Chapter 377: 377. Disciple’s Great Harvest

Translator: 549690339

Lin Xueqing’s delivery was more than a month ahead of Su Liang’s.

Although Su Liang took Lin Xueqing’s pulse regularly and it was always stable, Xing Yusheng was still nervous when the day of the delivery arrived. In the middle of the night, he insisted on calling Su Liang to stand by, so Gu Ling accompanied her there.

Su Liang sat in the delivery room, thinking that her main task was to reassure everyone, but she was also prepared for any emergencies.

Gu Ling sat in the courtyard waiting, watching Xing Yusheng pacing back and forth anxiously like an ant on a hot pan. Instead of asking him to sit down, Gu Ling asked him about his current mood.

“I’m so anxious and scared!” Xing Yusheng’s forehead was sweating, both of his hands clenched together, and his voice was like a tightly-wound string, seemingly ready to break at any moment.

Gu Ling suddenly stood up and handed Xing Yusheng a pill, “Eat this.”

Xing Yusheng instinctively moved backward, “I’m not eating it! You won’t let me in, and now you want to knock me out?”

Lin Shuzhi and Xing Ji, who were sitting not far away, both looked over. They were also very anxious, especially Lin Shuzhi. Xing Ji tried to start a conversation about the state of the world, but Lin Shuzhi was unable to think clearly, making the conversation disjointed.

“It’s just sugar,” Gu Ling said.

With an inexplicit look on his face, Xing Yusheng took the pill and put it in his mouth. A fresh sweetness filled his mouth, and it was indeed sugar.

Gu Ling also handed a piece of sugary pill to both Lin Shuzhi and Xing Ji. He had made these, improving upon one of Su Liang’s recipes.

The sweetness could temporarily alleviate anxiety and stress. Gu Ling brought them along specifically for times like this, thinking they might come in handy.

The brothers Lin Boyan and Lin Bojun, who arrived later, were also given sugar by Gu Ling.

Xing Yusheng felt slightly better, just a little bit, but his previously tense breathing had returned to normal.

Xing Ji sighed, “Xiaogu is really talented.” It was very thoughtful of him to bring sugar pills with him in the middle of the night, obviously prepared for them.

Lin Shuzhi nodded, “A genius.” His eyes were constantly fixed on the tightly closed door, his ears pricked, but he could not hear anything.

“With Xiaoliang inside, everything will be fine!” Lin Bojun patted Xing Yusheng on the shoulder to comfort him, but he inadvertently knocked Xing Yusheng to the ground.

With a helpless expression, Lin Boyan pulled Xing Yusheng up. They were both fathers already and could understand Xing Yusheng’s feelings at this moment. Moreover, they were also worried as their precious sister was inside.

After handing out the sugar, Gu Ling sat back down and suddenly said to Xing Yusheng, “I can accept your son as my disciple.”

Everyone looked at Gu Ling without understanding why he suddenly brought this up out of the blue.

Then, Gu Ling said to Lin Boyan and Lin Bojun, “Your sons should also become my disciples.”

This was, of course, a good thing. Lin Shuzhi had just appraised Gu Ling as a genius.

Lin Boyan and Lin Bojun both expressed their eagerness one after another, making it a deal and declaring that there would be no backing out.

Xing Yusheng absentmindedly nodded, “Alright! Xueqing will be very happy, she thinks you’re the most amazing! No, the most amazing one is Su Liang…” Before he finished his sentence, he shifted his attention and temporarily forgot about his soon-to-be-born son becoming one of Gu Ling’s disciples.

Lin Xueqing’s cry of pain came from the room, causing the faces of the three men of the Lin Family to turn pale, and Xing Yusheng almost fainted.

Gu Ling was the calmest one, knowing that nothing would happen.

At this moment, Gu Ling was thinking that he could practice midwifery on animals first, such as horses and cows, and experiment with the cesarean section technique that Su Liang had taught him if necessary. When it was Su Liang’s turn to deliver, he wanted to prevent any possible accidents and consider all potential problems beforehand by preparing contingency plans.

It was cold outside in the late night, so the servants brought charcoal basins and hot water.

Gu Ling drank a cup of water and gave Xing Yusheng another sugar pill, fearing that he might faint.

As the sky began to brighten, a loud cry from the baby was heard, shattering the tense atmosphere in the courtyard, and everyone’s faces lit up with smiles.

Lin Shuzhi finally dared to speak up and called out, “Is Xueqing alright?”

From inside the room, Old Madam Xing’s excited voice responded, “She’s fine! Mother and child are safe!”

Xing Ji held Lin Shuzhi, “Congratulations on becoming a grandfather.”

Lin Shuzhi breathed a sigh of relief, “Congratulations to you too for becoming a grandfather.”

Xing Yusheng was finally allowed to go in. It was Old Madam Xing who insisted on keeping him outside, not because it was a custom but because she knew that he would not be able to handle the stress and might make Lin Xueqing even more tense, so having Su Liang, the professional divine doctor staying with Lin Xueqing would be enough.

