"No!" Madam Wen said, "The Marquis did not ask any more questions. He just said 'I know' to the Madam."

Eleventh Lady remained silent.

If it were me, and I returned home, I would find that of the three concubines who were pregnant when I left, one was dead, one was living her own life behind closed doors, and one was sent by my mother to be taken care of by my second sister-in-law. However, my mother told me that everything was normal and the death of the one was a complete accident... As a son, as a husband, and as the head of the Yongping Marquis' family, I'm afraid I would have nothing to say except "I know."

But would the perceptive Xu Lingyi think nothing about it?

Eleventh Lady was very suspicious.

Otherwise, how could he say "I'm sorry" to Aunt Tong, who had no special meaning to him?

Walking out of Madam Wen's room, the sun was blazing, the shade of the trees covered the ground, and it was quiet with no one talking, which made people's hearts calm down as well.

Eleventh Lady slowly returned to the lady dowager's place.

Xu Sizhun was still asleep, and the lady who was taken away by the Fifth Lady to watch Taoist Priest Changchun perform a ritual had not returned yet.

Yuban saw that Eleventh Lady had sweat on her forehead and her face was flushed, so he hurriedly fetched some water and helped her wash up: "It's so hot today. Madam's face is red!" He didn't ask where Eleventh Lady had gone.

"Really?" Eleventh Lady washed her face with a smile and changed her clothes. The Lady Dowager and the Fifth Lady came back.

"... they said that our sister Xin's fate is six kilograms." The Fifth Lady held sister Xin in her arms, her brows filled with infinite joy, "When Taoist Changchun read my fate, I was only four kilograms and eight ounces."

The lady laughed and asked Eleventh Lady, "Did Zhun'er bother you?"

"No!" Eleventh Lady responded briefly, and ordered Yuban to help the Lady Dowager, the Fifth Lady and others fetch water to wash their faces. She then asked about the situation in the outer courtyard, changing the subject.

When she met Xu Lingyi in the evening, she told him that Aunt Yi had asked her to go.

Xu Lingyi sneered disdainfully: "This kind of person will say anything to survive. Don't listen to her nonsense." He added, "If you encounter something like this again, you must let me know. What if she bites someone out of desperation and hurts you or the child?"

Eleventh Lady had something on her mind and replied softly, "Yes."

Thinking of how Xu Lingyi had protected Concubine Qin over the past ten years, it was clear that in Xu Lingyi's heart, Concubine Qin was not wrong. She couldn't help but ask, "My Lord, what happened back then?" There was some hesitation in her tone.

Xu Lingyi's expression gradually became serious: "What do you want to say?"

The harshness of the attitude stung her.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Nothing. I'm just a little curious." Then she stood up and said, "Shall I ask the maid to come in and help the Marquis wash up? I heard from Fifth Madam that Taoist Priest Changchun will have to perform a ritual at home tomorrow. The Marquis will have another busy day tomorrow, so you should rest early!"

When she is in a bad mood, she will smile brightly and then talk a lot of words.

Xu Lingyi took two steps forward and stopped Shiyi Niang who was about to call the maid: "Shiyi Niang, have you heard any rumors? Your sister... although she is a little willful, she is not the kind of..."

But not that kind of what?

Shiyi Niang suddenly came to her senses. She raised her eyelids and looked straight at Xu Lingyi.

He was defending Yuanniang.

In other words, Xu Lingyi felt that this matter was Yuanniang's fault.

But is it really true that Aunt Qin did nothing wrong?

His reflection was reflected in those clear, dark eyes.

It was so clear that he felt a little ashamed when he recalled the old days.

No one knew better than him what kind of person Yuanniang finally became.

Otherwise, why would Shiyi Niang marry him? Otherwise, why would Shi Niang become a widow at such a young age?

But the dead are gone, and there is no point in pursuing the past!

Xu Lingyi sighed and gently hugged Shiyi Niang in his arms: "Okay, don't be angry. I have to send Yi Yi Niang away tomorrow, and the ritual has been postponed." He added, "Those are things of the past. I have dealt with those who knew the inside story. Even if someone talks behind my back, we will ignore it and it will naturally calm down."

Know the inside story? Know what inside story? Is there something else that he doesn't know? Is he also prejudiced because of the witchcraft that Qin Yi Niang cast on Xu Sizhun this time?

I don’t know why, but Eleventh Lady always feels something is weird.

She gently pushed Xu Lingyi away, sorted out her thoughts about what Madam Wen had told her, and told Xu Lingyi briefly: "...In my opinion, sister was wrong because she was too careless, Madam Wen was wrong because she was too cautious, and Madam Qin was wrong because she was too rigid and inflexible. Even the deceased Madam Tong was not without fault - she was pregnant with a child, and there was nothing more serious than this. Since she was uncomfortable, she should have said it. Sister would never let it go if she knew. Although everyone has their own faults, as the mistress, sister has a greater responsibility. But from the tone of the marquis, it seems that this matter is all sister's fault. What is going on?"

Xu Lingyi looked at her righteous little face with a somewhat melancholy expression.

If Yuanniang could have looked at him so calmly back then...

