Chapter 142 Visit (Part 1)
On the way, the Third Lady explained in a low voice: "It's getting late, let the children rest first. The Fifth Brother's wife is not feeling well, so the Marquis asked the Fifth Brother to accompany her back first."
The lady nodded and asked, "What did the children eat in the evening?"
"Brother Qin and Brother Zhuang had the first-class old duck hot pot, and Brother Yu, Sister Zhen, and Brother Chen made the vegetarian eight delicacies."
The lady said "hmm" with satisfaction, and Xu Lingning personally lifted the curtain and helped her into the house.
Wei Zi, who stayed at home, was waiting with her maids and servants. When she saw the old lady coming back, she hurried forward to help her take off her shawl and waited on her to go to the clean room to change clothes and wash up.
The Third Lady smiled and asked Eleventh Lady: "Isn't it lively over there?"
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I heard that the dowry weighed 124 kg."
"Oh my!" The third lady's eyes were filled with envy. "The Ouyang family is really lucky to marry Miss Tang. Such a generous dowry is the first in Yanjing."
Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.
Xu Lingning said, "When my fifth brother's wife married into our family, she also brought 124 pieces of dowry!"
"That's different." The Third Lady said, "Danyang is an only child, but Miss Tang has thirteen daughters."
As the two were talking, the lady came out.
The Third Lady hurried forward and helped him sit on the kang by the window, and Eleventh Lady poured a cup of hot tea and brought it over.
The lady took a sip of the hot tea and said, "It's getting late, let's all go! We all have things to do tomorrow!"
The four of them responded, bowed to the lady, and left.
After leaving the lady's courtyard, Xu Lingning said to Xu Lingyi in a suggestive tone: "Then let's go back first!"
Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded, and Xu Lingning took the somewhat puzzled Third Madam away first.
Eleventh Lady was also confused.
After all, both of them were going east, and they were taking the same route. Why did they go their separate ways?
Just as she was thinking about it, she heard Xu Lingyi ask her, "Have you met Madam Zhou?"
Eleventh Lady was slightly surprised: "How did Lord Hou know?"
Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "Today I had dinner with Shi Zheng. Oh, Shi Zheng is the third son of Princess Fucheng."
It seems that Lord Zhou Shizheng and Xu Lingyi have a really good relationship.
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but laugh when she heard this: "I heard from Sister Zhou that you two were childhood friends!"
"What childhood friend?" Xu Lingyi looked a little disapproving, but there was a warm smile in his eyes, "It's just that when Queen Wu was alive, she and Prince Shun often went to Kunning Palace to play together." As he said this, he revealed a bit of regret, "I didn't expect that Queen Wu was implicated by the Crown Prince and was killed by the late emperor."
She didn't know about these past events, so naturally she had no right to speak. She smiled and changed the subject, taking the opportunity to tell Xu Lingyi what she had said to the lady.
Xu Lingyi listened silently and returned to his own courtyard with Shiyi Niang.
Luyun and Hongxiu were waiting at the door with their maids and old women. When they saw the two men come in, they hurried forward to greet them.
Xu Lingyi walked towards the main room without stopping.
Eleventh Lady thought that he stayed at the Madam's place yesterday... and he must have something to say to her.
She hurriedly followed him in, asked the maid to serve him, and went to the clean room to wash and change clothes.
When I came out after cleaning up, Xu Lingyi was sitting on the big kang by the window drinking tea.
Eleventh Lady smiled and sat opposite him.
The maid brought her some hot tea. She held it in her hand and took a sip, a look of satisfaction appearing on her face.
Xu Lingyi couldn't help but smile as he looked at it.
Because the stomach is warm, people become lazy.
Eleventh Lady took the initiative to ask about Xu Lingyi's yesterday: "...what did Lord Hou discuss with Mother?"
"Mother is not the kind of person who lacks foresight." Xu Lingyi smiled and took a sip of tea. "She also thinks that Third Brother's idea is good. She just wants to keep Brother Qin and Brother Zang. With Third Sister-in-law's personality, it would be harmful for her to go to rich places like Huzhou and Hangzhou. She can only find a poorer place. First, it will kill her personality, and second, this kind of money is not big, even if Third Brother is soft-hearted, it will not lead to big things.
I sent a capable teacher to go with her. If she does anything really out of line, she will report it to me. It’s a good thing for them. I’m just afraid that there are no good teachers in such places, and it will delay the studies of Qin Ge and Zang Ge.”
I didn’t expect the lady to agree like this...
Eleventh Lady admired him very much in her heart.
I secretly warned myself that I should act like the lady, who could take on responsibilities and let go of them.
"What arrangements did the Third Master make for the two children?"
"I haven't said anything specific yet." Xu Lingyi said, "I just mentioned briefly that I wanted him to be sent out. He was very interested. I asked him to discuss it as soon as possible and get back to me soon. So I can make plans early."
Eleventh Lady nodded.
It looked like they had discussed it with the Madam last night, and discussed it with the Third Master after leaving the yamen today... That's why the Third Master was hinting at something just now, and hurriedly pulled the Third Madam back. I guess he went to discuss this matter with the Third Madam.
"I think there's nothing wrong with my third sister-in-law taking the two children with her!"
Eleventh Lady said, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. It's good to let the children go out and see the world. If it doesn't work out, we can bring them back. For a family like ours, it's good for children to study to cultivate their character, so it doesn't matter if they delay for a while. Besides, as the saying goes, a son will never dislike his mother's ugliness. Following parents, no matter how difficult the conditions are, it's better to be together as a family than to be separated from flesh and blood."
