Eleventh Lady hurried to the main house.

Madam Du hadn't left yet: "I'm entertaining a few ladies' escorts over there. Madam Tai wanted me to send them over and then go back, but I thought Madam Four must have something to ask me, so I stayed here shamelessly."

"What are you saying, mother?" Eleventh Lady invited Mother Du to the inner room to talk. "Mom, you are just sympathizing that it is not easy for me to raise several children. At least I know that." As she spoke, she and Mother Du sat down on the big kang by the window.

Qiuyu served them tea and gently helped them close the lattice fan.

Madam Du leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Yesterday and today, the Fifth Young Master was at Dianchun Hall listening to opera. Especially today, he clapped along while listening. He made the ladies laugh. The wife of Elder Liang even joked that this child looked more like the Fifth Young Master than the Marquis."

Eleventh Lady's heart skipped a beat.

Although the incident was suppressed, Xu Sijie was raised by the Liu family until he was three years old. Considering Liu Huifang's personality, there must be someone in the Liu family's social circle who knew or had heard of Xu Sijie's life experience. She stopped Xu Sijie from learning opera because she didn't want him to have a deep friendship with people in the opera industry, and thus knew about his past - his biological mother died early, his biological father didn't recognize him, his uncle used him as a bargaining chip to blackmail his biological father, and he was adopted by his uncle... Any one of these things would make people sad, not to mention so many things mixed together, which hurt Xu Sijie too much.

Sometimes, not knowing is also a kind of happiness.

She couldn't help but whisper, "What do the other ladies say?"

"Mrs. Huang and the others naturally didn't know what to say. Mrs. Dou asked the Fifth Young Master if he understood what was being sung. She also asked if he knew what was being sung. The Fifth Young Master blushed and nodded, and told Mrs. Dou everything that was being sung on the stage. Mrs. Dou was amazed and kept praising the Fifth Young Master for his cleverness. The Fifth Young Master smiled shyly and looked very handsome." Mother Du said, taking a long breath, "Mrs. Chen was very interested, so she called the Fifth Young Master over, held his hand and asked him what books he read and what he did at home. The fifth young master said that he had just finished reading "Youth Learning" and was preparing to learn "The Analects of Confucius". He usually practiced writing big characters, playing the flute, playing the piano, and making purple clay teapots at home. He didn't often accompany his wife to watch opera. Chen Shilang's wife was even more surprised and asked him how he could understand what was being sung on the stage. The fifth young master said that he didn't know, but he understood it as soon as he heard it. Chen Shilang's wife laughed and said to the wife that your family will have a great man. She asked the fifth young master if he could sing. The fifth young master learned two sentences from what he had just heard.

Having said that, Mother Du gave Eleventh Lady a bitter smile.

"Although I am an outsider, I can tell that although the Fifth Young Master's singing is weaker than that of Xiao Lianzhu on the stage, his pronunciation is clear, graceful and elegant, and he exudes the air of a noble and upright person. He is much better than that of Xiao Lianzhu. Not to mention the ladies in the room, even Xiao Lianzhu and others who were waiting outside the hall to appreciate his singing were stunned."

Does this count as becoming famous overnight?

Eleventh Lady also smiled bitterly: "So the Madam asked Mom to send the person over!"

"Aren't the people from the Deyin class going to perform opera tonight?" Mother Du nodded, her voice as quiet as a mosquito. "That Liu Huifang sings the Geyang tune. She is also a famous female role in Yanjing."

Then we should avoid it even more.

Eleventh Lady nodded: "I understand!"

Mother Du breathed a sigh of relief: "Madam Tai also knows that the Fourth Madam is in trouble, but there are too many guests at her place, so it's better to avoid them if possible." After saying that, she stood up and said, "Then I'll go first. If the Fourth Madam has anything to do, just send someone to tell her."

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded, then walked Mother Du to the door.

Things were more complicated than she had imagined.

If he told Xu Sijie the reason why Madam Dowager sent him back, he would have to tell him his life story. It would be obviously unwise to do so at this time.

No one would not feel sad after knowing that they had such a life experience. In such a time when so many guests were gathered, if they were not careful, it would probably lead to more gossips. By then, it would be difficult for them to suppress the matter. That would be a huge blow to Xu Sijie.

But if I don't tell him, I will definitely find some excuses.

One lie usually requires more lies to cover it up.

Thinking of this, Eleventh Lady felt a little annoyed.

She walked around the wide hall for a long time, and when she calmed down, she asked Qiu Yu, "Where is the fifth young master?"

Although Qiuyu didn't know what had happened, she was a little worried when she saw Shiyi Niang in such distress.

Pointing to the east side room, she said softly, "I placed the fifth young master there!"

Eleventh Lady went to the east room.

Xu Sijie sat alone with his head bowed and chest hunched on the armchair in front of the large desk by the window, his toes circling on the bluestone floor.

Hearing the noise, he immediately raised his head, and a look of fear and anxiety like a young animal flashed in his eyes.

"Mother!" Seeing it was Eleventh Lady, he relaxed completely. He jumped off the armchair and ran over, but stopped abruptly five steps away from Eleventh Lady.

"Mother," Xu Sijie looked at Shiyi Niang with complicated eyes, "I, I, I..."

He kept saying "I" for a long time without uttering a word, with a look of guilt on his face.

Being sent back like this by Mother Du, he must have done something wrong. But he probably didn't understand what he had done wrong.

Shiyi Niang looked a little sad, and went forward to hug Xu Sijie: "Don't do this again in the future - just go to the opera by yourself and don't care what your brothers and sisters are doing?"

