Chapter 233.2: Sending the Betrothal Gift Equal to Stuffing the Dowry?
Everyone was all very happy. Luo Old Madam also stood up instant, and afterwards, seeing Jing Wan staring stupidly, couldn’t help but pinch her cheek, “What’s wrong?”
“Already given birth like this? Wasn’t it said that the first one is very slow?” Jing Wan subconsciously said with an absentminded blank look.
“This silly child.” Luo Old Madam couldn’t help pinching her again, “It varies from person to person. Ones that are this fast like your elder sister-in-law’s, although rare, it’s not like there aren’t any. Besides, giving birth quickly, suffering less, isn’t that good?”
Jing Wan finally returned to her senses, “Of course it’s good, the quicker the better.” She also sincerely revealed a joyous smile.
“Mother, if I have to say, this child and third girl specially have fate, coming out as soon as third girl entered. Isn’t it precisely for the sake of seeing this di paternal aunt?” w.a.n.g-s.h.i.+ said with a smile.
“You’re right, it is indeed so. During the time in the mother’s stomach, this paternal aunt didn’t worry any less.”
Although towards such sayings, Jing Wan was indifferent, but right now, she was quite happy.
The midwife very quickly carried the child that had been appropriately treated out, opening the door, “Congratulations old madam, third young madam gave birth to a little daughter.” When saying these words, although she was smiling, she nevertheless carefully peeked at Luo Old Madam.
“Good, good, good, give a reward, a heavy reward.” Luo Old Madam smiled as she took the child, weighing in hand, “Even quite heavy.”
The midwife, seeing Luo Old Madam not disliking, also smiled increasingly sincere. If this was a family that didn’t like daughters, they might even get vented on. “Indeed, this child is more than six catties and nine tael.”
Clearly the midwife thought too much. With Jing Wan, this precedent, never mind Luo Old Madam, even the entire second branch all won’t disdain Sun Yi Jia for giving birth to a daughter, perhaps might even like even more, adore even more. Even Sun Yi Jia herself said she wants a child like Jing Wan.
Jing Wan slightly calculated. In Qi Yuan, it was similarly one catty equals to sixteen taels. However, this one catty, she estimates to be about six hundred some grams. This child, according to the measurements of her past life, would be about eight catties, perhaps nearing nine catties. Jing Wan couldn’t help feeling a bit shocked, even having a bit of linger fear. This obviously was a bit big. In this era, where a moment of mishap might just lead to one corpse, two lives, sometimes one would rather the child be a bit smaller. “What about my sister-in-law, how is she?”
(T/N: Basically in this fictional world of Qi Yuan, their measurement for catty is slightly different than the chinese measurement of catty which is about 500g, so the child is about 4-4.5kg, or almost 9lbs.)
“Right, right, what about Yi Jia, how’s Yi Jia?” Luo Jing Bo also hurriedly asked.
Jing Wan glanced at him, his body still somewhat tense, seemingly just returning to his senses.
“Third young madam gave birth smoothly, so won’t have any problems. This old woman has been delivering children for this many years, for the first child to be this smooth, third young madam can be considered the first one.”
Luo Jing Bo sighed in relief, “That’s good.”
Jing Wan also settled down inside. If something were to happen to the mother, then that would really be……………….
Luo Old Madam had the child handed to Luo Jing Bo. The saying of ‘the man holds the grandchild, not the son[1]‘ didn’t exist in her dictionary, “Your daughter, properly hold, and get close to more, don’t be like your old man, nothing like a father.”
Luo Jing Bo was at a loss for what to do, simply not knowing how to hold.
And Zhang-s.h.i.+, who was at one side extending her head, wanting to hold her granddaughter, was nevertheless somewhat helpless. Her husband wasn’t like a father, and she herself also wasn’t like a mother.
However, at this time, no one paid attention to her. All the attention was on the child. Luo Old Madam carefully adjusted the position for Luo Jing Bo, slapping him on the arm, “Relax a little, being this stiff will make the child uncomfortable. It’s good that it’s still cold, so the swaddling clothes thick. If in the summertime, with you like this, then further don’t think about holding the child.”
Luo Jing Bo also wanted to relax, but the problem was, this wasn’t something he can control!
“Third brother, let me hold.” Jing Wan was also a bit itchy inside.
Luo Old Madam took the child and changed directions, handing her to Jing Wan.
It’s not that Jing Wan has never held a child before, just for ones that were just born, this was actually the first time. Carefully and cautiously, she rather didn’t make any mistakes.
“Ah, the little one opened her eyes.” Jing Wan gazed at the child, saying in surprise.
“Looks like this child, sure enough, likes you, this di paternal aunt, the most.”
“Naturally.” Jing Wan was nonetheless pleased.
Once the inside of the room was tidied and cleaned, Jing Wan and them finally went in to have a look. Sun Yi Jia was awake, her spirit appearing to still be pretty good.
When Head Minister Luo returned to the manor, learning that he’d obtained a great-granddaughter, he was also very happy.
The next day, all the servants in the entire manor got rewarded again.
The bathing ceremony[2] rather wasn’t grandly held. This was also Luo Jing Bo and Sun Yi Jia’s combined meaning. Their care towards the child didn’t necessarily need to be expressed in this kind of manner. Besides, it was a daughter. Regardless of how they themselves see it, in outsiders’ eyes, all in all, certainly can’t compare to the first branch’s eldest grandson in preciousness. Even if it was a boy, most likely would similarly be believed to be inferior. If too grand, it would instead stir up gossip. Additionally, the timing of the child’s birth was good. If the good fortune is too heavy, afraid one won’t be able to keep it under control. It was best to be a little more low-key.
