Chapter 611: Noisy (Part 2)
Eleventh Lady hurried to the main house.
Mother Du had not left yet: "I am entertaining several ladies and their personal nannies there. The Madam Tai wanted me to send them over and then go back, but I thought the Fourth Madam must have something to ask me, so I stayed."
"What are you talking about, mother?" Eleventh Lady invited Mother Du to the inner room to talk. "Mother, you are sympathizing with me that it is not easy to take care of several children. At least I know this." As she spoke, she and Mother Du sat down on the big kang by the window.
Qiuyu served them tea and gently closed the lattice door for them.
Mother Du leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Yesterday and today, the Fifth Young Master was listening to opera in Dianchun Hall. Especially today, while listening, he clapped along. He made several ladies laugh. The wife of Mr. Liang Ge even joked that this child looked more like the Fifth Young Master than the Marquis."
Shi Niang's heart skipped a beat.
Although the events of that year were suppressed, Xu Siyi was raised by the Liu family until he was three years old. Considering Liu Huifang's character, there must be someone in the Liu family's social circle who knew or had heard about Xu Siyi's life experience. She stopped Xu Siyi from learning opera because she didn't want him to have a deep relationship with people in the opera world. From this, she 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 raised by his uncle... Any one of these things would make people sad, let alone so many things mixed together, which was too much harm to Xu Siyi.
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 Ge 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 Ge everything that was being sung on the stage. Mrs. Dou Ge was amazed and kept praising the Fifth Young Master for his intelligence. The Fifth Young Master smiled shyly there, and looked very nice." As Mrs. Du spoke, she smiled long and Tone, "Mrs. Chen, the Minister's wife, was very fond of him. She called the Fifth Young Master over, pushed his hand and asked him what books he usually read, what he did at home, and whether he often accompanied his grandmother to watch operas. 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 calligraphy, played the flute, played the piano, and made purple clay teapots at home, and did not often accompany his wife to watch operas.
The wife of Minister Chen was even more surprised and asked him how he could understand what was being sung on the stage. The Fifth Young Master said he didn't know, but he understood it as soon as he heard it. The wife of Minister Chen laughed and said to the Madam, "Your family is going to have a great man." She then asked the Fifth Young Master if he could sing.
The Fifth Young Master just learned two sentences from what he just heard."
Having said this, 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 correct and his tone is elegant. He has the air of a noble and upright person, which 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 watch 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 German Music Class going to perform opera tonight?" Mother Du nodded, her voice as quiet as a mosquito. "That Liu Huifang is singing the Geyang Opera. And she's a very famous actress in Beijing."
That's even more avoidable.
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 were to tell Lady Xu Si'e the reason why she sent him back, he would have to be told his life story, and it would obviously be unwise to do so at this time.
No one would not feel sad after knowing his background like that. In such a crowded place, one careless move would probably lead to more gossips. It would be difficult for them to suppress the matter. It was a huge blow to Xu Siyi.
But if I don't tell him, I will definitely find some excuses.
A lie usually requires more lies to cover it up.
Thinking of this, Eleventh Lady felt a little annoyed.
She walked around the spacious 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 seeing how distressed Shiyi Niang was.
Pointing to the east side room, she said softly: "I placed the Fifth Young Master there!"
Eleventh Lady went to the east room.
Xu Siqi sat alone with his head bowed and his chest hunched on a throne in front of a large desk by the window, his toes circling on the bluestone brick floor.
Hearing the noise, he immediately raised his head, his eyes flashing with a look of fear like a young animal.
"Mother!" Seeing it was Eleventh Lady, he relaxed completely, jumped off the armchair and ran over, but stopped abruptly five steps away from Eleventh Lady.
"Mother," Xu Siyi looked at Shiyi Niang with complicated eyes, "I, I, I..."
He kept saying "I" for a long time without uttering a single word, with a look of guilt on his face.
Being sent back like this by Mother Du meant that he had done something wrong. But he probably had no idea what he had done wrong.
Shiyi Niang felt a little sad, and stepped forward to hug Xu Siyi: "Don't do this again in the future - just care about yourself going to the opera and don't care what your brothers and sisters are doing?"
This is the best excuse she could find!
Xu Siqi's face flushed: "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.
"I don't think so!" She laughed. "It is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. If we don't do this again in the future, grandma won't blame us!"
Xu Siqi nodded repeatedly: "My eldest brother and his family 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 them. Hongwen, Ajin, Huang Xiaomao, Liu Erwu, and Mother Wu are serving them... 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 as he spoke, "That's why I, that's why..."
"My eldest brother is out, and you are the oldest in the family. You should take care of your younger brothers and sisters. How can you go to the opera alone just because of this? No wonder grandma is angry." Eleventh Lady said softly, "My brother 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 my 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 will not be able to take care of it. You should help us take care of our younger brother and sister!"
"I understand!" Xu Siqi 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, have dinner with me!"
Xu Siyi happily went to the small courtyard next to Dianchun Hall with Shiyi Niang. After dinner, they went to the bridal chamber together.
Brother Jin and Brother Shen were setting off fireworks there.
Seeing Shiyi Niang, Jiange'er came over with a candle in his hand and said, "Mom, today's meatballs are delicious. I'll make meatballs again tomorrow."
Seeing this, Chen Ge'er also came over and said, "Aunt Four, I want to eat meatballs too."
Eleventh Lady hurriedly grabbed the hands of the two boys holding the candles and said, "Be careful not to burn my clothes. I don't have time to change clothes today."
Jiangeer laughed and handed the candle to Huang Xiaomao, who was serving beside him. Sheneer followed suit and also handed the candle 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 Siqi hurriedly said, "Mother, please go and do your work! I will take care of my sixth and seventh brothers."
Eleventh Lady agreed with a smile, but still talked to her son before going to the small hall next to Dianchun Hall.
At the beginning of the Xu hour, the bride's sedan chair entered the house, kowtowed to Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang, and was escorted to the bridal chamber. Everyone gathered to see the bride, and the Xu family held a formal banquet. Xu Siyu came out to burn incense, and the eldest young lady and others accompanied the bride to sit on the bed. The fifth lady accompanied Lin Da Niang, Madam Zhou and others to play cards in the east room of the dowager's room, while the dowager and Madam Huang and others listened to opera in Dianchun Hall. Shiyi Niang and the housekeepers discussed matters. The Xu mansion was filled with the sounds of drums and music, cheers, playing cards, toasts, noisy voices, deafening music, loud laughter, and firecrackers. It was endless and continued until the beginning of the next day at Yin hour, when it gradually died down.
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 shook his head and called Qiuyu in, "When did Madam come back to the room? Why did you lie down with your clothes on?"
Qiuyu said hurriedly, "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 Jian Ge'er.
He and his brother were lying 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 Shen murmured in explanation.
Xu Lingyi waved his hand and returned to the inner room.
Suddenly there was someone beside her. Shiyi Niang turned around and hugged the man's waist in a daze, and smelled 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: "My little day is coming!"
Her tone sounded somewhat frustrated, and her brows were tightly furrowed.
Xu Lingyi was stunned.
Not pregnant again... His hand naturally fell on her back, caressing her gently as if to comfort her, and he whispered in her ear against her face: "It seems I still need to keep working hard!" His tone was very nervous.
Eleventh Lady hit his shoulder coquettishly.