Eleventh Lady sighed softly in her heart and reminded Xu Lingyi in a low voice: "There is a servant over there."

A trace of reluctance flashed across Xu Lingyi's brows, and he turned around and called to the boy, "What's the matter?"

The voice was calm and authoritative.

Eleventh Lady believed that his expression must have returned to its former gentle and calm state.

"My Lord!" The servant ran over, panting. "There's news from the palace. The Queen Mother just passed away."

Eleventh Lady's heart skipped a beat and she grabbed Xu Lingyi's sleeve tightly.

Xu Lingyi shook her hand with his backhand.

Warm hands, big and strong.

"Where is Lin Bo?" he asked in a deep voice, appearing very calm, which made Shiyi Niang slowly calm down, and she gradually felt a little disappointed in her heart.

After dragging on for so long, he finally passed away. All the calculations and plans were in vain in the end...

"The several gentlemen from the Beijing camp who came to pay their respects to the Marquis have not left yet," the servant said respectfully, "The nobleman from the palace said that he was afraid that if he returned too late, he would leave the key in the palace. So Lin Bo accompanied the nobleman from the palace out of the temple through a side door."

Eleventh Lady listened to the young man's clear and logical words, which formed a sharp contrast with his anxiety just now, and could not help but look at him twice.

Xu Lingyi turned around and whispered to her, "Go back first! The palace won't announce the death so quickly. We can just go back to the city at the original time. Don't make this public for now, lest everyone feel unhappy."

Eleventh Lady also agreed.

It’s not too late at this moment anyway.

She nodded, and returned to the room with Mother Song and Amber.

The old lady and the second lady were still talking, the fifth lady and the children were still playing, everything was the same as when she left. When they saw her come in, they just smiled and greeted her. Obviously, her departure did not attract much attention from anyone.

Eleventh Lady let out a long sigh, chatted with the lady for a few words, then packed up and left the Huguo Temple at the scheduled time.

Xu Lingyi, Xu Lingkuan and Mr. Zhao followed on horseback. When they came across a beautiful view, they would stop their horses and comment on it. Xu Lingyi did not show any strange expression.

When I returned to Lotus Garden, someone from the palace arrived to announce the death.

Although she was mentally prepared, the lady couldn't help but sigh: "...He's only forty-four years old this year!"

"Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven." The second lady advised the old lady, "This is also a personal blessing." She added, "The Empress Dowager is also a blessed person.

The lady listened and nodded slightly, and whispered: "The empress dowager was born in a humble family, had an ordinary appearance, and had unremarkable character. However, she was made empress because she had no children, and she also met a filial son like the emperor, who was tolerant and forgiving in everything... When you think about it this way, she can be considered a blessed person." As she spoke, she thought of the domineering Marquis Jianning and Earl Shouchang, and could not help but look at Xu Lingyi.

I saw him whispering to Eleventh Lady: "…Replace all the colored items overnight. Make sure they are all ready by tomorrow morning."

Eleventh Lady responded in a low voice, said goodbye to the lady and returned to her own courtyard. She sent someone to call the housekeepers while she quickly ate dinner. She then told Amber to tell Yang about the matter, and started to assign tasks after the housekeepers arrived.

When Yang heard this, she fell on the pillow and burst into tears, which scared Amber.

Mother Yang was afraid that Amber would be unhappy, so she stuffed two pieces of silver into Amber's pocket and explained, "Our aunt is too sad, so please bear with her."

Everyone would feel the same way, right?

Amber said nothing, took the silver, gave a few words of advice, then stood up and left.

Mother Yang personally escorted Amber out of the hallway of the east courtyard and then returned to the house.

Yang had sat up straight, without a single tear on her face.

"Is the Queen Mother really dead?" Her voice was cold.

Mother Yang was startled and said, "Miss Amber came here on Madam's orders, so it should be true, right?"

"Then go out and take a look!" Yang said, "If the Queen Mother is really dead, the nobles will be in mourning. The lanterns will definitely be changed to white."

Mother Yang didn't know what was suspicious about this, but she walked away quickly. After a while, she came back with a message: "People in the mansion have already started hanging white lanterns and mourning cloth."

Only then did Yang heave a long sigh of relief and smile brightly.

"Auntie." Mother Yang looked at her with fear and reminded her, "The Queen Mother has passed away. From now on..."

"I know." Yang interrupted Yang's mother. Her eyes were bright and she looked energetic. "If she doesn't die, I really can't do anything!" Then she smiled and ordered Yang's mother, "Go and see where the lady is. What is she doing? Bring me some more peppers."

"What is Auntie going to do?" Mother Yang asked dryly.

For some reason, she suddenly felt a little cold.

"Madam handed me over to Madam Wen," Yang's eyes sparkled. "I begged Madam Wen several times to present the patterns I drew to Madam, but Madam Wen pretended to be deaf and dumb and made all kinds of excuses. I couldn't bypass her to talk to Madam... Now that the Queen Mother is dead, there is no better opportunity than this. Don't ask more. Even if I tell you, you won't understand. Just do what I say." After saying this, she walked to the mirror and sat down, carefully smoothing her hair. "Go and come back soon, I'll be waiting for your news."

Mother Yang was confused but did not dare to neglect it. She followed Yang's instructions. While handing the pepper to Yang, she said, "Madam is waiting for the mothers in charge to reply in the side room next to the main hall."

