"Is there any need to ask this?" The Second Madam said, "Princess Fucheng must be afraid that the Emperor would issue an edict and that it would be difficult to settle Yang's daughter in the future, so she instigated the Emperor to issue an edict in the name of the Empress Dowager. It just so happened that the Emperor was worried that issuing an edict to grant a concubine was against etiquette and would be ridiculed by the world, so he went with the flow and asked the eunuchs of the Cining Palace to help convey the edict."

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady and the Lady Dowager looked towards Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi nodded slightly. "Since ancient times, the emperor has only issued decrees to grant marriages, not concubines. The emperor originally intended to give the order orally, but Princess Fucheng was afraid that something might happen if things were delayed, so she was anxious to finalize the matter. The empress dowager was afraid that our two families would not keep their promises, so she wanted to restrict us with an order. So Marquis Jianning and Shi Zheng drafted the order, and the eunuchs of the Cining Palace passed it on, and the matter was finalized on the spot."

"I was wondering why the imperial decree was issued in the evening, and the content was so nonsensical, as if it was to confer a title on a lady of the imperial family." The lady said, "So that's what happened." Then she asked him with concern, "Why did you come back at this time?"

"Then the emperor was in Cining Palace tending to the sick, and we served beside him. After the empress came, Princess Fucheng stayed with the empress in Cining Palace, and we followed the emperor to Qianqing Palace. The emperor treated us to a midnight snack. Since the palace had been closed, we stayed in the duty room for the night. The next morning, the emperor asked the eunuch to summon Shi Zheng and me to Qianqing Palace for a talk. We waited until the emperor came to the morning court, and we talked for a while before returning."

The lady's expression straightened up: "What did the emperor say?"

"He didn't say anything." Xu Lingyi said implicitly, "The emperor only said that he had taken care of the empress dowager for many years. Even if he can't be posthumously named 'Ren' after a hundred years, he should at least be named 'Xiao'!"

This is probably the reason why the Emperor has always been respectful to the Empress Dowager and tolerant of Marquis Jianning and Earl Changshou!

Eleventh Lady was thinking about it.

No matter what happened back then, in the eyes of the world, the Queen Mother was very kind to the Emperor. If it weren't for the Queen Mother's mediation, the late Emperor would not have made the Emperor the Crown Prince. Now, the Queen Mother is getting old and is ill. Just as the 99th step of a hundred steps has been taken, the Emperor certainly does not want to lose the big picture for the small, and let the Queen Mother have an accident at the last moment and bear the name of "unfilial".

The lady's expression relaxed after hearing this: "Since you are unwilling to issue an imperial decree and have used the Imperial Decree, and you have said such words, I feel relieved!"

The emperor's meaning is very clear. As long as the queen mother is here, some things need to be taken care of. On the contrary, if the queen mother is gone...

It seems that under the current circumstances, as long as the Queen Mother is alive, Yang will have to show respect to her.

But there is a saying that goes, "a bent pole is as firm as a stick." The Queen Mother has been ill for more than half a year, and even Princess Fucheng's words in Fengxian Hall only made her "scarcely safe." Who dares to assert that the Queen Mother will not "be in high spirits when things are good" and delay for another three to five years!

Eleventh Lady was complaining in her heart. She simply asked the Lady Dowager directly: "Mother, what do you think should be done for the ceremony of taking a concubine?"

"What should we do!" The lady smiled faintly, "Since it is a concubine, we should follow the ceremony of taking a concubine. What is there to discuss!" Her tone was full of disdain, "What rules were followed when marrying Aunt Qiao? What rules are followed when marrying Yang's daughter?" Then she said, "The fourth son just came back from the palace. You should go back and have dinner first! I don't need to serve you here. In the afternoon, we will discuss and decide on the March 3rd banquet."

Xu Lingyi stood up after hearing this: "Then let's go back first!"

The lady nodded and said lovingly, "Go back quickly!"

