The Fifth Lady took the menu without even looking at it and said with a smile, "Just do as Third Sister-in-law wants!"

The third lady smiled.

The Fifth Lady came over and took Eleventh Lady's hand: "Fourth Sister-in-law, please do some needlework for your nephew when you have time!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and looked at her belly: "As long as you don't mind my poor cooking skills."

The Fifth Lady smiled and said, "Even someone as knowledgeable as Mother thinks that Fourth Sister-in-law is good at sewing, let alone me."

The third wife smiled and asked, "What did the fourth sister-in-law make for mother? Why didn't you show it to me to broaden my horizons?"

The lady's undergarments, let alone those that were not finished, even if they were finished, it would be impossible for them to be shown off.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Some small things, not worth mentioning."

The third lady was about to ask more questions when Wei Zi lifted the curtain and came out of the inner room. She smiled and bowed to the three of them: "Madam, please come in, ladies!"

The three of them stopped joking and followed in one after another to pay their respects to the lady.

The lady then asked about the Third Lady's sacrifice on the first day of October.

"Don't worry, mother." The Third Lady smiled and said, "Everything is ready. Winter clothes for the maids will be distributed on the sixth day of the first lunar month." She then apologized to the Eleventh Lady, "There are many people in the mansion, so we started making winter clothes in July. We don't know how many people will come as dowry from Fourth Brother's wife. So we didn't make winter clothes for your room. But I will give you some money as compensation."

What did she want the silver for? Could she take the silver and not give clothes to the maids and servants in the house? Besides, she saw the maids and servants in Xu's house dressed in the same clothes, except for the first-class maids in each room and respectable mothers like Mama Du. How could the maids and servants in her house be an exception?

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "They always need to wear clothes. Third sister-in-law, you don't need to give me money. Just ask the sewing room to mend their clothes."

The lady nodded slightly and said, "Just make it before the New Year."

"Yes." The third lady nodded quickly after hearing this.

After returning to her room, Shiyi Niang called Mother Tao to ask, "When I was at my mother's house, the head maids and respectable maids had four sets of clothes every year, and the others had two sets of clothes every year. What is the rule in the Xu Mansion?"

Mother Tao smiled and said, "The head maids and respectable mothers have eight sets of clothes every year, and the others have four sets. Because there are so many people, spring clothes are made in winter, and summer clothes are made in spring. On the sixth day of March, they change to spring clothes, on the sixth day of May, they change to summer clothes, on the sixth day of September, they change to autumn clothes, and on the sixth day of October, they change to winter clothes. They all follow the rules of the palace, but they are two days later than the palace."

Eleventh Lady nodded, but in her heart she was grateful that the Madam didn't let her take charge of the household chores as soon as she entered the house. Otherwise, she would have to worry about all these little things.

Mother Tao told her a lot of rules in the Xu Mansion. It was said that they were basically the same as those in the palace, but not as grand and the etiquette was much simpler. She also laughed and said, "...so it was not difficult for our queen to manage the six palaces."

While the two were chatting, Eleventh Lady was doing needlework.

Mother Tao saw that the colors were somewhat bright and not like Shiyi Niang's own, and smiled, "Who is the madam sewing for?"

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Help me make something small."

Mother Tao's eyes were very complicated.

After seeing off Mother Tao, Shiyi Niang called Dongqing over.

"...Let's move in tomorrow. If there's anything wrong with the place, just live here for now." He also asked Amber to give her the last fifty taels of silver, "You should use it sparingly." When people have hope in difficult situations, they will be more motivated. He also said to her, "The Marquis has sent Chief Steward Jia and Emperor Wan Yi to look at our farm. It will be fine after this period of time!"

Dong Qing smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "These fifty taels of silver will be enough for several months. Don't forget, we were able to get by for a month with only two taels of silver."

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I'm glad you think so."

Dongqing went back to pack her things, and the next day, Amber and others sent her out of the house without saying anything.

At noon, Eleventh Lady went to the Dowager Lady's house to have lunch. The Dowager Lady would take Zhen Jie'er and Zhun Ge to the Second Lady's house in the afternoon. Eleventh Lady had to do needlework, so she did not go to the Dowager Lady's house after waking up from her nap.

Time flies when there is something to do. If Xu Lingyi hadn't come back, she wouldn't have known it was already noon.

Eleventh Lady called Xia Yi in to help Xu Lingyi change his clothes, and she put away her needlework. After Xu Lingyi came out of the bathroom, they went to the Madam's place together. After Xu Siqin and the others finished school, they all gathered together to have dinner. They moved to the hall to drink tea and chatted for a long time before leaving.

On the way, Shiyi Niang was very silent. She returned to the house, made tea for Xu Lingyi, made the bed, and then blew out the lights and went to sleep.

"Why aren't you reading anymore?" He asked calmly, looking at Eleventh Lady who was wrapped in a quilt.

"I've been sewing all afternoon today, and I'm a little tired." Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Give your eyes a rest."

Xu Lingyi said "Oh", felt there was nothing to say, and closed his eyes.

After a while, he felt that the breathing of the people around him became even.

Xu Lingyi looked over in the moonlight and found that Shiyi Niang had fallen asleep.

"What a child!" He couldn't help but curl his lips.

* * * * * *

Two days later, Manager Jia came back and Manager Bai accompanied him to see Eleventh Lady. Eleventh Lady had already asked Wan Yizong to wait on the side. After introducing each other, Wan Yizong and Manager Jia went to Wanping.

Grandma is here.

"…It's agreed that the two aunts will each receive 20 taels of silver per year to shave their heads and practice Buddhism in Ciyuan Temple."

