Chapter 88 Newly Married (Part 2)

After returning to the lotus garden, Shiyi Niang and Xu Lingyi first went to pay their respects to the lady dowager.

The lady was delighted to see them return, and hurriedly asked Madam Du to serve them the food.

Xu Lingyi smiled and sat down opposite the lady and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten!" The lady looked at Eleventh Lady standing behind Xu Lingyi with some hesitation on her face.

Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. We have seen the Queen Mother. Nothing will happen."

The lady seemed to want to say something but stopped herself.

Eleventh Lady saw that the Lady Dowager had something to say to Xu Lingyi.

She smiled and knelt down to greet the lady, "I'll go see why the food hasn't arrived yet."

There was a flash of surprise in the eyes of both mother and son, but neither tried to keep her.

Eleventh Lady understood what was happening and stepped back with a smile.

The lady looked at Shiyi Niang's back and nodded slightly: "What a clever little girl."

For some reason, Xu Lingyi coughed slightly after hearing this and said, "Mother, the Queen Mother will be fine." Then he told the Madam about his conversation with the Queen Mother, "Shou Changbo was trying to get involved in the shipping business but failed. Now that I've said this, the Queen Mother won't care about the small gap from before! I'm afraid she will call Shou Changbo to talk to her today."

The lady sighed softly after hearing this: "In recent years, other families have been unable to get into the business of the Water Bureau of the Marquis of Jianning and the Earl of Shouchang. I didn't expect them to set their sights on the Imperial Household Department. Speaking of which, the Yang family has made a lot of money in recent years, why don't they know how to stop? Why can't she understand that in this world, only the iron rice bowl given by the emperor is real, and the rest are all empty and vain. No matter how much money you have, it's empty."

Xu Lingyi smiled and said, "How many people in the world can see through all this glory and wealth like you?"

The lady couldn't help but laugh: "You kid, you know how to tease your mother." She laughed again, "It seems that it is good to have someone in the room. Even the conversation has become more fluent."

Xu Lingyi blushed slightly, looking around and asked, "When is the recognition? Otherwise we'll be late."

The lady smiled and said, "We are afraid that you will be back late, so we will set it at the beginning of the afternoon."

Xu Lingyi took out his pocket watch and took a look: "Two more hours."

The lady nodded and said, "I have something I want to discuss with you." Without waiting for Xu Lingyi to answer, she said directly, "Brother Zhe, please leave it in my room!"

Xu Lingyi was slightly stunned.

The lady said, "She is not only the child's mother, but also his aunt. I have nothing to worry about. I am just worried that she is young and has just entered the mansion. She has too many things to do and cannot take care of everything. I will help her for a few days. When she gets the hang of things, it won't be too late to let Brother Zhe follow her."

Xu Lingyi suddenly thought of the slender waist he held last night.

"It's a little too small," he murmured, "Just help look after it for now."

The lady nodded slightly and continued, "Now that she has entered the family, it is not good to let the third daughter-in-law help manage the family affairs. But this was decided when Yuan Niang was here. If she takes the key as soon as she enters the house, I am afraid that there will be gossip. I think we should let the third daughter-in-law manage the family affairs. Let's find a chance and talk about it!"

"Mother, you have considered everything very carefully." Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "Let's follow your arrangement!"

"Hmm!" Seeing that Xu Lingyi agreed to both of her concerns, the lady smiled even more and asked about Xu Lingyi's affairs, "How's your business going?"

"The doctor said I have foot paralysis. I can't go to cold places anymore. I need to take good care of myself for three to five years. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll be paralyzed in bed."

The lady came over with a smile: "This foot arthritis is good. There is nothing unusual about it. Whether it will get sick or not depends entirely on the weather, but who can predict the weather for sure!"

"That's exactly the truth." Xu Lingyi said with a smile, "I'm afraid I'll be left alone at home in the future."

"It's good for you to have some free time at home!" The lady looked at her son with a look full of pity: "You should also have some time to rest at home. Xiao San is honest and loyal, and Xiao Wu has the potential to become a great man. You are the pillar of the family..."

"Mom, please stop talking like that." Xu Lingyi said, "Third brother is a cautious person, and Xiaowu is not yet grown up. It will be fine in the future." He did not want to discuss this topic with his mother, and immediately changed the subject, "When will the fifth brother's wife give birth? Is there anything else I can help with? Do you want to move to another place? Or move to the villa in Xishan?"

"Why is there so much to be particular about?" The lady smiled and said, "Qin Tianjian said that oxen and sheep don't meet. Danyang is born in the year of the sheep, so as long as she doesn't meet anyone born in the year of the ox, she will be fine. I have asked Madam Du to do it herself, and all those born in the year of the ox in the family will temporarily move to the West Hill Villa to avoid it... Nothing will happen."

Xu Lingyi nodded: "That's good!"

"I don't know what happened. I gave birth to four boys and one girl, but I didn't have to work as hard as you do." The old lady said in a sad tone, "I just hope that the Bodhisattva will bless Danyang and give birth to a boy to add to our Xu family."

Xu Lingyi was not sure what to say about this topic. Yao Huang came to ask, "Where is the food?"

The lady pointed to the east room and said, "Put it there!"

Yao Huang and the maids hurriedly removed the kang table on the big kang by the window in the east room and replaced it with a kang table that was already filled with food.

Xu Lingyi couldn't help but ask, "Where is the fourth lady?"

Yao Huang smiled and said, "I'm drinking tea with Mother Du in the side room!"

Xu Lingyi was slightly surprised.

He thought she would be bored.

Standing outside the door waiting...

Yao Huang looked at him and said hurriedly: "Sister Wei Zi has already gone to invite the fourth lady!"

