Things became lively on Eleventh Lady's side, and the Lady Dowager also received the news.
"Quick, go tell Yizhen." The lady ordered Wei Zi repeatedly, "Tell her that the second young master passed the county exam."
Wei Zi bowed and went to Shaohua Courtyard with great joy.
The Second Madam was writing at her desk. When she heard the news that Xu Siyu had passed the county exam, she looked up with a faint smile on her face. She told Jiexiang to pack up: "... Let's go to the Madam."
Jie Xiang smiled and said "yes", and went to the lady's place with the second lady.
As soon as I entered the room, I saw Amber, Eleventh Lady's personal maid, standing under the eaves.
"Fourth Madam has arrived early." Jie Xiang laughed softly, and then she saw Amber coming forward respectfully, kneeling down to salute the Second Madam: "Second Madam!"
The second lady nodded slightly and walked into the hall.
The lady's laughter came from the west room: "...It's up to you, it's up to you."
I don’t know what idea Eleventh Lady came up with this time to make the Madam so happy.
The second lady raised her eyebrows.
The little maid standing in front of the curtain announced, "The Second Madam is here," while lifting the curtain.
The second lady walked in.
The Taifu and Shiyi Niang were sitting side by side on the kang, feeling very affectionate. Seeing the Second Madam coming in, the Taifu waved to her and said, "Our Yu'er is ranked ninth. He got the ninth place in the exam." She looked very happy.
The second wife smiled and stepped forward to pay her respects: "Yu'er has really met a famous teacher - he has only been in Le'an for four or five months!"
"That's right." The lady nodded continuously as she listened, "Thanks to Mr. Jiang." Then she said, "What Eleventh Lady meant is that although it's just passing the county exam, it's the first step in a long and arduous journey, and it's something worth celebrating. But if we make a big fuss about it, Yu Ge will have to take the exams for Juren and Jinshi in the future, and I'm afraid it will be a burden on the child. It happens that March 3rd is coming in a few days, so why not invite relatives and friends to come to our house for a gathering, and don't tell them what the matter is, just let those who know know, and don't tell those who don't know. What do you think?"
The second wife heard the old lady say "I'll do as you wish" when she entered the room. She knew what the old lady meant. She smiled and said, "I think the fourth sister-in-law's idea is good."
The lady-in-waiting was delighted to see that the two spoke in the same tone, and she pulled the Second Lady and Eleventh Lady aside and started talking about the list of guests to be invited to the banquet.
By the afternoon, everyone in the family knew about it.
Concubine Qin changed into new clothes, washed her hands and face, and respectfully offered three incense sticks to the Bodhisattva. She prayed for a long time. Cui'er only heard something like "everything goes well" and "rebuild the golden body". She knew that she was asking the Bodhisattva to bless the second young master. Thinking that Concubine Qin had been unable to sleep at night for the past few days, she couldn't help but smile. Turning around to pour a cup of tea, Concubine Qin was getting up after worshiping the Bodhisattva.
Cui'er hurriedly placed the teacup on the kang table and went forward to support Aunt Qin.
"Aunt, I heard that Madam asked the kitchen to add more dishes and even sent someone to the warehouse to get silver ingots as a reward!"
Aunt Qin nodded slightly after hearing this, but there was not much joy on her face.
Cui'er was slightly stunned and called out "Auntie".
Aunt Qin sighed deeply after listening to this: "She's afraid that he won't pass the exam and displease the Marquis, but she's also afraid that he will pass... then Le'an will have to go!" As she said this, she sat down on the edge of the kang.
Cui Er squatted down and took off Qin Yi Niang's shoes. Thinking of Wen Zhu's words that she would go to Le An regardless of whether she passed the exam or not, she felt reluctant to let her go. She whispered, "It's almost March 3rd. The Second Young Master won't leave until after March 3rd, right?" There was some uncertainty in her tone.
"That depends on what the Marquis wants." Aunt Qin frowned, looking worried, "We have to find a way to let the Second Young Master stay at home for a few more days!"
Cui'er listened and nodded.
No matter how good Le'an is, it is still a rural place. How can it compare to the Yongping Marquis Mansion in Yanjing, where there are fine clothes and delicious food...
"We need to find a way to let the Second Young Master stay at home for a few more days." She also helped to think of a solution. "After the third day of March... it will be Qingming Festival." Cui'er said, her eyes lit up, "The Second Young Master passed the county exam, which is a great joyous event. We have to report it to our ancestors, right?"
"That's right!" Aunt Qin became excited after hearing this. "Why didn't I think of that? After the third day of March is Qingming Festival, and after Qingming Festival is the birthday of the lady. These are all things to show filial piety!"
Cui'er listened and her eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled.
Far away in the study of Shaohua Courtyard, Xu Siyu, whom Aunt Qin was thinking about, stood respectfully in front of the Second Madam.
"I don't know how many people remain as a student their entire lives." The Second Lady took a sip of tea. "You still have a long way to go. Don't become complacent because of this small step forward. Time is money. Don't waste this great time. I think you should set off back to Le'an after March 3! Mr. Jiang is worthy of his reputation. You should learn to cherish such opportunities."
Xu Siyu bowed and said "yes", but there was some surprise in his eyes: "I originally planned to return to Le'an after the results were announced..."
The Second Lady listened and nodded slightly, a look of relief flashing across her face. She explained, "This is what your mother meant. She said that you passed the county exam and she wanted to celebrate for you, but she was afraid that it would be a burden for you, so she wanted to use the name of March 3rd to have some fun." Although her tone was light, she did not express any opposition to such an arrangement.
