"Aunt, I really can't find out anything." Cui'er was quite helpless. "Qiuhong is getting married, and she locks herself in the room and doesn't go anywhere." As she spoke, she pouted, "Aunt Wen is already wealthy, and now Qiuhong's marriage is favored by the lady, her eyes are about to rise to the sky. Every day they discuss how to help Qiuhong buy a dowry, and they don't care about anything else. What did Aunt Wen and the lady talk about? She was too impatient to tell me in detail." There was some complaint in her tone, but more of it was envy.

Aunt Qin spat at her and said, "You silly girl, if you don't ask clearly, how can I know what tricks Aunt Wen used to convince Madam that Madam values ​​her so much. Since you envy Qiuhong, you should also spend some time on it and stop ignoring my words."

Cui'er's face turned red. She murmured and wanted to leave, but was stopped by Aunt Qin. She said with a look of resentment, "You stupid thing. What's the point of being embarrassed now? Wait until Qiuhong and Donghong marry their ideal husbands, and you will regret it later." She waved at Cui'er and said, "Come here. I have something to tell you." Then she whispered in Cui'er's ear, "Pretend to be idle and go to the Madam's small kitchen to ask around. See if the Madam is feeling better these days. What does she usually use..."

Before she finished her words, Cui'er's face changed: "Auntie, this, this is not good!"

Aunt Qin said angrily, "You can't get any information out of Donghong, and you are afraid to go to the small kitchen. What can you do? Madam is pregnant now. If you don't try to curry favor with her here, where else can you curry favor with her?"

Cui'er suddenly realized, responded embarrassedly, and stepped back.

When I went out, I met Qiao Lianfang and Xiu Yuan.

She was just hesitating whether to step forward and pay her respects when Xiu Lixu, supporting Qiao Lianfang, walked into the hall and headed for the main room.

Cui'er breathed a sigh of relief and went to the small kitchen.

Xiu Yuan didn't notice Cui Er. She was talking to Qiao Lian Fang in a low voice: "Aunt, Madam asked you to go, but I don't know what it is?" Her tone was full of worry.

"You'll know when you get there!" Qiao Lianfang said indifferently.

"Aunt," Xiu Yuan frowned as she listened. She was about to say something to persuade them, but a little maidservant beside her bowed to them, and she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

Qiao Lianfang lifted the curtain and entered the room.

Eleventh Lady met her in the hall.

"Xiu Li is not young anymore. It's time for her to be released. I've been in poor spirits these days, so I can't help but miss some things. So I came to discuss this with you. You brought Xiu Li from the Qiao family. Do you choose a marriage for her? Or should I send her back home and let her mother and father decide for her?"

From the tone of her voice, she doesn't want to interfere in Xiu Cheng's affairs.

Qiao Lianfang was a little surprised, but also felt it was reasonable.

She thought for a moment and said, "I don't understand these things either. If Madam agrees, I would like to discuss it with my mother!"

Eleventh Lady didn't care. She immediately asked someone to invite Mrs. Qiao to her house and then served her tea.

When Mrs. Qiao got the news, she rushed to the Xu family immediately.

The maid went to report to Shiyi Niang. After a while, Luyun came out from behind the curtain, stood on the steps and said with a smile: "Our Madam is busy." After that, she called a maid and said, "Take Madam Qiao to Aunt Qiao's place," and turned into the hall.

Mrs. Qiao looked at the Xiangfei bamboo curtain that swayed a few times and then calmed down. She felt a breath stuck in her chest but couldn't let it out. After a while, she followed the little maid who had not left her head to Qiao Lian's room.

Eleventh Lady was talking to Madam Wen about Guan Qing: "...So, he is an honest man."

Madam Wen nodded: "She is not stupid, but her family is too poor. She is timid when doing things, and has developed a habit of being cautious."

Shiyi Niang was somewhat pleased. Because Manager Bai asked Guan Qing to run errands with the steward in charge of repairing the house in Goldfish Lane, Shiyi Niang specifically told him a few things to do. Although he was not very experienced, he was also well-behaved and nothing serious happened. She also found an opportunity to let Amber take a look at Guan Qing.

Amber thought that when Eleventh Lady married into the Xu family, she had to deal with wolves in front and tigers behind, but now she was still living a good life. She only asked Guan Qing whether he was filial to his parents, and she didn't have any other requirements.

Eleventh Lady asked Mother Song to pass a message to Mother Du, hoping to settle the matter.

The housekeeper thought it was a piece of cake, and was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling. All the servants in the house knew that Amber was going to marry the housekeeper. Some wives and mothers who usually never came to visit came to congratulate the housekeeper, and even the lady-in-law was alarmed. The lady-in-law specially called Amber to talk.

"She looks really neat." The lady took her hand and looked her up and down, and told Madam Du, "Give all the red clothes you cleared out a few days ago to this maid."

Mother Du smiled and left.

Amber blushed, bent her knees, thanked again and again, took the clothes given by the lady and returned to Eleventh Lady.

Eleventh Lady saw that the clothes were all new and made of the finest silk and satin. She smiled and said, "Alter them in the next few days so that they can be worn in the fall."

Amber's wedding date is set for September.

Green Cloud and the others covered their mouths and laughed, their amber faces were as bright as flying clouds.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie came over after school.

Seeing a few bright clothes scattered on the bed of Eleventh Lady, they all asked, "Did mother make new clothes?"

