Borrowing the name of Chief Butler Bai?

As the saying goes, "the seventh rank official is the best in front of the prime minister." Butler Bai is the chief butler of the Xu family. Even the provincial governors have to give him some respect when they see him. Is this a waste of talent?

Eleventh Lady wanted to decline, but then she thought of Xu Lingyi's expression and changed her mind: "With Chief Butler Bai coming forward, it will be much easier."

As soon as she finished speaking, Manager Bai asked for a meeting.

Xu Lingyi let him in. The maid placed a small stool at the door, and Manager Bai half sat on it. Xu Lingyi told him the reason for calling him in, but did not mention the money.

Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't want her dowry to be mixed up with the property of the Marquis' Mansion, lest it be spread that the wedding shop was given to her by Xu Lingyi.

Butler Bai knew the purpose of the visit. Although he could not hide his surprise, he quickly showed a sincere smile: "This shows that the Marquis and his wife think highly of me. Madam's shop must be settled. I will go and greet the people from Shuntian Yinfu and Wucheng Bingmasi. I guarantee that no one will cause trouble."

Xu Lingyi nodded, and Manager Bai retreated.

Qiao Lianfang is here.

"The weather has been dry these past two days, so I made some water chestnut pear soup for you to cool down." As she spoke, she turned around and took out a sweet white porcelain stew pot from the plum blossom red lacquer and gold-painted tray supported by an embroidered citron and held it in front of Eleventh Lady. "This is my first time making it, and I don't know if it suits your taste." Then she tiptoed to pick up the lid of the stew pot and gently stirred it with a silver apricot blossom spoon. "Would you like to try it, Madam?"

Eleventh Lady looked at her eager eyes and was speechless for a long time.

Why did Qiao Lianfang suddenly become so attentive?

She glanced at Xu Lingyi who was sitting opposite her and noticed a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"I just drank a few cups of tea at Master Jian's place, and drank another cup with the Marquis," Eleventh Lady smiled and called Amber, "Please take it to the kitchen first and bring it to me later."

Amber responded and took it.

Qiao Lianfang sat there and chatted with Shiyi Niang.

"Madam, you are so good at needlework, and you even take time out every day to learn needlework from Master Jian. Madam, if you don't mind my stupidity, can you take me with you when you go? I can also take the opportunity to learn needlework from Master Jian."

"Maybe in a few days!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Master Jian may be a little busy these days."

And I will be even busier in the future, so I probably won’t have time to teach you!

She complained in her heart.

Qiao Lianfang showed a disappointed look: "I don't know when I can get guidance from Master Jian. I was planning to make a small dress for my wife!"

Eleventh Lady was sweating as she listened: "Master Jian will not leave for a while, we can talk about it later when there is a chance."

As they were talking, Aunt Qin came over.

She saw a flash of surprise on Qiao Lianfang's face. Then she quickly lowered her eyelids, respectfully saluted to Shiyi Niang and Xu Lingyi, took a bundle from the maid Cui'er and handed it to Lu Yun who was standing behind Shiyi Niang: "These are the six pairs of shoes and a skirt I made for you these days." She lowered her eyebrows and looked submissive, her voice was as soft as a mosquito, and she seemed very humble.

"Thank you, Aunt Qin!" Eleventh Lady signaled the maid to bring her a brocade stool.

She bowed to thank him, then carefully half-sat on the brocade stool.

Madam Wen is here.

She was stunned for a moment when she saw the people in the room, and after a moment she said, "Madam, it's really lively here today!"

Seeing the maid behind Madam Wen holding a hand warmer made of Xiangfei bamboo, Shiyi Niang asked someone to bring a brocade stool for her to sit on, and asked, "Why are you holding a hand warmer?"

Aunt Wen quickly placed the hand warmer on the table and said with a smile, "What do you think of the workmanship?"

It is oval in shape, but as big as a bowl, painted with varnish, with purple spots clearly visible. It is small and cute.

"That's right!" Eleventh Lady looked at her in confusion.

The outer courtyard was responsible for purchasing hand warmers and the like, and the inner courtyard only needed to report the required quantity. The outer courtyard would replenish the hand warmers according to the quantity around the beginning of winter.

"This is a new style from Li's this year." Aunt Wen said with a smile, "I want to buy a pair for my eldest daughter, but I'm afraid that my son-in-law will find it shabby, so I brought it to you to see. Please give me some advice."

"Anyway, she needs several hand warmers. You can prepare a few of each kind for her." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Zhu is a gentleman, maybe the son-in-law will find it elegant."

"I feel relieved after hearing what Madam said." Madam Wen smiled and said, "Let me buy five! And let Li's carve 'Fu Lu Shou Xi Gui' on it!"

Madam Wen never forgets auspicious words!

Eleventh Lady suppressed her smile and said, "I think this is a good idea..."

But before she could finish her words, someone in the room burst into laughter.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Qiao Lianfang covering her mouth with a red face.

"I, I..." Seeing everyone's gaze on her, her face flushed and she looked at Xu Lingyi at a loss.

But he saw Xu Lingyi holding the Xiangfei bamboo hand warmer and looking at it.

"Is this the new style that Li Ji has launched this year?" He looked up at Shiyi Niang, "Should we order a few too?" He didn't pay much attention to the other people.

Eleventh Lady nodded.

Xu Lingyi had already said to Madam Wen, "Why carve words on such a good piece of bamboo? Just leave it as it is."

Madam Wen saw that although his words were displeased, his tone was still calm, and he was making the final decision on Zhen Jie'er's dowry. She immediately replied with a smile, "Yes", and left the hand warmer with Shiyi Niang: "Madam, keep this for your use! Since the Marquis said that we also need to buy a batch for our mansion, this one will be given to us to try and see if it works well!"

