In late spring, Lijingxuan is full of flowers.
The eldest wife was lying on the big kang by the window with a pale face. The breeze was blowing gently, and willow catkins were falling on her bedding.
"Sister-in-law, please accept my condolences." The second wife sat at the head of the bed to comfort the first wife, "The dead are gone!"
The third wife also agreed: "Yes, sister-in-law. You must take care of yourself!"
The eldest wife's lips twitched slightly, and tears rolled down again.
Mrs. Xu, who was standing by, also had tears in her eyes: "Madam, you have been crying since last night...you must watch your eyes carefully."
Others also came to comfort the eldest wife.
The first wife's mood finally improved a little. She struggled to sit up and said politely to the second and third wives, "I alarmed you all!"
"Sister-in-law, you are being polite." The second wife laughed and said, "We are also Yuanniang's family!"
When the eldest wife heard Yuanniang mentioned, her eyes darkened again.
The Third Madam was about to say something to change the subject when a maid came in and said, "The Fourth Aunt is here."
The second wife laughed and said, "I was wondering why she hadn't come yet... I sent someone to tell her the news."
Before he finished speaking, Si Niang walked in wearing a moonlight-colored jacket.
She burst into tears before she spoke: "How could my elder sister leave like this? She left behind the Marquis and Zhun brother. How are we going to live in the future?" As she spoke, she took a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
The third wife laughed and said, "We just persuaded the eldest sister-in-law, and now we have to persuade you again."
After hearing this, Si Niang stopped crying and greeted everyone.
The second wife said, "Now that everyone is here, let's go and greet the Madam?"
The eldest wife nodded and said, "I am not in good spirits, so I won't go with you."
The second and third wives said some words to reassure the first wife, then called the daughter-in-law who was in charge of ushering guests in and went to the lady-in-law's place.
When the lady heard that it was someone from Yuan Niang’s family who had arrived, she came out to greet them in person.
Everyone bowed to the old lady, and she glanced at Eleventh Lady.
Seeing that her eyes and nose were red and her expression was a little depressed, he nodded slightly.
After entering the house, everyone discovered that there were four female guests with the lady.
Eleventh Lady knew two of them - Madam Gan from the Marquis of Zhongqin's Mansion and Madam Lin from the Marquis of Weibei's Mansion.
Mrs. Lin was talking to a beautiful woman in her forties beside her: "...when I heard the cloud board knock four times, I knew something happened here, so I immediately sent someone to ask. Only then did I know that the marquis's wife was gone!" As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her eyes.
The beautiful woman sighed and said, "It's a pity that the child has no one to take care of him."
"Who said it wasn't!" Mrs. Lin responded. When she saw that it was someone from the Luo Mansion who came in, she smiled and stopped talking, then picked up the tea and took a sip.
The lady introduced everyone to them.
The beautiful woman who was talking to Mrs. Lin turned out to be the wife of Lord Chen.
Lord Chen is now the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou. Unexpectedly, Madam Chen is so young... She was a little surprised.
The other unfamiliar woman was Jiang Bai's wife.
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but look at her carefully.
He was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with an ordinary appearance, but his manners were gentle and his smile was warm, which made people like him at first sight.
When the Third Lady knew that the beautiful woman was Mrs. Chen, she felt a little uncomfortable, but Mrs. Chen bowed to the Third Lady gracefully.
At first, Shiyi Niang thought that this was the tolerance of the winner. After careful observation, she found that this Mrs. Chen was a person who never led others and never lagged behind others. She followed the doctrine of the mean. But Mrs. Jiang was a little different. She always put herself last in everything. In addition, Mrs. Gan never showed off, so Mrs. Lin became the leader. Shiyi Niang listened to what Mrs. Lin said.
Fortunately, Mrs. Lin's speech was not rude, and the Second Wife would occasionally agree with her, so the atmosphere was harmonious.
After about half an incense stick of time, the second lady arrived.
