#7 - Happy first birthday

Another two months passed.

On this day, the weather was fine, with not a cloud in the sky.

Xu Ming stood in the courtyard with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky.

Today is the day.

I'm one year old!

In this year, Xu Ming's life can't be said to be leisurely, but it can be said to be uneventful.

His cheap father only came to see him and his mother three times in a year, and each time he left after a short visit.

According to the people in the mansion, it was because his mother had fallen out of favor.

But it didn't matter.

He and his mother lived a very comfortable life.

That's how it is in wealthy families; you can't say you live a great life, but at least you don't have to worry about food and clothing.

Taking advantage of his mother being in the restroom,

Xu Ming quickly did a hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups, and a hundred high leg raises in the courtyard.

Feeling his body getting stronger every day, Xu Ming deeply empathized with the brothers in the Dog Head Bar.

Xu Ming tried to lift a large rock in the courtyard.

Xu Ming felt that this rock weighed about thirty pounds.

Putting the rock down, Xu Ming gasped for breath.

Being able to lift a thirty-pound rock at just one year old,

Putting aside everything else, at least on this street between the Qin and Ning residences, he should be the leader among his peers.

Putting down the rock, Xu Ming clapped his hands and lay down on the grass in the courtyard to do Russian twists.

【Strength +1, Abdominal Flexibility +1, Abdominal Strength +1】

Every time he twisted, Xu Ming felt like he had used the axe in Dog Head's hand to last-hit a minion.

"Fifth Madam, the celebration is about to begin, you should..."

Just as Xu Ming was happily doing Russian twists, Chun Yan walked into the courtyard and immediately saw a one-year-old baby lying on the ground, his abdomen curled up, twisting out afterimages.

Chun Yan suspected she had seen wrong and rubbed her eyes.

Opening her eyes again, Xu Ming was lying on the ground, snoring loudly.

"I really did see wrong," Chun Yan muttered to herself, then quickly walked forward, picked up Xu Ming, and brushed the dirt off his back, "Young Master Ming'er, you can't lie on the grass; it's all mud."

After a while, Chen Suya came out.

Chun Yan briefly explained the matter of the first birthday ceremony and went to inform the other madams.

Chen Suya carried Xu Ming to the front yard.

The large front yard was incredibly lively.

Because it was a joint first birthday celebration for the Qin and Xu mansions' young misses, relatives and friends from both families gathered together.

Xu Ming saw many unfamiliar faces.

Everyone who entered the mansion would bow to the old lady sitting at the very front.

If Xu Ming guessed correctly, this old grandma should be the oldest person in the Qin and Ning residences, the only wife of Duke Xu back then.

The old grandma sat with Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan on her left and right legs respectively, smiling very happily.

Beside the old lady, four gorgeously dressed women were attending.

One was the Xu mansion's First Madam, Wang Feng, and the Qin mansion's First Madam, Zhao Qing.

The other two, Xu Ming guessed, should be the two concubines of his cheap father, each holding a little boy in their arms.

Qin Qingwan, in the old lady's arms, saw Xu Ming and waved her hands and feet happily, babbling in a childish voice: "Ming gege (Brother Ming), Ming gege (Brother Ming)"

Everyone followed Qin Qingwan's gaze and landed on Xu Ming and Chen Suya.

Chen Suya carried Xu Ming forward, put Xu Ming down, and bowed to the old lady: "This humble concubine greets the Ancestress, greets the First Madam, Madam Qin, Madam Qian, and Madam Lin."

Chen Suya gently pulled Xu Ming: "Ming'er, greet the Ancestress and the madams."

"Ming'er greets the Ancestress, greets the madams." Helpless, Xu Ming could only greet them; he still had to put on a show of politeness.

"Hahaha, Ming'er is only one year old, yet he's already so eloquent," the Ancestress said with a smile.

Madam Qin looked around, quickly walked forward with a smile, and gently hugged Xu Ming: "Isn't that right, Ancestress? I like Ming'er the most, and Qingwan also likes Ming'er the most, right, Qingwan?"

Qin Qingwan nodded cutely and emphatically: "Like... like Ming'er gege (Brother Ming) the most ~"

"Good, good, good," the Ancestress's smile grew even brighter, "It's good for the family to be harmonious and happy. You may take your seats. Today, His Majesty sent Jade Dragon Meat from Xiliang; you're in for a treat."

"Yes, Ancestress." Chen Suya took Xu Ming back and sat down at the Xu family's table.

"Minister Wang, Minister of Rites, presents two pairs of jade Ruyi, wishing Miss Qin and Miss Xu all the best."

"General Li, General Zhongqi, presents two snow tiger carvings, to bring blessings and ward off evil for Miss Qin and Miss Xu."

"Mr. Ai of the Hanlin Academy, presents two Fire Phoenix brushes, wishing Miss Qin and Miss Xu to be knowledgeable and reasonable, and wishing the Qin and Xu residences to be filled with the fragrance of books."

With one announcement after another, everyone gradually took their seats.

Before the banquet began, Xu Ming's father, Xu Zheng, held Xu Xuenuo, and the Qin residence's master, Qin Ruhai, held Qin Qingwan, letting the babies pass under a door hung with a scallion, symbolizing the babies' health and intelligence.

Then, the Ancestress rolled a peeled, cooked egg on the babies' clothes, chanting as she rolled, "Roll away disasters, roll away disasters, let the disasters roll away," symbolizing the babies' good luck and constant health.

Then, the old lady put on new clothes and jewelry for the babies, symbolizing a new beginning, prosperous and thriving.

The elders then gave Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan lucky money, wishing the babies a healthy growth.

Finally, the Xu and Qin residences each sealed two bottles of wine, which would be opened when Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan came of age and got married.

Of course, none of this was for Xu Ming.

After a year of understanding, Xu Ming knew that the status of a concubine's son in the Great Wu Kingdom was simply shockingly low.

After the first birthday banquet ended, Chen Suya took Xu Ming to bow before the Ancestress and excused themselves to leave.

However, Chen Suya asked the Ancestress for some leftover banquet food from the kitchen.

The old lady was happy today and naturally agreed, and she even specially divided the remaining delicacies into small portions and gave them to the women in the back courtyard.

But Xu Ming felt it was quite strange. His mother hadn't eaten much at the banquet today. Did his mother really like those dishes?

Returning to the back courtyard, compared to the liveliness of the banquet, it was rather deserted.

But Xu Ming felt more at ease.

Chen Suya put Xu Ming on the bed and then walked out of the room.

Xu Ming didn't mind and took the opportunity to quickly do push-ups and sit-ups on the bed.

As he was doing them, the door opened, and Xu Ming quickly "slammed" onto the bed.

"Ming'er, Mommy has a surprise for you ~"

Chen Suya picked up Xu Ming and walked out of the courtyard, and Xu Ming saw Chun Yan panting as she carried in two unopened jars of wine.

On the small stone table in the courtyard, there was the food that Mommy had asked the Ancestress for today.

Chen Suya held Xu Ming and sat down on her lap: "Ming'er, Mommy can't give you anything better, so she can only ask for this food. Your Sister Chun Yan also asked for two jars of wine, one for adulthood and one for marriage."

Chen Suya kissed the child's forehead: "Ming'er, happy first birthday."

Chun Yan also happily took a seat: "Young Master Ming'er, happy first birthday ~"