Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Did Madam Tai tell me which troupe you like?"
The lady dowager sent someone to ask her out of respect for her as the mistress of the household, but she could not ignore the old lady's preferences.
Yuban's eyes sparkled: "Madam Tai said, I wonder how Bai Xixiang sings!"
Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded, then went to the lady's place.
"It's either the Changsheng class or the Deyin class. You see, should we change it this year and invite the Jiexiang Society to perform in the hall, it can also be a bit fresh."
The lady smiled and nodded, and discussed with Eleventh Lady: "Is it better to steam or braise the shad? Is it better to put lilac or crabapple in the flower hall?"
The two of them discussed it for an entire afternoon and finally decided on the March 3rd event.
In the evening, news came from Third Master Xu Lingning that he had been re-elected as the mayor of Shanyang County.
The old lady was very happy, and the third lady took the opportunity to discuss with the old lady: "...the head of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department has been very helpful. I would like to invite his wife to come home on March 3rd to have a drink of water and wine."
Everyone in the room fell silent at once.
The lady smiled and took a sip of tea, then said slowly, "We are just adding a pair of chopsticks. I'm afraid the lady in charge will be in a dilemma! What to wear, what to wear, what to give as a gift... It will take a lot of thought. If you are interested, I think it would be more economical to order a table at Chunxi Tower and send it over."
The third lady was embarrassed and looked a little ashamed.
The Fifth Lady glanced at the Third Lady with a half-smile, then hugged the Grand Lady's arm with a smile: "Mother, please tell the Fifth Master that I want to go to Dianchun Hall to listen to the opera on March 3rd, too!"
According to ancient child-rearing rules, pregnant women should rest at home.
The old lady knew that she was helping the third lady to step down. She looked at her slightly bulging belly, smiled and tapped her forehead: "You stay in the room."
"Mother!" Madam Wu shook Madam Tai's arm and said coquettishly, "Just agree to it!"
Xu Sijian and Xu Sizhun both smiled, but Xin Jie'er ran to hug the other arm of the old lady. Instead of hugging her, she pulled her sleeve and said delicately, imitating her mother's way of speaking: "Mother, will you agree to this?"
Everyone in the room burst into laughter.
The lady pinched the fifth lady's cheek lovingly and said, "You are still so disrespectful!"
Xu Sijie chuckled.
Xu Siqin blushed with shame for his mother's unreasonable behavior and lowered his head.
* * * * * *
On the day of March 3, Madam Huang and Huang Sanniang were still the first to arrive. Madam Huang sat with the Madam Tai, while Huang Sanniang pulled Shiyi Niang aside to talk: "…The prince got a pair of red corals a few days ago, and they looked very rare. He asked me to bring them to you today, so that you can have good luck when you change the furnishings in the house."
In ancient times, coral was a very precious thing, especially red coral.
This must be a gift specially found to thank Xu Lingyi for his help in the Yang family’s house confiscation incident!
Eleventh Lady was polite and accepted it with a smile.
Mrs. Lin and Grandma Lin are here.
"When will your sister Zhen get married?" Grandma Lin was full of energy and her face was rosy. "Our sister Hui is now three months pregnant!"
"Congratulations! Congratulations!" Eleventh Lady and Grandma Huang congratulated Grandma Lin.
Madam Lin, Madam Huang, and Madam Tai laughed at the daughter-in-law: "Look, you can't keep your temper at all."
"Such a good thing would make us just as impatient!" The lady smiled and called Grandma Lin over to ask for details.
After seeing off the guests in the evening, Eleventh Lady helped the Madam to rest. The Madam couldn't help but hesitate: "How about letting Zhen Jie'er marry earlier?"
"At the earliest, it will be the end of this year, and at the latest, it will be the beginning of next spring." Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Sister Hui is familiar with us in Cangzhou, and then Sister Zhen will go there. She will have someone to show her the way, isn't that better!"
