Bin Ju hurriedly explained: "Madam, the fifth young master heard that you were back and insisted on coming to see you. We couldn't stop him..."

The main reason is that Xu Sijie is now a young master, so it’s hard to stop him!

Shiyi Niang looked at his clenched fist and asked softly, "Brother Jie, do you want to give me some candy? Can you give me the Wosi candy that Brother Zhun gave you?"

He was held in Binju's arms, with his head lowered, staring blankly in silence.

Eleventh Lady felt soft in her heart and sighed softly.

Her subconscious rejection must have saddened the child!

Eleventh Lady stood up, touched his head, and her voice became softer: "Brother Jie, do you want to give me some candy?"

Xu Sijie raised his head and looked at Shiyi Niang with some uncertainty.

Eleventh Lady looked at him with a bright smile.

The two looked at each other silently.

Bin Ju said uneasily, "Madam, after you left, the fourth young master wanted to teach the fifth young master how to play shuttlecock, but the fifth young master refused and insisted on coming back. The fourth young master took out walnut cakes to coax the fifth young master, but it still didn't work. I had to carry the fifth young master back. He refused to go into the house again, and held the pillars of the corridor in front of the door and refused to leave. We had no choice but to wrap the fifth young master in a cloak and let him stand here with him. When it was time to eat, he refused to let go. Dong Qing and I not only took turns to persuade him, but also brought the mutton soup made by Mama Wu in our kitchen here to coax him into the house to eat... It was not easy to coax the fifth young master into the house. I don't know who said that Madam is back. He turned over the chair and ran to your room." As she spoke, her voice gradually became lower, "We were wondering why the fifth young master clenched his fist and refused to let go... We didn't expect that he was holding a candy in his hand."

Eleventh Lady's expression gradually became peaceful and calm. She asked again, "Brother Jie, is the wosi candy that Brother Zhun gave me delicious?"

He nodded, shook his head, and then slowly opened his clenched fist.

Because it was squeezed for too long, the rose-colored silk candy that had melted on the surface appeared in front of Shiyi Niang again.

Eleventh Lady smiled and took the candy from his palm.

Maybe it’s because of the sweat from my hands, it tastes a bit salty.

"Hmm!" She raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and a smile rippled in her eyes, "This candy is indeed very sweet."

Xu Sijie smiled with his lips pursed, his beautiful eyes sparkling with joy like stars in the summer night.

Shiyi Niang instructed Binju: "Help him wash his hands, and then find his candy - to prevent him from hiding it in his bed or under his pillow and letting it melt." After thinking about it, she felt that it was not appropriate and added, "Give him a small box specially used for storing things, so that he can develop the habit of putting things in the box."

Bin Ju nodded in response.

Eleventh Lady smiled and rubbed Xu Sijie's head: "Remember, next time you are going to do something, remember to tell me first!" Then she looked at him sincerely and asked what he thought.

Xu Sijie nodded and suddenly said, "Tangtian."

Eleventh Lady smiled widely and said, "Our Jie brother is really well behaved. Talk to me like this from now on. Got it?"

Xu Sijie smiled and nodded.

Shiyi Niang asked Binju: "Did he eat?"

Bin Ju said with a bitter face: "I ate two dumplings."

I just haven’t eaten yet…

Eleventh Lady thought for a moment and said, "Are the eldest and second young masters still playing with the Madam?"

When they went to the palace to congratulate, they handed the children over to Mother Du.

Bin Ju nodded: "When I came, the young masters were all catching up on their sleep in the fourth young master's room!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and said to Xu Sijie: "Do you want to follow me?"

Xu Sijie nodded repeatedly.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "What did I tell you just now? Tell me what you want to do. Got it?"

Xu Sijie immediately said: "I'll follow!"

"Well, just eat the dumplings that Binju fed you, and I'll take you with me."

When Xu Sijie heard this, he immediately pushed Bin Ju away and ran out.

"Fifth Young Master!" Bin Ju stamped her feet, hurriedly said to Shiyi Niang, "I'll go and take a look," and chased after him.

Amber, who was serving beside him, smiled and said, "Do you really want to bring the Fifth Young Master with you? I'm afraid someone will come to wish you a happy new year!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Let the little maid tell him to play shuttlecock in the inner room."

Xu Sijie was not a clingy child. As long as Shiyi Niang was where he could see her, he would be quiet. If Shiyi Niang was meeting guests in the east room and asked the maid to take him to the west room to play, he would definitely not make a noise.

Through the observations of the past few days, Amber knew a little about Xu Sijie's habits. After hearing what Shiyi Niang said, she did not refute it. She helped Shiyi Niang change into a pink plain brocade jacket and a dark green hem. Xu Lingyi, who was already wearing casual clothes, walked in: "Are you ready?"

His eyes lit up.

The pink brocade made her face look rosy.

"Okay!" Eleventh Lady stood up with a smile, "But Binju is still feeding Brother Jie - let's wait!"

Xu Lingyi frowned slightly: "It's already this late, why are you still eating? I have to tell him the rules later."

"He just got here!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "He needs time to get used to it."

Xu Lingyi said nothing more and sat down on the big kang by the window.

"We made dumplings today. How about I bring them over to fill your stomach?"

"No thanks." Xu Lingyi refused without thinking.

Eleventh Lady thought about how he never had any snacks, fruits or midnight snacks for his three meals a day, so she didn't force him and sat down with him with a smile.

"Let's go to the Jiang family this afternoon!" Xu Lingyi suddenly said, "If you look up, you marry your daughter, and if you look down, you marry your wife. Besides, this marriage was arranged by the old man of the Jiang family and Jiang Bai, and Jiang Song is not very happy. Our family must be sincere."

