Chapter 74: Children

Bao Ning and Nanny Liu gathered half a cloth bag of toon leaves together. By the time they returned, Pei Yuan was still nowhere to be seen.

With some time left before dinner, and being a picky eater who wasn’t fond of others’ cooking, Bao Ning went to the kitchen herself to stew a pot of “Earth Pot Chicken.” This dish required a long, slow simmer; green and red peppers, potatoes, and small chunks of free-range chicken were braised together. The chicken turned out tender and spicy, the potatoes melted in the mouth, and once the broth was bubbling, flatbreads were pressed against the edge of the pot. With half of each bread submerged in the chicken soup, they soaked up the fresh, spicy aroma of the meat.

Eating the chicken with the bread, and the bread infused with the scent of the dish—just thinking about it made Bao Ning feel hungry.

As if he had timed his entrance perfectly, Pei Yuan walked through the door just as the chicken was ready and Bao Ning had finished shredding the last of the mustard greens. He burst into the kitchen looking furious and blurted out, “I gave that old thief a piece of my mind!”

Bao Ning didn’t catch on immediately. She lowered her head to brush the vegetable shreds from the knife into a bowl and asked, “Who did you scold?”

“Who else? That old thief surnamed Qiu.” Even as he spoke, Pei Yuan’s eyes were fixed intently on the pot next to Bao Ning.

He had been full of rage, but at the sight of delicious food, half his anger evaporated. Feeling only hunger now, he turned to grab a pair of chopsticks and reached out to snag a piece of meat.

Bao Ning swatted his wrist. “Have you washed your hands? You’ve been running around outside all day; think of the dirt.”

Pei Yuan set down the chopsticks and went to fetch water to wash up. Bao Ning lifted the lid to serve the rice. As she filled a bowl, she suddenly remembered seeing Qiu Minshan at the manor entrance earlier; he had looked quite distressed.

Turning back, she asked, “A-Yuan, how exactly did you scold General Qiu? Did you make him cry?”

Pei Yuan paused mid-motion. “Surely it didn’t come to that.”

“Let’s eat and drop the subject.” He stood up, shaking the water from his hands, and leaned over the pot to take a deep sniff. “Shall we take it to the main room to eat?”

“Mhm, let’s go back to the room. The kitchen is too cold.” Bao Ning replaced the lid on the rice pot. “Take the whole pot with you. Be careful, the handles are hot; use a damp cloth.”

“No need, I’m thick-skinned; I won’t feel the pain.” Pei Yuan rolled up his sleeves and lifted the pot with a slight exertion of strength. “What dish is this? It smells amazing. Is the rice you made enough? I could eat a whole basin of this.”

Bao Ning placed the two bowls of rice and the side dishes into a food basket and walked side-by-side with him. “Aren’t there flatbreads inside? You can just eat those; the rice isn’t for you.”

Pei Yuan was startled. “What do you mean?”

Bao Ning replied, “A-Huang and Jixiang haven’t had dinner yet. There’s leftover chicken liver from lunch in the room; I’ll mix it with the rice later to feed them.”

The small kitchen was in the courtyard, only a dozen steps from the main house. By the time she finished speaking, they had arrived. Bao Ning pushed the door open, and A-Huang came rushing out, wagging its tail. Smelling the food, the dog lunged toward Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan was still immersed in the “humiliation” of realizing the rice wasn’t for him and that he had been over-sentimental. He didn’t bother with the silly dog, shooing it away with a sharp command before setting the pot on the table.

Bao Ning handed the rice to Nanny Liu, letting her attend to the two “little ancestors.”

A-Mian, having eaten and drunk its fill, was frolicking outside. This displayed the leisure of being in one’s own home. Back at the General’s estate, A-Mian hadn’t dared to leave the small courtyard. Now, the entire manor belonged to it, with five or six servants bustling around it; the sounds of laughter and play could be heard from afar.

The two sat across from each other. Pei Yuan pulled open his collar and devoured a flatbread in two bites. Having been hungry for half the day, he didn’t even look up while eating, his forehead glistening with sweat.

Bao Ning ate her potatoes slowly. Her thoughts drifted back to Qiu Minshan. He had given her a purse earlier; she had counted the contents then—it was full of silver notes, totaling four or five hundred taels.

Bao Ning poked Pei Yuan’s shoulder and asked, “General Qiu gave me a lot of money before he left. I haven’t done anything to deserve it, so I feel awkward keeping it. Why don’t you find a day to return it to him?”

