"Cousin?" Hui Jie'er was surprised. "Cousin Zhongran?"

"Just said cousin." Eleventh Lady smiled, "I don't know if it's cousin Zhongran you are talking about."

"That's it." Hui Jie'er said with a smile, "Brother Zhongran and my uncle are not from the same family, so they call each other by their courtesy names. The women and servants in the family follow suit and call him 'young master'."

Eleventh Lady listened with a smile on her face, wanting to take this opportunity to inquire about the fan - how did Shao Zhongran know that Hui Jieer wanted to paint the picture of the lily of the valley under the moon? Did he know that Hui Jieer painted the lily of the valley to give it to Zhen Jieer? But she glanced at Zhen Jieer standing beside her with a smile, and swallowed the words that were on her lips.

Why should Zhen Jie'er be impressed by Shao Zhongran?

As the thought flashed through her mind, she heard Hui Jie'er muttering in a low voice, "What is Cousin Zhongran doing here? Is it because the house purchase is not going well?"

Eleventh Lady smiled and said nothing.

Hui Jie'er took the initiative to say to them: "My uncle and his family used to stay at our house when they came to Beijing. But this time there are too many people, and everyone is crowded together. My uncle said it's inconvenient. He wrote a letter back and planned to buy a small house in Yanjing, so they don't have to stay at our house all the time if they have anything to do in the future. Last month, my grandfather sent a steward with money. These days, my uncle and cousin Zhongran are out looking for houses every day!" Her expression was somewhat embarrassed.

Since it’s inconvenient for everyone to live together, why buy a small house?

Eleventh Lady thought of what Huang San's grandmother said - the Lin family's several branches are stronger than the other, but they all have their eyes on the public property, fearing that they will become estranged from the old marquis after moving out, and suffer a loss when the old marquis divides the property. In this case, the relationship between the branches must be complicated. A large group of Shao family members have lived here for several months, and even if they pay, they still need to recruit people to serve. Grandma Lin is the mistress of the house, and she has to balance the relationship. I'm afraid this is the main reason why the Shao family wants to buy a house outside?

"Having a yard is always an asset." She echoed Hui Jie'er's words and said, "If you don't need it in the future, you can just sell it. You won't lose money for sure."

Hui Jie'er heaved a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Just as Aunt said. So my grandfather decided to buy a yard this time."

As the two were talking, Eleventh Lady, who had been paying attention to the movements outside the window, saw out of the corner of her eye a man in a bright blue Hangzhou silk Taoist robe coming down the steps of the main house and heading towards the courtyard gate.

It should be that Shao Zhongran.

She lowered her head and drank tea calmly, but her eyes were looking out the window.

He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a slender body, and his black hair was combed into a bun with a yellow wooden hairpin inserted in it.

He stopped, turned around and bowed to his mother who was seeing him off.

Eleventh Lady suddenly understood why Grandma Lin said that her nephew and Sister Zhen looked like a pair of golden boy and jade girl standing together.

Shao Zhongran has sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and he is handsome and tall. His gaze is as bright as the sun, which makes people smile. Zhen Jieer has fair skin, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a calm and peaceful temperament, like the tranquility of a lake.

While she was thinking, she saw Shao Zhongran glance at the main house with a melancholy expression, and then quickly disappeared outside the hanging door.

Eleventh Lady was slightly surprised.

Grandma Lin smiled and walked in through the curtain.

She explained, "My younger brother has taken a fancy to a house. The owner is waiting for money and is in a hurry to sell it. He is offering 30% lower than the market price and wants to complete the transaction before the evening hour today. My younger brother is afraid that he is a blackmailer, so he specially sent Zhong Ran to tell me and asked me to send a steward to help him greet the government and sign the contract with this person before the evening hour."

Eleventh Lady thought of Shao Zhongran's hurried steps just now. She smiled and nodded: "It will be more convenient to get things done if you have acquaintances to greet you!"

Grandma Lin felt relieved.

Whether Eleventh Lady believes it or not, at least everyone has an explanation.

The two chatted for a while, then went to Mrs. Lin's house for lunch, and Eleventh Lady took Zhen Jie'er back to the Xu Mansion.

The lady is not at home.

"...went to the palace." Wei Zi smiled and poured tea for Shiyi Niang. "She said that the Emperor and the Empress had given gifts for her birthday and Dragon Boat Festival, and she wanted to go to the palace to express her gratitude."

The second wife is a widow and has gone to the Weibei Marquisate. The fifth wife's child is still young...

"Who's going with you?" Eleventh Lady was a little worried.

"Mother Du went with her." Wei Zi smiled and said, "Fifth Madam wanted to go with her, but Madam Tai refused."

As she was talking, a little maid ran in: "The Madam is back!"

Eleventh Lady led Zhen Jie'er to the hanging flower gate to welcome them.

"Why did you come back so early?" The lady was a little surprised to see them, "You didn't stay to talk more."

"Grandma Lin is also very busy." Eleventh Lady stepped forward to support the old lady, "Why didn't you tell me when you were going to the palace? It's never too late to go to the Lin family." She said angrily, "You went to the palace alone, and there was no one to serve you."

The lady laughed and said, "I am just going to express my gratitude, not to attend any palace banquet. Although I am old, I can still eat three big bowls."

Seeing that the lady was in good spirits, Shiyi Niang felt relieved and returned to the house with the lady with a smile.

The lady told her about the Dragon Boat Festival: "...Zhun Ge made an appointment with Mr. Zhao to watch the dragon boat race early in the morning. I thought that he has hardly been out of the house at his age, so it would be a good idea to let him go and have a look." She asked Eleventh Lady what she thought.

