Dandere General and his Lord

43. Firstborn

It was the birthday of the Grand Tutor Yang Su, who was one of the Three Excellencies and also the elder brother of Marquis Jin Yue’s mother; Yang Ji. Hence, even though the Yang family did not hold a huge banquet in celebration, there was still an endless stream of relatives and old friends who came to offer their congratulations.

Yang Su was over fifty years old and had white hair and a beard. Due to his candid and resolute nature in addition to his ill health in recent years, he was no longer very concerned about state affairs, simply carrying his respectful title as the Grand Tutor without holding any particular responsibilities. 

But at that moment, in a quiet room inside his residence, there were several powerful dignitaries sitting together. 

Minister Zhao Jikao took the lead and said, “My Lord is really determined to move troops and stir up people1 for Bianzhou, levying troops and drafting this new policy which has caused a stir in the capital for a while now.”

“My Lord is still too young and spirited, he doesn’t understand the gravity of these matters.” The Minor Treasurer, Shi Quan shook his head and said, “Pitching slaves against brave warriors on the battlefield, ten of them wouldn’t be able to handle two. No matter how many people there are, they can only make up numbers, what’s the use?”

“Those slaves are the property of My Lord. If My Lord refuses to heed our advice, what can we ministers do?” The Grand Protector Wei Sibu sighed, “A head to shed off your slave status. By the end of this war, even if the slaves don’t die, most of their names will be cut off from the record of slaves. This action of My Lord will greatly weaken our strength. In the end, the Lord will be weak while the servants are strong. This does not bode well for our nation, alas!”

Yang Su listened to their lively discussion with everyone trying to get a word in as she pondered over the rumours that had been circulating lately. He felt greatly agitated as he frowned and said, “It’s just as you gentlemen have said, this matter is anything but reassuring. When my younger sister attends the feast tonight, I will discuss this matter with her tonight and ask her to admonish My Lord.”

Zhao Jikao leaned forward slightly and said, “Grand Tutor, I have heard a rumour recently, I am unsure whether it’s really true.”

“My Lord has gotten a new male pet named Mo Qiao Sheng and My Lord dotes on him to an abnormal extent, calling him over every night, practically keeping him close at all times.” He looked around and lowered his voice, “This man is a slave. My Lord has caused a great fanfare this time ostensible in support of Bianzhou, but in fact, he just wants to change this man’s status.”

Wei Sibu dissuaded him insincerely, “Brother Zhao must not make irresponsible remarks. Is My Lord such a ridiculous person?”

“Wei Gong,2 you can see for yourself. Who are the people beside My Lord after he returned this time?” Zhao Jikao sneered. “Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen, which of them isn’t young and handsome with elegant and unrestrained manners. Poor Han Gong, dismissed from his post managing the grain without any provocation. Such a lucrative post controlling the nation’s purse, it’s too cheap for Zhang Fu, that pretty boy.”

Yang Su’s face was ashen as he slapped the table and rose to his feet, going out in a huff.

The few men present in the room exchanged meaningful glances, their expressions satisfied.

Cheng Qianye returned to her quarters, talking with Mo Qiao Sheng who was beside her as they walked.

“Judging from today’s observation of the situation outside of the palace, the new policy has been relayed quite well and the effect is much better than we expected.”

Mo Qiao Sheng followed suit, “Master’s move has really roused the sentiments of the people. According to the inquiries I have made today, not only are the slaves like myself happy enough to jump for joy, but even the normal commoners inside the city are eager to try and have come to enlist in the army one after the other.”

Cheng Qianye replied excitedly, “Right! Contrary to my expectations, the number of recruits are increasing day by day. I have asked Helan Zhen to step up the training of the newly recruited soldiers and the fifty thousand slaves under my name so that we can send reinforcements to Bianzhou earlier.”

One of the servants attending inside the hall stood to the side with an evasive expression as he hesitated for a moment.

“What’s the matter?” Cheng Qianye was in a good mood as she sat down and inquired.

The servant bowed his head and covertly pinched the jade pendant tucked away in his sleeve. This afternoon, Xiao Huan, the personal maidservant beside Concubine Xu had slipped it to him surreptitiously and begged him for help.

He thought back to the beseechment of Xiao Huan who was his fellow villager and finally mustered up the courage to salute and report back.

“This one has heard that there has been a lot of movement on Concubine Xu’s side this afternoon, will My Lord go and take a look?”