Eleventh Lady followed Xu Lingyi to bid farewell to the lady and returned to the house.

Xu Lingyi leaned on the kang and said, "Make me a bowl of mixed noodles. I ate a bowl of millet porridge at the beginning of the morning." It was already early afternoon, and he was probably so hungry that he just wanted to eat something soupy. He added, "It's the same mixed noodles you made for my birthday last time."

The noodles were made by Shiyi Niang herself. She added a little oil when kneading the noodles, and used beef bones, chicken bones, and duck bones to make a broth, and added winter bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, carrots and other sauces. It was very ordinary. But the advantage was that the broth was refreshing and the noodles were chewy.

"Then, Lord, please stay for a while!" Eleventh Lady casually put the thin silk blanket with a bright red background and a phoenix rising sun pattern on Xu Lingyi's body, "I'll call you when the noodles are ready!"

Xu Lingyi nodded.

Eleventh Lady went to the small kitchen, made a bowl of mixed noodles herself and brought it to the inner room.

Xu Lingyi was sleeping soundly with his head tilted. He looked peaceful, without the stern look that he had when awake. He seemed several years younger.

Eleventh Lady hesitated for a moment, and Xu Lingyi had already opened his eyes and sat up with a drowsy look.

“I smell the aroma!”

Eleventh Lady smiled and placed the red lacquered crabapple tray on the kang table in front of him: "My Lord, eat something before going to sleep!"

Xu Lingyi picked up the chopsticks: "You should eat something too!"

Eleventh Lady didn't like eating pasta, so she said tactfully, "I'm not hungry yet, I'll eat later."

Xu Lingyi didn't force it. Just like last time, he ate three bowls before putting down his chopsticks.

Eleventh Lady helped him wash and rest, then went to the west room and told Amber to check the account books of that year and asked the maids to prepare the meal.

After the meal, Amber brought the account book and reported: "…the bed, curtains, candles, and utensils cost a total of three hundred taels of silver. The four tables of banquets cost two hundred taels of silver."

Eleventh Lady was a little surprised.

Unexpectedly, Nacho Lianfang only spent 500 taels of silver in total, of which two-fifths were spent on the banquet.

Amber has been following Shiyi Niang for these days and has taken the initiative in doing things. She is no longer like before, doing whatever she is told. She thought that the Marquis went to the Taifu with Shiyi Niang right after he entered the house, most likely to discuss marrying Yang's daughter. When Shiyi Niang came back, she checked the account books when she took Qiao Lian's room. Eight or nine out of ten were related to marrying Yang's daughter, so she also checked the account books of Na Wen's concubine.

"...When Madam Wen came to the mansion, her bed, curtains, candles, and utensils cost a total of 500 taels of silver. She also invited four tables of banquets, which cost 160 taels of silver." She added, "I asked Mother Song again. Mother Song said that when Madam Wen first entered the mansion, our eldest aunt gave her a red gold headband inlaid with southern pearls, a pair of red gold hairpins inlaid with bluestone, and a pair of red gold twisted silk bracelets, which were worth more than 300 taels of silver in total. When Madam Qiao entered the mansion, her eldest aunt only gave her a pair of jadeite flowers, which were worth more than 30 taels of silver."

When Eleventh Lady heard this, she understood everything.

She asked Amber to invite Manager Bai in, and then she sat down at her desk and wrote a list of guests she wanted to invite on March 3rd.

After putting down the pen, Manager Bai also came.

"...The auspicious date is set for March 12." Eleventh Lady said straight to the point, "This day is here in the blink of an eye. Some things need to be prepared early."

Manager Bai bowed slightly and said seriously, "Please give your orders, Madam."

"The new house can be set up in the former residence of the Second Young Master. Take advantage of the good sun these two days and find someone to paint it. As for the ceremony and rules, follow the ones when Aunt Qiao came in." Eleventh Lady said, her eyes fell on Amber, "When the time comes, you can copy a copy of the account book of that year to Manager Bai, and Manager Bai can also send someone to prepare it."

