Chapter 99   – Side Story: Baby

The eldest son of Ji Wu Jiu and Ye Zhen Zhen was named Ji Zheng Ze.

Ji Zheng Ze was the only son until he was five years old. As the N generation of the most powerful official in the whole Da Qi, Ji Zheng Ze childhood life was no different from ordinary child. The differences were that his house was bigger than others, so big that his little short legs could not walk to the end, and the servants in his house were a lot more than others, to the extent that many of the servants did not have chance to see this little young master.

In addition, his father was the strictest father in the country.

One of the proof, his father was able to scold anybody’s dad to drenched in sweat, yet no one dared to speak any words.

How this father treated his own son was not too kind as well.

Although Ji Wu Jiu could manage the whole country and made everything clear and orderly, but he was truly lack in experience as a father, his concept of education was simple and direct: strict father resulted in filial son, warm and caring mother failed the child.

In fact, since the time Ji Zheng Ze was born, Ji Wu Jiu already had an opinion at this son. Because this baby was too fat, he caused his mother a strenuous effort during childbirth. That day when Ye Zhen Zhen gave birth, Ji Wu Jiu was waiting outside the delivery room, brow beaded with sweat, could not stand steadily yet could not sit solidly. Listening inside Ye Zhen Zhen’s voice shouted in pain, he extremely regretted and wished he could replace her hardships.

Finally, the awaited child was came out, seven and a half jin(1) big falt boy, Ji Wu Jiu rushed to the delivery room, there was not enough time to see a quick look at the child, he first threw himself in front of the bed to see Ye Zhen Zhen.

Ye Zhen Zhen was pale, sweat dampened her hair on the temples, she was exhausted until her eyes were half-close. Seeing Ji Wu Jiu came, the corner of her mouth formed a smile, “My son?” her voice was husky and powerless.

Since that time, Ji Wu Jiu felt that giving birth to a child was really not something a person capable to do, so later on they were fine with having this child only.

But Ye Zhen Zhen wanted a daughter very much. Actually Ji Wu Jiu also wanted a little princess, but recalling the soul-stirring time when Ye Zhen Zhen gave birth to the eldest son, he really had not yet got over the scare. He was a bit hesitant too.

After several years, his fear was lessened a bit. The longing for little princess finally let Ye Zhen Zhen’s belly to raise again.

Result: still a son.

Ye Zhen Zhen: “Once more! I can’t believe it!”

Ji Wu Jiu was amused by her words. On that evening, both of them did some kind of shady business which made people face blushed and heart jumped. Ji Wu Jiu sat on the bed and let Ye Zhen Zhen to sit on his body, both legs climbed on his waist. One of his hand embraced her, while the other hand supported her butt to help her moving up and down. While straightening his back to match her, he leaned over her ear and gently laughed, “Come, take from me whatever you please.”

In the end, the third fetus was conceived.

When he heard ‘Congratulation, a prince’ again, Ji Wu Jiu thought, “Forget it, son is son, son is also very good.”

This time the delivery was very smooth, when he ran entering the delivery room to see Ye Zhen Zhen, Ye Zhen Zhen was in good spirit. Seeing him came, she complained, “Son again.”

Ji Wu Jiu comforted her, “Boy or girl are the same, son is also our son, this son looks like you, you should take a look at him properly.”

At this time, suddenly Ye Zhen Zhen covered her belly with hand and shouted, “Ai youyou, what’s the matter? Don’t tell me the baby climbs back in pique hearing my complaint.”

Ji Wu Jiu was scared, “Zhen Zhen, what happened with you?”

Just now the midwife watched them husband and wife talked, she was embarrassed to come close, at the moment seeing Ye Zhen Zhen’s reaction, she lifted the quilt on her body to check and in pleasant surprised said, “Your Majesty, there is another child in Niang Niang belly, please move a bit.”

The little princess came in such way.

Translated by: San Guniang, please read on the original blog sanguniang.wordpress.com

It was digression pulled a bit far, thus back to present. As three years old child, Ji Zheng Ze looked adorable like carving-jade. When he started talking childishly, whatever he said most likely would change the will of the people who heard it.

