"My lord, she's born! My lord, the baby is here!"
Jinyuan came bursting in, and Zhao Baihui let out a long breath of relief.
A moment later, a matron carried in the newborn girl, and the whole Zhao household crowded around.
"My lord, my lord, please hold her — the little miss is so quiet and good."
Zhao Baihui reached out, then paused. "Mingxin," he said, "you're her father. You should be the first to hold her."
"Me?" Mingxin startled. The languid, sly ease he normally wore vanished entirely. He stared at that tiny bundle and swallowed hard with nerves.
It was such a strange feeling — one he couldn't put into words.
Following the matron's guidance, he carefully lifted his daughter into his arms.
"All right, that's enough — one hold, just for the ceremony of it. Now give her here."
What?
Was that really how it worked?
Even smooth-tongued Mingxin was flustered. He stammered, "My lord, could I — could I hold her just a little longer? I haven't even had a good look at her face yet."
"Ha! I'm teasing you. She's your daughter — you hold her first. Hold her to your heart's content, then it's my turn."
After a while, Zhao Baihui grew impatient. "Are you done yet? You've been holding her half the day!"
Mingxin reluctantly surrendered his precious girl to Zhao Baihui, though his eyes never left her for a moment.
"To think it was someone who claimed not to care about any of this," Zhao Baihui said with a click of his tongue. "Look at yourself now."
"Go on — go in and see Sarilang. Whatever else may be said, she's just given you a daughter. Don't neglect her."
"Now then, come, everyone — it's confirmed, a girl. Let's all put our heads together and think of a name. I want this child to live a life of wealth and peace. Give her a good name."
Though the pulse-reading had pointed to a girl, everyone had feared some surprise.
And indeed, infant mortality ran high in those days.
Now that she had arrived safely, they could begin preparing everything in earnest.
Meanwhile, Mingxin entered the birthing chamber. Everything had been tidied up, and the others had withdrawn.
"You worked hard."
"It was only childbirth. For a woman of the grasslands, this is nothing."
Mingxin found himself at a loss for words and simply looked at Sarilang in silence.
After a moment, Sarilang asked, "Will there be any trouble over this child's standing?"
"None whatsoever," Mingxin said without hesitation. "The lord adores her already. She will want for nothing her whole life — wealthy and safe, without any problems."
Sarilang's mind eased at that. She thought for a moment, then asked, "Mingxin — I've done your Zhao family a service, haven't I?"
"What are you getting at?"
"Could you — not harm Manggultai? I don't mean to be overly suspicious, but he is an emperor, and a man of the grasslands."
"I've already given you my word. What more do you want? Have you seen nothing of how things work here? What does it matter who he is? As long as he doesn't do anything outrageous, he's a man of Longcheng, and no one here will touch him — and no one outside Longcheng would dare. So put those needless worries to rest."
Silence settled between them again.
After a while, Wuxin said suddenly, "Sarilang — let's get married."
Sarilang was stunned. She whipped her head around to stare at Wuxin. "What did you say? Have you lost your mind?"
"I haven't. The thought came to me just now, but I'm certain I can accept every consequence that comes from it."
"Ha. You really have lost your mind." She laughed. "Who are you? You're the second young master of Longcheng — your whole future lies ahead of you. And what am I? A woman from the grasslands, soiled and spent. I'm nearly old enough to be your mother. Are you starved for a mother's love? Ha — it's absurd. It's utterly absurd."
Sarilang laughed and laughed, and as she did, tears slipped quietly from the corners of her eyes.
Mingxin watched her laugh in silence. Only when she could laugh no more did he speak. "We wouldn't hold a wedding. We would simply live as husband and wife."
"I can't promise I won't change — perhaps this is only an impulse, and I don't even know if I'll regret it someday. In this moment, I simply find myself thinking it wouldn't be bad to have a few more children."
"If you can accept that, then we'll live together. I can't promise you much, but at least you won't have to spend your days living in fear."
"Become mine, and no one will dare harm you — or your children."
After a long pause, Sarilang spoke. "All right. I accept."
Those outside had no idea what had passed within. They were busy rejoicing over the newest addition to the Zhao family, arguing themselves red-faced — even coming to blows — over what to name her.
In the end, the lord settled the matter. "Enough squabbling. It's just a name. Whatever we call her, she's a Zhao. My only wish is that she doesn't grow up wild and unruly like the rest of you girls!"
"She'll be called Zhao Wenjing — refined and quiet!"
"Otherwise this old man will lose his mind!"
And so the name of the Zhao family's third-generation eldest young miss was decided — carrying within it a measure of her lord grandfather's exasperation, and a measure of his hope.