Shiyi Niang and Binju hadn't seen each other for some time, so she invited Binju to have dinner with her. As soon as they sat down, Wan Daxian came over.

Bin Ju's heart tightened.

Wan Daxian has always been a cautious and calm person. He knew that she came to the mansion to see Shiyi Niang, so even if there was something, he would not come to the door so rashly... Could something big have happened?

Eleventh Lady was also surprised. She hurriedly ordered the maid, "Please invite Steward Wan in."

The little maidservant responded and left.

There was a look of anxiety on Binju's brow.

"Don't worry." Eleventh Lady comforted her, "If there is anything, we can help find a solution together."

Binju Da Ding.

With Eleventh Lady in charge, no matter how big the problem is, we can always find a solution.

When Wan Daxian came in, his expression seemed a little serious. He bowed respectfully to Eleventh Lady and called her "Fourth Madam" with a smile, but the smile seemed a little forced.

Eleventh Lady sent the little maid in the room away.

Wan Daxian was visibly relieved.

He took out a small purple velvet bag from his chest: "Madam, look!"

Bin Ju hurriedly took it and brought it to Shiyi Niang and opened it.

They both gasped.

There was a whole bag of pearls, each as big as a longan, so glittering that it was hard to open your eyes.

Pearls of this quality, let alone a small bag, could be sold individually for forty or fifty taels of silver each.

Could it be the Wang family?

A thought flashed through Eleventh Lady’s mind.

Didn’t their family go pearl hunting after they settled in Liaodong?

Binju exclaimed, "Where did you get it from?"

"Changshun is gone, and my father and mother built a tomb for him near our orchard." Wan Daxian smiled bitterly, "I was tired, so I sat in front of the tomb and drank water. A man who claimed to be a merchant said he was lost and asked my father how to get there. My father showed him the way, and he asked my father for a cup of tea. My father didn't pay much attention to it at the time. The next day, when he was going to the mountain to get a willow basket, he found this bag. He waited in front of Changshun's tomb for four or five days, but no one came to ask. He couldn't keep waiting like this, so he asked me to go back and discuss it." As he spoke, he looked at Shiyi Niang, "I brought the things here. Let's see what Madam wants to do with it."

"Since it is ownerless, it is God's will that it has landed in your house." Eleventh Lady said, "Just accept it! If the owner comes back and asks you for the things, just ask him to find me."

Wan Daxian and Bin Ju exchanged glances. Wan Daxian seemed a little uneasy, and Bin Ju seemed a little hesitant.

They are all honest people, and even if they picked it up, they cannot use it with peace of mind.

"Don't worry!" Eleventh Lady reminded them, "You have taken care of Changshun for so many years, his family members must know about this. Maybe you will receive some strange things in the future."

The two of them suddenly realized.

Bin Ju said, "Then I can't accept him." Tears flickered in the corners of her eyes again, "I didn't plan for him to go back at the beginning."

Wan Daxian also looked a little gloomy.

"I never thought of that." Eleventh Lady couldn't help but sigh, "Just treat it as a thought!"

The two nodded.

Since Wan Daxian was here, she would not invite Bin Ju to dinner. But she still had to give face to Bin Ju.

Eleventh Lady gave the couple a table full of food to take back.

When Xu Lingyi came back in the evening, Shiyi Niang told him about this matter.

"The Wang family is quite thoughtful." Xu Lingyi nodded and stopped talking about this matter. He talked about the Wanshou Festival in November. "...The emperor is turning 50. According to Prince Shun, it should be a grand celebration. Lord Han from the Hanlin Academy even wrote a special memorial for this. According to the Ministry of Travel, the emperor read it several times. Although he kept it in his heart, he put the memorial on the table when he summoned several ministers to the palace to discuss matters. I think we should prepare birthday gifts early, otherwise we will not be able to buy anything good even if we have money!"

"The emperor lacks nothing," said Eleventh Lady, "but I'm afraid he still needs to work on the meaning."

"I thought so too," Xu Lingyi said, "I'm going to talk to the people in the office and Mr. Zhao tomorrow to see what to give." In the end, he gave the purple purlin ivory screen carved with the image of Peng Zu from his family's collection as a birthday gift. Although it was not outstanding or unconventional, it was well-balanced and in line with the style of the Marquis of Yongping.

On the day of entering the palace to celebrate the birthday, the Empress, out of sympathy for the Madam, specifically ordered that after the audience, she be taken to the warm room next to the side hall to rest.

"Fifth brother's wife, please accompany the Madam to rest here!" Eleventh Lady discussed with the Fifth Madam, "I'll go to the side hall and wait for the banquet to start." When the time comes, just invite the Madam and the Fifth Madam to sit together.

Although it is the emperor's grace, she cannot be too arrogant. It would be unreasonable for her not to show up.

Madam Wu nodded: "I will take good care of mother!"

There was a sudden noise outside.

"Madam Yongping Marquis, Madam Yongping Marquis!" Someone called out to Eleventh Lady as she entered the side hall.

The people in the room looked in the direction of the voice and saw the eldest princess in a bright red dress embroidered with gold flying in like a butterfly: "Where is Jing'er?"

The three of them hurriedly stood up and saluted the eldest princess.

The eldest princess immediately supported the lady and said, "Please sit down quickly! Otherwise, you will end up like Madam Zheng, who was carried to the back hall by others."

The lady was shocked when she heard this: "How is Madam Zheng now?"