The marriage with Guan Qing was settled, and Amber continued to serve in front of Shiyi Niang as if nothing had happened, but everyone looked at her differently. Amber didn't show it on her face, but she was still a little embarrassed in her heart. After hearing Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie's question, she was afraid that Luyun and the others would say something embarrassing again, so she hurriedly pulled Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie to wash their hands: "... Madam asked the kitchen to make jelly."

The two little guys followed Amber happily.

There was a burst of chuckles behind me.

How could Chaxiang and Xiu'er dare to bother Hubo? They hurriedly said, "Sister, go and do what you have to do first! We are here with the young master!"

Amber felt guilty. After hearing what Chaxiang and Xiu'er said, she threw Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie to them and said, "You serve the two young masters. I'll go talk to the kitchen." Then she hurriedly turned around and left the hall.

It was rare to see Amber in such an embarrassed state. Chaxiang and Xiu'er looked at each other and fetched water for Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie to wash their hands.

Xu Sizun asked Chaxiang, "What's wrong with Sister Amber? She seems very embarrassed!" When he raised his eyelids, he saw an unfamiliar maid pulling back the curtain of the hall and looking inside.

Several maids have been sent out of the mansion these days, and Mother Song is currently recruiting new maids.

Xu Sizhun didn't care, washed his hands and went to the east room.

But he saw the maid waving at him.

He was slightly startled.

The maid had already winked at him, her expression quite anxious.

Xu Sizhun's heart moved, his steps slowed down, and he fell behind the crowd. He smiled and said, "Chaxiang, I'm going to the bathroom." Having said that, he didn't care whether Chaxiang heard him or not, and hurried out of the hall and went towards the room where Xu Sijie lived.

When Chaxiang and the others reacted, Xu Sizhun was nowhere to be seen.

A group of people rushed out and saw a little maidservant who was unfamiliar to them, helping Xu Sizhun to go to Xu Sijie's room. They thought she was a new maidservant and just followed her in a hurry. The maidservant stood at the door and helped them to open the curtain. Chaxiang paused and looked at the maidservant. The maidservant smiled and showed a flattering look like all the little maidservants.

Cha Xiang walked into the room with her chest puffed out.

Xu Sizhun sat on the toilet, thinking about what the maid said.

"In a few days it will be the birthday of the late Fourth Madam, and in June it will be the birthday of the Crown Prince. Mother Tao said that she is not at home this year and cannot come to celebrate in person, so the Crown Prince should bear with her. If the Crown Prince is free, please go to the ancestral hall on the birthday of the late Fourth Madam and burn incense for her. The spirit of the late Fourth Madam in heaven will protect the Crown Prince from being disturbed by villains."

Long-lost memories were dug up.

He always remembered that his mother's birthday was May 27th. Every year on this day, Mother Tao would change his clothes for him early in the morning and carry him to his mother's room. When he walked past the eaves, the maids, daughters-in-law, and old women standing under the eaves and in the yard, including the mother in charge, would bow their heads.

At that time, my mother was sitting on the big kang by the window in the inner room, and the kang table was filled with all kinds of his favorite food.

As soon as he entered, his mother would open her arms.

When Mother Tao puts him in his mother's arms, his mother will hold him tightly, and a faint scent of medicine will linger around his nose, making him feel safe and peaceful.

His mother would point to the food on the table and ask him softly, "What do you want to eat?"

Mother Tao would come over with a chastised look on her face: "Madam, the fourth young master has already eaten half a bowl of porridge. If he eats more, he will have indigestion."

My mother wasn't angry, she just smiled.

At this time, Daddy's gift also arrived.

Often it's a thin piece of paper.

My mother didn't even look at it and asked Mother Tao to put it away.

Then she kissed his cheek tenderly and said, "Save all these and give them to our brother Zhun in the future."

How long has it been since he could smell the warm and faint medicinal fragrance that only his mother's arms could give him...

He lowered his head, his eyes a little wet.

* * * * * *

Xu Sizhun came out of the bathroom, rubbing his bath beans and asked Chaxiang, "Do you know when my mother's birthday is?"

Cha Xiang was stunned.

She had just entered the mansion when Yuanniang was in charge of household chores. She had just been transferred to the lady's courtyard when Yuanniang passed away. How could she remember these things?

"Why is the Fourth Young Master asking this?" She said with a smile, "How about I go ask Mother Du?"

In other words, I don’t know!

Xu Sizhun said unhappily: "Forget it, I was just asking casually."

Chaxiang breathed a sigh of relief.

When I returned to the east wing, the jelly had already been served.

The snow-white jelly and the reddish-brown soup make people's appetites grow.

Eleventh Lady asked Xu Sizun, "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

Xu Sizhun looked at the concern flowing in Shiyi Niang's eyes, and the treasures in his mind surged like the sea. The image hanging on the wall and the person in front of him overlapped vaguely...

"What's wrong?" Eleventh Lady's worried voice brought him back from his confusion.

Xu Sizhun looked at Eleventh Lady carefully.

Mother and mother are different.

In the image, my mother has delicate features, calm eyes, and a faint smile on her lips, which gives her a kind of compassionate and peaceful expression. My mother also likes to smile, but her eyes are clear and bright, and she looks energetic.

"No, nothing!" Xu Sizhun shook his head gently. For the first time, he felt the difference between his mother and his mother. "I'm fine!"

※

~~~~(_