How much money is charged, how much work is done. Last time, Jining only performed a blessing ritual for the second young master, and he charged her thirty taels of silver. This time, when she asked Jining to help curse those villains who blocked her way, she only asked for five taels of silver. It was obvious that he didn't want to help her with this matter.

It seems that we have no choice but to think of other ways.

Aunt Qin was furious, but she held back and did not lose her temper.

Jining was the abbot of Ciyuen Temple, and most of her visitors were wives of high-ranking officials. They often visited her only because she gave birth to the eldest son for the Yongping Marquisate.

She turned around and told Cui'er to take five taels of silver to Jining: "Then ask the master to perform a ritual for me!" But her smile seemed a little forced.

Jining smiled secretly, took the silver, exchanged a few words with Aunt Qin, then stood up and said goodbye to Shiyi Niang.

"...He said that he had been feeling unwell these days and asked me to help with a ritual." She sat down and explained to Eleventh Lady with a smile.

Everyone said that she had close relations with the families of Marquis Jianning and Marquis Shouchang, and she had no choice. The two ladies often invited her to talk, so she couldn't refuse, right? Besides, the Queen Mother was still young, and might even live longer than her. Future matters would be taken care of by future generations, so she didn't take it too seriously. Since the Queen Mother fell ill last winter, she began to secretly calculate in her heart. It's just that although the Lady Dowager believed in Buddhism, she was not like the Marquis Jianning and Marquis Shouchang, who would ask about the good and bad luck for big and small things; and Eleventh Lady seemed to be polite to others, but she was a bit cold in her bones. I wonder if she has another master she believes in? Or does she not believe in herself very much? And the Fifth Lady, who was originally the closest to her, has not been as close to her as before since Xin Jie'er had a doctor by her side. Indistinctly, she and the people in the Xu Mansion were getting further and further apart. For families like the Xu family, she would personally visit them with yellow papers, auspicious symbols and the like when the year was coming to an end, and take the opportunity to collect the incense money for the next year. Therefore, although she felt a little uneasy, she was not too anxious. Who would have thought that first the Xu family took the initiative to ask her for auspicious symbols and incense money, and then the Marquis of Jianning and the Earl of Shouchang sent people to take her home to perform rituals. Only then did she know some things... Jining became more and more scared and just wanted to get out of it as soon as possible, but she didn't dare to do it too obviously for a while, and just hoped to find a reason to see Shiyi Niang. But she saw the lady, the fifth lady, and even the second lady, but not Shiyi Niang. She was anxious, and when she heard that Aunt Qin wanted to see her, she was overjoyed immediately, changed her clothes and followed the messenger directly.

Eleventh Lady didn't care too much. First, she believed that Jining could not be a dull person if she could achieve such a level in Ciyuan Temple. It would not be easy for Aunt Qin to ask her to take risks. Second, the Yang family agreed to the emperor's proposal to let the two women who had been trained with great effort enter the Princess Fucheng's Mansion and the Yongping Marquis' Mansion respectively. There must be a purpose. Jining and the Yang family have always been close. Jining came so quickly. She wanted to know if Jining would play a role in it.

Jining greeted her when he entered the room, and immediately explained the situation to her after leaving Qin Yi Niang's room. I just don't know if she will use the excuse of going to Yang's place later?

While thinking, Shiyi Niang smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Master Jining. Aunt Qin doesn't have any other hobbies, she just likes to worship the Buddha."

Although Jining wanted to get close to the wife of the Marquis of Yongping Mansion, he never wanted to be involved in the struggle within the inner house.

She exchanged a few pleasantries with Eleventh Lady, praised the decorations on the windowsill in the inner room, and then talked about the Buddha's birthday on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month: "... Madam Tai goes to the Medicine King Temple every year, and that is also for the Second Master who passed away early. Now that the Marquis is unemployed at home, Madam Tai should also go to burn incense for the Marquis. However, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is worshipped in our temple. Otherwise, we would have to ask Madam Tai to worship in our temple."

He did not directly recommend Ciyuan Temple, but looked like he was sincerely planning for the Xu family. Eleventh Lady nodded secretly in her heart again.

* * * * * *

The spring sunshine shone brightly and warmly on the roof of the first courtyard of the east courtyard of Yongping Marquis's mansion. Under the shadow of the eaves, Mother Yang was bending over and talking to a little maid who looked about seven or eight years old. She smiled and nodded kindly, rewarded the little maid with a few copper coins, and then quickly lifted the curtain and entered the house.

Yang was sitting on the big kang next to the inner window, sewing shoe soles.

"Little...well, Aunt," she quickly changed the topic, "I just heard that Aunt Qin invited Master Jining from Ciyuen Temple to come over. She just came out of Aunt Qin's yard and went to Madam's place." After saying that, she winked at Yang with anxiety in her eyes.

Yang said without even raising her head: "Really?" Her voice was very casual, but her movements of sewing the soles of the shoes were faster than before.

Mother Yang looked up and saw the little maid standing in the corner. She immediately realized what was going on. She first poured a cup of tea for Yang herself, and then told the little maid, "Go and see if the meal is ready in the kitchen!"

