Chapter 1428 - 1336: Maternal and Filial Instincts (Part 2)

Thus, it requires support from the court from other areas.

Xiliang is a compulsory passage on the Silk Road.

When alone, Zhao Hanzhang stood in front of the map, silently staring at that western land. It’s been two years, and Zhao Xin and Zhang Shi still haven’t returned.

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, and upon hearing voices from outside the hall, she withdrew her gaze from the map and turned towards the entrance of the hall.

After a while, the voices became clearer, footsteps sounded, and at this time, Ting He also heard the voices and glanced at Zhao Hanzhang before hurriedly going out to greet them.

Soon, Mrs. Wang came in holding the child who had just woken up. It was rare for Mingming to be awake, even though she was being held horizontally, her round, lively eyes curiously stared at the carved beams.

Mrs. Wang turned slightly, supporting her head to face Zhao Hanzhang, and said with a smile, "Mingming, look, who is this? This is your mother, mother—"

Matching the infant’s lively eyes, Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but smile, pinching her tiny fingers, "It’s snowing outside, why did you bring her over?"

"We walked under the corridor, and there were palace attendants shielding the wind on both sides, it’s not cold at all." Mrs. Wang chided, "Once you get busy, you forget to return to the rear hall. The child misses you and can’t find you."

Zhao Hanzhang defenselessly said, "In twelve hours, she sleeps for ten, and she’s most awake in the evening. Both her father and I accompany her then. I may miss her, but at her age, how could she know to miss me?"

"Nonsense, the maternal bond is innate. Don’t assume she’s too young; she senses what she sees and feels," Mrs. Wang said. "You need to spend more time with her so she will grow closer to you."

Feeling sorry for the child, Mrs. Wang placed her in Zhao Hanzhang’s arms, pressing her swaddling clothes, "She only got two months of your milk, my heart aches just thinking about it."

Ting He quickly said, "Madam, is it that the Eldest Prince’s wet nurse is not diligent?"

In this era, mothers typically nurse their children personally, from commoners to the Empress. Even in wealthy families that have wet nurses, mothers would still nurse their babies for a hundred days.

It isn’t just to foster mother-child affection and comfort the child, but also because it was found that infants fed this way had a lower mortality rate, and mothers recovered faster.

Of course, commoners may not ponder this, but affluent and noble families with means were aware and delved into it.

After all, the infant mortality rate was exceedingly high in this era. For centuries, it was known that the initial breast milk was the best, especially from one’s own mother, making infants healthier and stronger.

And for mothers, nursing alleviated some physical pain, speeding recovery.

This even led to absurd events; it was said that during the Han dynasty, the Imperial Family consumed human milk, specifically seeking it from women within the first hundred days post-birth, fervently collecting expectant mothers for this purpose.

This habit briefly became a trend locally, with many noble families following suit.

Zhao Hanzhang engaged four wet nurses for the child, yet she nursed for two months herself, first to provide the nutritious colostrum to the child for better health; and second, for her own well-being.

Now she began to wean, refocusing her energy on state affairs.

She loved the child but didn’t wish to spend most of her day with her.

She found their current time together ideal, playing with her for two moments in the morning when she was most alert, then allowing her to feed and sleep, while she went to court to handle state matters.

In the afternoon, the child, having slept through the day, stayed awake to better sleep at night. This was her time to explore the world, during which Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan would chat with her and play with her little hands and feet. After half an hour, she bathed, fed, and slept, leaving the couple free for other pursuits.

The balance between familial affection and personal freedom—wasn’t this ideal?

Zhao Hanzhang comforted Mrs. Wang, "Mother, rest assured. We share a blood bond; why wouldn’t we be close?"

However, Mrs. Wang firmly believed that personally raising the child would foster closeness; didn’t she raise Third Lady and Second Son herself?

She advised, "Regardless, with a wet nurse nearby, you might as well keep the child with you, oversee her daily, and assign tasks to the nurse when needed."

Zhao Hanzhang remained silent.

Though the child was well-behaved, she cried when necessary. Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t personally raised a child but wasn’t ignorant of the challenges, otherwise, she wouldn’t have engaged four wet nurses.

Simply feeding and caring was exhausting enough. While she discussed matters with officials, the child would need tending—nappies to be changed, feeding, soothing. Was this work or homestay?