Zhao Liangcai, unable to tolerate his subordinate’s insolence, directly ordered the soldiers who had come to see him to carry him around his newly expanded home for a tour.
He inspected it thoroughly, from front to back, inside and out.
Upon returning to his and Qin Junyao’s bedroom, Zhao Liangcai’s expression was grim. Partly because his unshaven face felt cold, but more importantly, because there were now eight young men in the house.
He sat on a chair, watching Qin Junyao sleep soundly on the kang, and was tempted to wake her to ask what was going on.
Liu Yu, seeing Zhao Liangcai about to wake Qin Junyao, immediately intervened. "Master, Madam has been losing sleep every night caring for Miss. She's nearing her delivery date and is still worrying about the affairs of the estate. If you have anything to discuss, please wait until Madam wakes up."
Zhao Liangcai looked up at the composed Liu Yu and withdrew his hand.
This was Yao Yao’s head maid. He had wanted to say something to the maid outside the northwest city, but Yao Yao had stopped him. Now, this maid was preventing him from waking Yao Yao. It was truly a deep bond between mistress and servant.
"Then tell me, what has happened in the past year I was away?" Zhao Liangcai casually asked Liu Yu, fiddling with the corner of his clothes.
"Your servant will go and fetch Steward Sun to report to you," Liu Yu said, bowed to Zhao Liangcai, and turned to leave. She called Hua Qing and Hua Yun into a side room to look after Qin Junyao, and then went to find Steward Sun.
Liu Yu was happy that Zhao Liangcai had returned, but the master of the house, with his injured leg, seemed of little use.
"You’re saying those cotton clothes were made from cotton bought by Madam, and the spinning, weaving, dyeing, and tailoring were all done by hired villagers?" Zhao Liangcai repeated the steward’s words.
Steward Sun replied respectfully, "Yes. Madam also arranged for the refugees, preventing them from causing trouble. I heard that refugees in other places have started returning to the northwest city, but ours have not left."
"Why?"
"This winter is extremely cold. It would take them at least half a month to travel back to the northwest city, and there would inevitably be accidents on the road."
"Here, they have food, drink, and money to earn. They have firewood to burn when it's cold and doctors to see when they're sick. They all want to wait until spring next year when the weather warms up before returning."
"Master, in the spring, Madam led people to reclaim wasteland and plant wheat, yielding a total of..."
Zhao Liangcai gripped the armrests of his chair with force. He had already forgotten about the eight young men, his mind filled only with guilt.
He had assumed that the cotton clothes and grain were also prepared by "Qin Junyao's master." He never expected that Yao Yao had organized people to make them, starting from the spinning.
And then there was the reclaimed land, the harvested grain, stabilizing the refugees, expanding the Zhao family...
Xiao Langtou would take a longer nap every afternoon, and Qin Junyao took the opportunity to catch up on sleep during the day.
Today, she fell asleep with her daughter, but she woke up in Zhao Liangcai's arms.
The now-awake Qin Junyao’s first reaction was to check on her daughter, who was lying on her other side.
Zhao Liangcai tightened his arm. "Daughter is fine. You rest a bit longer."
"Yao Yao, thank you."
"Hmm?" Qin Junyao looked up, not understanding why Zhao Liangcai would suddenly thank her.
"Also, Yao Yao, I'm sorry."
Qin Junyao pulled her hands from Zhao Liangcai's embrace, cupped his face, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Liangcai took Qin Junyao's hands to his lips and kissed them, then drew her back into his arms and held her tightly. "Nothing."
He gently patted Qin Junyao's back, saying nothing more.
Qin Junyao listened to the beating of his heart beside her ear and felt the warmth surrounding her. She peacefully closed her eyes again in Zhao Liangcai's embrace.