Eleventh Lady's heart softened. She asked, "When will you come back?"

Seeing that her tone had softened, Qi Niang was overjoyed and said hurriedly, "We will definitely be back before midnight."

"Is it all right for me to help look after my fifth brother's wife?"

Qi Niang nodded repeatedly: "We have Mother Shi and the wet nurse. You are there to watch over them, and Danyang will feel more at ease."

Eleventh Lady nodded.

Qi Niang smiled and pulled her hand: "I'll bring you some Ma Pozi's pastries!"

"Just don't get into trouble." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "I won't count on Ma Pozi's shortbread."

"Am I the kind of person who gets into trouble?" Qi Niang disagreed.

Eleventh Lady laughed.

Xu Lingyi frowned when he found out: "Are Lingkuan and Zhu Anping going with us?"

"Yes." Eleventh Lady replied, "Otherwise I wouldn't dare to agree."

Xu Lingyi said nothing.

When the lady heard that the two were going to attend the Menglan Festival and release river lanterns, she was a little hesitant. Only when she heard that Eleventh Lady agreed to help look after Xin Jie'er did she agree.

Who knew that two days later, Xu Sizhun said, "The teacher said that we should also release river lanterns during the Menglan Festival."

The lady was shocked: "No. On the 15th day of the seventh month, the gates of hell open. The yin energy is the heaviest."

Xu Sizhun laughed and said, "Master said we should release them in the Biyi River in our back garden. We can go back to the house when it gets dark. We can make river lanterns ourselves."

The lady's heart finally settled down.

Afterwards, Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie both devoted themselves to making lanterns, which made Zhen Jieer feel itchy. She said she wanted to help the two brothers, so she made a lotus lantern and gave it to Shiyi Niang: "Mother, is it beautiful?"

The base is made of wood, painted with bright red lacquer, and the lotus petals are made of gauze, with a few small colored glazes inlaid on them. If you light a candle, these small colored glazes will sparkle like morning dew, which must be very beautiful. I just don't know if it can be put up.

"It looks good!" Eleventh Lady smiled and placed it on the windowsill of the west banquet room, and asked Zhen Jie'er to make another one for her, "...I want to send one to Madam Gan as well."

This is the best admission.

Zhen Jie'er was very happy and made two with great enthusiasm. When Xu Sizhun heard about it, he gave her a rabbit lantern, and Xu Sijie gave her an octagonal lantern.

Eleventh Lady accepted them all with a smile and sent them to Madam Gan.

Mrs. Gan placed the lotus lantern made by Zhen Jie'er on the incense table in the hall, the rabbit lantern made by Xu Sizhun was hung in the east room, and the octagonal lantern made by Xu Sijie was placed in the inner room. A few days later, she asked her mother to send the lotus seed cake, lotus cake, and rose cake she made by herself to thank the three.

The three of them became even more interested, and they asked the maids and the women in the house to make river lanterns. Even Qi Niang and Wu Madam got involved after hearing the news. Xu Sizhun became the general commander, holding his chest high and ordering one to paste colored paper and another to polish the lantern frame with sand. He was busy all day, but he was more energetic than ever.

The house is bustling with activity, even more lively than during the Chinese New Year.

The lady said simply, "How about we put lanterns on the Biyi River and see whose lantern is the most beautiful. I'll offer twenty taels of silver as a prize."

Upon hearing this, Qi Niang and Wu Madam shrank their shoulders, fearing that the lady would keep them at home.

Eleventh Lady found it funny and followed the Madam Tai in making fun of her: "Then I'll give ten taels."

Qi Niang and Wu Madam looked at each other and said with a smile: "We are not at home, but we can't spoil your fun. I will give you ten taels."

The Fifth Lady immediately responded: "I will also give ten taels."

The lady could see that they were guilty, and they were celebrating the festival just for fun. She laughed and told Eleventh Lady, "Remember to collect the money from them."

