"The emperor was silent for a long while. I repeatedly requested to resign, but he finally agreed." Xu Lingyi's expression was indifferent. "He also said that since the third brother wanted to be sent out, the rank could not be too low. He asked if it would be okay to send him to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to be a prefect. I said that being an official is a small position, and the main thing is that we can separate without hurting each other. If I go to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to be a prefect, I am afraid that the censor will impeach me. It is better to send me to an inconspicuous county to be a small county magistrate. The emperor listened and said nothing. I don't think he is against it. This will most likely work out."
But in this way, the emperor also tactfully agreed to Xu Lingyi's resignation.
While he was thinking, a little maid came in and said, "Fifth Master wants to see you!"
"What is he doing here at this time?" Xu Lingyi was stunned, and frowned and asked Shiyi Niang, "Has he been staying at home during this period? Has he gone out?"
Poor Fifth Master, Xu Lingyi had become conditioned to think that he had gotten into trouble. But thinking of Fifth Master's abnormal behavior when that violin player wanted to see him today, Eleventh Lady couldn't help but think in this direction.
She hurriedly told Xu Lingyi about this matter: "...I wonder if it's because of this?"
Xu Lingyi's face turned pale when he heard this and he hurried to the east room.
Eleventh Lady didn't know whether Xu Lingyi would rest here. After thinking about it, she decided to make the bed as before. Just as she finished, Xu Lingyi walked in angrily.
"We've finished the conversation so quickly!" She smiled and asked Xu Lingyi as if she hadn't seen anything, "Do you want me to help you wash and dress?"
Xu Lingyi didn't say anything, but walked around the room.
"This brainless guy, I don't know when he will grow up!"
Eleventh Lady knew he was talking about the Fifth Master, and smiled, "The Marquis is the same. Just now he was talking about Zhun Ge, saying that you were fighting outside first, and then you were busy with the affairs of the court, and you neglected something, which is why he has developed his cowardly character now. The Fifth Master is the same. He lost his father at an early age, and his brothers were busy with their own things, and there was no one to teach him. The Marquis will resign soon, and he will spend more time at home in the future. Why don't you take this opportunity to have a good talk with the Fifth Master. If you see him with a stern face, he will naturally not dare to tell you if he has something to say. When things get out of hand, you still have to help clean up the mess. It's better for you to be in harmony with each other, and he can discuss anything with you in time. You can also point out whether he is right or wrong in time. He knows what he can do and what he can't do, and it will be fine slowly!"
"How old is he?" Xu Lingyi was so angry, "He still wants me to tell him what to do. When I was his age, I had already suppressed the rebellion in Miaojiang! I have more than a dozen experienced generals under my command, but I don't know anything. I dare not leak a single word in front of them. I followed those petty officials in the middle of the night to learn how to allocate military pay and food, and got up the next morning to deal with the trivial matters of the day..."
"What would happen if everyone was like the Marquis?" Eleventh Lady smiled brightly after hearing this.
Xu Lingyi was deflated and sat down on the edge of the bed unhappily.
Eleventh Lady asked the maid to bring in some hot water.
"My Lord, please warm your feet. If you have anything to say, please talk to me nicely. Even if I curse you a thousand times, I will help you solve the problem."
Xu Lingyi leaned on the big pillow: "I know that too. I just think it's too incompetent... Otherwise, why would the family be in such a state..."
"So I said we can't let the Third Master and his wife go out with resentment." Eleventh Lady took the copper basin from the maid and placed it at Xu Lingyi's feet, helping him take off his boots. "There are still two children. Our Brother Zhun will need help in the future!"
Xu Lingyi said nothing and let Shiyi Niang help him heat his feet.
* * * * * *
The lady over there was also asking Mother Du: "Have you found out?"
"I found out." Mother Du said, "Fifth Master learned opera from Liu Huifang. Although he didn't become her apprentice, Fifth Master promised to give Liu Huifang two hundred taels of silver every year as retirement money. Later, Fifth Master got married, and although he no longer had any contact with Liu, he still sent two hundred taels of silver to her every year. Liu used the two hundred taels of silver to drink and visit prostitutes, and never went to Fifth Master. This year, the snow was heavy, and the price of rice in Yanjing increased several times. He said that he couldn't make ends meet, so he came to Fifth Master to reward him with some silver, and shamelessly said that it should be deducted from next year's money."
The lady was so angry that she trembled: "How could I have given birth to such a rebellious son!"
Mother Du hurriedly advised, "Master Wu, don't you know you are wrong? Otherwise, we wouldn't have stopped communicating over the years." She added, "I heard Master Wu just went to see Master Hou, I think it's about this matter. With Master Hou coming forward, you don't have to worry."
The lady sighed helplessly.
* * * * * *
When the Fifth Master returned to the room, the Fifth Madam had already gone to bed. After washing up in the Fifth Madam's room, he ran into the inner room in his slippers and got into the Fifth Madam's quilt.
The Fifth Lady was awakened and startled: "Master, what happened? I am pregnant and cannot serve you..."
Master Wu said nothing and reached out to touch his wife's bulging belly.
"What's wrong?" Madam Wu said softly, "How about asking Xiaomei to come to my room and serve me..."
"I don't think about that every day." Wu Ye muttered, "No need!"
The Fifth Lady smiled and said, "Aren't I worried that you might feel uncomfortable?"
Wu Ye said nothing.
