Extra 3-13: The Buns are here

Qing Xing pushed open the tea room door and gently tapped Liu Mian on the shoulder. “Everyone in the main courtyard is busy, why are you relaxing here?”

“Keep your voice down,” Liu Mian whispered. “My arm is sore, let me have some tea and rest.”

“My arm’s sore too today,” Qing Xing said. “When I was rubbing it in the corridor, Madam Luo saw me. She sent me some ointment, and we can share it.”

Liu Mian applied the ointment, feeling better from the cool, minty scent.

She handed the ointment back to Qing Xing. “I thought we’d be busy after Madam gave birth, but this is so much work.”

Both the Luo family and the inner court department hired experienced people to care for Tao Sheng and the babies, making sure the lady was well-fed and comfortable.

The Emperor kept sending herbs and gifts to Tao Sheng, making things difficult for everyone because they had to carry and record all of it.

Qing Xing smiled. “His Majesty wants Lord Luo to recover quickly and go back to work.”

Liu Mian disagreed. “It’s not a miracle medicine. It will take time, and we all know how much Master Ji cares for her. It’ll be at least a year before she returns to the government office.”

The two women quickly applied their medicine and went to serve in the main courtyard.

The Luo family’s house was lively. Tao Sheng’s grandmother, Madam Luo, her mother, Luo Xin, her adoptive mother, Su Wan, her aunt, Su Jia, and others were all there. They were surrounding the babies, admiring them.

Tao Sheng was forbidden to read or leave her bed during her confinement. She was bored, so she played with toys like the Nine-Ring Links and Lu Ban Lock ^[1]refers to traditional Chinese puzzles. that were prepared for the babies.

As people gathered, they praised the babies in every way, talking about their looks, their personalities, their future, and more. This led to a conversation about naming the children.

Luo Xin established her own female household, and Tao Sheng was her child, which gave Tao Sheng a special status. If they were an ordinary family, she would be treated like the eldest son.

In other words, this marriage wasn’t just about love—it was also about uniting two families, and both families needed children to carry on their legacy.

Su Wan held the child and sighed. “Fortunately, Tao Sheng gave birth to twins, or this would be more complicated.”

Now, when naming the children, each family would give their own name.

Su Jia was open-minded and said he had no specific preferences. He asked Luo Xin to choose first.

Luo Xin had two sons before. When she established her household with daughters, neither of her sons had agreed to follow her. Her husband Shen Yu was also a bad influence, which made her feel disappointed with men.

Since Tao Sheng could choose first, she picked her youngest daughter without hesitation. 

The names of the two children were quickly decided. Tao Sheng named his daughter Luo Qingyun, hoping she would grow up to be as talented as Xie Daoyun, who was known for her skills in poetry. Ji Yanming named his son Ji Yubai, hoping his son would be better than him in every way, while also avoiding the traditional custom of passing down his own name. 

With names chosen, it was easier to call the children.

After the elders left, Ji Yanming returned from the government office. Tao Sheng waved and smiled: “Come, see the child.”

Ji Yanming walked over, looked at the two babies sleeping in the cradle, and asked Tao Sheng, “Do they always sleep like this?”

“Qing’er woke up once but fell asleep again. Yu’er didn’t wake up, but there was a smile on her face, so maybe she had a good dream.”

Ji Yanming hummed, his voice softer than usual, probably afraid of disturbing the children. He changed into casual clothes, sat beside Tao Sheng, and watched the children carefully. Tao Sheng guessed he was thinking about how to raise and educate them in the future.

Ji Yanming had a great reputation, and with a father like him, the children were expected to succeed.

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Tao Sheng had a very luxurious baby-care team. In addition to close relatives like Luo Xin, Su Wan, and Su Jia, Xiao Ze also provided support. The team was made up of top experts, all from the Inner Court, the best in their field.

With all this help, Tao Sheng no longer had to do much baby care. She could hold the children or play with them for fun, making her feel relaxed and happy. She found the children to be incredibly cute.

With this peaceful environment, Tao Sheng’s body recovered quickly.

One day, the deputy director of the Imperial Hospital came to check Tao Sheng’s pulse. Afterward, Ji Yanming returned in a good mood, having spoken to the physician. He served Tao Sheng bird’s nest porridge and whispered, “I had someone make some changes to the study. Would you like to see?”

Tao Sheng had forgotten about Ji Yanming mentioning that the study needed some repairs. She didn’t think it was anything important.

But she knew Ji Yanming wasn’t a person who saved money. If not for the emperor’s favor and support from Su Jia, Ji Yanming might have spent more than necessary. So she didn’t find it surprising that he had redecorated.

When Tao Sheng went to see the study, she was confused. “It doesn’t seem like anything has changed.”

Ji Yanming urged her to look again. This time, Tao Sheng noticed a new addition: the bed that had once been a simple single bed was now a beautiful rosewood bed. Tao Sheng thought it was an extravagant change.

She blushed, realizing what she was thinking.

Ji Yanming explained: “I spoke to the imperial physician, and he said there would be no issues in two months. I waited an extra month since you were carrying twins, and your body needs more time to recover.”

Tao Sheng understood immediately. She sighed and said, “Isn’t the bedroom enough? Why make such a big fuss in the study?”

Ji Yanming responded, “Last time, when we were in the bedroom, you kept pushing me away because of the wet nurses and nannies. So, this time, I thought I’d do it here.”

Tao Sheng didn’t want to argue, so she turned away. But the next moment, Ji Yanming picked her up and placed her on the couch. He was careful, not wanting to hurt her after her recovery. He gently touched her, making her feel both uncomfortable and helpless.

When Ji Yanming finished, the moon was already up. He kissed Tao Sheng on the forehead, stood up, and ordered water. He told the servant to bring clothes and said, “Madam is tired; she will rest in the study tonight.”

Tao Sheng covered her face, realizing Ji Yanming was trying to cover up his mistake.