Xu Lingyi nodded, and saw Shiyi Niang walking in sinisterly.

"Say hello to mother and come over for dinner!" He nodded lightly towards Eleventh Lady.

Eleventh Lady responded with a "yes", went to greet the lady-in-waiting as instructed, and sat down opposite Xu Lingyi.

The maid brought her some water to wash her hands. She asked for a small bowl of porridge. Seeing Xu Lingyi had asked for a large bowl of rice, she ate while waiting for him. By the time Xu Lingyi put down his bowl, she had finished eating. Xu Lingyi's eyes fell on her bowl.

Shiyi Niang thought about what he would say. She had even thought of excuses like "I don't eat much" and "I usually eat this much", but Xu Lingyi said nothing.

The two thanked the lady for the meal, then went back to their room to wash up and prepare for the afternoon meeting.

Xu Lingyi asked him if he wanted to take a break: "...The recognition will be confirmed in the afternoon."

Eleventh Lady felt like she was about to fall apart, so she didn't bother to be polite with him and nodded immediately: "I'll take a nap."

Xu Lingyi nodded and went to the study - his study was in the east wing of the front yard.

Eleventh Lady immediately breathed a sigh of relief, washed up simply, and fell asleep.

When Dongqing woke him up, she stayed in bed for a while.

…

The first ancestor of the Xu family was just an orphan who didn't know his parents. He followed Emperor Taizong by chance, and that's how he got this family business. Later, due to the "Zheng An Wang conspiracy case", several branches went their separate ways. When Yingzong was reinstated, except for an uncle who settled in Nanjing, the other branches could not be found.

Therefore, when the Third Lady introduced the relatives from Nanjing to Eleventh Lady, she just said: "This is Grandma Hongda, Grandma Fuer, and Grandma Dingsan from the south!"

They are the three sisters-in-law of my uncle. Except that Grandma Hongda's husband Xu Linghong is older than Xu Lingyi, the other two are younger than Xu Lingyi.

Eleventh Lady knelt down and handed over the needlework she had made.

The three grandmothers each gave Eleventh Lady a set of headwear.

He also introduced Madam Huang, the Earl of Yongchang: "...my mother's sworn sister!"

Mrs. Huang smiled and praised Shiyi Niang for a pair of combs inlaid with lapis lazuli.

As for the Second Madam, the Fifth Madam, Chun Ge and Zhen Jie, she knew them all. So she carefully looked at Xu Lingyi's eldest son Xu Siyu and Xu Lingning's two sons Xu Siqin and Xu Sijian. Xu Siyu was eleven years old, with a fair face and a pair of round and long phoenix eyes. Not only did he look like Xu Lingyi, but his polite manners and measured and steady manner were even more like Xu Lingyi. They seemed to be printed from the same mold.

Xu Siqin was three years older than Xu Siyu, and he was the eldest of the Si generation. Like all adolescent boys, he was tall and thin, but his facial features were very beautiful, and he looked like the third lady.

Perhaps because he is the same age as Shiyi Niang, he looked a little embarrassed when receiving the gift.

Xu Sijian was neither as steady as his cousin Xu Siyu, who was only a few months older than him, nor as shy as his brother Xu Siqin. He was thin and small, with a sharp look. As soon as Eleventh Lady took out the needle and thread for him, he immediately stepped forward to take it: "How dare you trouble Fourth Aunt to drive, I'll do it, I'll do it!"

When a child speaks like an adult, it naturally makes everyone laugh.

Everyone had dinner in the flower hall. The lady herself saw Mrs. Huang off.

Xu Lingkuan shouted that he wanted to go out for a walk: "...It's a rare trip here, I should at least take a look around!"

The three cousins ​​from the south all had the same idea, so Xu Lingyi and Xu Lingning accompanied them out.

Grandma Hongda and Grandma Dingsan went to rest with the Second Madam, but Grandma Fuer wanted to rest with the Third Madam: "…We met when the Fourth Madam passed away, and we wanted to have a good chat."

At this moment, only Eleventh Lady, Third Lady and Rich Second Lady were left.

The people around Eleventh Lady felt a little uncomfortable. Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "If that's the case, then I will neglect Third Brother's wife."

She had a warm smile and a friendly attitude, and there was no sign of unhappiness on her face.

Mrs. Fu Er glanced at the Third Lady, exchanged a few words with Eleventh Lady with a smile, and then followed the Third Lady to her residence.

Back in the house, Dong Qing couldn't help but feel sorry for Shiyi Niang: "...what she said was too hurtful!"

However, Eleventh Lady called the four maids over and said seriously, "My eldest sister is the marquis's first wife. This is a fact that no one can deny. I hope you can accept this fact instead of avoiding it or having wild thoughts about it." The four of them knelt down in unison in response.

Amber took the initiative to stay and keep watch.

"I have found out everything you asked me to find out." She helped Eleventh Lady to spread the news. "Mother Tao said that the Madam Dowager gets up at 12:00 every morning, leaves the inner room at 12:00, and eats breakfast at 12:35. Everyone will go to pay respects to her from 12:00 to 13:00. After 13:00, she will go to the nunnery to chant sutras accompanied by several mothers who usually serve her. She will have lunch at 12:00, take a nap at 14:00, and get up at 14:00. In the afternoon, she will either play with Sister Zhen and Brother Zhe, or play cards with the Third and Fifth Ladies. She will have dinner at 15:00, then walk around the yard, return to the room around 15:00, and rest at 14:00."

It is both regular and in line with the principle of health preservation.

Eleventh Lady pondered and said, "If that's the case, then you should wake me up at 12:00 every day from now on!"