Tiger Owl

Chapter 330 A New Member Arrives in the Household
Sun Shangxiang sighed softly, "There are some things I don't know whether I should say or not!"

"What can't we talk about? Unless it's about your sex life, which is definitely not something we should discuss," Xu Wei said, making a harmless joke.

Sun Shangxiang blushed and quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense!"

"Tell me then! What's puzzling you?"

Sun Shangxiang gently bit her lip. "Today, Ajie and I helped our husbands process military and political documents. There were many confidential documents, such as a document on troop deployment. But our husbands let Ajie review it without any hesitation. I feel like this is not appropriate."

Xu Wei smiled slightly and said, "Do you think A-Jie would betray her husband?"

"I don't know, but after all, it's a marriage alliance, and she's representing the Cao family. I do feel it's inappropriate for her to have access to military secrets."

Xu Wei held her friend's hand and gently patted the back of her hand. "This is still your inner turmoil. Whether or not you should believe her, your husband knows better than us. If I remember correctly, it was A-Jie who brewed the ginseng tea these past few days! If she really had any ill intentions, wouldn't your husband have collapsed long ago?"

Sun Shangxiang was speechless for a moment. She hadn't thought of this question. After thinking for a while, she said, "Perhaps Ajie really wouldn't do such a bad thing, but she thinks that accidentally leaking some military secrets wouldn't have much of an impact."

"That's because you haven't truly understood her yet."

Xu Wei said calmly, "Cao Cao wanted to marry off his daughter in a grand manner, but A Jie firmly refused. Why did she refuse? She didn't want to be a wife in a political marriage. She wanted to be like us, to truly integrate into this family and become a member of the family, rather than being an observer in a political marriage. So she wanted to get married in the same way as us. Her attitude was very firm, and her husband trusted her because of this attitude."

"Is there any point in such a political marriage?" Sun Shangxiang sighed.

Xu Wei gently shook her head. "Shangxiang, no woman wants to be burdened with a political marriage. Some people can get rid of it, but many can't. Ajie is lucky and smart. Her elder sister gave her a chance, and her husband also gave her a chance. She seized the opportunity and she won't let go. She'd rather turn against her father. She reminds me of myself, so I can understand her. I also think she only feels gratitude in her heart, gratitude for her husband's trust in her. I also believe she will never betray that trust."

Xu Wei's words were very insightful, and Sun Shangxiang fell silent. A slight sense of guilt rose in her heart, and she felt ashamed of her narrow-mindedness. She finally realized that her husband was actually giving Ajie a sense of trust and giving her a chance to integrate into the family. Ajie seized this opportunity. They were tacitly giving and receiving, but she had failed to see it.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and Cao Jie appeared at the door. "Sister Shangxiang, the general wants us to come over."

"Okay! I'll be right there."

Sun Shangxiang patted Xu Wei's hand to reassure her and let her rest. She got up and walked towards the door. Just as the two of them stepped out, they suddenly heard a painful groan behind them. They looked at each other and came back together. They saw Xu Wei clutching her lower abdomen, her face turning pale, and large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

"Oh no! Quickly go and call Doctor Liu."

Cao Jie felt a surge of panic and turned to run outside, saying to the two maids, "Go and inform the madam immediately."

Two maids also ran out. Before long, Doctor Liu rushed over with her medicine box. Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao were already there. Together, they carefully lifted Xu Wei onto the bed. After examining her, Doctor Liu immediately said to Da Qiao, "Madam, there's spotting down there, and her water has broken. She's about to give birth. Get ready quickly!"

The whole family got busy, cleaning up the delivery room, and three midwives arrived. The kitchen started boiling water.

Gan Ning also rushed over upon hearing the news, but was stopped by Da Qiao in the courtyard. Da Qiao smiled and said, "Husband, the baby has already started to give birth, so you can't go in now. You have to stay away for the time being, that's the rule."

Gan Ning took his wife's hand and walked to the courtyard gate, asking in a low voice, "Can she have a natural birth?" Da Qiao had given birth before, so she had experience and smiled, "Don't worry! Yun Qing has been well taken care of during her pregnancy, and the doctor said that her baby is in the correct position and her pulse is normal. There won't be any problems, and she can have a natural birth."

At this moment, Gan Ning had no heart to deal with official business anymore. He paced back and forth at the gate of Xu Wei's courtyard with his hands behind his back. He could faintly hear Xu Wei's painful voice from time to time. Gan Ning's heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by a hand. For the first time, he looked helplessly into the courtyard.

Da Qiao and her three sisters stood in the courtyard waiting. At that moment, a midwife poked her head out and called out, "She's almost out! Prepare hot water!"

Hot water was already prepared. A dozen female guards rushed into the courtyard carrying steaming hot water and placed it in front of the delivery room. Two midwives then carried the hot water inside.

Suddenly, a clear baby cry rang out, "Wah!" Gan Ning immediately covered his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes. Another child of his had been born.

A moment later, a midwife ran out excitedly and shouted, "It's a baby boy! Mother and child are safe!"

The courtyard erupted in cheers. Da Qiao ran to her husband, excitedly grasped his hand, and said, "Husband, congratulations!"

Gan Ning couldn't stop smiling; he now had two sons.

..........
After a long period of work, the courtyard and rooms were cleaned up. The three midwives left happily with generous rewards, and Xu Wei was moved to the postpartum room.

Gan Ning entered the bright and clean postpartum room. Xu Wei was resting on the tatami mat, her forehead still damp with sweat, looking extremely tired and weak. In her arms, a wrinkled little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes was instinctively suckling at her breast, its skin red and the lanugo on its head still wet.

Xu Wei gently held her child, her eyes filled with maternal love.

Gan Ning sat beside her, stroking her hair, and said softly, "You've worked hard!"

Xu Wei looked up and smiled sweetly, "I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. Husband, give him a name."

“I’ve already decided. His older brother is named Gan Yi, so he will be named Gan Xin.”

The name is very good, Xu Wei likes it very much, and then asked, "What about your nickname?"

Gan Ning thought for a moment and smiled, "The last character I wrote was 'Wan,' so my nickname is Wan'er."

The little one fell fast asleep after feeding, and Xu Wei was also exhausted and could no longer hold on. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep as well. Da Qiao carefully placed the baby into the cradle, leaving Xu Wei's personal maid to watch over the child, while she and Gan Ning left the room.

Da Qiao knew that her husband actually wanted a daughter. She took her husband's arm and said with a smile, "I'll have another child for my husband! It would be best if it were a little girl."

A warm feeling welled up in Gan Ning's heart, and he nodded happily, "I will raise her like a princess if she gives birth to a daughter."

(End of this chapter)