Eleventh Lady did not hold much hope for this matter.

After all, it was before marriage, most people would be taboo about this matter, and the possibility of having a child was very small. And even if there was, they would definitely be very careful. If Xu Lingyi was a dragon crossing the river, then Zhu Anping was a local snake. There was a saying that a strong dragon would not suppress a local snake, and Xu Lingyi might not be able to find out.

However, Xu Lingyi felt that Eleventh Lady's method was not appropriate.

Zhu Anping was smart, capable and strategic. How could she give birth to a child before getting married and ruin her reputation so much that it would affect her marriage?

But seeing that Eleventh Lady was very interested, he didn't want to pour cold water on her, so he just said tactfully: "What if there is no offspring?"

Eleventh Lady said: "Without an heir, Seventh Sister will be more confident."

Xu Lingyi understood immediately.

If Zhu Anping has an heir, he has a child out of wedlock, and the Luo family has the upper hand. Even if Qi Niang can't give birth to a child, with this leverage over Zhu Anping, they can gain the greatest benefit and family sympathy for Qi Niang, thus taking the initiative on the issue of heirs. If Zhu Anping has no heirs, that's even better. Qi Niang can completely blame Zhu Anping for not having an heir.

He thought about it and simply told Shiyi Niang: "I introduced Zhu Anping to Prince Shun, and he introduced a merchant named Wang from Songjiang to Prince Shun. In the early spring of this year, Prince Shun helped this merchant Wang to do the Jiangnan weaving business..."

Eleventh Lady was startled and asked, "What about the Wen family?"

"Sometimes, blindly encouraging him will only make him sink deeper." Xu Lingyi said coldly, "The Wen family is too arrogant now, it's time to step down." As he spoke, he sighed softly, "But the people of the Wen family may not be willing to step down!"

"After all, the Wen family is a group of merchants, so they may not understand the affairs of the court." Eleventh Lady thought of how Xu Lingyi had been caught between the Emperor and the Wen family over the years and was in a dilemma. She held Xu Lingyi's hand under the quilt and said, "I think the Marquis might as well explain it to them clearly. Whether they blame us or are grateful to us, the Marquis has a clear conscience!"

Xu Lingyi shook hands with Shiyi Niang in return and said "hmm" softly, with a hint of melancholy in his tone.

Eleventh Lady did not delve into this topic any further, and continued to talk about Seventh Lady: "According to the tone of the Marquis, Zhu Anping is now relying on the Marquis to do business?"

"You can't say that they rely on me for business," Xu Lingyi said calmly, "But if the two families fall out, the Zhu family will definitely suffer a lot."

Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief, then was slightly stunned and wanted to laugh.

She is so similar to Xu Lingyi.

Both of them believe that interests are more solid and lasting than feelings, but their actions run counter to each other...

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but turn sideways and rest her head on Xu Lingyi's arm, curling up in Xu Lingyi's arms.

Seeing her leaning towards him, Xu Lingyi reached his hand through her clothes and rubbed her back carefully, feeling the smooth and delicate skin between his fingertips. He said lazily: "Just mention it to Aunt Seven. There are some things that cannot be said in detail. It would be bad if Zhu Anping thought we were repaying a favor."

"I know!" Eleventh Lady twisted Xu Lingyi's belt with her fingers and said softly, "I don't want Seventh Sister to misunderstand and think that Seventh Brother-in-law is being tolerant of her because of these things." As she said this, she felt a strange feeling in her heart. It was as if the relationship between Seventh Lady and Zhu Anping was as ethereal and illusory as the flowers in the water and the moon in the mirror, and she and Xu Lingyi were carefully helping them to whitewash the peace.

In the past, she often did things that shattered other people's dreams, why is she so fussy now?

"Have I ever told the Marquis that I had a serious illness when I was a child?" She whispered, "The first time I saw Seventh Sister was in the yard where she was recuperating. It was just the beginning of summer, and the weather was a little hot. The room was not ventilated and very stuffy, and I didn't dare to use a fan. Bin Ju spread a mat under the big locust tree in the yard, and I lay on the mat, covered with a beautiful blue coarse cloth. The sunlight shot down through the gaps between the leaves like golden arrows, and when the wind blew, the mottled light and shadows danced and fell on my body and hands... I felt like a bronze ware that hadn't seen the sun for years, and the musty smell and green spots on my body finally dissipated little by little.

"A little girl across the yard said: There is a wall of morning glories here. A clear voice said: Pick two and hang them in the tent. The little girl advised: Now is the mourning period, and the eldest wife is a strict person. If she knows, she will lose face. The clear voice said: Others are strict with themselves and lenient with others. But the eldest aunt is lenient with herself and strict with others. She stared at me for a long time when I laughed twice, but she made lean meat porridge for Brother Xiu in private. Don't think I don't know... The little girl's voice trembled a little, and she hurriedly advised: Miss, stop talking, if the wife knows, she will punish you to kneel on the washboard again. Since you returned to Yuhang, you have been punished five times."

At this point, Xu Lingyi felt the body against him become softer, and the voice became more pleasant.

