However, Eleventh Lady's attention was attracted by a strange woman following behind the Third Lady.

She wore a pink brocade jacket, a moon-white skirt, a high bun, and a golden hairpin. She was about 27 or 28 years old, of medium build, with fair skin and delicate features, but her eyes were evasive when she looked at people, which made her look petty.

Madam Wen immediately whispered, "That's Madam Yi from the third room."

Aunt Yi who is on good terms with Aunt Qin?

Eleventh Lady took one more look before stepping forward to greet the Third Master and the Third Madam. She then asked Bin Ju to invite Xu Lingyi out, and she bowed to greet the Third Master and the Third Madam, but she caught a glimpse of Xu Siyu out of the corner of her eye.

He was staring blankly at Zhun Ge and Xu Sijie who were standing side by side holding hands.

Xu Siqin, who was standing by, saw Shiyi Niang looking over, and hurriedly pulled Xu Siyu's sleeve, whispering, "Your mother is looking at you."

Xu Siyu was startled, but he didn't even look at Shiyi Niang, and just gave a gentle smile.

At first glance, people who didn’t know him might think that he was looking at Zhun Ge and Xu Sijie with a smile!

Eleventh Lady sighed in her heart.

The Third Master and the Third Lady had already returned the greetings and called Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian over to pay their respects to Eleventh Lady. Xu Siyu then stepped forward with the two brothers to pay their respects to Eleventh Lady.

Just as he stood up, Xu Lingyi came out from the east room.

There will inevitably be another round of gift exchange.

Xu Lingkuan walked in, supporting the Fifth Madam.

"Fourth brother!" He called Xu Lingyi happily, showing more affection than usual.

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded at him, his expression less solemn than usual: "Here I come!"

Xu Lingkuan nodded, left the Fifth Madam behind and stepped forward to salute Xu Lingyi.

The Fifth Lady did not expect her husband to let go so suddenly, and was caught off guard, so she smiled angrily and said, "Fifth Master is really like that. He ignored everything when he saw the Marquis, and made me lose my balance..."

Before she finished speaking, Xu Lingkuan rushed over again: "Are you okay?"

The Third Madam on the side laughed when she saw this, and Xu Lingyi also shook his head, making the Fifth Madam blush and causing the Third Master to laugh as well.

Just when the noise was getting louder, Mother Du came out, helping the lady.

Mother Du wore a bright red jacket with gold all over it, and for the first time ever, she pinned a pair of fingernail-sized red velvet flowers on her hair. She looked festive and energetic.

The lady wore a lilac silk jacket with a crane pattern and a ruby ​​knot in her hair, which made her look more gorgeous than usual.

"Grandma, grandma!" Zhun Ge ran over.

The lady laughed, touched Zhun Ge's head and held his hand.

Xu Sijie, who was left alone, stood beside the black lacquered floor-to-ceiling pillar. He blinked at Zhun Ge who was leaning against the lady-in-waiting, then looked at Shiyi Niang who was talking to the third lady with a smile, and lowered his eyelids.

Xu Siyu, who had seen all this, had a hint of mockery in his eyes. The kind voice of the lady-in-waiting rang out in the room: "Is everyone here?"

"Everyone is here." The third lady stepped forward and responded with a smile.

"Okay then." The lady looked at Xu Lingyi, "Let's go to the ancestral hall together!"

Xu Lingyi replied respectfully, "Yes," and everyone sat in a small oil-powered cart with a green curtain and went to the ancestral hall located to the east of Xu's mansion.

The Xu clan ancestral hall has five rooms, with a bluestone corridor, green pines and cypresses planted on both sides, and a three-foot square green tripod standing in the middle.

Xu Lingyi first led the men into the ancestral hall to offer wine, burn silk, and libate wine. Then the lady-in-waiting led the Eleventh Lady, the Third Lady, and the Fifth Lady to offer sacrifices in front of the portraits of the ancestors.