The newborn son of Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing was wrapped in swaddling clothes and carried to the door. Both Lin Shuzhi and Xing Ji’s eyes glistened with tears as they looked at him.

Lin Boyan and Lin Bojun said in unison, “He looks like me.”

Gu Ling looked at the just-born baby and thought that in some details, the boy really resembled his two uncles. Lin Bojun’s son also somewhat resembled Qin Yujin’s older brother, Qin Yuheng.

As he was thinking about this, Old Master Qin arrived as well. As soon as he entered the door, he asked, “Has she given birth? Is Xueqing okay?”

Xing Yusheng was Old Master Qin’s only grandson, and the newborn baby was his great-grandson. Seeing that mother and child were safe and sound, Old Master Qin couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear.

The child was quickly taken back inside, and Old Master Qin then noticed Gu Ling and asked if Su Liang’s baby was a boy or a girl.

Gu Ling shook his head, “It’s a secret.”

“Really! You’re still playing coy!” Old Master Qin glared at Gu Ling. Though it was not mentioned, everyone actually hoped that Su Liang would have a girl because there were too many boys…

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Gu Ling’s expression was serious, “We will grow old and can’t accompany our baby for a lifetime. She needs an older brother to protect her.”

If the wooden sword that Gu Ling gave to Ji Xiaobai through Lai Hong the other day was just a whim, this time, it was not. He looked at Lin Boyan and Lin Bojun guarding their sister Lin Xueqing last night and felt that his baby daughter must have older brothers, and one was not enough.

But Gu Ling and Su Liang couldn’t give their daughter an older brother themselves, so they looked for some instead.

Even if Gu Ling didn’t take them as disciples, those boys would still be their baby’s brothers, but he decided to cultivate them in both literature and martial arts from a young age. They must not be weak, otherwise, how could they let their daughter protect them in times of trouble?

Right now, many of Su Liang’s friends rely on her to solve their problems, even though some of them are technically her elder brothers. Gu Ling doesn’t blame them as they are his friends too, it’s just the reality. He wants to plan ahead to prevent his daughter from being as tired as Su Liang when she grows up.

After listening to Gu Ling’s explanation, Su Liang gave a thumbs up, “Great God, you really have a long-term vision. I support you.”

Of course, they say it’s for their daughter, but actually, Gu Ling likes children very much. Even if these boys he wanted to take as disciples did not worship him as a master, they would still be under his and Su Liang’s care.

With five more disciples all of a sudden, Su Liang felt that the house would become more and more lively when her daughter was born. She could already imagine the scene of Gu Ling taking a group of little steamed buns fishing, climbing mountains, traveling lakes, and practicing martial arts. She was looking forward to it.

On the day Lin Xueqing’s sons had their third bath, Gu Ling and Su Liang were invited to the Marquis Zhong Xin Mansion, where they saw Miao’s son, Xing Yuyang, had returned. He looked much thinner, listlessly following behind Xing Ji. Only when someone greeted him would he crack a smile, but otherwise, he seemed lost in his thoughts.

Today, Duanmu Chen specially accompanied Xing Yuyan back to her parents’ home, giving her tremendous face. Xing Yuyan, pregnant and increasingly pampered, was entitled to be pampered as the Empress, as long as she didn’t act out, Su Liang didn’t care about her.

Su Liang and Gu Ling went to the palace again, as they were invited by Duanmu Chen in Chang’an.

“I heard that you’ve taken both sons of the Lin family and Xing Yusheng’s son as your disciples?” Duanmu Chen asked Gu Ling.

Gu Ling nodded.

“Then, when my son starts learning martial arts, I would like you to teach him as well,” Duanmu Chen smiled, thinking that since Gu Ling liked to accept disciples so much, it would be unreasonable not to accept his son. With the master-disciple relationship, wouldn’t he treat his son like his own?

But to his surprise, Gu Ling shook his head and directly refused, “The prince’s body is too precious, I dare not.”

Duanmu Chen’s expression darkened, “Is it not that you are unwilling, but dare not? What are you afraid of?”

Gu Ling remained silent.

Duanmu Chen snorted, “I understand your concerns. Learning martial arts is always difficult, and I am afraid my son will be spoiled and weak. Just teach him as you see fit, no need to be polite.”

Only then did Gu Ling nod, “Alright.”

“Alright? What do you mean alright?” Duanmu Chen grumbled, “Fine, it’s settled! Su Liang, you be the witness!”

Su Liang chuckled, “No problem.” She thought that if Gu Ling took Duanmu Chen’s son as a disciple as well and made him a martial brother to Ji Yuebai’s son, many things might become easier for them in the future.

Duanmu Chen approached them not for his son to become a disciple but to consult with them on Duanmu Yi’s recovery.

