Eleventh Lady's face turned pale and she immediately ordered Fang: "Go and ask the guards at the gates and the guards we brought with us to see if they have seen Zhun'er and Jie'er go out, or if anyone has moved anything big out." She then asked Wang Shu, "What's going on?"

Wang Shuze said tremblingly, "The fourth and fifth young masters were standing on the beauty's bench in the east wing, watching the show, and I was standing at the bottom of the steps watching the two young masters. A sister from the mansion handed me food, so I turned around and thanked her. When I turned around, I didn't see the fourth and fifth young masters. I hurried to look for them, but I didn't see the two young masters after walking around everywhere."

After all, this is the Third Master's residence, and Wang Shu may not be familiar with some places. And Xu Sijie is accompanied by Nan Yong's wife.

She immediately asked, "Did you run into anyone around the Fifth Young Master when you were looking?"

"No!" Wang Shu perked up, "I'm by the steps of the east wing, and the people around the fifth young master are behind the two young masters."

In such a noisy environment, Eleventh Lady arranged servants around the two. The people around Xu Sizhun did not see Xu Sizhun, but the people around Xu Sijie did not move, and the people on both sides had not met yet...

Eleventh Lady felt relieved. She got off the bed and put on her shoes. She told Hongwen to take good care of Jin Ge'er. Then she called Zhuxiang and Qiuyu, "Zhuxiang, take Yumei and the others to look outside. Qiuyu, come with me to the backyard." She also told Wang Shu, "Bring the maid who brought you food. I have something to ask." Finally, she said, "Let's meet in the alley next to the main house."

Everyone responded and left.

Maybe everyone went to watch a play, so there was no one in the back room. The sounds of gongs and drums, laughter and cheers from the front yard could be heard from time to time, making the courtyard even more quiet.

Eleventh Lady quickly turned around and hurried to the alley where they had agreed to meet.

There were already three anxious people standing there - Wang Shu, a woman in her thirties, and a little maidservant of eleven or twelve years old.

Seeing Eleventh Lady, the three of them came forward in a panic. The thirty-something-year-old woman and the little maid knelt on the ground anxiously: "Fourth Lady, it was Third Lady's order to let this servant bring some refreshments to the gentlemen who are watching the show." Then, she pointed at the little maid and said, "She is the one assigned to the East Wing."

As she was talking, Fang came over breathlessly with a little maidservant: "Aunt Four, I asked carefully, and no one saw Fourth Uncle and Fifth Uncle go out. No one moved anything out either." Then she looked at the woman and the little maidservant and asked curiously, "Why are you here?" After she finished speaking, she suddenly understood and hurriedly said to Eleventh Lady, "Aunt Four, these two are my companions. They have been serving me since they were young..."

In other words, this is an emergency.

Eleventh Lady pondered and took Wang Shu with her: "Let's go and take a look outside!"

Fang did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly followed the woman.

A stage as tall as a person was built in front of the main house, facing south and north. The stage was covered with a layer of red coarse cloth, and "Watching the Lanterns" was being sung on the stage. The young couple were singing one after another, looking very happy.

The important female guests were in the east wing, the male guests were in the west wing, and some neighbors were watching the show in the yard. The adults were laughing and the children were running around. It was very lively.

Eleventh Lady was standing at the intersection of the main house and the east wing, looking around. Zhu Xiang just happened to come out of the east wing, and the two of them bumped into each other.

"What?" she asked hastily.

"The people around the Fifth Young Master said that Nan Mama is with the Fifth Young Master." Zhu Xiang said, "I asked them to go find Nan Mama, but there's been no response yet."

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but lower her head in thought.

A group of young and beautiful women in gorgeous clothes were standing there, and someone was already looking at them.

Fang didn't dare to say anything. Zhu Xiang thought for a moment and called out "Madam". Just as she was about to remind Shiyi Niang, Shiyi Niang pointed to the red curtain under the stage and asked, "Have you looked for that place?"

That is where actors change their costumes and take a rest.

Zhu Xiang and Wang Shu both reacted and said in unison, "I'll go take a look," and hurriedly lifted the curtain and went in.

Eleventh Lady also followed in.

A pungent powdery fragrance greeted me. I looked closely and saw that there were about ten people inside. One of them was a charming-looking man in green clothes sitting steadily on the only armchair in the shed. Two little boys of seven or eight years old were serving him tea and water. There were also two or three older men sitting silently on a small stool beside them, packing up their costumes and headdresses. The others gathered together and laughed. Someone shouted to the man sitting on the armchair: "...Seventh Senior Brother, come and see! Does he look like Liu Huifang, who was famous in Yanjing back then..." But he saw Eleventh Lady, who was surrounded by pearls and jade and looked awe-inspiring.

The man's voice suddenly stopped.

The people gathered together immediately sensed something was wrong and turned around, disbanding the circle.

Eleventh Lady saw Xu Sizhun and Nan Yong's wife standing there with embarrassed expressions, and Xu Sijie with an excited look on his face.

Her face fell.

Zhu Xiang and Wang Shu didn't notice it.

The surprise of recovering what was lost made the two men rush over with tears in their eyes, one shouting "Fourth Young Master" and the other "Fifth Young Master".

The people who had surrounded Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie in front showed some uneasiness and retreated to the side in panic.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense.

The one sitting on the armchair stood up and bowed to Eleventh Lady: "Madam, who are you?"

Eleventh Lady didn't even look at him.

"Madam!" Nan Yong's wife's face turned pale, and she looked at Shiyi Niang with a twitching mouth, her face full of shame.

Xu Sijie ran towards Shiyi Niang.

