Xiqiu felt restless and turned back to Madam Jiang and Tong Xiyan, saying, "You stay here, I’ll go take a look." But Tong Xiyan pulled her back, "Both Zhi and Kun are here, it’s inconvenient for you and sister-in-law, so I’ll go. After all, it’s not like it’s outside your home. I’ll go have a look!"

Xiqiu agreed it made sense, nodded and said, "Then go quickly, if anything happens, send someone to tell me." Then she called Chunliu and Bihuai, "You accompany Fourth Miss."

Tong Xiyan went straight to the outer courtyard, where Tong Quanzi was sleeping in the guest courtyard. When she entered, the room was filled with the smell of alcohol. She covered her nose with a handkerchief and found Tong Quanzi on the bed, snoring loudly, though his complexion didn’t look good. She turned to Tianjing and asked, "The Imperial Physician has been called?" Tianjing responded affirmatively, and Tong Xiyan then had someone bring hot water to wipe Tong Quanzi’s face and fed him strong tea to rinse his mouth. Tong Quanzi let her fuss over him but remained dead asleep. Finally, Tianjing managed to change his soiled clothes, leaving Tong Xiyan exhausted in the room.

The Imperial Physician arrived, furrowed his brows, took the pulse, and said, "Too much alcohol has harmed the spleen and stomach. I’ll prescribe some medicine to quickly sober him up." He wrote the prescription and handed it to Tianjing, "Go quickly!"

Tianjing glanced past the screen, nodded, and left with the Imperial Physician.

Tong Xiyan came out from behind the screen, looked at Tong Quanzi, and sighed deeply, feeling sorry for him. She couldn’t help but point at his forehead, "Let’s see if you’ll drink like this again at the cost of your life!" As she spoke, someone outside announced, "Lord Han and Lord Qian have arrived." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Tong Xiyan was just about to hide behind the screen when two staggering figures walked in. Obviously drunk, they barged in without caring if anyone was inside, startling Tong Xiyan, who quickly bowed in greeting and tried to slip away unnoticed.

Han Cheng supported Qian Wenzhong into the room, their vision blurry with some overlap. Han Cheng was tall and burly, with a rugged and handsome appearance. He entered boldly with Qian Wenzhong, "Brother Tong!" But he paused when his gaze lingered on Tong Xiyan’s face, and he stopped talking.

Qian Wenzhong hadn’t noticed initially, but being accustomed to military campaigns, he was sensitive to his surroundings. He followed Han Cheng’s gaze and was shocked to see a woman in the room. Immediately, he cupped his fists and lowered his head, sobering up halfway, "I didn’t know Madam was here, sorry for my rudeness!" With that, he pulled Han Cheng to leave.

Han Cheng quickly withdrew his gaze and, together with Qian Wenzhong, politely exited the courtyard.

Tong Xiyan watched them go and patted her chest, secretly relieved. Chunliu and Bihuai, also startled, hurriedly went back to find two old women to guard the entrance, preventing drunken officials from barging in again.

Tong Xiyan regretted her negligence but knew it was too late to reflect. When Tianjing returned with the medicine, she hastily fed Tong Quanzi, then appointed two old women to watch over before quickly returning to the inner courtyard.

"...How could this happen." Xiqiu furrowed her brows at Tong Xiyan, "Both of them got drunk, right?"

Tong Xiyan gloomily nodded, while Madam Jiang waved her hand, "Don’t think about it. After all, it’s not anywhere else, it’s Fourth Aunt’s place, and the two lords aren’t frivolous people. As long as no one mentions it, who would know outside?"

Tong Xiyan sighed, "Yes!" Then said, "Sister-in-law, let’s go back, leave Third Brother here, and have Seventh Brother look after him. He can return when he wakes."

Madam Jiang nodded in agreement. Coincidentally, Kun and Tong Xihua and Zhi all awoke. They busily tended to the children, giving them some water and snacks, before Madam Jiang, Tong Xiyan, and Xiuzhi took the two children back to Tong Mansion.

Night fell, and Fourth Master Xiao returned with a smile. Xiqiu took a warm towel to wipe his face, "Why drink so much; have the guests left?"

"Yes." Fourth Master Xiao bent over and embraced Xiqiu, his breath warm and moist with alcohol at her ear, laughing, "I heard Zhi grabbed a knife?"

Xiqiu struggled to embrace him under his weight and explained the grabbing ceremony to Fourth Master Xiao, "...He wouldn’t let go after grabbing the knife, still playing with it now."

Fourth Master Xiao laughed heartily, a bit drunk, "If you don’t want him to be like me, wielding knives and guns, then in the future, donate a idle official position for him. Whether he travels the vast mountains and rivers with books or explores rugged mountains with medicinal herbs, we can follow his lead." He paused and said, "I know you’re afraid he’ll be like me, living dangerously, worried at home. So, do as you wish. Even if he does nothing, we can afford to support him!"

He spoke lightly, and Xiqiu felt warmth in her heart, nodding with a smile, "If he truly wishes it, then let him." She paused and said, "If he wants to defend the nation on the battlefield like his father, I won’t stop him either!"

Fourth Master Xiao raised his eyebrows in surprise at her change, and Xiqiu took his hand, letting him sit by the bed, crouching to remove his shoes. She lifted her head, "Though such things seem far from us, and the grabbing ceremony is just symbolic, it makes me anxious thinking he might do dangerous things like Fourth Master." She paused and continued, "But then again, while my heart aches and I can’t bear it, I shouldn’t let it affect his life. As they say, sons when grown are beyond mothers, so let him follow his path..." Suddenly, she recalled a joke she heard in a previous life where a reporter asked a newly minted father, asking what expectations he had for his son. That father thought for a moment and seriously replied: as long as someday, I don’t have to take food to him in prison.

Though it was a humorous remark, it reflected part of the parental mindset.

Fourth Master Xiao laughed as Xiqiu supported him, "Fourth Master should wash up!" She paused, "You smell of alcohol."

But Fourth Master Xiao turned around, hugged her waist, and said, "Let Zhi sleep in the Warm Pavilion tonight..."

Xiqiu was slightly stunned, then blushed.