The room was quiet, and the sound of knocking could be heard in the distance.

Yang turned over with a rustling sound.

Qiao Lianfang's dull gaze kept moving in front of her.

Mother Yang, who was sleeping at the foot of the bed, couldn't help but sigh in her heart when she heard this.

"Aunt, would you like me to pour you a cup of hot tea?" She put on her clothes and sat up.

I just can't sleep anyway.

Yang thought about it and said "hmm" softly.

Mother Yang poured some tea and moved the sheep-horn palace lantern that was originally placed on the kang table by the window.

Yang leaned against the head of the bed, holding the teacup in a daze.

Mother Yang tucked her clothes in and sat down beside the bed: "Aunt, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing!" Yang replied in a whitewashing tone, lowering her head to take a few sips. When she looked up again, she couldn't help but ask, "Mom, tell me, was it Madam's idea to send Aunt Qiao to Dajue Temple? Or was it the Marquis' idea?"

Mother Yang was puzzled: "Everyone's meaning is the same. Aunt Qiao was sent to Dajue Temple after all!"

"How can they be the same?" Yang shook her head gently, her voice as soft as a mosquito, "If it is what Madam meant, the Marquis is still thinking about their old relationship; if it is what the Marquis meant..." Her expression seemed a little doubtful, and her knuckles holding the teacup turned slightly white.

Mother Yang couldn't hear clearly, so she smiled and said, "Who are you talking about, Auntie?"

"I didn't say anyone, I didn't say anyone." Yang's expression calmed down and she handed the teacup to Mother Yang with a smile, "It's getting late, go to bed! We have to pay our respects to Madam early tomorrow morning!" After saying that, she lay down.

Mother Yang looked at the almost undrunk teacup in her hand and moved the lamp out of the curtains with a confused look on her face.

Qiuhong couldn't sleep either, and tossed and turned on the bedside table.

Madam Wen yawned, "If you can't sleep, just roll up your blanket and go to sleep on the big kang next to the window in the banquet room. There's a fire wall on the east side, so it won't be cold. You won't disturb my sleep."

Qiuhong heard Aunt Wen's gentle tone and said with a playful smile: "Aunt, aren't you unable to sleep just like me?"

Madam Wen said nothing.

Qiuhong asked, "Auntie, what kind of place is Dajue Temple? Auntie Qiao seems to have changed since she came back. I knelt down to greet her, and she actually bowed to me, which scared me."

Madam Wen sighed after hearing this: "Don't talk about this anymore, go to sleep! In the future, just stay away from Madam Qiao." She thought of Qiao Lianfang's reserved behavior, "She just came back, and the habits she developed in the temple haven't been changed for a while, but she will be fine after a few days!"

"Yeah!" Qiu Hong smiled and lay down. In the next few days, she stared at Qiao Lianfang whenever she saw her. She found that Qiao Lianfang's expression gradually became softer, and her actions were no longer as stiff as before. However, Aunt Qin and Aunt Yang didn't pay much attention to Aunt Qiao. Only Aunt Wen would greet her with a smile and say some polite words when she saw her.

Qiao Lianfang no longer pouted or looked at people with disdain like she used to. She always nodded indifferently, then turned back to her own courtyard and did not come out all day.

Qiuhong also found that Yang Yi Niang, who had only come every now and then in the past few days, was the same as before. In addition to meeting Wen Yi Niang to pay respects to the lady every morning and evening, she brought needlework to do in her spare time. While doing it, she also chatted with Wen Yi Niang, and they talked about old things in the past. Wen Yi Niang was not good at needlework, and she couldn't stand sitting on the kang and chatting with people for a long time. She often talked and thought of something, and then left for most of the day, leaving Yu'er to accompany Yang Yi Niang in the room. Yang Yi Niang didn't think it was a big deal. She sat there quietly, doing needlework while waiting for Wen Yi Niang to come back. She looked very quiet.

"Aunt, what do you think Aunt Yang is embroidering?" Qiu Hong asked curiously, "She keeps the antenna in her hand all the time, but I don't see her embroidering anything. She is just busy talking to you..."

Madam Wen and Yu'er were rummaging through boxes and cabinets looking for clothes.

The New Year gifts from the eldest brother-in-law's family will arrive early tomorrow morning. According to the rules, the Shao family will send a respectable housekeeper to accompany the carriage to pay respects to the Eleventh Lady. Madam Wen was afraid that the maid would arrive early tomorrow and happened to meet her on her way to pay respects to the Eleventh Lady. She was worried about how to dress decently and solemnly.

Hearing this, she immediately glared at her and interrupted her: "Since you are so free, go help the maids sweep the yard!"

Madam Wen was afraid that the housekeeper would come to her yard to check on her, so she used the excuse of celebrating the New Year to have all the maids and old women in the house clean the yard.

"Auntie," Qiuhong felt very aggrieved. She looked at the pile of clothes in her arms and pouted, "Am I not helping you find clothes?"

"That still won't stop you from talking!" Madam Wen said, pulling out a brand new dark green silk jacket from the bottom of the box. "What do you think of this one?"

Just as the two were about to answer, Donghong lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing Qiuhong and Yuer, she paused slightly.

Madam Wen asked, "What's the matter?"

Donghong hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps forward and whispered, "Aunt, the Marquis went to Aunt Qiao's place."

