The previous article has been overhauled...⊙﹏⊙bSweat!
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"Very good!" Hearing Eleventh Lady asking about something he was familiar with, Xu Lingyi came back to his senses, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes, "Every household has set up their porridge stalls, and will start distributing porridge early tomorrow morning. I've seen the food prepared by each household, and it won't be difficult to support them for a month."
Eleventh Lady nodded: "That's good! As long as we can get through this winter, things will be better in the spring of next year."
Xu Lingyi nodded, took a sip of tea, and said, "We sent someone from our room to help cook the porridge."
Since they were going to set up a porridge shed to do charity, how could the women of the Xu family not participate in it? But asking them to distribute porridge was impossible. So they had to think of a workaround. Each family sent the most prestigious mother to help distribute porridge. However, these mothers just sat in the small sheltered compartment inside the porridge shed and chatted, watching the maids and servants working on the side.
"In our room is Madam Tao!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Second sister-in-law's is Madam Xiang, Third sister-in-law is Madam Gan, and Fifth brother's wife sent Madam Shi."
Xu Lingyi said "hmm", and Shiyi Niang called Chunmo in to change his clothes. She warmed the bed with a hand warmer and helped Xu Lingyi to rest.
* * * * * *
Early the next morning, Mama Du took Mama Xiang and others to the porridge shed. The maids and servants working downstairs were very sharp-nosed and surrounded their sedan chair early. When they got off the sedan chair, they were led to a small shed nearby to rest.
Mother Gan asked someone to bring some leaf cards: "...Everyone, don't just sit there."
Everyone looked at Mother Du.
Now that the Third Lady is in charge, Mother Du didn’t want to offend Mother Gan, so she agreed with a smile.
In such cold weather, who wouldn't want to hide away?
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and each took out some change to play mahjong.
When it was time to distribute porridge, everyone threw their cards and went to the front of the porridge stall to urge the maids and servants to distribute porridge. Ragged men, women and children crowded together and rushed forward. The strong whips of the yamen runners swung in the air, making a "crackling" sound, intimidating the refugees who were swarming in and shouting at them to line up.
Those who received the hot porridge kowtowed to the mothers wearing gold and silver standing next to the porridge stall and expressed their gratitude by mistaking them for the women of the Xu family.
No matter who you are, you can't help but feel a little proud in such an atmosphere.
When they returned home at night, they could not help but tell the story vividly to their wives.
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "In that case, Mom will have to work harder these days!"
"Don't worry, ma'am." Mother Tao said with a smile, "I will work with the other mothers."
Eleventh Lady nodded.
Mother Tao asked about Xu Lingyi's stay at Aunt Qin's house the next day: "...what did the Marquis say?"
"Nothing?" Eleventh Lady thought of how he had behaved the same way last night. "I also wanted to ask mother if I should bring some clothes to the Marquis!"
"That's not necessary." Mother Tao said with a smile, "The Marquis has clothes in every room."
Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
If I have to bring clothes with me, it will be like moving house.
At night, the two went to the Taifu's house for dinner. Everyone was talking about the porridge distribution. The Third Master and the Third Madam were the protagonists this time, so they were very interested and went back a little late. Aunt Qin had already brought a little maid to wait at the east corner gate. When she saw Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang, she squatted down and saluted.
Eleventh Lady said goodbye to Xu Lingyi at the East Corner Gate with a smile and went straight back to the house.
Amber was about to move to her bed to keep watch, but was driven back to the east room by Eleventh Lady: "You were never as attentive as you are now!"
She was speechless for a moment.
Eleventh Lady knew what she was thinking. She said seriously, "Go to sleep! I am not an ignorant girl, I know everything!" Then she said with a smile, "If I am bored, I will call you to gossip in the middle of the night, but you are not allowed to be lazy and not wake up."
Seeing that she was still in the mood to tease, Amber felt relieved, nodded repeatedly, and went to the east room for a break.
Sleeping alone in the spacious bed, without someone to breathe with, it seemed a bit lonely. Eleventh Lady was not used to it at first. But thinking that she had to pay her respects to the Madam in the morning, and wondering how many people were waiting to see her expression, she fell asleep while counting sheep.
When I woke up at Chou time the next day, everything was quiet around me, but I could faintly hear the sounds of Xu Lingyi being served to get up and wash in the east.
There's an alley between us, how could I possibly hear it!
Habits are terrible things!
Eleventh Lady closed her eyes, snuggled into the warm quilt, and fell into a deep sleep again.
At noon, he woke up automatically.
Amber, Luyun and others had already prepared water for washing her face and dried her clothes and were waiting for her to get up.
"The Marquis has already attended the morning court." Amber helped Eleventh Lady get dressed. "We had breakfast at Aunt Qin's place. Someone came over from the kitchen saying that Aunt Qin asked for water in the middle of the night."
"Got it!" Eleventh Lady nodded, feeling that it was inappropriate for Amber to pass on such a message, "Don't worry about these things anymore!"
Amber hesitated to speak, but finally nodded.
After she washed up, Aunt Qin and Aunt Wen came to greet her.
Aunt Qin's face was red and a little shy, but Aunt Wen's eyes kept moving around her face, as if she wanted to see something from it.
