When the eldest wife cried like this, the others thought about how Yuanniang was so young and at the peak of her career, but was about to die like this. They couldn't help but feel that life is impermanent and started crying too.

Maybe it was because of the bond between mother and son, Zhun Ge instinctively felt scared and started crying.

The wet nurse hurried to comfort him, and a woman came forward to wipe Zhun Ge's tears.

Zhun Ge hit the woman's hand and lay in his mother's arms.

The woman looked embarrassed and retreated to the corner muttering to herself.

The nurse said, "Brother Zhun, Aunt Qin wants to wipe your face!"

Upon hearing this, the eldest wife suddenly raised her head and looked at the woman.

The woman was about thirty years old, of medium build, wearing a lilac-colored jacket with floral patterns on it. Her face was as white as a silver plate, her eyes were like apricots, and her complexion was fair and clean, which made people feel very comfortable when looking at her.

Thinking of her daughter's pale and haggard appearance, and then looking at the plump and beautiful face of the concubine who gave birth to the eldest son out of wedlock, the eldest wife felt even sadder and cried even louder.

Zhun Ge was so scared that he hid in his mother's arms and stared at his grandmother.

As Yuanniang listened, tears silently fell on the pillow.

"Don't cry, Madam Luo!" A gentle voice advised, "Fourth Madam has always been strong-willed. Over the years, I don't know how many dangerous times she has encountered, but she has survived. I believe that this time, Fourth Madam will be able to turn danger into safety and turn misfortune into good fortune."

The eldest wife looked up and saw that it was the eunuch.

The eunuch smiled at the eldest wife and went to persuade the old lady: "Your crying will scare Zhun Ge too. Regardless of the adults, you should take care of the children." The eldest wife blushed and covered her mouth to stop crying.

The lady also stopped crying after hearing this: "Eunuch Lei said yes."

As people outside listened, the crying gradually became quieter.

The eunuch known as Thunder Lord took the opportunity to say goodbye: "...It's getting late, and I have to go back and report to the Queen."

The lady-in-waiting personally escorted Eunuch Lei to the door. When they reached the door, Eunuch Lei stopped and said, "How dare I trouble you!" He insisted that the lady-in-waiting not escort him any further.

The fifth lady volunteered to help the lady see the guests off.

"That's great." Eunuch Lei smiled, "We haven't seen the Princess of Danyang for a long time."

Upon seeing this, the lady exchanged a few words with Eunuch Lei and asked the Fifth Lady to see the guest off on her behalf.

After Thunder God walked away, a group of people surrounded the lady and took her back to the house.

As soon as I entered the door, a little maid announced: "The second lady is here!"

Everyone turned around and saw the second wife hurriedly walking in in a bright-colored dress.

"Mom, is my fourth brother's wife okay?" Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying. "I just received a letter..."

The lady wiped her eyes and said, "I didn't want to alarm you..."

The Second Madam hurriedly said, "I know that mother is worried that I will be sad, but I am also worried about Fourth Brother's wife, and I am afraid that you will be sad... Are you okay?"

"Good boy." The old lady took the second lady's hand and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

The second wife helped the old lady into the house.

When everyone went to the inner room, they saw Zhun Ge lying in Yuan Niang's arms. Yuan Niang's bony hands were placed on her son's head with difficulty, and she was mumbling something to Zhun Ge.

Everyone looked sad.

"Fourth brother's wife." The second wife choked up a little and walked forward to greet Yuanniang.

"Second sister-in-law is here!" Yuanniang's eyes turned slightly, but without any target, and she looked as if she was listening attentively.

The second wife couldn't stop crying.

The maids brought over the brocade stool.

The Tai Madam, the First Madam, the Second Madam, the Third Madam and others sat around Yuanniang, while the others stood aside.

Yuanniang then gently told Zhunge: "Go and play with Zhenjie... Mother will talk to Grandmother and Grandmother."

