Eleventh Lady was talking to Amber when a maid came in and said, "Fourth Madam, Mother Tao is here."

What is she doing here at this time?

Eleventh Lady was startled and said hurriedly, "Please come in."

Mother Tao came in and saw that Shiyi Niang had her hair down. She said hurriedly, "My Madam, why do you have your hair down at this time? The ladies are waiting to kowtow to you and offer you tea." She then instructed Amber, "Help Madam tie up her hair quickly!"

Shiyi Niang and Amber were both surprised.

"I haven't eaten yet, I've been waiting to see you!" Mother Tao said proudly.

Eleventh Lady couldn't help but look out the window, but Amber said "hmm" nervously and quickly tied her loose hair into a high bun again.

"It's just a few concubines." Mother Tao smiled, "It's not like you're meeting any distinguished guests, just tie it up casually!" As she said that, she took Amber's hand and helped Shiyi Niang tie a very beautiful and neat bun. She also found a pair of pearl earrings from the makeup box and put them on Shiyi Niang, whispering, "That concubine Wen has sharp eyes. It's very rare to find a pair of identical South China pearls as big as lotus seeds like this." Then she picked out a bright red jacket with cloud patterns from Shiyi Niang's closet, "In this room, you are the only one who can wear red."

This is what is called low-key luxury!

Eleventh Lady was greatly enlightened.

This mother Tao is really an expert.

However, I'm afraid he learned this from Yuanniang!

She was in a complicated mood. She asked Hubo to take the gifts that she had prepared for the aunts and followed Mother Tao to the main hall.

Mother Tao gently told her: "Don't pay attention to them. If they make you feel comfortable, just smile. If they make you feel uncomfortable, just leave."

Was this to allow her to maintain her mood swings in front of the concubines so as to intimidate the subordinates? Or was it because they thought she was young and immature?

Eleventh Lady smiled and said nothing.

Mother Tao had already lifted the curtain herself with a smile: "Aunties, please come in quickly. If you are any later, the Madam will go to bed!"

Three women walked in one after another.

The one in the front is Madam Wen.

She still had her hair in a ponytail bun and looked charming, but the pendants on her ears were replaced with cat's eye ones, which flashed unpredictable light when they moved slightly.

Following her was Qiao Lianfang.

She wore a bean green Hangzhou silk jacket with persimmon-calyx pattern, her hair was tied into a peony bun, and she wore a precious headband the size of lotus seeds, with a coral, tortoiseshell and turquoise knot the size of a wine glass inserted in the side. She was dressed very gorgeously.

The last person to come in was a woman of about thirty.

She wore a plain turquoise silk jacket, her hair was neatly tied into a bun, with a red gold hairpin inlaid with amber stones inserted in it, and a big red silk flower on her head. Her round and smooth face showed a bit of uneasiness, and she looked very honest.

This person should be Aunt Qin...

Eleventh Lady's eyes couldn't help but fall on her.

It seems that she has been serving Xu Lingyi since she was a child.

While she was thinking, Madam Wen had already bent her knees and bowed with a smile on her face: "Congratulations, sister. Congratulations, sister, on receiving the imperial decree of the rank of first-rank lady." As she spoke, she raised her eyelids and glanced at Mother Tao.

It seems that he wants to provoke Tao's mother to be unfair...

As Eleventh Lady was thinking, she saw Mother Tao sneer and look at Madam Wen with a bit of disdain on her face. Then she pointed at Madam Qin and said, "This is Madam Qin, her maiden name is Liubao."

Madam Wen came in directly, but Madam Qin gave birth to a child before Madam Wen. Yuan Niang had been holding on to this matter and did not give a clear ranking to the two. So everyone could only call them Madam Wen and Madam Qin. Mother Tao was the first to introduce Madam Qin to herself, and she also took the opportunity to counterattack Madam Wen's rudeness just now.

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly, and saw Aunt Qin immediately step forward and kneel in front of her - if Amber hadn't quickly handed her a cushion, she would have kneeled on the bluestone floor tiles.

She kowtowed respectfully to Eleventh Lady, then took the tea from the tea tray of the little maid beside her and raised her hands above her head: "Madam, please have some tea."

Eleventh Lady took the teacup with a smile and took a symbolic sip, then gave her a pair of green jade bracelets as a gift.

Aunt Qin took the bracelet and stepped aside silently.

Madam Wen took a few steps forward, knelt on the mat with a smile on her face, kowtowed to Eleventh Lady, and called her "Sister" affectionately.

Aunt Qin was born a maid and could not call the principal wife "sister". Aunt Wen's calling her "sister" was somewhat of a counterattack against Mother Tao.

Eleventh Lady drank the tea she offered and gave her a pair of pure gold and ruby ​​pomegranate earrings as a gift.

Qiao Lianfang, however, knelt down with a calm expression, kowtowed to Shiyi Niang, offered her tea, and gently called her "Sister".

Eleventh Lady gave her a bracelet of tourmaline Buddhist beads.

Mother Tao smiled and said, "Okay, okay, it's getting late, Madam, you need to rest."

After hearing this, Qiao Lianfang turned around and left.

Madam Wen smiled and took Madam Qin to pay her respects to Eleventh Lady before turning around and leaving.

Qiao Lianfang still retains some sincerity...

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly.

"Madam, this is how it should be." Mother Tao praised Eleventh Lady, "It can't be too far, nor too close..."

As she was speaking, a maid came to report that Xu Lingyi had returned.

Back so early!

