Grandma Lin was stunned when she heard this.

"She married far away, and it will be hard for us to meet in the future. I want to stay for a few more years..." Eleventh Lady told Grandma Lin that the Xu family was reluctant to let go of Zhen Jie'er. Grandma Lin thought of Hui Jie'er and naturally understood the feelings of the Xu family. She hurriedly said, "I will tell my brother about this." After Eleventh Lady left, she immediately wrote a letter to her family and sent it to Cangzhou.

As soon as Eleventh Lady returned to the house, Yan Rong followed her.

"I have heard everything about what happened last night." She whispered, "It is said that Aunt Qin complained about the Second Young Master in front of the Marquis. She said that Le'an is a rural area, not as rich as Beijing, and life is poor. The Second Young Master only has a little maid to take care of him, and he doesn't have a mother in charge. He might not know what to do if something happens. She wants the Marquis to send the Mixiangs who left at home to serve the Second Young Master."

Eleventh Lady was slightly stunned when she heard this.

"At first, the Marquis listened carefully. Later, his face became a little worried. He said that the second young master went to study, not to enjoy life. Why did he need so many people to serve him? Seeing that the Marquis was unhappy, Aunt Qin knelt down and apologized to him. The Marquis's expression eased a little, and he asked Cui'er to help him change clothes. Aunt Qin talked about the second young master's marriage again. She said that the second young master was a few days older than the eldest lady, and that the lady had been wholeheartedly helping the eldest lady find a husband these days, and she also asked Aunt Wen to discuss it. The second young master There is no news about the marriage of the master. Now the second young master has gone to Le'an to study again. Heaven and earth are the king, parents and teachers. When parents are far away, teachers are naturally respected. With the second young master's appearance, character and family background, he is probably the best in Le'an. If he is noticed by the poor scholar who is good friends with Mr. Jiang, and if Mr. Jiang can't refuse out of consideration and makes a marriage without thinking, wouldn't it delay the second young master's future. I beg the marquis to find a daughter of a rich family who is suitable for the second young master as soon as possible..."

Is Aunt Qin really worried or just pretending to be worried? Xu Siyu's parents are not dead. Even if Mr. Jiang wants to be a matchmaker, he should tell Xu Lingyi anyway. How can he rashly agree to it?

Eleventh Lady listened and raised her eyebrows.

"When the Marquis heard this, he threw the handkerchief in his hand into the washbasin, splashing water all over Aunt Qin's face. He said that it was not her place to criticize Mr. Jiang. He also asked Aunt Qin, was she not satisfied that the Second Young Master went to Le'an to study? Or was she not satisfied that the Madam had arranged a marriage for the eldest lady first?" Yan Rong said, taking a few steps forward and whispering in Eleventh Lady's ear, "Aunt Qin was so frightened that she stood like a wooden chicken. She didn't even dare to wipe the water drops off her face." As if she thought of the scene at that time, she pursed her lips and smiled before continuing, "The Marquis saw that Aunt Qin was speechless and turned blue with anger. He ordered Cui'er to clean up the east wing and go to rest there. Aunt Qin panicked and knelt on the ground, hugged the Marquis' legs and started crying. She also said that she was too worried about the Second Young Master, so she said all these nonsense.

Concubine Qin was crying and sobbing, and the Marquis frowned. He asked Xinghua to help Concubine Qin up, and he went out. Cui'er chased after her, kneeling on the ground to plead for Concubine Qin, and the Marquis simply went to Banyuepan..."

As she was talking, a little maid came in and reported, "Madam, Aunt Qin is here!"

It’s not even time to say hello in the evening!

Eleventh Lady asked the maid to call her in.

Aunt Qin had red and swollen eyes. She walked up to Eleventh Lady and knelt down in front of her with a plop: "Madam, I was blinded by greed and said nonsense. Please forgive me for my fault and for the sake of the Second Young Master, forgive me for coming back this time!" After saying that, she knelt down on the bluestone bricks and was about to kowtow.

Yan Rong quickly grabbed Aunt Qin and said, "Aunt, what's wrong with you? You came in and kowtowed without even explaining the reason. Even if you are wronged a thousand times, how can our wife make the decision with you?"

Aunt Qin couldn't get up, but she didn't kowtow anymore. She looked at Eleventh Lady with tears in her eyes: "I saw that the prince was engaged and the eldest lady's marriage was also in sight. Only the second young master was still alone, and I was worried about his marriage. So when the Marquis went there last night, I said a few inappropriate words and annoyed the Marquis. Madam, the Marquis respects you the most. Please help me plead with the Marquis for me, considering that I have not been educated and do not know reason."

He actually asked her to help speak in front of Xu Lingyi... Eleventh Lady was speechless for a moment.

Aunt Qin was about to kowtow again, but was stopped by Yan Rong.

"Madam," she said hastily, "I used to serve the Marquis. It is thanks to the grace of Madame Meng and the Marquis that I was able to become his concubine. I am already satisfied. Besides, I am now a married woman, and I should have stopped having affairs long ago. The Marquis was mad at me, and it was my fault. I am not too sorry. I was afraid that because of me, the Marquis would think that the Second Young Master was also a person who did not follow rules... Madam, as long as the Marquis is not mad at the Second Young Master, I have no complaints no matter what I ask of you."

Eleventh Lady was a little surprised.

Aunt Qin is telling herself that she only has Xu Siyu in her heart. As for Xu Lingyi's favor, has she no longer cared about it?