Seeing that his mother was the same as before, Zhun Ge obediently followed his wet nurse.

Yuanniang closed her eyes tiredly.

The old lady was startled, and the second lady hurried forward to take Yuanniang's pulse.

Yuanniang suddenly opened her eyes: "I'm tired and want to sleep for a while."

After hearing what she said, everyone decided not to ask any more questions and left the inner room in groups of two or three, leaving only the eldest wife and the old lady to guard the room.

The second wife asked Yao Huang with some concern: "What did the Madam eat today? Is there any goat milk at home? Bring a bowl to the Madam and the First Wife to refresh themselves."

Just as Yao Huang was about to answer, a servant came in and said, "The Marquis is here!"

As the lady said "Please come in quickly", Xu Lingyi, dressed in the bright red official uniform of the third rank, hurried in, followed by the third lady, the fifth lady and others.

His expression was solemn: "How's Yuanniang?" As he spoke, he strode towards Yuanniang's bedside.

After just one look, Xu Lingyi's face changed drastically.

He had seen countless people on the verge of death on the battlefield...

Standing silently in front of the bed for a long time, Xu Lingyi gently asked the lady, "What did she say?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

The lady sighed softly and said, "Mrs. Yuan wants her eleventh sister to help her take care of Brother Zhun."

Xu Lingyi turned his head and looked at the people in the room with a solemn expression, and said, "I understand."

The eldest wife saw Aunt Qiao tremble.

She couldn't help feeling happy.

* * * * * *

That night, the eldest wife stayed at the Xu family's house. Before dawn the next day, a steward from the Xu family came to knock on the door of the Luo family.

"My wife has gone!"

Although she was prepared, when this sentence actually rang in her ears, she was still stunned.

My husband is still at the examination hall, and my fourth uncle Luo Zhensheng is too weak to do anything. The eldest master seems to have aged ten years in an instant, sitting there blankly without saying a word... There is no one in charge.

The eldest grandmother had no choice but to go up to the steward and ask, "When did the madam pass away? Was she peaceful?"

The steward hurriedly said, "He passed away at 3:00 pm this morning. The Marquis, the Second Young Master, the Fourth Young Master, and the Eldest Young Miss were all by his side, and he passed away peacefully."

As the master listened, tears flashed in the corners of his eyes.

The grandmother sighed and called Wu Xiaoquan to accompany the steward to have breakfast: "...I will take care of the family affairs and then you can go."

The steward responded and followed Wu Xiaoquan.

The master covered his face and started crying.

The eldest grandmother was shocked. But after all, she was a daughter-in-law, so some things were difficult to say, so she quickly asked someone to call the sixth aunt over: "...The eldest aunt is gone. You stay at home and take good care of Dad. The fourth master, the three young ladies and I will go to the funeral."

The Sixth Aunt shed a few tears when she heard this, then went over to support the eldest master and said, "Please accept my condolences... The eldest wife is already sad enough, if something happens to you, what will happen to this family!"

While persuading the master, she went back to the house with him.

The eldest lady went back to her room and changed into a moon-white jacket. She told Mother Hang to quickly inform the three young ladies, and then sent someone to inform the second and third masters of the death.

After hearing this, Wu Niang pulled Xinglin, who had come to report the news, and asked, "Does Big Sister have anything to say?"

Xinglin had no idea, so he answered irrelevantly, "I heard that when the eldest aunt died, the Marquis and several young masters and young ladies were there."

Wu Niang couldn't help feeling a little disappointed and a little worried.

If there is no one in the Luo family to take Yuanniang's place, then Mr. Qian's career will be short of a capable person...

When Shi Niang heard that Yuan Niang had died, she laughed coldly at the maid who went to tell her the news: "She left quite quickly!"

The maidservant nodded in agreement, not knowing what to say.

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady was stunned for a long time.

She thought of Yuanniang's gentle smile when she first met her, and her self-deprecating tone in the courtyard... It seemed so familiar, yet so strange...