Mrs. Wu knew his temper, so she asked the maid on night duty to blow out the lights, then she lay down quietly and snuggled into her husband’s arms. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard her husband say in a low voice, “Danyang, you’re the only one who treats me the best… Others either want my money or want to borrow my fourth brother’s influence… Danyang, you’re the only one who treats me the best…”
In the darkness, Madam Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
At least this playboy still has some conscience and knows who treats him well!
Toffee is right.
Men are all children, it all depends on how women **...
She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
* * * * * *
Although Liu Huifang's episode caused some worries to each family, it did not affect the normal life of the Xu family.
Xu Lingyi went to the palace to see the empress once, and on the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, he submitted a letter to resign from his post. The emperor did not agree, but allowed him to recuperate at home for a period of time. The imperial doctors from the Imperial Hospital went to Yongping Marquis's Mansion in groups of three or five, and wrote a lot of prescriptions, but no one dared to say that they could cure Xu Lingyi's illness. Eleventh Lady served on the side, and had to avoid the imperial doctors who came in. She had to send someone to get the doctor after taking the imperial doctors' prescriptions. From time to time, old friends from the Five Military Commanders' Office, the Ministry of War, and the powerful families came to visit the patient, and she was very busy. Fortunately, the Wanshou Festival was coming soon, and everyone had to go to the palace to celebrate the birthday, and the Xu Mansion finally settled down.
Because it was not a full-length birthday celebration, court was suspended only on the day of the Emperor's birthday. Officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital and the ladies of the imperial court entered the palace to offer congratulations.
The Queen's spirits were obviously much better, and she was talking to the Princess and others. When she saw Eleventh Lady, she asked the court lady to invite her over.
"It's cold, you should wear more clothes."
Eleventh Lady was stunned, and looking at the ladies around her who were dressed exactly the same as her, she immediately understood that the Queen was showing her concern for her.
She knelt respectfully, just as she had done before when meeting the Empress. "Thank you for your inquiry, Your Majesty."
The Queen looked at her for a while, nodded, and started talking to the eldest princess beside her.
Eleventh Lady stood respectfully aside and listened to everyone talking.
After the longevity banquet began, he followed the rules and sat down with everyone else. When watching the acrobatics, he served beside the lady, and his every move did not appear to be inappropriate.
The Queen looked at him and nodded slightly, then said to Aunt Huang in private: "I used to think that she was of low birth and young age, and that she had wronged the Marquis. Now it seems that we were narrow-minded."
Aunt Huang smiled and said, "Your Majesty was not wrong. You just didn't expect that the Marquis would be so lucky to marry a woman who can speak so well."
As the two were talking, a eunuch shouted, "The Emperor has arrived!"
The Queen straightened her clothes and went to meet him.
Before she could bow, the Emperor had already picked her up, sent the servants around him, and went to the east room to talk with the Empress.
"Do you know about Xiao Si's matter?"
The Queen nodded and said calmly, "He came to the palace and told me about it two days ago. I think it's a good idea, too. I'm planning to talk to the Emperor about this after the Emperor's birthday."
The emperor was slightly startled.
The Queen sighed, "You also know his character. Even if there is something, he will swallow his anger. He and Yuanniang had such a quarrel in the early years, and they had few children. The second brother died early, and even though the second sister-in-law had the talent of Wen Ji, she was a widow and could not help with the family affairs. The third brother is an honest man, but the third sister-in-law has a strong personality. In recent years, they have been arguing about dividing the family, making the family restless. You know that the fifth brother," she paused, "has a troupe outside to hire actors... This family is all supported by the fourth brother. He is stubborn in front of you. I heard from the fourth brother's wife that they have to use hot water to scald his knees every night. Sometimes they just think it's not hot enough and the skin is burned." As she spoke, she shed tears, "Speaking of which, he is also a descendant of a family, a senior official of the second rank. Not to mention people like him, even those who are not as good as him, all have fine clothes and food, beautiful cars and beautiful women, but he has never enjoyed a day... At least let him rest for a few days."
When the emperor saw the empress crying, he comforted her, "I know, I know. He has worked hard over the years.
"He and the emperor are not only monarch and subject, but also uncle and brother." The Empress took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. "He helps you, and you help him, which is right. But I think what Xiao Si said to me that day also makes sense. It was forced by the situation before, and we had to do it. Now you are the father of all people, and you have the four seas. All the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are the king's subjects. The Miao area is temporarily settled, and there is no trouble in the northwest. The emperor wants to be a famous monarch of all ages with both civil and military achievements. The next step is the work of the civil officials. He has little education, and he can't do anything except fighting. He can't help the emperor with much. He can be a minister who abides by his duties and set an example for those ministers who think they have made contributions to the enthronement."
The Queen's words really touched his heart.
If he wanted to be a famous emperor, he had to have good relations with civil officials. But those who supported him to the throne were all military generals, and he was most afraid that they would use their past merits to hinder his transformation...
The emperor was very excited when he heard this: "We can't let him resign like this..."
"Your Majesty is confused." The Queen scolded, "As long as you are here, he will be here. You hold your golden rice bowl, and you are worried that he will have nothing to eat. Otherwise, with his ability, how could he become the Prince's Junior Tutor at the age of 27? Xiao Si has some self-knowledge! Why don't you let him resign? Take advantage of his success now, otherwise he will accidentally reveal his true identity one day, and the reputation he has worked so hard to earn will be ruined. If he loses face, it will also be a slap in your face."
The emperor swept away his previous worries and couldn't help laughing.