The room became quiet.

Eleventh Lady looked up and saw the goldfish swaying gracefully on the windowsill.

She flicked the fish bowl with her finger.

The goldfish swam away in fear, then quickly gathered together and blew bubbles at her through the glass.

For some reason, she suddenly thought of Luo Zhenhong who was far away in Yuhang.

When I held him for the first time, he also blew bubbles at me.

Eleventh Lady showed a faint smile on her face and decided to write a letter to Fifth Lady and Luo Zhenxing to ask about their well-being.

Amber moved a lamp over and rolled up her sleeves to help Shiyi Niang grind ink.

After I finished writing the letter, Madam Wen came over.

"The room over there has been cleaned up!" She smiled and bowed to Eleventh Lady. "Look, do you want to change your clothes?"

"No need." Eleventh Lady handed the letter to Amber and asked her to find someone to deliver it. "I'm not going out, so this will do."

She wore a plain ivory-white floral jacket and a plain blue skirt. Her dark black hair was tied up in a bun, with only a magnolia-colored jade-like hairpin hanging around her waist. Her simplicity and elegance exuded a sense of tranquility, an outfit that was very suitable for her mourning period.

Madam Wen smiled and said nothing more. She looked at the floor clock in the east room and said, "The bridal sedan should arrive in a quarter of an hour!"

Eleventh Lady nodded and stood up.

The little maid ran in: "The Marquis is back!"

Eleventh Lady and Madam Wen went to the hall.

Xu Lingyi wore a half-worn stone-blue silk gown that he usually wore, his jet-black hair was tied up with a bamboo hairpin, his posture was straight, and his big phoenix eyes were bright and lively. Maybe it was because he drank a lot, his face was slightly red, and his eyebrows were less serious than before, and he looked a lot more friendly.

The two men stepped forward and saluted. Eleventh Lady reminded him, "My Lord, you should change your clothes!"

Xu Lingyi went into the inner room and changed into a brand new royal blue silk gown with cloud pattern and round flowers, which made him look more energetic.

Madam Wen immediately complimented with a smile: "My Lord, you look several years younger after getting dressed up like this..."

Xu Lingyi glanced at her slowly.

Her words were stuck in the middle, and her expression showed a bit of embarrassment.

The maids serving in the room all lowered their heads and pretended not to see anything, which made the atmosphere seem a little depressing.

Eleventh Lady came to the rescue of Aunt Wen: "Is the tea ready?"

Madam Wen was relieved when she heard this: "Everything is ready." Her smile returned to her face, "The official blue and white teacup with twined branches will be used to brew the best Longjing tea."

The air in the room relaxed, and a servant ran in: "My Lord, the sedan chair has entered the door."

Xu Lingyi listened and nodded, then turned to Shiyi Niang and said, "Go back to your room!"

When Eleventh Lady discussed the matter of serving tea with Xu Lingyi before, Xu Lingyi said nonchalantly, "Filial piety comes first in everything." Only then did Eleventh Lady think of serving tea at Xici.

Just as she sat down, a servant came running in: "My Lord, the newcomer has arrived."

Yang's sedan came in from the back door and soon stopped in front of the steps of the main house.

Mother Du and Mother Song helped the newlyweds, who were wearing pink jackets, out into the hall, and Madam Wen walked forward with a smile and lifted their veil.

The air in the room choked for a moment, and after a moment, Madam Wen's bell-like laughter rang out: "My Lord, the newcomer is offering you tea."

Luyun hurriedly placed the kneeling pad in front of Yang.

Yang Yingying, who had been keeping her head down since entering the room, knelt down, took the tea from Mother Song's hand, and raised it above her head.

Xu Lingyi took the teacup.

Yang couldn't help but raise her eyelids and glanced, and saw a young and handsome face.

She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and quickly lowered her eyelids again, but the corner of her eye involuntarily glanced to the other side - according to the rules, Xiao Luo, the second wife of Yongping Marquis, should be sitting there.

There was no one sitting on the armchair except for the scarlet red cushion with a cloud dragon and a bat pattern on it, which was as bright as the summer sun under the light.

She was stunned.

Mother Du had already supported her arm.

In a flash, Yang understood immediately.

Her family had told her that Xiao Luo was still in mourning.

I guess they were afraid of disrupting the happy event, so they chose another room to sit in.

She was about to stand up. But she heard a man's mellow, gentle, yet somewhat indifferent voice: "Let's serve tea here!"

Yang felt that Mother Du, who was supporting her, hesitated.

Xu Lingyi glanced at Mother Du and said, "Madam is still in mourning."

It seems like he is explaining, but also like he is giving orders.

Mother Du couldn't help but look up at Xu Lingyi.

He sat there with a solemn expression, a hint of coldness between his brows, and the cup of tea that Yang had presented to him was casually placed on the coffee table beside him.

Mother Du's heart moved. She stood up calmly, lowered her eyelids and quickly stepped aside.

Mother Song was a little surprised when she heard this.

This is somewhat different from what the lady said before. How should we serve tea here?

But at this time, she had no right to question.

Mother Song suppressed her confusion and, as swiftly as before, picked up the prepared teacup from the tea tray held by the maid and handed it to Yang.

Yang had a strange feeling in her heart, but Mother Song's tea had already been handed to her. She didn't have time to think about it. She took the teacup, lowered her head, and raised the teacup above her head.

Xu Lingyi glanced at Madam Wen who was standing next to the armchair.