"I don't believe your sister would do such a thing." His voice was low and slow, like stagnant river water. "I just want her to say one word. But she was so harsh, saying that those mothers were lazy and negligent, or that Aunt Qin didn't explain clearly, and even blamed the second sister-in-law, saying that the second sister-in-law shouldn't interfere in the affairs of the fourth room, and that it had nothing to do with her..." His tone was full of disappointment. "She is the wife of Marquis Yongping, and this family will depend on the two of us in the future. Even if she is wrong in this matter, she and I are husband and wife. Why can't she tell me clearly and we can find a way to get through this together! Instead of blaming this and that. Don't say that the second sister-in-law took over the care of Aunt Qin at the time under the order of my mother. Even if the second sister-in-law was presumptuous and interfered in the affairs of the fourth room, considering that the second brother has passed away, the second sister-in-law has no children, is all alone, and will rely on us for life in the future, why can't she be more tolerant? . "The words hidden in my heart for many years, once they have a place to vent, will flow down with an unstoppable force, "Let Qin Yi Niang live with my second sister-in-law with her child for more than a year. What will outsiders think if they know? What will they think? What will those maids do if they know? Isn't she handing the handle of a knife to others so that they can stab her at any time? Why can't she be more generous, bow her head and admit her mistake to her mother, say a few words of gratitude to my second sister-in-law, and then take Qin's mother and son back... Why did it get to the point where it was out of control in the end?"

Xu Lingyi's face was as gloomy as water.

"I even hoped that this matter could still be salvaged." A trace of shame flashed in his eyes. "I actually went to ask Qin privately. According to what Qin said, I went from the east wing to the main house, and then to Mother Tao's residence, and walked back and forth several times... Not only did I fail to prove that what Qin said was untrue, but I also found out..." He was hesitant to speak.

"What did you want to find out?" Eleventh Lady couldn't help but clench her fists tightly.

Xu Lingyi was silent for a while.

"The maid on night duty in Yuan Niang's room heard Aunt Qin crying outside!"

The maids on night duty usually slept on the bed footboard.

Eleventh Lady looked at Xu Lingyi in surprise.

Xu Lingyi nodded slightly.

Eleventh Lady lowered her eyelids.

"You knew I was back," Xu Lingyi said in a deep voice, "What did mother say to me?" Without waiting for Eleventh Lady to answer, he said, "Mother asked me to persuade Yuanniang to stop being like a child, letting her emotions show on her face. When she's happy, she's full of praise and smiles at the concubines, but when she's unhappy, she's stern and ignores them, getting angry with them. How can she be as magnanimous as a mistress? When I heard that, I wished I could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. You know, when Second Sister-in-law first came into the mansion, mother taught her how to act, and she and Second Sister-in-law were like mother and daughter, and I don't know how close they were. But what about Yuanniang... Mother had something to say to her, and she asked me to help pass it on."

Xu Lingyi sat on the beauty couch, with a look of deep weariness between his brows.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but walk over and sit on the brocade stool next to the beauty couch.

"My Lord, at that time, my sister was only sixteen or seventeen years old, right?" She said in a soft voice, like a gentle breeze. "She didn't want to tell you, Lord, because she was afraid that you would blame her. If you had told me clearly at that time, even if I was wrong, you would have forgiven me and helped me to deal with the aftermath. For you, I would have been willing to do anything!"

Xu Lingyi was shocked.

"There is no such thing as grievance in this world," Eleventh Lady said softly, "There is only what is worth it and what is not worth it!"

Xu Lingyi stared at her blankly and didn't say anything for a long time.

* * * * * *

Early the next morning, the little maid on duty in Xu Lingyi's room quietly told Eleventh Lady: "Fourth Madam, the Marquis didn't sleep all night!"

Eleventh Lady nodded with a smile and rewarded the little maid with a handful of candy.

The little maid went away smiling.

While having breakfast, Eleventh Lady looked at Xu Lingyi.

Her skin was fair and shiny, and her eyes were bright and lively. You couldn't tell that she hadn't slept all night.

Could it be that this is how the lady taught Xu Lingyi - to keep all emotions to himself?

It seems that I can't meet this standard myself.

I was lost in thought when I looked up and saw the lady smiling and looking at me with interest.

Eleventh Lady was a little confused.

The lady turned to ask Xu Lingyi: "Send Aunt Yi to Shanyang this morning?"

Xu Lingyi replied, "Yes," and said, "I left the city gate around the beginning of the morning. There were just about the right number of people at that time."

The lady nodded, smiled and glanced at Eleventh Lady, and said, "Now that Aunt Yi has left, you should go back to the main house and have a rest! Otherwise, one of you will be in my east room and the other in my warm room, ordering my maids around, and I will have no one to serve tea and water at night."

Didn't I bring maids with me? Even though there were only two of them, I didn't dare to order the maids around the lady to serve me!

Eleventh Lady responded respectfully, "Yes."

Thinking that everyone is an adult with their own living habits, the lady might feel a little inconvenient with them being here, so she used this excuse to ask them to go back quickly!

"Mother," Xu Lingyi had a different understanding, "Mr. Bai is looking for maids these days. Do you want me to add a few more to your room? I'll pay for their monthly wages from my own pocket."

Mother Du, who was standing nearby, burst out laughing.

Shiyi Niang and Xu Lingyi looked at each other.

The lady laughed out loud: "These two fools!"

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Post a draft first.

O(∩_∩)O~

PS: Please read the updated version tomorrow at noon!