Eleventh Lady smiled faintly, asked about Qiao Lianfang's illness as usual, chatted with the two of them for a few words, and then got up and went to the lady's place.
The weather was so cold, but the Third Lady and the Fifth Lady arrived earlier than Eleventh Lady.
When they saw Eleventh Lady, they greeted her with a smile, but there was a hint of inquiry in their expressions.
Eleventh Lady found it a little funny.
When I got married, I knew that Xu Lingyi had a concubine and a son. Should I cry and make a fuss just because what I heard became what I saw... People often cannot see their own situation clearly as the situation changes, forget their original intentions, lose their goals, and don't know what they really want. That is the real danger!
She has never forgotten what kind of mood she had when she married into the Xu family!
Eleventh Lady greeted the two men gracefully and went to meet the lady together.
The lady was sitting on the big kang by the window watching Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie'er playing cat's tumble.
As soon as Eleventh Lady entered, her eyes fell directly on Eleventh Lady.
Another one who is investigating...
Eleventh Lady remained calm and bowed to the lady-in-waiting with a smile.
Seeing her gentle smile and calm expression, the lady could not help but nod slightly, with undisguised satisfaction and relief in her smile.
Eleventh Lady secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had passed the test.
When Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie'er saw their elders coming in, they hurriedly got off the kang and bowed to everyone. Then the little maids brought a brocade stool and placed it in front of the kang.
The third wife talked about the porridge distribution: "...The weather is too cold, I want to give the mothers and servants who help out at the porridge stand a subsidy of 30 cents per day...Even though they are family members, we can't let them work in vain. Do you think this is feasible?"
"You have a very good plan." The lady laughed, "You don't need the money. Let you earn this respect."
After hearing this, the Third Lady hurriedly stood up and thanked the Grand Lady: "Mother really has a kind heart."
The Madam then asked Madam Xiang who was beside the Second Madam: "It's just a request. Let her go back to West Hill earlier! Yizhen's side was short of manpower to begin with, and they dragged her here from West Hill."
"Who said it wasn't?" The Third Madam smiled, "It's just that this is a great good deed, and the Second Sister-in-law also wants to join in the fun." Speaking of Mother Du, "...she's old now, and it would be bad if she got a cough from the cold wind every day like this!"
The lady nodded: "You are very thoughtful!"
The Third Lady told Madam Xiang what Madam Tai meant and sent someone to send Madam Xiang back to Xishan. She also discussed with Madam Tao and Madam Shi: "From tomorrow on, Madam Du will not go to the porridge stall... You two ladies should go every two days to check on her. After all, Madam Gan is there."
Everyone felt relieved. Mother Tao and Mother Shi smiled at each other, thanked the Third Madam, and then went their separate ways.
"Do you think there's anything unstable about this?" Madam Wu said nonchalantly, touching her bulging belly.
Mother Shi handed the cut apples to her on a crystal plate: "The Third Madam always has a lot of ideas, and it's hard to say now!"
Madam Wu used her slender fingers to pinch the royal blue cloisonné fruit fork, picked up a piece of apple and put it to her mouth: "Look after Mother Tao. If she goes, you still go every day. If she goes every few days, you should also go every few days."
Mother Shi smiled and replied “yes”.
"Go every few days?" Eleventh Lady was a little surprised. "Is this how the porridge distribution has always been done, or was it Third Lady's idea?"
"So it's the same with free porridge." Mother Tao smiled. "It's almost the New Year, and I'm so busy at home that I have to send someone to work there. Who has time to go there every day? It turns out that I only need to visit every few days."
Eleventh Lady nodded: "Then let's follow the old rules. However, you should also be more careful in case Mother Shi goes and you stay at home. It's always bad."
Mother Tao said hurriedly, "Don't worry, Madam. We are neither the leader nor the tail. Otherwise, if there are any rumors, people will think that we are competing with the Third Madam."
"It's good that mom knows what's going on!" Eleventh Lady said as Xu Lingyi came back.
Mother Tao hurriedly retreated.
Eleventh Lady called Xia Yi to help him change clothes.
"What are you doing at home today?" Xu Lingyi wiped his face with a steaming hot cotton towel and glanced at the needlework basket on the kang. "Sewing at home again?"
"I did some needlework in the afternoon." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "I went to sit with mother for a while in the morning."
Xu Lingyi nodded, changed his clothes, and went to the lady's place with Shiyi Niang.
As soon as she entered the door, Eleventh Lady heard the lady's laughter.
She couldn't help but wonder.
I don’t know who could make the lady so happy.
When she lifted the curtain and entered the west room, Eleventh Lady saw a strange woman in a lilac jacket sitting on a stool beside the lady's kang and talking to her.
Seeing the lady looking up at Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang, she immediately stood up and said, "My Lord! I, Xiangyi, greet you!" As she spoke, she squatted down and bowed.
Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded: "It turns out to be Xiangyi!" Such a rare kindness.
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but look at the woman.
He is in his forties, with a square face, tall build and a somewhat stout figure.
Seeing that Eleventh Lady was very curious, Madam Du hurriedly said with a smile, "Fourth Madam, this is Xiangyi who served the Madam in the past. You have never seen her. Now the couple manages our Xu family's farm in Henan. I heard that the Marquis married a new wife, so I took the opportunity to send you New Year's goods to pay my respects to you."