Mrs. Qiao felt dizzy.

It was her idea to marry into the Luo family, she was the one who made it happen, and she was the one who persuaded Lian Fang to agree... Now that things have turned out like this, how can she explain this to the Duke?

Besides, Lianfang is my niece, and her father died young...

If this gets out, how will I live my life?

Someone beside her was shouting something in her ear, but she couldn't hear anything. She just wanted to faint. That way she wouldn't have to worry or be afraid.

Another voice in my heart said loudly: This is not my fault!

Although it was wrong for her to go to the Xu family like this, I didn't ask her to run to some ghost pavilion to feel the cold wind, nor did I ask her to run to the small courtyard without avoiding the suspicion of men and women...

It’s not my fault!

This is definitely not my fault!

If there is any fault, it is all because of my brother and sister-in-law who did not teach their daughter well. What does it have to do with her?

She suddenly straightened up and shouted "Lotus House".

"Aunt," Lian Fang's sobbing voice came to my ears, "You, what's wrong with you?"

She turned around and saw her niece's face, so white and tender that it looked like water could be pinched out of it.

It’s all because of this face... If it weren’t for this face, how would she dare to do this?

The thought flashed through her mind, and she raised her hand to slap Qiao Lianfang...but she heard the voice of the Madam in her ears: "It's good that she's awake, it's good that she's awake. Don't crowd around her anymore, let her get some fresh air."

Mrs. Qiao shuddered and came fully awake.

What's the point of thinking about this now? I have to go back and think of a solution!

"What's wrong?" The lady's voice was gentle and kind. "What's wrong? Come, sit with me in the flower hall. It's getting cold outside, be careful not to catch a cold."

The fifth lady came over and supported her right hand.

She stood up, her face already full of energy: "Madam, I'm fine. I was a little tired, so I took a nap." She smiled embarrassedly, "It's getting late, the guests are gone, and the host is at peace. We will go back first." Then she called Lian Fang, "Let's go back first!"

Madam Huang and her friends came over to keep him here: "You look pale, why don't you sit for a while before leaving!"

"I'll just go back and lie down." Madam Qiao insisted on leaving. Seeing that she was indeed not feeling well just now, and that the Madam Tai was worried, they all said a few polite words. The Madam Tai called Master Xu Wu, "...You go and see off Madam Cheng."

Mr. Xu Wu responded respectfully, "Yes," and sent Mrs. Qiao and Miss Qiao away.

Some people left first, and it felt like the show was about to end.

After a while, Lady Zheng also came to say goodbye to the lady.

The lady of the house personally walked him to the outside of the flower hall, and then Master Xu Wu saw him out the door.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but become anxious.

The eldest wife hasn't come back yet.

She was just wondering whether she should send someone to look for her when the eldest wife walked in leisurely from the corner door of the hall with Luo Qiao.

Eleventh Lady pretended not to notice her leaving, and chatted with the Third Miss of the Gan family in a low voice. However, the First Lady called Fifth Lady, Tenth Lady and her: "... Let's go too! Your sister-in-law is home alone!"

We? Who?

Tenth Lady followed Fifth Lady and Eleventh Lady in kneeling and bowing and responded “yes”.

The eldest wife smiled slightly, said nothing, and took the three of them to say goodbye to the old lady.

The Madam said a few polite words, and like Madam Zheng, she escorted the First Madam out of the flower hall, onto the Xu family's small oil-drawn carriage, and then escorted by Master Xu Wu to the Chuihua Gate, where they changed carriages. Master Xu Wu then thoughtfully gave the First Madam a business card of the Marquis of Yongping: "...If you meet someone from the Five Cities Military Department, just show them the card. Fourth Brother still has some face!"

Seeing the tone that seemed to indicate that she was afraid that her mother-in-law would look down on her son-in-law, Eleventh Lady couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth.

It was past curfew, and the eldest wife was worried. Master Xu Wu's action was like timely help. She thanked Master Xu Wu with a smile on her face, said a few polite words, and then left to return to Gongxian Hutong.

Grandma and Mother Hang were waiting at the gate of the hanging flower house.

As she helped her mother-in-law get off the carriage, she smiled and said, "In the afternoon, Madam Wang came to see you. She heard that you went to the Yongping Marquis's Mansion, so she left her name card and sat for a while before leaving."

King? Could it be someone from the Maoguo family?

Eleventh Lady was a little frightened. She pricked up her ears to listen and almost knocked over the footstool. Fortunately, Dong Qing was quick to help her up.

"Which Mrs. Wang?" The eldest wife was also very curious.

"She said she met you by chance in Tianjin," the grandmother said with a smile, "and her husband is a member of the Wang family of the Zhennan Marquisate."

The one who almost got into a fight over a spot on the ship...

The eldest wife suddenly realized: "It's her! What is she doing here?" As she spoke, she walked inside.

Eleventh Lady took a long breath.

The eldest grandmother supported the eldest wife's right arm and followed her into the hanging flower gate: "It is said that Lord Wang has released the Governor of Fujian and he will leave in the next few days. I came here specially to see if father and mother have anything to take over or any messages to convey." Her voice was very low.

The eldest wife paused for a moment before she started again: "I understand. When you leave, there's nothing good to take with you."

The grandmother nodded respectfully.

