Zhi looked at the black characters on the white paper, grabbed it in his hand, and tore it into strips. Finding it amusing, he tore it into smaller pieces, then found a small cloisonné enamel box from the Grand Dowager and collected the tiny pieces. When no one was paying attention, he quietly stuffed them into the cabinet. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Xiqiu pointed at Zhi and Fourth Master Xiao, sighing, "How can he do that? I wonder whom he takes after."

Fourth Master Xiao looked at his son and laughed heartily, carrying Zhi around the room a few times. The father and son’s laughing expressions were carved from the same mold.

Worried that Min might feel upset, Xiqiu reminded Fourth Master Xiao, "When Min is around, don’t hold Zhi." Fourth Master Xiao nodded in agreement at first but later still carried Zhi around the garden. Sometimes, Min would follow them with a cloak. When Fourth Master Xiao stopped, Min would wrap Zhi in the thick cloak, saying, "Father, Mother said Zhi is young and can easily catch cold."

Fourth Master Xiao shrugged it off, looking at Min with raised eyebrows.

Xiqiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Min seemed to have adapted to Fourth Master Xiao’s ways and wasn’t as concerned as she had feared.

Chunyan returned from the clinic after not being seen for days, looking more rounded. After playing outside with Chunliu and Bihuai for a while, she entered and greeted Xiqiu, sitting on a stool by the kang bed. Xiqiu smiled and asked, "Is Tianyi well?"

"Very well," Chunyan nodded, "but he missed you a bit, so I wanted to come see you." She looked around for Zhi, "Where is Young Master Zhi? I haven’t seen him."

"Min took him out to play. He said it was going to snow today, so they were outside waiting for it to fall." Xiqiu replied with a helpless look, turning to Chunyan and asking with raised brows, "Did you come suddenly because something happened?"

Chunyan blushed upon hearing this, making Xiqiu’s heart skip a beat. Her face lit up with joy as she guessed, "Are you... pregnant?"

Chunyan nodded, saying, "I discovered it yesterday." She lowered her head, "I thought since I’m still nimble, I wanted to come visit you. Once my body gets heavier, I won’t be able to move around much and won’t see you for a long time."

"Oh, you," Xiqiu frowned, "You can see me anytime. Right now, your health is the most important. It’s freezing outside, and if you slip or fall, how can I explain it to Tianyi?"

"Madam!" Chunyan blushed even more. As they spoke, Chunliu and Bihuai, followed by Biwu who lifted the curtain to enter, and Nanny Cen who came in with a smile. Chunliu, full of smiles, said, "I wondered why you were getting chubbier; I didn’t expect you were pregnant." She touched Chunyan’s belly earnestly, "I guess I can’t avoid being an aunt now."

Chunyan playfully glared at her and turned to Xiqiu, "Madam, see, this girl just can’t keep her mouth shut."

"Nonsense!" Chunliu exclaimed anxiously, "I didn’t mean it like that, just expressing surprise." She turned back to Xiqiu and explained, "I have no such intentions!"

Xiqiu pursed her lips and smiled softly, realizing Chunliu was already seventeen... She couldn’t keep her by her side forever.

Bihuai and Biwu giggled, with Biwu leaning next to Chunyan, "I’m an aunt too. Once he’s born, I’ll save all the best food for him." Nanny Cen watched the maids make a fuss, chuckling.

Time flew by, and on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a Nine-nine Cold Relief Map came down from the palace. Xiqiu hung it in the main hall. Zhi saw it, muttering for a long time, displaying an eagerness to try his hand at marking the plum petals. Xiqiu frowned and explained for a long time, but when Fourth Master Xiao returned, he carried Zhi and let him dot over a dozen blossoms...

Xiqiu laughed helplessly, "Might as well just let him finish it in one go, no need to do it every day."

After the eighth day, Ruan Jingliu came over from the clinic, and Xiqiu drew her aside to ask about Chunyan, "Is the fetal position steady?"

"Steady," Ruan Jingliu said nonchalantly, then after sipping her tea, she brought up the Tongxuan Hall business. Xiqiu, also puzzled, asked, "Wasn’t it supposed to open by year’s end? Why haven’t I heard anything?"

Ruan Jingliu listened and smiled, seemingly enjoying the situation, "It probably can’t open... at least not by year-end."

"Why is that?" Xiqiu paused in thought, "Wasn’t everything inside prepared? Why the delay?"

Ruan Jingliu took a sip of tea, eyebrows raised, looking pleased, "It’s thanks to your Third Sister." Knowing Xiqiu didn’t have a good relationship with Tong Xiyang, she continued, "She ordered a hundred and forty-two sets of rose red gold-threaded double-layer broad silk long-tail skirts, and only a hundred sets are done now..." she paused, "It’s a mess."

"How could this happen?" Xiqiu felt that although Tong Xiyang was a bit aggressive, she still had a handle on things. She had heard Tong Xiyan mention that many embroideresses were newly hired at Tianhong Embroidery Studio. With so many people working for two or three months, though it was tight, it shouldn’t be this slow. She asked, "Did something happen?" suspecting someone from Tongxuan Hall was deliberately causing trouble.

"I don’t know," Ruan Jingliu smiled faintly, "I only know that all businesses in the Capital are watching Tianhong Embroidery Studio now, waiting to see how they’ll solve this."

Tong Xiyang was even more like an ant in a hot pot, throwing the blue and white sweet porcelain teacup in her hand, pointing at the steward in the embroidery shop and scolding, "I told you that at year’s end, the embroideresses’ pay cannot be withheld, and you, haven’t issued wages for two months. How can you expect them to work earnestly? Half the clothes made aren’t qualified." She slammed the table, her voice rising, "Tell me, what are we going to do now!"

The steward looked cautiously at Madam Jiang, not daring to say a word.

Tong Xiyang’s gaze pierced like an arrow towards Madam Jiang, narrowing her eyes, "What’s going on? Explain clearly!" Madam Jiang looked uneasy, her speech faltering, "Actually, it’s nothing... wages were issued every month, just two months short... who knew they’d get crooked-minded."

"What!" Tong Xiyang was speechless with rage, "Crooked-minded, they’re making a living with their hands. You couldn’t even provide firewood in the room, and yet you say they’re crooked-minded. As the year ends, every household prepares for the new year; if you don’t pay them, how can they have the heart to work for you?"

She sat in the armchair in the main hall, her voice dropping a notch, "Now tell me, where did the money go?"

Madam Jiang shuddered upon hearing her words, quickly motioning to the steward. Tong Xiyang was always sharp, and with that glance, it was clear to her. She pointed at Madam Jiang in a fury, "I ask you, did you secretly use the embroidery shop’s money to finance your house purchase?"