Eleventh Lady smiled and replied "yes". Seventh Lady and Fifth Lady hurriedly sent someone to open the box and take out the silver, and handed it to Eleventh Lady in front of the Lady Dowager.

This makes a total of fifty taels of silver.

Eleventh Lady suggested: "Why not select the top three, and then select a few more on the list."

"That's good!" The lady agreed, "Everyone has something to look forward to."

When Xu Sizhun found out, he and Xu Sijie went to the Madam Dowager and asked, "Are we considered as well?"

"You are the master, how can you compete with the servants for profit?" The lady said with a smile, "However, if the river lanterns you make are comparable to those made by the top three candidates, I will give you a bonus according to their scores."

Xu Sizhun cheered and told Xu Sijie: "Just do whatever I tell you to do. If we win, we'll split the prize in half."

Xu Sijie nodded as he listened: "I will do whatever my brother says!"

Xu Sizhun was satisfied and took Xu Sijie away. He called himself and the servants around Xu Sijie to come over, not allowing his mother and maids to follow him, and closed the door to make river lanterns. He was afraid that Shiyi Niang would ask what they were making, so he didn't let Xu Sijie tell her. So when Xu Sijie saw Shiyi Niang, he covered his mouth with his little hand and said, "Mother, my brother told me not to tell you. But it's not like I won't tell you forever. I'll tell you after the Zhongyuan Festival."

Eleventh Lady laughed, hugged him and kissed him again and again: "Mother is waiting for you and your brother to win the first place!"

Xu Sijie chuckled: "I'll give all the prizes I win to my mother."

"Okay!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "I'll save it for Brother Jie and help him find a wife in the future."

Xu Sijie went to find Xu Sizhun happily.

After all, Eleventh Lady never saw the river lanterns made by the two of them with her own eyes.

On the day of the Ghost Festival, she stayed by Xin Jie'er's side.

There is a saying that children have weak qi and blood, and are most likely to be possessed by evil spirits. Therefore, when the ghost gate opens, not only can they not walk outside at night, but they also need adults to accompany them to guard against them.

Although there was no basis for the rumor, Eleventh Lady, as entrusted by others, stayed obediently in Fifth Lady's room and played with Xin Jie'er together with Mother Shi.

Fortunately, not long after dark, Amber came to report: "The fourth and fifth young masters made a tiger river lantern. Everyone lit the fourth and fifth young masters and they were ranked first. The lady rewarded them with twenty taels of silver."

When people at home comment, they naturally want to be the first.

Eleventh Lady smiled and asked Amber to go back first: "Let the Fifth Young Master rest early, don't be so excited that you can't sleep early."

Amber responded and left.

Maybe because she didn't see the Fifth Lady, Xin Jie'er was a little noisy when it was time to go to bed. The nurse couldn't comfort her, so Shiyi Niang tried to hold her and walk around the room, and she finally calmed down. But when her breathing became stable and she fell asleep, she woke up and cried again. Shiyi Niang had no choice but to hold her all the time.

Mother Shi felt very sorry and wanted to hug Shiyi Niang, but just as she took over, Xin Jie'er woke up again.

"Let me do it!" Eleventh Lady was also a little puzzled as to why Sister Xin insisted on having her.

Mother Shi was also a little puzzled.

Speaking of which, Eleventh Lady doesn't have many opportunities to hug Xin Jie'er.

"If we are not from the same family, we will not enter the same door." Mother Shi was afraid that Shiyi Niang would feel uncomfortable, so she comforted her, "Our Xin Jieer knows that she wants her aunt to hold her."

Anyway, they came back at midnight.

After all, Eleventh Lady had never taken care of a child, and her arms felt heavy as if they were filled with water, but she still tried her best to hold Xin Jie'er.

But after midnight, the Fifth Lady and the Seventh Lady did not come back.

Mother Shi became a little uneasy.

Eleventh Lady can understand.

