CH 65

Chapter 65 – One-Month Celebration

Zhang Hui Niang hadn’t figured it out yet, and asked with some doubts: “Who is this Lin-xiaozhu?”

Hu Si Zhan said gently and politely: “You must be Mrs. Lin. Lin-xiaozhu is your second son, Lin Jia Bao. He is now His Royal Highness’s xiaoshi.”

After hearing what Hu Si Zhan said, her emotional state became a mess and she fainted. “Jia Bao, he… Jia Bao…”

Upon seeing this, Lin Jin Er hurriedly stepped forward to support Zhang Hui Niang, “Mother, Mother… What happened to you…?”

Many people gathered around Zhang Hui Niang, and everyone in the Lin family called out to her anxiously.

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Zhang Hui Niang regained conscious slowly. “How could Jia Bao…? Jia Bao’s father*, didn’t you say that Jia Bao is living well in the palace, how could he become His Royal Highness’s…”

[*T/N: 家宝他爹啊 “Jia Bao’s father” – in Chinese families, sometimes members refer to each other by their role in the family instead of their names.]

Lin Da Zhuang did not speak, and felt uncomfortable in his heart. “Jia Bao’s mother, Jia Bao is really doing well…”

Hu Si Zhan said to Zhang Hui Niang: “Mrs. Lin, please rest assured. Lin-xiaozhu is now the crown prince’s most beloved person. When Lin-xiaozhu found out that he has a little nephew, he was very happy. He carefully selected a gift and wrote a letter for his family. His Royal Highness ordered everything to be delivered for the one-month celebration. We traveled day and night and did not dare to stop during this journey in order to make it on time.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Hu-daren. Please have a seat. County Head Magistrate Du, please also have a seat.” Lin Jia Wen exchanged pleasantries with Hu-daren, and then invited him and County Head Magistrate Du to sit at the main table.

It was the auspicious hour, and Bo Ge Er’s baptism has begun. The granny in charge of the baptism was very happy today.

The granny picked up a wooden club and stirred the water inside a basin. She spoke: “One stir, two stir, three stir, the older brother leads the younger brother. Seventy, eighty, naughty child, mischievous child, all crying and sobbing!”

[T/N: I don’t really understand what this granny is saying, and if there is any particular significance to her words since I’m not familiar with this type of baptism. I’m just translating the raws to the best of my abilities. Sorry if it’s confusing, because I’m confused too.]

Only then did she begin to bathe Bo Ge Er. Bo Ge Er was cold and began to cry, but this was considered a very propitious thing. It was called “ringing basin.”

While washing the baby, the granny chanted a congratulatory message, “First wash the hair, and become aristocracy. Then wash the waist, each generation will be better than the previous generation. Wash the eggs, and become county head magistrate. Wash the gully, and become senior provincial government official.”

Translations by Vanilla Muse.

After that, she used ginger slices as support for a ball of mugwort leaves and placed it on Bo Ge Er’s forehead. Then burned it symbolically.

Following that, she gave Bo Ge Er’s head a combing and said something like, “Three combs, two mats, grow up and wear a red hat*. Stroke the eyebrows on the left, stroke the temples on the right, and find a perfect wife. Brush your teeth, rinse your mouth, and be eloquent in social situations.”

[*T/N: Red hat most likely refers to the hat that government officials wear.]

Then the granny rolled an egg on the baby’s face and said something like, “Roll an egg on the face, the face will become smooth like egg skin, white with a touch of red, and very lovable.”

After the washing, she bundled up the baby well, and used a green onion to lightly hit the baby three times. “First hit for brilliance, second hit for efficaciousness.”

Then she had someone throw the green onion up on the roof. She picked up a scale and made a few gestures, and said: “Although small, a steelyard weight may tip a hundred pounds*.”

[*T/N: This is a Chinese idiom meaning “apparently insignificant details can have a large impact” or “for want of a nail the battle was lost.”]

The granny then picked up a lock and made three gestures, and said: “When he grows up, his head, feet, and hands will be firm and secure.” Then she placed Bo Ge Er in a tea tray and tucked the gold and silver locks that the Lin family had prepared in advance by the baby’s sides. “Left is gold, right is silver, won’t be wasteful, rewards subordinates.”

Finally, she used a small mirror to shine up towards the baby’s buttocks and said: “Use a treasured mirror to shine on the buttocks, so that baby can poop well during the day.”

Like that, the baptism was considered complete.

[T/N: Omg, finally. >_<]

Bo Ge Er was a lovable child. Wu-shi fed him well during her one-month confinement period with plenty of milk. Bo Ge Er was raised fair and fat. His whole body was chubby, much bigger than when he was just born. He cried for a while during the baptism, and then slowly stopped crying.

He looked around curiously with his pair of round eyes. Wu-shi held her son in her arms. Inside, she was still shocked by the news that she had just heard. It seemed like the life of the Lin family was destined to not be peaceful in the future.

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In the evening, everyone from the Lin family saw Hu-daren and County Head Magistrate Du out the door. When Hu Si Zhan left, he mentioned that he would come back in the next three days and asked the Lin family to write a letter so that he could present it to the crown prince when he reported back after the completion of this assignment.

After that, Lin Da Zhuang and the others in his family used gentle words to persuade the lingering villagers who were trying to curry favor with them to leave.

Lin Da Zhuang and Lin Jia Wen told everyone what had happened when they went to Beijing. Unexpectedly, Jia Bao would have such a change in the palace, and everyone in the Lin family was surprised by the turn of events.

Lin Jia Bao’s letter spoke of his life in the palace and the kindness of His Royal Highness to him. Everyone felt relieved after reading it.

“I hope His Royal Highness can always treat our Jia Bao well…” Zhang Hui Niang said.

Everyone in the Lin family nodded as one. Lin Jia Cai showed Lin Jia Wen the tally for the gift list he made today. “Brother, what do we do about these gifts? These gifts are worth more than two thousand taels of silver!”

Tonight, the carriages for the one-month celebration gifts were endless. When Lin Jia Wen took a look, he said that all the reputable families in Xu Province had sent people to bring congratulatory gifts.

Wu Qiao Lan’s thoughts came true. In the following days, the Lin family could not be peaceful anymore. Everyday, there would people that they didn’t recognize coming to visit with presents in hand. The people of the Lin family also sent several groups of people over. They continuously enquired solicitously about their well being and tried to curry favor with them. Everyone in the Lin family was fed up with the endless disturbances, and finally they had no better option but to close their doors and decline to see guests.