After Eleventh Lady finished her work, it was time for lunch. She and the Third Lady hurried to the Grand Lady's place. The Grand Lady had already finished her lunch and had left some food for them. The two of them ate a little, and the Third Lady dragged her to arrange the house cleaning. When they returned to their own courtyard, it was already past three quarters after midnight. Lin Bo was standing in front of the kang, serving Xu Lingyi and writing something.

Seeing her come in, Xu Lingyi nodded and said "I'm back", then continued to write at his desk. Lin Bo didn't dare to be careless, and immediately stepped forward and saluted respectfully.

Eleventh Lady went to the east bathroom to change her clothes and wash her face. When she came out, Lin Bo was gone. The table on the kang was tidy, but the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone were left on the table next to it. There were also a few more books on the kang.

"What are you busy with, Lord?" She greeted Xu Lingyi with a smile, "I was busy from noon until early afternoon, and in the afternoon I arranged the house cleaning with my third sister-in-law, so I was unable to serve you lunch..."

Xu Lingyi leaned on the big pillow on the kang, looking a little absent-minded. When he saw her explaining to him, he nodded randomly and said, "I had lunch at my mother's house. Go do whatever you want, don't worry about me."

When they parted just now, the Third Madam asked her to meet at the place where she was supposed to be tomorrow morning to assign various matters for the New Year to the mothers in charge. It would probably take a whole day. She said this to Xu Lingyi just to test his attitude, and now that she saw that he didn't care, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Lingyi suddenly asked her: "You lived in Fujian when you were a child. Do you remember what happened back then?"

Eleventh Lady's heart skipped a beat.

Why are you suddenly asking about this?

"I was young at that time, so I don't remember it." She was a little nervous, but her smile remained. "What do you want to know, Lord? How about I bring a letter and ask my father to come over to our house?"

Xu Lingyi thought for a moment and said, "Forget it!" with a somewhat disappointed expression.

It seems that he really wants to find out something, but he is hesitant about the master. I just don't know what it is?

She thought of the Fifth Aunt...

"How about I go back to my parents' home and ask my aunt?"

"No need." Xu Lingyi said, "You women never leave the house. Even if you have lived in Fujian for ten or eight years, I'm afraid you still won't know anything. Let me think of another way!"

Eleventh Lady smiled bitterly, but had to admit that what he said made sense.

As he was speaking, Lin Bozhe came back with a scroll in his hand, his brows full of excitement: "My Lord, I found it!"

Xu Lingyi's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he sat up straight: "Bring it here and let me see."

Lin Bo hurriedly bowed to Shiyi Niang, then carefully placed the scroll on the table on the kang and opened it - it turned out to be a map.

Xu Lingyi leaned over and watched carefully.

Lin Bo stood aside quietly and breathlessly.

You can hear a pin drop in the room.

Eleventh Lady was also watching from the side.

Fuzhou, Guangdong, Guilin, Hangzhou... She also saw Yuhang. It was a map of the four provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangzhou and Guangxi.

He asked himself if he remembered what happened in Fujian, and then looked at the public opinion chart... What on earth was Xu Lingyi trying to do?

After a long while, he raised his head.

Seeing Eleventh Lady's pair of crystal eyes looking at him curiously, his heart softened and he couldn't help but explain: "Early this morning, Wang Jiubao sent me a letter through Huang Yu."

It turned out that she went to the outer courtyard early in the morning to meet someone sent by Huang Yu... Huang Yu was the provincial governor of Zhejiang and the relative of Liang Gelao, she knew that. But who was this Wang Jiubao?

Eleventh Lady thought about it for a while before she finally understood.

Wang Jiubao is the biggest pirate in the south. His family has been in confrontation with the Jinghaihou Qu family for several generations, and he was recently pardoned.

Huang Yu and Wang Jiubao were both in the south, so it was understandable that they came together through relationships. But when did Huang Yu become so close to Xu Lingyi that he even helped Wang Jiubao to speak in front of him? Wang Jiubao was a pirate leader, so what did he want when he wrote a letter to Xu Lingyi?

She was confused: "Why would Huang Yu come to you if he doesn't help Wang Jiubao find Elder Liang?"

As usual, I got to the point quickly and spoke with much less effort!

Xu Lingyi couldn't help but let out a long breath.

He had been feeling uncomfortable since he heard the words of the Madam yesterday: "It's only been three or four months, and you've been talking and laughing with Eleventh Lady." After seeing the newly changed curtains, he felt even more uncomfortable, so he simply went to Aunt Qiao's place. Who knew that not only did he not feel better, but he felt even more uncomfortable than usual. After returning from the Madam's place in the morning, he hesitated for a long time and went back to the main room to take a nap. He woke up at 3:00 p.m., and didn't want to open his eyes in a daze. As a result, he took a nap for the first time in his life. When he opened his eyes again, it was already 3:00 p.m.

The quilt still had the wild and unrestrained rose scent that Shiyi Niang often used. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, thinking of her delicate skin like porcelain... His body woke up with the fragrance of the flower... Lin Bo came to give instructions: "Master Fan's personal servant is waiting in the outer study. He has to rush back to Xuantong overnight. Otherwise, let him go first?"

He didn't want Lin Bo to see his embarrassment, so he asked Lin Bo to move the things to the main house.