“It’s been a few months, and we can’t keep doing this for the next ten or eight years,” Duanmu Chen sighed softly. His reign was stable, and he couldn’t bear to kill Duanmu Yi. He kept him half-dead, feeling it wasn’t a long-term solution.

Gu Ling shook his head, “Not appropriate.”

Duanmu Yi, in his prime, was certainly not reconciled to being deposed by Duanmu Chen. Even if he temporarily hid his pride, once his body truly recovered, there was no telling what troubles he might stir up.

Duanmu Chen explained, “Don’t misunderstand me, I mean to let Father recover a little, not fully. Now he can only lie down, but can we make it possible for him to sit up and be pushed outside on a wheelchair to get some sunlight? This is Mother’s idea, and I think it’s worth considering. What do you think?”

Su Liang: … Duanmu Chen has filial piety, but not too much of it…

Gu Ling nodded, “I’ll give it a try.” He had always been the one providing treatment to Duanmu Yi.

When Gu Ling went to apply acupuncture on Duanmu Yi, Su Liang suggested visiting Ji Yueyan, and Duanmu Chen let Chang’an accompany her over.

Ji Yueyan was dressed in a dark red dress, sitting by the window doing embroidery, her side profile was peaceful and beautiful. Occasionally, when her eyes felt tired, she would look out of the window. The evergreen trees in the yard looked gray in winter, their colors dull. Unlike in Yin Country, where there was no winter, and plants were always lush, but it could also get boring after a while.

When Ji Yueyan looked out the window again, she saw a familiar figure in her line of sight. Her eyes brightened instantly, and she hastily put down her things and went to greet her at the door.

Having married into Qian Country for several months, Ji Yueyan’s days in the palace were lonely, and whenever Su Liang came to see her, she felt as if the sky had brightened up.

“Did Marquis Gu not accompany you into the palace?” Ji Yueyan was just a little surprised. Gu Ling had been with Su Liang every time she visited.

“He’s in the palace, busy,” Su Liang didn’t say too much, and was helped into the door by Ji Yueyan, “What were you doing?”

Ji Yueyan picked up the unfinished needlework to show Su Liang; it was a small red hat. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and the embroidery was very beautiful, intended for the baby in Su Liang’s belly.

“Your embroidery is really good.” Su Liang sincerely praised.

Ji Yueyan smiled, “I don’t have much else I can be proud of.”

“Don’t stay up late; it’s bad for your eyes.” Su Liang put down the half-finished little hat, took the warm water offered by Ji Yueyan, but did not drink it, “I’m fine, just came to take a look. Our home has been quiet since Ren Dong and Qi Jun left for the south.”

Ji Yueyan’s expression became serious, and upon hearing Su Liang mention Ren Dong, Qi Jun, and the south, she involuntarily straightened her body.

“I received a letter from the south a few days ago, everything is fine. Their departure has made Lian Shun’s job easier. They are all talented individuals but still have much to learn, and they definitely won’t be able to return for this year’s New Year.” Su Liang smiled softly.

Ji Yueyan looked at Su Liang gratefully, “It is thanks to you that they have such opportunities.”

Su Liang was talking about Qi Jun and Ren Dong, while Ji Yueyan was thinking about Bai Yang.

After sitting for a while, Gu Ling came to pick up Su Liang to go back.

After a long journey, Lai Hong finally returned to Xiangyue City in Yin Country. When he met Ji Yuebai, the latter was holding a vine whip, training his son to perform horse stance.

The fragile and gentle crown prince of Yin Country, in the eyes of outsiders, was now swinging a vine whip and yelling at his five-year-old son, “Don’t move, or I’ll whip you!”

The little boy had very fair skin, and his round black eyes looked like high-grade black gems, lively and mischievous. At the moment, he pursed his lips, pushed his hands forward, bent his legs, and trembled slightly, looking rather pitiful.

Lai Hong’s mouth twitched at the corner, and he quickly walked up, “Your Highness.”

Seeing Lai Hong, Ji Yuebai’s face softened instantly, “Master, have you returned? Was the trip successful? Did you see Gu Ling? Is his wife about to give birth?”

Lai Hong silently waved at the little boy who was giving him a pleading look, signaling for him to sneak away.

The little boy understood and slowly lowered his hands, retracted his feet, turned around, and ran towards the distance.

Ji Yuebai heard it but didn’t turn around. He listened to Lai Hong’s report about serious matters first, his expression gradually turning serious, then relaxed, “Let’s wait for Situ Xie to send someone. Does Lady Gu’s pregnancy hold a boy or a girl?”

Lai Hong shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know, and then took out the gift Gu Ling had given to Ji Yuebai’s son.

Ji Yuebai was somewhat surprised, “For my son?” Opening it, he saw a delicate small wooden sword inside. He immediately took it in his hand, turned around, and raised it toward his agile son who had climbed up a tree. He said with a smile, “Come here! This is a gift from your master. From now on, you are his disciple! I won’t teach you martial arts anymore; you can go to his family to climb trees!”