"Mother, mother!" He looked at Shiyi Niang with sparkling eyes, waving his long sleeves, "Is it beautiful?"

The pale blue brocade sets off Xu Sijie's pretty and tender face, like a white magnolia blooming in early April.

Something passed through Eleventh Lady's heart, making her suddenly feel a pain in her chest and her vision became a little blurry.

"Mother, mother!" Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie's panicked cries came to her ears. Someone supported her, "Madam, what happened to you?"

Eleventh Lady took a deep breath and recovered after a while.

Looking at the worried and frightened faces in front of her, she smiled and comforted Xu Sizun and Xu Sijie: "Mother is fine, it's too stuffy here!"

"Oh!" She saw Xu Sizun and Xu Sijie both let out a long breath, and smiles appeared on their eyes and eyebrows again.

"Mother, let me help you out!" The two rushed forward and pushed Zhu Xiang and Nan Yong's wife, who were supporting Shiyi Niang, to the side.

Eleventh Lady touched the two children's heads with a smile. Xu Sijie seemed to remember something. He quickly took off his costume and handed it to the person next to him. Then he trotted to Eleventh Lady and helped her out of the shed with a smile.

The weather was a bit gloomy that day, but for some reason, when she came out of the stage, Eleventh Lady felt that the light there was too bright and dazzling.

She held Xu Sizhun in one hand and Xu Sijie in the other.

"Why did you go there? We were so scared that we broke out in cold sweats and looked for you everywhere." Shiyi Niang's voice was gentle, without a trace of anger. "Don't do this again. Got it?" She said to Xu Sizhun, "If you are going anywhere, remember to tell the people around you."

Xu Sizhun explained to Shiyi Niang in shame: "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have taken my brother backstage!"

Xu Sijie raised his little face and looked at Shiyi Niang and said, "It's not my brother, it's me who's going!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and put her arms around the two men’s shoulders and walked into the warm room.

Jing'er is still sleeping.

When Fang saw that the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared up, she stood up and said goodbye.

Eleventh Lady sent away the servants and asked Xu Sizun, "Why were those people surrounding you and laughing just now?"

Xu Sizhun's face turned red. "Someone said that Fifth Brother looks like someone named Liu Huifang. Fifth Brother asked who Liu Huifang was. The person said that she was a famous opera singer in Yanjing, and her song "Rolling Building" amazed everyone. As he spoke, he sang a few lines. When Fifth Brother heard it, he immediately followed and learned two lines." As he spoke, he looked at Eleventh Lady with a face full of surprise, "They sang exactly the same!" Then he said, "When the person heard it, he screamed in surprise and taught Fifth Brother a few lines. Fifth Brother learned it right away. Those who listened gathered around in amazement. Mother Nan wanted to take Fifth Brother away, but Fifth Brother wanted that person to teach him a few more lines..." As he spoke, he lowered his head, "It's all my fault. I didn't help Mother Nan take Fifth Brother away..."

Xu Sijie showed his timidity and whispered: "Mother, I, I can learn it once I learn it... I can sing better than that person..."

Eleventh Lady smiled and called Xu Sijie to her side, hugged him and asked Xu Sizhun: "Fifth brother likes to sing and sings well. Why did you take him away?"

Xu Sizun opened his eyes wide and murmured after a while: "Those people were laughing very... very...", as if he didn't know how to describe it.

"Does your smile make people feel very uncomfortable?" Eleventh Lady asked him.

"Yeah!" Xu Sizhun nodded quickly, "Also, those people speak strangely! It's as if, as if they are watching our fun!" His tone was a little angry.

When performing in a private gathering at a home like Xu Lingning's, even if those wandering actors didn't know the two men, they would know that they were both rich and noble by looking at the fact that Xu Sizhun was wearing a carved silk robe and Xu Sijie was wearing a Shu brocade robe. Not only did they compare Xu Sijie to an actor, they also made fun of the two men, which shows their character.

"Then don't go to those places anymore, got it?" Eleventh Lady said, "Those places are very complicated, not places for gentlemen."

"Got it!" Xu Sizun said loudly.

Eleventh Lady nodded, frowned and asked Xu Sijie: "Do you like singing ditties?"

Xu Sijie felt that Shiyi Niang was a little unhappy, and hurriedly said, "I don't like it!" After saying that, he felt a little regretful.

Seeing this, Eleventh Lady hardened her heart, hugged him in her arms, praised him as a good boy, and said softly, "Everyone can sing, but not everyone can play the piano or make a flute! Look at your fourth brother, he is so smart, but he can't learn to play the flute as fast or as well as you do!"

Xu Sizhun nodded continuously.

Xu Sijie became happy and buried his face in Shiyi Niang's arms embarrassedly.

The mother and her two children all laughed.

Jing'er was awakened and sat up sleepily. Seeing Xu Sijie in his mother's arms, he immediately rushed over: "Mom, Mom!"

Eleventh Lady had no choice but to let go of Xu Sijie and hug Jin Ge'er.

Jing'er became happy, hugged his mother's neck tightly, and shouted "brother" loudly, as if saying "I'm calling you, don't snatch mother from me".

Xu Sizun burst out laughing.

Xu Sijie touched his head a little embarrassedly.

Eleventh Lady smiled and patted her son's little butt.

Jing'er hugged his mother tighter.

Eleventh Lady, Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie all burst into laughter.

The atmosphere in the room became cheerful.

A maid came in and reported, "Madam, Zhou Dehui, the head of the Deyin class, is here."

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I'll post a draft first and correct the typos later!

O(∩_∩)O~