Pei Yuan spat out a chicken bone. “If he gave it to you, keep it. Why be at odds with money? But stay away from him in the future; I’m afraid that old thief has impure motives.”

Bao Ning let out an “Oh.” She knew a little about the relationship between Pei Yuan and Qiu Minshan and understood there was a rift between them. She felt Qiu Minshan was a bit pitiful tonight, but it was just a passing sentiment. She was a protective and biased person; no matter how good Qiu Minshan might be, she would only ever look at things from Pei Yuan’s perspective.

The topic was dropped as they continued eating.

In the middle of the meal, Nanny Liu came in to light a lamp. Outside, the sky had turned pitch black. Bao Ning, full, wiped her mouth and leaned against the window to look at the stars. The sky was so full of them that it made her dizzy. Pei Yuan had eaten almost the entire chicken by himself; still wanting more, he used a piece of bread to wipe the bottom of the pot, taking a moment to look at her back. “Ningning, I’m going out in three days. I’m heading to the capital.”

Bao Ning turned around. “For how many days?”

Pei Yuan said, “Just one day. Leaving the first night, back the second night.”

Bao Ning didn’t ask further. Remembering something, she scurried back to sit in front of him. “A-Yuan, since you’re going to the capital, can you bring something back for me?”

“Bring what?”

“Bring back a master who can make shop signs.” Bao Ning smiled brightly. “My shop is about to open; I can’t do without a proper sign. I’ve asked around, and there are no good masters here in Lihu. The merchants here all go to the capital for theirs. There’s a Master Gong in the west of the city who does excellent work. You’ll find out if you just ask someone.”

Pei Yuan’s last bite of bread got stuck in his throat.

Bao Ning had mentioned this to him a couple of days ago—that she wanted to open a shop. Pei Yuan hadn’t asked for details; he wasn’t going to stop her this time, letting her do as she pleased. But he truly hadn’t expected her to move so fast.

Pei Yuan said in surprise, “It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already got it sorted?”

“I’ve already picked out the storefront and paid the deposit. It’s currently being renovated.” Seeing that Pei Yuan was finished, Bao Ning called Nanny Liu in to clear the table. She then pulled Pei Yuan toward the inner chamber to show him her blueprints.

Bao Ning leaned against Pei Yuan’s shoulder, her chin tilted up with a bit of pride. “My shop is called Ruyi Pavilion . It’s a shop specifically for children, named for the meaning ‘as one wishes.’ It will be the first of its kind in the capital and the surrounding areas.”

Pei Yuan was puzzled. “What kind of shop is for children?”

“That’s where you’re out of the loop.” Bao Ning counted on her fingers for him. “From the time they are born until they grow up, children need so many things. Infants need diapers, soft blankets, and little clothes. When they grow a bit older, they need toys—small rattles, windmills, wooden horses. And when they get even older, won’t they have a sweet tooth? They’ll need little snacks.”

Pei Yuan let out an “Oh.” “I see. Then it’s not just the first in the capital—it’s the first in the entire Great Zhou.”

Bao Ning pursed her lips and smiled. “That’s right. Others wouldn’t think of the things I’ve thought of.”

Pei Yuan arched an eyebrow at her. “Quite proud of yourself?”

Bao Ning pinched her thumb and forefinger together, making a small gesture to Pei Yuan, and whispered, “Just a little.”

“Do as you like then,” Pei Yuan said noncommittally. “If you lose money, you lose it; our family isn’t short of that bit of silver. Just don’t be too upset when the time comes.”

Bao Ning gave a “hiss” and straightened her back. “You just ate my food, and now you’re speaking ill of me? You have no vision yourself, so don’t stop me from making my fortune. I’ve thought it through carefully— Ruyi Pavilion will surely do great business. Maybe one day I’ll open branches all across the country.”

“I’m not stopping you.” Pei Yuan patted her head, smiling to coax her. “I will definitely bring that Master Gong back for you in a few days. If there’s anything else you want, just tell me. I’d jump into a vat of boiling oil to get it for you.”

“Slick-tongued,” Bao Ning chided him with a glance, though she couldn’t hide the joy in her heart.

The storefront she bought was two stories tall with plenty of space, including guest rooms where people could stay. Even though Pei Yuan didn’t have many nice things to say, Bao Ning remained confident in her judgment. She would make money, perhaps even more than Pei Yuan. Having money meant having confidence. If Pei Yuan ever made her angry in the future, she wouldn’t have just one house—she could pick any place to live, and he wouldn’t find her for half a year.

