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Finest Servant Chapter 628
🕑 Added 2023-11-06 10:31:37 +0000 UTCChapter 628 The Names
Was it a double blessing in one shot? Twins?! His mouth gaped open, his eyes widened, and in an instant, he was as stunned as a wooden chicken, obviously so overjoyed that he was beside himself!
"Sir Consort, Sir Consort, look! This is the younger twin, he’s absolutely handsome!" The midwife bustled out, delighting in handing over the newborn the younger twin into his arms.
The two infants in the swaddling clothes had not yet opened their eyes, their fine lanugo clung to their hair, their cheeks were pinkish, and their small mouths moved slightly, looking just like two frail little kittens.
"I'm a father! I'm a father!" He cradled his offspring, one in each arm, feeling their frail breaths, so excited he couldn’t speak clearly. Twice a man in his life, and yet this was his first time being a father—how could outsiders understand this feeling?!
Qiaoqiao and the others hurried over, and upon seeing the two delicately crafted babies, they couldn't help but exclaim in joy. Yushuang danced with excitement, reaching out her hands and cooing, “What adorable babies, you bad man, I want to hold them, I want to hold them!”
Ning’er scrutinized the two infants and suddenly clapped her hands, laughing, “What a wonder! Our Lin family’s boys, born as twins at the same time, but one looks like Sister, and the other like Big Brother! Isn’t that strange?”
The Second Miss and Qiaoqiao looked closely for a few moments, then nodded in agreement, echoing Miss Luo's sentiment.
Miss Luo was spot on; other people’s twins might look identical, but this elder twin and younger twin were immediately distinguishable at a glance! In both of their features, one could see the shadows of Xiao Qingxuan and Lin Wanrong, but the firstborn had fair skin and was gentle and elegant, just like Miss Xiao's temperament.
The younger twin, however, had a wheat-colored complexion, and even in his swaddling clothes, he couldn't stop shaking his head and squirming, a clear sign that he wasn't one to sit quietly, a spitting image of Lin San reincarnated!
Lin Wanrong looked on with eyes so full of joy that his mouth couldn’t close: “Really? That’s wonderful, one like the father, one like the mother. Both inherit the best qualities, I am so very pleased, haha!”
"Wah—wah—" Before his words fell silent, the brothers in the swaddling clothes burst into loud cries, one louder than the other, nearly bursting eardrums! The younger twin indeed was less tolerant of solitude than his brother. Not only was his cry louder, but his delicate little legs were also eagerly kicking about.
His father was so startled that he fumbled awkwardly, “My son, be good, don’t cry. Daddy’s here. Daddy will buy you sugar-coated haws!”
His clueless demeanor provoked giggles from the ladies, and Xiao Yuruo took the elder twin from his arms, gently rocking him back and forth, and scolded, “What a silly father! The baby is so young, do you know nothing else but to buy sugar-coated haws?”
“Yes, indeed!” Yushuang, who had already snatched The younger twin, joyfully pecked the little face and teased, “You bad man, don’t you know what babies like to eat?”
Lin Wanrong stared blankly for a moment, his gaze landing on the Second Miss's bosom. Suddenly, he clapped his hands in realization, “That's right. They need to nurse! My sons, quick, time for milk!”
At his exclamation, the room erupted in laughter, with Miss Luo and Qiaoqiao laughing so hard they couldn’t straighten their backs.
The two young misses of the Xiao family ended up with their faces flushed in embarrassment, both glaring at him with shared chagrin. As maidens untouched by marriage, how could they possibly have milk to nurse a child?
Lin Wanrong was elated for a while. Suddenly, he exclaimed in alarm, "Qingxuan, where is Qingxuan?"
The midwife hurriedly bowed, "The princess is unharmed. She was in pain for quite some time, they are tidying up inside the room right now!"
Lin Wanrong let out a long sigh of relief. He rummaged through his bosom and pulled out several large banknotes, smiling as he handed them over, "This is for your hard work, ladies. I was a bit harsh earlier, please forgive my attitude."
