After tidying up the house in Si'er Hutong, Liu Yuanrui's eldest son Liu Taiping and his family moved in and settled down. It was already the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month. Shiyi Niang asked Hupo to tell Lanting: "You can move in any time."

The next day was the Little New Year, and there was a constant stream of people coming to pay New Year's greetings to Liang Ge Lao. As the daughter-in-law in charge of household affairs, Lan Ting was even busier. Even so, she took time to go to Si'er Hutong and gave Liu Taiping's family 200 taels of silver, asking her to help buy some tables, chairs, pots, pans, firewood, rice, oil and salt, and also rewarded her with another 2 taels of silver.

Liu Taiping is now on duty at the Xu Mansion, responsible for guarding the gate. He is still very honest, but he is the companion of Eleventh Lady, and no one dares to look down on him. Not only that, he was promoted to a foreman, managing more than ten people. His daughter is the niece of Mama Li, who manages the kitchen in the inner courtyard. She used to work in the small kitchen of the second lady in the inner courtyard of the Xu Mansion. She is not only flexible, but also a good cook. After receiving the reward, he hurriedly took a box of snacks to Lanting's personal mother: "I made it myself, take it and try it."

The mother took it with a smile. She went back and gave it to the people around her to taste. They all praised it highly and asked for a second piece after eating one. The mother was moved and quickly put the remaining pieces of snacks on a plate and gave them to Lanting: "Try it too."

Before Lanting had time to have dinner, he took a bite with hot tea and said, "It's really good. Sweet and refreshing, with the taste of lotus seeds and mung bean paste. I wonder what the filling is." He ate two or three pieces before letting go.

"It was made by Liu Taiping's family in Si'er Hutong."

Lan Ting nodded slightly, said "I understand", and kept the snack.

After a busy fifth day, I asked my mother to deliver a note to the Xu family, saying that I would go to pay my respects to the lady on the sixth day.

Xu Lingyi was not at home, so Xu Sizhun was in charge of ancestor worship and New Year greetings. The younger generation was naturally led to Jiang's place, while Madam Zhou and Mrs. Tang Si were entertained by Shiyi Niang. Madam Huang, Zheng Taijun and other elders were invited to sit in the room of the Taifu. But Madam Zhou and the others were all clan wives, and they were busy with the guests at home, so how could they come to the Xu family to join in the fun? They just lacked a capable mother to bring a name card to wish a happy new year. Madam Huang and Zheng Taijun were both old and could not stand the noise. They usually visited each other, but the more they came to the New Year, the less they went anywhere. Even if the side branches of the family came to wish a happy new year, they had to see if they were in good spirits. There were no guests at the Taifu at all, and Shiyi Niang was free, but Jiang's place was very busy. The Taifu invited two female storytellers to tell stories. Xu Sijie was afraid that his mother would be lonely, so he came early every day to talk to Shiyi Niang. When the sun was good, he would lean on the beautiful woman under the eaves and play the flute. This caused the maids and wives passing by to not help but take a few more glances.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but smile slightly.

Does this mean that the boy in our family has grown up?

Xu Sijie, however, was not so conscious. He pulled Shiyi Niang to the steps leading to the hall.

"Mother, what do you think about us planting a few cannas in the corner?" He pointed to two beautiful Taihu stones stacked in the east corner. "They look like they are emerging from the rocks. No matter what season it is, they are always interesting."

"Okay!" Eleventh Lady thought this was a good idea. "When spring comes, have someone plant a few!"

Xu Sijie smiled and replied "yes". A little maid hurried in and said, "Madam, the fourth young lady is here with the wife of Mr. Jiang from the Hanlin Academy!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded, then went to the gate to greet Madam Jiang.

After saying "Congratulations" to each other, Mrs. Jiang and Shiyi Niang went to the main house side by side.

"I should have come to see you before the New Year," Mrs. Jiang said, "but it just so happened that there was something going on at home, and by the time I was done with it, it would have been the Little New Year. So, as soon as the fourth day of the New Year was over, I came to wish you a happy New Year."

"You are too polite," Eleventh Lady asked Madam Jiang to sit on the big kang by the window, "I should be the one to pay you New Year's greetings. But the Marquis is not at home, so I am very inconvenienced. I did not go anywhere for the New Year this year. I hope you can understand!"

The two of them exchanged pleasantries for a long time, and Madam Jiang stood up to say goodbye: "It's the New Year, and I'm too busy. After the New Year, I'll come to visit you one day, and we can have a good chat." She smiled and said, "I've heard that the greenhouse in Yongping Marquis's Mansion is full of flowers all year round. I'll ask Madam to take me to see the greenhouse when the time comes."

"I'm afraid I can't invite you!" Eleventh Lady tried to stop her, "You have to eat before you go back, right? Otherwise, how will our Fourth Young Lady feel?"

"You have many guests. I'll come to bother you another day." Jiang insisted on leaving.

Jiang took Madam Jiang's arm and said, "Aunt, please stay and have dinner before you leave!" She was very sincere in her request.

Mrs. Jiang was a little hesitant.

Wang Shu walked over quickly.

"Madam, Madam Jiang, Fourth Young Madam!" He clasped his hands together and bowed, "Fourth Young Master has something for me to ask Fourth Young Madam!"

Jiang took a step forward: "What's the matter?"

Wang Shu glanced at Shiyi Niang and Madam Jiang, and his voice suddenly dropped. "The Fourth Young Master asked me to ask the Fourth Young Madam where you got the pair of gourds for raising katydids that you bought last summer. Young Master Wang Yun came to wish the Fourth Young Master a happy new year, and the Fourth Young Master asked me to find the pair of gourds and send them to Young Master Wang."