She brought the date chosen by the Imperial Observatory's Yin-Yang Department to the Madam for review: "...Please take a look. Is it okay?"
The lady did not answer and said, "Just make the decision for yourself."
The Second Lady put the invitation back into her sleeve and said, "I didn't expect so many guests. I'm afraid we'll need a screen to separate the outer hall for the banquet. I'd like to borrow the three black lacquered mica screens in your storeroom."
The Madam called Wei Zilai and said, "Go and give the black lacquered mica screen to the Second Madam."
Wei Zi replied "yes", and the Second Lady exchanged some polite words with everyone else, then took Wei Zi to get the screen.
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but be secretly surprised.
Unexpectedly, Yuanniang's funeral was hosted by the Second Madam. She thought it would be the Third Madam...
As the thought flashed through her mind, she heard Madam Lin sigh: "It's a pity that such a capable person..."
It’s a pity that I couldn’t become the mistress of Yongping Marquis’ Mansion?
Eleventh Lady was thinking to herself when she saw the lady-in-waiting glance at her.
* * * * * *
With Madam Chen around, the Third Madam felt uncomfortable. Although the Second Madam had no intention of leaving, the Third Madam stood up and said she wanted to go see the First Madam. The Second Madam couldn't sit for too long, so she had to stand up and say goodbye to the First Madam.
Just then, several wives of ministers came to the lady's side. Seeing that she could not keep them, she personally escorted them to the gate of the courtyard.
Eleventh Lady whispered a few words to Seventh Lady, who turned her eyes slightly and whispered a few words to Second Lady who was saying goodbye to the Taifu Lady. Second Lady's eyes flickered slightly, she nodded slightly, and asked the Taifu Lady with a smile: "I don't know where Second Lady is sitting. I want to ask how many days will the funeral of the eldest aunt last? When will the funeral be held? Let's go back and tell Uncle, so that he can rest assured."
The lady looked at Eleventh Lady and said with a smile, "It's in the flower hall next to Dianchun Hall. The Second Lady may not know it, but the young ladies know where it is."
After hearing this, the Second Wife exchanged a few polite words with the Lady Dowager and went to the flower hall next to Dianchun Hall.
A row of daughters-in-law were standing under the eaves waiting for something to happen.
When he saw the second wife, he hurried to report to the second lady.
The Second Madam came over, surrounded by her maids and wives, and said, "Madam, you are a rare guest. Come inside and serve tea."
After everyone exchanged greetings, the second wife explained the purpose of her visit.
The Second Madam said immediately, "The coffin will be kept for 57 days, and the funeral will be held and the obituary will be sent out three days later. The senior monks of the Huguo Temple will chant the Great Compassion Repentance, and the senior Taoist priests of the Baiyun Temple will hold a ceremony. The funeral will be held at 7:00 pm on the sixth day of the fifth month, and the burial will be carried out at 4:00 pm."
The second wife smiled and said, "I can tell the eldest master when I get back."
The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and the second wife said goodbye to the second wife: "...I still have to go see my eldest sister-in-law, you are busy here too!"
The second wife said a few polite words, then sent the second wife to the alley before going back.
Along the way, Qi Niang kept whispering to Shiyi Niang: "Big sister's house is so beautiful. When I came to pay my respects to big sister last time, it was snowing heavily, so I couldn't go to the back garden!"
Eleventh Lady was thinking about her own things.
When she was whispering with Qiniang just now, she felt that the old lady was looking at her. Later, when Qiniang spoke to the Second Madam, a trace of displeasure flashed in the old lady's eyes.
Why is the lady unhappy?
Was it because she asked about the arrangements for Qi Niang's funeral that the Madam thought the Luo family was too rude as her family? Or was it because the Madam didn't like her way of beating around the bush?
She thought of the Second Madam, the Third Madam, and the Fifth Madam...
Obviously, the silent Second Lady and the lively Fifth Lady are both very popular with the Grand Lady, but the sharp-tongued Third Lady is not very popular with the Grand Lady... Is it because of the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children? Or is it just personal preference?