This was the best excuse she could find!

Xu Sijie's face flushed red: "I..." He showed some timidity and asked hesitantly, "Grandma, will you blame mother?"

Did he feel so guilty because he thought he had done something wrong and was afraid that she would be implicated?

Eleventh Lady felt her eyes becoming moist.

“That shouldn’t be the case!” She laughed. “It’s a great virtue to know your mistakes and correct them. If we don’t do that again in the future, grandma won’t blame us!”

Xu Sijie nodded repeatedly: "My eldest brother and the others have gone to welcome the bride. My second sister, sixth brother and seventh brother are in the bridal chamber. My eldest and third sisters-in-law are watching over there. There are also Hongwen, Ajin, Huang Xiaomao, Liu Erwu and Mother Wu serving on the side... My second sister and third sister-in-law are playing cat-and-mouse, and my sixth and seventh brothers are playing war in the yard..." He lowered his head, "That's why I, that's why..."

"My eldest brother and the others are out. You are the oldest in the family and should take care of your younger brothers and sisters. How can you go to the opera alone just because of this? No wonder your grandmother is angry." Eleventh Lady said softly, "Jie'er has grown up and has moved to the outer courtyard. He is no longer a child and should take on the responsibility of being a brother. When the second sister-in-law's sedan chair arrives, there will be people coming to see the bride, asking for red envelopes, and the Xiang family sending the bride off... I don't know how noisy it will be. Your grandmother, fifth aunt and I are not going to be able to take care of it. You should help us take care of your younger brothers and sisters!"

"I understand!" Xu Sijie laughed, "I won't go to the opera later. I'll just look after my second sister, sixth brother, and seventh brother."

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded. She said softly, "You haven't eaten yet? Come on, eat with me!"

Xu Sijie happily went to the small courtyard next to Dianchun Hall with Shiyi Niang. After dinner, they went to the bridal chamber together.

Jing'er and Shen'er were setting off fireworks there.

Seeing Shiyi Niang, Jinger rushed over with incense and candles: "Mom, today's meatballs are delicious, I will make meatballs for you tomorrow!"

Seeing this, Chen Ge'er also rushed over and said, "Aunt Four, I want to eat meatballs too."

Eleventh Lady hurriedly grabbed the hands of the two little guys holding the incense and candles and said, "Be careful not to burn my clothes. I don't have time to change clothes today."

Jing'er laughed and handed the incense and candles to Huang Xiaomao, who was serving beside him. Shen'er followed suit and also handed the incense and candles to Huang Xiaomao.

A maid came over and reported, "Madam, Liu's has delivered all the live fish and shrimp for tomorrow's banquet. Madam Li and Liu's have weighed them, and they want Madam to stamp the bill."

Xu Sijie hurriedly said, "Mother, go and do your work! I'll take care of my sixth and seventh brothers."

Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile, but still talked to her son for a while before going to the small hall next to Dianchun Hall.

At the beginning of the Xu day, the bride's sedan chair entered the house, kowtowed to Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang, and was sent to the bridal chamber. Everyone gathered to see the bride. The Xu family held a formal banquet. Xu Siyu came out to burn incense. The eldest young lady and others accompanied the bride to sit on the bed. The fifth lady accompanied Lin Da Niang, Madam Zhou and a group of people to play cards in the east wing of the Tai Madam's side. The Tai Madam and Madam Huang and others listened to opera in Dianchun Hall. Shiyi Niang and the housekeepers discussed matters. The Xu Mansion was filled with drums and music, cheers, playing cards, toasts, noisy voices, deafening music, loud laughter, and firecrackers. It was not until the beginning of the Yin day the next day that it gradually stopped.

When Xu Lingyi returned to the room, he saw Shiyi Niang lying on the bed with her clothes on. He hurriedly covered her with the quilt and leaned over to call her softly, "Shiyi Niang, Shiyi Niang, change your clothes before going to bed."

Eleventh Lady sat up in a daze, and Xu Lingyi helped her take off her clothes, then she fell asleep again.

Xu Lingyi looked at him and shook his head, then called Qiuyu in: "When did Madam come back to the room? Why did she lie down with her clothes on?"

Qiu Yu hurriedly said, "Madam just came back. She said she wanted to be alone for a while, so the servants didn't dare to come in."

Xu Lingyi went to see Jing Ge'er.

He and Chen Ge'er lay side by side on the big bed in the warm room, sleeping soundly.

"The Seventh Young Master insists on sleeping with the Sixth Young Master!" the wet nurse of Brother Xu murmured in explanation.

Xu Lingyi waved his hand and returned to the inner room.

Suddenly there was a person beside her. Eleventh Lady turned around in a daze and hugged the man's waist, smelling a faint smell of alcohol.

"You should drink less." She murmured, "It's not good to drink too much at night. Take care of yourself."

"Got it!" Xu Lingyi responded indifferently, watching her moving around in his arms trying to find a comfortable position. With an idea in his mind, he reached his hand into her collar.

Eleventh Lady wakes up.

She held Xu Lingyi's wrist and said, "My little day is coming!" Her tone sounded a little depressed, and her brows were tightly furrowed.

Xu Lingyi was stunned.

Not pregnant again...

His hand naturally fell on her back, stroking her gently as if to comfort her, and whispered in her ear against her face: "It seems I still have to work harder!" His tone was very teasing.

Eleventh Lady hit his shoulder coquettishly.

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

PS: At the beginning of the month, sisters with pink tickets, please give more support!

O(∩_∩)O~