Chapter 18: I Had Better Take It Back to Raise Myself

Chapter 18: I’ll Take Her Back and Raise Her Myself

Madam Ba stepped forward and said, “It’s probably because Guan’er’s health is too weak; now that the child is older, her body can’t keep up.”

Madam Qian didn’t respond to her, instead turning to her son-in-law. “Ba Yanhua, let me ask you—how did my daughter give birth prematurely?”

Ba Yanhua paused. He had only been focused on what the Taoist said earlier, thinking it best to send the child away, so he had forgotten about the premature birth and hadn’t thought to inquire.

“Well…” He couldn’t explain and glanced toward Aunt Qu.

“You truly are a good son-in-law,” Madam Qian snorted coldly and stopped looking at him.

Aunt Qu stepped forward and explained, “Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. When the mistress got up around noon, she ate some red date paste eight-treasure rice dumplings. Not long after, she felt some discomfort in her abdomen and thought it was just fatigue, so she rested in bed. But within half an hour, labor began. I hurried to inform the madam, who sent for the midwife. Because the ninth young lady is small in stature, the midwife arrived within half an hour, and the baby was born.”

“Did you call the doctor?” Madam Qian asked again.

“The doctor came. He said the mistress has always been frail and showed signs of premature labor two months ago. It’s a blessing she held on until now. As for the ninth young lady, it depends on her fate…” Aunt Qu hesitated.

Madam Qian waved her hand, having grasped the rest of the meaning. “What about the leftover rice dumplings?”

Aunt Qu quickly called a senior maid to ask.

Among the servants attending Madam Qian’s daughter-in-law, only Aunt Qu had come with her; the rest were from the later marriage. After all, the Qian family was a modest household, and having Aunt Qu as a maid was already quite good.

The senior maid called Bohe was lively and neat, wearing the water-green cross-collared gown issued to all the household servants, which suited her well.

Another senior maid named Jie Geng was honest and straightforward.

When Aunt Qu asked, Jie Geng quickly replied, “I took out the rice dumplings and handed them to Changpu, who is responsible for sweeping the courtyard.”

Changpu soon entered. She was only a third-tier maid, quite young and timid in the face of such a scene.

“Changpu, where did you put the rice dumplings you took out at noon?” Madam Ba snatched the question before anyone else could speak.

Upon hearing this, Changpu’s legs went weak, and she knelt immediately, not daring to raise her head. “Madam… madam, those rice dumplings… they were so delicately made, and I felt it was a pity to waste them… so… I ate them…”

“You greedy little slave!” Madam Ba slammed the table. “Get her out of here!”

“Madam, please spare me! I won’t dare to do it again…” Changpu knelt and begged bitterly.

Two maids came in from outside to drag her away.

Suddenly, Madam Qian said, “Wait. Tell me, did you feel unwell after eating those dumplings?”

Flustered, Changpu hesitated, then shook her head repeatedly. “I didn’t feel any discomfort.”

She was too ashamed to mention that it was her first day of menstruation.

Madam Qian paused, seeming to ponder.

“Mother-in-law, I ate some of those dumplings too. They looked quite good,” Madam Ba said with a dry smile, then ordered the maids, “Whip that greedy servant thirty times and throw her out.”

In truth, Madam Qian had already considered this but did not want to press the matter or let Madam Ba continue investigating.

Madam Qian waved her hand. “No need for whipping. Just send her away.”

Although suspicious about the premature birth, Madam Qian knew it was not the time to pursue the matter. She resolved to find Changpu later and get to the bottom of it.

Changpu was dragged away in tears.

Madam Qian looked again at Ba Yanhua. “I heard you want to send this child to a temple?”

“Yes,” Ba Yanhua admitted with a forced expression.

“Is that so?” Madam Qian frowned, knowing nothing about this. “Why would you do such a thing when everything is fine?”

Ba Yanhua could not find a reasonable excuse, so he straightforwardly recounted everything that had happened today—the encounter with the Taoist at the gate and all.

After listening, Madam Ba looked at Madam Qian. “Mother-in-law, what do you think of this?”

Madam Qian smiled. “The words of wandering fortune-tellers—how can they be trusted?”

“Mother-in-law, that Taoist didn’t even enter my home but could tell me a baby was born and informed me of everything without asking for a penny. He didn’t seem like an ordinary charlatan…” Ba Yanhua was uneasy facing Madam Qian but, thinking that the Taoist said this child would ruin his fortune, decided he could no longer care about much else.

No one can stand in the way of his official career.

“From what you say, you’re determined to send the child away?” Madam Qian patted the infant wrapped in swaddling and looked up at him.

Ba Yanhua hung his head without reply.

“I suppose Madam Ba feels the same?” Madam Qian turned to her.

Madam Ba approached, gently touching the baby’s face with a loving expression. “This is my own granddaughter, and she’s so fragile. How could I bear to send her away?”

“Then you’ll keep her?” Madam Qian asked knowingly.

“It’s no trouble to keep her; she won’t lack for food or clothing,” Madam Ba said with worry in her eyes. “But as Yanhua said, Mother-in-law, you should consider this carefully. That Taoist said this child harms her father’s fortune and endangers her mother’s life.

Yanhua doesn’t mind; a little bad luck isn’t so bad. But the mistress’s life is at stake…”

Madam Qian laughed bitterly, about to speak.

Qian Shijiang stepped forward, gently taking the swaddled baby into his arms with a warm smile. “Mother, if Ba’s family can’t keep this child, let me take her back to Laizhou. It’s been so long since there was a baby in our home—it will make the house lively again.”

Madam Qian’s daughter-in-law wiped tears, “Big brother…”

“Little sister, rest well. You can be at ease if I take the child back,” Qian Shijiang said tenderly, looking at Qian Fangguan.

“With big brother and sister-in-law to watch over her, I’ll feel safe,” the daughter-in-law held back tears as she looked at the swaddled infant.

This was her own child, the flesh that fell from her own body, like the apple of her eye. Now, at birth, she must part with her—it was truly heartbreaking.

Laizhou was so far away. If the child went with big brother, who knew when she would see her again?

Thinking of this, her expression grew even more sorrowful.

Madam Qian rose and took the swaddled baby back into her arms, gazing at the fragile infant with tenderness. “Laizhou is far from the capital, and this child is too weak to endure the journey. I’ll take her back and raise her myself. Let’s see if this little thing can really bring an end to this old life of mine.”

“This trouble for you, mother-in-law. Look at what a mess this has become…” Madam Ba smiled happily and gave Ba Yanhua a sharp glance. “What are you standing there for? Go thank your mother-in-law!”

Ba Yanhua was about to bow.

Madam Qian’s expression suddenly turned cold. “No need for thanks. I’ll take the child back and raise her, and I’ll bring Guan’er along too.”

(End of Chapter)