Naming her Zhaodi

Xie Jin'an could not understand why Liu Wan, with her kind and charitable nature, would refuse to adopt a baby boy.

He had promised Rou Rou that he would give their child the best possible standing and love.

A child born to Liu Wan would clearly receive the best resources.

"You have the nerve to bring that up? If that old servant hadn't knelt and begged me, I would never have known you could do such a thing as switch a legitimate child!"

"And that lover of yours is a shameless creature, too. She bore a child before even entering this household in marriage. Letting him be a concubine's son is already more than he deserves. If not for the blood tie, it wouldn't be excessive to beat both that woman and her child to death!"

The old madam was furious.

Her grandson must have been spoiled rotten since childhood to commit such an outrageous act.

If word got out, the Marquis's Residence's reputation would be ruined.

Had Liu Wan not struggled to conceive, taken medicine for years, and then given birth to a girl, she would never have tolerated that little slut Xu Rourou or Xie Huaishan.

But Xie Huaishan was the only boy of their blood in the Marquis's Residence's great-grandchildren's generation.

Xie Jin'an grew anxious. "Grandmother, Rou Rou has rendered a great service to our Marquis's Residence. I promised her..."

The old madam gave him a stern look.

Xie Jin'an immediately knew there was no room for negotiation.

Why wouldn't Liu Wan take in his son?

If she refused, what would happen to his son? What would happen to Rou Rou?

The old madam said, "You're old enough to know better. Why are you still so foolish? If Liu Wan refuses to take him in, he can only be a concubine's son! There is no negotiating this.

"And you need to put in some effort. Spend more time with Liu Wan, have her nurse her health properly, and let her bear another boy. That would give him the most rightful standing."

The old madam looked at him helplessly. How could she not know that her grandson disliked sharing Liu Wan's bed? Difficulty conceiving was merely an excuse she used to show concern for Liu Wan. She had not expected Liu Wan to obediently take medicine and nurse her health all these years, which had actually made her feel that this granddaughter-in-law was sensible.

Xie Jin'an lowered his head. "I understand, Grandmother."

Speaking of boys, the old madam suddenly remembered something else and asked, "Has Liu Wan's little girl been named yet?"

"A servant just brought word that Liu Wan wants her daughter named Wanwan, after herself."

The old madam frowned and paced back and forth with her cane. "That won't do. That won't do. It's unlucky."

Xie Jin'an was puzzled.

The old madam continued, "Liu Wan's next child must be a boy. This girl must be called Zhaodi."

"So many families named their girls Zhaodi-'beckon a younger brother'-and the next child was a boy. Young lads don't understand these things. We old folks know more."

Xie Jin'an's lips twitched. He was about to say that Liu Wan had already decided on a name and changing it would be inappropriate.

But in the end, he said nothing.

Forget it. She was only a girl. What she was called didn't matter.

Xie Jin'an said,

"Huai Shan's one-month banquet is set for the second, and Zhaodi's should be on the fifth. I'll make sure they don't overlap so I can attend both. Sorry for the trouble, Grandmother, but I'll need you to look after them for now."

The old madam nodded. "It's best if they don't clash. After Zhaodi's one-month banquet, bring Xu Rourou into the household as your concubine. Then she and her son will have proper standing. You must tell that lover of yours to behave herself. She'll receive the status she's due."

After saying this, she felt it was not quite enough and removed the Jade Bead Strand from her wrist. "This is for mother and son. Take it to Rou Rou for now, to put her mind at ease and keep her in line. Huai Shan is valued, too."

Pan Chun's people were quick-witted, and news of this soon reached Liu Wan.

That Jade Bead Strand was the symbol of the mistress of the Marquis's Residence!

Pan Chun was nearly beside herself with anger when she heard the news. She cursed,

"That Jade Bead Strand was bestowed on the mistress of the Marquis's Residence by the Late Emperor! It's meant to be passed down through the generations. Whoever receives it is the household's future mistress. And the old madam actually gave it to a wet nurse?"

"What about you, my lady? You've toiled diligently for five years. Even the night before you gave birth, you were still poring over the accounts and managing the household! You risked your life to save her, and she never gave that Jade Bead Strand to you!"

"Yet she handed it to a wet nurse so easily! A disgraceful creature who can't even be shown in public! All she's done is nurse a baby boy. What right does she have to take something belonging to the mistress? The old madam has truly lost her senses. Does she want a wet nurse to become mistress of the Marquis's Residence?"

The more Pan Chun spoke, the more aggrieved she became, until she actually laughed in anger. It was ridiculous even to say it aloud! Giving the symbol of the household's mistress to a wet nurse!

Liu Wan's expression was grim, but she was not as angry as Pan Chun. She told her that the wet nurse was actually his mistress.

Besides, from the moment she gave birth to a daughter, she should have known the old madam would play favorites.

She held her daughter in her arms and soothed her. "No matter how little they value us, I will always love my daughter most. Wanwan is my legitimate daughter. Having my love is enough."

Little Wanwan smiled in her mother's arms. [Mother, don't be sad. That Jade Bead Strand isn't anything good... It hurts people...]

She remembered that thing had nearly killed the male lead and his mother. Just thinking about it made her happy.

Little Wanwan smiled and made soft little cooing noises.

Hearing this, Liu Wan raised her brows, an idea forming in her mind.

Just then, a maid came in from outside to report, "My lady, the old madam has sent a gift for the young miss."

Liu Wan suddenly felt less dejected. At least the Old Madam had enough sense to know she could not openly treat them differently.

For Wanwan, that was enough.

She had the gift brought in. She would have been better off not looking. Even with her gentle temper, she wanted to smash it in front of everyone.

It was a silver longevity lock, engraved with her daughter's name: Zhaodi.

It seemed the old madam still wanted her to bear a boy.

Suddenly, she felt as though she were suffocating. She knew how hard it had been to conceive Wanwan. She had taken medicine without stopping for five years, yet somehow her body had grown increasingly depleted. Giving birth again would undoubtedly be fatal.

She also wore herself out managing every matter, large and small, in the Marquis's Residence, allowing her husband, the old madam, and even her parents-in-law to live easy, comfortable lives.

But what about them? Not one of them had ever cared about her feelings.

Not one had shown concern for her health. Even her husband had...

Liu Wan's eyes reddened. With all her strength drained from her, she swept every account book the servants had delivered that morning onto the floor.

Unable to hold back the grievances that had built up over the years, she began to sob, her shoulders trembling.

Pan Chun threw the longevity lock under the bed. "What an ill-omened thing! There's as much silver as anyone could want in the storeroom. This is nothing but an insult to the young miss."

[Mother, don't grieve over these bad people. You're the noble legitimate daughter of the Minister's Residence! Even if the sky falls, Wanwan will stay by your side. They won't have any sweet fruit to taste from this. Wanwan used to tell fortunes... Mother... Mother.]

Little Wanwan stopped smiling, but she did not cry either. She quietly listened to her mother's sobs, her heart aching terribly.

She was so angry her lungs nearly burst. Her tiny fingers kept moving, and her little round face puffed up with rage.

That old hag! She actually named her Zhaodi to humiliate her mother!

She was going to divine exactly when that old hag would die!