Transmigrated Genius: Fragile Heiress Reigns Supreme-Chapter 674 - 676: Show of Force (Part 4)

Fourth Master Xiao responded with a hum, naturally placing his hand on her swollen belly, Xiqiu asked, "I haven’t gone out these days, has anything happened in the Capital? Please, Fourth Master, tell me as well."

"Everything’s quite peaceful recently." Fourth Master Xiao replied with a smile, "Mr. Bao has been promoted to Vice Minister of Riverway and wrote back, also sent many specialties from Wei Hui Prefecture."

She had heard about Mr. Bao from Fourth Master Xiao, who was initially an advisor for Xiao Yanyi and later recommended to the Ministry of Industry. Unexpectedly, in such a short time, the Emperor not only entrusted him with heavy responsibilities but also promoted him repeatedly, suggesting that this person indeed has some capability.

"What else?" Xiqiu tilted her head, looking at Fourth Master Xiao.

Fourth Master Xiao thought for a moment, then shook his head with an honest expression, "There’re matters of the court, what does madam want to hear?"

Surely about the Marquis Mansion matters... Xiqiu just wanted to speak but suddenly hunched over with a gasp, holding her belly. Fourth Master Xiao immediately sat up, intensely worried as he looked at her, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Xiqiu, fearing she might have frightened him, quickly waved her hand, "It’s him." She pointed at her belly, "Just kicked me from inside."

Fourth Master Xiao’s expression eased, upon hearing this from Xiqiu, his facial emotions became quite complex. Looking intently at her round belly as she lifted the quilt, he stammered, "He... kicked you?" in disbelief.

Seeing his reaction, Xiqiu couldn’t help but laugh, "Yes. Seems like it’s that time already." Saying this, she gently stroked her belly and took Fourth Master Xiao’s hand, "Fourth Master, give it a try."

Somewhat hesitantly, Fourth Master Xiao placed his hand on her belly; his eyebrows raised high, feeling all his senses concentrating on his hand. Xiqiu asked softly, "Can you feel it?"

Fourth Master Xiao shook his head, Xiqiu spoke smilingly to her belly, "Baby, this is daddy, daddy, say hello, won’t you?"

Fourth Master Xiao, with a rigid expression, coughed awkwardly.

At that moment, something under his palm seemed to press gently... startling him and making his eyes widen as he glanced at Xiqiu. Xiqiu laughed, "What kind of expression is that, Fourth Master? As if you’re startled."

"It actually moved?!" Fourth Master Xiao was indeed startled; he explored Xiqiu’s belly further, asking, "Why did it stop moving?"

Xiqiu laughed, "Maybe it’s tired, probably asleep again now."

Fourth Master Xiao furrowed his brows, still unwilling, he kept touching around, but the belly returned to calm, he sighed and covered her up again, seriously asking Xiqiu, "When will it move again next time?"

"I don’t know." Xiqiu replied with a smile, "But this was its first movement, from now on it will become more frequent."

Fourth Master Xiao appeared dazed yet somewhat delighted, Xiqiu leaned there, speaking softly with her belly. Fourth Master Xiao embraced her, asking, "Can he hear?"

"Of course." Xiqiu nodded, pulling Fourth Master Xiao with her, "Fourth Master, talk to him, the baby can hear."

"Me?"

The always composed and stern Grand Commander Xiao for the first time showed an expression of confusion. Xiqiu found it amusing, resting on his shoulder laughing for a good while, "Fourth Master is his father, the baby often hears his father’s voice, it will make his personality more perfect after birth." Encouragingly looking at him, "Give it a try, Fourth Master."

Fourth Master Xiao looked utterly embarrassed, coughing non-stop, staring at the belly for quite some time, as if mustering courage, "Well..." but then couldn’t continue.

Xiqiu laughed so hard she had no strength left, leaning against the bedhead watching Fourth Master Xiao, appreciating his rare awkwardness. Though Fourth Master Xiao did not turn his head as he got out of bed, Xiqiu asked puzzledly as she watched him, "Where is Fourth Master going?"

Fourth Master Xiao rummaged through things on the table, finally pulling out Min’s book, a copy of the "Three Character Classic," he got back on the bed, flipping open the first page of it, Xiqiu then understood, this first-time father didn’t really know what to say to the child, but wanted to say something, after racking his brain, he thought of reciting the Three Character Classic as a solution.

Fourth Master Xiao held the book solemnly, and started reading the "Three Character Classic" earnestly toward Xiqiu’s belly.

The next morning, when Xiqiu got up, Chunliu whispered to Xiqiu, "Fourth Master didn’t sleep all night." Hearing this, Xiqiu raised an eyebrow, Chunliu added, "According to Tiancheng, he has been writing in the study all along, even in the morning the room was littered with discarded paper."