The maidservant left in response. Yang looked up, her face showing some anxiety: "Mom, you must not go to see Master Jining!" She said, her voice was as low as a mosquito, "If uncle has something, he will naturally find a way to tell me, but we must not contact others on our own initiative, or take letters back to the Yang family. You know, there are people from the Xu family around here. We can't let others catch us."

Mother Yang listened and hesitated: "But Lord Marquis..."

"If the Marquis doesn't come to me, can I still complain to my uncle? I'm afraid that others will laugh at me for having no means. And even if the Marquis reluctantly comes for my uncle's sake, can I give birth to a son? Even if I am lucky enough to give birth to a son, can I guarantee that he will grow up smoothly? Since temporary favor cannot guarantee a lifetime, what's the point of coming?"

"But the people in the mansion..."

"They can say whatever they want!" Yang looked disapproving, but a flash of coldness flashed across her eyes. "Winners take it all. Those who have the right to be angry are always the winners."

Mother Yang was silent.

Yang turned sideways and took out a foot-long border embroidered with butterflies, peaches and plums from a rattan basket beside her: "Mom, help me roll the border!"

Mother Yang took it and sat on a small stool beside the kang. She made a few stitches and whispered, "Aunt, instead of helping Madam Wen make a skirt with a hem, you might as well spend more time with Madam or help her make a skirt with a hem. It's better than spending time on a concubine who has fallen out of favor." As she spoke, she stopped sewing and looked at Yang, "April 24th is Madam's birthday. I heard that Madam used to make shoes, socks and clothes for her in previous years. Aunt, be more attentive in front of Madam, maybe Madam will let you do the sewing!"

"What you said doesn't make sense, mother." Yang stared at the needlework in her hands and said softly, "Since the madam has handed me over to Madam Wen, I should respect Madam Wen as if she were the madam. Making shoes and socks, serving tea and water, this is my duty. How can I bypass Madam Wen to honor the madam? Not only will Madam Wen be unhappy, but the madam will also think that I am too eager. As for doing needlework for the madam, there are so many needlework people in the mansion, the big and small embroidery workshops in Yanjing, and the embroiderers selected from all over the country in the palace needlework bureau. Isn't there anyone who can compare to the madam? In the final analysis, it's just the madam's heart to honor the madam. Even if she embroiders a leaf, it is more precious than me embroidering a flower. Don't mention these words without respect for the superior and the inferior in the future." She also instructed Madam Yang, "Hurry up and make this skirt so that Madam Wen can wear it to pay her respects to the madam. This is my dignity."

Mother Yang sighed softly in her heart and lowered her head to roll the edge of the robe.

* * * * * *

Madam Wen smiled at Qiao Lianfang, who was holding the peach blossom enamel handle teapot that Xu Lingyi had admired and admiring it: "Sister, would you please sit down and have a cup of tea?"

Qiao Lianfang responded with a smile, and sat on the big kang by the window with Madam Wen on her left and right.

Qiuhong served tea and snacks personally.

The two chatted for a while, and Madam Wen asked with a smile, "How come Sister Qiao has time to come and sit with me today?"

Qiao Lianfang smiled and said, "I only knew it was in the pink courtyard before, but I didn't expect that Sister Wen moved to the second young master's old residence. So I came to take a look today." As she said that, she asked Xiu Li to give her a watercolor painting she had drawn as a gift, and then looked at Madam Wen's house, "After such a renovation, it is even better than Sister's original courtyard."

Madam Wen asked Qiuhong to put away the painting and said with a smile, "This is all Madam's idea. According to my temper, it doesn't matter where I live."

"That's why everyone says that you are an open-minded person." Qiao Lianfang smiled and nodded, "That's why Madam gave Concubine Yang to you, my sister."

"Thank you for the compliment, sister." Madam Wen did not have a deep conversation with Qiao Lianfang. She pointed at the snacks on the plate and warmly invited her to eat more. "This is ** pastry, this is osmanthus cake..." She introduced various snacks to her without saying a word about family matters.

Qiao Lianfang answered with a few words and then asked Aunt Yang: "...I heard that she comes every morning and evening to invite you to visit Madam?"

Madam Wen said calmly, "Since Madam has given her to me, I have to tell her some rules. Otherwise, if she is disrespectful, I will lose face in front of Madam."

Qiao Lianfang smiled with her hands covering her mouth, "She was rude because of her own bad nature. How can you blame your sister? There are so many maids and wives around your sister, but Qiuhong is the only one who is sensible and considerate. Could it be that your sister didn't do her best to take care of the others? It's really because those people are too bad. Madam must understand this in her heart. Otherwise, why would she hand her over to your sister to discipline her? Yang was given by the Queen Mother." After she finished speaking, she leaned forward and lowered her voice, "Sister, no matter how strict the rules of our family are, can they be greater than those in the palace? Madam's move is very meaningful. For some things, your sister should share your worries. Madam is really good to our eldest daughter. Even if your sister doesn't consider Madam's face, she should do her best for the eldest daughter. Now that she has entered the house, can the Marquis still carry her back in a sedan chair? Madam, even if you want to light three fires, you need firewood to burn!"

The words imply that Eleventh Lady handed Yang over to Madam Wen in order to use Madam Wen to deal with Yang.

※

I will be taking my child to an interview tomorrow...

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