Xu Lingyi nodded slightly: "Let's see what Third Brother says before we make plans! Maybe we are just worrying too much and Third Brother has no intention of taking Brother Qin and Brother Jian with him to take up the post."
Eleventh Lady thought of what Grandmother Lin said about wanting to send Hui Jie'er to her place to learn needlework: "...she said this in front of so many people, and since our two families live next door, it's hard to refuse. If Grandmother Lin brings Hui Jie'er over, our Zhen Jie'er will have to help entertain her. If that happens, Brother Zhe will be left alone, and I'm afraid he won't be used to it."
Xu Lingyi was stunned: "Your embroidery comes from Xianling Pavilion?"
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I have only learned the basics."
Xu Lingyi looked at her and didn't say anything for a long time.
Eleventh Lady didn't know what he meant, so she naturally took a step back. She smiled and said, "If the Marquis finds it troublesome, I will find an excuse to fire her."
"No need." Xu Lingyi said hurriedly, "Since you have agreed in front of everyone, it would not be good to find an excuse to decline in private. If she comes, you can bring Zhen Jie'er to entertain Grandma Lin and her daughter. As for Brother Zhe, I will tell mother."
This is not necessary, lest the lady think that she said something in front of Xu Lingyi and instigated her son to come forward. Although Xu Lingyi is not that kind of person, it is possible to nip it in the bud...
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Just agree, Lord. As for Mother, let's wait until Grandmother Lin is really coming! If Grandmother Lin is just in a whim, it will make us look paranoid and impatient."
Xu Lingyi couldn't help but laugh after hearing this: "How can you be so petty?"
Seeing that he didn't take it seriously, Eleventh Lady couldn't help but murmur in a low voice: "Women are so petty!"
Xu Lingyi laughed and thought she was very interesting. Sometimes she was thoughtful like an adult, and sometimes she was worried about gains and losses like a child. He called Xia Yi to come in and help him wash.
Eleventh Lady was shocked: "Master Hou..."
Xu Lingyi said "Oh" and said nonchalantly: "It's getting late, let's rest here!"
Eleventh Lady's head suddenly buzzed, and all the discomfort from that day seemed to come back to her, and she blurted out: "No!"
As Xu Lingyi listened, his gaze gradually sank, as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well.
Eleventh Lady shuddered and came to her senses.
"No!" She had no choice but to change her tone to "I just set the rules, and you don't follow them. Who will believe me in the future?"
Xu Lingyi looked at her pouting and angrily, and couldn't help but laugh, but then he thought that what she said made sense. The affairs in the room were originally the responsibility of the head wife, and she had just entered the house... He didn't want to embarrass her, and stood up and said, "I wanted to talk to you..."
"I will serve breakfast to the Marquis tomorrow morning!" Eleventh Lady immediately smiled brightly.
It seems like he is really afraid of breaking the rules!
"Forget it!" Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "It would save you from getting up so early in the morning. The weather is very cold."
Eleventh Lady hurriedly and attentively saw Xu Lingyi out the door, and asked Shuangyu to carry the lantern and take him to Aunt Qiao.
Dong Qing couldn't help but blame: "Madam, how can you push your husband away?"
Eleventh Lady fell on the big bed, stretched out her lazy waist comfortably, and murmured in a low voice: "Only fools would embarrass themselves!"
Dong Qing didn't hear clearly, so she asked, "What did the lady say?"
"Nothing." Eleventh Lady didn't want to talk about this issue any more, so she changed the subject and asked, "Why don't you see Amber?"
"After dinner, Yang Huizu's family came to give her osmanthus cake." Dong Qing smiled, "I heard that she followed you to Zhongshan Marquis's Mansion and has been waiting in the back room until now. After hearing this, Hubo went to see her."
"I didn't expect her to be such a busy person." Shiyi Niang laughed, "Even Yang Huizu's family came to give her gifts. What kind of help did she give them?"
"She first placed Fangfei in the back garden, and later placed Taohua in the ancestral hall, in charge of incense and candles, with a monthly salary of 300 coins. Everyone in the family is staring at her, wanting her to help them find a job." Dong Qing laughed, "I'm afraid Yang Hui's family is also thinking of this!"
Eleventh Lady went to the bathroom with a smile and took a nice bath. When she came out, Amber was waiting for her outside.
"Ma'am, I have something to tell you." She looked a little shy.
Eleventh Lady sent away the servants in the room.
Amber whispered in his ear, "The Second Madam sent her steward and a servant to deliver an envelope to the Marquis. After the Marquis read the letter, he asked the steward to give it to Chief Steward Bai, and asked him to arrange a place for him to rest. Then he went to have dinner with Zhou Shizheng."
Eleventh Lady's expression froze: "Yang Huizu said so!"
Amber nodded: "He was afraid that people would get suspicious, so he asked his family to bring me osmanthus cake."
Eleventh Lady was thinking about the Second Lady.
A widowed sister-in-law and a younger brother-in-law... She would not have asked her steward and a servant to deliver an envelope to Xu Lingyi for no reason. It was probably because of Xu Siyu.
When shooting a person, shoot the horse first; when capturing a person, capture the leader first.
Is this the Second Lady's style?
Xu Lingyi talked to himself again, could it be related to this matter?