Now that things have come to this, and now that things have come to this, is it possible that I am better at this than Xu Lingyi? And as Xu Lingyi said, with this big family, he has more pressure than himself.

Eleventh Lady chose to believe Xu Lingyi.

She nodded and whispered to him, "My Lord, please take good care of yourself. As you said, you still have a big family behind you!"

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded, then reached out and patted her shoulder: "Go and help me pack my things! I want to sit here quietly for a while!"

Eleventh Lady could understand that a clear mind was needed at such a critical moment.

She made a cup of hot tea for Xu Lingyi, called Xia Yi and Chun Mo in, and helped them pack up.

It's really eye-opening.

It turned out that she had to bring twenty-four sets of white silk undergarments... Her eyes wandered between the pile of clothes in the closet and the ten boxes on the ground. She decided that she could visit relatives in the future, but it would be better not to stay overnight, as it was really too much trouble.

Seeing that it was getting late, and thinking that Xu Lingyi would stay at Aunt Qiao's place tonight, Shiyi Niang decided to go to the Madam's place for dinner before coming back to clean up. She tiptoed to the warm room.

Xu Lingyi sat cross-legged on the kang, turned his head to look at the white snow outside the window, as if thinking about something.

Hearing the noise, he turned and smiled at Eleventh Lady.

Eleventh Lady whispered, "It's getting late, I have to get up and go to my mother's place!"

Xu Lingyi nodded and went to the lady's place with Shiyi Niang.

I met Xu Lingning and his wife on the way.

After greeting each other, the Xu brothers walked in front, talking about family matters. The Third Lady and Eleventh Lady walked behind, introducing some of the housekeepers. The two groups of people, one walking fast, the other walking slowly, gradually walked farther and farther away. Eleventh Lady found that she wanted to catch up, but the Third Lady was still not in a hurry, and was talking to her again. Eleventh Lady couldn't go any faster, and immediately realized that the Third Lady was holding her back so that the Third Master and Xu Lingyi could talk.

Such mysterious things are nothing but the handover of household affairs and the release of the third room!

Eleventh Lady smiled and slowed down her pace, then she and the Third Lady walked leisurely into the Dowager's yard.

The children arrived early and were sitting around the lady talking. The lady was smiling and looked very happy.

After everyone exchanged greetings, they went to the east room to have dinner. After seeing off Xu Siqin and Xu Siyu, the Third Master, the Third Madam, and Xu Sijian left, Eleventh Lady left the space for Xu Lingyi and his mother on the pretext of seeing off Zhen Jie'er and Zhun Ge, and then went to Zhen Jie'er's room.

Zhen Jie'er lived in the warm room behind the east room. She had a small lacquered bed, a bright red silk curtain, an apricot-yellow brocade quilt, and a pot of wintersweet on a flower table next to her. There was a faint fragrance wafting through the room.

"So beautiful." Eleventh Lady looked admiring.

Zhen Jie'er smiled and brewed tea for Shiyi Niang herself.

Eleventh Lady took it and it was Tieguanyin.

She couldn't help but be slightly startled, thinking about the effort she had put in in front of the eldest wife.

Because she felt deeply depressed, she hoped that Zhen Jie'er could be as bright as the sunshine in May.

She took out a pearl bracelet and handed it to Zhen Jie'er.

Zhen Jie'er looked surprised: "Give it to me!"

Eleventh Lady nodded and said with a smile: "Sister Hui from next door is coming tomorrow. Please help me entertain her. Remember to dress nicely."

A light flashed in Zhenjie's eyes.

Unfortunately, the light was too short-lived, making Shiyi Niang think it was an illusion.

"What about Zhun'er?" she asked hesitantly.

"Let him accompany grandma to turn the rope." Eleventh Lady smiled and winked at her.

Sister Zhen laughed.

Eleventh Lady stood up and said goodbye: "I will come early tomorrow to pay my respects to you, and then I will see what clothes you are wearing."

Sister Zhen saw her out somewhat embarrassedly.