Cheng Qianye was not concerned and waved her hand and said, “She’s having a baby, I won’t understand anything, what use is it if I go there? Why don’t you report to the Old Madame?”

The servant lowered his head and answered, “It is the Old Madame’s elder brother’s birthday today. Old Madame went to attend the banquet and still hasn’t returned to the palace.”

Cheng Qianye looked at the servant in front of her. His heart was embroiled with the feelings of anxiety, fear and worry.

Something was wrong.

Recalling Concubine Xu’s appearance of being frightened and alarmed all day long, she felt disturbed. She stood up and said to Mo Qiao Sheng, “Let’s go. Come with me and take a look at the situation over there.”

When she arrived at Chaowu Hall where Concubine Xu was in labour, the palace maids who normally served her in the palace hall were all standing outside. Some of them were pale and jostling against each other as they shivered while others were perfectly composed and standing properly.

There was only one palace maid bound by ropes and lying on the floor who was weeping bitterly like a pear blossom bathed in the rain.3

Cheng Qianye recognized her as the personal maidservant who always attended by Concubine Xu’s side.

“What’s going on here?” Cheng Qianye asked in a deep voice.

Everyone was taken aback seeing her suddenly burst in.

Cheng Qianye didn’t wait for them to respond and took large strides, walking straight into the inner hall.

At this moment, inside the delivery room in the inner hall, Concubine Xu was drenched in sweat and her face was chalky as she struggled desperately  on the bed.

The room was being supervised by a female steward.

This person was the most handy person who served beside Old Madame Yang and the chief steward in charge of handling the affairs of the inner palace, Da Changqiu;4 Mrs. Cui.

She winked meaningfully at the midwife who was helping Concubine Xu to give birth, and she stood up and wiped the sweat on her forehead with her sleeve. “The child is too big, there is nothing we can do. Between mother and child, we can only choose to save one.”

Mrs. Cui spoke coldly, “Concubine Xu, as you can see, it is not that we are being cruel, you really can’t give birth. In order to protect the Lord’s descendant by blood, we have no choice but to wrong you.”

Concubine Xu was dumbstruck. Her body was void of any strength and she barely forced herself to lift up her upper body. With her eyes filled with tears, she implored, “Mama,5 I beg you, please try your best to help me once more.”

Mrs. Cui snorted coldly, “This is My Lord’s first child, there cannot be the slightest mishap. You are useless now, who can be blamed?”

Concubine Xu felt desolate knowing that Old Madame Yang could not allow her life to be spared. She had carried the child in her womb for ten months and the birth was imminent. How she wished she could hold her own flesh and blood in her arms.

She sobbed and begged grievously, “Mama, I beg you to make an exception. Please let me see My Husband for the last time. I want to leave a few words to entrust the child, then I will die without regrets.”

“What a joke. Let’s not mention the fact that My Lord is not even in the palace right now, this is still the delivery room which is a bloody place, how can My Lord come in here just to see you.” Mrs. Cui inclined her chin at the midwife and said, “Don’t stir up trouble, get to work!”

The midwife nodded and took a tray with a sharp pair of scissors and a pile of cloth on top of it.

Concubine Xu couldn’t help screaming and struggling in fear.

Several sturdy old servant women rushed forward and held down her arms and legs and covered her mouth. Concubine Xu had a weak constitution and she was in the middle of labour, how could she throw them off? She could only open her eyes wide in horror and let out muffled whimpers.

The midwife held up the scissors and stepped towards Concubine Xu and said, “Madam, don’t blame me. Give birth to an heir for My Lord and the Lord and the Old Madame will certainly remember your efforts, and the little childe will be taken care of by the Old Madame, so you can rest your mind at ease and leave.”

Just as she was about to act.

The curtain was drawn open with a thunderous noise and Cheng Qianye stepped inside, her expression frigid as she demanded angrily, “What are you doing!?”

Everyone in the room jumped in fear and loosened their hands. The midwife’s hands quivered and the scissors fell to the floor with a ‘crash’, clattering wildly with the impact.

Concubine Xu struggled to clamber up. Her head was full of sweat with her hair sticking everywhere and the bed was soaked with blood and amniotic fluid. She trembled as she reached out her hand towards Cheng Qianye. “Husband, My Husband, I beg you to help me, please save my life.”

Cheng Qianye looked around, her gaze landing on the scissors that were still clattering on the floor. Stifling the flames of fury in her heart, she clenched her teeth and said, “Go, get an imperial physician.”

All the servant women inside the room glanced up at her and lowered their heads. They were silent, but remained motionless.

