Xinglin smiled and said, "She is settling accounts with Mother Hang in the house! I will take you over."

Eleventh Lady hesitated and said, "In that case, I won't go." Then she asked Dongqing to pass the bundle in her hand to Xinglin, "This is a long shirt I made for Master, a skirt I made for Grandma, and a small jacket I made for Brother Xiu. Please give them to Grandma." She also asked Dongqing to bring her a box, "These are a few purses I made in my spare time. Take them and share them with the sisters. It's a little gift from me."

Although the things that Miss Eleven embroidered were good, it wasn't like no one else could match hers. But Miss Eleven would often create some new styles that no one else could match. Even Master Jian often praised Miss Eleven for her intelligence... Since they were specially sent, they must have taken a lot of effort. Xinglin knew without even opening them that these purses would be eye-catching. She happily squatted down and bowed to Miss Eleven: "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Eleven." Then she took the bundle and said with a smile: "Among the ladies, you have the most skillful hands. Last time you troubled us to embroider a cloak for grandma. Our grandma still talks about it today, saying that your plum blossoms were embroidered just like the real ones. When she came to visit relatives in Yanjing, everyone asked whose craftsmanship made her famous. This time you arranged to make clothes for Grandpa, Grandma and Brother Xiu. I wonder how happy grandma would be if she knew! If she knew that you didn't even enter the door after delivering the things, she would blame Xinglin for not knowing the rules. Miss Eleven will come in and have a cup of tea before leaving anyway."

Eleventh Lady refused: "It won't be too late for me to come visit Grandma later."

Seeing that he couldn't keep her, Xinglin sent Shiyi Niang out and turned to go to the eldest lady.

Grandma was looking at the account book and reporting the numbers, while Mother Hang was calculating on the abacus with her fingers flying.

Xinglin didn't dare to interrupt. She waited for Mama Hang to stop and report a number. Grandma took a pen and wrote it down in the account book. Then she smiled and went forward to greet Grandma: "Grandma, Miss Eleven came just now and said she made clothes for Grandpa, you, and Brother Xiu." As she spoke, she handed over the bundle. "Miss Eleven heard that you and Mama Hang were settling accounts, so she insisted on leaving and said she would come to see you another day."

After hearing this, the grandmother looked at Xinglin seriously and asked, "Why didn't you keep her?"

Xinglin was slightly stunned.

The eldest grandmother said, "Leave your bag behind and go outside to settle the accounts with those women."

"Yes." Xinglin looked a little stern, bowed and retreated.

Mother Hang smiled and said, "Xinglin is young, so grandma will teach him slowly!"

The grandmother shook her head: "She is already eighteen this year... I wanted to ask the master to take her in, so that I could have a helper. Who knew..." She sighed, "She is not young, but she has a big heart. She even dares to treat the daughter of the Luo family so lightly. I am afraid that she will not be easy to deal with in the future."

"Whether she lives or dies depends on your words." Mother Hang said with a smile, "Besides, our son-in-law never gets close to the people around him. He didn't have any thoughts when Taolin was around, let alone Xinglin's beauty and behavior."

Taolin was the maid who had offended the master...

Hearing Mother Hang mention her name, the grandmother's face darkened: "It's really a disgrace to our Gu family. I can't even raise my head in front of my master!"

Mother Hang looked around and saw that there was no movement. She lowered her voice and said, "Don't worry, grandma. Madam has already dealt with it. She kept it so that no one would know."

The wife she was referring to was my great-grandmother's mother.

The grandmother's expression did not improve because of what Hang's mother said. Instead, she untied the bundle that Shiyi Niang had sent her in annoyance: "Let's not talk about these messy things... Look at what Shiyi Niang has done for us?"

The stitches on the old man's shirt are meticulous, the orchids on the grandmother's skirt are lifelike, and the deer embroidered on the brother's cape are vivid...

Mother Hang couldn't help but sigh: "It's a pity that she didn't get to be in the first wife's belly!"

"Who said it wasn't?" The grandmother also looked sympathetic, "It's all fate."

They both thought of Luo Yuanniang at the same time.

For a moment, there was silence.

After a while, the eldest grandmother perked up and asked, "By the way, have the earthenware gifts for the second and third masters been delivered?"

Mother Hang said hurriedly, "It has already been sent as Mother Xu instructed. I'm afraid it has arrived by now."

Grandma nodded and talked to Mother Hang about the accounts.

*

Lunch that day started an hour earlier than usual. After lunch, the eldest wife asked them to take a short rest: "...Don't let the Xu family see that Madam's sisters are as wilted as eggplants hit by frost! When you are done dressing up, come to my room."

Wu Niang and Shiyi Niang naturally did not dare to disobey, and each went back to their room to rest for a while, apply a facial mask, take a bath, comb their hair, and change clothes. The eldest wife and Xu Mama sorted out the various favors and local products they brought from Yuhang to prepare for their return to the Xu family.

At the end of the day, everyone met in the eldest lady's room.

Wu Niang wore a white silk jacket inside, a white embroidered skirt below, and a rose-red brocade jacket with a twig pattern outside. Her black hair was tied up in a bun, with a red gold hairpin like an immortal's hairpin inserted in it, and a pair of purple stone pendants hung on her ears. She looked beautiful and dignified.

The eldest wife frowned and said, "Go, change that skirt into a light yellow one."

Wu Niang blushed and went to change her skirt.