Butler Bai's eyes narrowed slightly.

He is an old man in the mansion. How could he not remember how much money Madam Wen spent when she got married and how much money Qiao Lianfang spent when she got married?

Amber just felt happy.

Yang was given by the Queen Mother, and no one knows what kind of temper she has. If the Marquis blindly gives Yang respect, I am afraid that Shiyi Niang will lose power. Now, according to the old practice of Aunt Qiao's marriage, it is more or less a small show of power to let others know what the Madam and the Marquis think.

She smiled and said "yes", and went downstairs with Manager Bai to copy the account books.

Eleventh Lady stood up and prepared to go to the lady's wife.

Qiao Lianfang asked for a meeting.

She wore a willow green Hangzhou silk jacket and a white embroidered skirt. Her hair was neatly combed into a bun and pinned with a silver lotus-shaped hairpin. She looked fresh, elegant and generous.

Eleventh Lady was a little surprised.

It seemed like it was the first time she saw Qiao Lianfang dressed so simply.

She bowed respectfully to Eleventh Lady.

Eleventh Lady asked the maid to bring a brocade stool for Qiao Lianfang to sit on.

She smiled and thanked him, half-sitting on the brocade stool, glancing at the note beside Eleventh Lady and saying, "Madam, are you still busy with the March 3rd banquet? Then you must be very busy these few days, right?"

Does that mean she has to be busy with the March 3rd banquet and also deal with Yang's marriage?

"It's not bad!" said Eleventh Lady, "There are old rules to follow. Just follow them!"

Qiao Lianfang laughed and said, "Madam is a smart person. She can understand everything at a glance, so she can get twice the result with half the effort. Unlike me, I am clumsy and can't do anything well."

"Aunt Qiao is too modest." Eleventh Lady looked at her as if she was going to chat with her, and couldn't help but wonder why she came.

"I'm not being modest." Qiao Lianfang said with a smile, "Every March 3rd, there are so many wives of officials and ministers visiting us. Not only do we have to greet them, but we also have to arrange for the opera troupe to perform, the dishes and tea for the banquet... It's scary just to think about it. But Madam manages everything so easily."

She could actually talk about March 3rd in such a casual tone!

Eleventh Lady felt something was strange.

But before she could open her mouth to speak, Qiao Lianfang's expression darkened and she lowered her head slightly: "Now that I think about it, it's really fate that plays tricks on me." Her voice was a little low, "Everyone who was at the Spring Banquet that year has gone their separate ways!"

Eleventh Lady remained silent.

What's the point of saying this now?

Is there anything that can be changed?

It will only make people feel sad that things have changed and the world is impermanent!

She felt that she and Qiao Lianfang could not have anything in common. She picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea: "What does Aunt Qiao want to talk to me about?"

"It's okay, it's okay." Qiao Lianfang raised her head and smiled bitterly. "I saw that Madam Wen was wholeheartedly helping the eldest lady prepare her dowry, and Madam Qin was making summer clothes for the fifth young master, and she also had to take time to make some snacks for the second young master. I was the only one who was free, so I wanted to come and see if Madam could help me with anything. I didn't expect that you would talk about the past." As she spoke, she sighed deeply, "Madam, you and I are destined to be together. I will tell you something from the bottom of my heart! Although Madam was I'm sure you've heard about it in the boudoir. After your sister passed away, the Queen Mother wanted to marry the eldest daughter of Marquis Jianning to the Marquis. But the Marquis had promised your sister that he would choose a successor from the Luo family, so he refused the Queen Mother. Because of this, the Queen Mother has been unhappy. Unexpectedly, the Queen Mother finally arranged for a daughter of the Yang family to marry into the family. Since ancient times, the imperial decree only granted marriages, not concubines. You'd better be careful. It is said that the late emperor also gave concubines to his ministers, and some concubines were promoted to the first wife after the death of the first wife, and even received imperial decrees. "