When Xu Sijian heard that his mother had taken his elder brother back to her parents' home, he was dumbfounded and said in dissatisfaction: "Why didn't you wait for me to come back!"

Xu Siyu laughed and said, "You are eating what's in the bowl but still thinking about what's in the pot."

Everyone laughed when they heard it.

Eleventh Lady sighed in her heart.

It seems that the third lady has not given up yet.

The difference between legitimate and illegitimate children in a large family is influenced not only by their birth, but also by their education level.

It is not so bad for concubines, who have the opportunity to receive education like legitimate sons, go in and out of the house, make friends, and thus change a person's thinking and reverse a person's fate. But concubines are very different. They never go out of the house, and follow their mothers, aunts, and sisters-in-law to study and learn calligraphy. Even if the family invites a teacher, most of them are over 60 years old. They read "The Biography of Heroines" and learn a few words, but they don't talk about more principles. This is still in the south where the literary style is prevalent. In the north, many women from wealthy families are not allowed to learn to read at all, and their mothers teach them how to behave. The legitimate mother usually despises and suppresses concubines, and does not give them equal opportunities to receive education. Even if they have equal opportunities to receive education, the people around them will intentionally or unintentionally neglect them. Over time, those concubines themselves will become weaker and less courageous, and their gestures will be less graceful, and it is difficult for them to appear as people with flying eyes. The aunt, who is the biological mother, usually comes from a humble background and has limited knowledge. She can't help at all in this regard, so most concubines have mediocre qualifications. Families with a little wealth are unwilling to marry such women as daughters-in-law. First, it is not good for the heirs, and it is difficult to educate excellent descendants, especially in the education of girls; second, their limited ability makes it difficult to handle the daily affairs of the family.

The same reason is why the wife is usually wary of the concubines of good family background. Unlike those women of humble family background, they lose confidence first, and the wife of the wife can often make them obedient with just a few words. They often try to change their current predicament by having children and consolidating their favor, thus threatening the interests of the legitimate sons and daughters and shaking the foundation of the family.

In ancient times, people paid great attention to the matching of family backgrounds, which is why legitimate daughters were unwilling to marry illegitimate sons. Matching family backgrounds does not only refer to wealth, but more to family tradition and education level.

No matter how glorious the Yongping Marquis's Mansion is, the Third Master Xu Lingning is just a bastard.

Not to mention Xu Siqin, whose parents were from a poor family, even if it was Xu Siyu, the Zhongqin family would not have married their eldest daughter to him.

Everyone was having a good time, Xu Lingyi lifted the curtain and came out: "Come in!"

His expression was calm and his voice was gentle. Fifth Master was relieved, smiled and stepped forward to pay his respects, called him "Fourth Brother" affectionately, and said hurriedly: "I have bought all the firecrackers and have two servants guard them. On the nights of New Year's Eve, the first, second, and third day of the New Year, there will be seven servants to set off the firecrackers. Nothing will go wrong."

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded: "Not bad!"

When Master Wu heard this, he immediately became happy like a child who had been praised.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but smile as she looked at him.

Xu Sijian took the opportunity to step forward and pay his respects to Xu Lingyi, and then the group entered the inner room. After the Fifth Master and Xu Sijian paid their respects to the Madame Dowager, they sat down according to age.

The Fifth Master told the Madam about the arrangement of setting off firecrackers again, and finally added: "… Fourth Brother thinks it's a good idea too!"

The lady laughed and said, "That's good, that's good."

A little maid came in and reported: "Third Madam, the eldest young master is back!"

"You're back so soon!" The lady smiled, "Come in!"

The third lady and Xu Siqin lifted the curtain and walked in. They were a little surprised to see everyone there.

After greeting each other, the lady asked with concern, "How is Miss Xian from the Gan family?"

"Oh," the Third Lady said with a smile, "Now that you know, it would be bad if you don't go and take a look. I'm just trying my best." She did not directly answer the words of the Grand Lady.

The lady smiled slightly and stopped talking about this topic. She told the Fifth Master: "The housekeeper will go to Hongdeng Hutong tomorrow to give your father-in-law a New Year's gift. You should go there in person to pay your respects to your father-in-law. Your father-in-law hasn't seen you and Danyang for some time."

The New Year gifts to the Luo and Gan families were delivered yesterday.

Wu Ye replied respectfully, "Yes."

The Third Master came over and asked Xu Lingyi and the Fifth Master to offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God.

Master Wu called out to the younger ones, "Let's go and have some candy."

Several children followed with smiles on their faces.

The Madam Tai asked the Third Madam to leave: "...Change your clothes and come to eat."

The Third Lady left immediately, and the Lady Tai asked Zhen Jie'er to talk to Shiyi Niang: "... I mean, Yizhen is alone in the West Hills, lonely and helpless, let Zhen Jie'er go and keep her company. What do you think?"

Eleventh Lady's heart moved.

It was clearly me who told Xu Lingyi that Zhen Jieer wanted to go to Xishan to accompany the Second Madam, but Xu Lingyi said it was his idea in front of the Madam. The Madam was afraid that it was Xu Lingyi's idea and she had an opinion, so she dragged the matter onto her.

"Mother, this is a good thing." Eleventh Lady was slightly touched. "I'll go tell Sister Zhen right away. When do you think it's a good time to leave?"

The lady nodded slightly: "I have to send New Year gifts to Yizhen tomorrow... Let's do it tomorrow! We will leave at the beginning of tomorrow."

Twelve Lady nodded: "It's up to you, mother."