The aunt, maids, and old women all stood quietly outside the ceremonial gate of the ancestral hall, waiting.

By the time we came out from offering sacrifices to the ancestors, it was already dark.

Big red lanterns are hung high all around, reflecting the red color of the white snow. From time to time, firecrackers pop out, and the atmosphere of the New Year is everywhere.

Everyone had a smile on their face and got back into the small oil cart with green curtains and went back to the lady's room.

The old lady sat down on the armchair covered with bright red embroidered cushions in the middle of the hall. First, Xu Lingyi led Xu Lingning and Xu Lingkuan to pay their respects to the old lady, then Xu Siqin led Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, Zhunge and Xu Sijie to pay their respects to the old lady, then Shiyi Niang led the Third Madam and the Fifth Madam to pay their respects to the old lady, and then the concubines from each room came forward to pay their respects, as well as the respectable mothers and maids.

Mother Du sang and cheered on the side, while Wei Zi and Yao Huang were responsible for giving tips.

The clattering sound of the silver ingots in the basket, mixed with the maid's voice of thanks and reward, immediately made the atmosphere in the room lively.

Then they set off firecrackers and set up family banquets in the east room, the living room and the hallway according to the gender, age and status. They drank Jinhua wine and ate auspicious fruit and Ruyi cakes. The party lasted until the beginning of the night. When the banquet was over and tea was served, Xu Lingkuan led Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, Zhun Ge and a group of servants to set off fireworks and firecrackers, while the maids and mothers gathered under the eaves to watch the fireworks.

Xu Sijie was left in the room, and Bin Ju fed him lily and lotus seed soup.

The maid in Zhunge's room looked at him and couldn't help but admonish him, "Feed less. Be careful not to wet the bed at night."

Bin Ju smiled and said, "The Fifth Young Master is very well behaved. He got up by himself in the middle of the night."

The lady sitting nearby heard the sound and asked, "How old are you?"

Bin Ju quickly suppressed her smile and said respectfully, "It is said that he will be four years old on the third day of March."

The old lady didn't say anything else. She turned around and told the fifth lady: "You are pregnant, go to bed early!"

The Fifth Lady was also a little tired, so she said goodbye to Eleventh Lady and others and returned to her room surrounded by maids and old women.

The lady got up and went to change her clothes.

Mother Du followed in to serve.

"Children of poor families have to grow up early. Brother Zhun couldn't even blink at that time."

The words came out suddenly and were somewhat confusing, but Madam Du, who had served the Madam for decades, knew that she was talking about Xu Sijie. While she took the bath beans to clean the Madam's hands, she said, "Our Zhun Ge is very precious! Do you remember? When we had porridge that year, the woman in the kitchen added a handful of green stems to the June snow. Everyone said it was delicious, except Zhun Ge, who said the rice was too coarse and couldn't swallow it."

The lady laughed and said, "He can't stand even the slightest bit of torture."

"That's right." Mother Du and the lady went back to the east room chatting and laughing. They happened to encounter the midnight when every household was setting off firecrackers. The sound went on one after another and lasted for a full quarter of an hour.

Xu Lingyi came over and asked the Madam to go to bed: "...We have to go to the palace to pay respects early tomorrow morning."

After all, the lady-in-waiting was old, so she told the Third Lady a few words like "be careful with fire" and then stretched out her hand for Eleventh Lady to help her into the inner room.

Eleventh Lady and Mother Du helped the lady take off her hairpins, wash her face and hands, change her clothes and get on the bed. When she was about to leave, the lady grabbed her hand, took out a purse from under the pillow and handed it to her.

"This is for you," she smiled at Shiyi Niang, "New Year's money."

Eleventh Lady was a little surprised and a little embarrassed: "I am already an adult, how can I accept your New Year's money..."

Before she could finish her words, the lady had already stuffed the purse into her hands: "You haven't even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet, you're still a child. Be obedient. Take it. This is from me."