After the Lantern Festival, the ins and outs of the imperial court began bustling again.
Whether this undercurrent was increasingly surging or what, it all had nothing to do with Jing Wan and them.
On the second of the second month, Longtaitou Festival[3], and at the same time, also Jing Wan’s birthday, full fifteen years.
(T/N: Longtaitou translates to ‘dragon raising its head’, I feel like although the holiday itself doesn’t have that kind of meaning, but I want to believe this day was deliberately picked for Jing Wan’s birthday, for the implied meaning of her being a dragon waking from hibernation. Let me dream.)
According to reason, it should be arranged and held, but Jing Wan refused. In another month, she will be getting married, and the person she’s marrying is a qinw.a.n.g. When time comes, it will be very grand, so truly no need to be this extravagant now, practically just wasteful.
Thus, even the friends and relatives all didn’t get invited, just their own family holding a small celebration. Jing Wan received presents from her family.
Setting aside the others for now, Li Hong Yuan’s gifts naturally won’t be missing.
Jing Wan expressed, her little treasury is already about to run out of room, Jin Qinw.a.n.g, can you settle down a little? When time comes, these things still need to go with her. Moving them will also be very tiring, alright! A certain someone pretended not to hear.
On the fifteenth of the second month, the second branch’s eldest di granddaughter one-month birthday. It similarly was just a small celebration. The little guy already went from the wrinkly look in the beginning to being fair and tender. Moreover, the weight also increased quite a bit, her little arms and legs just like lotus roots, appearing very cute and st.u.r.dy. Little w.a.n.g-s.h.i.+ was very envious, “When that child of mine was one month old, it was much worse than this little guy.”
“That child was just lacking a little before birth. After properly raising, definitely won’t have any problems.”
The next day, Jin Qinw.a.n.g sent the betrothal gifts.
Generally speaking, as a show of respect towards the bride’s side, the soon-to-be groom would personally send the betrothal gifts. But as the descendants of the imperial family, for the most part, all won’t personally send the betrothal gift. However, Li Hong Yuan did precisely just that.
The betrothal gifts and the engagement gifts for the most part all had a fixed amount. However, on the engagement gifts, Li Hong Yuan already ‘did a good deed’, no one believed that this time, he will settle down. Jing Wan also can only hope that he restrains himself a little.
However, when Jing Wan saw the things, sure enough, she was still too naive. In Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s dictionary, there just wasn’t words like ‘low-key’ and ‘restraint’.
Li Hong Yuan this time actually didn’t look for the Internal Affairs Department for trouble. However, having that lesson from before, the Internal Affairs Department also didn’t dare to be careless in the slightest, using the best things. The amount, aside from the ones that had an inflexible rule, all were according to last time’s multiple-folds.
Afterwards, these things were all sent to Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor. It was clear, Li Hong Yuan was planning on sending the gifts from his own manor.
On the street where the Luo family resided, from the start of the street to the end, it was completely filled with a line of red silk chests. Judging from the people lifting the chest’s manner of walking, one just knew, there was definitely substance inside. And the things that weren’t suitable to put in the chests also appeared rather normal. The most unusual was probably just those two golden deers, the skin sleek and smooth, glowing in spirit. Those antlers were also unprecedentedly robust. Have to say, sending betrothal gifts nowadays, the high officials and n.o.ble families merely would just use deer skin as the gift.
Should say, as expected of Jin Qinw.a.n.g, such a good hand.
Once everything was lined up in the Luo family’s front courtyard, it filled to the brim, stacking two three layers high.
And the four good fortune madam that came along to send the betrothal gifts were all Li Hong Yuan’s elders. If not a qin-w.a.n.gfei, then it was just a jun-w.a.n.gfei.
The corner of Luo Old Madam’s mouth directly twitched when she saw, and once she received the gift list from the matchmaker, flipping over page by page, Luo Old Madam very much wanted to ask Li Hong Yuan, in your eyes, is our family just that harsh towards Wan Wan? Are you sending betrothal gifts, or directly shoving my granddaughter dowry? Just these things, aside from the furniture, and the dowry servants, the Luo family doesn’t need to prepare anything at all.
[1] This quote actually comes from Confucius’s ‘Cla.s.sic of Rites’, but it’s actually for sacrificial rites when offering sacrifices to the ancestors in ancient times. The rule is usually the person playing the role as the representation of the dead must be the grandson and cannot be the son, and if the grandson is still young, need someone to hold him while playing this role. This kinda goes into the roles and duties people must fulfill in a family in Confucian philosophy, for example, the father is strict to the son, while doting to the grandson. This actually evolves into the concept of ‘generation gap intimacy’ (隔代亲) where the grandparents are closer and more affectionate to the grandchildren than to their own children. Therefore the son cannot serve as the dead’s representative, but the grandson can. The other interpretations of this line is the idea that by not being too close or too doting towards the son, the son can be raised better and more upright. In ancient times, they believed that if the father coddles the son too much they will grow up wasted, for example, like those spoiled wastrels from rich families.
[2] Bathing Ceremony – Held on the third day after the child is born; the purpose is for was.h.i.+ng away the filth and preventing disasters, as well as praying for good fortune. There’s a short semi-translated article with pictures of it here.
[3] There’s a wiki page so here’s the link if you want to read more about this holiday. It’s another one of those double day festivals.