* * * * * *

While the lady was talking to Eleventh Lady, Amber was also talking to Holly.

"What are you going to do, sister? How can I help you if you don't tell me!" Amber frowned slightly.

Holly lowered her head and did needlework, but didn't say a word.

Amber sighed and said, "After all, I don't have as deep a relationship with you as Binju."

Having said that, Dong Qing looked up helplessly, and said with a forced smile: "That's not what I meant." But he never said why.

Amber had no choice but to hold Dongqing's hand: "Good sister, don't blame me for saying something unpleasant. Think about it, which lady is like our lady, who personally comes to your room to discuss things with you in detail? Nine out of ten times, she would just dismiss you with one sentence. In fact, this is also the fate between you and the lady. But sometimes, sister also has to think about whether it is right or not."

That's a bit harsh.

Dong Qing said hurriedly: "I know that too. But in front of Madam, I really don't know how to say it!"

Amber laughed and said, "Sister, just tell Madam what's on your mind. There's nothing wrong with that." She then joked, "Could it be that Sister has taken a fancy to a handsome man from some family, but is afraid that Madam will ask her about it and she won't be able to explain it, so she doesn't dare to say it?"

"Go away." Holly smiled and pushed Amber.

Amber covered her sleeves and smiled.

The atmosphere in the room became relaxed.

Holly also relaxed.

"I don't think much of Wan Daxian's appearance?"

Amber was startled when she heard this: "I think he looks very handsome."

Dong Qing disagreed: "Why does a man need to be handsome? What matters is the ability to support a family." As he spoke, his eyes darkened, "If I met someone like my father, my mother would be beautiful and virtuous, but in the end, she would still end up selling her children."

Amber had heard that Dongqing had an older brother who was given to another family as a son-in-law when he was five years old.

As she listened, the smile on her face disappeared.

"Wan Daxian was chosen by the Madam, and she must like him very much. I don't know what he is like in front of the Madam," Dong Qing sighed, "The last time I went to Goldfish Lane, he..." Having said this, she paused, as if she didn't know how to continue.

Amber's heart skipped a beat when she heard this: "Did he say something...frivolous to you?"

"No, no." Dong Qing said hurriedly, "He is respectful and knows how to read people's expressions. If I show a little bit of interest, he will do it immediately..." She lowered her eyelids and said, "He really doesn't act like a man at all." Amber laughed when she heard it: "He was just seeing a fairy-like sister standing in front of him, he was so flustered and only knew to flatter carefully with all his heart..."

Hearing Amber's teasing tone, Dongqing blushed with shame and reached out to hit Amber: "What nonsense!"

Amber laughed even harder.

Dong Qing had a bitter expression, "I'm different from you. You were born in a family, and you started working in the first lady's room. I'm different. I was sold in, I have no roots, and I don't even have anyone to talk to. No one was willing to take care of the sick lady, so the job fell on me." She also talked about Mother Yao wanting to marry her to her nephew, "...Speaking of which, Lianqiao in the first lady's room is one in a million, and Luoqiao is not bad either, why did they dare to set their sights on me?"

Amber suppressed her smile.

Dongqing talked about the last time she hosted a welcoming party for Amber: "...It's the same ten taels of silver, why can Fifth Aunt prepare a big table of food, but we can't!" A trace of disappointment flashed in her eyes, "After all, it's because Madam had no one to rely on at the time. Even those well-known mothers dared not take us seriously. Look at us now..." As she spoke, she showed a hesitant expression.

Did something happen that I don't know about?

Amber couldn't help but guess secretly, leaning closer and saying, "Sister, we are talking about personal matters, what do you have to worry about?"

Dong Qing hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice and said, "The last time I went back to the Luo family, I heard Luo Qiao say that after the eldest master came back, he had been staying in the fifth concubine's room. The eldest mistress found out and specially sent the sixth concubine to serve him. As a result, the eldest master... the eldest mistress was so angry that she knocked over the medicine that Madam Xu had offered!"

Amber was stunned.

When she returned to the Luo family, she did not listen to Shanhu's talk about these things. She only told her that the newly married Fourth Mistress was very powerful. She had a lot of things to say. She was right and willing to suffer a small loss. Not only did she make the Fourth Master obedient, but even the maids and mothers in the family did not dare to act arrogantly in front of her. She had taken away some of the limelight from the First Mistress...

"Thinking carefully, it's because the Eleventh Miss is now the wife of Yongping Marquis!" Dong Qing looked disappointed, "I have finally escaped from the sea of ​​suffering, and I don't want to fall into it again!"

"What does sister mean?" Amber was a little confused.

Dong Qing knew that she was asking on behalf of his wife, so he said carefully, "A real man should act decisively and swiftly. I feel uncomfortable seeing Wan Daxian like that... I don't want to have much contact with him!"

Amber was in a dilemma.

How can I get back to my wife?

Wan Daxian was chosen by the Madam. It's impossible that Dongqing didn't like him and didn't want to get married. How many marriages in this world are based on mutual consent? Even the Madam herself, didn't she marry reluctantly and live cautiously with the Marquis?

Dongqing could clearly see Amber's expression. She didn't tell Eleventh Lady because she had the same concerns.

"If I say that I don't like Wan Daxian and that's why I don't want to marry him, Madam will probably think I'm crazy. But if I make up a story about Wan Daxian's faults, what if Madam gets upset? Wouldn't that harm Wan Daxian... Although I don't like this man, I can't just say bad things about him for my own sake... I really don't know how to tell Madam!"

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Finally home...~~~~(_