When Eleventh Lady saw Cheng given by the Lady Dowager, she took it with a smile.

The purse felt heavy in her hand, so she thanked him and put it in her arms.

The lady nodded with a smile on her face, patted her hands, and said, "I remember that your birthday is on the fifth day of May!"

"Mother has a really good memory." Eleventh Lady smiled, "I was born on the fifth day of the fifth month."

"Yes." The lady nodded with a smile, "We have to take good care of it..."

Eleventh Lady didn't take it to heart.

She will be fifteen years old on the fifth day of May this year, and will hold a Jigui ceremony, which symbolizes a woman's adulthood. Naturally, it will be more grand than other birthdays.

She just smiled, waited for the lady to rest, and then returned to the hall.

Zhun'er was still setting off fireworks with Xu Lingkuan, but Xu Sijie had already fallen asleep in Binju's arms. Seeing Shiyi Niang coming out, the Third Lady rubbed her eyes and asked, "Is mother asleep?"

"Yeah!" Eleventh Lady nodded.

The Third Lady looked towards the Third Master and said, "How about we disperse as well?"

The Third Master looked towards Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's leave this to Xiaowu!"

The third master hesitated and said, "Why don't I stay?" He looked like he was worried about Xu Lingkuan.

"Just leave it to him!" Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "We should also take a break."

When the Third Master heard Xu Lingyi say this, he found it difficult to refute. He looked at Xu Lingyi with some worry and called Xu Lingkuan in to give him some instructions.

Xu Lingkuan's face was full of excitement: "You guys go and have some rest! I promise to keep my nephews safe."

Xu Lingyi smiled and patted his shoulder, then left with Shiyi Niang and the sleeping Xu Sijie.

Upon seeing this, the Third Master and the Third Madam exchanged helpless looks, called Qiu Ling to look after the Xu Siqin brothers, and then returned to the house.

* * * * * *

When Eleventh Lady came out of the shower, she saw Xu Lingyi leaning against the bed and playing with the purse she had placed beside her pillow.

"My mother gave it to me," she explained with a smile, "she said it was New Year's money." She didn't have time to see what it was.

Xu Lingyi smiled, put the purse back on the pillow, then took out a small carved red lacquer box from under the pillow and handed it to her: "Here!"

Eleventh Lady was stunned.

When did he hide a box under the pillow... I didn't even see it when I made the bed just now...

Xu Lingyi was embarrassed to see that Shiyi Niang did not show the joyful expression he had imagined. He forced a smile and then casually threw the box on the quilt: "Isn't it New Year's Day?"

After all, it is a gift given to yourself with good intentions.

Eleventh Lady hurriedly picked up the box and said with a bright smile, "Is this a New Year's gift for me?"

Xu Lingyi said "hmm" lightly, turned around and went to sleep.

Eleventh Lady opened the box with a smile.

Under the dim light, the dazzling brilliance of the gemstones made her squint her eyes, and it took her a while to see clearly what was in the box.

Under the dark blue velvet, twelve rubies the size of pigeon eggs were placed in order.

"My Lord..." Eleventh Lady felt a little uneasy, "This..."

The stuff is too valuable.

She couldn't think of any reason why she should accept it.

With his back to Shiyi Niang, Xu Lingyi sensed her uneasiness. For some reason, he suddenly felt a little happy in his heart, but the words he said were a bit careless: "Go to bed quickly! You have to get up early tomorrow..."

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I'm writing this in the middle of the night, I'm really sleepy. I'll catch bugs tomorrow...O(∩_∩)O~

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Also: I would like to recommend a fantasy novel written by a girl, "Phoenix Coming to Another World".

Book number: 1662656

Synopsis: Fengwu Heiner, a time traveler who has lived two lives, initially wanted to become a magician and change her fate because of her childhood full of human indifference. However, once the wheel of fate turns, everything is out of her control...