Xu Sizun, with his ear pressed tightly against the window frame of the study, felt his face wet.

He stood up, a little embarrassed, and was about to wipe his eyes with his sleeve, when a jade-colored handkerchief embroidered with white orchids was handed to him: "Fourth Young Master, the sand has blurred your eyes, you'd better wipe them with a handkerchief!"

Bright and concise, that is the voice of Amber.

No wonder her mother always kept the position of housekeeper in her house for her.

Xu Sizun straightened his back, said "hmm" nonchalantly, took the handkerchief and wiped his eyes, then returned it to her: "Let's go out!" Then he walked out of the study with his head held high.

How great is that!

The whole family is happy!

Amber looked at Xu Sizhun's back and smiled slightly, then picked up the blue and white porcelain flowerpot in her hand and followed him.

Eleventh Lady was standing under the eaves with her arm around Xu Sijie's shoulders.

The setting sun shone on their bodies, as if they were coated with a layer of gold foil, giving them a kind of quiet beauty.

Xu Sizhun couldn't help but slow down his pace.

A red figure blew in like the wind: "Mom, mom, mom, I'm back!" Jing'er shouted and rushed into Shiyi Niang's arms.

Huang Xiaomao, Wang Erhu, Chang'an, Suifeng... followed in with a loud noise, breaking the tranquility of the courtyard.

Eleventh Lady let go of Xu Sijie and smiled at her son, who was sweating profusely. "Is Baiyun Temple fun?"

"Fun, fun!" Jing'er said, reaching behind him. Huang Xiaomao immediately handed the bag on his body to Jing'er. Jing'er squatted down and opened the bag on the ground. "This is a boxwood comb for mother; this is a sweet white porcelain pen holder for fourth brother; this yellow zither tassel is for fifth brother, this copy of "Tao Te Ching" is for second brother, this silver-gilt bracelet is for second sister-in-law; this big red peony is for grandmother; the magnolia is for second aunt..." There were a lot of miscellaneous things in his bag. "The tea is for dad, the paperweight is for fifth uncle, the incense burner is for fifth aunt, the wooden sword is for seventh brother, the rattle is for eighth brother, the rouge box is for second sister..." He brought gifts for everyone in the family.

Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie took the gifts and thanked Jing'er one after another, especially Xu Sijie, who smiled and touched Jing'er's head.

"No thanks, no thanks!" Jinger smiled, took out a paper box, opened it, took out a flower from the box full of pomegranate flowers and handed it to Amber: "This is for you!"

Amber was surprised: "Me, me too!"

"Yes!" Jing'er said, stuffing the paper box into Amber's arms, "Let Mother Song, Qiuyu and the others divide the rest!" He glanced at Biluo standing beside him and said, "Biluo, you have a share too."

He bought a lot anyway.

"Ouch!" Biluo quickly bent her knees and saluted.

The atmosphere in the yard became lively.

Jin Ge'er pulled Shiyi Niang aside and talked about the scene of going to Baiyun Temple: "... Senior Brother said that when performing the ceremony, you should hold the thumb of your right hand with your left hand and make a fist... When burning incense, you should burn from the back to the front... When entering the door, you cannot go through the middle door, you have to go in from both sides..."

Shiyi Niang listened carefully to Jing'er's excited talk, and responded with "Really?" or "Really?" from time to time. Jing'er became happier and happier as he talked, and even told Shiyi Niang about the ten cents he lost while watching a circus.

Seeing that Jin Ge'er was talking nonstop and everyone was crowding at the door, people might think something had happened. He finally found an opportunity to interrupt Jin Ge'er and said, "Are you hungry? I asked the kitchen to cook bream. Sixth brother, why don't you wash up so that you can have dinner later. Then we can go to pay our respects to grandmother together, and you can also give the things you bought to everyone. What do you think?"

"Okay!" Jing'er smiled and pulled Shiyi Niang's hand and walked out, "Mom, give me a bath!" He looked like he was going back.