Not only people, even bird also liked him. The black myna of Kun Ning Palace who even dared to not give face to the Emperor and the Empress Niang Niang would immediately fly to stand on one of Ji Zheng Ze’s shoulder whenever it heard him childishly called it ‘Zhen Ben’ (TN: very stupid), very obedient.

Therefore, the little babe was a big killer. Nothing he could not do and he was successful in every endeavor.

For example, in the imperial palace, there was a ‘big Buddha’. The Emperor and the Empress Niang Niang had attacked it for a long time without success, but in the end it was eventually won by little Ji Zheng Ze.

The Empress Dowager was fond of Ji Zheng Ze. Ever since this little prince was born, from time to time Ye Zhen Zhen took him along to circle two laps in front of Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager looked on closely as this little radish grew up every day, slowly learned to walk, slowly learn to speak and call her ‘Huang Zumu’ (TN: imperial (paternal) grandmother)

The first time hearing his child tone slowly called her ‘Huang Zumu’, the Empress Dowager hardened heart slowly melted.

Since then, the Empress Dowager had one more interest: to tease the little grandson. If Ji Wu Jiu was present, surely she would proudly say, “More adorable than you when you were child!”

Ji Wu Jiu did not mind. Comparing which one more adorable between men was intolerable.

However seeing Ye Zhen Zhen cupped her hands on Ji Zheng Ze little face and kissed him while said, “My son is truly adorable,” Ji Wu Jiu was unable to resist.

“Zhen Zhen, what about me?” he said.

“Why?” Ye Zhen Zhen looked at him strangely.

Ji Zheng Ze also imitated Ye Zhen Zhen, he looked at his father strangely. Both of their expression were unusually similar.

Ji Wu Jiu pointed on his own face.

Ye Zhen Zhen carried and raised her son, “Go, kiss your father.”

“Don’t let him kiss,” Ji Wu Jiu said. One look at Ji Zheng Ze, suddenly dark line, “You, what’s with that expression?”

Ji Zheng Ze’s face expressed nothing, merely a bit reluctance and a bit dislike. Regarding this, in normal times Ji Zheng Ze was a bit scared of his father who was not friendly yet always liked to frown at him, so naturally he could not get close to his father as he with his mother.

Should not confront his father openly, so Ji Zheng Ze turned his head to seek help. With a pair of clear big black and white eyes, he looked at Ye Zhen Zhen and resentfully called, “Muhou……” (TN: Queen Mother)

At once, Ye Zhen Zhen glared furiously at Ji Wu Jiu, “What did you do to my son?”

“I did not……” Ji Wu Jiu arrogantly restrained.

I am afraid of Fuhuang (TN: Imperial Father), Fuhuang is afraid of Muhou, Muhou is fond of me. When Ji Zheng Ze was small, he learned how to use his mother to deal with his father. After he grew up and attended school, he discovered that this was actually a general law of behavior called ‘every item has a weakness’.

***

Translated by: San Guniang, please read on the original blog sanguniang.wordpress.com

In brief, Ji Wu Jiu had a big objection towards little Ji Zheng Ze. This objection at Ji Zheng Ze finally reached the peak when he repeatedly climbed to sleep on Ye Zhen Zhen’s bed.

It was understandable if little children were psychologically dependent on their mother. But understanding was understanding, when Ji Wu Jiu often found this little radish laid on the bed between Ye Zhen Zhen and him, inevitably there would be a kind of illusion that his wife was snatched.

In addition, with this little child there, between Ye Zhen Zhen and him could not…… You know.

Enough was enough, Ji Wu Jiu decided to call Ji Zheng Ze and have a talk.

The reason why he called Ji Zheng Ze and not Ye Zhen Zhen was because the main culprit was this little radish. Every time this little rotten child clung on Ye Zhen Zhen’s clothes and mixed with his childish voice and pleading big eyes, “Muhou, I want to sleep with you,” Ye Zhen Zhen surrendered swiftly.

