"There's no need to be too depressed about the matter, Lord." Eleventh Lady advised Xu Lingyi, "Even if the family property is confiscated and the family is exiled, as long as the people are still alive, they will be able to revive the family one day."

"That's right!" Xu Lingyi sighed, "As long as there are people around, I won't be afraid."

Seeing his unhappy expression, Shiyi Niang smiled and stood up to tidy up her hair: "My Lord, please go to bed early! I'm afraid you will have to run around for the Wang family's affairs tomorrow!"

Seeing her brows cleared up, Xu Lingyi felt that he was worrying too much.

No matter what the court officials say, the final decision still has to be made by the emperor.

I have done what I should do to help, and I have taken care of what I should do. There is no point in thinking about these lucky things. I can only cheer up and try to find some chance of survival when the Wang family is in chaos.

Once people figure things out, their expressions become calm.

He smiled and leaned over to blow out the lamp, and chatted with Shiyi Niang about family matters: "While the weather is good, take out Yu'er's examination basket and number curtain tomorrow and clean them up. Then go to the temple to worship Wenquxing and ask for a fortune for Yu'er... If he passes this test, he will be a scholar."

Although I don’t say anything usually, I still think about you in my heart!

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you are late. I packed up the things that Yu Ge'er used on June 6th. As for the fortune-telling, I would like to ask Your Majesty to take Yu Ge'er with you! Going in person to ask shows sincerity. I am a mother, and I will only kowtow to him if I take him with me. Your Majesty and Yu Ge'er can go together, and they can chat on the way. They can also walk around the temple. In this kind of weather, many people go to the temple to escape the heat!"

Xu Lingyi was silent for a moment and said, "He has always been diligent. This time when he returned to Le'an, Mr. Jiang kept him for another year. I believe he has said everything he needs to say..." His tone was a little hesitant, as if he had nothing to say because the homework was entrusted to Mr. Jiang.

"Then don't say anything!" No one is the worm in the stomach of others. If you don't express it, who knows what others are thinking. Sometimes, it's just an attitude. Eleventh Lady doesn't want the children to live in this family with resentment, "Just accompany them to burn incense and come back!"

Xu Lingyi said nothing.

A few days later, he suddenly proposed to go with Xu Siyu to worship Wenquxing.

Everyone was stunned.

Xu Siyu returned to his study and held the book for a long time without reading a single word.

It rained heavily at dusk. The weather was cool and the air was fresh. The leaves of a Lycoris radiata under the window were washed clean and green.

Xu Siyu simply dropped the book in his hand and strolled casually along the corridor.

Before I knew it, I arrived at Danbo Zhai.

Several maids were picking lilies with a smile on their faces. When they saw Xu Siyu, a tall woman with a jade-like figure came over and said, "Second Young Master, are you here to look for the Fourth Young Master?"

Xu Siyu looked carefully and found that it was the hemp scarf that the lady had given to Xu Sizhun.

If the answer is no, it will inevitably make people feel a little pretentious.

He smiled implicitly and said, "Is my fourth brother here?"

"The Fifth Young Master is learning how to make teapots from Mr. Zhao." Ge Jin said with a smile, "The Fourth Young Master is a little worried that the Fifth Young Master will waste the rich soil that Mr. Zhao brought from Yixing and go to the inner courtyard."

Xu Siyu suddenly felt a little envious.

Over the years, Xu Sijie followed Mr. Zhao, making flutes today and pots tomorrow, and learned a lot about self-cultivation. Unlike him, his mind was all on homework, and he rarely had such a leisurely time.

Thinking of this, he also became interested.

After coming out of Danbo Zhai, I went to Shiyi Niang's place.

Eleventh Lady was not at home. She took Jing'er to the Duke Zhongqin's residence to visit Madam Gan.

Qiuyu took Xu Siyu to the first wing room on the west side of the back house: "Madam set up a workshop for the fifth young master. The fifth young master often makes flutes and river lanterns here."

The door of the wing room was open. Xu Sijie was playing with mud there, and there was no sign of Xu Sizhun.

"Didn't my fourth brother come?" Xu Siyu sat on a small stool beside him, drinking tea while looking at the kite hanging on the wall and the river lanterns on the chest of drawers.

Although he was gentle, Xu Sijie always felt that this brother was solemn in his bones, unlike his fourth brother Xu Sizhun who was easy-going. When he was with his fourth brother, he said whatever he wanted to say and did whatever he wanted to do, freely...

"Just now, Fourth Brother made a river lantern here and went to Biyi Lake to test the water!"

Xu Siyu was a little surprised.

As soon as he came back, he heard from the maids and servants who were guarding the house that Xu Sizhun had often gone out for social events with Xu Lingyi over the past year, made friends with several young and successful men, and started to learn martial arts from a master... He didn't expect that he still liked making river lanterns so much.

* * * * * *

Xu Sizhun led his servant Wang Shu to Biyi Lake, muttering, "If only I had gone there earlier. Maybe my fifth brother wouldn't have started mixing the mud yet, and he could have released the new river lanterns with me!"

Wang Shu smiled and said, "If Mr. Zhao hadn't asked the Fifth Young Master to hand over the pot early tomorrow morning, the Fifth Young Master wouldn't be in such a difficult situation..." Before he finished his words, a loud crane cry suddenly sounded from the woods next to him.

Both of them were shocked. Xu Sizhun even said, "Let's go and take a look!"

There are two cranes at home, both of which belong to Jinger. Ordinary people would never dare to tease them.

Wang Shu hesitated for a moment and wanted to persuade Xu Sizhun not to interfere and go and take a look at the situation first, but Xu Sizhun had already gone in the direction of Heming, so he had to hurry to catch up.

