The playboy county magistrate

"The Emperor and Empress are here today, what a great honor!" Pei Qingyuan sighed softly, her eyes clear. "I never dared to hope before that our child would receive such imperial protection and blessings from everyone."

After an unknown amount of time, the sleeping little one suddenly stirred slightly, turning its tiny head slightly. Its nose twitched gently, and then a pair of clear, dark eyes slowly opened a thin slit.

There was no crying, no panic, just a bewildered blink.

His vision was hazy and pure as he gazed at his parents, who were looking at him tenderly, with a quiet and obedient expression.

"She's awake." Pei Qingyuan's eyes instantly lit up with a gentle smile, her eyebrows curving upwards.

Li Xuanzhi carefully took the swaddling clothes, his movements gentle.

He looked down at the child in his arms, then looked up at his wife with gentle features beside him.

"Look at him," Li Xuanzhi chuckled softly, his tone full of affection. "He was born knowing how to be considerate of others."

Pei Qingyuan leaned on his shoulder, quietly nestled against him.

"He's a good child, the best gift God has given us."

Time flies, and there are only a few days left until the full moon.

Li Youan, still in swaddling clothes, changed every day, becoming more and more lively and endearing.

Morning light streamed through the carved windows of the warm pavilion, scattering into dappled golden rays that gently fell upon the baby's soft eyebrows and eyes.

The little one was fully awake, showing none of the crying and restlessness that is typical of children in the morning.

She lay obediently in a soft, plush swaddle, her limbs outstretched. Her tiny hands were clenched into pink fists, which she would occasionally lift and shake gently.

Pei Qingyuan sat on the edge of the couch, gently resting her chin on one hand, quietly gazing at the child's adorable appearance, her eyes filled with an irrepressible tenderness and smile.

"It's only been a month or so, and you've grown so much." She murmured softly, her voice gentle as water. "Your eyebrows and eyes are becoming more relaxed, and your features are gradually developing. You're starting to look more and more like you."

After attending the morning court session, Li Xuanzhi rushed back to the warm pavilion and stood by the bed, gazing down at the scene.

He leaned down and gently touched the child's warm little palm with his fingertips, his voice filled with a touch of doting affection.

"My son naturally resembles his father."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Youan, who had been lying quietly, seemed to sense his father's touch. His small hand twitched slightly, and he subconsciously curled up, loosely grasping his father's fingertips.

The child's strength was extremely light, soft, and tender. It possessed no power whatsoever, yet it firmly gripped Li Xuanzhi's heartstrings.

Li Xuanzhi's heart softened suddenly, and tenderness welled up in his eyes. He even unconsciously softened his breathing, afraid of disturbing this little bundle of joy.

Pei Qingyuan felt a warmth in her heart as she read this, and chuckled softly.

"He's so attached to you at such a young age; he'll definitely be closest to you, his father, when he grows up."

"That's my good fortune." Li Xuanzhi sat down on the edge of the couch, letting the little guy hold his fingertips and stare at him without blinking.

As the two chatted, Zhang, carrying a basket of brand-new baby clothes, walked into the warm room with a smile.

These days, in her spare time, she has started to sew a lot of clothes by hand, with fine and neat stitches, and the fabrics are all the softest brocade and silk.

"The steward just checked the dates; the full moon will be in three days."

Madam Zhang gently folded the clothes and placed them beside the couch, her eyes filled with loving joy.

"We are fortunate to have the Emperor and Empress personally attend the baby's third-day celebration, so we don't need to make a big fuss about the full-month celebration. However, we should still do it properly and give our An'er a proper celebration."

Zhang looked at Pei Qingyuan and said, "You've just recovered and can't handle too much exertion. I've already made all the arrangements. Just wear something warm and go out for a stroll, greet the guests, and then come back."

After speaking, he bent down to examine An'er closely in the swaddling clothes, and the more he looked, the happier he became.

