"I don’t seem to have seen it before." The carriage rattled along, and Xiqiu, holding the sleeping Zhi, looked at Fourth Master Xiao: "Even Master Lian doesn’t know when or who moved it here..."

Fourth Master Xiao relaxed his brow and said gently, "Perhaps it’s just some young master playing around, nothing worth worrying about."

Xiqiu tilted her head, revealing a thoughtful expression.

Such a large forest would take great effort to relocate here, requiring manpower and resources that aren’t easily accessible, especially since it’s in the rear of the hills where few people go. Why plant Wooden Hibiscus there?

Xiqiu showed a suspicious look, her thoughts turning to Tong Xiyu. Arriving at the mansion, she called Chunliu: "Go tell First Young Madam about Eighth Sister’s matter, let her be mindful."

"Understood." Chunliu replied, then offered tea to Xiqiu. Xiqiu asked, "Has Min returned to the back courtyard?"

Chunliu nodded, and Xiqiu recalled Min’s moving plans: "Go fetch the almanac." Chunliu went out and shortly returned with the almanac. Xiqiu, seated on the rose bed, flipped a few pages; there wasn’t a suitable date. After some thought, she pointed to the twenty-second: "Go tell Nanny Rong, we’ll schedule Min’s move for this day." After saying this, she asked, "Have the maids for the room been selected?"

"Yes, they’ve been chosen. Young Master Min picked Shuangyu, Dongling, two senior maids, and a few juniors like Qingyu and Caiyu..." Xiqiu nodded slightly, feeling that it was sufficient. Though there’s no housekeeper, Dongling has matured quite a bit these past two years, diligent and reliable; manpower is adequate with Erquan also present...

"That will do!" As Xiqiu spoke, she heard Zhi turn over and open his eyes, staring sleepily at Xiqiu. Xiqiu smiled and said, "You’re awake?"

"Mother." Zhi looked around: "Why have we returned? Big brother, second brother, where are the others?"

Xiqiu picked him up and instructed Chunliu: "Pour a cup of water." Pinching Zhi’s little face, she said, "Yes, if we didn’t come back soon, it would get dark!" She then took the water from Chunliu and fed it to Zhi, who pouted: "Why was I unaware? Big brother said we’d go climbing."

"That’s because you fell asleep." Xiqiu laughed: "It’s not very far, we can go when the weather’s fine."

Zhi’s eyes brightened hearing this, and he nodded eagerly: "Okay!" He opened his little mouth and gulped down the water from Xiqiu’s hand, then patted his tummy: "Mother, I’m hungry!"

"Alright, let’s wait for father and brother to arrive, then we’ll eat, okay?" Saying this, she placed him on the ground: "Let’s go wash our hands."

Zhi jumped and followed Xiqiu to wash his hands and face. Meanwhile, Fourth Master Xiao and Min returned; the family sat together eating. Xiqiu asked Fourth Master Xiao: "Are you tired?"

"Mm." Fourth Master Xiao replied indifferently: "Aging, inevitably there’s some lack of stamina." Xiqiu accepted this, then turned to Min: "I checked the almanac earlier; how about moving on the twenty-second this month?"

Min smiled, nodding: "Thank you, mother!" Xiqiu ruffled his hair as she used to when he was little, laughing: "Once everything’s arranged, go see if anything’s missing and report back to me."

Min acknowledged.

"Brother, I’ll help you move too." Zhi waved his hand excitedly, and Min nodded: "Alright, if by then you don’t want to sleep in the room, you can stay in my courtyard with me..." Zhi nodded energetically, and the two leaned over, whispering to each other. Fourth Master Xiao coughed: "Eat!" He said, picking up a bowl, and Min and Zhi immediately quietened, sitting properly with their hands at their sides.

Xiqiu looked on and chuckled.

The next morning, Chunliu returned and reported to Xiqiu: "First Young Madam said she knows, and will be mindful. She also mentioned that the Qian family is coming to propose tomorrow; are you going back?"

Tomorrow is the eighteenth; Scholar Qian invited a matchmaker to speak of the proposal tomorrow!

She nodded: "Tomorrow I’ll bring Zhi with me to visit; this is an important matter after all." Chunliu acknowledged: "Then I’ll go inform First Young Madam."

The following day, she took Zhi back to the Tong Mansion. Upon entering, there was an atmosphere of joy. Nanny Qiu greeted her warmly, giving Xiqiu a bow, saying: "Sixth Lady has arrived; the matchmaker hasn’t come yet, they said auspicious time was set, two quarters of an hour more to go."

"A proposal has an auspicious time set?" Xiqiu spoke as she walked, it seemed the Qian Mansion, though not large, was quite particular.

Nanny Qiu, smiling broadly, appeared very happy: "...The rituals are well-rounded." Clearly satisfied with the Qian family.

Xiqiu raised her eyebrows slightly, and Nanny Qiu lowered her voice: "The old matron from their family came personally, and both the eldest and second brother will be here, even the uncle is coming..." Nearly the whole family was mobilized, taking the Tong Mansion’s match very seriously.

"That’s good; if they truly value this marriage, Eighth Sister won’t suffer once she’s wed." Xiqiu smiled and completed her thought, as they arrived in front of Madam Jiang’s courtyard. Turning to see Zhi being held by Mrs. Zhou, Xiqiu said: "Come down now. I warned you not to play around, now your legs are sore, aren’t they?"

Zhi sighed as he came down, shaking his head: "It’s because I haven’t played enough that my legs hurt." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Tongue-in-cheek reasoning, Xiqiu tapped Zhi’s forehead, holding his hand while walking in, Nanny Qiu watched Zhi straightening his legs and asked: "What’s wrong with Young Master’s legs?"

"The day before yesterday, we went to Puji Temple, he and some brothers fished in the river and even climbed trees...He was fine yesterday, but today he’s feeling it and complaining of leg pain."

"I have some ointment, later I’ll massage it for Young Master." Nanny Qiu looked at Zhi with concern, extending her hands: "Come, let Mommy carry you."

"Thank you, no need!" Zhi waved his hand, his small brow furrowed into a line: "Mother said a man must be brave, this little pain is nothing."

Nanny Qiu laughed, praising: "Our young master is truly sensible."

Zhi raised his head proudly, heading inside, where he saw Kun and Tong Xihua playing on the bed, he rushed over, and the three children squeezed together to play. Zhi also brought the Lu Ban Lock from the Grand Dowager, allowing Kun to try to unlock it, for he spent an entire day just to fully unlock it.

Xiqiu watched them play, then turned inside to wait for Madam Jiang. Shortly after sitting down with tea, Tong Xiyan walked in, snatched Xiqiu’s cup and drank it in one go. Xiqiu asked: "Where did you go, look at this sweat."

"Finally got a bit of free time." Tong Xiyan sat down, using a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, turning to Xiqiu with a sigh: "You have no idea how tired I’ve been these days."