lcionline Chapter 745 Taking a Name
Chapter 745 Taking a Name
The entire South Garden was on high alert. Experienced midwives were already in place, and maids were bustling about, boiling water and preparing everything necessary for the delivery. Liu Ye's wives and concubines had all arrived, awaiting the moment to welcome the new life.
Lin Shiyue, heavily pregnant, directed the maids to work with the help of others.
Everyone was busy, but Liu Ye was the only one restless, pacing around in circles, with nothing to do. Somewhat lost, he said to Lin Shiyue, "Madam, please assign me some tasks. I feel like I'm completely useless standing here."
Lin Shiyue smiled and said, "Husband, you don't need to do anything. Just wait patiently. I've never heard of a husband having to do all the work while his wife is giving birth. What about our reputation as virtuous women?"
"Should I go in and keep her company?"
"No, the master can't go in during childbirth; it's bad luck."
Liu Ye sighed and had no choice but to continue spinning in place.
Suwen cried out in pain, and the sound penetrated the window and reached Liu Ye's ears, making Liu Ye anxious and helpless.
The long wait lasted from sunset until nightfall, when lanterns were lit and hung under the eaves, illuminating the courtyard as if it were daytime.
Finally, a baby's cry pierced the night sky and reached everyone's ears.
"Congratulations, sir, it's a girl, fair-skinned and chubby, weighing nine pounds."
Liu Ye laughed heartily: "I'm a father now! It's a girl, haha! Bring her here quickly, let me see her."
The news that Suwen had given birth to a daughter spread throughout Lingao that very night. Traditional literati, led by Sun Yuanhua and Yan Guang, were overjoyed, relieved that their eldest son, who was not born of the principal wife, was a daughter, thus avoiding many troubles.
A few days later, Liu Ye was playing with the baby girl who had just finished nursing and was sleeping in the wet nurse's arms. After a while, Liu Ye led the wet nurse and the baby girl to Su Wen's room.
The room was lively, with all the other wives and concubines present, chatting with Suwen on the bed, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
Liu Ye thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. The pleasure of having a harem was something only the evil old society offered; those raised under the red flag never had such privileges. He stepped into the room, grinning, and said, "You're all here? It's good to keep Suwen company, lest she get bored. Knowing her impulsive nature, this postpartum period will be tough for her."
"Master has arrived..." The wives and concubines all stood up to pay their respects. Lin Shiyue, who was heavily pregnant, also wanted to stand up, but Liu Ye pressed her down.
"You're a national treasure now, don't touch you."
Suwen had a headscarf tied around her head, and her attire looked somewhat out of place according to custom for postpartum confinement. Seeing Liu Ye arrive, she pouted and said aggrievedly, "Master, how long do I have to endure this? They say a month, but I feel like I can eat and sleep well, and I can even walk around without any problems. It's so hard to stay cooped up like this all day!"
"Hehe, there's always a reason behind what our ancestors passed down. Just relax and take care of yourself during your postpartum period. Once it's over, you can do whatever you want, and I won't stop you."
Suwen's eyes lit up, and she asked, "I'd like to go out to sea and visit your newly developed island. Is that alright?"
"No problem. I'll allocate the 'Voyage' to you and have Zhu Dadian give you a proper welcome."
The wet nurse handed the baby to Suwen, who took it with affection and kissed it repeatedly.
“Although we have a wet nurse, you should still insist on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is good for the baby,” Liu Ye instructed. “And with your physical condition, you should have no problem doing this.” Because Su Wen’s bust was already impressive, and now that she was breastfeeding, it was almost bursting out of her clothes. Liu Ye glanced at her and couldn’t help but swallow.
The wet nurse was personally selected by Lin Shiyue from among the local female workers at the textile factory. She was a native of Lijia Village with impeccable family background, in her early twenties or late thirties, with regular features, good health, and a rosy complexion. Most importantly, she had plenty of breast milk. In ancient times, it was quite normal for wealthy families to find wet nurses, also known as "nursing mothers." This was not only to prevent the birth mother from having insufficient milk, but also a symbol of privilege.
Liu Ye did not oppose Lin Shiyue and others' traditional views on such a trivial matter. However, based on modern perspectives, he always believed that as long as there was enough milk, breastfeeding by the birth mother was more appropriate, and that the child would not become estranged from the birth mother by the breastfeeding mother.
Liu Ye sat on the edge of the bed and chatted with his wives and concubines for a while before the topic turned to the children.
“I’ve already thought of the child’s name, Liu Ying. As for her nickname, she weighed nine pounds at birth, so let’s call her A-Jiu.” As A-Jiu’s name came out, Liu Ye suddenly thought of that rebellious girl in the capital. He wondered how that Ninth Prince was doing now, and whether Chongzhen had made things difficult for her after helping him escape danger.
Suwen was very satisfied with the name and happily said, "Master, you are so kind. I really like this name."
Lin Shiyue frowned. With her limited knowledge and learning, this rather simple name clearly wouldn't meet her standards. A sense of foreboding rose in her heart, and she tentatively asked, "My husband must have already chosen a name for the child in my womb?"
Liu Ye grinned and replied, "Of course, I wouldn't cram at the last minute. Regardless of gender, everyone is called Liu Hua."
Lin Shiyue nearly fainted. Liu Hua? The name sounded unnaturally crafted and didn't match his future wealthy status at all—you know, this child was the one who could inherit the vast political and military assets of the Qionghai Army, and might even become the crown prince in the future!