How is this possible!

It’s almost time for dinner, how can I let my mother and sixth brother go back with empty stomachs!

Xu Sizun hurriedly stopped Jing'er and said to Shiyi Niang, "Mother, let Sixth Brother wash and dress here with me! I'll ask Biluo to get Sixth Brother some water, and ask Luxue to get Sixth Brother some clothes."

Xu Sizhun had already ordered the kitchen to prepare food, and even specially cooked bream. Eleventh Lady was not ready to leave either.

"Okay!" Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "Then we will borrow your bathroom."

Xu Sizhun breathed a sigh of relief and gave instructions to Biluo and Luxue with a smile.

Jinger gently pulled his mother's sleeve and whispered in her ear: "Mom, let's go back!"

"What's wrong?" Eleventh Lady asked him softly.

He hesitated for a while before whispering, "Mom, I, I don't want to eat bream. I want to eat snow red buns!"

Eleventh Lady was stunned.

Jing'er said, "I saw buns being sold outside Baiyun Temple, and they were this big!" He gestured with his hands, "There's a little red dot on the bun. They say it's made with snow mulberry and pork belly. But Mr. Zhao said I can't eat food from outside..." As he spoke, he looked up at Shiyi Niang, "Mom, I want to eat snow mulberry buns!" He looked so greedy that his saliva was about to flow out.

Children are very curious and always think that food outside tastes better than food at home.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but laugh and asked Xu Sizun, "Is it too late to make snow-covered pork belly buns now?"

"What's so difficult about this!" Although Jin Ge'er's voice was low, everyone listened carefully to their conversation and naturally heard everything clearly. Xu Sizhun smiled and said, "Go take a shower. When you come out, the hot snow-covered red buns will be on the table."

Jing'er happily followed Shiyi Niang to the purification room.

Xu Sijie took Xu Sizhun to the study.

"Fourth brother!" He seemed a little excited. "Mother said that she was worried that I would not recognize her when I grow up... She also said that I am her son, and no matter what, she would not give me to anyone else!"

Xu Sizhun pretended to be displeased and gently hit his shoulder: "I told you not to worry. Mother has said so, so you can't be impatient in the future!"

Xu Sijie nodded heavily: "I will definitely be filial to my mother in the future... I will study hard and pass the imperial examination like my second brother... I will never sing opera again and make my mother embarrassed..."

He talked about his plans.

Amber and Biluo picked up the things that Jing'er had dropped on the ground.

Biluo couldn't help but touch the pomegranate velvet flower on her head: "Sixth Young Master is becoming more and more like Fourth Madam... Fourth Madam is also very generous to others!"

Do I need to tell you that?

Amber smiled but didn't answer. She asked her, "How many people are there among you? Pick a few to wear first!"

Biluo counted a few and took them into the house.

The buns were brought over from the kitchen.

Jing'er and Shiyi Niang haven't come out yet.

Xu Sizhun looked at the buns and saw that they were as big as Jing'er said, but without the red dots. He asked, "Do you have red yeast rice at home?"

The old woman who brought the buns smiled and said, "The fourth young master was talking about ordering some good luck! I'll get it right away." As she said that, she turned around and brought a small dish of red yeast rice, dipped a brush in it and applied it on the buns.

The plain white buns now have some colors and look much better.

Xu Sizhun found it interesting and said with a smile: "I'll do it!"

The old woman hurriedly handed the pen to Xu Sizhun.

Xu Sizhun pointed at a few and handed the pen to Xu Sijie: "Try it too!"

Xu Sijie imitated him and ordered a few things. He smiled and said, "Don't mention Sixth Brother, even I feel a little greedy when I see them..." Before he finished speaking, there was a noise at the door, and then a stern voice sounded in their ears: "What are you doing?"

The two men looked up in surprise, and when they looked in the direction of the voice, they saw Xu Lingyi standing at the door with a frown on his face and a serious expression.

"Father!" Xu Sizhun and Xu Sijie hurried forward to salute.