The lady nodded and said with a smile: "Maybe she is getting old and just wants to see her children and grandchildren reunited as soon as possible." This made Eleventh Lady tremble with fear.
"Mom, don't think like that." She helped the lady change into casual clothes for rest. "Our Jing'er's wife is still waiting for your red envelope!"
The lady laughed, "Don't worry, don't worry, we've prepared everything in the morning! Your brother Jing won't be missing." Then she told Shiyi Niang about Madam Qiao, "... She hasn't come to the March 3rd Spring Banquet for two years. At that time, Cheng Guogong was appointed as the general of Xuantong, and the fourth son had just returned from mourning in his hometown. I don't know why she didn't come this time!"
"Maybe there are too many things going on at home!" Eleventh Lady heard Xu Lingyi talk about this matter. "They took out more than 200,000 taels of silver and lent money to the Yang family. Now the Yang family's books and accounts were burned outside the Meridian Gate by the emperor's order. Not only did the Qiao family lose all their money, but some of the money was borrowed. The creditors heard about it and swarmed to the Qiao family to ask for repayment. The Qiao family has no money. Someone rushed to the main hall and moved away an ancient green bronze tripod that was passed down from their ancestors. If the Shuntian prefect's people hadn't come quickly, the three-foot-long and two-foot-wide rosewood incense table would have been almost carried away. These days, Cheng Guogong has been busy with these things, so how could Madam Qiao have the mood to come to our house to drink and listen to operas?"
Because a large part of the Yang family's usury was lent to officials from the six ministries. After the Marquis of Jianning and the Earl of Shouchang were detained, some officials of the Dali Division were afraid to interrogate them, so the emperor simply had a notice posted and set a date to burn all the account books at the Meridian Gate.
The Madam had also heard about it, but she didn't have the details of Eleventh Lady. After listening to it, she sighed and said, "A defeat in battle is like a mountain collapsing. Isn't it the same for managing a household? I think the Qiao family will be seriously damaged this time. Unfortunately, there are no outstanding people among the descendants..." As she spoke, she recalled the past, "I remember that Duke Cheng had a half-brother, who was about the same age as the fourth child. When he was young, I don't remember why he had a dispute with the fourth child. He gathered a few playmates to set a trap for the fourth child, and actually trapped the fourth child. He paid five taels of silver to settle the matter. He was very smart and clever. Unfortunately, Madam Qiao sent someone to lure him into a place of brothels, and later he was driven out of the house for an actor. If he had been taught well and sent to the barracks to gain some experience, maybe he would be useful now."
This matter is a bit complicated, and Eleventh Lady doesn't know what to say.
"Yes!" She answered briefly and then talked about Xu Sizun: "I wonder how the Danbozhai is being cleaned up? I have to go and take a look tomorrow!"
"Don't worry about this." The lady smiled and said, "I'll ask Madam Du to keep an eye on it. If anything happens, she will tell me." Then she asked Yang: "Have you prepared the incense money for Dajue Temple?"
As for sending Yang to Dajue Temple, Eleventh Lady didn't say much, and Xu Lingyi didn't ask much either. After hearing Eleventh Lady's suggestion, he asked Butler Bai to arrange it.
However, according to the rules, when you send someone off, you have to give some money as a token of gratitude.
"The incense money has been sent. It's agreed that thirty taels will be sent every year. The person will be sent on the ninth day of the first lunar month."
The lady dowager nodded slightly and went to rest with the help of Eleventh Lady.
Eleventh Lady returned to the house.
Zhu Xiang showed her the pair of corals given by Grandma Huang San.
It is pink, about a foot tall, and the crystals sparkle under the light, which is very beautiful.
The maids were all amazed. Qiu Yu even touched it carefully and said, "Madam, I heard that this thing was transformed from the horn on the head of the Sea Dragon King and can ward off evil. Is that true?"
Eleventh Lady naturally wouldn't believe it, but she wouldn't expose it either. She smiled and said, "Maybe!"