Madam Wen's body was suddenly tumbling like in a raging sea, or being roasted in a raging fire, and she stood there in a daze.

Let her take the tea!

She is a concubine!

Xu Lingyi looked at her again, his eyes as cold as a knife.

It was as if Han Jiutian had been poured with a bucket of cold water, and Madam Wen came back to her senses with a shudder.

She took a deep breath, forced a cheerful smile, and walked forward to take the teacup from Yang's hand.

"Sister Yang," Aunt Wen's voice was respectful and intimate, "Our Madam is still in mourning."

She couldn't afford to offend anyone in this room, so she used honorifics.

Xu Lingyi stood up with a satisfied smile in his eyes and said, "Okay, Prince Shun and the others are still outside. You guys take good care of Yang. I'll be back soon." Then he strode out of the hall.

The room fell into silence.

"Quick, hurry and help the newlyweds into the house." Thinking of the coldness in Xu Lingyi's eyes just now, Madam Wen quickly put on a cheerful smile, "Otherwise, if the Marquis comes back and blames me, I'll be in big trouble!"

Mother Du smiled and went forward to support Yang.

Madam Wen handed the teacup to Lu Yun who was standing by the side, and pointed at Madam Du. "Sister Yang, this is Madam Du who serves our Madam. She has served us for more than 40 years. Even our Marquis would call her 'Madam' respectfully when he sees her."

Yang hurriedly and obediently called out "Mother Du".

Mother Du smiled and hit Madam Wen in the face: "Don't listen to her nonsense. We are servants. When a man meets her, he will call her out. It is to give respect to the Madam. What merit has he made?" Then she smiled and pointed to Mother Song at the side, "This is Mother Song, the most capable person around the Madam. You will deal with her a lot in the future."

Yang hurriedly and respectfully called out "Mother Song".

Mother Song smiled and waved her hands: "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it."

"Okay, okay, why are you talking about this now!" Aunt Wen took Yang's other arm affectionately and said with concern, "You've been busy all day! While the Marquis is going to toast, you should take a break. If there's anything, we can talk about it later. There's a lot of time to come!"

Yang saw that she wore a tourmaline flower on her head, cat's eye earrings on her ears, a jacket covered with gold embroidery, and gold-embroidered shoes on her feet. She was petite and smiling. She thought that if she was the housekeeper, she was too gorgeous; if she was a concubine, she had just accepted the tea from the mistress; if she was a guest, her behavior was too informal. She couldn't make up her mind for a moment, so she glanced at Mother Song and said hesitantly, "Who is this..."

"Look at me! You're just talking to yourself." Mother Song introduced her with a smile, "This is our concubine, her maiden name is Wen."

Yang called out "Sister" and squatted down to greet Madam Wen.

Madam Wen held onto her arm and refused to let go: "No, no, no, you were given by the Queen Mother, you have a noble body, how can I let you bow to me."

Mother Du took the opportunity to let go of Yang's hand.

Yang bowed reluctantly: "Look at what my sister said. Since we are one family, we are one family. The past is the past, and the present is the present. My sister came in before me, so I should show her respect..."

"Oh, Sister Yang is really good at talking!" While greeting her, he helped her walk out.

"You should just call me sister..." Yang and Madam Wen talked as they walked away.

The maids and old women around Madam Wen immediately followed and surrounded Madam Wen and Yang as they went to the east courtyard.

Mother Du and Mother Song exchanged glances.

The room soon became quiet.

Lu Yun came over at a loss, holding the cup of tea: "Mother Song, look at this tea..."

Mother Song hesitated for a moment, and Mother Du said, "Since it's cold, just pour it out!"

Luyun looked at the steaming tea, his face full of confusion.

Mother Song smiled in a daze.

Mother Du looked at him and nodded slightly, smiling, "The newlyweds have come in, and it's getting late. I've said goodbye to the madam, and it's time to go back. I still have to help the madam get up early tomorrow morning!"

"In that case, I dare not keep you any longer." Mother Song said, and she went to draw the curtain herself. "Come over and sit with me someday when you are free!"

Mother Du responded with a smile, lowered her head and went into the inner room.

"Madam," she knelt down and saluted to Shiyi Niang, "the newlyweds have served tea, and the Marquis has gone to the outer courtyard to entertain the guests. Do you have any other instructions?"

Eleventh Lady was sitting in the room and could faintly hear the noise outside. She was feeling very confused, but she didn't expect that Mother Du would come to say goodbye.

The newlyweds always need someone to help them get out of the sedan chair. She originally wanted to ask Madam Shi, who was by the Fifth Lady's side, but Xin Jie happened to be not feeling well, so she asked Madam Du instead.

Not knowing the situation, she didn't ask too many questions. She smiled and thanked Mother Du, and asked Amber to take out the thank-you gift that she had prepared earlier.

Two pieces of zhuanghua silk, two pieces of fine gauze, two pieces of Lu silk, and two pieces of white silk, all of which are top quality.

"Mom, don't refuse. Take advantage of our Lord's happiness."

Mother Du did not refuse. She accepted it with a smile, thanked her and said goodbye.

Eleventh Lady's face darkened: "What's going on?"

Mother Song couldn't help but smile: "The Marquis didn't ask the newlyweds to serve you tea!"

No tea?

What's the meaning?

Eleventh Lady looked at Mother Song in surprise.

"If a concubine doesn't offer tea to the mistress when she enters the house, then it doesn't count as a formality." Mother Song said with a smile, "If she doesn't perform the formality, how can she be considered the Marquis' concubine!"