Chapter 214: The First Month (Part 1)

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 red gold boutonniere. 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 Binju 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 Zhe Ge and Xu Si'e 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 smiled gently.

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

Eleventh Lady sighed in her heart.

The Third Master and his wife had already returned the greeting and called Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian to come over and pay their respects to Eleventh Lady. Xu Siyu then went forward with the two brothers to pay their respects to Eleventh Lady.

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

There will inevitably be another round of courtesy and exchange.

Xu Lingkuan then walked in, supporting the Fifth Madam.

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

Xu Lingyi smiled and nodded at him, his expression less dignified than usual: "I'm here!"

Xu Lingkuan nodded, left the Fifth Lady behind and went up to pay his respects to 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. When he saw the Marquis, he didn't care about anything else. He made me lose my balance..."

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

The Third Lady on the side laughed when she saw this, and Xu Lingyi also shook his head, which made the Fifth Lady blush and caused the Third Master to laugh as well.

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

Mother Du wore a bright red jacket with gold all over it, and for the first time ever, she pinned a pair of bright red velvet flowers the size of her fingernails 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!" Zhege ran over.

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

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

Xu Siyu, who saw all this, had a hint of sarcasm in his eyes. The kind voice of the lady could be heard in the room: "Is everyone here?"

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

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

Xu Lingyi replied "yes" respectfully, and everyone sat in a small oil cart with green curtains to go to the ancestral hall located to the east of Xu's mansion.

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

Xu Lingyi first led the men into the ancestral hall to offer wine, burn silk, and pour libations. Then the Taifu led the Eleventh Lady, the Third Lady, and the Fifth Lady to offer sacrifices in front of the ancestral portraits. The concubines, maids, and old women all stood quietly outside the ancestral hall and waited.

When we came out after offering sacrifices to our ancestors, it was already dark.

Big red lanterns are hung high all around, reflecting the bright red color of the white snow. From time to time, the sound of firecrackers can be heard, and the atmosphere of the New Year is overwhelmed.

Everyone smiled and got back into the small oil cart with green curtains and returned to the lady's room.

The old lady sat down on the armchair with a bright red embroidered cushion 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, Zhege and Xu Siyi to pay their respects to the old lady. Then Shiyi Niang led the Third and Fifth Madams to pay their respects to the old lady. 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 in charge of rewarding.

The rustling sound of the silver ingots in the basket, mixed with the voices of thanks from the maids and mothers, immediately made the atmosphere in the room lively.

Then they set off firecrackers, and set up family banquets in the east side room, the main hall, and the hallway according to gender, age, and social status. They drank Jinhua wine, ate auspicious fruit, and wishful cakes, and the party lasted until the beginning of the night. Then the banquet was cleared and tea was served. Xu Lingkuan led Xu Siqin, Xu Siyu, Xu Sijian, Zhuge, and a group of servants to set off fireworks and firecrackers, while the maids and mothers watched the fireworks under the eaves.

Xu Siqi was left in the room, and Binju fed him lily and lotus seed soup.

The maid in Zhuge'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, "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 put away his 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 the others and returned to her room surrounded by maids and servants.

The lady got up to change her clothes.

Mother Du followed in to serve.

"Children of poor families have to grow up early. When my brother was young, he couldn't even blink an eye."

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 Siyi. While she was taking a bath bean to clean the Madam's hands, she said, "Our brother Zhuo is very precious! Do you remember? That year when we were drinking porridge, the maid on the stove added a handful of green stems to the June snow. Everyone said it was delicious, except for brother Zhuo, 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 hardship."

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

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

After all, the lady was old, so she told the third lady a few words like "be careful with the candles" and then held out her hand for Eleventh Lady to help her into the inner room.

Eleventh Lady and Mother Du helped the Lady Dowager 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 Dowager grabbed her hand, then 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 gift money."

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

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

When Eleventh Lady saw the sincerity 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 smiled and nodded, patted her hands and said, "I remember, your birthday is on the fifth day of May, right?"

"Mother has a really good memory." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "I was born at midnight 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 have a Jigui ceremony, which symbolizes a woman's coming of age. Naturally, it will be more grand than other birthdays.

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

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

"Yes!" Eleventh Lady nodded.

The Third Lady looked at the Third Master and said, "How about we go away too?"

The third master looked towards Xu Lingyi.

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

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

"Just leave it to him!" Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "It's time for us to take a break."

When the Third Master heard Xu Lingyi say this, he found it difficult to refute. He looked worried as he watched Xu Lingyi call Xu Lingkuan in to give him 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 took Shiyi Niang and the sleeping Xu Siqi away.

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 on the bed and playing with the purse that she had placed beside her pillow.

"My mother gave it to me." She explained with a smile, "She said it's New Year's money." She didn't have the 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 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 was a gift given to myself with good intentions.

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

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

Eleventh Lady smiled and opened the box.

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.

Twelve rubies the size of pigeon eggs were placed in a row under the turquoise silk.

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

The thing is too expensive.

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

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