When you are having fun, you won’t pay attention to time.

"It's okay, it's normal to be late." She comforted Mother Shi.

A little maid ran in in a panic: "Fourth Madam, the Marquis is here!"

Xu Lingyi is here?

What is he here for?

Mother Shi hurriedly lifted the curtain.

"What? Lao Wu hasn't come back yet!"

Xu Lingyi ignored Shi Mama and others who were squatting, walked over and touched Xin Jie'er's black hair.

Sister Xin woke up immediately.

She turned around to look at Xu Lingyi, and before Eleventh Lady could say anything, she started crying.

It seems that he is still thinking about his mother!

Eleventh Lady didn't even bother to talk to Xu Lingyi, she just patted her back gently to coax her.

Sister Xin leaned on her shoulder and fell asleep in a daze.

Eleventh Lady held her and sat down on the kang, whispering, "Maybe it's been delayed."

Xu Lingyi frowned and asked, "Where is her wet nurse?" His voice was several degrees lower than usual.

"I don't know why, but they only want me." Eleventh Lady signaled him not to say anything more.

Xu Lingyi's brows furrowed.

"My Lord, please go back and rest first!" Everyone felt uncomfortable with him here, "I will be back soon!"

The Marquis thought for a moment and said, "I'll just read a book in Lao Wu's study! It's the middle of the night and the road is not quiet."

Although the big red lanterns under the Chao Shou Gallery will be lit all night, today is the Ghost Festival, and Shiyi Niang feels a little nervous.

"Then I'll trouble you, my Lord."

Mother Shi hurriedly took Xu Lingyi to Xu Lingkuan's small study, and arranged for a maid to serve tea and snacks nearby.

When they arrived at Chouzheng, the four of them came back smiling and talking.

When she saw Xu Lingyi, the smile froze on her face.

Xu Lingkuan and Zhu Anping spoke in unison, one saying "The road is full of people," and the other saying "I didn't notice the time," both showing some shame. The Fifth Lady and the Seventh Lady hid behind their respective husbands.

Things have come to this point, not to mention that Zhu Anping and his wife are present.

Xu Lingyi didn't know what to say.

He said calmly, "I'm glad you're back," and then said to Madam Wu, "Go check on Miss Xin, she's sleeping a little restlessly."

When the Fifth Lady heard this, she hurried into the house. Seeing Eleventh Lady holding Xin Jie'er, a trace of uneasiness flashed in her eyes. She said, "Thank you, Fourth Sister-in-law," while taking Xin Jie'er.

Sister Xin half opened her eyes, and when she saw it was her mother, she pursed her little mouth, cried softly a few times, and then fell asleep in the arms of the Fifth Lady.

Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, the child was handed over safely to the Fifth Lady.

She squeezed her heavy arm and was about to exchange a few words with the Fifth Lady when she saw Qi Niang muttering indignantly, "...I didn't say anything...I haven't settled accounts with him for the last time, why is he so upset...", while being pulled in by Zhu Anping. Behind her was Xu Lingkuan, who was sweating profusely.

Eleventh Lady and Fifth Lady looked at each other.

"It's okay, it's okay." Xu Lingkuan hurriedly explained to his surprised sister-in-law and wife, "It's just a small misunderstanding, a small misunderstanding."

Eleventh Lady looked at Zhu Anping again, her face full of embarrassment, and smiled and said, "Then I'll go back first. It's getting late, everyone should rest early!"

Xu Lingkuan nodded quickly: "Fourth sister-in-law, take care!"

Eleventh Lady went out and saw Xu Lingyi standing under a tree with his hands behind his back in the night.

The moonlight shone on his face, half in the light and half in the dark, making his facial features more distinct and a little bit colder.

※

Finally returned an update!

PS: Thank you all for asking Yan Guo to go see Zhi Gong. Zhi Gong said he saw a beautiful woman!

O(∩_∩)O~