"Look at this child, he's growing more and more handsome, and he looks more and more like Xuanzhi when he was little. He has clear eyes and eyebrows, fair skin, and a gentle and obedient nature. He's truly a blessed child sent from heaven."

The little one seemed to understand the praise, and gently loosened his grip on Li Xuanzhi's fingertips. His tiny head swayed slightly, and he made a few soft, delicate "ee-ya" sounds, innocent and lively, utterly adorable.

Li Xuanzhi reached out and carefully cradled the child in his arms. His movements were no longer as clumsy and awkward as when the child was first born; after several adjustments, they had become skillful.

A tiny bundle nestled against my heart, its tender breath brushing against my clothes.

"An'er, your one-month celebration is in three days. Aren't you happy?"

Whether little Li Youan was happy or not, no one knew, but three days later, God was quite happy.

Is this not?

After three days of continuous autumn rain, the sky suddenly cleared up.

The weather was perfect; the clouds and fog cleared at dawn. The sky was clear and bright for miles, and a warm breeze filled the entire Li residence.

The mansion had been tidied up by the servants long ago, and brand-new pink wedding ribbons and full moon lanterns were hung under the corridor.

Potted auspicious plants were displayed in front of the steps, not as extravagant and grand as a banquet, but full of joy.

Following the rules set in advance by our ancestors, the full moon celebration is divided into two parts, one in the morning and one in the evening.

In the morning, a blessing ceremony is held, followed by a hair-shaving ceremony to welcome good fortune. In the afternoon, a small banquet is held for close relatives, and in the evening, a final ceremony is performed to move the bed and settle the house.

As dawn broke, Madam Zhang entered the warm pavilion with the prepared ceremonial objects, followed by a meticulous and reliable old nanny.

On the tray in her hand were a peach wood comb, a brand-new soft towel, mugwort water, a five-colored peace rope, and a hollowed-out silver longevity lock.

"The auspicious time has arrived. Let's first perform the morning blessing ceremony for An'er."

With a smile in her eyes, kind and gentle, Madam Zhang took the tray and placed it steadily on the small table beside the couch.

The peach wood comb teeth are warm and smooth, never touching the child's skin.

An'er lay obediently, quietly gazing at her loved ones. Occasionally, she would let out a soft babbling sound, as if in response.

After the hair-combing ceremony, the baby's hair is lightly shaved.

The old nanny was skilled and used a very light blade to carefully shave off the child's soft baby hair, leaving only a few strands of soft hair on the forehead as a blessing.

The fallen baby hair was carefully collected and placed in a brocade bag. This symbolizes retaining good fortune and establishing a stable foundation.

Then comes wearing a rope and padlock, symbolizing good fortune and peace of mind.

Zhang took the five-colored peace rope and gently tied it around An'er's slender wrists and ankles.

The five-colored silk threads are neatly intertwined, bright and festive, symbolizing blessings from all directions and peace year after year.

Then, he picked up the intricately carved silver longevity lock and carefully hung it around the child's neck.

The silver lock is engraved with the four characters "Peace and Happiness," with exquisite patterns, exuding good fortune.

"May longevity be locked upon you, may blessings and health be locked within you, and may my grandson enjoy a lifetime of good fortune."

Zhang bent down and gently kissed the child's forehead, her eyes filled with the tender love of a grandparent.

"From this day forward, may you be free from calamities and misfortunes, and enjoy lasting joy."

An'er seemed to know that everyone cherished her, and obediently completed all the procedures. She didn't make a fuss, but just gently shook her little hand, the colorful string on her wrist swaying lightly.

As the afternoon approached, relatives and friends began to arrive one after another.

Madam Zhang greeted the guests with a smile and led them to the central hall to take their seats.

The banquet was exquisitely set out, with tables laden with wedding cakes, longan fruits, longan sweet soup, and a variety of fine dishes.

Pei Qingyuan, who had not been seen for a long time, changed into a light red brocade dress, her makeup was light and elegant, and she sat with her mother-in-law at the table. She was composed, gentle and generous.