Feng Jin asked her to stay and rest, worried that Princess Qing Ping might be too excited upon seeing the child and harm herself, especially since she was still in confinement.
When Feng Jin arrived, the room was filled with a large crowd, and the cries of a baby could be heard.
"My Lord, Madam, Young Master, this child has golden eyes. Upon birth, he will bring misfortune to his relatives, affecting the ancestral temple. For the sake of future generations, he cannot be kept!"
A white-bearded old man, dressed as a fortune teller, spoke righteously.
"This..." Madam Zhang, the Duchess, listened and her face filled with worry. "My Lord, for the prosperity of our descendants, this child truly cannot stay!"
She still had two unmarried sons. She could not allow countless future grandchildren to suffer misfortune because of this one child. Even with deep reluctance, she had to make a painful sacrifice.
The Duke of Yue had served in court for many years and had always been skeptical of the concept of golden eyes. Now that it had happened within his own family, he couldn't help but feel concerned, his expression troubled.
"My Lord, you must plan for the descendants of the Liang family. Second and third sons are not yet married. Do you intend to cut off their lineage? My Lord, just listen to me, bury this child, and we will properly perform rituals for him to ascend to the Pure Land."
The Duke of Yue's expression showed hesitation, clearly swayed. However, the thought of personally killing his own grandson still pained him.
Seeing the Duke waver, Madam Zhang urgently ordered, "Why are you all standing there? Hurry and take this child away and bury him!"
"Who dares!" a furious voice boomed. Liang Chen, with a dark expression, blocked the child.
"Chen'er, move aside quickly. This child cannot stay!" Madam Sun scolded. This child absolutely could not be allowed to live.
"This is the child of Ning'er and me. Even if he brings misfortune, I am willing to keep him. If he is to bring disaster, let him bring it upon me!"
Liang Chen stood firm, protecting the child.
Feng Jin almost clapped her hands in approval. This was a true man.
"Chen'er, you..."
Madam Sun was utterly disappointed. Ever since her good son married Chu Ning'er, he had begun to talk back and defy her.
"May I have a look at the young master."
Feng Jin, standing at the back of the crowd, spoke softly. As her voice fell, all eyes in the room turned to her.
"Who are you? How dare you be so presumptuous in the Duke's mansion!" Madam Zhang, seeing Feng Jin was unfamiliar, her tone turned sharp.
"She is the young madam of the Ling family who saved Ning'er and the child earlier," Liang Chen explained.
Madam Zhang's gaze fell upon Feng Jin. "Young Madam Ling, this is a private matter of our Duke of Yue's mansion. It is inconvenient for an outsider to comment. Guards, please escort Young Madam Ling to the front courtyard to rest."
"Who dares!" Ling Mo Han's icy voice rang out as his tall figure blocked Feng Jin.
"Young Madam, please examine our son."
Liang Chen stopped everyone and motioned for Feng Jin to approach and check on the child.
Even though Madam Zhang was grinding her teeth in anger, she was helpless.
Feng Jin lifted the child's swaddling cloth and immediately understood.
"Young Madam, how is the child?" Liang Chen asked anxiously. He had heard about the golden eyes but couldn't bear to abandon his own flesh and blood.
If this child were gone, Ning'er...
He could only place his hope on Feng Jin. When Ning'er gave birth, the situation had been so perilous, yet she had managed to ensure the safety of mother and child. She would surely find a way to save the child.
"The child is simply ill. I have a way to save him."
It was merely jaundice. The ancients had never seen it before and attributed it to golden eyes, even fabricating a notion of ill omen.
Liang Chen immediately breathed a sigh of relief, the stone in his heart finally lifting. "Then I shall trouble Young Madam!"
"Don't listen to this woman's nonsense. She must be speaking on Chu Ning'er's orders. This child cannot stay!"
Madam Zhang was determined to have the child buried alive. She pushed aside the crowd, reaching out to snatch the child, and ran out the door with the baby.
Chu Ning'er, unable to stop worrying about the child, ran out despite the maids' attempts to hold her back.
As soon as she reached the courtyard entrance, she heard the child's heart-wrenching cries, and her own heart clenched.
Seeing Madam Zhang running outside with the child in her arms, heedless of anything, and the baby crying incessantly, Chu Ning'er rushed forward.
"Child!" Chu Ning'er rushed forward and, with strength she didn't know she possessed, snatched the child from Madam Zhang's arms, pushing Madam Zhang to the ground.
"Don't cry, baby, Mama is here, Mama is here!"
Tears in her eyes, Chu Ning'er held the child tightly.
The crying baby, now in Chu Ning'er's embrace, immediately stopped crying and fell into a sweet sleep.
"You... give me the child. This child cannot stay!"
Madam Zhang was still persistent, trying to snatch the child from Chu Ning'er.
"Enough, Mother. As long as I am here, no one can touch this child!"
Liang Chen stepped forward, pulled Madam Zhang away, and embraced Chu Ning'er and her child.
As long as he was here, no one could harm them.
"You unfilial son! I raised you, and now you have a wife and have forgotten your mother!"
Madam Zhang squatted on the ground, crying, no longer resembling a noblewoman.
"Silence! Aren't you ashamed enough!" The Duke's voice was deep and authoritative, immediately silencing Madam Zhang's wails.
"Master, is this child truly an ill omen?"
The Duke of Yue was still troubled by the matter of the golden eyes.
"Golden eyes have always been considered an ill omen. For the prosperity of the family, my Lord should make plans soon!"
"Nonsense!" Feng Jin could no longer stand it and directly cursed, "You charlatan, stirring up trouble with your wicked words! Do you really think that by imitating Jiang Taigong with a tuft of white beard, you have divined the secrets of heaven? You don't even know what golden eyes are, yet you dare to spout such nonsense!"
"You... you... how dare you! Do you know the consequences of offending an immortal!"
This was the first time the white-bearded Taoist had been cursed to his face. His speech even became a little slurred.
"You, you, you... what are you talking about? You can't even speak clearly, yet you dare to impersonate others and swindle people. Watch me pull off your beard today!"
Feng Jin was so angry that she couldn't contain herself. To not spare even a child, what kind of good person could he be? She reached out and, indeed, pulled the chair down.
It was too easy. As the beard came into her hand, Feng Jin felt something was amiss and let out a cold laugh. "Everyone, look! This charlatan's beard is fake, it's glued on. He doesn't have a single hair on his chin!"
Holding her stomach, Feng Jin laughed so hard her back couldn't straighten. "Charlatan, you're not perhaps an eunuch, are you! You don't even have hair on your chin!"
Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The white-bearded old Taoist covered his mouth. "You dare to scorn this humble Taoist? The Three Pure Ones will not forgive you!"
"I think the Three Pure Ones will first take you away. You are impersonating their names to swindle people and tarnish their reputation!"