Xu Siyu's face lit up with joy as he listened: "Then I'll leave after March 3rd."
The second wife hummed softly, picked up a small black lacquer box on the table and handed it to Xu Siyu: "This inkstone is not bad, you can use it!" Then she brought the tea.
Xu Siyu took the inkstone with both hands and stood up to say goodbye.
When I returned to the room, I saw twelve pieces of Chengxin paper and four square ink sticks on the desk.
Wen Zhu smiled and said, "The paper was given by Madam, and the ink stick was given by Madam Wen."
Xu Siyu nodded and put aside the inkstone given by the Second Madam: "Put it away! We will set off again after March 3rd."
Wenzhu was a little surprised when she heard this.
Xu Siyu had already sat down at the desk: "Mother wants to celebrate for me on March 3rd!"
* * * * * *
"He just passed the county exam!" Xu Lingyi was a little unconvinced. "I think we should just forget it! Let him go back to Anle earlier so he can start studying earlier."
"Studying is not something that can be accomplished overnight." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "It's just a few days later."
As they were talking, a few sharp and piercing flute sounds came from the east room.
Xu Lingyi frowned slightly: "How much more does he want to brag?"
Xu Sijie practiced playing the flute in the east room.
Eleventh Lady smiled and looked at the grandfather clock: "It will take another quarter of an hour!"
As he was speaking, a few dull "woooo" sounds came from the east room.
Xu Lingyi hesitated to speak.
Eleventh Lady pretended not to see it and told him about the banquet as if nothing had happened: "I'm afraid we should invite Madam Jiang!"
There were two more short "whoosh" sounds.
"Of course." Xu Lingyi tried his best to ignore the noise. "Mr. Jiang has made a great contribution to Yu Ge's success in the exam. We should express our gratitude no matter what."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Sijie walked in with his head down.
He bowed reluctantly to Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang.
"What's wrong?" Eleventh Lady stood up, walked to him, squatted down and touched his little head.
"It still doesn't work!" Xu Sijie lowered his head even lower, and said in a mosquito-like voice, "I still can't blow it out!"
"You're already very good!" Eleventh Lady smiled and hugged him, "When mother was your age, she couldn't even play a single note. That's why she still hasn't learned to play the flute!"
"Really!" Xu Sijie raised his head, his eyes as bright as the morning stars.
"Really!" Eleventh Lady nodded with a smile.
Xu Sijie thought for a moment and said, "Then once I learn it, I will tell my mother how to play it."
"Okay!" Eleventh Lady said happily, "Then I'll wait for our brother Jie to tell me how to play the flute!"
Xu Sijie nodded seriously.
Eleventh Lady handed him over to Nanyong's wife: "Go wash your hands and face, and we will go to grandma's house for dinner."
Xu Sijie followed Nan Yong's wife obediently.
Xu Lingyi couldn't help but said, "You can't lie to the child, he will take it seriously."
You mean learning to play the flute with Xu Sijie?
Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I didn't lie to him. If that day ever comes, I will learn from him!"
Where is the dignity of parents?
Xu Lingyi looked at Shiyi Niang's smiling and nonchalant expression, thought for a moment, and felt that Jie Ge was still young and might have forgotten about this matter by then, so he said nothing in the end.
Lin Bo asked for an audience.
"My Lord, Eunuch He is here."
Eunuch He is the emperor's personal eunuch and the chief eunuch of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He came at this time, what's the matter?
Eleventh Lady looked at Xu Lingyi somewhat uneasily.
Xu Lingyi looked very calm: "Are you wearing official clothes or casual clothes?"
"In official uniform." Lin Bo's eyes flashed with confusion, "But it doesn't look like official business."
Xu Lingyi thought about it, said to Shiyi Niang, "I'll go and take a look," then got up and went to the study in the outer courtyard.
Eleventh Lady hugged Xu Sijie and told him a few stories from the Three Character Classic, and Xu Lingyi turned back.
"Help me change into court clothes. I want to go to the palace."
Eleventh Lady asked Nan Yong's wife to take Xu Sijie to the lady dowager's place, and then ordered the maid to get Xu Lingyi's court robes and help him change into them.
Xu Lingyi looked at him and smiled: "You are not in a hurry!"
Eleventh Lady was helping him tie his belt. When she heard this, she looked up and said, "My Lord is not in a hurry, so why should I be in a hurry?"
Xu Lingyi was stunned, then burst into laughter.
Eleventh Lady helped him pull the corner of his clothes, then took the seven-beam crown handed to him by the maids and put it on him.
"The Empress Dowager is in Fengxian Hall crying for the late Emperor." Xu Lingyi lowered his head and asked her to put the Liang crown on him. He said softly, "The Emperor summoned me to the palace to persuade the Empress Dowager."
Eleventh Lady stared in astonishment: "It would be better to go to Jianning Marquis and Shouchang Earl than to go to you! They are brothers and sisters!"
"The emperor has also summoned Marquis Jianning and Earl Shouchang to the palace." Xu Lingyi said calmly, "So I sent someone to inform Princess Fucheng. The emperor's private affairs are naturally better handled by his relatives."
Eleventh Lady couldn't help laughing when she heard this: "The Marquis is so cunning. He doesn't want to get involved, but he's afraid that the Emperor won't be able to handle the Yang family, so he'll push Princess Fucheng out as a shield. Be careful, she'll come back to settle accounts with you."
"That's only possible if they have time to settle with me!" Xu Lingyi pinched her cheek affectionately, then turned and left with a big laugh.
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I read the technical post, so I added a word for Xu Lingyi...I modified a small sentence in the previous article!