Although Zhu Xiang was calm, she was only a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl after all. She was also a little excited at this moment and said with a smile: "When I was a child, I saw someone put it on the incense table in the ancestral hall. It should be real!"
As he was speaking, Xu Lingyi came in.
"Hey, who sent it?"
"Grandma Huang sent it!" Eleventh Lady smiled and stood up to help him change his clothes.
Xu Lingyi looked at them and said, "They are both the same height and look similar, which is quite rare." Then he said, "Put one on your windowsill, along with the goldfish, for fun. Put one on the bed next to Jing'er's bed."
Apparently, he also believed that coral had the power to ward off evil.
Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile. On the eighth day of the fourth month, which was Buddha's birthday, she sent an ivory sculpture of five hundred arhats to him as a gift to Third Lady Huang. But that was a story for another time.
The next day, she went to Danbo Zhai.
Ge Jin had already moved in and accompanied Shiyi Niang on a walk around Danbo Zhai.
It is called a "studio", but it is actually a courtyard with five rooms and three entrances. There are Chinese toon trees as thick as a man's embrace next to the steps. The walls have been repainted, the furniture has been newly painted, the curtains and cushions are all new, but the vases and tea sets are antiques. It looks simple, natural, comfortable and elegant, quite suitable for Xu Sizhun's status.
Eleventh Lady was very satisfied and spent several days settling Xu Sizhun down. The Emperor's decision on how to deal with the Yang family was also announced.
"Confiscate your property and exile you to Lingnan?"
Xu Lingyi nodded: "The emperor finally remembered the old friendship and spared the lives of the Yang family."
"Those two elders?"
"Most likely he won't survive!" Xu Lingyi whispered, "But the family members must not be implicated."
Eleventh Lady sighed slightly.
In the evening, Mother Yang, who heard the news, came to ask to see her.
"Madam, I want to follow Aunt Yang to Dajue Temple to practice, please give me permission!" As he said this, he began to kowtow.
No wonder she came to find me.
The Yang family is in such a state now, she would have no place to stay if she went back. It would just be an extra meal.
Eleventh Lady asked someone to help her: "Mrs. Yang has left home, she is a person from the outside world, it is not suitable for you to go with her. If you don't mind, I will find you a job as a housekeeper on the farm, what do you think?"
Mother Yang was a little disappointed, but what Shiyi Niang said made sense. She thanked Shiyi Niang gratefully. On the evening of the eighth day of the first lunar month, she helped Yang Shi pack up with her mother, who was sent by Shiyi Niang to look after her.
Zhu Xiang came in with a serious look and whispered to Shiyi Niang: "Since we carried him back to the house, he has not cried or made a fuss, and has packed up all his things. He just asked Mother Yang to take down the four screens hanging on the wall of the inner room. He said he liked them very much and wanted to take them to the temple."
Only someone with extremely strong willpower could remain calm and organized in such a situation. No wonder Zhu Xiang was a little worried.
Eleventh Lady's goal is to make her leave the Xu family.
After hearing this, he whispered, "There are only a few things in her room, so she can take whatever she wants! As for the rest... I've asked the steward to negotiate with Dajue Temple. Thirty taels of incense money and oil will be paid in three installments, one on the Dragon Boat Festival, one on the Mid-Autumn Festival, and one on the Spring Festival. Since someone from the family is going, it's reasonable and emotional that they should go and see Aunt Yang!"
Zhu Xiang understood. After Yang left, she recorded the account of the things Yang took away, added a note to the side, sent a few maids to clean the courtyard, and then locked the courtyard door with a copper lock.
Mother Yang and the Xu family's maid sent Yang to Dajue Temple. After returning that night and kowtowed to Eleventh Lady, she carried her bag and followed the Xu family's steward to a farm of the Xu family in Shaanxi to work as a housekeeper.
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The evening update is around 22:00!
O(∩_∩)O~