Faced with the Xiang family's hospitality, Eleventh Lady felt very uncomfortable staying there. After lunch, she left on the pretext that she was worried about Jing'er being alone at home.

Mrs. Xiang did not stay for long, and she and Mrs. Gao personally escorted her to the door. Mrs. Gao even helped Shiyi Niang get on the carriage: "We don't have many relatives, if you are free, why not come and sit down!" The way she looked at her was as kind and gentle as a mother looking at her daughter, and her every move was full of the care of an elder, which did not make people feel abrupt.

Eleventh Lady tried hard not to show her surprise. She smiled and supported the arm that Song Mama stretched out: "Mrs. Gao is so polite that I feel embarrassed to come again!"

Mrs. Gao smiled naturally and withdrew her hand.

Eleventh Lady looked at him with admiration. She couldn't help but glance at the Second Lady behind her.

She frowned slightly, looking a little embarrassed.

Eleventh Lady sighed and got on the carriage.

If you were to encounter such a thing, you would also feel uncomfortable, right?

So as soon as she returned to the lotus garden, Eleventh Lady immediately boarded the small oil-burning cart with green curtains and told the maid driving the cart, "Go to the Madam!" But when she reached the Madam's door, she changed her mind and said, "Go to the Marquis!"

The old woman was stunned, and quickly replied "yes", and sent Eleventh Lady to the outer study.

Xu Lingyi was discussing next year's matters with the managers.

Although he has been idle at home for the past few years and has not been in charge of general affairs, he still has some influence and knows how to employ people, so his income has doubled compared to when the third master was the housekeeper. He plans to invite several big shopkeepers to his home for a meal during the Chinese New Year this year, as a way of respecting their hard work for him over the years.

Hearing that Eleventh Lady had arrived, Xu Lingyi was very surprised and told the servant: "Please ask Madam to sit in the small study, then make a pot of Dahongpao and ask the kitchen to make some snacks and send them over!"

Several managers lowered their heads and pretended not to hear.

Xu Lingyi continued to discuss matters with several managers.

But it was obvious that he was a little absent-minded.

Anyone who can have a seat in front of Xu Lingyi is not a simple-minded person.

Before Chief Steward Bai could signal to the people around him, someone said, "My Lord, I think we need to think about this matter carefully. How about we go down and discuss it? Once we have a perfect plan, I will ask you to make the decision."

Xu Lingyi felt that there were too many minor details, and it would be endless if they continued to be discussed like this. He didn't understand them very well anyway, so it would be better to wait for the managers who knew about these things to discuss them and then he would see what was done.

With a soft "hmm", he quickly went to the small academy, leaving the stewards in the room looking at each other in bewilderment.

* * * * * *

Eleventh Lady sat upright on the armchair by the window, elegantly holding the teacup with a white background and taking a sip. But when Xu Lingyi thought of her going against her usual ways to come to him, he felt that she must be extremely anxious at the moment.

Without waiting for his wife to speak, he sent the servant away.

This saved Eleventh Lady a lot of trouble.

She asked Xu Lingyi, "My Lord, when you said that Master Xiang was good, did you think he could become a prime minister in the future? Or did you think he was a noble man and a good official?"

Xu Lingyi felt a little strange.

But when Eleventh Lady is serious, she never says things without a purpose. He said frankly: "To be appointed as a prime minister, it takes some luck. To be a noble character, I'm afraid it's hard to get past the third rank. When Old Master Xiang was alive, he offended many people. Maybe they suffered from Old Master Xiang. Old Master Xiang put a lot of effort in this regard. Many people, from cabinet ministers to petty officials, are on good terms with him. People lift people up. If this person wants to accomplish something, he must be lifted up by others. So I say, if he has enough luck, I'm afraid he will be appointed as a prime minister."

Eleventh Lady didn't say anything more and looked directly into Xu Lingyi's eyes: "The Xiang family wants to bring up the marriage between Yu'er and the second young lady of the Xiang family again!"

Xu Lingyi couldn't hide his surprise and asked immediately, "What did the second sister-in-law say?"

Eleventh Lady told the truth: "Second sister-in-law didn't say anything."

Xu Lingyi remained silent and fell into deep thought.

Eleventh Lady was also thinking about this.

When Mrs. Xiang talked about this, the Second Madam didn't say a word. Given the Second Madam's character, if she didn't agree, she would have stopped it loudly. Since she didn't say anything, she was probably willing in her heart.

Although she opposed the marriage with the Xiang family at first, it was not because of the Xiang family, but because Xu Lingyi did not respect her enough. However, the subsequent developments and today's banquet made her feel that Mrs. Xiang acted too arbitrarily and did not consider the feelings of others, and she felt a little resistant in her heart.

Xu Lingyu's future will only become wider and wider. He may not be able to find a wife as good as the second daughter of the Xiang family, but it is not difficult to find a woman with a clean family background and outstanding character to live a stable life with him. Why make things so complicated?

But the old lady has always loved the second lady. If Xu Siyu can marry the second daughter of the Xiang family, it will be a closer relationship for the Xu and Xiang families. If the old lady is unwilling, it's fine. I'm afraid that even if she blames Mrs. Xiang for being rude, she will be happy for the two families to get married.

She simply came to see Xu Lingyi first.

She wanted to find a reason for herself not to oppose the marriage between the two families. Secondly, she also wanted to hear Xu Lingyi's opinion on this matter. Compared with Xu Lingyi, she was like a frog sitting in a well, and had no idea about the outside world.