Anyway, it's public money, there's no discount, but those who go to order things can get one for free.

As expected of a businessman, he knows all the tricks commonly used by businessmen.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but laugh.

Xu Lingyi told Shiyi Niang: "Remember to give the money for this hand warmer to Li Ji when the time comes."

Madam Wen's smile froze on her face, and the air in the room became stagnant.

Don't hit someone in the face. Xu Lingyi really doesn't give Madam Wen any face at all.

Eleventh Lady sighed in her heart and said, "I know the Marquis doesn't want to compete with the people for profits. It's just that we wanted to order something for Zhenjie from Liji, and when Liji found out, they insisted on giving us one. We never agreed. And they were very sincere. So Madam Wen took advantage of the situation and fulfilled their friendship. But since the Marquis has said so, we will settle the money for the hand warmer with Liji when the time comes."

Madam Wen finally came back to her senses and forced a smile, saying, "Yes, my lord. We will settle the money for the hand warmer with Mr. Li when the time comes." But she looked at Eleventh Lady with gratitude in her eyes.

Xu Lingyi nodded slightly.

Eleventh Lady smiled and told Lu Yun: "You and Auntie go and see how many hand warmers we want to order, and then you can talk to the steward of the outer courtyard."

"Just buy a few for mom, you, and your fifth brother's wife." Xu Lingyi said calmly, "This kind of hand warmer is okay to play with in your hands, but ceramic ones are better for keeping warm."

Aunt Qin, who had been sitting silently beside like an invisible person, suddenly looked up after hearing this, glanced at Eleventh Lady with a look of panic, and then quickly lowered her head.

No one in the room noticed her abnormality.

Eleventh Lady was confused by Xu Lingyi's repeated changes.

What happened today? First he refuted Madam Wen, and then he refuted himself...

But she still smiled and said "yes".

Xu Lingyi stood up and said, "I have something else to do. I need to go out for a while."

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady and the others all knelt down and bowed to see him off.

Xu Lingyi went to the small study behind the outer study, sent the servants away, took out a rosewood box from the secret compartment of the treasure chest, and pulled out ten silver bills.

A pair of eyes twinkling like morning stars suddenly appeared in my mind.

What Li Ji had to give a gift, what going with the flow to complete their friendship. It was just a lie!

But for some reason, when he thought of her talking seriously, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a happy arc.

Xu Lingyi took out another ten banknotes, then put the box back, found a purse to put the banknotes in, picked up a book at random, and lay on the Drunkard's Chair to read.

When reading in a drunkard's chair, your eyes will become blurry...it's obvious that you are thinking.

Lin Bo, who came in to serve, saw this and smiled as he offered Xu Lingyi a glass of Dahongpao.

Xu Lingyi sat up and drank tea.

Lin Bo thought for a moment and said with a low laugh, "My Lord, does Madam want to open a shop?"

"Oh!" Xu Lingyi responded.

Seeing Xu Lingyi's gentle and casual expression, Lin Bo's heart was slightly moved, and he smiled softly, "Won't the Marquis help the Madam? When Mr. Qian went to Xuantong, General Fan came to ask you, and you said that Mr. Qian's family was not rich, as long as he didn't want to do this business. Otherwise, why would General Fan help Mr. Qian to cash the IOU. Now the Madam has opened a shop, and it's just a small wedding shop. Why don't you..."

"What nonsense!" Xu Lingyi's eyes shot over like sharp arrows. Lin Bo was terrified and trembling all over. "Madam is taking care of her own dowry, why should I interfere?"

Lin Bo's forehead was covered with sweat. He knelt down in front of Xu Lingyi with a plop: "My Lord, I was careless for a moment. I will never dare to do that again!"

Xu Lingyi's face lightened up: "Go down!"

Lin Bo then retreated tremblingly.

Xu Lingyi sat on the drunkard's chair and rocked for a long time. Seeing that it was getting late, he slowly returned to the main courtyard.

Eleventh Lady was alone on the kang embroidering something that she had been working on for half a year but had not yet finished.

"Everyone has left!" he said, sitting on the kang.

Eleventh Lady put down her needle and thread, and said with a smile, "The Marquis is back!" Then she asked the maid to put away the embroidery frame, pour him water and tea, and waited for the children to come over and pay their respects. They went to the lady's house for dinner together, and when they came back, he stuffed the purse containing the silver bills under his pillow while Eleventh Lady went to wash up.

When he woke up the next morning, he said lightly, "I put a purse under your pillow" and went to the outer courtyard.

Eleventh Lady opened her purse, and inside was exactly twenty thousand taels of silver.

She touched the sweat on her forehead and didn't know what to do for a moment.

A little maid came in and reported: "Liu Yuanrui's family is here."

Eleventh Lady collected her thoughts and went to the west room. When she told Liu Yuanrui why she was called, Liu Yuanrui's wife was already very happy.

"Madam, our husband is an honest man, why don't you let him help drive the cart? He can also help with some rough chores when the time comes. As for the yard over at Luoye Mountain, you can let our second son Shengchun help look after it. He is also an honest child and will definitely not run around."

After the Chinese New Year, Jiang Bingzheng came to say goodbye to Shiyi Niang. He said he wanted to go back to Yuhang to have a look. In fact, because Shiyi Niang gave him little money and often asked him to do things, he made a lot of calculations and decided to quit his job with Shiyi Niang and go to the silk shop to be the shopkeeper wholeheartedly.

Shiyi Niang pretended not to know and gave him twenty taels of silver, saying it was a gift. She also thought that the place was a bit remote, so she asked Liu Yuanrui to help look after the yard there.

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Sisters, it’s Chinese New Year, don’t forget to give pink tickets as red envelopes while reading!