"Where is Brother Xiu?" asked the first wife, "Has he rested yet?"

"I've taken a break."

"Where's Xing?"

"Reading in the study."

"Is the master at home?" the eldest wife asked again.

The eldest grandmother smiled and said, "Dad went out early in the morning and just came back. He heard that you brought Shi Niang back, and he was very happy. He is waiting in the main hall."

My sister-in-law is so smart!

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.

The maid had lifted the curtain and helped the eldest wife and the eldest grandmother into the house, and the three of them followed in one after another.

The eldest master was very happy to see his three daughters. He asked about their visit to the Yongping Marquis's Mansion, and then asked the eldest grandmother: "Has Shi Niang's place been cleaned up?"

Shi Niang said hurriedly: "I can just squeeze into the same room with Shiyimei."

The eldest master laughed and said, "It's not like there's no room in the house. Why squeeze in? Besides, there are maids, old women, and a lot of people. There's no room even if you want to squeeze in!"

The atmosphere in the room became stagnant.

When they came back, no one mentioned the people around Shi Niang... Shi Niang came back with the eldest wife, and she didn't even have a box... Where did the maids and old women come from?

Eleventh Lady glanced at the First Wife.

The eldest wife looked calm.

The eldest grandmother smiled and said, "The tenth sister came in a hurry this time, and she didn't bring anyone with her. Although she has always been close to the eleventh sister, it's not right for them to be crowded together like this. I put the tenth sister in the east wing and sent two maids to serve her. Dad, do you think this is okay?"

The eldest master was very satisfied. He nodded slightly and stopped asking about Shi Niang. He said to his daughters in a gentle tone: "Although we are visiting other people's homes, it is also tiring. It's getting late, you should all rest!" He then said to the eldest grandmother, "You have worked hard too. You have to take care of the younger ones and serve the older ones. Rest early!"

After receiving the praise from her father-in-law, even the grandmother couldn't help showing a hint of excitement. She knelt down to salute, and with Wu Niang and the others, they filed out.

The eldest master asked Yuanniang: "...are you feeling better?"

The eldest wife sighed: "It's a good thing that it can be dragged on like this!"

The master's expression darkened.

The first wife hesitated for a moment, then said hesitantly: "How about you go and ask the Marquis? Considering that Yuanniang is so seriously ill, he can't..."

Before she could finish her words, the master snorted coldly: "You also know that Yuanniang is ill. How can I use her as a threat to respect myself? Don't ever say such things again!"

The eldest wife's face turned pale and blue for a while before she responded with "I know".

* * * * * *

At this moment, the place where the wife of the Yongping Marquis Xu lived was brightly lit. Although it was already midnight, the maids under the eaves stood straight and solemnly.

Wei Zi carefully placed the sky-blue old kiln teacup on the black lacquered kang on the big bed next to the window, and then tiptoed back out - before leaving the room, she did not forget to gently close the black lacquered glass-inlaid and painted lattice window.

Only Xu Lingyi and his son were left in the room.

The lady said naturally without any scruples: "Speaking of which, you are also at fault in this matter. Since you drank a little too much at Chunxi Tower at noon, you should be more careful about what you say and do. You clearly knew that there were female guests at home, why did you rest anywhere else but in the small courtyard next to Chuntang? You didn't even bring a personal servant..." She looked at her son's livid face and smiled, "Don't be so disgruntled when something happens. Sometimes, you should also reflect on yourself!"

Xu Lingyi said nothing, picked up the teacup and took a sip with an expressionless face. Then he slammed the teacup on the table with a clang: "What a mess..."

"You don't need to take it out on me." The lady interrupted Xu Lingyi and said, "Tell me, what's going on?"

"It's come to this, what's there to say?" Xu Lingyi's face was stiff. "I will take care of this matter."

"Deal with it?" The lady looked at her son with a smile, "Then tell me, how do you deal with it?"

"Don't worry about these things!" Xu Lingyi's tone was a little impatient. "In short, I won't embarrass the Xu family!"

"Won't it embarrass the Xu family?" The lady's smile gradually faded. "Isn't it shameful now? A virgin, a proper young lady of a Duke's mansion, comes to our house to listen to a play, and then she becomes our concubine. Isn't this shameful? What do you want others to think? They will say that the Qiao family has gone insane, and the young lady can't get married, so she is given to the Xu family as a concubine. Or they will say that Lord Xu of our Yongping Marquis's mansion is arrogant and extravagant, and can do anything immoral and disrespectful..." At the end of her words, there was a hint of sarcasm.

"Mother! You don't have to use that to put pressure on me." Xu Lingyi stood up with a bang. "When the late emperor passed away, the emperor ordered Wang Li to secretly recruit Duke Cheng to come to the capital to defend the emperor, but he was perfunctory. Although it did not lead to a hateful situation, it was still unexpected. The emperor was magnanimous and did not care about it, but he was narrow-minded and worried all day long. Now that I marry the daughter of the Qiao family, others will only say that the Qiao family is clinging to the powerful, why do they drag me into it?" As he said, he smiled coldly, "It's a good opportunity to take a look at what everyone is talking about?"

※

Because I started writing the extra chapter after I got home from get off work, I can't give you a definite time. You should get up early and read it!

(*^__^*) Hehehe…