The tour was over, and it was already dark when they returned.
The order list they had placed at the workshop had arrived at the prince's manor even earlier than them. Now, Zhao Jiaqi's eyes were so wide with joy looking at the shopping list that her mouth couldn't close.
When Fan Zehao entered the house, he saw his wife sitting in a chair, giggling foolishly. Her happiness was like a child who had just received candy.
"What good news has you grinning like this!"
Zhao Jiaqi looked up and saw him return. She handed him the list that her foster father had sent over: "These two princes have finally opened their wallets. They've bought quite a lot this time. Take a look."
Now, Fan Zehao understood his wife's beaming smile. Nothing made her happier than making money.
He glanced briefly at the list. It was densely filled with goods and quantities. Before he could even read it carefully, he was stunned by the items on it.
"How come they've ordered tens of thousands of bolts of silk? Don't they produce it themselves?"
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head. How would she know? She hadn't been to Dingbei Liao or Xuanyuan Kingdom. However, looking at the clothes the people in Xuanyuan Kingdom wore, they were made of coarse, purely hand-woven cloth. It would certainly not be as comfortable to wear as fine silk.
"However, when these fabrics are transported, we should remind these two princes that the fabric is afraid of rain. The plum rain season hasn't arrived yet, so they should transport it as soon as possible."
Speaking of this topic, Zhao Jiaqi casually wrote a letter, informing her foster father to rush the production of the silk ordered by these two first.
During the plum rain season, the rain would fall incessantly. It felt as if one was wearing a wet cloth, damp and uncomfortable.
The next day.
He Lian Jinli, Bai Li Fengge, and Yu Meng agreed to go hunting in the mountains and spar a few rounds. The three of them bid farewell to Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao and rode out with their guards.
As soon as the children left, Fan Zehao felt a bit melancholic.
Looking at their receding figures, he said, "Jinli still has designs on our daughter, but I've noticed Bai Li Fengge seems to be subtly flirting with our daughter too?"
Zhao Jiaqi looked up at the melancholic man. She calmly withdrew her gaze: "What's the use of flirting? If our daughter isn't interested, no amount of flirting will help. Besides, I don't plan on letting my daughter marry far away."
If one married far away, she wouldn't see her even once a year. Especially now that Jun Jun was pregnant, and judging by the timing, she would be giving birth soon.
Her own daughter was about to give birth, and she was here busy entertaining two princes.
"Husband, quickly send these two gentlemen away, and we'll prepare to set off to see little Jun Jun. Giving birth for a woman is like braving the gates of hell."
Zhao Jiaqi saw that no one was in sight and turned back. As she walked, she said, "If they make it through, they've survived. If not, they'll be reincarnated again."
Fan Zehao listened to his wife's constant chatter and couldn't help but chime in: "Since you know it's so dangerous, why did you have three children in the first place? You're quite bold."
Speaking of having three children, Zhao Jiaqi stopped and glared at him fiercely.
She hadn't been careful when she was pregnant with their third child, which led to a miscarriage, making it difficult for her to conceive again. This was a deep wound for her.
It was better not to mention it. Now that it was brought up, her heart ached as if it were bleeding.
Fan Zehao saw his wife's expression change instantly. Knowing he had said the wrong thing, he quickly changed the subject: "What should we, as parents, prepare for Jun Jun's childbirth?"
"A gold necklace? Or a gold lock?"
He followed his wife, walking alongside her into the courtyard, and occasionally whispered in her ear: "Or how about we make a necklace for the baby with a diamond? That thing is brilliant and quite beautiful."
Zhao Jiaqi furrowed her brows and pinched his waist fiercely: "Diamonds are very hard. They're suitable for making jewelry for adults, but who would give such a thing to a newborn? Are you an idiot?"
He dodged his wife's hand, looking wronged, and muttered in a low voice: "You said that in modern times, diamonds are more expensive than gold. I just wanted to give the best to the child. I didn't think that much."
His words silenced Zhao Jiaqi. She rolled her eyes and decided it was more likely for the sun to rise from the west than for him to suddenly have a brilliant idea.
Back in the room, they began to discuss what to prepare for the baby. When Pingtìng arrived, they were arguing about whether to prepare banknotes or gold.
"Jun Jun is having a baby, why are you two so anxious?" Pingtìng sat down and looked at the two bickering, puzzled: "Zong Han is a devoted husband, how could he not have prepared everything for his wife? You guys, just bring some novelty items."
"The imperial palace of Zongsheng Kingdom is not a poor place. Zong Han has plenty of money and gold. On the contrary, he'll be very happy if you two go. What else is there to bring?"
Zhao Jiaqi thought this made sense, but it would look bad if she and her husband went empty-handed to their daughter's childbirth.
After much thought, she decided to bring some rare items, some local specialties, and also make a pile of gold locks and gold bracelets for the baby, inlaid with jade.
Zhao Jiaqi then called a few skilled embroiderers and personally designed several styles of dresses, asking the embroiderers to rush them overnight.
When Pingtìng saw the baby clothes her sister-in-law designed, with their childlike tiger patterns, she was utterly smitten.
"Sister-in-law, you're too biased. You designed several styles without batting an eye for Jun Jun's baby, but you weren't this meticulous when I had my children."
Zhao Jiaqi snatched the drawing and said crossly: "If I were heartless, I wouldn't have bothered with you during your childbirth, worrying about you and your child."
Pingtìng chuckled sheepishly, feigning ignorance: "Heh heh, sister-in-law, when are you and my brother going to Zongsheng? I'll go with my husband then. How can an aunt and uncle not go to their niece's childbirth?"
"You say that nicely, but you just want to go out and play!" Zhao Jiaqi saw through her immediately: "Let's not talk about going to Zongsheng yet. Have you written the articles for the teahouse in the capital?"
Pingtìng nodded repeatedly: "I've finished them and sent them to someone. I've also received the remaining banknotes. However, the owner wants me to write a few more, saying that 'The Legend of the White Snake' is selling very well in the capital."
Seeing that Pingtìng had no intention of leaving, Fan Zehao got up to leave, thinking of going to the storeroom to select some toys for the baby.
He would also find some of the clothes his three children wore when they were young. It was said that wearing clothes from a hundred families brought blessings from a hundred families, leading to fewer illnesses and disasters.
He spent the morning rummaging through the storeroom, while Zhao Jiaqi and Pingtìng listed items in the room. Before they knew it, both sheets of paper were filled with things to bring. Zhao Jiaqi couldn't help but chuckle when she saw it.
"We agreed to bring less, but we still couldn't resist."
The smile on Pingtìng's face was not as bright as before. Instead, it was tinged with a hint of melancholy: "Sister-in-law, you're already so worried about marrying off one daughter. I have four daughters. If I marry them all off, I suddenly feel so empty around me."
Zhao Jiaqi: ......
She felt that the direction of this conversation was not right.
"What do you mean? Are you thinking of having another child?"