"In the future, I'll be troubling Master Pi quite often," Mo Lixia said with a smile as she finished sketching the final lines on the woodblocks.
Printing didn't require as much intricate detail as fine carving. Though Lixia wanted to invite Master Pi for lunch, he held too strictly to the rules of master and servant, so she had to settle for having Xiqiu prepare a lavish meal for him instead. It took Master Pi an entire day, but by sunset, both blocks were finished.
Meanwhile, Lixia's own attempt at carving had only managed to finish the "head" of one figure.
Xiqiu had also finished sewing the cushions; all they needed now was the filling and the prints.
"Hongshang, did you get the fabric dyes?"
"They are ready, Miss."
"Good, watch closely as I do this. This will be your job in the future!" Lixia carefully painted the colors onto the woodblock. While cartoon designs didn't use many colors, the process was still painstaking. Once ready, they carefully pressed the block onto the flattened cushions.
The result was perfect. "Miss! I didn't think this would work so well," Xiqiu exclaimed. "It's so soft compared to embroidery, which can be quite stiff. If we could print whole bolts of fabric like this, wouldn't the dresses be even more beautiful?"
"For small items, it's great. For large bolts... that might be too much work for now," Lixia laughed, not quite ready to open a full-scale dye-works just yet.
The Prince and the Secret Guest
At the Prince Kang Manor, A'Mu was perched comfortably in Yi Junlan's lap, munching on beef.
Yi Junlan looked at the dark green cloak embroidered with white flowers—Lixia's cloak—which was folded neatly on his desk. He looked down at the chinchilla. "Little thing, you should go back... she must be worried, right?"
His voice was unusually gentle, even joyful. He stroked A'Mu's soft fur and pulled a delicate bracelet from a drawer. He hesitated for a long time before putting it back.
"With this broken body of mine," he whispered self-critically, "I cannot give her a stable life. Perhaps it's better if we remain strangers."
"Squeak!" A'Mu tilted its head.
"Go on now."
The Return of the "Hero"
As the first light of dawn broke, Lixia was nudged awake by something fuzzy. She opened her eyes to see A'Mu scurrying into her arms.
"You little thief! Where have you been? I was so worried about you!"
A'Mu let out a series of happy squeaks and pointed toward the bedside table, where a massive, thousand-year-old ginseng lay.
"Hmph, at least you brought back something good. I'll treat you to a feast today as a reward." Lixia hugged the creature, drifting back into a relieved sleep.
By the time she woke again, Xiqiu was standing at her door with the finished cushions. "Miss! They are incredible!"
Lixia inspected the final products. "They really are. Xiqiu, have the Steward deliver these to Princess Mutong and Miss Yang with my calling cards."
Late Autumn Updates
Time flew by, and suddenly, the Capital was draped in the colors of late autumn.
The Family: Mochen stayed at the academy as a resident student for the winter to avoid the cold commute. Meanwhile, Mo Zhanchen officially hired a matchmaker to begin the formal rites for his marriage to Leng Xue, aiming to wed before the New Year.
The Business: Kirin Pharmacy had hired a talented young physician named Dr. Hu. With Lixia's innovative management—including a "5-day work, 1-day off" rotation—the staff were highly motivated and the pharmacy was thriving.
The Rivalry: Thanks to the block-printing technique Lixia shared, Leng Xue's shop had become the trendsetter of the Capital. The rival shop across the street tried to imitate her, but they couldn't replicate the precision and softness of the printed designs.
Lixia spent her colder days in the study, finally mastering the ability to paint a decent plum blossom. But as A'Mu disappeared on another "secret mission," she couldn't help but wonder where her little friend was heading this time.