After walking a few steps, she heard Zhen Jie'er's maid Xiaoli cheering softly.

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly and went to the lady's place.

Seeing Shiyi Niang coming in, both mother and son looked over. Xu Lingyi did not stop talking: "...After all, she has served father and you, so I will just give her a certain amount of money a year to support her. Ninety-nine steps out of a hundred, there is no need to tear her face at this time."

The lady looked at Eleventh Lady, then at her son who showed no intention of avoiding her, and a smile flashed across her face.

"Mother, what do you think?" Xu Lingyi asked the lady.

The lady said "Oh", raised her head and smiled, "As you say." She added, "It's getting late, you should go back and rest. We have to go to the West Hill Palace tomorrow."

Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang bowed to the lady dowager and left.

On the way, Xu Lingyi took the initiative to say to Shiyi Niang: "I only said that the Queen wanted to go to the West Mountain Palace to soak in the hot springs before Laba, and the Third Prince would accompany her and I would protect her. I didn't mention anything else. Remember not to let anything slip."

"I understand!" Eleventh Lady assured with a smile.

Xu Lingyi stopped and looked at her with a smile: "You really won't let me in?" There was a strong sense of ridicule in his tone.

Eleventh Lady was stunned.

Why are you suddenly talking to me in such a tone!

Xu Lingyi looked at her with wide eyes, and her lively pupils suddenly became dull, which he found very interesting. He smiled and turned to walk forward.

Eleventh Lady hurried to follow.

But my heart was beating fast.

What does Xu Lingyi mean by this?

After returning to the room, Xu Lingyi washed up at Shiyi Niang's place, and then went to Banyuepan.

Everything was fine the past two days, what went wrong?

But if he were to sleep in the study, what if the lady knew about this... She bit her lip and whispered, "How about the Marquis rest here tonight!"

Xu Lingyi's eyes flashed with a hint of teasing: "I have to meet with some staff members tonight."

Eleventh Lady was stunned, and then her face turned red. She stood there, wishing she could dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it.

I misunderstood again...

Xu Lingyi looked at her, who looked embarrassed and annoyed, but pretended to be calm, and couldn't help laughing: "I will go to the palace at 3:00 pm tomorrow."

He walked away with his posture upright.

All the maids in the room lowered their heads.

Eleventh Lady stared at his receding figure in amazement, and after a while she called Amber, "Go tell Aunt Qiao not to wait at the door anymore. The Marquis has something to do, so he's taking a half-month break today."

Amber responded and left.

In the middle of the night, Eleventh Lady was awakened by the sound of a piano.

"What happened?" she asked Holly in a daze.

Dongqing has already put on his clothes and stood up: "I'll go take a look."

After a while, he came back and said, "Aunt Qiao is playing the piano."

Eleventh Lady sighed helplessly and said, "Go tell her it's too late and everyone is going to sleep. Ask her to play it tomorrow."

Holly responded and left.

The piano music did not stop, it just changed the tune. Occasionally, a high-pitched sound came, which made people even more unable to sleep - it was like someone upstairs took off a shoe and threw it on the floor with a loud noise, and then the second shoe was delayed in falling, making people wait anxiously.

Eleventh Lady covered her head with a quilt and slept for a while. She got up at midnight to wash and dress. Just as she finished, Xu Lingyi came in.

He looked energetic at first glance, but the faint redness at the corners of his eyes revealed his fatigue.

"Did your Lordship not sleep all night?" Eleventh Lady asked worriedly, and brought some goat milk to Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi drank it all in one gulp: "I slept for two hours."

How could someone who had slept for two hours have red streaks in the corners of his eyes? Only someone who had stayed up all night would have this.

Saying to take care of yourself at this time would seem too insincere. He has put in so much thought so that they may be safer.

Shiyi Niang brought some black chicken soup with cordyceps and tofu to Xu Lingyi: "Drink some soup in the morning to warm your stomach, and you will feel better."

Xu Lingyi nodded, drank a bowl of soup, and ate four small buns. Shiyi Niang drank half a bowl of porridge with him, and asked someone to bring some meat patties to Xu Lingyi.

