After seeing off Xu Siyu, Chief Steward Bai began to clean up the Mude Hall in the outer courtyard. It was the residence of the princes of all generations. It had been empty since Xu Ling'an got married. Although someone cleaned it, it had not been occupied for more than ten years. Not only did it feel cold and bleak when you walked in, but some things also needed to be repaired and re-purchased. Chief Steward Bai specifically discussed this with Shiyi Niang.

However, the lady asked Mother Du to invite Eleventh Lady.

"I think there's no rush to move." The lady looked at Zhun Ge, who was sitting on the kang with a pale face and being fed lotus seed and lily soup by Wei Zi, and said hesitantly, "We have to wait until after the summer! Now I don't even dare to give him warm mung bean soup."

After he vomited due to dizziness that day, he followed Xu Lingyi to toast at the Crown Prince's Banquet. Marquis Yongchang tricked him into eating half a piece of pork belly, but he started to feel uncomfortable after he came back. He had no appetite for anything and only felt better after fasting for four or five days.

This child is too delicate!

Eleventh Lady was also worried, so she naturally nodded and said "yes".

The lady asked about Eleventh Lady's move: "Chui Lun Waterside Pavilion is a good place to escape the summer heat. I think you should move after the summer!"

Xu Sijie lived alone in Lijingxuan. Zhen Jieer went back and forth between Shaohuayuan and Chui Lun Waterside Pavilion four times a day. She had no corridor to walk on, and her face was sunburned red...

"Let's move in two days as the Marquis wishes!" Eleventh Lady politely refused.

"Since you have already discussed it, let's choose an auspicious day to move!" The lady did not insist, but there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Shiyi Niang saw it clearly. She knew that the Madam wanted her to spend more time with Xu Lingyi. But she couldn't make up her mind at the moment. She had to avoid the Madam's gaze like an ostrich.

After she left, Madam Tai and Mother Du sighed, "We thought there would be good news. But in the end, they just moved back like this!"

"You can't rush this kind of thing." Mother Du smiled and handed the peeled melon to the lady with a bamboo stick. "Besides, it's better to move back home. Otherwise, you won't lose things like this without any rules."

The lady nodded slowly and said no more. On the day when Eleventh Lady was officially going to move, she went over to take a look.

Eleventh Lady had discussed this with Xu Lingyi long ago. Xu Lingyi's study was to be located in the east wing next to the main house, and the west wing was for Xu Sijie. Zhen Jie'er would live in Lijingxuan. If Xu Siyu came back, he would live in the outer courtyard.

The lady listened and said with a smile, "Sister Zhen is grown up now, and she should have her own courtyard. You are very thoughtful." She also saw the maids and old women moving around in the courtyard without any panic, and a look of satisfaction appeared in her eyes. She chatted with Eleventh Lady for a few words, and then took Mother Du back to her own courtyard.

Eleventh Lady directed the maids to decorate the house and organize the boxes. It happened to be the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, so she took the opportunity to turn over and hang winter clothes. She was busy for four or five days before she stopped. On the twelfth day, it was Zhun Ge's birthday. Because he had been frightened before, the lady was worried that the dinner would be too noisy, so she ordered the kitchen to cook assorted longevity noodles and prepared to invite everyone in the family to eat a bowl of longevity noodles together. Who knew that an uninvited guest would come to the door.

First, Lord Jiang sent two thread-bound copies of "The Great Learning" and "The Doctrine of the Mean" from the previous dynasty as a birthday present for Zhun Ge. Later, Grandma Luo sent a set of bright red burnt cloth robes and a set of moon-white gauze Taoist robes. Qi Niang sent a half-foot-tall jadeite stone sculpture of five bats holding peaches. Siniang sent a pair of xiangyun gauze beaded lotus purses. Madam Huang sent a boxwood pen holder with a picture of diligent farming.

The lady looked at him helplessly and smiled: "It is we who are being rude!"

"We are busy with family affairs, and we are all close relatives, so I think you can understand." Eleventh Lady comforted the lady and turned around to arrange thank-you gifts for each family with Amber.

Li Ji's mother, Mrs. Li, comes to visit.

Eleventh Lady was a little surprised.

If she was here to celebrate Zhun Ge's birthday, then she was too well-informed - the ancients believed that one's birth date was related to one's fate, so one would not easily let others know. If it was a coincidence, she suddenly came to visit, and I don't know what the matter was - if she was anxious about Li Ji's marriage, she should have asked someone to speak to Shiyi Niang instead of coming here in person to face Shiyi Niang and not giving either side any room to maneuver...

She felt puzzled and told Amber, "Please invite Madam Li to sit in the main hall of my courtyard." Then she changed her clothes and went to the main hall.

Mrs. Li brought a birthday gift for Zhun Ge.

"Our master is a rough man who only knows those vulgar things. He has been thinking about the prince's birthday for a long time, but your sister was not in good health before, so we were embarrassed to come and disturb her often. This time, he heard that the lady was very kind and polite, so he personally selected this item and asked me to send it. Although I think it is not decent, I think that this is sent by the master from Shanxi, and it is the master's heart, so I can't say the word of rejection. I had to bite the bullet and send it over. Madam, please don't refuse for the sake of our master's sincerity."

Eleventh Lady looked at the three-inch golden little tiger and sweat appeared on her temples.

"I appreciate the kindness of Lord and Madam Li..."

As soon as she started to speak, Madam Li interrupted her: "Madam, please listen to me..."