The midwives, delighted by the gentlemanly demeanor of the consort, happily accepted the banknotes after a bit of polite refusal.
Several young ladies were holding the two young masters, commenting on them, when suddenly a weak voice called from inside, "My Dear—"
Lin Wanrong's ears perked up. Hearing the call, he quickly responded loudly, "Qingxuan, I'm here! May I come in now, midwives?"
Having finished their preparations, the midwives no longer obstructed him. Lin Wanrong, overwhelmed with joy, rushed inside in a few strides.
Inside the room, a faint scent of sandalwood hung in the air, tranquil as water. Miss Xiao lay on the bed, frail, her complexion wan and her once vibrant red lips lacking color. Her ample chest rose and fell unevenly, breathing hurried, her hair wet and strewn messily over the pillow. Even though she was tidied up, the immense pain she endured during childbirth was still faintly discernible.
"Qingxuan!" His voice cracked as he moved to her bedside in two strides, laying over her, gripping her hands tightly.
Miss Xiao's hands were pale and delicate. She trembled as she caressed his cheek, her eyes misty yet graced with a tender smile, "My Dear, I am well, do not worry for me!"
"Yes, yes!" Lin Wanrong nodded fervently, burying his face in her warm palm, reluctant to look up again.
Miss Xiao gently wiped away the grime on his face, sighing with concern, "You must have endured much hardship. Why have you grown so thin?"
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "It's nothing, it's all longing for you and will pass in a few days! If you don't believe me, try holding me later, you won’t be able to!"
Miss Xiao let out a soft laugh, brushing away the stray hair on his forehead, "Always the one for playful words, even if you were ten times heavier, I could still hold you!"
Suddenly, the crisp cries of infants cut through the air, causing Miss Xiao's expression to tighten. She clutched his hand urgently, crying out, "The children, our children?"
"Sister Princess, the babies are here!" Yushuang and Yuruo, holding two little boys tight in their arms, hurriedly brought them to her.
Miss Xiao looked on blankly, her body trembling, tears of joy staining her cheeks, her fingers digging into his flesh, "Husband, these are our children, our own!"
"Of course, they are!" Lin Wanrong laughed proudly, "My wife, I can't help but praise you, you've done incredibly well. Twins! I never even dreamed of it! But I must also be commendable, quite potent indeed, haha!"
With these two little ones, all the hardships seemed worthwhile. Miss Xiao couldn't stop the joyful tears. Holding her sons, she kissed each of their tiny faces, her gaze unwilling to wander away.
Qin Xian'er had been by Xiao Qingxuan's side all along, channeling her true energy to soothe Xiao Qingxuan's breathing. If not for her aid, Miss Xiao might not have escaped the ordeal of a difficult birth.
"These two little ones," she remarked as she gazed at the infants in her sister's arms, her eyes filling with joyful tears, "almost cost their mother her life!" Then, with a start of surprise, she exclaimed, "These twin treasures, one bears the genteel air of my sister, while the other is the spitting image of their father—how curious!"
Everyone said as much! Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, and Miss Xiao gave him a delighted glance. She asked softly, "My husband, which of our two sons do you favor more?"
Without a moment's hesitation, he replied, "Of course, I favor the fairer one. He's as beautiful as my wife!"
Miss Xiao's heart swelled with joy at his flattering remark. "No favoritism allowed! Our second son may be a bit darker, but just look at him—probably a bigger rascal than you in the future. How could you not love him?!"
‘I'm bad enough,’ he thought, grinning so widely his mouth could barely close. ‘If this little one turns out worse than me, what kind of character will he be?’
Qin Xian'er, looking at the two delicately carved little ones, expressed her envy. She tugged at his hand and playfully protested, "My husband, I want to bear a son too!"
"Good, good, let's have one."
"Hmph, no favoritism! I want to be like my sister and have twins at once!"
"Uh—" As Lin Wanrong caught the similarly shy yet hopeful looks from the Eldest Miss and the others, he was momentarily dumbfounded. He might fancy himself as having formidable firepower, but twins were a stroke of luck, not something one could simply summon at will. If it happened every time, he'd be a monster!
