouse are deeply devoted to one another. Seeing it today proves the rumors true.”
The vice-headmaster chuckled.
“It seems we shall soon have celebratory wine to drink.”
The instructor laughed as well.
“In that case, why do we not go to Yingchun Pavilion for a drink ourselves?”
“Very well. After you.”
Inside the carriage, Ning Muyan repeatedly lifted the curtain to look outside.
Even though the carriage was already moving at great speed, he still felt it was far too slow. He wished he could see Bai Lian immediately.
Childbirth was like walking through the gates of life and death. Every year there were cases where both mother and child were lost. The thought made his heart tighten with anxiety.
All the way he urged the driver to hurry.
The carriage had barely come to a halt at the gate of the Ning residence when he jumped down.
He ran straight into the estate, racing through the corridors so quickly that he completely forgot the household rules.
“Young Master, you have returned!”
A maidservant who attended Bai Lian encountered the wind-like figure of Ning Muyan in the corridor and quickly bowed.
“How is the principal spouse?”
Seeing the sweat on Ning Muyan’s brow, the maid hurried to report.
“Congratulations, Young Master. The principal spouse has already delivered safely.”
Ning Muyan stopped in his tracks.
“Incredible… He has already given birth?”
The maid smiled.
“Yes, just now. Even the midwife said the delivery went very smoothly. It did not take long at all. The old madam and the lady are with him at the moment.”
Ning Muyan rarely showed joy in front of the servants, yet he could not suppress his smile.
“Safe is good. Safe is good.”
After a moment he remembered to ask, “Is it a boy or a girl?”
The maid replied cheerfully, “It is a ge’er, plump and healthy.”
Ning Muyan became even happier.
“All the servants who attended the principal spouse will be rewarded!”
With that said, he ran toward Dimu Garden.
Seeing him disappear into the distance, the maid bowed deeply.
“Many thanks, Young Master!”
Ning Muyan hurried back to the garden. Servants were coming and going as they cleaned up. He quickly entered the room and nearly collided with someone coming out.
“Look at you rushing about. Be careful not to bump into the child.”
The old madam saw him enter and placed the small baby—wrapped in a soft quilt—into his arms.
“Take a look at the child. Fair and lovely.”
Ning Muyan carefully held the baby, yet his eyes were already searching for Bai Lian on the bed. Carrying the child over, he asked,
“How are you feeling? Is your body all right?”
Bai Lian gently shook his head. His voice was somewhat weak, but there was nothing seriously wrong.
“I am fine. The child is very well-behaved and did not trouble me.”
Only then did Ning Muyan look carefully at the soft little bundle in his arms.
Although the baby weighed seven jin, he felt almost weightless in his embrace.
The little one was plump and rosy. After crying for a short while at birth, he had grown tired and fallen asleep. Now in his father’s arms, he slept even more soundly.
Ning Muyan had never held a child before. Holding this little life born of himself and Bai Lian stirred emotions beyond words.
“The child truly seems well-behaved. His features resemble yours.”
Leaning against the bed, Bai Lian smiled.
He had already taken a good look earlier. The child’s brows and eyes resembled his own, while the nose and mouth looked like Ning Muyan’s. Though only newly born and very small, it was not hard to imagine that he would grow up exquisitely adorable.
“I had hoped to return early to accompany you. Who would have thought I would not arrive in time? I rushed back only to catch the moment of holding the child. Why did the delivery come early? Was something wrong?”
“The due date was already near the ninth month. The timing was about right. Nothing unusual happened.”
Bai Lian continued, “I paid careful attention throughout the pregnancy. My father was even more attentive than anyone else. He feared I might follow the same fate my mother once had, so he constantly reminded me of everything. Naturally the child was born very smoothly.”
The old madam did not want to interrupt the joyful couple, but she still said,
“Speaking of which, Bai Lian, we have not yet informed your father.”
“We already sent someone to notify him, but he may have gone out on a house call. They could not find him for the moment.”
“Well, since everything is safe, there is no need to rush.”
Although the child was only a ge’er, the old madam was still beaming with joy.
This little one was not only the first child of Ning Muyan and Bai Lian, but also the first ge’er born in the Ning household. The old madam herself had never given birth to a ge’er, and neither had any of her sons’ wives. Now that one had finally appeared, she was delighted.
Her happiness was no less than if a son had been born.
After letting Ning Muyan hold the baby for a short while, she quickly took him back, claiming Ning Muyan was clumsy and did not know how to hold a child properly.
Even Tan Yun—who rarely visited Dimu Garden—came to see the excitement. Curious about the tiny ge’er, she held the baby for a moment as well.
Tan Yun herself lived with an empty household and felt especially fond of such a small, lovable child. She would never have the chance to bear one of her own. If Ning Zhengyu had not gone away to take the provincial examination, he would probably have been dragged here and scolded endlessly.
“What a beautiful little treasure,” the old madam cooed, pursing her lips as she teased the baby. “Muyan, you should quickly give the child a name.”
Looking at the entire family doting on the newborn, Ning Muyan said,
“Let us call him Zhiyi.”
He had long prepared many names—for sons, daughters, and ge’er alike. Seeing how quiet the little one was, he felt this name suited him well.
Bai Lian was never very particular about naming. As long as it was not one of the crude village names meant to keep children alive, he had no objections.
Moreover, the name carried the meaning that all things would proceed as wished. Watching the baby’s calm temperament, Bai Lian felt it fit nicely.
With the Ning household blessed by such joyful news, invitations were soon sent out to relatives and friends to attend the celebratory feast.
The little one was watched over day and night by his two fathers. Preparations for the one-month celebration banquet were entrusted to Tan Yun, and the household quickly became lively again.
“The little one arrived at just the right time. Your father has time to accompany you now.”
After Zhiyi was born, he was mainly cared for by a wet nurse. However, except when the nurse fed the child or when the couple themselves went to rest, Zhiyi was almost always under the watchful eyes of his two fathers. Neither of them could get enough of him, and neither could bear to let someone else keep him for long.
Ning Muyan was organizing his scrolls nearby. Hearing this, he turned his head and glanced at Zhiyi lying in the small cradle. Just as he looked over, the baby woke up. He walked over and picked the child up with a smile.
“Zhiyi sleeps far too much. Three-quarters of the day he is asleep. He must have inherited your fondness for sleeping.”
Bai Lian raised his eyebrows.
“Children are supposed to sleep a lot. Do you expect him to be like you—awake during the day and still awake at night?”
Ning Muyan held little Zhiyi. In just over half a month, the child had already grown a little.
The baby hardly ever cried. His favorite pastime was when his father held him—he would lift his chubby fists to his mouth and lick them.
His round eyes, like grapes, blinked softly as he quietly watched his fathers talking. Though he could not understand their words, he saw the two of them every day. If too much time passed without seeing them, he would begin to cry.
Naturally, this only made his fathers dote on him even more, fearing that when he woke up the first face he saw might not be theirs.
“Zhengyu should be returning from the examination soon, shouldn’t he? Will he make it in time for Zhiyi’s one-month celebration?”
Ning Muyan shook his head.
“A letter arrived. He will not make it for the one-month banquet. But it does not matter—he certainly will not miss the hundred-day celebration.”