There is a three-foot square shrine in the front of the main hall, which houses a seated statue of Guanyin. In front of the statue is a small three-legged clay-gold incense burner with three agarwood sticks.

Amid the curling incense smoke, Guanyin Bodhisattva is gazing at all living beings with an expression of compassion and love.

The maid reported that Eleventh Lady had come in person to deliver the silk cord, and the two concubines came together.

The eldest aunt smiled gently and intimately, and ordered Caixia loudly: "Quick, serve tea to Miss Eleven!"

The second aunt's thin face also showed a few traces of smiles, and pointed to the armchair beside her: "Sit down and talk!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and bowed to the two concubines, half-sitting on the armchair, motioning Amber to hand the box to the two concubines, and modestly said, "I don't know if it suits you or not?"

The eldest aunt took the box herself and smiled before she even looked at it: "I like it, I like it, how can I not like it!"

The maids served tea, and the eldest aunt said with a smile: "I went to Lujun Tower early this morning. I heard that you were making silk lace, so I didn't disturb you and went to the tenth young lady's place."

Since I personally delivered the silk cord, I wanted to take this opportunity to make some things clear. Since the other party was not shy at all, I also wanted to open the window and speak frankly.

If we go on beating around in circles, it would seem hypocritical.

Shiyi Niang smiled slightly: "I heard that you went to Shi Niang's place, so I asked Dong Qing to go and ask you to go, but who knew you had already left. I thought that the brocade should be sent to you after it was made, so I didn't ask her to chase you."

The eldest aunt smiled kindly: "I went to the fifth young lady's place."

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but be surprised. She pursed her lips slightly and was thinking about what to say when the eldest aunt sighed, "You are young and don't know some things in the past.

Your eldest sister's in-laws are from the Xu family, the Yongping Marquis family. They were originally from Hebei. Because of their meritorious service to the emperor, they were awarded the hereditary title, were selected as one of the ten founding generals, and were honored in the imperial temple. During the Zheng'an period, the Xu family was involved in the "Zheng An Wang Rebellion Case" and was stripped of their titles. Although they were restored during the Yannian period, their prestige was not as great as before. When the old master was an official in Beijing, he was on good terms with the old marquis of the Xu family, and he promised your eldest sister to the Xu family.

At that time, the eldest daughter of the Xu family was just a powerless Princess Jian. Her son-in-law was not well educated, had an older brother and a younger brother, and was appointed as a seventh-rank guard in the Imperial Guard. The first wife was not very willing.

Who knows, luck will come.

First, my uncle's brother died of illness, and my uncle was given a title, and the eldest daughter became the wife of the Marquis of Yongping. Later, Prince Jian ascended the throne and became the emperor, and made the eldest daughter of the Xu family the queen. My uncle also quelled the rebellions of the Miao tribe and the northern border, and was made a general and a third-rank governor. Such overwhelming wealth is not something that everyone can enjoy. "

Having said this, there was a hint of coldness in the aunt's eyes.

"The eldest daughter had a miscarriage with her first child. The old lady of the Xu family took charge. First, she stopped the medicine for the two concubines, Qin and Tong, who were in the room of the brother-in-law before the eldest daughter entered the family. Later, she took the eldest daughter of the Wen family in Yangzhou as a concubine for the brother-in-law. The next year, Qin gave birth to a son and took his concubine. Although the concubine Wen was not as lucky as Qin, she also gave birth to a daughter. As for our eldest daughter, there was no movement for several years. So she took Qiu Luo, the personal maid, into her room. After much difficulty, Qiu Luo also became pregnant and gave birth to a son the next year, but the child died before the full term.

For this matter, our eldest wife prayed to countless gods and worshipped countless Buddhas, and our eldest daughter looked for countless secret recipes and took countless medicines. Finally, in the eighth year of marriage, we got the good news. Who would have thought that the child would be born prematurely in the seventh month of pregnancy, and she gave birth to a weak son who didn’t even have the strength to cry a few times. We named him Zhunge.”

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but let out a soft "ah".

In the eyes of the women and servants of the Luo family, and among the sisters of the Luo family, Luo Yuanniang has always been a distant, god-like existence.

She had outstanding looks, extraordinary talents, married a powerful man, and had a legitimate son... She had all the happiness that could be imagined in the world. But she didn't expect... What she didn't expect was that the Wen family, one of the four great merchants in Jiangnan, actually agreed to let their daughter be a concubine to Yongping Hou.

She thought again of what the Second Aunt said that day, "Zhun Ge is the legitimate son, but not the crown prince." Could this be the inside story?

Eleventh Lady felt her throat dry and wanted to ask something, but she didn't know how to start.

"After all, it was not full-term. Even if she was fed with ginseng and bird's nest, she was not as lively as Qin's son. She was also very smart. She could read at the age of three, interpret texts at the age of five, and write policy essays at the age of seven. Now she is just nine years old. It is said that she will take the examination for the scholar next year." As she said this, the eldest aunt glanced at the eleventh lady deeply, "So, our eldest daughter has been unable to sleep or eat well in the past few years...naturally, her health is not going to be good."

The Xu family is really complicated...

Eleventh Lady smiled bitterly in her heart. She pondered and said, "How could the Wen family agree to give their daughter to someone else as a concubine... This is too embarrassing!"

The second concubine, who had been silent the whole time, snorted coldly and said sarcastically, "What's face? It's like being able to eat or drink. The Wen family has this relationship, and only this year did they win the porcelain business of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Compared with the profits from porcelain, what's face?"