The eldest wife's eyes fell on Eleventh Lady.

She wore a light green silk jacket, a pea green embroidered skirt, a light yellow jacket with a four-happiness pattern, a double bun, and a few pearl flowers. Although her clothes were elegant, they were a bit dull.

The eldest wife couldn't help but hold her forehead and said, "What's wrong with you today? No one or two of you are worrying me."

"Maybe it's because I'm too nervous." Mother Xu explained with a smile, remembering that she went to see everyone's clothes.

The eldest wife sighed and told the Eleventh Lady, "Put on a pink silk jacket, a lilac-colored jacket, and a white embroidered skirt. Let your hair down, tie it up into a bun, and put some pearl flowers in it... Go quickly!"

Eleventh Lady had no choice but to rush back to the house and change her clothes as the eldest lady instructed.

When she returned to the house, Wu Niang had already changed her clothes.

The rose-red jacket matched with the light yellow skirt added a touch of brightness to her elegance. And she, with her pink silk jacket matched with the lilac-colored jacket, added a touch of elegance to her tenderness.

Eleventh Lady suddenly realized that she could not find any opportunity to take advantage of in the Luo family.

She clenched her hands into fists.

There must be another way...

*

The carriage slowly drove out of Gongxian Hutong, Baodafang, and turned left to reach Baoda Street. After exiting Baoda Street, turn right and you will reach Dongzheng Street. Then walk west along Dongzheng Street, pass Zheng'an Gate and the royal garden Taichi Garden, and walk for another incense stick to reach Hehuali, where Yongpinghou Mansion is located.

This Lotus Garden was originally called Lotus Hill, and it was a small lake belonging to Taichi. When Emperor Taizong built Taichi Garden, he thought its location was a bit remote, so Princess Ningguo asked for it, and built a separate courtyard by enclosing the lake. Later, the princess committed suicide by taking poison after being involved in the "Zheng An Wang Rebellion Case" and her family property was confiscated, and the separate courtyard was taken back by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Later, the Xu family restored their title, and the Xu family's original mansion in Shishi Hutong had long been awarded by Emperor Xiaozong to his uncle, so Emperor Yingzong gave Princess Ningguo's separate courtyard to the Xu family.

"Doesn't the eldest sister live in the royal villa?" When Wu Niang heard the eldest lady talk about the lotus place they were about to go to, her eyes were full of excitement.

"Not entirely." The first wife paused, "There were many meritorious families who redressed the injustice of the 'Zheng An Wang Treason Case'. The Xu family took the initiative to propose to live in the eldest princess's residence together with the Dingguo Duke Zheng family and the Weibei Marquis Lin family. Otherwise, how could 'Lotus Hill' be called 'Lotus Lane'?"

When Wu Niang heard that the Xu family was living in a separate courtyard with other people, she was slightly stunned.

The eldest wife saw her disapproval and felt a little unhappy. She said, "Although Zheng Jiagong got the main house of the annex, and the Lin and Xu families divided the annex garden, Emperor Yingzong remembered that the Xu family's mansion was not smaller than the princess's annex, so he only gave one-third of the garden to the Lin family and the Xu family got two-thirds. The annex was built by the princess for her own rest in her later years. The garden is full of mountains and vines, and is very elegant. In terms of the size of the mansion, the Xu family is nothing among the nobles in Yanjing, but in terms of scenery, it is one of the best."

Wu Niang knew she had lost her composure, so she laughed and said, "I was just wondering if Mother could ask my eldest sister to send someone to take me for a walk later... I have never been to such a noble place since I was a child, and I want to broaden my horizons."

The first wife's face brightened slightly: "We still have to stay in Yanjing for a while, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone said through the curtain of the carriage, "Madam, we are passing by Taichi Garden! Would you like to take a look?" The person who spoke was a servant sent by the Xu family to follow the carriage.

Wu Niang smiled when she heard this, but the first wife glared at her fiercely. Then she said to the old woman slowly through the curtain: "No need. Looking from Dongzheng Street, you can only see a few big trees that are as thick as a man's arms. If it were summer, you could take a look, but it's freezing cold now, so I think it's better not to go!"

The old woman laughed twice and said nothing more.

The eldest wife whispered to Wu Niang and Shiyi Niang: "When you get to the Xu family, don't look around, don't hunch your head, and don't panic. Speak when you should, and remember to smile when you shouldn't. Accept the gifts generously, don't push and shove like a petty family, and taste the snacks directly, don't be timid like you haven't seen the world..." She said a lot of things in a long-winded way, making Wu Niang nervous. When Shiyi Niang saw it, she naturally showed an uneasy look. The eldest wife stopped and said: "In short, the Xu family is noble, you should not embarrass the Luo family."

The two of them hurriedly responded respectfully, "Yes."

The eldest wife raised her hand to smooth her temples, and then pulled at the collar of her clothes which was already very smooth.

Eleventh Lady was stunned.

The carriage had stopped and someone outside was whispering something. After a while, the noisy sound died down and then the carriage jolted as if it had run over something and started moving again.

Inside the carriage, no one spoke and the atmosphere was somewhat depressing.

Fortunately, the carriage stopped again after less than a cup of tea.

The curtain of the carriage was opened, and Mother Tao's round, smiling face appeared before their eyes: "Madam, we're here!"

(There has been a power outage in the past few days, so I can't update for the time being. Even the normal updates are completed at work...⊙﹏⊙b sweat... Please understand and forgive me!)