"I don't know!" said the eldest princess, "It shouldn't be a problem! Otherwise, the people from the Imperial Hospital would have come to report to the Queen Mother." Then she asked Eleventh Lady, "Where is Jin'er? Why can't I find him anywhere? He's not in Jiaotai Palace either."

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "He went out to travel."

"How come I didn't know?" the eldest princess cried in surprise. "When did he leave? Where did he go? When will he come back?"

"I'm going to travel to the northwest." Eleventh Lady said vaguely, "When I'll be back depends on my schedule."

The eldest princess pouted and said, "I was wondering why he didn't come to the palace to pay his respects during the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival. I was planning to have him play Cuju with me during the Chinese New Year!"

"It's a blessing for him that the Grand Princess wants him to play Cuju." Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "I'll write a letter and see if I can contact him. If I can, I'll reply to the princess."

The eldest princess stamped her feet and left angrily.

The lady hurriedly asked, "Go and find out what happened to Madam Zheng."

Eleventh Lady left immediately.

The side hall where the ladies of state rested was filled with a buzz of people, all discussing in low voices the affairs of Lady Zheng.

Eleventh Lady quietly looked for Huang Xianying, but before she could speak, a palace maid hurried over and said, "It's okay. Madam Zheng just had a shortness of breath and chest tightness. She's fine now."

Huang Xianying let out a long breath.

If something happens today, it will always be unlucky.

After receiving the letter, Eleventh Lady went back to report to the Lady Dowager.

The Madam shook the Fifth Madam's hand and said, "In the future, the fewer banquets like this, the better."

"Then I'll go talk to the Queen Mother?" The Fifth Lady said with a smile, "Then you can rest at home."

The lady acquiesced.

There was a burst of laughter coming from the side hall, and someone asked loudly: "Why can't we see the wife of the Marquis of Yongping? Where did she hide?"

Eleventh Lady was stunned. She exchanged glances with Fifth Lady and hurried over.

The one who spoke was Mrs. Tang Si.

Eleventh Lady stepped forward and patted her shoulder: "It was so loud, it scared me!"

Mrs. Tang Si laughed.

Someone on the side said, "Congratulations, Madam Yongping. His Majesty has spoken and appointed your sixth son as the Commander of the Xiaoling Guards, a rank of fourth grade. Hereditary."

Eleventh Lady's heart skipped a beat.

Xiaoling Guard is an organization that is specifically responsible for solving the employment problems of the sons of the emperor's relatives and the princesses' consorts. It is said that they guard the mausoleum for the ancestors, but in fact, the guards there are the household soldiers and captains. These hereditary military officers only wear official uniforms to accompany the emperor when he goes to offer sacrifices. There are Fengxian Hall, Zhai Palace, Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth in the palace. The emperor can't go to the mausoleum palace once every ten years, so these people stay at home every day and get paid. It is even more idle than the Xishan Camp. At least the Xishan Camp has to live in the camp and at least be taken out to exercise, but the Xiaoling Guard doesn't even have to report for work and doesn't have to do anything.

"Who told you that?" She was in a state of shock. She didn't know what had happened, let alone how such words were spoken. "I have never heard of this before!"

"It just came from the inner study." Mrs. Tang smiled, "Eunuch He has asked someone to write an imperial edict and send it to the Ministry of Personnel. The documents from the Ministry of Personnel should arrive in the next two days." She laughed twice and said, "When the time comes, you have to set up a few tables of wine and treat us to a few meals."

"If it's true, I can eat as many meals as my sister says." Eleventh Lady said, "I just don't know how this rumor got around."

"It's true!" The one who spoke was Mrs. Gan's sister-in-law. She smiled and said, "The emperor summoned several ministers in the inner study, and the eldest princess had people stop Yongping Hou from asking for someone. The emperor knew that Yongping Hou had sent your sixth young master to Jiayu Pass, so he issued an edict to appoint your sixth young master as the commander-in-chief..."

Before she could finish her words, the eldest princess rushed in.

"Madam Yongping, Madam Yongping, please have someone find Jing'er back." She said proudly, "Father has appointed him as the commander of the Xiaoling Guards, and asked him to return quickly to receive the imperial edict."

Eleventh Lady's mind was in a mess. She didn't know what the emperor meant? What did he think of Jing'er going to Jiayuguan? What did Xu Lingyi think? What were his plans?

She could only kneel down and thank the princess.

The eldest princess took her hand before she knelt down and said, "Remember to ask him to come back soon. I have arranged to play Cuju with my brothers in the East Garden on the fourth day of the New Year. He must come! Otherwise, I will definitely lose."

Eleventh Lady replied "yes" respectfully, but she felt bitter in her heart.

The eldest princess left happily. Huang Xianying invited her to speak on behalf of the Queen Mother.

"…Your Majesty is the father of all people. His achievements in civil and military affairs are known to all. How could he just give a random reward just because of a word from the eldest princess?" The Queen's words were very subtle. "Your Majesty knows very well what kind of person Yongping Hou is. This time he just took advantage of the birthday celebration. Go back and tell Yongping Hou to accept the order happily. I'm still here in the palace!"

Eleventh Lady looked at the Queen's quiet and gentle face, and couldn't help muttering in her heart: I don't know if you can do it... But she didn't dare to be negligent and knelt down to express her gratitude.

The Queen smiled with satisfaction.

He took her hand and said, "Let's go to the main hall. It's about time for the banquet to start!"

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I'll post a draft first and update it for everyone to see tomorrow morning!

O(∩_∩)O~