Now that the great grandmother is in charge of the family, there are fewer restrictions and everyone laughed and played freely for a few days.

On October 16, Xu Lingyi left the yamen and came to pick up Shiyi Niang.

Eleventh Lady was talking to Fifth Lady in the room: "... we've calculated the bills. The rent for the shop is two hundred taels a year. You can pay half of the goods first. The clerks are family members, so they will be well-fed for now. In a year, you can earn at least three or four hundred taels." As she spoke, Fifth Lady smiled awkwardly and said, "I know that you are different now and don't care about the business of three or four hundred taels. But with this income, you can at least buy a few boxes of rouge and powder."

Wu Niang wanted to open a dried fruit shop with her.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but laugh secretly.

Wu Niang saw that she had married Xu Lingyi and thought that she was living a luxurious life. However, she didn't know that she didn't even have the money to pay two hundred taels of silver as Wu Niang said!

Moreover, from what Wu Niang said, the shop was on West Street and was owned by Prince Shun. The dried fruits were bought from Shengji Dried Fruit Shop, which was owned by the family of Shandong Commander Lü Cheng. Why did they go and talk to Prince Shun and Lü Cheng? To put it bluntly, they wanted to get her into the partnership just to take advantage of Xu Lingyi's influence. Not to mention that she had just married and had no idea about the relationship between the two families and Xu Lingyi, she would rather help Wu Niang build the shop than join the partnership - which brothers would turn against each other or fathers and sons against each other for money.

"I'm afraid this is a bit difficult." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "None of my sisters-in-law run a shop outside, and I'm a new comer..."

Before Eleventh Lady could finish her words, Fifth Lady said angrily, "You have married the Marquis in vain."

Eleventh Lady just smiled and said nothing.

One man's poison may be another man's honey.

All she wanted was a place to settle down.

Xu Lingyi had already given it to her.

The rest is up to you...

Wu Niang looked at her disapprovingly and said angrily, "The largest dry goods store on Ximen Street and the North-South Silk Shop on Nanzhamen were both jointly opened by the Third Madam and her brothers. Not to mention the Yongsheng Gold Building on Ximen Street owned by the Fifth Madam. You are so honest at home and so careful outside."

Although she knew that the Third Madam would definitely make some private money, she was still surprised to see her openly opening a shop on the most prosperous street in Yanjing: "Who did Fifth Sister hear this from?"

"Who else do we need to hear this from?" Wu Niang said with a smile, "It has spread all over Yanjing. Who doesn't know about it?"

In other words, Xu Lingyi also knew!

She breathed a sigh of relief.

He was able to create such a family business at such a young age. Although he had innate conditions, he also had to work hard. Since he didn't say anything, there was no need for me to say anything.

"...We sisters are just running a small dried fruit shop, don't worry. Nothing will happen." Wu Niang continued to encourage her, "We sisters are all good, it sounds good to say it out. It will also be nice to have good relations with guests. It will also give face to the sisters-in-law...

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.

In fact, she had known Wu Niang for four years. No one knew Wu Niang's knowledge better than her as her "rival"... The sisters were all good, which sounded good when they were said out, and it was face-saving when they went out. She believed that was Wu Niang's idea, but the third wife opened a dry goods store on Ximen Street and a silk and cloth store in Nanzhamen. She didn't think Wu Niang had such knowledge. I'm afraid it was all Qian Ming's words, right?

However, Qian Ming was really right.

Eleventh Lady also hopes that all her sisters are well.

No matter what, we have the same surname. In the eyes of others, we are a family!

"Fifth sister, this is the first time I've heard you say that, and I don't have an idea at the moment." She smiled and said, "Can I wait for you to think about it before I reply?"

Wu Niang was a little disappointed, but she knew that Shiyi Niang was always timid, so she didn't feel embarrassed. She smiled and said, "Then answer me as soon as possible - the New Year is coming soon, and every household will have to buy fruit boxes for the New Year and visit relatives."

I didn't expect Qian Ming to have such a good economic mind...

Eleventh Lady nodded, and just then the maid came to greet her: "The Marquis is here!"

The two of them went to the main house with a smile.

After everyone exchanged greetings, Luo Zhenxing invited Xu Lingyi to dinner.

Xu Lingyi naturally agreed.

After a while, Qian Ming, Yu Yiqing and Si Niang came.

The four men went to the outer courtyard, while the grandmother invited the women to have dinner in the hall of the main house.

Eleventh Lady saw the eldest grandmother and Fifth Lady quietly go to the east room while they were drinking tea after dinner.

Could it be that my grandmother was also involved in this matter?

She was shocked.

If that's the case, it will be difficult to deal with.

Come to think of it, Great Grandma is her sister-in-law... She can't offend all of her family members!

She wanted to find an opportunity to talk to the grandmother, but there was no suitable time until she said goodbye to Xu Lingyi and the first wife.

Just take a letter and ask Grandma to go to Xu's house every few days!

Eleventh Lady looked a little dazed.

Xu Lingyi looked calm and asked her, "Do you want to stay at home for a few more days?"

Shiyi Niang told him about roasting corn, making sticky rice and lotus root, etc.: "... and even bought sheep's head meat, but I didn't dare to eat a single bite. But it was fun!"

Xu Lingyi saw how happy she was and really couldn't understand what was so fun about it. He responded, "You can also make rose syrup? I ate it once at Prince Shun's house last time."

"Because there are no roses!" Eleventh Lady laughed, "We sent people to buy some, but they didn't find any!"

