It rained the morning before Xu Sizhun's banquet.

In the middle of the night, the rain stopped. The next morning, the leaves washed by the rain were greener than usual, and the air was fresher than usual. When the sun rose, the lotus flowers "snapped" and bloomed, and the fragrance filled the yard, making people feel refreshed.

"What a great day!" The lady looked out the window, smiled and turned to ask Eleventh Lady, "Have all the guests invited by Zhun'er arrived?"

"They are all here!" Lady Eleven took the teacup from the maid and presented it to the Madam. "There are Lord Wang Li's son, Young Master Wang Yun, and Dou Ge Lao's son, Young Master Dou Jing..." She explained to the Madam in detail, "They are arranged to stay at the Chui Lun Waterside Pavilion. It's cool over there, suitable for both lotus viewing and fishing. Zhun'er invited Jie'er to entertain the guests together. I asked the kitchen to prepare a banquet of eight dishes and twelve bowls. In addition to chicken, duck, fish and meat, I also asked someone to bring fresh 'Water Eight Immortals' from Nanjing as soon as possible. They are served directly with ice, so that they are fresh and delicious."

The lady was silent for a moment and said, "Zhun'er invites me to entertain the guests together?" There was a hint of disapproval in her tone.

Eleventh Lady said hurriedly, "They have been good friends since they were young, and Zhun'er kept begging me. I thought that the two brothers would be able to take care of each other if they were together, so I agreed."

The lady smiled faintly and hugged Jing'er, who was sitting beside her and listening to the adults' conversation. "Fourth brother is hosting a banquet in the back garden this year. Do you want to go?"

Jinger shook his head: "I want to grow insects!"

"What a bug!" The lady looked at Eleventh Lady suspiciously.

Eleventh Lady hurriedly told the Lady Dowager about the earth dragon.

The Madam always believed that boys should be brought up in a rough way, so that they would be tough and bold, and would not be unable to withstand the storms when faced with difficulties. The Xu Lingyi brothers also grew up in this way when they were young.

The old man smiled and nodded, looking much more cheerful. He kissed Jing'er on the face and said, "Our Jing'er is really smart. He even knows how to plant insects!"

Jing'er pursed his lips and smiled.

The lady then gently told Eleventh Lady, "Remember to have someone put the 'Water Eight Fresh' on a crystal dish. It should be crystal clear and have a more meaningful taste." She then added, "The vessel used to hold things is also very particular."

Eleventh Lady felt that the words of the Madam were suggestive. She quickly reviewed the conversation in her mind and could not help but secretly guess: Was it to admonish Brother? Did she think it was inappropriate for him to go out with Brother Zhun for social events, or was she afraid that Brother Zhun would lose face if he did not follow the etiquette because he had never experienced such things?

But it was not easy to ask directly, so she smiled and said "yes", and followed the original instructions of the lady. After saying goodbye to the lady, she immediately sent Zhu Xiang to the Chui Lun Waterside Pavilion to inquire: "...see if there is anything missing over there? Are the servants attentive? What is the fifth young master doing?"

Zhu Xiang immediately went to the Chui Lun Water Pavilion.

Eleventh Lady carried Jing'er back to the house, first corrected his statement of "planting insects", then asked Qiu Yuji to find a few unused or discarded pots with cracks and give them to Huang Xiaomao, and asked Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu to accompany Jing'er to dig soil in the garden and look for earthworms.

Jing'er ran away happily with the two servants.

Zhu Xiang smiled and replied, "Ge Jin brought Biluo and Yuhua from the Fourth Young Master's house to serve in the waterside pavilion. Everyone was having a great time. Young Master Wang even painted a picture, and Young Master Li wrote a five-line poem. When I went there, the Fifth Young Master was holding rice paper and showing it to everyone!"

Eleventh Lady asked, "What does the Fifth Young Master look like?"

Zhu Xiang recalled: "It was fine! He was happily talking to Master Dou next to him!"

Eleventh Lady thought for a moment and said, "Send a little maid to check on the Fifth Young Master every now and then. This is the first time he has come out to entertain guests. Even though the Fourth Young Master is with him, I'm still a little worried."

Zhu Xiang responded with a smile, then turned around and assigned a clever little maid.

A little maid came in with a smile and said, "Madam, the Gaoqing Zhu family sent a steward to deliver the wedding invitation to the Marquis. Madam Zhu specially asked her personal mother to come with the carriage. She wanted to come in to greet the Madam, you and the Fifth Madam."

Eleventh Lady had a joyful smile on her face. Counting the days, Seventh Lady should also give birth. "Can you please invite those mothers in?"

The little maid replied "yes" respectfully and brought in Qinnan's personal mother.

The mother was dressed neatly and looked as if she had been taken to wash and groom herself.

"Congratulations, madam. Congratulations, madam." She knelt in front of Eleventh Lady, her face flushed, her brows still flashing with excitement that could not be concealed. "Thanks to you and Fifth Lady, our wife gave birth to a big fat boy."

After giving birth to a son, Qinnan finally gained a foothold in the Zhu family.

Eleventh Lady was happy for Seventh Lady. She rewarded the mother and asked about Seventh Lady's situation carefully. Knowing that although there were some twists and turns in the birth, both the adult and the child were safe, she took the mother to the old lady first, and then to the fifth lady.

Upon hearing this, the Fifth Lady immediately chuckled. She gave the mother some silver and asked someone to take her away to rest. Then she couldn't help laughing again: "It's a pity that it's not easy to ask the mother about the specific situation. I guess Zhu Anping and his mother's expressions must be very interesting. Especially his mother, I want to see how she ends up this time." After saying this, she loudly called He Xiang to help her prepare pen and ink, "I want to write a letter and let the mother take it over to ask about the situation over there." She looked excited and eager to try.

