Xu Lingyi understood a little, and asked with a smile: "Do you have another maidservant to let go?"

"Wei Zi and Yao Huang are not young anymore." The lady nodded and smiled as she pushed the written paper to Shiyi Niang. "I was thinking, if we bring in two more maids, we should call them Ge Jin and Yu Ban. What do you think?"

"Great!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "A house full of flowers is more lively!"

Most of the maids around the lady were named after flowers.

Xu Sizhun took Xu Sijie's hand and said goodbye - it was getting late and they had to go to school.

The lady dowager personally escorted him to the gate of the courtyard. A servant came over and said that Lord Ma Zuowen was here to visit. Xu Lingyi went to the outer courtyard, so the lady dowager sent the servants away and left Shiyi Niang to talk to Zhen Jie'er.

"I asked Manager Bai to keep an eye on the matter of Wei Zi and Yao Huang. There are a few who look good to me, let's discuss it." The lady told Eleventh Lady the general situation. "The father of one of them is the manager of the warehouse, and he is cautious and diligent. The grandfather of one of them used to be the manager of the office in our mansion, and he returned home to retire last spring. A few days ago, there happened to be a night duty job in the mansion, so he came to me for help, and the fourth brother arranged for his grandson to work in the mansion. Now he works in the mansion. The ancestor of one of them used to be the manager of our mansion, and now he has opened a small shop outside. He wants to marry a senior maid from our mansion to be his daughter-in-law..." Then she mentioned a few more people, and finally asked Eleventh Lady, "Which one do you think is a better match?" But her eyes fell on Zhen Jie'er who was standing aside.

After all, Zhen Jie'er was an unmarried lady. When the lady said this in front of Zhen Jie'er, Shiyi Niang felt a little strange. At this moment, she didn't understand that the lady was clearly instructing Zhen Jie'er to manage the household. She followed the lady's intention and said with a smile: "Wei Zi and Yao Huang are your personal servants. You know their personalities best. You are the most suitable matchmaker!"

The lady listened and laughed a few times.

"Wei Zi and Yao Huang have been living in my house since they were only in their teens. Although the family that runs the shop outside is well-off, I can't bear to let them marry out and suffer. I think Wei Zi should marry the man whose grandfather used to be the manager in the office of our mansion, and Yao Huang should marry the man who is the manager in the warehouse."

As soon as Eleventh Lady heard it, she knew the reason.

The old lady analyzed it to her in detail: "Last year, a group of old stewards resigned from the mansion. Although the pensions they were given were not low, they were not as good as those in the mansion. There were also secret accounts besides the monthly salary. Some people could not make ends meet and thought of ways to send their children to the mansion to work. Because it was said to the public that they were leaving the mansion for pension, some with good qualifications were accepted. But this made some people jealous. Wei Zi followed her aunt into the mansion, and it was a good opportunity to marry into this family. First, it can quell those rumors, and second, if the child doesn't want to work in the mansion one day, she can go back to her hometown and get away. Yao Huang is different. She is a family-born child. I will marry her to the son of the storehouse steward, so she doesn't have to leave home. Moreover, those stewards who were promoted later will do their best when they see that our Xu family gives them a slap in the face."

Those who had served the Madam were not ordinary maids. This not only appeased the dissatisfaction of the managers who had left the mansion, but also promoted the current managers.

Sister Zhen listened thoughtfully.

The lady nodded slightly, very satisfied with her reaction. Then she told Shiyi Niang about Yuanniang's worship: "... three animals have been offered as sacrifices, and everyone should go and burn incense when the time comes!"

Eleventh Lady came this time to discuss this matter with the Madam Dowager. Since the Madam Dowager had already made up her mind, she agreed, and then sent Lvyun to tell the steward of the outer courtyard to prepare the offerings needed for Yuanniang's worship. She also chatted with the Fifth Madam who came to pay her respects to the Madam Dowager. Just as she was about to leave, Lvyun came back and said, "...The Fifth Miss of the Weiyuan Marquis family has decided to get married on the sixth day of April. Steward Zhao asked me to bring in the invitations to the Madam Dowager, the Fourth Madam, and the Fifth Madam."

"Oh my!" The Fifth Lady laughed, "Mingyuan's wedding date is finally set!"

"If she doesn't set a date, what will happen to Huijie?" The lady smiled and talked about the recent marriages in Yanjing, and discussed which family should give how much as a gift, and then went to the Buddhist temple to worship Buddha.

Everyone went their separate ways.

Eleventh Lady returned to the main hall to take care of some household chores, and then Master Jian arrived.

Since the opening of the Xipu, Master Jian and Qiuju have moved in to live there, and Liu Yuanrui and his wife have also gone to help out there, one helping to drive the cart, the other helping to cook and pass messages between Shiyi Niang, Madam Gan and Master Jian.

Hearing that Prince Shun had helped introduce a deal, Master Jian asked hurriedly, "Does the Marquis know about this? Will it embarrass you?"

"No." Eleventh Lady gave a brief account of what happened, "...Prince Shun gave us a chance, and we must seize it."

Master Jian then smiled happily: "Don't worry. Jiangnan has produced so many high-ranking officials. I'm afraid the embroiderers in Yanjing can't embroider as many patches as those in Jiangnan."

