Chapter 8: When Both Parents Get Involved

After Yun-ge slept soundly until daybreak, he watched Li Fu go about his usual routine: finishing breakfast, playfully teasing his two young children, and then sauntering off to work.

Watching Li Fu’s departing back, Yun-ge couldn't help but grin. Fair enough, he thought. He was still so young; even if his father were a workaholic, he wouldn't actually expect an infant under a year old to pick up a brush and write a book review. If that were truly the case, he would certainly refuse with firm disapproval.

No writing, absolutely no writing.

However, the matter of the book review was soon forgotten, as the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching. Yun-ge realized this when, two days later, Xin-niang and Madam Bu began supervising the household staff, ordering the maids and servants to clean every nook and cranny of the house, followed by instructions to purchase a generous supply of pomegranates, dates, pears, and other goods.

Sitting in his custom-made baby chair, Yun-ge tilted his small head, following the busy maids back and forth, filled with genuine curiosity.

Xin-niang stayed busy until noon, at which point she brought over a small plate to tease and play with Yun-ge.

Yun-ge gave Xin-niang his full attention. Seeing her, he gripped the railing of his chair with his small hands and stretched his neck, trying hard to get a better look at what was on the plate.

"Small cakes like the crescent moon, filled with syrup and cream." Xin-niang picked up a small, round pastry from the plate, waved it in front of Yun-ge, and laughed, "This is a seasonal treat for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Our little Yun-ge, you’re not fond of milk, but you love everything else. Try this cake."

Yun-ge was already impatient. As soon as Xin-niang handed it to him, he grabbed it with both hands and began to gnaw. He didn't know how this mooncake was made, but it had a faint, delicate scent of chrysanthemums that he found quite pleasing. Once he had nibbled away the outer crust, he discovered a filling of sweet, crumbly sugar inside. It was so fragrant and sweet that he refused to let go.

Xin-niang didn't leave; although Yun-ge was a careful child, she was afraid he might choke on the flaky pastry, so she stayed to look after him. Watching Yun-ge’s little teeth crunching away so happily, her own appetite was piqued, and she couldn't help but pick up a piece to eat herself.

As she ate, Xin-niang began to fill Yun-ge in on some knowledge about the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was her habit to chatter away to him like this.

Yun-ge chewed with puffed-out cheeks, taking the opportunity to learn about the Mid-Autumn Festival in this era.

The festival had existed for a long time, but originally, it was a privilege reserved for the wealthy and the elite. Every year on this day, royals, nobles, and literati would either hold moon-worship ceremonies or host banquets to compose poetry under the moonlight—it was all about romance.

This had little to do with the common people, who were busy with spring planting, autumn harvests, and struggling to survive the winter. They barely had enough to eat, let alone the luxury of romance.

Later, after the founding emperor of the Liang Dynasty ascended the throne, he was quite harsh on officials but benevolent toward the commoners. He remarked that the people worked hard in the fields or performed forced labor all year round, so they deserved a holiday, and thus he officially established the Mid-Autumn Festival as a national holiday.

On this day, both officials and commoners were given three days off. Whether they were currently performing labor or about to start, everyone was allowed to go home for a family reunion.

It was only in the current dynasty that the festival had become increasingly vibrant, even leading to the creation of special seasonal treats like these flaky cakes. Every year during this season, wealthy families would buy these cakes infused with floral scents and sugar, while poorer families would buy cakes mixed with wheat bran, just to get a taste of the festive atmosphere.

Yun-ge listened with great interest, and before he knew it, he had finished the cake.

Seeing Yun-ge reaching for more, Xin-niang decided to stop him. He was still small, and the dense cake could be difficult to digest. After wiping the crumbs from his hands, she picked him up and headed out.

It was Mid-Autumn Festival today. Li Fu had gone to his office early in the morning, handed out holiday gifts to his colleagues—like the county lieutenants—as required by the Liang Dynasty regulations, wished them a happy holiday, and then sent everyone home to enjoy the three-day break.

Having delivered his holiday address as the top leader of Long County, Li Fu had nothing left to do and hurried home.

For the Mid-Autumn celebration, combined with the dozen pots of exceptionally beautiful chrysanthemums that Madam Bu had sent over a few days ago, Li Fu’s refined side had emerged, prompting him to invite some friends over for a moon-viewing gathering.

Because guests were coming that evening, Xin-niang and Madam Bu had taken the time to clean the house and buy plenty of fruit.

As Xin-niang chatted, she changed Yun-ge into a brand-new set of clothes. Not only were the clothes new, but the small shoes on his feet were also pristine and had never touched the ground before.

