Zhang Zhaoci came to deliver medicine to the old lady and took her pulse while she was there. She wanted to revise the prescription. When she heard the old lady asking about her son, Bai Ge'er, she smiled and said, "He insisted on taking the medicine with Xiao Jiu to the school. When Xiao Jiu was about to leave, he clung to his sister's leg and wouldn't get down. Granny Lu had no choice but to take him with her to the girls' school."

The school prepared by the manor for the young ladies was located in a courtyard next to the manor's garden. Whether it was music, chess, calligraphy, painting, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, or incense ceremony, all classes were held in this courtyard.

The old lady smiled and said, "I miss Bai Ge'er every day I don't see him. I really don't know what I'll do when I miss him after you go back to Hexi."

Zhang Zhaoci said, "Can our Third Master stay in Hexi forever? He's getting excellent grades every year now, and with his good cooperation with Prince Wei this time, he'll probably get promoted. Then we can come back with him."

When Zhang Zhaoci returned, she told Granny Lu, "The old lady is just a tough-looking but soft-hearted person. She does good deeds but doesn't let others know."

Granny Lu sighed and said, "With so many descendants, how can we take care of them all? It's just that your family is good at making money and doesn't care much. The men in the mansion live off their meager allowances. You may not care because it's not much money, but maybe other families don't think that way?"

Zhang Zhaoci said, "A tree grows big and branches out, and people grow big and separate. I just don't understand why these noble families like to live together as a large family. Once they separate, each family can manage their share of the property well. Whether they live well or not depends on their own abilities. Why should the whole family just stay together like this?"

Granny Lu said, "Our household is considered good. The old lady made the decision to separate several of the older generation's illegitimate sons, as well as several old masters of the same generation as the old lady. In other families, several generations would live in the same courtyard."

Zhang Zhaoci said, "With more people, there are more disputes; with more disputes, there are more conflicts. How deep must the feelings be to be worth wasting them like this?"

Upon hearing this, Granny Lu chuckled and said, "The old lady is only doing this because the eldest and second masters of our household are brothers. When the old lady passes away, the second master will also be separated from his family."

Zhang Zhaoci said, "When that time comes, we will also be separated from the family. Living like this, we always feel that this courtyard is not our own home. Who knows when we will be kicked out? Moreover, if we want to put something we like in the courtyard, we have to think carefully. We are not free at all."

Granny Lu said, "Although it's not free, many people still like to live with the backing of a large family. At least with so many people living together, outsiders know that they come from a noble family and won't be bullied."

Zhang Zhaoci nodded and said, "That's really the case. I just hope that our Third Master can do well in his official career and be promoted in the future, and that our Eldest Young Master can pass the imperial examinations smoothly and be as successful as his father in the future."

When Xu Zhi returned from school at noon, Xu Bai, who was busy causing trouble in the backyard, quickly came out to greet his older sister.

After returning to the Marquis's residence, Xu Bai, being young, lived with Zhang Zhaoci in the backyard. Going out for a stroll was out of the question. With nowhere to vent his boundless energy, Xu Bai would stomp around in the yard, damaging some of the flowers and plants in the garden. After Zhang Zhaoci gave him a stern scolding, Xu Bai, accompanied by Qingmiao, took a small shovel and dug holes in every inch of the backyard. Zhang Zhaoci knew that the child was just trying to unleash his energy, so he let him be. After all, it was in his own yard, so it didn't matter if he caused any damage.

When Xu Bai saw Xu Zhi return, he called out "Sister" from a distance and rushed over like a cannonball. Xu Zhi quickly crouched down slightly and lowered her center of gravity to avoid being knocked to the ground by her younger brother.

Xu Bai bumped into his sister's arms and said sweetly, "Sister, I missed you so much."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Xu Bai's forehead, saying, "I've been thinking about you all morning too. Come on, tell me what you've been doing all morning?"

Xu Bai pointed to the small shovel he had thrown on the ground and said, "Plant crops, just like my brother."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi smiled and said, "Little brother is really amazing. You're so young and you already want to plant crops. Come on, let's wash our hands first, have a good rest after lunch, and then continue working in the afternoon, okay?"

Xu Bai's big eyes curved into two crescent moons with laughter. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll listen to my sister."

Xu Zhi pulled Xu Bai into the house, where Zhang Zhaoci and Granny Lu were busy cooking in the small kitchen.

After Zhang Zhaoci returned, he tidied up the small kitchen in the courtyard. He bought everything in the kitchen himself. Later, Ning Shi saw that this was not good, so she discussed it with Zhang Zhaoci. The third branch of the family would follow the ration of three meals a day, with the main kitchen delivering ingredients every day and firewood every ten days. As for oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar, Zhang Zhaoci could buy them himself if he wanted, or he could get them from the main kitchen if he didn't want to. It was all according to Zhang Zhaoci's own wishes.

Ning knew that Zhang Zhaoci was not short of money. Originally, Ning looked down on Zhang Zhaoci's background, thinking that the Zhang family had fled to the south. It wasn't until Xu Rao took the whole family to Hexi that Ning realized that her sister-in-law, who usually didn't show off, was actually a wealthy person. Moreover, Ning knew that the old lady had secretly subsidized her, but that was the old lady's own money. When she handed over the family to Ning, the old lady made it very clear that whatever was handed over to Ning belonged to the Marquis's family, and what she kept was her own. She could spend her own money however she wanted, and no one in the mansion could say anything.

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