"If it weren't for Madam Xiang's breach of trust, I think it would be a good thing to marry into the Xiang family!" Eleventh Lady said, "I want to hear what the Marquis thinks?"

The implication is not optimistic.

Xu Lingyi listened and thought for a while, then said in deep thought: "Last time I heard you say that Dou Ge Lao's niece was looking for a husband. Has Madam Dou ever mentioned our Yu Ge'er in front of you?"

Eleventh Lady was stunned and said, "No!"

"Have you ever thought carefully about why there isn't one?"

"Although Yu'er is a scholar, he is still far from being a Jinshi! Moreover, it will be harder to pass the exam as time goes by." Shiyi Niang said, "A family like Dou Ge Lao may not take it seriously."

"This is just one of the reasons." Xu Lingyi said, "Another important reason is that we are relatives by marriage. Those who have a longer-term vision, such as Dou Ge Lao, do not want to get involved in the future affairs of the crown prince, so they naturally stay away from us. And those who only seek immediate benefits naturally want to marry into our family. The range of our choices becomes very small. So when Lord Xiang agreed to Yu Ge'er's marriage without caring about his own future, I was very grateful in my heart. After all, there is an essential difference between Xu Lingyi's in-laws and the brothers of Xu Lingyi's widowed sister-in-law's mother's family!"

Xu Lingyi agreed.

Eleventh Lady still felt a little uncomfortable.

Xu Lingyi looked at her and thought for a while, then he sighed softly, held her hand and said, "If you really don't like it, I'll talk to your mother about it!"

After he said that, Eleventh Lady felt it difficult to insist.

She gently withdrew her hand: "My lord, please let me think about it again!" and turned to go to the inner courtyard.

I met Xu Sizhun on the way.

"Why is mother here?" His face was full of surprise.

Eleventh Lady smiled at him, and seeing the direction he was walking, she asked him kindly, "Are you going to see your father?"

Xu Sizhun nodded: "Father asked me to come here at this time. He said he wanted to discuss with the stewards about the Spring Festival banquet for the head shopkeepers, and asked me to listen and learn how to manage the household affairs."

"Then you should listen carefully." Eleventh Lady smiled and said a few words of encouragement, "Most of the family's income comes from these chores."

Xu Sizhun nodded seriously: "Father said so too. Mother, don't worry, I will learn well from Manager Bai."

Eleventh Lady smiled and said "hmm", saying goodbye to Xu Sizun.

When I looked up, I saw the eaves of Xu Siyu's roof.

She went to Xu Siyu.

"What do you think if we arrange for you to marry your second aunt's niece?"

Eleventh Lady asked him sincerely.

Xu Siyu's face suddenly turned red, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he didn't utter a word for a long time.

I'm making things difficult for him.

Eleventh Lady stood up and said, "You continue to review your lessons. I'm leaving first!"

Xu Siyu responded and sent Shiyi Niang out. But just as she stepped out of the courtyard, Xu Siyu's shy voice came from behind her: "Second aunt, you have always treated me very well... and you are very knowledgeable..."

What does this have to do with how well the Second Lady treats him? What does this have to do with how well the Second Lady is educated?

Eleventh Lady was complaining in her heart, but her mind was as cold as ice.

Xu Siyu has expressed his wishes.

After returning home, she washed up and went to see the lady.

Jin Ge'er was taking a nap on the madam's kang, while the madam and the second madam were sitting on the armchair beside them and talking. Seeing the eleventh lady coming in, the second madam nodded to the eleventh lady uncomfortably and said, "Come here!"

"I felt exhausted after traveling so I went back to wash up." Eleventh Lady explained her late arrival.

The second wife stood up and said goodbye.

The lady asked Shiyi Niang, "What happened? I saw that Yizhen looked uneasy. Did Madam Xiang say something again? I asked her, but she said nothing!"

Eleventh Lady told the lady everything that had happened.

The lady was not angry, but looked at her worriedly: "What do you mean?"

If Eleventh Lady still can't see the true intention of the Lady Dowager, she has lived two lives in vain.

"I listen to my mother!"

This time, her voice sounded more determined.

The lady patted her hands and said softly, "Then you can discuss it with the fourth brother." There was some emotion in her tone.

Xu Lingyi hugged her tightly and said, "In the future, when it comes to Jie'er and Jin'er's marriage, we will go to the family of the one you like to propose marriage, okay?"

The marriages of his illegitimate eldest son and his legitimate eldest son were not arranged by Eleventh Lady, and he felt a little guilty.

Eleventh Lady is not the kind of person who will not let go.

She was trembling with fear before because she felt that she had a heavy responsibility on her shoulders.

Life is made by people.

Putting aside personal preferences, since both parties thought this marriage was a good one, she had nothing to worry about.

Everyone must take responsibility for their own choices!

Seeing Xu Lingyi's serious tone, she couldn't help but smile and said mischievously, "Well, I want to marry Prince Shun's daughter as my daughter-in-law."

Xu Lingyi thought for less than ten breaths and said, "Marry Prince Shun's daughter? Sure!"

Eleventh Lady knew that he was a man of his words. Prince Shun had an extraordinary status in the royal family, so how could he marry her just like that?

She couldn't help being stunned.

Xu Lingyi laughed softly in her ear: "As long as you don't mind that his daughter is as chubby as him, it's fine!"

Eleventh Lady looked at Xu Lingyi in surprise, and then burst into laughter.

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I write and delete, and I don’t know if I have expressed what I want to say.

PS: If you have any questions, please talk to me tomorrow!

Post a draft first!

O(∩_∩)O~