She naturally didn't know that Liu Ye chose this name because he wanted the child to inherit his career, bring Chinese civilization to a higher level, and promote the civilization of China.
Liu Ye was unaware of Lin Shiyue's slight resentment.
In October of the tenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, the Qionghai Navy, which had been preparing for war, completed its expansion. The original three regiments were expanded into three armies, each consisting of three infantry regiments, including battalion-level artillery companies, totaling approximately 15,000 men. The original regimental artillery battalions were reorganized into independent artillery regiments, becoming the most powerful long-range strike force in this timeline. The remaining garrison troops were converted into reserve forces, continuing to cultivate wasteland and train in their spare time to maintain a basic level of training, ready to be converted into regular troops if needed in war. With three armies plus artillery regiments, a main force of 50,000 men, plus 30,000 to 40,000 reserves, the framework of an army of 100,000 men was basically formed. With such a large-scale firearms force, coupled with high-intensity training and professional officers, theoretically, it had no real rivals in this timeline.
"Now we'll have to wait for actual combat to test whether this size of firearms-equipped force is truly a monster armed to the teeth, or just a showpiece. After all, our combat methods demand very high levels of discipline, inter-unit coordination, and battlefield command. The difference in difficulty between commanding tens of thousands of troops and commanding a few thousand or ten thousand is significant," Liang Xiaoming said enthusiastically to Liu Ye. "Troops that primarily use flintlock muskets don't have an overwhelming advantage in range or accuracy. They rely on teamwork and concentrated firepower. If command is ineffective, the troops will collapse and become a disorganized mess, unable to defeat the Qing soldiers, who are hunters by trade and renowned for their individual melee combat skills."
Everything was ready except for the final push. The army was poised for battle, and Liang Xiaoming's spirits were rising. He would visit Liu Ye every few days, and each time he would talk about military topics for an hour or two.
Liu Ye looked at him, both amused and exasperated, and said, "If I remember correctly, this is the third time you've brought up this topic. I understand how you feel; after all, the formation and full weaponry of this unit are inseparable from your efforts. Otherwise, how about I appoint you as the commander-in-chief and put you in charge of these tens of thousands of troops?"
Liang Xiaoming waved his hand awkwardly: "I'm good at talking about war on paper, but I'm clueless when it comes to real fighting. I know my own situation best. I can only handle some equipment. When it comes to commanding battles, I'm far inferior to generals like Xu Yifan who have grown up on the battlefield. I don't have the skills, so I won't take on this job, lest I become a sinner to the Qionghai Army."
Liu Ye thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't you go to Beijing this time too? I won't let you directly command the troops, but just let you share in this glory—isn't this what we've been working so hard for these past few years?"
Liang Xiaoming's eyes gleamed with fervor as he readily agreed, "That's great! Last time I went to the capital with you, I almost lost my life. This time, we're back with a vengeance, and we'll get our revenge. If we succeed, it will truly prove the old saying, 'Willing to risk everything to bring down the emperor!'"
"We need to vent our anger and get our revenge, but our main goal isn't to show off and humiliate others," Liu Ye said. "As long as the plan succeeds, Li Zicheng will force Chongzhen to his death according to the original historical script. Then we'll emerge as saviors, control the capital, stabilize the court and the country, and subsequently stabilize the overall situation. After that, we'll deal with the bandits in the northwest and Huang Taiji in the northeast. In this way, we'll inevitably have to shift our focus northward, and the entire strategic layout will revolve around the north..."
“I understand what you mean. From now on, the focus will be on the north, and Qiongzhou will become the rear base. The Qionghai Army will officially move from a local armed force to the goal of spreading its military power throughout the world.”
"That's right. As long as this move in the capital succeeds, we'll be just a few steps away from the ultimate goal of unifying the world by force. Whether it's Zhang Xianzhong or Huang Taiji, their downfall is only a matter of time. As Mao Zedong said, 'All reactionaries are paper tigers!'"
The atmosphere of war was growing stronger, and all resources in Lingao were being directed toward the army. Guns, ammunition, food and other military supplies were being transported to Lingao from arsenals and granaries in various prefectures and counties. The entire Lingao County had become a huge military camp, and everyone was waiting for the order to depart.
The imperial court's official reports, along with intelligence from Liu Heizi, Chu Shengchang, and Zhang Geming in Liaodong, were all gathered at the Intelligence Bureau and then forwarded to the Military Affairs Staff. After analyzing the situation, the Staff made the following recommendations: Li Zicheng's Shun army, after a brief stop in Daming Prefecture, fought over a dozen battles, large and small, with the government forces in Hejian Prefecture, winning more than they lost and successfully advancing significantly. Reaching the capital was only a matter of time. Given the government troops' mediocre fighting ability, they might reach the capital in less than a month. Meanwhile, Dorgon and Haoge led tens of thousands of troops south, preparing to recapture Jinzhou, Lushun, and other places; the time was ripe for the Qionghai Army to move north.
Liu Ye convened a mobilization meeting, instructing the troops, the Military Affairs Staff Office, and the Logistics Bureau to perform their respective duties and prepare for departure. With everything in order, the departure date was tentatively set for October 20th.
Before leaving, Liu Ye, Liang Xiaoming and the officers of various units all bid farewell to their wives and concubines. After all, this large-scale battle involving hundreds of thousands of people was very risky. Defeat, injury or even death were possible. Some thoughtful people even prepared their wills in advance.
At the crucial moment, Lin Shiyue's stomach started to hurt, showing signs of impending labor. This immediately put everyone's minds at ease in Lingao, and the timing of the army's departure suddenly became less important.