The Second Miss laughed, breaking the momentary siege, "Sisters, let's leave the hard decisions to the scoundrel! Right now, we have something serious to discuss. The princess has given birth to two little treasures; they must be given names—a matter of utmost importance!"
Naming the babies? This was indeed meaningful! The ladies in the room buzzed with excitement.
Xiao Qingxuan gave him a look, her eyes carrying a question. Lin Wanrong nodded and chuckled, "My wife, don't worry. I haven't forgotten what I promised your father. The eldest son will take your family name, Zhao, and your father will decide on his name. What do you think?"
Miss Xiao was both startled and delighted, "You... you're truly willing?"
His expression turned earnest, and he said firmly, "Am I such a petty man? Whether they bear the surname Lin or Zhao, they are our sons. In the future, they can branch out and add to our large family—isn't that good?"
His open-mindedness brought collective joy to all the ladies. Yushuang, eager to contribute, piped up with a suggestion, "Let me start, let me start. I'm not good with formal names, but I can come up with nicknames. Let's just number the Lin boys—Lin Yi, Lin Er, Lin San—call them in order, simple and easy to remember—"
Her pitch was rapid, like a burst from a machine gun, causing everyone to cover their mouths to stifle their laughter.
Lin Wanrong's face turned as dark as coal, nearly on the verge of exploding, "Lin Yi, Lin Er, Lin San? Second Miss, are they my sons or my ancestors?"
His infamous nickname, Lin San (Lin Three), was known far and wide. To let people know his sons bore the nicknames Lin Yi (Lin One), Lin Er (Lin Two)... wouldn't that make them the laughingstock of the world?
Yushuang let out an "ah," quickly covering her mouth, then said with playful laughter, "How about we name them Lin San Yi, Lin San Er..."
"If we keep this up, I'm sure to have a son named Lin San Wu, and who knows, maybe even a Lin San Ba!" He pinched Yushuang's small nose, gritted his teeth, and grunted a few times, "You, just listen to your elder sisters properly!"
Lady Ning'er chuckled, "Since the Emperor will decide the name of the eldest son, we only need to choose a name for the second son! Big Brother rushed back from the border just before Sister gave birth; in my opinion, let's call him Lin Chong, as it's timely and appropriate."
Lin Wanrong felt cold sweat streaming down his forehead. Lin Chong's father? Oh my, that's a title I cannot bear. [TL: Lin Chong is the name of a heroic character from the classic Chinese novel "Water Margin" (also known as "Outlaws of the Marsh")] "No, no, that won't do. We need another one! It must be easy to remember, something people won't forget once they hear it!"
Parents all over the world share the same sentiments when naming their children. The Eldest Miss pondered for a while, then seeing that the sky was gradually brightening and dawn was upon them, her eyes twinkled, and clapping her hands she exclaimed, "How about Lin Xuan? He was born just before the dawn, signifying the sun's imminent rise, symbolizing passion and warmth, illuminating all things. It matches well with the 'Wan' character in his father’s name and sounds similar to the 'Xuan' sound in his mother’s name. It holds significance in both timing and character!"
"Lin Xuan?!" Xiao Qingxuan was delighted, "That name really is meaningful, and it sounds resounding when shouted! What do you think, My Dear?"
Him and his son, one represents dusk and the other dawn? The Eldest Miss has indeed chosen a name with deep meaning. The two characters Lin Xuan are simple to remember, contain a profound meaning, and carry a certain presence when called out loud. It should not disgrace the boy!
"Wife, I will follow your lead!" he said, chuckling coyly.
Qin Xian'er nodded in agreement, and Qiaoqiao also cheerfully approved. Qingxuan gently stroked the younger twin's cheek, joyfully saying, "What a befitting name for the sun's forthcoming rays, illuminating all things! Lin Xuan it is! Sister Yuruo, I am truly grateful for this!"