"Madam Li, please listen to me." Eleventh Lady raised her voice slightly, suppressing Madam Li's words, "We didn't invite guests for the prince's birthday. In the end, it's because the prince has been suffering from deficiency since childhood and is weak. We are afraid that too much is as bad as too little. I dare not accept this thing. Lord Li and our Marquis were colleagues. Our Marquis has no descendants, and Lord Li also knows it. If you take this message, I think Lord Li can understand my painstaking efforts."

Eleventh Lady's reasons for refusing were very reasonable, and it was difficult for Madam Li to insist.

There was a flash of annoyance in her eyes.

Eleventh Lady smiled as she looked at the carved red lacquer box containing a red-gold tiger: "This box is square, neither too big nor too small, just right for holding seals, ink sticks and the like. The prince asked me a few days ago if I could help make one for him. Madam Li, why don't you give this carved red lacquer box to the prince! It will be a good use of it!" Then she winked at Amber, indicating that she should return the red-gold tiger to Madam Li and keep the box.

Madam Li looked at Eleventh Lady with a more serious look.

"It was all my fault for acting rashly. I am grateful that Madam did not blame me. Besides, I just took a fancy to a box, so just take it." She smiled reluctantly. "Since Master asked about it, I have made up for it!"

"The most precious thing about this gift is that it is just right." Shiyi Niang said with a smile, "Madam gave the prince something he wanted. What could be better than this? Even if Lord Li knew about it, he could only say that Madam made him feel at ease." Shiyi Niang said a few polite words, stood up and took Madam Li's hand: "It's rare that you and Lord Li care about our prince. Since you are here today, let's go have a bowl of longevity noodles before leaving!"

Madam Li did not refuse and went to the Madam Dowager's place with Eleventh Lady.

The Taifu was also surprised by Madam Li's arrival. When she heard from Shiyi Niang that Madam Li had given Zhun Ge a carved red lacquer box as a birthday gift, she smiled and calmly invited Madam Li to eat longevity noodles with her. Madam Li was not at all reserved in front of the women of the Xu family. She ate longevity noodles and chatted with the Taifu for a while before getting up to leave.

Eleventh Lady sent her to the Chuihua Gate.

On the way, Madam Li asked her with concern: "I heard from our master that the Marquis went to Shandong a few days ago, encountered scoundrels on the road, and several guards died before he escaped unscathed. The world is really not peaceful now!"

Did you encounter thugs when you went to Shandong?

Eleventh Lady was shocked.

Xu Lingyi came back but didn't tell her a word!

No wonder Qiniang said that she thought he was a bandit when she met him.

She thought he didn't want to show off when he was out, so he changed into coarse clothes. She thought he looked tired because of the hard journey...

Looking at Madam Li, whose eyes revealed a bit of scrutiny, Eleventh Lady did not dare to show any sign at all.

Lord Li actually told these things to Madam Li. She felt that Madam Li's visit today was not simple.

Eleventh Lady said tactfully: "I am a woman, it is not easy for me to talk about these things!"

Mrs. Li couldn't help showing a look of surprise when she heard this.

Eleventh Lady's expression was too calm.

Either he already knew about this, or he is very cunning.

Just as Shiyi Niang said, this matter was not something a woman should know. If Shiyi Niang knew, there would only be one possibility, Xu Lingyi was injured! If she didn't know... Madam Li's smile froze for a moment before it stretched out again.

"That's right. I didn't know at first. If it weren't for this time..." She suddenly stopped talking, then stopped and looked around with a vigilant look on her face. Seeing that the maids and old women surrounding the two of them were standing respectfully with their hands down a dozen feet away, she gently stepped forward and approached Eleventh Lady and said, "I heard from our master that first the Marquis had an accident in Shandong, and then the Marquis of Jinghai... suddenly disappeared for no reason!"

Eleventh Lady's head buzzed and she could no longer hold back, a look of surprise on her face.

Madam Li looked at her and nodded solemnly, lowering her voice a little: "No one is found alive, and no body is found dead."

Eleventh Lady took a deep breath before she could speak: "How could this happen?"

She heard her voice was a little hoarse.

"So Fujian is in chaos." Madam Li looked around again and said, "Marquis Jinghai not only ordered people to turn Fujian upside down, but also sent people to Shangrao, Lishui, and Meizhou to look for people, causing panic among the people there. When the emperor found out, he was extremely angry. He wanted to remove the Fujian general from his post!"

Eleventh Lady was in a state of confusion.

What a coincidence!

First, Xu Lingyi was ambushed, and then the prince of Jinghaihou disappeared.

She thought about how Xu Lingyi had not returned home for two consecutive nights... She felt a chill all over her body... She said to Madam Li perfunctorily: "It's no wonder that the emperor is angry. This matter involves too much!"

"That's right, that's right." Madam Li nodded repeatedly, "The Fujian general is the same, he actually let the Qu family do this. It seems that his position as general is untenable." As she spoke, she sighed softly, "I wonder who the emperor will entrust with the important task of cleaning up the mess in Fujian?"

In this era, women are required to follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. Talking about political affairs is no less than a hen crowing at dawn... Madam Li not only talked about political affairs, but also talked to her, who was neither her best friend nor her confidant.

Eleventh Lady was secretly alarmed and did not answer.

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Sisters, thank you all for being the number one pink vote last month. It's the beginning of the month again, please continue to support me. I will also work hard to write a good article!

O(∩_∩)O~

PS: I will update more when I take a break. So I will update more tomorrow...