Everyone was surprised.

Just as Mother Tao was about to lift the curtain, Xu Lingyi walked in.

When he saw Mother Tao, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Mother Tao smiled and said, "Several aunts are coming to meet Madam, and I helped introduce them."

Xu Lingyi nodded and went to the purification room first.

Eleventh Lady called Chunmo and Xia Yi in to help Xu Lingyi bathe.

Mother Tao whispered to Shiyi Niang: "Chunmo and Xiayi are Banyuepan's maids. If you don't like them, just send them back."

Given this situation, she still brought him here to serve, maybe because she was worried that the people around her wouldn't do well, or maybe Xu Lingyi was used to it. Eleventh Lady didn't want to change the status quo before she figured out the situation.

She just nodded slightly towards Mother Tao: "I know!"

Mother Tao bowed and retreated.

Amber hurriedly whispered, "Miss, you can't send Chunmo and Xiayi back to Banyuepan. Since they were brought here specially, they must have been very considerate in serving them. You can't send them back."

"I know!" Eleventh Lady was very satisfied with Amber's quick response.

She arranged for someone to be on night duty, and Xu Lingyi finished washing up and came out of the bathroom.

Amber hurriedly led her men back.

Xu Lingyi suddenly said, "Xiaowu accompanied them to watch the circus. I and Third Brother came back first."

Are you explaining it to him?

Regardless, this is a good habit and should be encouraged.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said "hmm".

Xu Lingyi stood there, in a trance for a moment.

It seemed like the first time I saw her smile... very gentle... unlike yesterday, when she had been holding back and didn't say a word... Later she didn't cry, but just asked him quietly... He called the maid for her and said "thank you" to him... thank you...

There was a hint of sarcasm in his eyes.

If I don't do that, I'm afraid she won't be able to move around the house in the future!

Somehow, Yuanniang's shadow suddenly appeared in Xu Lingyi's mind.

She knew for sure that she would never sit idly by and do nothing - whether for Zhun Ge or for dignity...

Thinking of this, he couldn't help feeling a little irritated and looked up at Eleventh Lady.

She is making the bed.

The movements are skillful and neat.

Xu Lingyi suddenly thought of how gently she tucked the quilt in for him.

She seems to be very good at taking care of others...

The thought flashed through his mind and he frowned slightly.

Or maybe she does these things so often that she is very skilled or even good at them?

While he was thinking, Shiyi Niang had turned around and looked at him with a smile: "My Lord, are you going to sleep now? Or later?"

Xu Lingyi found that her tone of voice was neither fast nor slow, and her voice was soft and clear, giving people a feeling of calmness and composure, which was very comfortable to listen to.

He thought for a moment and said, "I'd better go to bed early. I have to get up early tomorrow, pay my respects at the ancestral temple, and then go to Gongxian Hutong."

Eleventh Lady nodded, helped him to bed, blew out the lights, and lay down beside him quietly.

She just slept beside me...

Xu Lingyi felt weird.

It’s as if nothing happened yesterday!

After a while, he turned over and faced away from her.

She didn't move.

After a moment, he turned over again, facing her.

She still didn't move.

In a daze, Xu Lingyi looked at his wife lying on her side with her body hunched over, one hand on the pillow and the other on the quilt, her expression serene.

Fell asleep...

Xu Lingyi was stunned.

* * * * * *

In my two lives, I have never experienced a worse thing than last night.

The worst is yet to come...

Besides, life has to go on. She has no right to feel sad about the passing of time!

Eleventh Lady fell asleep while counting sheep.

I was pushed awake the next day.

"It's getting late!"

Eleventh Lady started and sat up.

"What time is it?"

The man next to him snapped open his pocket watch and said, "It's two quarters past the hour of Mao."

Eleventh Lady breathed a sigh of relief: "Not bad!"

The person next to him laughed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Eleventh Lady regained consciousness, turned to Xu Lingyi and said with a smile: "Luckily the Marquis called me to wake up!"

Xu Lingyi was stunned.

Eleventh Lady had already put on her clothes and got out of bed, calling the maid to bring in some water.

Xu Lingyi got up as well, and he and Shiyi Niang washed up, then went to the lady dowager's place.

It was still dark, but the lights were already on in the lady's place.

Seeing Xu Lingyi and Shiyi Niang, the lady who had already packed up her things looked dark: "Let's go! I've prepared everything!"

Xu Lingyi immediately stepped forward to help the lady, and took a car to the ancestral hall located at the easternmost part of the Xu Mansion.

In addition to the tablets of the Xu family's ancestors, there are also tablets of Xu Lingyi's father and the deceased second master Xu Ling'an and Yuanniang.

Shiyi Niang found that Xu Lingyi's eyes lingered on Yuanniang's tablet for a long time. The lady held back her tears and watched them perform the temple ceremony, then she cried softly when she left the ancestral hall.

"Mom, don't be sad!" Xu Lingyi hurriedly comforted his mother, "Isn't everyone fine?"

The lady took Eleventh Lady's hand and said, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm just happy."

When Eleventh Lady saw that the Lady Dowager was sad, her eyes became moist and she quickly took out a handkerchief and gave it to the Lady Dowager.

The lady wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled: "Let's go back quickly! Otherwise, uncle won't be able to find us when he comes to pick us up."

Luo Zhenxing should come to pick up Shiyi Niang in three days.

The group took a car back to the Madam's place. As soon as they sat down, Yao Huang came in with a smile and said, "My uncle is here to take the fourth Madam home."