The Eldest Miss, overjoyed, carried the dark-faced younger twin back and forth, laughing, "Lin Xuan, Lin Xuan, your name is so much stronger than your naughty father’s! I only hope that you won't follow in his footsteps, causing trouble with the ladies everywhere!"
‘My son's name does indeed sound a little nicer than his father's! But I wonder if in causing trouble with the ladies, he'll surpass his father by just a bit?’ Lin Wanrong laughed heartily in delight.
As the sky brightened, Qingxuan, worn out from the events, fell into a deep sleep. The little twins were taken away by their nurse, enjoying the first delicious meal of their lives, while Yuruo, Qiaoqiao, and the others, too excited to sleep, huddled together chattering and giggling non-stop, their conversations, however, revolved entirely around having children!
Descending the stairs, Lin Wanrong, though he had not slept all night, was in high spirits, not showing the slightest sign of weariness. The maids had already prepared eggs, each dyed bright red with paper.
Gao Qiu waited in the garden, greeting with a cupped fist and a chuckling voice, "Brother Lin, I offer my congratulations here! A double blessing in one shot, this is truly remarkable!"
"Joy shared is doubled joy, haha!" Lin Wanrong grabbed a handful of piping hot red eggs and handed them to him, which Gao Qiu clumsily accepted.
"Brother San, Brother San," Si De rushed in excitedly, "Lord Luo from the Ministry of Personnel has come to offer congratulations!"
The Lord Luo? Before he could grasp the implication, an excited voice came from outside: "Big Brother, Brother—"
Two figures approached, with a young man at the forefront, dashing over like a gust of wind. Having not seen him for over half a year, the young man had grown visibly more robust. Lin Wanrong was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Little Luo, what brings you here?"
Luo Yuan embraced him with excitement and laughed heartily, "I'm in the capital, how could I not come? Big Brother, was the battle thrilling? Why didn't you take me with you?"
Lin Wanrong suddenly remembered that after eliminating Prince Cheng, before he left the capital, the Emperor had promoted Luo Min to head the Ministry of Personnel, naturally bringing Little Luo to the capital as well.
"What's thrilling about battle? I nearly lost my life!" He chuckled and patted Little Luo's shoulder, then quickly bowed respectfully upon seeing the plump figure behind Luo Yuan, "Father-in-law, it has been some time since we last met!"
Luo Min, shedding the despondency from his exile to Jining, beamed with a belly that seemed even more pronounced, "My good son-in-law, dispense with the formalities! I heard in the dead of night that the princess had given birth to twin sons. I couldn't wait for your news and hurried over. To think, the birth of twins is so rare among our court officials, you're the first! Truly an auspicious omen from the heavens!"
Lin Wanrong laughed and was about to invite father and son to the hall when he heard more urgent calls from the entrance: "Little brother Lin, little brother Lin—"
Xu Wei entered in a rush, his face full of joy as he greeted with a bow, "Congratulations on the addition to the family, congratulations!"
Lin Wanrong hastened to meet him, "Brother Xu—"
Old Xu widened his eyes, half-smiling, "Little brother Lin, I'm afraid this address is no longer suitable."
It seemed that Miss Xu had already sent swift messages back to the capital. Lin Wanrong awkwardly bowed, "Brother—Father-in-law! Cough, I haven't discussed this with Qingxuan yet!"
"Good son-in-law!" Xu Wei slapped his shoulder with pride, "If we were to wait for you to speak up, when would that be? I've already reported all these matters to the princess! Ah, the troubles I've gone through for you both!"
For him? Lin Wanrong inwardly scoffed, knowing well that Old Xu was eager to marry off Miss Xu to set his own mind at ease.
"Brother Luo, now we are even!" Xu Wei joked with Luo Min, both old men evidently sharing an excitement that betrayed a certain complicity.
With both being his fathers-in-law, Lin Wanrong could ill afford to offend either. He meekly followed the two crafty foxes inside. They had barely taken a few steps when the street erupted with the sounds of gongs and music, signaling the arrival at the front gate. A sharp voice sang loudly, "The—Emperor—Arrives—"