Yang nodded and squeezed the pepper water into her eyes, which immediately filled with tears. She cried out in pain while washing her eyes with water. By the time she could see clearly, her eyes were already red and swollen.

She stood up: "Let's go to the lady!"

Mother Yang hesitated for a moment, then helped Yang go to Eleventh Lady.

When Eleventh Lady heard that Yang wanted to see her, she was a little surprised. She couldn't guess what she wanted, so she asked the maid to bring her in.

If you want to be pretty, you must wear mourning clothes. Yang, wearing a moon-white plain jacket with floral patterns and a white embroidered skirt, stood in front of Shiyi Niang with red eyes, her eyes showing sorrow and her face showing determination, like a white plum blossom that is not afraid of the cold, which made Shiyi Niang's eyes flash.

Seeing Shiyi Niang, she quickly knelt down in front of Shiyi Niang and said, "Madam, I dare to ask you a favor. If you agree, I will work like a cow or a horse to repay you in the next life." As she said this, she began to kowtow.

Eleventh Lady frowned slightly and said, "If you have anything to say, stand up and say it!"

While she was speaking, Amber had already stepped forward and supported Yang.

Yang knelt down and refused to get up, but she spoke without any fuss: "Madam, I would like to ask you to send someone to my house to see what happened to my brother!"

Eleventh Lady was slightly startled, but she didn't show it on her face. She asked, "But what happened at home?"

Yang gritted her teeth after hearing this, and after a while she said, "We were originally a branch family. Later, my aunt praised me for my intelligence and took me to her family to be raised. I haven't seen my little brother for five or six years, and I don't know whether he is dead or alive. Please send someone to my house to check on my brother." As she spoke, she kowtowed again, "Madam, I beg you!"

"I'll tell the steward of the outer courtyard." Eleventh Lady gestured to Amber to help her up, "I'll let Amber get back to you then."

Yang kowtowed three more times before standing up: "Madam, I will never forget your great kindness." Her forehead was red.

Eleventh Lady stared at her forehead without saying a word.

Yang's face was filled with shame: "Please forgive me, madam, for being so terrified and at a loss." Then she followed Amber and retreated.

Eleventh Lady asked Lu Yun to take the pair of cards to the outer courtyard to find the chief steward Bai and ask him to help check the Yang family's house. In the evening, she told Xu Lingyi about this matter.

Although Xu Lingyi was very surprised, he did not ask any more questions. He just urged her to rest early: "...You have to go to the palace for three consecutive days. Don't wear yourself out."

Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile, blew out the lights and went to bed.

The next morning, she went to the palace in her full make-up. The Marquis of Jianning and the wife of the Earl of Shouchang had already arrived, crying as if they had lost their parents. When she saw the Madam Dowager and the others, she cried even harder.

The lady ignored them and led the women in the family to burn incense and cry. Then, under the guidance of the eunuchs, she went to the side hall to rest, talked with people she knew, had lunch, cried again in the afternoon, and then returned home.

Yang stood waiting under the eaves.

Seeing Shiyi Niang and Xu Lingyi coming back, she stepped forward to salute them, opened the curtain and waited for them to enter the house. She still stood outside the curtain, her attitude respectful but with suppressed expectation.

"Your family is in Huguang, how can you get news so quickly?" Eleventh Lady said, "You should go back first! I will have someone tell you as soon as there is news. So many years have passed, there is no need to rush."

Yang's eyes were filled with gratitude, and she knelt down to salute Eleventh Lady: "Thank you, Madam!"

He staggered away with Mother Yang.

Eleventh Lady went to the palace to pay homage for two consecutive days, and on the fourth day she cried outside the Cining Palace for three days with other ladies of the fourth rank and above in the capital. The Ministry of Rites stipulated that the Emperor and the Empress should mourn for twenty-seven days, with days instead of months, the princesses, the crown princes, and the county princesses should mourn for nine months, the princes for five months, the families of ministers and officials should mourn for three months, and the common people should mourn for three days.

Xu Sizhun led Xu Sijie to quietly put away the watermelon lanterns, sesame lanterns, fish scale lanterns, and straw lanterns they had made a few days ago - the success of the river lanterns made the two brothers very happy, and they had already made lanterns early to prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Eleventh Lady smiled and put her arm around his shoulders: "It's the same if you take it out during the Spring Festival."

Xu Sizhun smiled and looked up at Shiyi Niang: "Then we can make a revolving lantern."

"Okay!" Eleventh Lady smiled and patted his shoulder.

A servant came running in: "The second young master sent a letter home from Anle."

A thick stack.

Eleventh Lady took Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie to the Lady Dowager.

Some were addressed to the Taifu, some to the Shiyi Niang, some to the Second Madam, and some to the Fifth Madam. The contents were similar, saying that he was doing well, asking his family not to worry, and wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

The lady laughed when she saw it, and praised Xu Siyu's handwriting for getting better and better.

When Eleventh Lady returned to the room, she asked Xu Sizun to write a reply to Xu Siyu on her behalf.

Xu Sizhun was very interested after hearing this. He wrote for several days and even asked Mr. Zhao for advice before he wrote a letter home and had it sent to Le'an.

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O(∩_∩)O~