Pei Yuan leaned against the soft couch, legs crossed lazily. He observed Bao Ning’s expression. “Do you like children that much?”

“They’re soft and fair; who wouldn’t like them? When Ji Yun was little, I liked him so much, I played with him every day…” Noticing the displeased look from the man beside her, Bao Ning remembered Pei Yuan didn’t like her talking about being close to Ji Yun. She stopped and went back to flipping through her blueprints.

Pei Yuan said, “Liking children is simple. We’ll just work hard in the future and have a whole room full of them.”

Bao Ning looked at him. “What are you talking about? A whole room? Did you marry me, or did you marry a pig?”

“Aren’t they the same?” Pei Yuan pinched the tip of her nose suggestively. “Aren’t you just my little piglet?”

Bao Ning was thoroughly grossed out by him. She quickly pushed his hand away and stood up, smoothing her skirt, her ears turning red.

Pei Yuan burst into laughter.

Bao Ning suddenly thought of her eldest sister. Her sister had been married to the heir of the Marquis of Chongyuan for nearly four years and still had no children. They argued daily, and several times it had reached the point of threatening divorce. Looking at Pei Yuan’s features, Bao Ning suddenly felt a surge of worry.

She hesitated, wondering if she should ask, but finally couldn’t help herself. She said, as if casually, “What if there are no children?”

Pei Yuan rested his finger on his forehead, looking at her with a smirk. “What do you mean?”

Bao Ning said, “I mean if there are no children, not even one, what then?”

Pei Yuan asked, “You can’t give birth?”

Why was he being so blunt? Bao Ning’s face flushed. “Just assume so.”

Pei Yuan pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, his eyes full of amusement. “Then, is that your problem or my problem?”

Bao Ning could tell he thought she was telling a joke to amuse him and wasn’t taking it seriously at all.

Bao Ning got a bit anxious. “What does that have to do with anything? It’s just that there are no children between us, we just can’t have them—you can’t, and I can’t. What then?”

Pei Yuan hooked his foot around Bao Ning’s calf, tripping her and pulling her into his arms. He pinched her cheek and whispered, “Why such a crow’s mouth? Is this something you should just say? Hmm?”

Bao Ning blinked. “Do… do you care a lot?”

On this issue, she was indeed sensitive, but she had to be. In the Duke’s estate, there were many concubines and many sisters. So many living examples told her how important it was to bear a son.

Her concubine mother, Madame Xu, had gained much glory because she bore the only son of the household. Madame Tao had tried for nearly twenty years to have a son, and when her wish failed, she nearly went mad. Then there was her eldest sister, who was almost divorced by Jia Ling because she had no children. Her second sister, because she had two sons in three years, practically called the shots in the second branch of the Marquis of Chongyuan’s estate; not a single concubine dared to stir up trouble in front of her.

Bao Ning worried: if there were no children, would Pei Yuan actually care?

Pei Yuan didn’t grasp Bao Ning’s anxiety at all. He was quite full and feeling a bit hot, so he took a palm-leaf fan to fan himself and Bao Ning.

“Of course I care. If I can’t father a child and word gets out, Wei Meng and those soldiers would laugh themselves to death. But it’s not a certainty; if we work hard in the future, we’ll have them.” Pei Yuan gripped the handle of the fan and pointed suggestively at her lower abdomen. “Ningning, you’ll have to cooperate then.”

She was trying to talk to him about something she cared about, and he was being flippant. Bao Ning got a little angry. “But you still haven’t told me what exactly should be done.”

“What ‘done’? There’s nothing to be done.” Pei Yuan pinched her waist impatiently. “Worst case, we adopt one from someone else’s family. You’re so naggy; is this even an issue? What do you want me to do? Go up to the heavens, catch Goddess Nüwa, and choke her until she molds a son for me, or else I’ll kill her? Is that it?”

Bao Ning’s eyes had been red, but hearing him say this, she burst into a laugh through her tears.

“I really don’t know what’s in your head all day.” Pei Yuan’s face was cold as his thumb wiped away her tears. “Thinking about these imaginary things all day long, when you don’t even know how children are made.”

Bao Ning asked subconsciously, “How are they made?”

Pei Yuan instantly thought of the little red mark on Wei Meng’s neck when he came by this morning, and his gaze darkened.

He reached out, pulling Bao Ning’s collar open slightly. His gaze fell upon the small red mole on her collarbone, and he ground his teeth together.

“Want me to give you a lesson?”

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