Chapter 536: Ceremony (Part 1)

"Auntie Four," Xu Siqin said as he entered the room, "We are here to ask for a bowl of longevity noodles."

"Welcome, welcome." Eleventh Lady smiled and invited them to sit on the armchair, and asked the maid to tell the kitchen to cook noodles.

Xu Siqin hurriedly said, "Auntie Si, I was just joking with you. We have all had breakfast." Then he smiled and said, "We are here to celebrate the birth of my second brother."

Eleventh Lady guessed so and asked them to stay: "Come here for lunch later."

Xu Siqin was stunned, and replied with a smile, "Okay, I'm sorry to bother you, auntie," but his eyes were looking towards Xu Siyu.

Xu Siyu shook his head gently.

Xu Siqin looked anxious and glared at Xu Siyu.

However, Xu Siyu lowered his eyelids and showed a gesture of rejection.

Eleventh Lady sees it clearly.

Boys aged fifteen or sixteen already have their own world.

She laughed secretly, and simply let go, jokingly saying, "Okay, okay, stop making faces. If you have an appointment to go somewhere, just go. But I asked the kitchen to make longevity peaches for lunch, so don't complain about not getting to eat them when the time comes."

"No," Xu Siyu said hurriedly.

Xu Siqin was delighted and said, "Thank you, Auntie."

The two spoke in unison and looked at each other.

Xu Siyu looked at Xu Siqin and said, "We don't have any plans. We will stay with mother at noon and eat longevity peaches."

Putting aside some personal feelings, Xu Siyu is still a sensible, considerate and careful boy.

"The longevity peaches haven't been put into the pot yet," Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "I'll ask the kitchen to make them for a midnight snack. You don't have to come over to greet me in the evening. I'll tell your father. Today is your birthday, go out and have a good day."

Before Xu Siyu could say anything else, Xu Siqin explained: "Aunt, we didn't go out either. We just invited my second brother to my place for a drink. I just got married, and it happened to be my second brother's birthday..."

"I understand, I understand." Eleventh Lady interrupted him with a smile, "You will feel uncomfortable with us elders around." Then she warned, "Wine can harm your body, just remember not to drink too much."

Xu Siyu had not expected Eleventh Lady to be so insightful. At this point, it would be pretentious to continue to refuse. He quickly assured: "Don't worry, mother, we won't do anything reckless."

"I know that you two brothers are both sensible people." Eleventh Lady nodded with a smile and asked Fang: "Don't let them get drunk." Then she asked Zhen Jie'er to send them out.

Xu Sinian and Xu Siqi both looked forward.

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.

But Xu Siqin did not invite the two younger ones, and she didn't want to let them go together.

Let Jiang Ge'er play on the kang and continue talking to Xu Sizhen: "Did you meet Mr. Jiang on the day of the mountain climbing? Besides Mr. Jiang, who else did you meet?"

Xu Sizhe was not the kind of willful child. When he saw Shiyi Niang asking her questions, he gradually calmed down and answered Shiyi Niang seriously: "There are also Mr. Dou Ge, Mr. Wang, Mr. Li, Mr. Chen..."

Eleventh Lady asked the adults what their positions were, what they looked like, and how they treated others...

"Mr. Dou Ge, the Grand Academician of Wenhua Hall. He is tall and always has a smile on his face..." Xu Sizhen answered one by one.

Xu Si'e sat quietly on the armchair in front of the kang and listened, while Jiang'er dragged the large ink-splashing pillow and walked to the head and end of the kang. He took out a rattle drum from under the kang and showed it to Zhenjie. He shook the rattle drum "dong dong dong", threw away the rattle, and went to pluck the big red camellia in the tin vase on the windowsill. There was no moment of peace.

Ever since Jing'er left, the furnishings in Shiyi Niang's room had changed completely. She tried not to put things like gall bladder vases and flower vases, and if she had to put them there, she used tin pots, for fear that Jing'er might break the porcelain and get scratched.

Zhen Jie'er was afraid that he would knock over the tin pot, so she hurriedly brought the tin over.

Jiang'er pulled the flower out smoothly, ran to Shiyi Niang immediately, and put the flower on her head.

Sister Zhen couldn't stop laughing.

Xu Sinian and Xu Siqi were also attracted by him. One spoke absentmindedly, while the other smiled with pursed lips.

Seeing that this was not a big deal, Eleventh Lady simply stopped asking and said with a smile, "I stay in the inner courtyard every day and never knew there were such interesting things outside. Brother Zhe, if you go out for social events again in the future, remember to come back and tell me about it so that I can also broaden my horizons."

Xu Sizhen replied "yes" respectfully. Then he ran to the kang with a smile, calling "Sixth brother, sixth brother" and reaching out to shake the little hand of Jian Ge'er.

Jiang'er thought Xu Siwei wanted the flowers in his hand, so he twisted his body and put the flowers under the kang beside him, then spread his hands towards Xu Siwei to indicate that the flowers were gone.

Everyone was laughing so hard that they were bent over, but Jian Ge'er just stood there with a look of suspicion on his face, looking at them at a loss... Several people were laughing so hard that they couldn't even straighten their backs.

Xu Lingyi suddenly walked in: "What's going on?"

"The Marquis is back." Eleventh Lady brought her children to pay their respects to Xu Lingyi. The couple took turns to be the host and the attendant. Zhen Jieer took the teacup held by the maid and presented it to her father. Eleventh Lady then recounted what had happened.

Xu Lingyi couldn't help but burst out laughing when he heard this, and hugged Jiange'er: "You have really become what my grandmother said, 'plucking feathers from a passing goose' - once something has passed through your hands, no one else can take it back."