Eleventh Lady seemed to want to say something but stopped herself.

Just as the second aunt said, face can neither be eaten nor drunk, but at critical moments, it can make people straighten their backs and overcome the predicament of having no food or drink.

But she was not here to argue with the two aunts, nor did she intend to change other people's ideas.

She smiled faintly and said, "In this case, Qiu Luo in our house has Miss Wen as a companion, so she is not lonely at all!"

In fact, he was asking the aunt in a tactful way, what happened to Qiu Luo, who had given birth to a child for Marquis Yongping?

The eldest aunt was also a smart person. She immediately laughed and said, "Qin was raised by the old lady of the Xu family since she was a child. Wen is the legitimate daughter. Although our Qiu Luo is beautiful, if this woman only relies on her beauty, then how can there be the saying of 'equal status'?" As she spoke, she covered her mouth and smiled, and the corners of her eyes and eyebrows unexpectedly became somewhat charming.

In other words, Qiu Luo couldn't even get a concubine!

Eleventh Lady's expression changed slightly.

Although these two concubines were old and haggard, the charm they showed in their gestures could make her guess how beautiful they were in the past. Even they ended up like this, isn't it the best argument that "women can't rely on beauty alone"?

She couldn't help but sigh softly.

"But our Luo family is a family of officials, and our family has been a family of scholars for generations. Our old grandfather has been promoted to the position of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. We are not comparable to the Wen family, which has been a family of merchants for generations." Eleventh Lady further verified, "Lighting the longevity lamp is not an ordinary Buddhist ritual, right?"

"I didn't expect you to know about lighting longevity lamps." The second aunt, who had always had a cold face, had a deep smile in her eyes. "When the former Minister of Personnel Ma Zifu was a councilor in Shaanxi, his concubine returned home with a child. The late emperor still praised him as 'a very good official with excellent talent and character'. What's more, none of you three are on the family tree!"

This time, Eleventh Lady could no longer conceal the throbbing in her heart, and her face turned pale.

“Not in the family tree?”

She never knew that she was not included in the family tree.

The eldest aunt sighed, and looked at her with a look of pity: "When you just came back from Fujian, the second and third masters also returned from their posts with their families. There were a lot of things to do at home, and you just happened to fall down... The eldest lady can forget it!"

*

Eleventh Lady returned to Lujun Tower with mixed feelings.

Shi Niang hasn't come back yet.

She asked Dongqing to find out some information. Baizhi said that Shi Niang had not returned since she went out in the afternoon.

After listening to this, Eleventh Lady remained silent for a long time, and asked Amber to unfold the words written by Fifth Lady and show them to Dongqing.

"I'll give you one night, and you can draw a picture on clear paper."

Although he didn't know what Eleventh Lady was going to do, Dong Qing still responded respectfully as before.

Eleventh Lady didn't say anything else and went to rest with Amber's help.

Early the next morning, Dongqing completed the task she was assigned with dark circles under her eyes.

Eleventh Lady took it and looked at it carefully for a long time, then nodded and smiled: "Dongqing's painting skills are getting better and better. You worked hard yesterday, go and have a rest!"

Dong Qing retreated in response. Shiyi Niang wrote a letter, then put the letter and the paper into an envelope, sealed it and gave it to Qiu Ju: "You take this to Master Jian in Hangzhou." She also asked Hubo to give her five taels of silver, "Don't let anyone else know."

When winter came, Master Jian went back to Hangzhou to celebrate the New Year and would not return to the Luo Mansion until March of the next year.

Qiu Ju took the letter and put it in her arms: "Miss, you are asking Master Jian for advice on embroidering the screen, right? I will definitely not tell anyone."

She had a brother who worked as a servant in Mayuan and had a very good relationship with the boatmen who transported goods for the Luo family.

Eleventh Lady didn't explain much and went to the first wife with a smile.

"I had a good sleep last night. I will start embroidering the screen when I get home."

Even though she came earlier today than yesterday, she still saw Wu Niang.

The eldest wife immediately had goat's milk served to her. After she drank it, she told her to concentrate on embroidering the screen and not to come to pay respects at night. She also emphasized: "Finishing the screen on time is the true filial piety."

The eldest wife said something similar last time. It seems that she was not being fake.

Eleventh Lady thought about it and agreed with a smile. She chatted with the eldest lady for a few words and then returned to Lujun Tower and began to concentrate on embroidering the screen.

After a few days, the eldest wife sent someone to make spring clothes for Eleventh Lady.

Holly was stunned.

Spring clothes have to be custom-made and must be made after the second day of the second lunar month.

Now, it’s not New Year yet?

When Eleventh Lady found out, she just looked up and asked, "Is it just for me? Or is it for everyone?"

The man who came to measure the clothes smiled and said, "Of course everyone has one. However, the eldest lady said that Miss Eleven has grown a lot this year, so she asked us to make a few more sets."

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady nodded absentmindedly, then lowered her head to continue embroidering the screen.

Amber felt uneasy after hearing this, and pulled Binju: "While the young lady has Dongqing to serve her, let's go to the fifth young lady's place. I used to be with the eldest lady, and I didn't get along much with Ziwei and Ziyuan. Now I am in the room of the eleventh young lady, so it's better for me to get closer to the people in the rooms of the other young ladies."

Binju still supported her opinion and went to Wu Niang with Amber.

(I haven't been online for two days, PK results...⊙﹏⊙b sweat... I will add more after these two days, and friends who have votes are welcome to support me!)