Lin Bo's shocked expression clearly appeared in Xu Lingyi's mind.

He couldn't help feeling upset.

Lin Bo has been working for me since he was nine years old. It has been seven or eight years now, and I have never been so confused about public and private affairs...

"Nothing!" Xu Lingyi's voice was involuntarily cold. "Wang Jiubao wanted to ask the emperor to organize a fleet to go to sea through me... I'm unemployed at home now, and I've already refused."

He subconsciously did not tell Shiyi Niang what happened next.

Since you have refused, why do you still need to look at the map of Fujian area?

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly, but did not point it out, nor did she talk to him about it again. She smiled and stood up and said, "May I help the Marquis change his clothes? It's almost time to go to my mother's place!"

Xu Lingyi refused instinctively: "Just call Chunmo or Xia Yi in!"

Eleventh Lady could feel that he suddenly developed a subtle aversion to her, and she was startled.

how so?

It was fine just now!

However, this emotion had already appeared yesterday - when he stared at the new tent for a long time and suddenly got up to spend the night in Qiao Lian's room, Xu Lingyi's attitude towards him changed... At that time, I thought Xu Lingyi was a little uneasy because he decided to spend the night with Qiao Lian even though I changed the new tent obediently. Now it seems that is not the case at all...

She was very anxious.

Did I accidentally do something that made Xu Lingyi very unhappy?

Although I am confused, this is not a good time to sort it out.

She called Chunmo and Xia Yi in with a smile, and sat on the kang to think. Naturally, she did not notice Lin Bo who was standing beside her with his head down.

There was an unconcealable surprise on his face!

I didn't expect that the Marquis would tell his wife these things. Even the Fifth and Third Masters, the Marquis never told them these things...

* * * * * *

After returning from the lady's place, Xu Lingyi went straight to Qiao Lian's room to rest.

Eleventh Lady and Amber discussed the work schedule for the Spring Festival and did not go to bed until the beginning of the night.

Her face was filled with Xu Lingyi's cold and distant expression.

What went wrong?

Eleventh Lady reviewed everything that had happened before she entered the house.

Everything is developing in an increasingly favorable direction. After thinking it over again and again, there is nothing wrong!

Thinking of this, she couldn't sleep even more.

I am not afraid of knowing, I am afraid of not knowing. If I know, I can still make corrections. If I don’t know, I can’t make corrections…

If there was any discord between them, it was **. But even so, wasn't she making progress in a direction that satisfied him? Or was it because as they became more familiar with each other, she became less respectful in her behavior towards him? But she was not rude, and he didn't show any dissatisfaction before!

Eleventh Lady was puzzled and vaguely felt that there was movement in the yard.

At this hour, all the courtyards are locked and no one will knock on the door unless it’s a serious matter!

She got up, put on her clothes and left the inner room.

There was indeed a noise outside.

Eleventh Lady called out to Lu Yun who was on duty: "...Did you hear anything?"

Lu Yun listened attentively: "It seems there is some movement outside!" Then he put on his jacket and said, "Madam, I'll go check it out!"

Eleventh Lady nodded.

Lu Yun hurried away, and after a while he came back: "It's the steward from the outer courtyard who came to see the Marquis!"

Eleventh Lady's heart was pounding: "Do you know why?"

Lu Yun shook her head: "I don't know. When I went out, the Marquis had already left. The night maid locked the door again."

Eleventh Lady lost all desire to sleep.

She returned to the room and asked Luyun to move the embroidery frame and embroider the words. She didn't feel sleepy until dawn.

But I have to go and pay my respects to the lady again.

She yawned and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Before she had time to comb her hair, a little maid ran in: "The Marquis is back!"

I went out in the middle of the night and came back at this time!

Eleventh Lady went out to greet him in surprise.

Then he saw Xu Lingyi walking towards him with big strides, his face livid, carrying a bulging blue-flowered coarse cloth bag in his hand with ease.

For some reason, the first thing that came to Eleventh Lady’s mind when she looked at the bundle was “I didn’t expect Xu Lingyi to have so much strength.”

When Xu Lingyi saw Shiyi Niang, his face was covered with frost and he said coldly, "Let's talk about it when we get back!"

Seeing that he looked unhappy, Eleventh Lady followed him into the house with her head lowered.

He sent the maid away and casually placed the bundle on the kang by the window in the inner room: "Find a few mothers who are good at keeping their mouths shut to help look after it for the time being." As he finished speaking, the bundle spread out.

Eleventh Lady was stunned, as if struck by lightning, and could not move for a long time.

There turned out to be a child in the bundle.

She looked no more than two or three years old. She was pale and thin, huddled up in a ball, and it was hard to tell whether she was a boy or a girl. She was wearing a red satin jacket that was obviously too small for her. It was stained with oil, and the collar and cuffs were worn to a shine, revealing a small section of her thin arms. Maybe it was because it was too cold, her skin was a little dark. Her hair was messy on her head, giving off an unpleasant smell. She was looking at her in fear.

Her mind buzzed, her heart was in a mess, and she couldn't help but point at the pair of big round eyes on the child's dirty face: "What, what is this?"

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Two updates in a row... time to be determined... I haven't started writing yet at the time of posting...⊙﹏⊙b Sweat!