The beloved baby has a space

Chapter 575 The People in the Palace Are So Pitiful

The Wang family has a large population, and raising their children and grandchildren is no longer a financial burden, but it can be stressful. Therefore, from top to bottom, the Wang family never pressures anyone to have more children.

Qu Shuqiu has been married into the Wang family for several years, and this is her first pregnancy. The most nervous person is Wang Dalang, who is becoming a father for the first time. No matter what age, everyone is nervous.

Especially now, with Qu Shuqiu about to give birth, Wang Dalang has stopped many of the tasks he was in charge of.

The contributions that the Wang family has made to Hujia Village are too numerous to be summarized in just one or two instances.

Currently, only the eldest son remains in the village, helping to oversee the sugarcane and silkworm workshops. Wang Dalang is in charge of matters in the village, Baihua County, and Manager Zhou's affairs.

Qu Shuqiu was also busy. She was now in charge of the village's silk workshop. Now, Hujia Village's silk cloth and silk quilts had made a name for themselves. So, Village Chief Hu formed an alliance with several surrounding villages and towns, guiding them to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms. The silkworm cocoons were then collected by Hujia Village.

The grain produced in Hujia Village is also given priority to surrounding villages and towns, thus forming a mutually beneficial relationship. Hujia Village has become the leading village in the entire Yongding County, and there are no longer any poor people in the village like before.

Even if there were one or two lazybones who were unwilling to get rich, they would be knocked down by Old Master Hu's cane and become obedient.

Wang Dalang and Qu Shuqiu, a married couple, have also gained a reputation in the village, but now the village chief and others want to hand over the position of the next village chief to Wang Dalang.

Normally, no matter how simple and honest the Hu family villagers are, they would never give up the position of village chief to someone with a different surname, especially the Wang family, who are not only outsiders but also refugees from famine.

But now, 30 years later, they have a clear understanding of the Wang family's background and character. The reason for handing over the position of village chief to them is that they hope the Wang family can regard this place as their roots.

If Wang Dalang becomes the village chief, will the Wang family still leave?
Of course, Old Master Hu and his family had another reason for thinking. Now that the Wang family was at the height of its power, their Hu family village should also become a solid support.

It is said that those who hold official positions have one foot in heaven and one foot in hell. The more candidates from the Wang family take the imperial examinations, the greater their chances of climbing the social ladder. But the higher they climb, the more they may fall.

In case they are implicated by any unfilial descendants in the future, Hu Family Village can become their last support. As the village chief, Wang Dalang will definitely have more personal biases towards the Wang family and will not be able to tolerate them.

Grandpa Hu and his family are getting old and don't know how many more years they can manage. The things that will happen in the future can only be left to their descendants. All they can do is pave the way, build good relationships, and make sure that their children at least know how to be grateful for the Wang family's kindness.

Wang Dalang didn't care about any of that; all he was thinking about now was his son.

It's not that I don't want my wife to give birth to a daughter, but the Wang family tradition is that having a son is a given, and having a daughter would be a blessing from heaven!

“We just received the letter. Ayu has probably already set off for the capital. Qin Huai is from the capital, and the prefectural city is only about half a month away. She loves excitement so much, she will definitely go.” After returning home, Wang Dalang also saw the letter that Qu Shuqiu brought back and immediately said, “I’m going to Puji Temple to burn incense today, so why don’t we donate some money for incense oil to the candidates in our family?”

Qu Shuqiu, heavily pregnant, said, "Take me with you. I'll also pray for the baby in my belly, hoping that I'll give birth to a daughter as well-behaved and clever as Little Sister Ayu."

Everyone stared at her round belly and refused to agree, because that meant climbing a mountain!

Qu Shuqiu said to Madam Feng, “Mother, I had a dream last night. I dreamt that in front of the gate of Puji Temple, there was a very well-behaved little girl who hugged my leg and called me ‘Mother.’ Please let me go. Maybe this is the Buddha’s guidance.”

Unable to bear it any longer, and worried about Qu Shuqiu, Feng decided to invite Hu Xiaotong's fiancée instead.

As luck would have it, Hu Xiaotong's fiancée was Wu Qianqian from the Wu Family Medical Clinic in Nanhe Town, a girl who loved researching pediatric diseases.

During a medical discussion, Hu Xiaotong and I got into a lively conversation, and before long, our paths crossed.

The two got engaged last year, and the wedding should take place next year.

Now that she knows Qu Shuqiu is about to give birth, she has specially stayed at the village inn, just to help Qu Shuqiu deliver the baby.

There is a Hu Family Inn in the village, which was built by Old Master Hu and Elder Ma. Widow Zhou manages it. She only pays a small amount of rent to the village each month, and keeps the rest of the rent herself.

Now, some villagers travel to the village to do business year-round, while others have booked a place in the guesthouse to stay permanently.

Widow Zhou charged a low price, only a few coins a day for a room, with simple furnishings, so everyone could afford it, and she was happy to have an easy life. "Then let Qianqian go with her," Madam Feng said, still a little worried. "And also call Midwife Liu along, so that if anything goes wrong on the way, there will be someone knowledgeable to accompany you."

Wang Dalang went into the house and took out the box left by Ayu. Inside were several pills made from the Wanling Sacred Fruit. Ayu had sent them back before the New Year, saying they were good medicine for her family in urgent need.

Of course, I brought it along too.

So Wu Qianqian also went hiking. The group climbed for more than three hours before finally reaching the entrance of Puji Temple.

When Yuanzhi heard that they had come to donate to the cause, his face broke into a wide smile, and he hurriedly welcomed them inside.

After Qu Shuqiu finished kneeling and bowing, she was holding a fifty-tael silver note in her hand. Before she could put it into the donation box, she suddenly cried out, "Oh dear!"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Wang Dalang rushed into the main hall.

Qu Shuqiu said tremblingly, "I think I'm about to give birth."

"Huh?" Wang Dalang was completely dumbfounded.

The midwife stepped forward, touched Qu Shuqiu's belly, and her expression changed: "Oh no, the baby is in the wrong position."

When they went up the mountain, everything was fine. But after entering the temple and kneeling for a while, the baby was switched inside the mother's womb.

Without a second thought, Wang Dalang turned around and knelt down before Yuanzhi with a thud: "Master, please save my beloved wife!"

At this point, the only one who could save Qu Shuqiu was someone with true qi that could sustain her life.

Wang Dalang's martial arts skills were so-so; he could only beat ordinary people, but his true qi and internal strength were insufficient, so he was nowhere near Yuanzhi's level.

Yuan Zhi's smile froze.

Meanwhile, Qin Huai, far away in Wanning City, also brought Ayu into the imperial city of Wanning City.

The imperial city and the area outside it present two completely different styles of painting.

If Wanning City is bustling, then the Imperial City is solemn, and even the people walking on the streets are hurrying along.

When they arrived at the place where they were to enter the palace, the guards stopped Old Wang and wouldn't allow him to go any further.

The atmosphere became even more intense after they entered the palace from the capital.

"Brother Ayou, the people who live in the palace are so pitiful." Sitting in the palace's private carriage, Ayu whispered in Qin Huai's ear.

Qin Huai turned his head and glanced at Ayu.

The young girl's eyes were filled with pity, showing not a trace of amazement or admiration for the palace.

This magnificent palace seemed like an ordinary, unremarkable place.

Moreover, it was someone she didn't particularly like.

"You... don't like it here?" Qin Huai didn't realize that his voice had become much lower.

(End of this chapter)