Eleventh Lady was afraid that the Madam would not agree, so she smiled and said, "Send a few agile people to follow us when the time comes."

Seeing that Eleventh Lady had no objection, the Madam smiled and nodded, "Ask Brother Yu about the arrangements. Brother Jie is too young, so he can stay at home. Have your coming-of-age ceremony in the morning, and invite the guests to dinner at noon. I guess everyone will return home in the afternoon, so we can have a meal together as a family."

The coming-of-age ceremony is a woman's affair and there will be no male guests.

Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile and asked about the coming-of-age ceremony: "...how many people are there? I can make arrangements for them as well."

"You are busy, so let Madam Du handle this." Madam Tai smiled and said, "I will ask her to give you the menu for the banquet tomorrow, and you can ask the kitchen to prepare the wine and food. As for the other matters, let Madam Du worry about it. You just need to dress up beautifully and attend the banquet."

Eleventh Lady talked to the Dowager about the coming-of-age ceremony: "...When I came back from Fujian, the fifth sister had already passed the coming-of-age ceremony. When the seventh sister passed, it was the mourning period for my grandfather, so the family just had a meal together. When the tenth sister passed..." She didn't remember it, but it was not easy to talk about it in front of the Dowager, "...I came to Yanjing. They were not married at that time. I remember that they wore beautiful clothes and nothing else. The eldest wife helped to tie up their hair and put a hairpin in it. I don't know if mine is any different?"

"It's almost the same!" The old lady and Eleventh Lady were sitting on the kang and talking. Zhen Jie'er took the half-finished needlework of Wei Zi and practiced her hands there. "Comb your hair and say a few auspicious words. Let's eat and drink. But you are getting married, so I will host the ceremony and the eldest lady will be the spectator. I will go to Gongxian Hutong tomorrow and ask the eldest lady's opinion - she is your mother after all, and there are some things that you still need to discuss with her."

Eleventh Lady didn't understand these ancient rituals very well, so she naturally followed the arrangements of the Madam. She smiled and said, "Then should I go back with you tomorrow?"

"No need." The lady smiled and said, "Just focus on preparing for the Dragon Boat Festival."

Eleventh Lady nodded. She chatted with the Lady Dowager and Zhen Jie'er for a long time. When Zhun Ge came back from school and knew that he could go to watch the dragon boat race with Mr. Zhao on the Dragon Boat Festival, he jumped up. He was anxious to tell Mr. Zhao the news. The Lady Dowager looked at him with a smile on her face and told him several times to "be more stable", and he restrained himself. He walked around the room for a long time and then it became a little quiet. Xu Siyu asked Xu Lingyi: "Dad...didn't you say when you will be back?"

"I should be back by the Dragon Boat Festival!" said Eleventh Lady with a smile.

Xu Siyu remained silent, his eyelids drooping: "I'll just read a book at home, in case the teacher at Jinxi Academy tests me and I can't answer."

He was quiet and calm, and the flying feathers by the Biyi Lake disappeared like a pebble thrown into the center of the lake.

Children of half a generation have their own thoughts. You think he is just making up new words to express his sorrow, but he thinks you don't value his feelings. It's better to pretend you don't know. It's not too late to listen quietly when he comes to talk to you.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "That's good. Remember to have dinner at Madam Tai's room at the beginning of the day."

Xu Siyu responded softly, “Yes.”

Zhen Jieer smiled and pulled Xu Sijie's hand: "Play with me!"

Xu Sijie raised his little face and smiled at his sister.

Zhen Jie'er gently pinched his nose.

The lady looked at it and nodded secretly.

* * * * * *

A few days later, on the third day of May, Eleventh Lady had already prepared the food for the Dragon Boat Festival and the banquet for the coming-of-age ceremony. Then, a message came in from the Hui Office saying that on the second day of May, Mrs. Jiang and Miss Nine of the Jiang family had arrived in Yanjing. Eleventh Lady waited until the fourth day of May, but no one from the Jiang family came to report the news.

Is it because of her coming-of-age ceremony?

Eleventh Lady was thinking about it.

It would be fine if I didn't know that Mrs. Jiang and Miss Jiang's ninth daughter had come to Yanjing. If I knew, I would have invited them to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. But I had to hold my coming-of-age ceremony that day. As the saying goes, you raise your head to marry a daughter and you lower your head to marry a daughter-in-law. It would be a bit awkward to let Mrs. Jiang and Miss Jiang's ninth daughter congratulate me on the first meeting!

Eleventh Lady went to discuss with the Madam: "...I think we should just pretend we don't know!"

The lady laughed and said, "Then pretend you don't know! Wait for the Jiang family to report the news." She added, "I also took the Jiang family's position into consideration at the time, so I didn't invite Madam Jiang to your coming-of-age ceremony."

"Since no one from the Jiang family was invited, the Jiang family probably didn't know that they were going to hold a coming-of-age ceremony. And why didn't anyone come to bring us a message?" Eleventh Lady listened and pondered, "Could it be that something unexpected happened to the Jiang family?"

"The child has already been brought to Beijing, what else could have happened?" The old lady said disapprovingly, "I'm afraid the Jiang family heard about it, so they deliberately didn't tell us that Madam Jiang and Miss Jiang's ninth daughter were coming to Beijing."

"Hear the rumor?" Eleventh Lady was a little surprised. "Hear the rumor that I was going to hold a coming-of-age ceremony?"

The Xu and Jiang families belong to different social circles. Both families are relatively low-key, so the opportunities to meet each other are not many.

"What's there to be curious about?" The lady smiled and said, "Yanjing is a small place, and those who are interested will naturally know it."

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Sorry, I'm too busy at work today. I'll post the draft first and catch bugs later!