And the Second Madam, she stared at me for a long time when she was meeting me... Combined with what Zhun Ge said before, can it be understood that everyone in the Xu Mansion knows that Yuanniang wants to become Xu Lingyi's second wife?
As a result, it was awkward for me to come to Xu's house...
Lost in thoughts, they quickly returned to Lijingxuan.
The eldest wife was sitting with her head wrapped in a quilt, being served porridge by Madam Xu.
Seeing everyone coming back, Mother Xu hurriedly explained, "The eldest wife has only eaten this bowl of porridge since last night - the old lady specifically asked the kitchen to use yellow millet and cook it slowly over a low fire. Everyone should try it too!"
Who would have the nerve to eat the special meal that the Xu family prepared specially for the first wife? They all declined politely.
The second wife told the first wife about the Xu family's arrangements for the funeral.
The eldest wife listened and said, "Since this is the day chosen by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory's Yin and Yang Department, then so be it!" She seemed still dissatisfied.
The Imperial Astronomical Observatory was asked to choose a date, and the monks and Taoists performed a 35-day water and land ritual... Are you still not satisfied? Or is this just an excuse?
Eleventh Lady couldn't help but ponder secretly.
* * * * * *
In the evening, they returned home and the master came out to ask what happened.
The first wife followed the second wife's instructions and told them when the funeral would be held and when the burial would be held. Thinking of Luo Zhenxing who was still taking the exam, she couldn't help but put her hands together and muttered a prayer: "Yuan Niang, your spirit in heaven must bless your brother to pass the exam and your brother-in-law..."
The master was silent for a long while before he said sadly, "You are tired too. Rest early! You will be busy these days."
Everyone responded and dispersed.
When she got up the next morning, the first wife was unhappy and felt uncomfortable. She thought it was because she was sad and depressed these days. She took a Baiziren pill and felt a little better. She didn't take it seriously. After noon, she sent Wu Xiaoquan to the examination hall to pick up Luo Zhenxing. The two of them didn't come back until the beginning of the evening.
The eldest wife looked her son up and down and said, "You have lost a lot of weight."
Luo Zhenxing smiled and said, "I ate well and slept well in there, so I didn't lose weight." He then asked Luo Zhensheng who came to greet him, "When did you come?"
Luo Zhensheng hurried forward to answer: "Just arrived yesterday!"
Only then did Luo Zhenxing realize that everyone was wearing white clothes and his wife had two small white flowers on her head.
"this……"
The eldest wife sobbed: "Your eldest sister, she, she..."
Luo Zhenxing's expression changed from joy to shock: "How could this happen..." Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, "I want to go see my elder sister!"
He raised his foot and was about to step into the lotus flowers.
The eldest wife was heartbroken for her daughter and son. She stopped Luo Zhenxing and said, "What time is it now? It won't be too late to go tomorrow morning!"
Luo Zhenxing refused, and asked the servant to harness the carriage, and went back to his room to change into plain clothes.
The eldest wife had no choice but to let Luo Zhensheng accompany Luo Zhenxing.
The two brothers came back very late. Just as they lay down, someone knocked on the door.
The night watchman held a lantern and asked who it was, but he didn't expect it to be Qian Ming.
Luo Zhenxing had the door opened, and Qian Ming scolded him: "Why didn't you tell me that my elder sister passed away? If the fathers of my classmates hadn't gone to pay their respects to my elder sister, I wouldn't have known about it!"
"It's too late today." Luo Zhenxing welcomed Qian Ming in, "I'll let you know tomorrow." Seeing Qian Ming soaked in dew, he said, "Why don't you sleep here today? We'll go to Xu's house together tomorrow."
Qian Ming agreed, and a look of joy flashed in his eyes.
Luo Zhenxing couldn't help but doubt at this moment. He didn't know whether it was right or wrong for him to bring Wu Niang and Qian Ming together.