The loving smile, the doting expression... it was as if he had infinite patience and infinite joy for his second brother. Xu Sizhen was slightly startled, and then he heard his father ask his second brother: "...why aren't you in the room?"

"Qin'er specially prepared a banquet to entertain him." Shiyi Niang took Qin'er with a smile, "Let's go and play."

Xu Lingyi hummed, and did not ask any other questions. Instead, he kissed Jiang'er on the cheek and handed him to Gu Mama: "The weather is good today, take the Sixth Young Master to the yard to bask in the sun." All the heartfelt words she had prepared before were silenced.

However, Jiang'er grabbed Xu Lingyi's sleeve and wouldn't let go.

Xu Lingyi patted his brother's head and said with a smile, "Be good, go play with Mama Gu. I'm going to teach your fourth and fifth brothers how to ride a horse."

Since the beginning of autumn, Xu Lingyi has found a master to teach Xu Sizhen riding and archery. The class lasts two hours every five days, and he occasionally plays the role of a teacher.

Xu Sizhen was a boy after all. Although he was thin and could only ride a horse and let others lead the horse for a few laps in the horse farm and pull the string of a special small bow, he was still very excited when he had archery lessons.

When Xu Siyi heard that his father was going to teach his brother how to ride a horse, he looked at Xu Sizhen and Xu Lingyi with envy. When Jiang Geer saw his father stand up to leave, he pouted and tears welled up in his eyes.

A hint of hesitation flashed across Xu Lingyi's eyes.

Eleventh Lady immediately said, "Sir, take care. I will take the children to the Madam's place."

Xu Lingyi knew that the lady really liked Shiyi Niang taking Jiang'er out to play.

He hardened his heart and took Xu Sizhen to the front yard.

Jiang'er chased after his father and cried.

After Eleventh Lady, Zhen Jie'er and E Ge'er coaxed him for a long time, he finally stopped crying angrily.

A child's temper gets worse and worse, which is related to his age and maturity, and also to the pampering of others.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but feel a headache.

The Empress summoned her to the palace and presented her with a silver-gilt hairpin inlaid with southern pearls and flowers, saying it was for Zhen Jie'er to wear when she came of age.

With the gift from the Empress Dowager, the coming-of-age ceremony was perfect.

Eleventh Lady thanked him. When she left Kunning Palace, she met the eunuch beside Fang Jie'er again, who handed her a red lacquer and gold-painted box: "It is said that the eldest daughter of Yongping Marquis is coming of age, and I cannot go to celebrate. This tooth comb is the favorite of the Crown Princess, and I give it to Miss Xu as a gift."

Eleventh Lady accepted it respectfully, praised the eunuch, and asked if she could thank the Crown Princess in person.

The eunuch smiled and said, "The Crown Prince is having lunch with the Crown Princess. Madam Yongping can come back another day."

Eleventh Lady responded with a smile and returned to the Yongping Marquis' Mansion.

The Madam Dowager was naturally very happy when she knew that the Empress and Sister Fang had both given gifts. She discussed with Eleventh Lady and invited Madam Zhou as the guest of honor, Fourth Lady as the official, and Fang as the sponsor. Madam Zhou and Fourth Lady both happily agreed, but when they went to invite Fang, Fang was surprised and politely declined.

Eleventh Lady was very surprised. She told Fang that it was the Madam's idea, but it didn't change her mind. She had no choice but to report to the Madam in dismay.

The lady was also surprised. After thinking for a while, she said, "Since they don't want to, we shouldn't force them. I think we should ask the third lady of the Lin family to be the sponsor for Zhenjie."

The sponsors were usually the sisters of the bridegroom. Xin Jieer was too young to be suitable, while Fang Shi was of the right age but was unwilling to do so.

Eleventh Lady nodded and went to the Lin family again.

Grandma Lin readily agreed and said with a smile: "My sister-in-law has been looking forward to this day day and night."

Eleventh Lady laughed.

On the day of Zhen Jie'er's coming of age, not only did people from Gongxian Hutong come, but also people from Hongdeng Hutong and Zhongqin Bo's Mansion. Eleventh Lady also invited Concubine Wen to watch the ceremony.

Xu Lingyi presided over the coming-of-age ceremony.

The third daughter of the Lin family put the hairpin awarded by the Empress into Zhen Jie'er's hair.

At that moment, Sister Zhen smiled and shed tears.

After the ceremony, everyone moved to the flower hall next to Dianchun Hall for lunch.

Eleventh Lady now had the opportunity to ask Lan Ting: "The Third Aunt should have given birth, right? I wonder if she gave birth to Qianjin or a young master?"

Lan Ting laughed softly and said, "I just got the news last night that she gave birth to a baby boy weighing more than five kilograms."

"Congratulations to him." Eleventh Lady said sincerely, "Now he has someone to accompany him in the future."

Lan Ting nodded: "I also advised the third sister in the same way - now that Sui Ge'er is born, just follow your brother-in-law and make a fuss. Would he dare to favor a concubine and kill his wife?"

While the two were talking here, Qi Niang and Wu Madam were talking in the small courtyard next to Dianchun Hall.

"I heard from my fourth sister-in-law that Zhu Anping knelt down to you?"

"Don't kneel to me." Qi Niang said with a smile, "Kneel to my fourth sister." After saying that, she smiled, with a hint of pride in her brows.

Madam Wu frowned slightly, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.

If it weren't for the Fifth Lady this time, how could she have reconciled with Zhu Anping - every time they quarreled, she felt bad.

"What do you want to say?" Qi Niang pulled the Fifth Lady's sleeve. "Given our friendship, can't you just speak frankly?"