Cai Wei heard and replied indifferently, "I didn’t let them co close to serve . If I need them, I will send soone to summon them."
Lady Du said, "That is better. I don’t agree with giving the child away to the nanny as soon as they are born, making the child closer to the nanny than their own mother. But if the children are hungry, what will you do?"
Cai Wei laughed and said, "I’ll naturally do what you did, personally nurse my own children!"
"What? You’ll personally nurse... three...?"
Both Lady Du and Fei’er were shocked, even Wen’er raised his little face to suspiciously study his older sister. Lady Du said, "Wei’er, I nursed Die’er personally because you siblings were all nursed by —it wouldn’t be right to make an exception with the last child. Besides, Die’er was just one child; I could manage that. But you’ve given birth to three at once—how could you possibly manage nursing all of them? Furthermore, you’re the Empress Dowager of our Great Jin Nation. Is it really proper for you to nurse your own children?"
In the Great Jin Nation, within the palace and wealthy households, and even families with modest estates, it was customary to hire a nanny to nurse children after they were born. It was believed that only destitute families who could not afford a nanny would nurse their own children. To noblewon, nursing your children was regarded as shaful.
Moreover, in order to produce milk, one would have to eat unappetizing foods—a task noblewon generally despised. They preferred entrusting child care to nannies, asking about the children from ti to ti, and only bringing them close for personal care after the children grew older and understood more.
Cai Wei said, "I will nurse them myself as much as I can. If my milk supply isn’t sufficient, only then will I summon the nanny to help."
Lady Du said, "In fact, a mother nursing her own children is the most natural and rightful thing to do. But you’ve had three at once—feeding three children will be incredibly exhausting!"
"It’s not exhausting!"
Cai Wei smiled and said, "I don’t have to be like those housewives, washing clothes, cleaning, and sorting housework. I usually have nothing to do but comfort my children, manage a few palace affairs—it’s very leisurely for ."
Lady Du wanted to say more but was tugged by Fei’er, who said, "Mother, it’s already ti for us to leave the palace. Whatever you wish to say, let’s talk about it when we return later."
Lady Du heard this, quickly turned to look at the hourglass placed on the antique bronze shelf, and exclaid, "Oh, my mory! I almost forgot the ti—it’s true what they say about pregnancy making you muddle-headed for three years!"
Chatting as they went, the group left taking the children with them.
Not long after Mother and the others left, Nangong Yi returned. Before even stepping into the room, he heard Cai Wei’s joyful laughter from inside, which brought an involuntary smile to his lips. Pulling aside the curtain to enter, he saw the three children lying beside Cai Wei on the bed. She was lying on her side, her delicate hair strands softly draped down, one of which was grasped tightly in little Ming Zhu’s tiny hand, tugging at it in playful motion.
Cai Wei chuckled with delight, her bright eyes brimming with boundless affection as she gazed at her daughter’s lively, pitch-black eyes.
What a pair of eyes they were! They were as clear and pure as a mountain lake revealed after the fog lifted—untainted by a speck of worldly dust, reflecting her face so vividly. Cai Wei’s heart lted like a puddle of water. She couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss little Ming Zhu’s cheek.
Nangong Yi stood at the door, watching the scene of his wife and children lying together on the bed. It felt so wonderful that it seed almost dreamlike. It wasn’t until he heard the cry of his son that he snapped out of his reverie and hurried over to check on the children.
Jin’er had woken up and, whether from hunger or a wet diaper, began crying loudly. His round eyes squinted into slits as he stretched his mouth wide, revealing rosy gums. His wailing startled Yu’er beside him awake, and soon the brothers started crying in harmony, a duet of sorts, filling the room with their loud, insistent cries.
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