No one expected such a good result, and the surprise spread everywhere like wildfire. The prominent housekeepers and housekeepers rushed to congratulate Xu Lingyi, the old lady, Shiyi Niang, and Xiang. The mood of the old lady, Shiyi Niang, and Xiang can be imagined, and all those who came to congratulate were rewarded with silver. Only Xu Lingyi just nodded lightly, which made the people who came to congratulate feel a little uneasy, not knowing whether they were flattering or hitting the wrong foot, like fire hitting water, and immediately wilted. He stammered and shortened the words that he wanted to say for half an incense stick of time to three or two sentences, and then retreated in disgrace. Seeing this, the others naturally did not mention it.

The quietness and silence in the outer courtyard soon affected the mood in the inner courtyard. The maids, who had been laughing and talking noisily, couldn't help but become quieter, and the joyful atmosphere gradually faded.

"Are you really unhappy?" Eleventh Lady entered the inner room and saw Xu Lingyi leaning on the big kang by the window reading a book. She smiled and sat down beside him, "I don't believe it!" She then asked, "Why does the Marquis put on such a face?"

Xu Lingyi's serious face was like snow melting in the sun. "You can see it too. They all look as if they are afraid that the world will know. If I give them a smile, it will be like oil falling on fire. I don't know how it will burn! If he passed the imperial examination, it would be fine. But he is a juren. Whether he can pass the imperial examination is still uncertain. If others see him, I am afraid they will laugh at Yu'er's frivolity. Besides, Yu'er is not young anymore. He has been traveling between Le'an and Yanjing in the past few years and even went to Jiangnan once. If you still look at things superficially, I think it is not too much for him to be ignored by me."

Eleventh Lady didn't know what to say.

The relationship between Xu Lingyi and Xu Siyu is a typical feudal father-son relationship.

"The Marquis has too high expectations of Yu-ge'er," she advised. "You should at least give him a smile or give him something as a tip. Only a god can guess right every time if you keep guessing like this!"

"He is going to pursue a career in government, so the first thing he needs to do is to learn how to figure out his superiors' intentions." Xu Lingyi disagreed. "If he doesn't even know who is around him, I think even if he passes the imperial examination, he should just stay in the Hanlin Academy and edit books, so that he won't be used by others and say good things for others, which would embarrass me!"

"Isn't what the Marquis said too serious?" Eleventh Lady said, "Everyone has to relax somewhere. If family members who are related by blood have to think about it the same as outsiders, when can they take a break?"

Xu Lingyi remained silent for a moment, then changed the subject: "I think you'll have to work hard these two days. - Yu'er has passed the imperial examination, so you should go to the Jiang and Xiang families in person. I'm afraid Madam Zhou and the others will come over to congratulate you when they hear the news."

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk more, Eleventh Lady didn't want to argue any more and make herself look like a talkative old woman.

"Don't worry, my Lord. I have already asked the housekeeper to prepare the gifts and reward money." She smiled and said, "We will go to the Jiang family early in the morning and the Xiang family in the afternoon."

Xu Lingyi nodded and turned to go to the study. "I want to write a letter to Mr. Jiang in Le'an and Mr. Xiang who is far away in Huguang. First, I want to thank them, and second, I want to ask about Yu'er. Should he continue to participate in the Spring Examination? Or should he study for a few more years before taking the exam?" He paused and said, "He ranked fourth... The top two lists of the Spring Examination will take one or two hundred... If by any chance he can't get in..."

If you can't get in, you will either fail the exam or be a fellow Jinshi.

If you fail, you can just take the exam again next time. But if you pass the exam and become a fellow Jinshi… Although they are from the same family, one is like a wife and the other is like a concubine, and the treatment is worlds apart.

This is a big deal.

Eleventh Lady saw Xu Lingyi off and was just thinking about whether she should find the four-ge calligraphy works with gold inscriptions that the palace had awarded to Xu Lingyi during the New Year and give them to Xu Siyu as a gift, when Xu Siyu came over.

"Your father is in the study!" she laughed, without even sitting down.

Who knew Xu Siyu said: "I'm here to find my mother!"

Eleventh Lady was stunned: "Looking for me?"

Xu Siyu nodded.

Eleventh Lady invited Xu Siyu to sit in the west room.

Xu Siyu took out a small glass enamel bottle with a red gold twisted wire cap and said, "This morning, I heard from Yingying's mother that my sixth brother was bitten by an insect in Huai'an, and a red blister the size of an elm seed appeared on his face. This was given to me by my father-in-law when I went to his place. He said it is very effective in treating mosquito bites. Mother, please ask someone to send it to Yangzhou by express delivery of 600 miles from the Ministry of War!"

Eleventh Lady learned about this matter only after receiving a letter from Luo Zhenxing this morning. Jing'er didn't mention it in the letter. Although Luo Zhenxing's letter was full of apologies, saying that he didn't take good care of Jing'er, and told her that he had invited a local famous doctor to treat Jing'er, the red blisters had reduced a lot. But she was still very worried. Not only did she ask Hubo to ask for medical advice from Liu Yizheng, but she also found all the external compresses in the house with Qiuyu and others to reduce swelling. At that time, Xiang brought Yingying to greet her, and she might have heard something.

She didn't refuse.

There are many mosquitoes in Huguang, and Mr. Xiang is the governor of Huguang. Since it was sent by Mr. Xiang and Xu Siyu also said it was good, it should have some effect.