For some reason, Eleventh Lady's eyelashes were filled with tears.

She didn't know whether she was sad for herself, or for Yuanniang... or, sad for them!

* * * * * *

When Eleventh Lady, Fifth Lady, and Tenth Lady went to the Great Grandmother's place, Hang Mama's paper money and candles had just been bought, and the Great Grandmother was still waiting for the Second and Third Households. Seeing them coming, she hurriedly asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

Everyone shook their heads.

The eldest grandmother hurriedly ordered the kitchen staff to make some steamed buns and pancakes: "...We will leave as soon as the second and third aunts arrive. Just finish the meal. If you can't finish it, you can take the carriage up to eat."

Eleventh Lady was very impressed by the fact that the eldest lady was only in her early twenties but acted in an orderly manner.

When everyone was halfway through their meal, a little maid ran in and said, "The second and third wives are here!"

The second wife, the third grandmother, and the seventh wife came from the second house, and only the third wife came from the third house. When everyone met, there were many sighs and tears.

The second wife urged: "It's getting late, everyone should hurry up! It's not good to be late and let people gossip about you."

Everyone got on their own carriages and headed towards the lotus flowers.

On the way, Shiyi Niang saw through the curtain that Shiniang had lifted that there were two or three groups of people following her carriage at a leisurely pace. She was a little surprised at first, but she realized it after a while.

It turns out that everyone is heading in the same direction...

By the time the carriage passed Taichi Lake, everything was white.

When they arrived at the Yongping Marquis' Mansion, they saw that the main gate and the inner door were all wide open, the mourning shed and the archway had already been erected, and the stewards were all wearing white robes. Some were waiting in the makeshift account office, while others were going in and out, busy with their work.

When they saw the Luo family's carriage, a steward immediately came up to greet them and called the daughter-in-law who was in charge of ushering guests to take them to the inner courtyard.

Before entering the yard, Eleventh Lady heard Zhun Ge crying.

Once they entered the yard, Zhun Ge's crying became louder, mixed with the sobs of the women.

"You're here!" They were greeted by the haggard Third Lady.

The eldest grandmother nodded and introduced the third wife to the second and third wives.

Everyone bowed, and the third lady's eyes were filled with tears: "Come in and take a look!"

The eldest lady responded and went into the inner room with the third lady.

Yuanniang was sleeping on a Luohan bed, wearing the nine-flower hairpin of a first-rank lady and a bright red phoenix robe. Her expression was peaceful and gentle, as if she was asleep.

There was a lamp oil burning on her head, and four or five unfamiliar women sat around her feet, crying softly. Zhun Ge, Zhen Jie Er, and a little boy of about ten were all standing beside Yuan Niang in mourning clothes. Zhen Jie and the little boy lowered their heads and wiped their tears, but Zhun Ge was the only one who cried loudly with his mouth open.

When Eleventh Lady saw this, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Grandma and others saw this and started crying too.

For a moment, the room was filled with crying.

Someone said, "Brother Zhun, your aunt Eleven is here."

When Zhun Ge heard this, he cried even harder. While crying, he sobbed, "I want my mother, not Aunt Eleven."

Everyone's eyes turned to Eleventh Lady.

Some people looked at each other, some were thoughtful, some were shocked... the atmosphere became a little weird.

Eleventh Lady was very shocked. But at the same time, she did not hide her emotions, wanting to tell everyone how surprised she was. But in her heart, she couldn't help but mutter: How could Zhun Ge say such a thing...

Fortunately, the third wife was very smart. Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, she immediately asked the daughter-in-law who was ushering guests to send them to the eldest wife: "... now resting in Lijingxuan. I'm sure the ladies, grandmothers and young ladies miss her very much."

The eldest grandmother was indeed concerned about the eldest wife.

After expressing their thanks, everyone followed the daughter-in-law who was leading the guests to Lijingxuan.

※

Finally, I understand it a little bit -_-|||...