"I asked Baozhu to put away the pair of gourds and put them on the top shelf of the study's treasure cabinet. They can be found easily." Jiang said in a deep voice, "Did Mr. Wang ask the fourth young master for the pair of gourds? Or did the fourth young master want to give the pair of gourds to Mr. Wang?"

"Young Master Wang said that he had fought against Young Master Li in a katydid battle a few days ago, but he lost because of the equipment. The fourth young master said that he got a pair of gourds in the summer, and they looked pretty good. He asked him to take them out to Young Master Wang to have a look. If Young Master Wang likes them, he will give them to him."

Jiang didn't ask any more questions and told Baozhu to find a gourd for Xu Sizun.

Mrs. Jiang smiled and said "excuse me", then stayed at Shiyi Niang's place for dinner.

Jiang sent Madam Jiang to the gate of the hanging flower garden and talked to her reluctantly for a long time until Madam Jiang's carriage disappeared from Jiang's sight. Jiang stood there for a while before turning around and going to the inner courtyard.

Qiu Yu walked over with a smile: "Fourth Young Madam, Madam asked you to go sit with her!"

Jiang was a little surprised.

At this time, I wonder what my mother-in-law wants to talk to her about?

She straightened her clothes and followed Qiuyu to the main room.

The maids who usually stood under the eaves to serve were now all gone. The big red lanterns were hanging quietly under the eaves, and you could hear a pin drop in the yard.

Her heartstrings couldn't help but tense up, and she became cautious in her every move.

"Come," Eleventh Lady smiled and pointed to the armchair in front of the kang, "Sit down and talk!"

Jiang replied "yes", sat upright on the armchair, and glanced around out of the corner of her eyes.

There was only Amber in the room, serving her, but after Amber offered her tea, she tiptoed away, leaving only her and Shiyi Niang.

Jiang took a deep breath and her mood gradually calmed down.

"Mother, what do you want me to do?"

"Nothing special." Eleventh Lady smiled and took the orange from the blue and white porcelain high-legged fruit plate on the kang table and began to peel it. "I just thought of something and wanted to ask you!"

Jiang asked hurriedly, "Mother, may I ask?"

Eleventh Lady said nothing, lowered her head, and concentrated on peeling the oranges.

The room became unusually quiet.

Jiang heard her own rapid and heavy breathing.

She was busy calming down and holding her breath.

After a while, Eleventh Lady finally peeled the orange.

She carefully removed the white veins on the orange, then smiled and raised her head, handing the orange to Jiang: "Try it, it's a tribute from Fujian."

Jiang bowed slightly and took the orange, feeling a bit of a dilemma - if she ate it, it would seem disrespectful to her mother-in-law if she ate the orange so carelessly, as her mother-in-law had peeled it herself, and if she got the wrong idea, she would think that she disliked her.

For a moment she was undecided.

Eleventh Lady had already wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and it was clear that she had no intention of peeling the orange anymore.

Should I give half to my mother-in-law?

As Jiang was thinking, she saw Shiyi Niang pick up the teacup and take a sip. She smiled and said, "I heard Zhun'er say last time that you asked me to tell the Crown Princess about the two thousand taels of silver I gave to Princess Yong..."

How could she order her mother-in-law around!

Jiang's heart skipped a beat when she heard this, and she said hurriedly, "Mother-in-law, I just feel that we are all human. It is inconvenient to have the cash in hand to build a garden in Prince Yong's mansion. Although we are not very strong, now that we know about this, we should do our best to show our support. Just like when the eldest princess offered sacrifices to the Queen Mother of Pox a few days ago, mother and Madam Zhou made a special trip to Ciyuan Temple to pray for the eldest princess. I hope the Crown Princess and Princess Yong will not misunderstand."

"Don't be nervous." Eleventh Lady smiled, "I just heard your tone, as if you have read a lot of classics and history books. So I asked!"

"My family runs a school," Jiang said thoughtfully, "I have heard about it many times, so I have some impression of it, but I have never read it seriously."

"I was just writing down my feelings," said Eleventh Lady. "Yesterday when I went back to Gongxian Hutong, I heard from your twelfth aunt that the second daughter of her uncle from her husband's family - the uncle who had served as the governor of Fujian and is now the chief justice of the Supreme Court - married the eldest son of the prefect of Jianning. The prefect of Jianning was also implicated in the turmoil in Fujian this time, and his family was exiled to Yongchang in Yunnan and Guizhou. Although Lord Wang is the chief justice of the Supreme Court, he has no way to save his daughter and grandson from prison." As she spoke, the smile on her face gradually faded. "Every festive season makes us miss our relatives. Your twelfth aunt's aunt is heartbroken when she thinks of her daughter far away in Yunnan. She was crying like a knife, and no one could stop her. The people around her also shed tears. The family was so sad that they couldn't even have a good New Year." She sighed softly, "I remember that when your twelfth aunt's mother-in-law was seriously ill, I went to visit her. The aunt in their family was still a little girl, and she also went with her mother to visit the patient. I heard her talk. She was not only proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also liked to read classics and history. She was very generous and behaved in a measured manner. She was like a pearl and morning dew. I didn't expect that she would end up like this. I was sad for a long time listening to her..."

Eleventh Lady's words were a bit incoherent, but a smart woman like Jiang heard them clearly and understood them distinctly.

※

Post a draft first!

O(∩_∩)O~

I have decided to update more, but it will be very late, so please get up tomorrow morning and read it!