Mrs. Cui stepped towards Cheng Qianye and crouched down to salute, barely squeezing out a smile, “My Lord, this is the delivery room, you cannot come in here or you might attract a bloody calamity which is harmful to My Lord. Please go out first and leave the matters here to the maidservants.”

Cheng Qianye was angered to a great extent, but she didn’t flare up and laughed instead, “The Da Changqiu of the harem? Very good, you come out with me, all of you come out!”

Mrs. Cui hesitated.

Cheng Qianye’s face was stony and with a swing of her sleeve, she took the lead and left the room.

Mrs. Cui’s heart was filled with apprehension, but then she immediately thought to herself; I’m just acting on the Old Madame’s orders. Even if My Lord is angry, he won’t contradict his mother for the sake of a mere concubine. I just need to hold on until the Old Madame returns.

With a sigh of relief, she waved at the people in the room.

The group of people filed out of the room.

Cheng Qianye sat down in the main position and ordered people to untie the maidservant called Xiao Huan who was tied up.

“Go, first go in and attend to your Madam.”

Xiao Huan kowtowed several times before rolling and crawling into the delivery room.

Mrs. Cui kept a smile on her face as she stepped forward to talk.

Cheng Qianye stayed silent as she gazed at her for a long time. From the inside to the outside, this person had a sickening colour, both cruel and venomous.

“Qiao Sheng.” Cheng Qianye closed her eyes and made a slight gesture.

Mo Qiao Sheng did not say a word and stepped forward, lifting Mrs. Cui up by the collar. Ignoring her struggle, he dragged her outside and threw her onto the ground.

With a flash of his sword, the Da Changqiu who had always domineeringly run wild in the palace let out a miserable shriek and collapsed on the ground.

The dark red blood flowed down the palace steps outside.

The people inside the palace hall hadn’t expected that their Lord who had just been talking with a smile on his face wouldn’t show even a shred of concern for the Old Madame’s feelings, raising his hand and having the Da Changqiu; Mrs. Cui executed on the spot.

This time, they all panicked and knelt down to beg for mercy.

Cheng Qianye looked around and pointed at a court lady within the crowd and asked, “What’s your name and what is your post?”

The court lady prostrated and quivered as she replied, “Nubi6 is called A’Xia and is a palace official under Da Changqiu.”

“Good, henceforth, you are going to take the Da Changqiu’s place.” Cheng Qianye declared.

A’Xia had not expected such a turn of events as though a pie suddenly fell down from the sky and landed on her head. For a moment, she didn’t know whether she ought to be scared or happy.

“There are two matters you have to handle immediately. If you can manage them properly, you will be the new Da Changqiu in charge of the affairs of the inner palace. Cheng Qianye said, “First of all, punish this midwife with a hundred strikes and find another midwife with vast experience from outside the palace to come here. Second, summon an imperial physician to come here quickly. Go.”

“Yes, yes, Nubi will definitely handle it properly, it will definitely be done properly.” A’Xia got up hastily and first assigned several older servant women who were on good terms with her to beat the midwife and then ran off to personally search for a dependable midwife.

Cheng Qianye sat in the outer hall. Seeing the corpse lying in front of the door outside the palace, the midwife and the imperial physician who rushed over felt tense. They bowed their heads and greeted her before hurrying inside, not daring to do anything but their best.

A few hours later, a baby’s cry sounded from the delivery room.

Cheng Qianye got up happily and went inside.

“Congratulations to the Lord, congratulations to the Lord, it’s a handsome little childe.”

The midwife handed over the baby wrapped up in a little bundle into Cheng Qianye’s arms. Looking at the wrinkled face of the newborn in her arms, Cheng Qianye’s heart was filled with a strange feeling. The baby closed his eyes and turned his head, leaning into Cheng Qianye’s bosom as he pouted his mouth like a small fish. Cheng Qianye laughed in amusement.

~

1. (兴师动众 – xīng shī dòng zhòng) Idiom; getting many people involved to do smth.
2. (公 – Gong) – A respectful designation for an elder / A respectful salutation.

3. (梨花带雨 – lí huā dài yǔ) – Idiom; a weeping beauty. Used to describe a beautiful woman who’s crying.
4.(大长秋 – dà cháng qiū) – title of the servant who is in charge of the affairs of the queen’s palace.
5. (嬷嬷 – māma) – Honorific title given to palace ladies of a certain age and status in ancient times
6. (奴婢 – Nubi) – Slave girl/Maidservant.