Xiqiu speculated, and as Fourth Master Xiao and Min came in to have breakfast, she glanced at Fourth Master Xiao out of the corner of her eyes, noticing he seemed quite spirited, smiling faintly, looking much better than the previously tense and gloomy past few days, could it be that last night’s little father-child interaction, kept him so elated up till now?

After breakfast, Fourth Master Xiao went out, Tiancheng escorted Min to the Marquis Mansion, and the doorman came to report, "The First Young Madam and Fourth Aunt are here from the other family."

Madam Jiang and Tong Xiyan had arrived.

Hearing this, Xiqiu was full of joy, hastily instructing Bihuai and Nanny Cen to personally welcome them in, Madam Jiang was full-term and more plump compared to before, Tong Xiyan walked beside her, looking quite well too, followed by a daughter-in-law holding a swaddled baby, amidst serving girls and older women, they crossed through the hall.

Xiqiu stood at the door, smiling as she said, "It’s so cold, why did you bring Kun today?"

"Missing you for a long time, we wanted to come see you." Madam Jiang laughed, approaching and taking Xiqiu’s hand, looking her up and down, "You look great, how come you haven’t gained weight, have you been eating less?"

"Oh no, aside from sleeping I am always eating throughout the day, but for some reason, I just don’t gain any weight." Saying this, she invited both of them inside the Warm Pavilion, "Fourth Sister, you haven’t come to see me these days either."

"Year-end business at the shop was very busy, one shop took on many orders, and another just got its counters set up and hired a dozen embroideresses, preparing to open on the fifteenth, so even though I missed you, I just couldn’t find the time!"

The three of them sat on the heated brick bed, Xiqiu said, "Seems business at the shop is quite good to be like this." Then looking at Madam Jiang, "I didn’t expect our Fourth Miss to have quite some business acumen."

Hearing this, Madam Jiang covered her face and laughed, "Indeed, I’ve gotten several hundred taels in year-end dividends myself." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Xiqiu chuckled, her eyes landing on chubby little Kun in the blanket, as he was blowing bubbles and curious eyes darting around, she couldn’t help but pinch his little cheek fondly, "This nose and brows are more and more like eldest brother’s." Tong Xiyan, nodding with laughter, teased, "But much cuter than eldest brother!"

All three of them laughed.

However, little Kun burst into tears, Madam Jiang quickly had the nurse take him to the green gauze cabinet at the back to be fed, Tong Xiyan looked at Xiqiu, "Has Third Sister not come to see you?"

Xiqiu paused hearing this, shaking her head, "The mansion hasn’t entertained guests for a long while, did something happen?"

Tong Xiyan glanced at Madam Jiang, smiled, and said, "Heard Count Wujin was reprimanded by the Emperor again." Xiqiu was taken aback, and Tong Xiyan continued, "... Earlier someone was beaten to death at Drunken Immortal Pavilion, later it was verified that a lackey mistakenly killed a person, after more than half a year, the other party somehow caught something against Ren Jun, claiming he privately opened a salt mine in Liaodong... directly approached accusing The Princely Heir Shen’s horseback in East Street, in front of the whole city’s people, accused Ren Jun of playing with human life, alleged the Count’s inadequate parenting, accused Wujin Bo Mansion of corrupt practices and private salt mining." Then paused, "Even the concubine snatched previously turned and accused, pointing out that it was Ren Jun’s forceful abduction of a civilian woman, and not a mistaken kill by the lackey."

Such serious issues, she remembered the last time when someone mentioned someone was beaten to death at Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Tong Xiyang implied her help back then, and later it was left unsettled, why drag it out again now to talk about? If the indictment holds, Ren Jun’s charge is not minor.

She furrowed her brows and asked Tong Xiyan, "Why is there a salt mine issue too?"

"I am not sure either." Tong Xiyan shook her head, "The address was even provided, should be no lie, brother-in-law Ren is indeed a man of great skill and daring, even daring to clandestinely mine a salt mine."

Xiqiu remained silent, a salt mine is not just a roadside puddle, one doesn’t just come across it, besides, with Ren Jun’s capability and daring, he wouldn’t do such a thing. She couldn’t help but think of Prince Rong, is it possible that this salt mine is exactly the same salt mine in Prince Rong’s possession?

Somehow, she started feeling somewhat uneasy internally.

Just then, Tianjing rushed in, speaking behind the curtain, "Madam, Chief Duan from the palace has come, conveying an oral decree from the Empress Dowager, asking Madam to enter the palace at 7 a.m. tomorrow."

Xiqiu’s expression changed, as did Madam Jiang’s and Tong Xiyan’s, both appeared solemn.