Aunt Qiao is here.

Could it be that he heard the news and came to see Xu Lingyi off?

However, she was too well-informed.

Eleventh Lady remained calm and asked the maid to call her in.

I haven't seen Qiao Lianfang for almost a month. She is still as graceful as ever. Her black hair is tied up in a bun and she is wearing a moon-white dress, looking as beautiful as a crescent of water.

Seeing Xu Lingyi, she showed a stunned expression: "The Marquis is here too..."

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded, and was very friendly to her.

When Eleventh Lady saw this, she ordered the maid to bring her a stool and asked her, "Have you eaten? Do you want some more?"

Qiao Lianfang glanced at Xu Lingyi and whispered, "Not yet... I'm here to accompany Madam, right?"

There was a flash of surprise in Xu Lingyi's eyes.

Eleventh Lady smiled and asked someone to bring her a bowl of black chicken soup. She said, "Is it about the piano playing in the middle of the night yesterday?"

"That's right." Qiao Lianfang bowed uneasily, "I didn't expect you to hear it. I guess Madam didn't sleep well last night. It's all my fault."

Eleventh Lady smiled faintly: "You know, even Zhen Jieer doesn't practice the piano much because she is afraid of disturbing others."

Qiao Lianfang felt even more uneasy after hearing this, and she mumbled an apology with a red face.

As they were talking, Aunt Qin and Aunt Wen arrived.

Xu Lingyi couldn't help but take out his pocket watch to check the time.

"I asked Aunt Qin and Aunt Wen to come here." Eleventh Lady looked at him and smiled, "The Marquis is going to stay in the West Hill for a few days, and I asked the two aunts to see him off."

Xu Lingyi nodded: "Thank you for your concern, Madam!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "This is a matter within my status as a concubine." She glanced at Qiao Lianfang and saw that her expression had indeed changed drastically.

The two concubines paid their respects to Eleventh Lady and Xu Lingyi. Xu Siyu, Zhen Jie'er and Zhun'er also arrived one after another. After the children paid their respects, Eleventh Lady first accompanied Xu Lingyi to say goodbye to the lady dowager, and then led them to send Xu Lingyi to the Chuihua Gate.

Xu Lingyi told Xu Siyu: "You are the eldest son. When I don't want a family, you have to help mother discipline your younger sisters and brothers."

Xu Siyu bowed respectfully and replied "yes".

Xu Lingyi nodded to Eleventh Lady, then, surrounded by servants, hurried out of the Chuihua Gate.

Eleventh Lady waited until Xu Lingyi disappeared before she said calmly, "Aunt Qiao, please stay. Everyone can go home now!"

Everyone's eyes stayed on Qiao Lianfang for a moment, then they bowed to Eleventh Lady and dispersed.

Qiao Lianfang's eyes flickered a little, and she asked, "Madam, do you have any instructions for me?"

"Let's talk while we walk." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Is Aunt Qiao feeling better?"

Qiao Lianfang said, "Thanks to Madam, I have been taking medicine. But my health is weak and my condition is sometimes good and sometimes bad. Madam is worried about me."

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady sighed secretly in her heart.

When talking to her, I actually used the social etiquette between ladies and young ladies.

Being a concubine is not scary, what is scary is that after becoming a concubine, you still cannot find your place correctly...

※

Zhizhi's math is really bad, and it seems that I still need one more update to pay off my debt. However, please share my excitement. I can finally hold my head up high. O(∩_∩)O Haha~ Thank you all for your tolerance towards Zhizhi, which allows me to slowly pay off my debt. Thank you all! Fifty consecutive days of double updates, this is a new record for Zhizhi. To be honest, I am not a full-time writer, and I rely entirely on my rest time to write, which is very tiring. But everyone's enthusiasm for Zhizhi makes Zhizhi feel guilty - I have done so little, but received so much, and the only thing Zhizhi can do is to keep updating twice a day until the end of the month. Thank you all again!