Eleventh Lady wanted to ask about the whereabouts of the five thousand taels of silver. She didn't know if the eldest lady and the others knew about the silver... After thinking about it, she still didn't say anything.

The eldest grandmother looked at Shiyi Niang, thinking that she was worried about the annual offering silver, and smiled and said, "This time, it's all thanks to the fifth uncle. The Jining nun asked for 100 taels per person per year. If the fifth uncle hadn't been trying to waste time with her, if she didn't pay 100 taels per person per year, she would have paid 50 taels."

"Fifth brother-in-law has always been very smart and good at talking." Eleventh Lady said with a smile.

"Who says he isn't?" The grandmother spoke of Qian Ming with great admiration, "Wu Niang is also a blessed woman. I just hope that Wu Yuye will be able to pass the imperial examination and become successful next year."

Eleventh Lady asked the eldest wife: "Does mother know?"

"Still haven't told her old lady yet."

"What about Shi Niang..."

"Your eldest brother said that he couldn't hide forever. He went to the palace early yesterday morning and told Shi Niang." Grandma sighed, "Shi Niang didn't cry or make a fuss. She actually looked like she knew it a long time ago. But the look she gave your eldest brother was very gloomy. Your eldest brother is still scared when he comes back. I'm afraid he will hate us from now on...

Eleventh Lady smiled and chatted with Grandma about some family matters. Seeing that it was getting late, Grandma stood up and said goodbye: "...The family cannot do without someone right now."

She and her grandmother went to pay their respects to the Madam Dowager, and then she personally escorted her to the Chuihua Gate: "Bring Brother Xiu home to play often, so that they won't become estranged from each other."

The grandmother nodded repeatedly: "Bring him over to play when you have time!"

After seeing off the eldest lady, Eleventh Lady wrapped the prepared undergarments in white silk and went to the lady-in-waiting.

The old lady looked at the fine needlework and liked it very much. She asked Mother Du to keep it. Then she waited for Xu Lingyi to come back and had dinner with the old lady before leaving.

Xu Lingyi asked Shiyi Niang: "Is Jia Zongguan back?"

Eleventh Lady smiled and replied “Yes”.

Since that night, Xu Lingyi felt that her condition was very low.

He sighed secretly.

Two days later, Wan Yizong replied to her: "... Manager Jia said that sandy land is best for growing melons, and sloping land is best for growing fruit trees. There are no experienced hands in the two Xu family farms. However, I can help find one. Let me tell Madam if we find one, whether to hire him or send someone to learn."

"What do you mean?" Eleventh Lady asked Wan Yizong.

"It would be best to just hire them." He said with a frustrated tone, "If I send someone to learn, I'm afraid they won't be able to learn it in a short time."

The laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Even a duke family like the Xu family only had 20 slaves, so the Luo family was not eligible. People like Wan Yizong were poor and had no land to farm, so the Luo family hired them to work for a very low amount of silver each year. But if there was a wedding or funeral or someone got sick, the wages were not enough to pay, so they would borrow money from the employer. Over time, the money borrowed became more and more, and the annual wages were not enough to pay the debt. Over time, the employer became the biggest creditor, and with the saying that the son should pay the father's debt, these people became good citizens who had freedom but could not be free.

If Eleventh Lady had to hire someone new to manage her estate, these people would not even have enough food to eat. How could he not be depressed?

"Don't you have three sons?" If she couldn't even keep her own concubine, how could those who followed Yuan Niang follow her? Shiyi Niang was already in a difficult situation. Moreover, she didn't want to abandon her concubines. They traveled thousands of miles from Yuhang to Kyoto just to have a meal.

Wan Yizong's eyes lit up: "Don't worry, Madam. If we can find a master who can teach us how to grow melons and fruit trees, we will do our best to learn from him."

"I'm afraid it's not that easy." Eleventh Lady laughed, "You're stealing other people's jobs, so how can they obediently give you their jobs?"

Wan Yizong smiled and said, "The master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to each of you."

This attitude is pretty good!

Eleventh Lady smiled with satisfaction, and then carefully instructed Wan Yizong: "Go to the market and ask about the price of those fruits and vegetables per pound. We have an idea of ​​it."

Wan Yizong left in response.

When Xu Lingyi came back in the evening, he felt that Shiyi Niang was in a much better mood. He asked her, "How many days do you want to stay back?"

Eleventh Lady was stunned for a moment, and it took her a long time to come back to her senses.

In two days it will be the tenth day of October.

Before she knew it, she had been married to the Xu family for a month.

To be honest, she didn't want to go home at all.

"Let me think about it and tell you tomorrow!" She wanted to ask Mother Tao how many days the Third Madam, Yuanniang and the Fifth Madam had each returned home to stay.

Xu Lingyi thought of her usual cautious behavior, and knew that she must be going to ask Tao Mama and the like how many days it would be appropriate for her to stay. So he said, "I'll go talk to the Madam!"

But don’t!

Eleventh Lady said secretly in her heart.

Which mother-in-law likes her son to defend his wife in front of her... At least there is no such thing in the Luo family!

She smiled and said, "Mother has always been kind and tolerant. I'm not afraid to say this in front of her. I just haven't thought it through." Fearing that Xu Lingyi would ask, she smiled and changed the subject, "My eldest sister-in-law came today. She said that my fifth brother-in-law has already agreed with Master Jining that each of them will receive twenty taels of silver per year for support..."

Xu Lingyi watched her quickly change the subject and couldn't help falling into deep thought.

Have you really not made up your mind? Or do you simply not want to go back?

※

There are so many great people in our comment section...O(∩_∩)O haha~