Xu Lingyi glanced at the brush that Xu Sijie dropped and said in a deep voice, "You are so old, why are you still like a child? Using a brush to select a happy event..." He was quite displeased, "How could you think of such a thing!"

My fifth brother has just found out about his life experience. Will he feel wronged when dad scolds him like this?

Xu Sizhun was a little worried. He quickly explained, "I saw that the buns sold outside all had the word 'happiness' on them..." Before he could finish his sentence, he felt someone pulling his sleeve.

He couldn't help but glance over and saw Xu Sijie's hand.

"Father, I was wrong!" Xu Sijie shouted, "I will never do that again!"

His voice was clear, without even a hint of displeasure.

Xu Lingyi's expression lightened up: "Where's your mother?"

Why did you come to Xu Sizhun's room to eat for no reason?

"I'm giving my sixth brother a bath!" Xu Sizhun said hurriedly.

Xu Lingyi nodded slightly and went to the bathroom.

"Fifth brother!" Xu Sizhun said hurriedly, "Father has always been like this..."

Xu Sijie shook his head gently at him, signaling him not to say more: "Father treats me as his own son, that's why he scolds me and disciplines me!" A gentle smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "Fourth brother, you are right. I was too worried!" He said loudly, "I will never do this again!"

For the first time, he spoke so confidently.

For the first time, he felt so at ease.

He was so happy even after being taught a lesson.

Xu Sizhun didn't understand, but it was always a good thing that Xu Sijie was able to let go of this matter!

He smiled and patted Xu Sijie on the shoulder: "That's good!"

Xu Sijie smiled and nodded at Xu Sizhun.

A family dinner was held at Lingqiong Villa on the ninth day of the ninth month.

Eleventh Lady was in charge of household chores and arrived early in the morning with her children.

Xiang welcomed the first lady and the second lady at the foot of the mountain.

As soon as we sat down, people from the fifth room came up the mountain.

Xu Lingkuan led the eight-year-old Xin Jie'er in the front, the five-year-old Chen Ge'er walked in the middle, swinging a wooden sword and jumping around, and the three-year-old Cheng Ge'er was held in the arms of the wet nurse, walking side by side with the Fifth Lady. Xin Jie'er didn't know what she saw, so she stopped and pointed it out to Xu Lingkuan. Xu Lingkuan followed her gaze and smiled and lowered his head to talk to her from time to time. Chen Ge'er saw it and ran to see it as if to join in the fun. Cheng Ge'er looked at it and twisted his body in the arms of the wet nurse to go over. The Fifth Lady carried Cheng Ge'er over. The family stayed there for a moment with a smile, and then climbed up.

Xu Sijie, who was leaning against the beauty of Qiongling Villa, felt a ripple in his heart, but it was soon dispelled by Shiyi Niang's voice: "Jie'er, go and see why your fifth uncle and the others haven't arrived yet?"

Xu Sijie turned around and saw a pair of eyes that were calm but full of trust.

"Okay!" He turned around and greeted Xu Lingkuan with a smile. He looked at Xu Lingkuan calmly and called him "Fifth Uncle": "Mother was worried about you. Why haven't you come yet?"

Xu Lingkuan couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

Xu Sijie was always a little timid when he saw me, why did he suddenly become...

As soon as the thought flashed through his mind, Xu Sijie had already passed him.

"Brother Chen, my sixth brother has been waiting for you for a long time!"

※

First of all, I want to thank everyone! The updates and extra chapters in August were not timely, but everyone still supported "The Strategies of a Concubine" as always, and won the first place in the pink votes in August.

Thanks!

I have not been feeling well these days and have been resting and receiving treatment at home. I am actually very uneasy. I will actively cooperate with the doctor and recover as soon as possible. I will try my best to return to normal as soon as possible and make up for the extra chapters I owe.

O(∩_∩)O~

I’m really worried about the end of the story now, as the extra chapters haven’t been posted yet!