From a distance, they heard a girl's clear and angry voice: "You're still running, you're still running..."

Xu Sizhun was stunned.

That was clearly Sister Xin's voice.

He took two steps at a time and entered the woods.

"Second sister, what are you doing?"

Xin Jie'er, who was chasing the crane with a wooden stick, turned around and saw that it was Xu Sizhun. She pursed her lips tightly and showed a stubborn expression.

Xu Sizun's face darkened, and he shouted at the two maids following Xin Jie'er: "Why don't you put away the Second Young Lady's stick? I asked you to follow the Second Young Lady to serve her, and now look at what has become of her?"

The two maids looked at each other in bewilderment, then glanced at Xin Jie'er whose clothes were disheveled, and answered "yes" in unison. One of them stepped forward to grab Xin Jie'er's stick, and the other stepped forward to persuade her softly: "Miss, let's go back quickly! If the Madam knows that we are out, she will put us under house arrest again..."

Xin Jie'er was so angry that her face turned purple. She picked up a stick and was about to hit the maid: "I'm going to tell Daddy! I'm going to tell Daddy!"

The maidservant didn't dare to hide, fearing to be hit in the face, and turned her back.

Xu Sizhun's delicate eyebrows frowned.

He stepped forward and grabbed Xin Jie'er's stick, and whispered to the maid: "All of you retreat! I'm here!"

The maid who was beaten hesitated, and the other one hurriedly pulled her collar and whispered, "The prince is here! We should also report to the Fifth Madam."

The beaten maid did not hesitate any longer, bent her knees and saluted, then retreated with the other maid.

Xin Jie'er was so angry that she tried to grab the stick, but she was not as strong as Xu Sizhun. If she didn't try to grab it, she would not be able to swallow her anger.

She dropped the stick and started crying.

Xu Sizhun ordered Wang Shu: "You also leave!"

Wang Shu didn't dare to go far and hid behind a big tree nearby that was as thick as a man's embrace.

Xu Sizun hugged Xin Jie'er and said, "Okay, okay. Stop crying. Be careful not to cry your eyes red and make the servants laugh at you!" Then he gently patted Xin Jie'er on the back.

"You all bullied me!" Xin Jie'er didn't appreciate it and struggled in his arms, "It was obviously Jin Ge'er who beat me, but mother restrained me. It was obviously you who was wrong, and you even took my stick..."

"It's all Fourth Brother's fault." Xu Sizun softly apologized to Xin Jie'er.

Sister Xin gradually stopped sobbing.

Xu Sizhun took out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

Xin Jie'er snatched Xu Sizhun's handkerchief and wiped her tear-stained face herself.

Seeing that she was gradually calming down, Xu Sizhun took her hand and said, "Let's go and release river lanterns!"

Sister Xin ignored him.

He raised the river lantern in his hand and said, "Look, isn't it interesting?"

Sister Xin didn't want to look, but she couldn't help but take a peek out of curiosity. At this moment, her eyes immediately opened wide and revealed a surprised expression.

Xu Sizhun was somewhat pleased.

"Interesting, isn't it? I just made it. It looks like an old tree stump, but it's a river lantern." He said as he led Xin Jie'er out of the woods. "It took me a long time to paint it brown. It's a little asymmetrical, so I pasted a small piece of wood there. Logically, it shouldn't sink... Let's go and see if we can put it up!"

As Xin Jie'er followed Xu Sizun out, she said, "It's so ugly. It's not pretty at all!"

"So what kind does Second Sister like?" Xu Sizhun said gently, "I'll make one specifically for Second Sister!"

Xin Jie'er thought for a moment and said, "I like peonies the most. Can Fourth Brother make one for me?"

"It's not that difficult." Xu Sizhun said, "We'll go to my fifth brother's place later. He has a special workshop with bamboo strips and knives. I'll make one for you right away!"

Sister Xin stood there: "No, I don't want to go to Brother Jing'er's place!" Her mouth was pouted so much that an oil bottle could be hung on it.

Xu Sizhun also stopped and said, "Then you have to wait a few days... until I get all the materials for making lanterns!" He did not force her.

When Xin Jieer smiled, there was a little dimple on her cheek, which made her look very cute.

"Let's go!" Xu Sizhun also laughed. He pulled Xin Jie'er and said, "Let's go release river lanterns!"

* * * * * *

The Biyi Lake is dotted with golden light under the setting sun.

The river lanterns, which looked like old tree stumps, slowly floated towards the center of the lake.

"It's done! It's done!" Sister Xin clapped her hands on the shore, and Xu Sizun also showed a relieved smile on his face: "I said, it should be possible!"

Xin Jieer pulled Xu Sizhun's sleeve and said, "Fourth brother, please help me make the peony river lanterns!"

"Okay!" Xu Sizhun smiled and took Xin Jie'er's hand and sat on a stone bench nearby. "Then you can't hit Jing Ge'er's pets anymore!"

When Xin Jieer heard this, she immediately became unhappy: "Who made Jin Ge'er angry?"

"But the crane didn't make you angry!" Xu Sizhun said, "When you usually take a walk in the garden, the crane always comes to you. If you hit it, it may never pay attention to you again. Do you like everyone to ignore you?"

Sister Xin hesitated: "Really?"

"If you don't believe me, I'll go with you to find the crane."

Sister Xin was full of suspicion. She thought for a long time and said, "Okay, I'll go with you to find the crane!" She was still a little unwilling to accept it.

※

Post a draft first!

PS: Zhun Ge’er also has his own advantages!

O(∩_∩)O~

Then, continue to ask for pink votes...