"There are some in the greenhouse at home. We can make them at home in the future."

Eleventh Lady suddenly had an idea: "My Lord, can you arrange a mother for me in my room?"

Xu Lingyi raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Eleventh Lady said shyly, "I don't understand the rules of the mansion, and I'm too embarrassed to ask others."

Seeing that she was very frank, Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "Got it!"

In the half-light of the carriage, his eyebrows were slightly raised, and his face had a cheerful brightness.

Eleventh Lady suddenly remembered that Xu Lingyi was only twenty-seven years old this year and was still very young.

* * * * * *

When I got home, I naturally had to pay my respects to the lady first.

The lady saw that although she smiled, there was no smile in her eyes.

"I'm back! Is my wife okay?"

"Mother is fine. She can eat her porridge with a spoon by herself." Eleventh Lady was in a state of anxiety. She didn't know why the lady's kindness to her disappeared after she had been back to her parents' home for a few days. She answered the lady's questions carefully.

The lady exchanged a few words with her, asked Zhen Jie'er and Zhun Ge to come out and pay their respects to her, and then urged her to go back and rest early.

Eleventh Lady returned to her courtyard, full of confusion, only to see Aunt Qin, Aunt Wen, Mother Tao, Amber, Holly and a large group of maids and old women waiting there.

She was a little stunned.

Dong Qing bowed to her with tears in her eyes: "Madam!"

"What's going on?" Eleventh Lady couldn't help but ask Xu Lingyi who was standing beside her.

"Oh!" Xu Lingyi said calmly, "Fifth brother and his wife have moved to Zhaozhuang Hall, so people from other rooms don't have to stay away."

Could it be that the Madam thought it was her...

The thought flashed through my mind, and I felt that I was being too sentimental.

Xu Lingyi said: "This is not the place to talk, let's go back to the house first!"

Too.

Eleventh Lady suppressed her temptations and entered the house surrounded by her aunt, maids and old women.

Madam Wen hurried forward to serve tea to the two of them.

Eleventh Lady discovered that she did not see Qiao Lianfang.

"Is Aunt Qiao's illness still not healed?" she asked Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi said, "I feel better after taking a few doses of medicine, but it has recurred in the past two days."

"Do you want to find another doctor?" said Eleventh Lady.

"The disease comes like a mountain falling, and goes away like a thread being pulled out." Xu Lingyi said, "Let's wait and see!"

Eleventh Lady nodded and was helped by Dongqing to change her clothes.

But Mother Tao rushed in.

Looking at her expression, Eleventh Lady knew that she had something to say, and she really wanted to know what had happened in the past few days, so she did not stop her.

"Madam, during the days you were away, I stayed at Aunt Qin's place." Then he lowered his voice, as if to emphasize something, and said, "Overnight."

Eleventh Lady thought for a moment before she realized what Mother Tao meant by "after one night".

He left the young and beautiful Qiao Lianfang and went to Aunt Qin... Unexpectedly, Xu Lingyi is still so loyal!

Thinking of this, she felt more at ease.

When Mother Tao saw that Eleventh Lady had no reaction, she hurriedly warned her, "When the eldest aunt was here, the Marquis only stayed in the two concubines' rooms for five days each month. Sometimes he would just stay in Concubine Wen's room, but he never left Concubine Qin's room alone. Don't think that she has become careless just because she is old."

Eleventh Lady doesn't like the tone of Tao's mother's voice.

It is Xu Lingyi's right to like or dislike someone, and it is not your business.

"I see." Inadvertently, Shiyi Niang imitated Xu Lingyi's tone and asked, "Why did the Fifth Madam move to the garden? What did the family say?"

Seeing her cold attitude, Tao's mother knew that she didn't take her words to heart. However, little girls are like this, relying on their youth and beauty, they don't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is. When they hit their heads, they know who to cry to!

She knew that such matters could not be rushed, so she stopped talking about Xu Lingyi staying overnight at the concubine's place and whispered, "It was the Marquis Dingnan who came to discuss this with the Madam, and he also gave the Fifth Madam a severe lesson. The Fifth Madam moved to the Garden that day, and the Madam had no choice but to agree. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this was the Marquis's idea. Otherwise, who else could have invited the Marquis Dingnan. The Madam has been worried about the Fifth Madam these days, fearing that she would do something inappropriate. As the saying goes, one should be prepared for the worst. In addition, the Second Madam moved to the West Hill Villa to avoid suspicion, and the Madam felt even more uncomfortable."

"The second wife moved to the West Hill Villa?" Eleventh Lady looked at Mother Tao in astonishment.

"We have to move there." Mother Tao nodded repeatedly, "The Madam had no choice but to agree."

What a smart guy!

"What about the third lady?"

"The Third Madam has been busy with the kitchen shopping, so she didn't hear any news."

"Kitchen shopping? What happened again?"

"From now on, we will only buy all kinds of fruits, vegetables and dried goods from this one company. This will prevent the compradors from playing tricks on us."

It takes some skill to be able to think of these things.

What should she do then?

Get kickbacks?

It seems like this is more low-key and safer!

"Brother Zhun, are you okay?"

"Yes." Mother Tao smiled, "Madam Tai used to take him to the Second Madam's place every other day, and now he can already hold a pen. It's a pity that the Second Madam has moved out now, so I'm afraid that what he learned will be wasted."

From the sound of her voice, I can tell that she approves of Second Madam's teaching Zhun Ge.