Once he was dressed, Xin-niang smiled and said, "Your father says that you and Yi-ge are getting so big, yet you’ve never been out to the main quarters. It’s time you made an appearance. I’ve put you in such a beautiful new outfit; our Yun-ge will surely be the most handsome one there."

Yun-ge had a sudden epiphany.

So that was it. No wonder they were dressing him in new clothes even though it wasn't the Winter Solstice.

Looking at his mother, he realized that even though she claimed she would be happy with him just being an ordinary person, she still hoped he would strive for greatness—she was secretly a "tiger mom" too.

*Sigh.*

Yun-ge sighed silently.

He could see it now: his father was a workaholic, and his mother was one too. Being an infant with the soul of a college student was truly not easy.

As evening approached, a maid came from the front hall, sent by Li Fu to fetch Yun-ge. Xin-niang understood immediately; she straightened Yun-ge’s clothes and handed the sturdy, adorable little "blessing doll" to the maid.

Yun-ge was restless along the way. He knew the path from Xin-niang’s quarters to the front hall—he had been carried along it countless times—but the problem was that he had never once seen an outsider.

He was curious about everything, but since he could barely walk, he had to settle for being carried.

Upon arriving at the front hall, the first thing Yun-ge saw was Yi-ge. He immediately realized that Madam Bu was just as competitive as his mother, because Yi-ge was dressed in a brand-new, beautiful outfit, complete with a tiny, adorable hat.

Under Li Fu’s instruction, the maid placed Yun-ge into his special baby carriage.

As soon as Li Fu saw him, he stroked his handsome beard, walked over to Yun-ge, and announced cheerfully, "Everyone, take a look. This is my second son."

Yun-ge had been curious about his father’s friends and had been observing them ever since he was placed in the carriage.

It seemed his father didn't have many friends, as only two had come.

One was a middle-aged man, rather lean with dark skin, which gave his features a sharp, capable look. The other looked just like his father—refined and scholarly—though his expression was quite stern, making him look like a carbon copy of Li Fu.

Yun-ge shook his head. All three of them looked like the type of hardworking, driven people who would naturally become good friends.

The lean middle-aged man noticed Yun-ge’s bright, intelligent eyes, which were darting back and forth between them as if he were genuinely trying to memorize their faces. He couldn't help but laugh, "Xiaoxian, is your little son trying to recognize us?"

"Xiaoxian" was Li Fu’s courtesy name. He also had a nickname among friends: "The Sober Old Man."

Li Fu loved fine wine, though he had a good tolerance. Despite his love for it, he rarely drank unless it was a holiday like the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Winter Solstice, demonstrating excellent self-control. Since a person’s character is often judged by their drinking habits, his friends respected his restraint and jokingly called him the "Sober Old Man."

Li Fu had already had a few cups and carried a faint scent of wine. He wasn't drunk, but the holiday mood and the wine had put him in high spirits. He picked Yun-ge up and boasted, "Yun-ge has been bright since he was small. When Xin-niang looks after him, he never cries or fusses; he has his own opinions. Looking at you all just now, he might actually be trying to recognize you."

The two friends weren't offended. While they teased him for having a child late in life and getting a bit carried away, they also joined in the fun, introducing themselves to Yun-ge.

The lean man was named Meng Fu, currently living in seclusion. Last year, while Emperor Zhu Zuo was still alive, some had recommended him for an official post. However, Meng Fu felt that Zhu Zuo was a poor emperor who spent his days causing trouble, and he knew it would end in disaster, so he refused. He was right; that spring, Emperor Zhu Zuo had drowned in the palace moat.

The other friend was Zheng Zuosheng. He came from a humble background but had been exceptionally clever since childhood. His parents had sold everything they owned to support his education, and he had indeed made a name for himself. In his youth, he had been filled with passion, but as he grew older, the harsh realities of society had worn him down.

When Emperor Zhu Zuo died, the court was in turmoil. Zheng Zuosheng, the unlucky soul that he was, had been kicked out of the central government and sent to serve as a magistrate in Chengji County, Hanyang Commandery. He was on his way to take up his post, but when he passed through Long County, he remembered his old school friend Li Fu and decided to stop by to spend a happy Mid-Autumn Festival together, leaving those frustrating matters for later.

Of course, they were men of culture and wouldn't explain things to Yun-ge in such plain terms, but that didn't stop Yun-ge’s brain from filtering it all into plain language.

After their introductions, they saw how white and tender Yun-ge was, truly looking like a little doll of good fortune, and they couldn't help but want to hold him.

Yun-ge was easy to handle, so Li Fu handed him over directly.

Yi-ge, however, was a different story. Since he arrived, Li Fu hadn't dared to move him from his baby chair for fear that he would start crying.