Chapter 627: Growth (Part 1)

"So, Brother Qin now has two more personal servants?" Xu Siyu put down the book in his hand and took the teacup from Xiang with a smile, "And one of them is only three years old?"

Xiang nodded and said with a smile, "When I went to pay my respects to my mother-in-law, the one called Changshun was sitting on the eaves eating candy. A little maidservant beside Uncle Six was watching him. From what my mother-in-law said, Chang'an will also learn martial arts with Uncle Six from Master Pang."

Xu Siyu sipped his tea and said, "Chang'an's parents are mother's companions, so it's not surprising that Chang'an follows Jin'er. But Changshun, who is so young, also follows..." As he said, he smiled, "I'm afraid it's mother's idea. When Jin'er and Jin'er were young, mother was the same, always thinking of ways to take them out to play. Changshun must be a playmate that mother found for Jin'er."

Xiang smiled and said, "I think Changshun is a very lovable child. Not only is he fair and clean, but he is also not afraid of strangers." As she spoke, she thought of her child... She had been married for four months and there was still no movement from her. Although her mother-in-law said nothing, her aunt and mother were a little worried about her. In two days, Xu Siyu would go to Le'an, and she would have even less chance!

Thinking of this, her expression darkened and her tone sounded a little weak.

The closer it was to his departure for Le'an, the more Xiang felt resentful. Although she kept telling him to "focus on his studies, I will be filial to my parents-in-law at home", he could still sense his wife's reluctance to let him go.

Seeing that his wife was in a low mood, Xu Siyu thought for a moment and said softly, "I will write to you often!"

Xiang listened with embarrassment.

Her husband has decided to work hard after returning to Le'an, and may not even come back for the Chinese New Year... What she admires most about her husband is his tenacity!

"Don't worry, my husband!" She lowered her head and murmured, "I will be fine!" There was more to say, but she didn't know how to say it.

For a moment, the two were silent, but the atmosphere in the room was warm.

…

Xu Sizhen and Xu Siyi came out of the retreat, and the two were still discussing the failed lantern during the Lantern Festival: "...If we had known this would happen, we should have used gauze instead of glass."

"We need a lot. We have to ask the managers to go to the special shop to order the colored glaze, which is too troublesome." Xu Siqi smiled and said, "Let's just use the pile yarn! At worst, I can do it a few more times to find a solution!"

Ever since he cried on Shiyi Niang's lap that day, Xu Siyi tried his best not to bother others whenever he had something to do.

Xu Sizhen naturally didn't take it seriously: "What's the big deal? Let Huoqing clean up the storehouse and leave." As he was saying this, he saw Xi'er in Xu Sizhen's room talking to a little maid who hadn't even left her hair standing in the corridor. He knew the little maid, who worked in Shiyi Niang's room. The two of them didn't care about the wind in the corridor, their faces were blown red, and they were still talking happily.

"Why don't you talk somewhere else?" Xu Sizhen said with a smile, "Even though it's spring, the wind has been quite strong these past two days."

Xier and the little maid hurried forward and bowed.

Xu Sizhen saw that Xier's eyes and eyebrows were filled with unconcealed joy, and she was no longer as solemn as before. Because Xier was given to Xu Sizhen by Shiyi Niang, neither Xu Sizhen nor Xu Sizhen regarded her as an ordinary maid, so he smiled and joked: "Sister Xier, if you have any good news, tell us about it, so that we can also be happy?"

Xier was delighted when she heard a familiar maid come to congratulate her and learned that her two nephews would soon be working for the Sixth Young Master in the mansion.

I don't know how many people want to show up in front of the Sixth Young Master. Some days ago, someone was beaten with a stick for being too aggressive. However, her nephew was able to work in the Sixth Young Master's house without any effort... It shows how close the lady is to her family.

She had been in the mansion for quite some time, and was working in Xu Si'e's house. She had seen the open and covert struggles between the housekeeper, the housekeeper's mother, the maids, and the mother-in-law, as well as everyone's wait-and-see attitude towards the Fourth Young Master and the Sixth Young Master. Seeing that it was the Fourth Young Master who was asking the question, she suppressed her happiness and smiled and said, "It's no big deal," then turned around to help the two of them lift the curtain and serve them into the house.

However, the little maid serving in Eleventh Lady's room disagreed.

Anyone would be so happy to see the lady's words. Besides, Xier had been laughing just now. I thought Xier was embarrassed to say it out loud, so I said jokingly, "Sister Xier's nephew will soon be working in the mansion!"

Xu Sinian and Xu Siqi were stunned.

Xier couldn't help but think that the little maid was meddling too much. She glared at her and explained with a smile, "My eldest sister-in-law brought two nephews in today to greet Madam. Madam thought my two nephews were interesting, so she asked them if they would like to play with the Sixth Young Master. My two nephews are still young. Chang'an is only seven years old this year, and Changshun is only three years old. They are ignorant. Every time they follow their sister-in-law into the mansion, they are given candy and reward money. When they heard that they could come to the mansion, they naturally agreed without hesitation." When the Fourth Young Master was in the inner courtyard, he had only two third-class servants by his side. After he walked into the outer courtyard, he added two more third-class servants, leaving four less-class servants. Now the Sixth Young Master already has two servants in his house, and the Madam has helped to add two more... She tried to downplay the matter, "It's just that they are young. The Madam just asked casually, and she doesn't know what's going on yet."