During the years that Eleventh Lady had been with Fifth Lady, she had more or less figured out her temper. Plus, she also wanted to know, so she couldn't help but smile. The two of them discussed writing a letter to Gaoqing.

When I returned to the house, Jing'er had already returned. He was busy cultivating the soil under the eaves with sweat on his forehead and stuffing the ground dragon into the soil in the pot. He was very busy and happy.

When he saw Eleventh Lady, he looked up and called out "Mom", then continued to work with his head down.

Eleventh Lady walked into the house with a smile.

After a while, she heard Jing'er calling "Dad" in a loud voice. Knowing that Xu Lingyi had returned, she told the maid to prepare lunch and went out to greet him.

Xu Lingyi knelt beside Jing'er, looking at him tenderly, and listening carefully to Jing'er's clear voice telling him how to "raise insects". Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu stood far away, leaning against the wall with their hands hanging down.

Looking at the father and son leaning against each other, Eleventh Lady couldn't help but stop. The corners of her mouth raised up on her own initiative, and her eyes were filled with warmth and tenderness like spring water.

Xu Lingyi quickly understood what his son was going to do, and he burst into laughter, his eyes revealing a bit of the amusement of an adult looking at an ignorant child.

Jing'er tightly grasped the small shovel in his hand and stared at Xu Lingyi with wide eyes, as if he was very dissatisfied with his smile.

Xu Lingyi found it even more interesting and went to hug Jing'er.

Jing'er took a few steps back to avoid his embrace and looked at Xu Lingyi with a gloomy face.

Eleventh Lady secretly cried out in dismay.

Sometimes, things that adults find funny are the most important things in the eyes of children.

She quickly stepped forward, trying to rescue the two men.

Xu Lingyi thought it was funny for a child to act like an adult, but when he saw the expression on his son's face, he immediately realized that his attitude had hurt Jing'er. He quickly put away his smile and said, "You can't just keep it in the pot like this. What if the bugs crawl away?"

Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief and stopped.

Jing'er was not a child with a bad temper. He was immediately attracted by Xu Lingyi's words. After thinking about it, he ran into the house.

Xu Lingyi then noticed Shiyi Niang, smiled and stood up, and asked her softly, "Are you hot?"

"I have been in the house all the time, it's not hot." Eleventh Lady bowed, "My Lord, please go in and have a rest! I will fetch some water for you to wash your face!"

As he was speaking, Jing'er ran out of the house.

He took a tall fruit plate and placed it on the basin where the earth dragon was kept. Then he clapped his hands and looked at Xu Lingyi with great satisfaction: "This way it won't run away!"

Xu Lingyi couldn't help laughing: "Even though he won't run away, he will be suffocated to death!"

Jing'er looked at the basin, then at Xu Lingyi, and finally his gaze fell on Shiyi Niang.

Eleventh Lady didn't know whether the earth dragon would suffocate her to death, but thinking that it was possible and that it was Xu Lingyi who said it, she nodded slightly to Jin Ge'er.

Jing'er pouted in frustration.

Xu Lingyi immediately went forward and hugged his son: "Okay, let's ask your mother to find a piece of fine gauze to cover it!"

Jing'er's eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Shiyi Niang: "Mom, please find me a piece of fine gauze, otherwise all my earth dragons will run away!"

Eleventh Lady lovingly wiped the sweat off her son's forehead with a handkerchief, followed Xu Lingyi into the hall, and said with a smile, "Okay! I'll find you a piece of fine gauze right away."

While struggling to get down, Jinger said to Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu: "You guys stay by the side and watch. Don't let my earth dragon get out!"

Xu Lingyi stopped.

The two servants looked at Xu Lingyi with some fear and answered "yes" in unison.

Jing'er stopped struggling, and Xu Lingyi then carried Jing'er into the house.

Eleventh Lady called a maid in to help the father and son wash and change clothes. She found a piece of fine gauze and went under the eaves with Jing'er, who had washed and combed his hair.

Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu have been guarding there.

Jing'er and the other two people hurriedly covered the flowerpot with fine gauze, and then went back to have lunch with satisfaction.

After lunch, he ran to check on his earth dragon: "Xiao Mao, Er Wu, count and see if the earth dragon has run away!"

The two little ones really had to pour out the soil in the pot to dig out the earthworms.

Eleventh Lady hurriedly stopped him: "Look at Ji Ting's wife planting flowers. She just throws the seeds into the soil and sprinkles some water. Then after a few days, it sprouts by itself. How can the earth dragon grow well if you keep turning it over and over like this!"

Jinger nodded. Although he gave up the intention of pouring out the soil to count the earth dragons, he told Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu: "Remember to water the earth dragons every morning."

My son is so cute!

Eleventh Lady smiled and kissed her son heavily on the cheek, then took Jing'er to take a nap.

* * * * * *

In the afternoon, Shiyi Niang told stories to Jing'er.

After telling a story, Jinger ran out to check on the earth dragon he kept under the eaves, and asked Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu who were standing by: "Has it grown?"

Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu shook their heads. Huang Xiaomao even said, "How can it be that fast? It will take at least four or five days!"

Jing'er was a little disappointed and sat quietly in Shiyi Niang's arms listening to the story.

Zhu Xiang walked in and winked at Shiyi Niang: "Madam, the Fifth Young Master just returned to his own courtyard!"

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Post a draft first. I will correct the typos later.

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