In order to show the importance of this talk, Ji Wu Jiu asked Ji Zheng Ze to come to Yang Xin Hall

Ji Zheng Ze was carried and placed on the chair and looked at Ji Wu Jiu with uneasiness.

Ji Wu Jiu’s face looked serious, “In the future you must not sleep with your mother.”

“Oh?” Innocently Ji Zheng Ze looked at him.

This little’s expression showed too much harmfulness. Acted as a stern father, Ji Wu Jiu was determined to control, hence he said with expressionless face, “You are a big child now, a real man, you can stand upright on your legs between heaven and earth. You should learn to be independent, do not wrap yourself around your mother the whole day.”

Hearing this talk, the wet nurse on the side who from the beginning attended to Ji Zheng Ze thought saying this kind of thing towards a three years old child, Your Majesty, you are really…… hehe……

For the current Ji Zheng Ze, what Ji Wu Jiu said was rather profound. He could only understand half but instinctively he knew that it was disadvantageous for him, so with shriveled mouth he said, “I am three years old, how can you do this to me?”

These words were really imitating Ye Zhen Zhen. Ye Zhen Zhen often scolded Ji Wu Jiu like this, thinking a little child should not be treated strictly since this young.

Ji Wu Jiu did not eat his trick, “You are three years and eight months old this month, don’t act young in front of me.”

Ji Zheng Ze rolled his eyes and asked, “Fuhuang, did Muhou know that you do this to me?”

Ji Wu Jiu: “……” Bull’s eye.

Thus Ji Wu Jiu decided to communicate with Ye Zhen Zhen first. When he was lying on the bed that night and hearing the little radish beside him fell asleep, he got up and pulled Ji Zheng Ze’s body down to the small mattress and put the baby there.

Ji Wu Jiu lied down beside Ye Zhen Zhen then and pulled Ye Zhen Zhen’s hand. He softly turned around her body so he was face to face with her.

“Zhen Zhen?” Ji Wu Jiu called her in a low voice.

Ye Zhen Zhen was still sleepy. She slightly raised her eyelid, gave a quick glance at Ji Wu Jiu, then mumbled to herself, “How did you grow this big in a blink of eye?”

“? ? ?”

She patted his arm, “Quickly sleep……The more you grow, the more you resemble your father.”

“! ! !”

Ji Wu Jiu quickly shook Ye Zhen Zhen to wake up, “Zhen Zhen, wake up.”

Ye Zhen Zhen was finally awake, “Why?”

Ji Wu Jiu leaned closer and stuck on her body, “I miss you.”

“In the middle of the night, you do not sleep only to say this? What do you miss? Every day we meet…… You are crazy, your son is still here!”

“Then carry him away, okay?” Ji Wu Jiu depressingly said, “Son, you only have son in your eyes.”

Ye Zhen Zhen was not ignorant. Seeing him like this now, she suddenly realized she was quite neglecting him indeed, thus she consoled him, “Tomorrow, okay?”

Ji Wu Jiu took advantage of Ye Zhen Zhen who was feeling guilty. So he got up and carried her out in a long talk. The main idea was how to make the little Ji Zheng Ze to return to his own room from now on.

Ye Zhen Zhen found that this was not a big deal. It was rather like cooked slowly by his long-winded talk. Her sleepiness was gradually back, so she agreed at once.

While they were conspiring, just when they were going to bed, they found Ji Zheng Ze had woken up. He only understood half of their conversation that he listened. He pulled his small quilt and with grievance looked at Ye Zhen Zhen, “Muhou, you don’t want me?”

“No, I……”

With a long explanation and coaxing, the family of three finally reached an agreement: Every month, Ji Zheng Ze was allowed to join on Ye Zhen Zhen’s bed for ten days. He should stay properly in his own room for the remaining days and was not allowed to wander around, especially to enter his mother’s room as he wish.

Of course, before Ji Zheng Ze could count numbers, his limit was frequently deducted.