Xu Lingyi lowered his head and kissed her forehead: "The one with the clear voice is Aunt Seven?"

Eleventh Lady hummed and said with a smile, "My grandfather had just passed away. My father was in Fujian and went back the fastest. My second uncle was in Yanjing and went back the latest. When she came back, I was already recuperating in another hospital and didn't see her. She came to Yanjing when she was very young and was loved by her parents, brothers and sisters. She was not used to the life back home and was confined in the house every day. She was not used to it. She often took the little maid to stroll around in the yard when everyone took a nap at noon. When she saw me lying under the big tree, she was shocked, then looked at me with sympathy, and asked the little maid to go back to the house and bring me a bottle of Xuejindan..." As she said this, she laughed, "I have always hated things like Xuejindan. They are pitch black, like dirt rubbed off from somewhere. I don't know if the hands of the person who rubbed the pills were clean..."

Xu Lingyi listened and started laughing too.

That must have been the most difficult time for Eleventh Lady, right? She was beaten by her sister and became bedridden. She lived in a remote courtyard with only two maids to serve her. She had to take medicine all day long. Her life and death were uncertain, and her future was unclear... Such sad things were said by Eleventh Lady, but they were always humorous and magnanimous!

He couldn't help but tighten his arms around her: "Have you eaten yet?"

"I ate it!" Eleventh Lady smiled and said helplessly, "She insisted on stuffing it into my mouth, and she also insisted on seeing me holding it in my mouth. She said that this Xuejin Pill was special. Second Aunt knew that they were going back to Yuhang, so she specially asked the people from the Imperial Pharmacy to help make it. There is no such good Xuejin Pill in Yuhang..." Maybe she thought of the interesting scene at that time, the smile in her voice became more intense, "Who knew that when I held the Xuejin Pill in my mouth that day, I actually felt a lot cooler. It shows that what a person likes and dislikes, there are stories behind it..." At the end of her words, she was a little hesitant.

It seems like she never knows what Xu Lingyi likes?

As for food, he ate whatever was cooked in the kitchen, and never made any special requests; as for clothes, he wore whatever was cooked in the needlework shop, and he always wore the same few pieces when he was at home; as for where to live, she didn't know before, but since they got married, he always followed her. Whether it was putting a fish tank on the windowsill or hanging a few strings of osmanthus flowers on the four corners of the tent, he never said anything; as for traveling, she didn't know when he took a carriage, a sedan chair, or a horse...

Her face felt a little hot, and she couldn't help but shrink into his arms again.

Was she remembering something unpleasant, so she clung to him even closer like a child seeking comfort?

Xu Lingyi simply let her slender figure half cover himself.

"So do you like to eat Xuejindan now?"

Eleventh Lady rested her head on his shoulder, feeling very comfortable.

"I don't like it!" she laughed. "But I occasionally take two pills when the weather is hot. I think they really have a cooling effect."

Will she remember the kindness her sister showed her from now on?

Xu Lingyi turned his head away, and her pink lips were just inches away from him.

"You sisters are so good, no wonder you want to meddle in her household affairs!" He said slowly, his head gradually lowered, his lips moving closer to hers little by little... She could even feel his hot breath hitting her cheek.

There was a hint of panic on Eleventh Lady's face that was hard to conceal.

If I accept it, I will still feel a little uneasy; if I don’t accept it, it seems... I will also feel uneasy!

What should we do?

"Not entirely... I think that being together as a couple is the most important..." She said hastily, as if this could temporarily stop Xu Lingyi's actions, "Parents will die first, and children will die later... Only husband and wife can accompany each other and go all the way to the end..."

Xu Lingyi's lips stopped just a finger's distance from her.

He looked at the blushing Eleventh Lady with a smile.

From pushing it away without hesitation to avoiding it with excuses...this time, all I could do was feel helpless!

He likes Eleventh Lady like this.

She never went against her own heart...accepted when she should, and refused when she should...allowing him to clearly feel her sincerity.

The thought flashed through his mind and his heart was beating fast.

Would she take the initiative to kiss him on the lips one day, just as she was gradually opening her body to him now?

Suddenly, he didn't want to go any further.

He wanted to know how it felt when Eleventh Lady snuggled up to him...

"Are you trying to use this to convince Zhu Anping?" He stared at her quietly with a gentle gaze, but Eleventh Lady felt as hot as if she were in July.

"I just want to give Qi Niang more confidence!" The hot breath he exhaled hit her cheek, and she choked slightly. "Children are important, but how a couple gets along is more important!"

"That's a good idea!" Xu Lingyi smiled. "To live a peaceful life, you need to calm down. If she figures it out, she won't run back to her parents' house every other day, and we can all live a peaceful life for a few days!"

There were fine smile lines at the corners of his eyes, and his pupils were as bright as morning stars.

Eleventh Lady was in a state of confusion.

She had to push Xu Lingyi to hide her mood: "Okay, you are bullying my family!" But she didn't know that there were three parts of ridicule and seven parts of indulgence in her words.

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More updates will be added tomorrow at noon.

PS: Major overhaul!

O(∩_∩)O~