Madam Wen's expression froze for a moment, then she smiled and said, "It's Madam Qiao's day to stay in the bedroom, so it's only right for the Marquis to go there." She then randomly pulled out a rose-red jacket with gold all over it from the box, "What do you think of this one?"

Qiuhong and Donghong exchanged glances and said with a smile, "The dark green one is still the best. Paired with the pine-colored butterfly-embroidered eight-panel Xiang skirt, it looks dignified yet not rigid."

"Then you should find the pine-colored eight-piece Xiang skirt with hundreds of butterflies on it."

Qiuhong looked at the pine-colored, butterfly-embroidered eight-piece Xiang skirt placed next to Madam Wen, winked at Donghong, and said with a smile, "Madam, you must be tired after standing for so long. I will accompany you to the inner room to sit for a while! Let Donghong and Yu'er find it here."

"You want to be lazy, right?" Aunt Wen smiled and went to the inner room with Qiuhong, who was holding a pile of clothes. "You used me as a shield!"

Qiuhong just laughed.

* * * * * *

Cui'er looked at the little maid who came to report the news in surprise.

"It's true." The little maid whispered, "The Marquis went to Aunt Qiao's place."

Cui'er's face darkened slightly and she quickly walked into the inner room.

I met Aunt Qin head-on.

With a smile on her lips, her face looked more friendly and easy-going, and she was just walking out of the warm room where the Bodhisattva was enshrined, lifting the curtain.

"What's wrong?" She was in a good mood recently and liked everything she saw. "As if someone owed you three hundred taels of silver?"

"Auntie." Cui'er said anxiously, "The Marquis went to Aunt Qiao's place."

A smile froze on Aunt Qin's face.

She tightly grasped the agarwood Buddhist beads, turned around and went back into the warm room.

* * * * * *

Eleventh Lady, who had just finished bathing, was sitting on the big kang by the window in the inner room wearing a rose-red jacket. Her fair face still had a blush from being fumigated by the hot water, like a red lotus blooming in June, plain yet bright.

"Madam's hair is so nice." Amber stood in front of the kang and used a boxwood comb to comb her hair, which had just been dried. "It's like satin."

"It's just too troublesome to wash my hair." Eleventh Lady smiled and touched the black hair.

"Who is like Madam? She washes her hair every few days." Amber smiled, "She doesn't like to use hair oil or spray floral water." After thinking for a moment, she added, "She doesn't wear fresh flowers either."

Eleventh Lady laughed: "Who said I don't wear flowers? Don't I wear gardenias and magnolias?"

"But you wear it on your collar!"

The two were chatting and laughing when Hong Xiu walked in.

"Madam, the Marquis went to Aunt Qiao's place."

Amber's hand holding the comb stopped there.

"Got it!" Eleventh Lady's smile faded slightly, and she told Hong Xiu, "You can go and rest now!"

Today was Hongxiu's night watch, but Shiyi Niang didn't like people keeping watch in the room. The night watchman usually rested on the big kang next to the window in the east room. It was called night watch, but in reality it was just resting in the main room for a night, and there was a ground heating. The job that everyone complained about before has now become a good job.

She smiled and said "yes" and stepped back.

Amber looked at her red lips and pursed them tightly: "Madam, how about I take the night shift today! Like before, I can sleep on the footboard and talk."

"You still think there's not enough to do during the day!" Eleventh Lady laughed, "Tomorrow we have to distribute the candies, incense, candles, lanterns, flowers and trees and other small items for the New Year to various places. You'll be busy. You should also rest early! If you have anything to say, we can talk after the New Year."

"Madam!" Amber hesitated to speak.

Eleventh Lady knew what she was worried about, but some things cannot be avoided just by avoiding them or worrying about them.

She smiled and took the wooden comb from her hand: "Go and have a rest!"

Amber nodded sadly, bent her knees to salute, and turned away.

After walking a few steps, I couldn't help but look back.

"Madam!" She knelt in front of Eleventh Lady, "When Concubine Yang came in, you said that everyone should give one day to Concubine Yang, but the Marquis said that if that was the case, you would not have half a month, so he reduced the concubines' days to three days... During your mourning period, the Marquis also stayed with you. This time, you just..."

After all, she was an unmarried girl, her face was red, and there were some things she couldn't say.

"I set the date. But whether to go or not is entirely up to the Marquis." Her eyes were a little complicated. "There are some things you don't understand." Her voice gradually became lower. "I have a thousand ways and ten thousand reasons to keep him by my side. But why should I do this?"

Amber was horrified.

Eleventh Lady pushed her up.

"Just because he is a marquis?" She looked disappointed, "He is my breadwinner? He is my bedmate... these are never reasons..."

In the silent room, Eleventh Lady's somewhat helpless voice echoed. A faint sadness fell into Amber's heart, making her eyes sore and she could no longer utter words of advice.

"Go and have a rest!"

Eleventh Lady patted Amber's hand.

She suddenly realized that her action was very similar to that of the lady.

Is it that my mentality has become very old?

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.

Hong Xiu rushed in: "Madam, Madam, the Marquis is back!"

Her face flushed and she looked very excited.

"Madam!" Amber also tightly grasped Shiyi Niang's hand, with a happy smile on her face, "My Lord, you are back!"

Eleventh Lady smiled faintly, and a bright light flashed in her eyes that she herself did not even notice.

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I have something to do tonight, so I can only update once. I'll post a rough draft first, and I'll fix any typos later!