As the end of the twelfth lunar month approached, Yang was busy returning gifts to various families, and Li Shiyue also had some free time. She occasionally helped take care of the affairs of the mansion, and spent the rest of her time in Shousong Hall.
Madam Xu's complexion gradually flushed, and she became more energetic. Li Shiyue then took the brocade and accompanied Madam Xu.
While she embroidered her wedding dress, and while Old Madam Xu drank tea and worshipped Buddha, she moved directly back to the Bisha Pavilion in Shousong Hall.
After putting down the last stitch, Li Shiyue rubbed her wrist and looked at the embroidered side.
This is the dress Xu Yunci is going to wear. She only needs to add the patterns on the two sleeves to complete the garment. Once that's done, the wedding dress will be finished.
“Not bad, not bad. I haven’t seen Erlang wear red since he was old enough to understand things, let alone such bright red.”
Madam Xu smiled and nodded, reaching out to stroke the patterns on her wedding dress. They were smooth and even, with rich gold threads.
Just as Li Shiyue was about to speak, she felt a slight pain in her chest and coughed lightly twice while clutching her chest.
"What happened? Did you catch a cold?" Old Madam Xu looked at her with concern and worry.
Li Shiyue smiled and shook her head, not taking it seriously: "I probably didn't sleep well last night, and my chest feels a little tight. I'll ask Chunling to make me a calming soup tonight and I'll feel better."
"Madam, Concubine Wei from Chun Jin Xuan has come to pay her respects," Lian Chun said as she entered, bowing her head.
When "Chunjinxuan" was mentioned, the smile on Madam Xu's lips gradually froze, and she lowered her head and remained silent.
Lianchun, being quite perceptive, turned her head to look at Granny Chang. Granny Chang stood beside Old Madam Xu, her head slightly turned and her head barely perceptible as she shook it.
"Then this servant reports that the old lady has already taken a nap and is not fit to see anyone."
Seeing that Madam Xu remained silent, she withdrew. The wind and snow rustled in the corridor as she looked at the figure in blue standing in the courtyard and sighed slightly.
When Wei Yujie saw her come out, her eyes were filled with expectation: "Does the old lady want to see me?"
She looked at Lianchun with hope in her eyes, but Lianchun shook her head and said calmly, "The old lady has taken her medicine and is resting now. It is not appropriate for her to see anyone. It is freezing cold, so please go back, Aunt."
The hope in Wei Yujie's eyes gradually disappeared, like a vast expanse of white snow in the twelfth lunar month, devoid of any vitality.
Sitting in the house by the fire, the soreness in Li Shiyue's wrists subsided, leaving only a warm feeling.
"What's done is done, so please don't get angry about it anymore. If you get sick from it, everyone will be worried sick."
Li Shiyue stood up, took the hot tea brought by the maid, and handed it to Old Madam Xu.
Steam and the aroma of tea wafted from the teacup. Old Madam Xu took it and sighed, "I know, but seeing that Wei woman makes me angry because my third son's wife is so foolish."
Li Shiyue glanced at Granny Chang, who understood and led the others away.
“After all, my third aunt is a member of the Wei family. After what happened, she can’t really let her niece hang herself with a white silk ribbon.”
Madam Xu placed the teacup on the table, a hint of disappointment in her eyes: "But Sanlang is completely innocent. That child has been raised by Madam Wei since he was a child, and he is quite lovable."
"Because of his pampering, he was a bit dissolute before, but after being sent to the military camp, he gradually developed the sense of responsibility that a young man should have under General Cheng's command."
"But it was ruined by his mother. She was a concubine, and also his own niece from his birth mother's family. When the girls from the families who were going to arrange marriages heard this, they would all have reservations."
Being a concubine is bad enough, but she's a concubine from a powerful family with connections to the imperial family. She's been in the household for so long; who knows if she'll be treated badly by the other concubines after she's married in?
This was exactly what Madam Xu was worried about. In the capital, any respectable family that loved their daughter would think twice before proposing to Xu Yunbo.
Madam Xu raised her hand to stop Li Shiyue from speaking: "There are too many excuses for those methods. The Duke's Mansion is unwilling to pursue the matter because it wants to save face for the Wei family."
"Let's just forget about the Wei family." With that, she shook her head, implying that the Wei family would have no further dealings with the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.
"By the way, I just got some new incense. It's the one my cousin brought back from Chonghua Palace. I had Lian Dong go to the storeroom to get it this morning."
After saying that, Li Shiyue waved her hand, signaling Lian Dong to come out.
She held a small, exquisite wooden box in her hand, no bigger than the palm of her hand. Inside, when she opened it, were prepared spices.
"Where did you get these? I remember we've already used up the ones Yuan Niang gave us." Old Madam Xu asked curiously, picking one up and placing it in her palm.
Li Shiyue did not hesitate: "These are things sent from Pixiang Palace. Lian Dong found them when they were sent to the storeroom. I thought they were all from the palace, so I brought them to you. Otherwise, they would just gather dust in the storeroom."
She got up, picked up one incense stick, opened the bronze incense burner, and put it inside. She took the tinderbox handed to her by Granny Chang, lit it, and then closed the lid of the incense burner.
"Why would Pixiang Palace send things here so often?" Old Madam Xu asked, puzzled, as she put the spices back in her hand.
Li Shiyue sat back down, pursing her lips, her eyes also filled with the same confusion. Her meeting with Consort Fu in the palace hadn't been very amicable.
She didn't think of herself as a very lovable junior in front of Consort Fu, and in her eyes, Consort Fu wasn't a very kind elder either.
"The gifts sent by Pixiang Palace were mostly gold and silver jewelry, brocade and silk, or precious spices, all of which are things that young ladies often use."
"But as you know, my aunt has always provided all these things for me, so I don't need them at all. I didn't use any of them and just had Lian Dong take them to the storeroom to register them."
Besides the clothes and jewelry she owns, some of them are sent over by Yang Shi every few days, so she has no need for anything from Pixiang Palace.
Madam Xu seemed to be thinking: "By the way, I remember you were going to set up a tea plantation. How's it going?"
Speaking of this, Li Shiyue's eyes lit up, unable to contain her joy: "I was just about to tell you this, but Manager Wang has already returned."
“My aunt showed me the account book. I calculated last month’s profit. After deducting labor costs and travel expenses, I can still receive more than a thousand taels of silver in dividends every year.”
With money making money, she wouldn't have to live off her dowry alone, even though once the dowry was cashed out, she wouldn't have to worry about her next life.
But who doesn't want more money? Only a fool wouldn't make money when it's available.
She spoke with a beaming smile, which made Old Madam Xu laugh out loud. She tapped the tip of her nose, unable to hide the affection in her eyes: "Little rascal is starting to love money."
"The accounts are intricate and complex. You're doing well in your studies, but don't give up halfway. After you marry Erlang, you'll inevitably have to be involved in those matters; it's only a matter of time."
Li Shiyue nodded: "It was indeed difficult at first, but my aunt was very patient and marked all the mistakes for me. After one time, I remembered it, but I was a little slower and not as skilled as my aunt."
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