Xu Siqi felt that Shiyi Niang liked Binju, Amber and other children who had served her in the past very much. It was completely possible that they would say such things because they saw the children were interesting. He did not think much about it and said, "It is okay for Changan to work in the palace, but now that Changshun is here, I'm afraid we will have to arrange someone to take care of him!" As he said this, he remembered the way Changshun timidly lay in Binju's arms, and he couldn't help laughing.

Xu Sizhen thought of how when he was little, Shiyi Niang liked to let the servants around him play with him. She also said that boys should play with boys. He always threw sandbags with the little maids, and later he only knew how to use needles and thread. She also often encouraged him to run more and move more, and secretly accompanied him to jump rope. Seeing that the two servants were interesting, it seemed like Shiyi Niang's handwriting to let them come to the mansion to play with Jiange'er.

He also laughed.

The little maid thought Xier was just being modest, and the two young masters were all smiles, saying hurriedly, "Since the Madam has agreed, the Marquis will definitely agree. By then, it will be a done deal for Sister Xier and her two nephews to enter the mansion!"

Xier frowned and couldn't help but look at Xu Sizhen's expression from the corner of her eyes.

Xu Sizhen nodded lightly, obviously agreeing with the maid's opinion.

"Sixth brother is so naughty! Those maids and old women can't keep an eye on him at all. We should have arranged two more servants." He smiled and said to Xu Siqi, "You don't know, two days ago I went to the greenhouse to pick orchids, and I happened to meet Sister Jiexiang, who was also moving orchids there. I heard that Sixth brother was painting bamboo in Shaohua Courtyard, so I went over to say hello to Second Aunt. Who knew that when I entered the yard, Second Aunt was sweating profusely and looking for Sixth brother with the maids and old women!"

Xu Siqi was shocked.

My second aunt was a widow, so they didn't dare to disturb her for any reason.

"What happened?" he asked hurriedly, "Does mother know about this?" He looked anxious.

"It's not a big deal!" Xu Sizhen said as he went into the house. Xu Sizhen followed him in. "When my second aunt heard that my sixth brother wanted to paint bamboo, she spread rice paper on the stone table in the yard. My sixth brother ran into the bamboo forest to look at it for a long time, and then ran back to the stone table to paint a few strokes. My second aunt sat aside and watched, and saw that a painting of bamboo was about to be completed. My second aunt told the little maid to take out the old snow water buried behind the house to make tea. My sixth brother wanted to go too. My second aunt asked him to concentrate on painting. He agreed at the time, but ended up going through the forest to the backyard to help the little maid get snow water. My second aunt saw that he had entered the forest for a long time and did not come out, so she hurriedly asked someone to look for him."

As they talked, the two of them sat down on the big kang in the inner room.

Xier was very concerned about Jiang'er's affairs and personally served tea to the two of them.

"He ran to the backyard, where can we find him?" Xu Sizhen wanted to laugh when he thought of the situation at that time, but he also felt that it was inappropriate to do so considering the dignity of his second aunt, so his expression became a little strange. "Shaohua Courtyard is higher than other places. Second aunt's face turned pale at that time. She called the maid who followed the sixth brother to ask, but she couldn't get anything out of him. She was very anxious and searched the whole yard for him."

Xu Siyi's heart ached when he heard this. He leaned over and looked at Xu Siyi: "What happened next?"

"Later, Second Aunt called Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu in to look for him. Only then did they find Sixth Brother, who was covered in mud." Xu Sizhen laughed, "Second Aunt didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She scolded the little maid and then used the excuse that Sixth Brother had dropped ink on himself while painting. She asked Ah Jin to go back and get Sixth Brother a clean piece of clothing to change into. She also personally helped Sixth Brother wash up, and that was the end of the matter."

Xu Siqi breathed a sigh of relief.

"If mother knew about this, I'm afraid I'd be scolded again!"

"That's right!" Xu Sikuo laughed, "So Second Aunt asked everyone not to tell Mother, lest Mother find out and worry, and Jin Ge and his brothers will also be scolded."

The two chatted and laughed, and soon changed the topic to say goodbye to Xu Siyu: "… Third brother wants to go to the newly opened Li Ji restaurant in the south of the city for a meal tomorrow, as a farewell to second brother. What about Chunxilou and Tingpengguan? It's always the same old food. It's meaningless!"

"Go to the south of the city?" Xu Siyi hesitated, "Isn't it too far? I don't know what Li's is like."

"It's better to be farther away!" Xu Sizhen said with a smile, "I heard from my third brother that the place is very good. Their colleagues often go there to eat.

After the New Year, Xu Lingyi gradually opened the door to them. They only needed to tell the guards where they were going. Xu Siyi was also moved when he heard this.

"What does second brother say?" Xu Siyu was always steady and knowledgeable. Xu Siyi thought that if Xu Siyu agreed, there should be no problem.

"Second brother also thinks it's a good idea!" Xu Sizhen said with a smile, "Third brother asked us to leave at the beginning of tomorrow morning. Let's go to Li's for lunch!"

"Okay!" Xu Siqi also became interested, and the two discussed how to go to the south of the city tomorrow.

Xier then tiptoed out of the house.

The fourth young master didn't take this matter to heart!

She stood on the steps and took a long breath.