Eleventh Lady felt relieved and discussed a few more details with Master Jian. Master Jian got up and said goodbye, and sent the chief shopkeeper to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to meet Prince Shun.

The next day she replied: "It's not a lot of stuff, and the price is right. The shopkeeper agreed on the spot."

Eleventh Lady was very happy to hear this, and showed Master Jian several patterns she had drawn in her spare time. Master Jian was very interested in the vivid patterns that were drawn with few strokes, and the two discussed the use of colors and threads for most of the day.

* * * * * *

Madam Wen, however, paced around the house anxiously, looking at a pair of white socks with a Baoxiang flower pattern on the table on the kang.

Qiuhong couldn't help but persuade her, "Aunt, don't worry. Taking care of Aunt Yang is Madam's job, and it's only natural that Aunt Yang made you a pair of socks. Our Madam is a reasonable person, so would she blame you for this? If you're really worried that Madam will misunderstand," she said, pausing slightly, "didn't the batch of large ring cotton you ordered for the eldest lady in Wuzhen arrive? Otherwise, you can use this as an excuse to see Madam and casually mention that Aunt Yang made you a pair of socks?"

"I'm not worried about that!" Madam Wen stopped after hearing this. "The Marquis didn't let Madam Yang serve tea to Madam, and he stayed in Madam's room for three days in a row. If I still can't figure out what the Marquis means, then I'm a blockhead. Madam is in such a happy and high spirits, not to mention that Madam Yang just gave me a pair of socks, even if she gave me a silver hairpin or a gold hairpin, I'm afraid I wouldn't take it to heart." As she spoke, she showed a hesitant expression, and after a while she whispered, "I'm worried about Madam Qin?"

"Auntie Qin!" Qiuhong was a little surprised, and then she showed an expression of sudden enlightenment, "Are you talking about Auntie Qin inviting Master Jining to come to the mansion?" She laughed as she spoke, "Master Jining is not a confused person. Although Auntie Qin invited her, she went to see Madam first, and also gave Madam a blue and white porcelain vase that had been blessed, which was a clear way. Even if the Marquis doesn't like it, he won't say anything for Madam's sake." Then she asked in surprise, "Madam, why are you suddenly worried about Auntie Qin? For so many years, you have always respected her, but she seemed to be very warm to you, but she didn't say a word at the critical moment. You are finally together with Madam now. Although we won't harm her, there is no need to make Madam unhappy because of this, right? I think you should stop interfering in Auntie Qin's affairs. She has the second young master, who is very generous!"

Aunt Wen listened and sat on the kang: "It's because she has the second young master that I'm worried!"

Qiu Hong was puzzled and said, "We won't fight with her for anything. Why would she be so hard on us?"

Madam Wen's lips twitched slightly. Just as she was hesitating, a little maid came in: "Madam, Madam Qiao is here!"

"What is she doing here?" Madam Wen was very surprised and muttered softly, "She doesn't come to visit normally, but she's here at the last minute. I'm afraid it's not a good thing." But she still ordered the maid, "Please let her in!" As she spoke, she got off the kang and went to the hall to greet her.

* * * * * *

Aunt Qin's brows were furrowed, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes became more obvious, making her look a little haggard.

"...I always feel that things have been a bit unlucky for me since the Chinese New Year two years ago. Master, can you help me ask the Bodhisattva what's going on?" Aunt Qin leaned forward slightly and whispered to Master Jining who was sitting opposite her, "Is there any way to improve my luck?"

Jining did some calculations in his mind.

During the Chinese New Year two years ago, that is, after Eleventh Lady entered the family, she immediately understood what happened when she thought about the fact that the second young master of the Xu family went to Le'an to study last summer.

The fight between wives and concubines is always bloody. If they are not careful, they will be the ones who bear the brunt of the disaster. Besides, the reason why Ciyuan Temple is what it is today is not due to the incense money donated by any concubine. So she has always been good at what she should do and what she shouldn't do. Otherwise, she would not be able to gain a foothold in Yanjing.

"Then I'll perform a ritual for you?" Jining said with a smile, "I'll help you see what kind of luck you've had in the past few years! If your luck is really not so good, I'll perform a few rituals for you!"

After hearing this, Aunt Qin hurriedly asked, "How much silver is needed?" Then she smiled and said, "Although I am only an aunt, the Marquis has always liked our Second Young Master. He has given me a lot of clothing fabrics, calligraphy and paintings, and utensils." As she spoke, she pulled at her willow green jacket with cloud patterns and round flowers, "Otherwise, how could I wear the tribute from Jiangnan!"

Jining smiled and said, "Aunt and I are not any other people, and Aunt worships the Buddha every year. It's not good to talk about money. I think I'll just take some incense money this time."

Aunt Qin thought of how she had said she wouldn't talk about money last time, but she accepted thirty taels of silver from her. She smiled and said, "Then how much incense thread and paper should I give you?" Her voice sounded more tense than usual.

Jining sneered in his heart, but his face showed a cheerful expression: "Five taels of silver is enough!"

Aunt Qin's face suddenly turned pale.

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Friends in the group enthusiastically introduced fun and delicious places in Xi'an, but unfortunately I don't have time to go~~~~(_