Eleventh Lady thought of Zhun Ge's rejection of Aunt Qin when he first met her, of Aunt Qin's respectfulness to her when she first entered the house, of her excessive hospitality that rainy winter night... a strange feeling arose in her heart.

"Get up!" Xu Lingyi's voice suddenly rang out in the quiet hall.

Eleventh Lady quickly collected her thoughts and knelt down to salute Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi didn't even look at Aunt Qin who was kneeling on the ground, and ordered Yan Rong: "Everyone, please leave. I have something to say to my wife."

Yanrong knelt down and responded, looking at Aunt Qin. Aunt Qin looked at Xu Lingyi with a stern face, her eyes darkened, her mouth twitched, and she and Yanrong retreated.

Eleventh Lady poured Xu Lingyi a cup of tea: "My Lord, what's the urgent matter?"

Xu Lingyi's expression eased, "Nothing! She won't cry here." He didn't mention it anymore, and went to have dinner with Shiyi Niang. After coming back, he didn't go to Qin Yi Niang's place, but leaned on the kang in Shiyi Niang's inner room to read. Shiyi Niang didn't know what he was up to, but thought about how he went to Banyuepan in the middle of the night last night, and how Qin Yi Niang came to kowtow to her again today. She didn't want to get involved, so she sat on the kang while making shoes for Madam Zhou and accompanying her.

By the beginning of the night, Shiyi Niang felt her eyes were a little dry, and Xu Lingyi suddenly stood up: "I'm going over!"

Eleventh Lady thought for a while before she understood.

She put down the work in her hands and said, "My Lord, take care!"

Xu Lingyi paused, as if to explain, or as if to himself: "Since she came to apologize to you, I must give her some respect."

Eleventh Lady looked at his receding back, thoughtfully.

Aunt Qin came to apologize to her in public and asked her to intercede for her. If Xu Lingyi didn't go to Aunt Qin's place tonight, I'm afraid that the next day people would say that she was jealous, or that she was narrow-minded, or even that she had no weight in Xu Lingyi's heart.

Aunt Qin really knows Xu Lingyi very well!

The next day, Xu Lingyi stayed in Shiyi Niang's room, and from then on, whenever Aunt Qin met Shiyi Niang, her attitude became more respectful than before.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but smile bitterly.

* * * * * *

A few days later, Grandma Lin's eldest brother and Shao Zhongran's father arrived in Yanjing to discuss the details of the marriage with the Xu family.

Xu Lingyi asked the outer courtyard to give 10,000 taels of silver to Shiyi Niang to buy part of Zhen Jie'er's dowry. Shiyi Niang handed the money to Zhu Xiang and handed the account to Wen Yi Niang: "...The money is not much, and it can be done decently if used properly. Please help to keep an eye on it, don't spend money and not do good things."

This is for Xu Lingyi to buy some ornaments and combs for Zhen Jie'er, and the land and property will be purchased by the steward of the outer courtyard. Three or five thousand taels of silver can be very beautiful, not to mention ten thousand taels of silver. But Aunt Wen thought that she was a concubine at that time, and some things her mother had saved up were not used. Now she has money in her hands. If she doesn't spend it on Zhen Jie'er, will she take it to her coffin?

Thinking that Shiyi Niang was fairly fair, she hesitated for a moment and said, "The Wen family is a business family, and the comings and goings are also business. If Madam can trust them, I will introduce a few shop owners to you. I don't want them to help me get a discount, but at least they will clearly mark the prices so that I won't be fooled." In the end, she still didn't dare to mention the private money. She said, "Zhu Xiang is a girl after all, and she is shy. Unlike me, I grew up in a merchant family and I am a woman, so I can't talk to the shop owners. I think it's better for me to manage the money and Miss Zhu Xiang to manage the accounts. What do you think?"

Zhen Jie'er's dowry is not only related to the dignity of the Xu and Shao families, but also to Zhen Jie'er's life after marriage. Since Aunt Wen is a typical businessman, Shiyi Niang believes that she still has this skill of choice. Without thinking too much, Shiyi Niang nodded and agreed, but still warned her: "Aunt, you must be careful, so as not to make any mistakes, which will not only bring shame to the Xu family, but also hurt Zhen Jie'er's heart and make it difficult for her to live in the Shao family!"

An unconcealed smile blossomed on Madam Wen's face: "Although I have small eyes, I know this is a big deal. I will definitely not ruin the young lady's business!"

Eleventh Lady ordered Zhu Xiang to hand over the 10,000 taels of silver from the outer courtyard to Madam Wen on the spot, and signed and sealed it. As soon as she returned to the house, she called Qiuhong and Donghong in.

"Donghong's handwriting is great. Why don't you write some bright red and gold-sprinkled calligraphy for me? I want to prepare a dowry for my eldest daughter!" Her tone was filled with joy.

Qiuhong and Donghong looked at each other in surprise when they first heard this. After they came to their senses, they both showed surprise and joy: "The Marquis has agreed!"

"No, Lord." Madam Wen smiled and took a sip of the teacup with a cheerful look on her face. "It was Madam who agreed." She said, slightly touched. "Madam is really efficient in doing things." She thought of the scrutinizing look in Xu Lingyi's eyes when he looked at her. "It's not like... It makes me feel uncomfortable."

Not like who?

He just glossed over it vaguely, which definitely meant that Madam Wen was not someone she would talk about casually.

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Happy New Year, Happy New Year...

PS: The update is a little late, please wait and read it tomorrow morning!

O(∩_∩)O~