Chapter 37: The Plan

After experiencing the first night of four people sharing a bed, Xiao Yao silently reflected. Putting aside the increasingly cramped feeling, everything else was quite tolerable.

She had always wondered why the beds in Yiyuan were larger than usual, and now she finally understood. The space needed for the mother-daughter duo to sleep comfortably could not be accommodated by an ordinary bed. Glancing at herself huddled in a corner and her third uncle sleeping at her feet, she deeply felt that it was time to call the carpenter for another visit.

When Yuan Yutong woke up, she sincerely apologized to Xiao Yao. “Ruyi is too restless. She pushed Ping An all the way to the wall. When she wakes up, I’ll surely scold her.”

“No need… I’m fine.” As a niece, how could she expose her aunt’s white lie? Pretend you never heard it. Xiao Yao got dressed with the help of the maids, then turned back to look at her younger sister, who was sleeping even more soundly than a little pig. She asked her aunt, “Should I wake her up?”

Yuan Yutong thought Xiao Yao wanted to play with her sister a bit before leaving. Considering that the two sisters wouldn’t meet again until the New Year, she gritted her teeth and prepared to use force to wake her daughter.

“Aunt, don’t wake her… just carry her as she is.”

Yuan Yutong embraced Xiao Yao affectionately. Girls are so considerate. After returning, she must persuade her husband to try for another daughter.

After breakfast, Xiao Jingmin and his wife bid farewell to the family one by one. Wrapped in a blanket, Xiao Yuan woke up at that moment. Seeing the sunlight and blue sky, she waved her tiny hands excitedly.

Unaware of the impending farewell, the carefree little girl greeted everyone she knew with cheerful babbling.

“Having the sisters together is such a joy. Can you bear to separate them?” General Xiao, reluctant to part with his chubby granddaughter, regretted agreeing to let them take the child away the previous day.

“Well then, how about I take both of them?” Xiao Jingmin recklessly suggested.

“You’re not satisfied with taking one granddaughter? Now you want both? Someone fetch my military rod!”

“No, no! I was just joking, just joking!”

“Third Brother, let me tell you, Ping An is Father’s precious heart, just as Fourth Brother is Mother’s. She’s not to be spoken of lightly, let alone touched.”

Xiao Jingtai wore an expression of concern, implying that not heeding his warning would lead to serious consequences.

Regardless of the reluctance, it was time to depart. What had to be done must be done.

Xiao Yuan cheerfully pointed at the carriage, turning back to her sister, summoning her with repeated “Ah, ah” sounds. Xiao Yao, lying on Tong Mingyu’s shoulder, couldn’t stop her tears from falling. She quickly buried her face in her mother’s neck, her little body trembling but refusing to cry out loud.

General Xiao restrained his urge to snatch back his little granddaughter, looking toward Xiao Yao with a pained expression. He suppressed his frustration and eventually roared at the coachman. “Didn’t I say it’s time to go? Why are you dawdling? Hurry, go, go!”

His roar frightened everyone. The coachman, not daring to let the reluctant family linger any longer, snapped his whip and swiftly drove the carriage away.

Xiao Jingkang gently patted his daughter’s back, wondering how long it would take for her to regain her cheerfulness. Her brothers also felt heartache, even Xiao Yang looking back repeatedly, unwilling to leave.

“Leave, all of you! Seeing you just annoys me!” At this point, General Xiao was furious at everyone, finding fault with anyone he saw. Helpless, his sons and grandsons quickened their pace, knowing it was wise to avoid him for now. Within moments, all the men in the household had dispersed.

“Ping An, shall Grandpa take you to see the lambs?” General Xiao used the gentlest tone he’d ever spoken to coax his granddaughter.

Xiao Yao, feeling low, wasn’t interested in anything. But seeing her grandfather’s worried expression, she couldn’t bear to refuse. She spread her arms and threw herself into the embrace of her grandfather, who smelled of the outdoors.

“Let’s go see the lambs,” Xiao Yao said softly, forcing a smile.

“Today, Grandpa will do nothing else but accompany Ping An.”

General Xiao let his granddaughter sit on his shoulders, putting away his dark mood. Now that he no longer had to attend court daily, he had plenty of time.

“Father, let the maids carry Ping An. How can you let her sit on your shoulders!” Tong Mingyu was frightened out of her wits. Ping An wasn’t just a precious heart; she was practically the apple of everyone’s eye!

“You all do what you need to do. Don’t block our way.” General Xiao bypassed his two daughters-in-law, striding off proudly with his little granddaughter on his shoulders.

“Sister-in-law, I’ve decided to rely on Ping An as my backing from now on.”

Although the backing was small now, it had an aura too strong to ignore.

Who in the family dared to sit on Father’s shoulders? Yet Ping An could, and she made him smile from ear to ear.

Tong Mingyu worried that if this continued, her daughter might grow up spoiled and willful. By the New Year, Ping An would be two years old, old enough to start learning a few things. She decided it was time to introduce simple lessons like the Three Character Classic and Thousand Character Text, along with basic etiquette expected of young ladies.

While she didn’t hope her daughter would become a celebrated figure in the capital, she wanted Ping An to grow into a kind and well-mannered person.

Raising boys and girls was entirely different. The household had seen one boy after another, all healthy and robust. They started martial arts at three and formal education at five, following a strict routine. Ping An, being the first girl in three generations, required special consideration. Reading, writing, embroidery, cooking, and traditional arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—all these needed careful planning.

Although Ping An was still little, Tong Mingyu began organizing her thoughts to prepare for her daughter’s future.

Li Jiaoying, who had no daughter to fret over, wasn’t any less occupied. Now that her mother-in-law had recovered and the Fang family issue was resolved, was it finally time to focus on fashion and self-care?

Making a new set of auspicious clothes for her mother-in-law to dispel bad luck; designing new, trendy jewelry sets for herself and her sister-in-law; embroidering new cloaks for the men with refined patterns—most importantly, dressing up their family’s little treasure even more beautifully. Yes, she would do just that!

The sisters-in-law returned to the backyard, each lost in her thoughts. Despite her concerns about her daughter, Tong Mingyu prioritized household matters, while Li Jiaoying retreated to Qingyuan, contemplating where to start.

The grandparent-grandchild duo not only admired lambs and calves but also touched deer and rabbits. The cows and sheep brought from afar gradually adapted to their new environment, with milk from both already served at the dining table.

Unfortunately, the family wasn’t particularly fond of milk. Xiao Yao, however, happily drank a small cup of milk twice a day. Xiao Jingkang, having consulted Imperial Physician Sun in secret, was assured it was harmless and allowed his daughter to consume it with peace of mind.

The boys had to drink a bowl of milk daily, which made Xiao Yang and Xiao Jun wrinkle their brows as if drinking medicine. The brothers, united in suffering, approached dinnertime with dread as if heading to an execution. Most of the goat milk went to the soldiers General Xiao brought back, as its strong flavor deterred the family.

Xiao Yao worried these people might crave lamb after drinking the goat milk. She dreamed of using goat milk for beauty treatments, like facial washes or even baths.

One day, she thought, she’d share a milk bath with her beauty-loving second aunt. What a wonderful experience that would be!

So today, she acted extra fond of the dairy goats, hoping her grandfather would keep more of them around for her future plans.

Ah, she was still too young! If she were four or five, she could direct the kitchen to make desserts, dishes, or soft, fluffy cakes with milk. But for now, these ideas had to remain hidden. Otherwise, she might be seen as a little monster.

When she learned to read, she could claim to have read about these things or heard them from someone else. Novels always described it this way, didn’t they?