The more courtesy you give, the less blame you will get! Moreover, when you are at Xu Lingyi's level, others will only think you are humble.

Eleventh Lady nodded: "I looked at the account book a few days ago. For such relatives, the gift is no more than fifty taels..."

"Just fifty taels!" Xu Lingyi said without hesitation, "I'll ask Manager Zhao to pick a few paintings from the warehouse and send them over as well."

Eleventh Lady nodded in agreement, took the T-shaped cards given by the lady and asked Amber to get the painting.

The little maid came to report: "The fifth young master is here!"

"Come in!" Eleventh Lady nodded, and Binju walked in holding Xu Sijie.

When Xu Sijie saw Xu Lingyi was also present, his eyes immediately lit up.

Bin Ju led him to pay his respects to Xu Lingyi. He stood there motionless, looking up at Xu Lingyi. He had completely lost his usual liveliness and looked a little dazed.

Eleventh Lady looked at him with amusement and asked, "Did you finish eating so soon?"

Because Xu Lingyi was there, Bin Ju was very respectful: "I ate nine dumplings!"

Eleventh Lady nodded and smiled at Xu Sijie, "Brother Jie is really good."

Xu Sijie became happy.

Xu Lingyi frowned: "Why doesn't this child speak?"

After seeing this, Xu Sijie immediately took two steps back, his face tense.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help laughing, and went forward to hug Xu Sijie: "Let's go to the Madam!"

"Can't he walk?" Xu Lingyi stood up and asked curiously, "Let Binju hold him? Be careful that the child doesn't slip."

It was a bit difficult to hold a three-year-old child at first, so Shiyi Niang handed the child to Binju as she was told, and said with a smile, "It will take two cups of tea to get to the Madam's place, and Brother Jie is still too young."

Xu Lingyi just asked casually.

He has no experience dealing with children.

It was his first time being a father. When he left, the baby was still in his belly. When he came back, the baby could run and jump. By the time Zhunge came, he had already moved to Banyuepan, and later went to war again...

Eleventh Lady was thinking about going to the Jiang family.

On the first day of the new year, I just came back from the palace, and the first thing I did was to visit the Jiang family.

It seems that he not only decided to complete this marriage, but also attached great importance to it.

She thought of something that had always been in her heart - the selection of Zhun Ge's teacher.

"My Lord, didn't my second sister-in-law say last time that Brother Qin and Brother Yu are very knowledgeable and that they need to hire a special teacher? The Jiang family has a school in their hometown, why don't you ask the Jiang family to recommend someone..."

Xu Lingyi shook his head slightly: "After all, our two families have not formally exchanged greetings." After a pause, he continued, "Besides, the Jiang family's school values ​​eight-part essays more than poetry and songs. I think it's better to forget it!"

Eleventh Lady thought of what Xu Lingyi once said, that the deceased old marquis had also prevented the Third Master from taking the imperial examination.

She thought back to her time at the Luo family. Both the eldest master and the eldest lady told Luo Zhenxing and Luo Zhensheng to learn eight-part essays well and take the imperial examinations, and said that poetry and songs were all evil ways. But the Xu family did the exact opposite and did not encourage their children to take the imperial examinations. You know, in the Zhou Dynasty, only those who came from the imperial examinations were the right way to select officials, and the others were regarded as wild foxes who could not be on the stage. Xu Lingyi had both illegitimate sons and legitimate sons, but there was only one title of Yongping Marquis. The best way to minimize these conflicts is to encourage children to be self-reliant - after all, the fight for titles is a competition for the right to survive. If other children have the ability to survive, their desire for titles will be much less than those children who cannot take care of themselves.

Eleventh Lady hopes that Xu Siyu and Xu Sijie can be self-reliant...

"My Lord, your idea is really strange." She tried to communicate with Xu Lingyi, "I have only heard of teaching children to study eight-part essays well, but I have never heard of anyone hiring a teacher who dislikes the teacher's ability to teach eight-part essays!"

Eleventh Lady is the daughter of the Luo family and grew up in the inner courtyard, so the views she expressed are naturally the views of the Luo family.

Xu Lingyi said: "We are different from the Luo family."

Eleventh Lady was slightly stunned.

Does it mean that the Xu family is a hereditary family of nobles?

When Xu Lingyi saw a hint of confusion in Shiyi Niang's eyes, he couldn't help but smile slightly.

No matter how smart Eleventh Lady is, she still lacks some experience.

"Since the establishment of the imperial examination system, all common people have used it to bring honor to their families. After becoming an official, they have the protection of their fellow townsmen, classmates, and fellow students. But it is different for us, the nobles. We are entrusted with the emperor's orders and serve him loyally. Our wealth and glory depend on the emperor alone." Xu Lingyi said tactfully, "We should not be greedy for more, which is against the rules."

Eleventh Lady pondered over Xu Lingyi's words for a moment before she understood.

For families like the Luo family, only by passing the imperial examination can a family prosper, so they must learn eight-part essays. But for people like the Xu family, they only need to serve the monarch well. You have to know that after ten years of hard study, you will be taken care of by seniors with the same experience as you. If you don't pass the imperial examination and donate money to become an official, you will not be recognized by those who passed the imperial examination, and you will not have a network of relationships with fellow townsmen, classmates, and the same subjects in your official career. If you want to continue and do well, the only person you can rely on is the emperor.

Therefore, if the Luo family wanted to make a name for themselves, they had to rely on the imperial examination; if the Xu family wanted to make a name for themselves, they had to rely on the emperor's appreciation. Because they had no way out, they needed to learn different things.

This is another balancing act used by the emperor to control his subjects!

She was speechless.

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There are a lot of bugs, I will fix them right away, please bear with me for now.

O(∩_∩)O~