"Don't tell the Madam about this," Eleventh Lady took the gallbladder bottle, "I don't want her to worry."

Xu Siyu immediately said, "Don't worry, mother. I have also warned Yingying's mother."

As he was speaking, Amber came in holding a black lacquered box.

"What did Doctor Liu say?" Eleventh Lady stepped forward immediately.

Xu Siyu hurriedly followed.

Amber opened the box: "Doctor Liu said that if there is only one red blister on the Sixth Young Master's face, use the medicine powder in this yellow bottle; if there are a small red blister on the Sixth Young Master's face, use this brown bottle; if the red blister has something like a blister, use this white bottle..."

"Wait a minute," Shiyi Niang saw that there were seven or eight bottles, and told Qiuyu, "Go and grind the ink for me," and then said to Hubo, "I'll write down what you said and send it along with this box, so they can use the medicine according to what Doctor Liu said."

Qiuyu left in response, and Amber nodded repeatedly.

"Mother, let me write it!" Xu Siyu, who was standing by, said hurriedly, "You take a rest. I don't have anything to do anyway!"

Eleventh Lady did not reject Xu Siyu's kindness. Amber said, Xu Siyu, remember, put the glass bottle that Xu Siyu sent in a box, and ask Manager Zhao to send it to Jing'er as soon as possible.

Xu Siyu took the initiative to ask for a cup of tea.

Eleventh Lady thought he had something to say to her, but his lips twitched and he finally stood up and left without saying anything.

She thought of Xu Lingyi's coldness.

"Your father is writing to Mr. Jiang and Mr. Xiang," Eleventh Lady said tactfully, "discussing your Spring Examination."

Xu Siyu laughed when he heard this: "Mother, don't worry, I know what father meant. I don't want everyone to know about this matter." He looked calm and peaceful.

It seems that she was overthinking it.

"It's good that you understand!" Eleventh Lady smiled and asked Amber to take the four-pavilion calligraphy with gold inscriptions to Xu Siyu, "The Empress gave this to your father. I have used a piece, the color is very good, dark and shiny, you can try it."

Xu Siyu said without hesitation, "I was wondering what to give to Master and Fang Ji. It would be great if I could put these calligraphy works in fine black boxes and give them to them separately." He added, "Since mother has used one piece, then she has opened a box. I wonder if there are any left. Otherwise, you can give them all to me!"

Since there are four pavilions of calligraphy, there are four pieces.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but smile: "There are three more pieces, all given to you."

Xu Siyu thanked him with a smile, and went back to have a few black inlaid boxes made with golden inscriptions. They were antique and magnificent, which suited his status.

After a round of socializing with my teacher and friends, the winter solstice soon arrived.

Mr. Jiang and Mr. Xiang both received letters. Both of them tactfully suggested that Xu Siyu take the exam again in three years. One said, "…while you are young, study hard. When you are thirty, your memory will not be as good as before, and the books you read in your youth will be the most readable." The other said, "…it is good to become famous at a young age, but it is easy to be proud and ambitious, and you will inevitably be a little arrogant in your actions. You often offend your superiors or colleagues without knowing it, and it is difficult for you to achieve great things."

"Then let's take the exam three years later!" Xu Lingyi made the decision immediately.

Xu Siyu was not surprised by this result.

Since his father was unwilling to celebrate his success in the imperial examination, he was even less willing to take advantage of the situation and participate in the spring examination. He could just go back to the academy in Le'an and study hard.

He asked Eleventh Lady: "When will Sixth Brother come back? I haven't seen him for several years. He went to the northwest with his father, and then to the south with his uncle. He must have changed a lot, right? I don't know if he will recognize me when he sees me."

"He will come back before the New Year." When Eleventh Lady thought that she would be able to see Jin Ge'er in a month, she could not hide her joy. "Didn't the Marquis tell you to come back to Le'an after the New Year? It's just right, you brothers can meet each other."

Xu Siyu was a little surprised when he heard this: "Isn't my uncle going back to Yuhang for the New Year?"

"No!" Shiyi Niang knew that Luo Zhenxing did this for Jing'er, and said with some guilt, "Your uncle is spending the New Year in Yanjing."

As soon as she finished speaking, Amber came in and handed her a large list: "Madam, these are all prepared for the New Year. Take a look!"

Xu Siyu hurriedly stood up and said goodbye.

Eleventh Lady flipped through the list carefully, then took out a Shoushan stone square seal with a three-ram-opening-Taishang button and stamped it. She gave the amber to Jiang, and then Jiang assigned tasks to the housekeepers based on the list.

She saw that Jiang Shi was very diligent in helping her manage the household affairs, and gradually became shrewd. She simply handed over some of the New Year's affairs to Jiang Shi, and she only took care of the preparation of sacrifices at the ancestral hall and the visits to various mansions for New Year's gifts. In previous years, she was very busy during the New Year, but this year, she had a lot of free time, so she took the maids, daughters-in-law and mother-in-law to decorate the house for Jing Ge'er and clean the courtyard. As soon as December came, she began to send people to wait at the gate.

On the third day after eating Laba porridge, Luo Zhenxing brought Jing'er back to the lotus garden.

※

I don’t know what happened to the starting point. I haven’t been able to log in these days.

It took me over an hour today.

well!

Will update as normal tomorrow!