For the first ti, she saw an expression of helplessness on his face, and Xiqiu couldn’t help but laugh.
Fourth Master Xiao was stunned for a mont before replying, "Did he poop?" He could sll the odor.
Xiqiu propped herself up to sit, reaching out with a smile, "Let take a look." Fourth Master Xiao cautiously placed the swaddling clothes down, and as Xiqiu opened them, a distinct sll wafted out. She laughed, "He certainly did poop." However, she didn’t intend to call the wet nurse in, instead, she said to Fourth Master Xiao, "Fourth Master, please get the diapers and Zhi’s underclothes from the cabinet."
Fourth Master Xiao had a peculiar expression, but he nodded and went to the cabinet. Xiqiu had earlier instructed that Zhi’s items be placed separately, almost pre-arranged. Thus, without much effort, he retrieved them. By then, Xiqiu had removed Zhi’s clothes and placed the diaper with green poop on the chair by the bed.
Fourth Master Xiao stood by the bed with hands lowered, watching her. Xiqiu looked up, "Fourth Master, help hold his feet up." She struggled to figure out how to secure the diaper properly.
"?" Fourth Master Xiao hesitated for a mont, then went ahead to hold the child’s little feet up in his hands.
The couple clumsily changed the child’s diaper.
After much effort, Xiqiu, sweating all over, finished the task, leaving the room in a ss.
Fourth Master Xiao frowned, "Let them handle it." Saying this, he lifted the curtain and went outside. Shortly after, Bihuai brought in a basin and cleaned everything up. Only then did Fourth Master Xiao re-enter with his hands behind his back. Seeing his amusent, Xiqiu laughed even more rrily. Fourth Master Xiao walked to the bedside, pinched Xiqiu’s nose, and said, "When Min was little, I was away. By the ti I returned, he was already running around and I had never held such a small child." There was a trace of helplessness in his tone.
Xiqiu recalled that when he sent Min to the Tong Mansion, he carried him like a parcel.
"No one is born knowing how to do this," Xiqiu replied with a smile, "I’m learning to be a mother just like you, Fourth Master..."
Fourth Master Xiao looked at the sweetly sleeping little Zhi. The tiny face with long brows made his heart lt, turning soft... Even though his heart was full of joy, doing these tasks was not easy, causing Fourth Master Xiao to sigh.
Feeling sowhat exhausted, Xiqiu leaned back against the pillow. Fourth Master Xiao helped tuck her in with a low voice, "Have so rest." Xiqiu nodded, rembering that Fourth Master Xiao hadn’t slept well the night before, she suggested, "Why don’t you nap here as well, Fourth Master?"
Tomorrow is the bathing ceremony, attended by only the won, and he’d have to be "shooed out" again. Xiqiu wanted him to spend more ti with the child.
Fourth Master Xiao hesitated a mont then got up to take off his outer garnts and lay on the other side of little Zhi, the couple smiling at each other across the swaddling bundle. Xiqiu softly said, "These days, you’ll have to endure so discomfort."
He would have to sleep in the outer courtyard all this while.
Fourth Master Xiao didn’t speak, but turned over, testing the size of the bed. Xiqiu then asked, "I haven’t asked about Lyuzhu, have you found her yet?"
"No." Fourth Master Xiao frowned, indicating unwillingness to talk more about Xiao Yancheng’s affairs. Still, Xiqiu inquired so more about Xiao Yancheng, and Fourth Master Xiao slowly recounted the happenings in Miaojiang to her. After listening, Xiqiu was a bit surprised and asked, "...So Fourth Master promised Third Brother to have Naduo included in the family register?" The heart she had just set down lifted again: "Have you discussed this with the Emperor?"
Fourth Master Xiao hesitated, raised his hand to touch little Zhi’s face, and responded, "Today, I brought it up briefly." After so thought, he looked at Xiqiu and said, "I haven’t discussed it with Mother yet... It’s impossible for her to be included in the Xiao family register, as it’s neither legitimate nor proper. However, there’s another way."
Upon hearing this, Xiqiu’s eyes lit up, "Is Fourth Master planning to have Third Brother adopted out, or establish a separate household?"
Fourth Master Xiao gave her an approving glance, indeed nodding, "The Emperor’s idea was that since I promised him, given that he is a descendant of the Xiao family, establishing a separate register wouldn’t exclude her entirely, leaving adoption as the only option..." Such a roundabout solution, he was left with no choice. Even if he agreed, it would be difficult to explain to the Emperor. Moreover, in the history of Great Zhou, no family register has ever included a concubine, let alone a woman from a foreign tribe.
Great Zhou prohibits intermarriage between the Han and Miao peoples.
Xiqiu sighed, understanding Fourth Master Xiao’s feelings, realizing that regardless of Xiao Yancheng’s status, he was still of the Old Marquis’s bloodline... Adopting out or designating a long-deceased family mber to include Naduo as a first wife in the register is not impossible, though not on the Marquis Xuanning’s family register, it would not entirely betray his promise.
This would also fall within limits the Emperor could permit.
However, Xiqiu thought that in Xiao Yancheng’s case, it wouldn’t be excessive to expel him from the family, which didn’t seem unreasonable.
"Then perhaps you should discuss it with Mother later." Xiqiu gently said. Fourth Master Xiao nodded upon hearing, and they spoke of other matters, and Xiqiu didn’t know when she fell asleep. When she awoke with a start, both the father and son were nowhere to be seen. She scanned the room with her eyes, spotting Fourth Master Xiao holding Zhi while pacing the room. She bead, "Has he been crying again?"
"He woke up." Fourth Master Xiao walked to the bedside, "He just fed and spit so up, I’m afraid if he falls asleep he might spit up again, so I’m holding him to help him digest."
Xiqiu laughed hearing this, beckoning Fourth Master Xiao over. He raised an eyebrow and walked over, while Xiqiu wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, smiling, "People say fathers don’t hold their children, but Fourth Master is such a doting father, a rarity in the world." Her tone was teasing.
Fourth Master Xiao lightly frowned, "You’re being cheeky!" But a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Xiqiu lay down, kissed little Zhi’s face, and mumbled, "Why didn’t he cry for if he was hungry!" She was hoping to feed him more.
"What did you say?" Fourth Master Xiao didn’t catch what she said, so he asked her to repeat. Xiqiu rolled her eyes and replied, "I said what I said is entirely true."
Fourth Master Xiao was amused by her playful attitude.
Outside the door, Chunliu, hearing voices inside, lifted the curtain and ca in. Seeing her, Xiqiu frowned and asked, "When did you co back? Is there sothing at that end, what did Sister-in-law say?"
Chunliu had a solemn expression and after thinking, replied, "...It’s Lady, I’m afraid she won’t make it."
Xiqiu was taken aback and exchanged a look with Fourth Master Xiao. Although Lady’s health had never been good, her condition was stable. Even Ruan Jingliu had said that as long as she took care of herself, nothing would happen for a couple of years. How could things suddenly worsen like this? Xiqiu pondered and asked, "How... could this have happened? Do you know the reason?"
"When I got there, the household was in chaos..." Chunliu began, then paused, "I thought to share the good news, so I went to First Young Madam’s room. She wasn’t there, so I waited in the courtyard for a while and overheard the young maids talking... talking about you."
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