Chapter 9: Blessing Ceremony

After being fed, Gu Lingsha had intended to have a comfortable sleep; that bout of strenuous crying had consumed too much of her energy, and after all, she was still just a month-old infant.

However, unexpectedly, just as she closed her eyes, the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Immediately after, the voice of her own grandfather, Gu Ruhai, rang out in the room: "Liunian, has the child been fed? If she has, bring her out so the State Shaman can take a look."

The State Shaman?

Suddenly, the image of the cinnabar talismans plastered all over the ice coffin in the mortuary flashed through Gu Lingsha’s mind. That day, if Mother Gui hadn't accidentally knocked off those talismans and broken the sorcery the State Shaman had placed on the coffin, Mu Ya’s child would likely have died in the womb. And she, Ye Lingsha—a soul from another world—would have been even more likely to have vanished into this vast, dusty world!

"Helian Heiyue!"

The moment that name was coldly screamed in her mind, Gu Liunian had already leaned over and lifted her from the bed.

"Husband, since it is the State Shaman performing the prayer, surely he won't let those two sisters-in-law from the main branch hold them again, right? Look at what they did to Yu'er and Lingsha just now..."

They were her own children, after all. At the mere thought of how the twins had been mistreated by the two daughters-in-law of the main branch in the hall earlier, Du Wan felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Gu Liunian was also somewhat fearful, so he turned his gaze toward his father: "Father, it’s one thing that the eldest sister-in-law from the main branch has never had children, but the second sister-in-law has already given birth to two daughters—how could she hold Yu'er like that?"

"Alright, there is no need for you two to say anything more. Give the children to me in a moment; I will personally deliver them into the hands of the State Shaman."

How could Gu Ruhai not know what his son and daughter-in-law were worried about? But although he was a son of a concubine, he was still a member of the Gu family. He couldn't very well ignore the Old Matriarch’s orders, could he? Therefore, the only solution now was for him to step in personally.

Upon hearing their father say this, Gu Liunian and Du Wan finally breathed a sigh of relief. The two of them each carried an infant out of the side chamber.

Outside the hall, Gu Zhong had already ordered the servants to prepare the altar, and the golden basins used for blessing the children were all covered with expensive red silk.

When Gu Liunian walked out holding the child and saw this scene, he immediately handed Gu Lingsha to his father, Gu Ruhai. Shortly after, Du Wan also handed Gu Lingyu to Gu Ruhai.

The two daughters-in-law from the main branch standing on either side saw this, and their outstretched hands froze in mid-air.

"Mother, these are the first twins born to the Gu family in so many years, so Ruhai wishes to personally deliver them into the hands of the State Shaman."

Gu Ruhai’s tone was neither servile nor overbearing, and even Lan Lengshuang was left speechless by his retort.

After saying this, Gu Ruhai did not wait for her consent; he carried the two infants and walked toward the altar.

On the altar, Helian Heiyue, who had changed into a bright red State Shaman’s robe, was waiting quietly for Gu Ruhai’s arrival. When he reached him, the lean, fair fingers that reached out paused for a moment in front of Gu Lingsha, then bypassed her and reached toward Gu Lingyu on Gu Ruhai’s right.

Gu Lingyu, the only male grandson born to the Gu family estate thus far—although only from the secondary branch, the existence of this male grandson was undoubtedly the Gu family’s greatest hope in this feudal dynasty where men were valued far more than women.

Gu Lingsha naturally knew this. Therefore, the moment those excessively fair, effeminate fingers took hold of Gu Lingyu, she opened her eyes, turned her head, and quietly glanced at the golden basin where Gu Lingyu was about to be placed.