Li Shiyue smiled and said, "As long as I live my peaceful life, I don't care what others say or think, it won't bother our family."
Old Madam Xu felt both heartache and anger upon hearing this, which showed that she herself was taking it all in stride. So why was Old Madam Xu holding onto this matter so firmly? As for the romantic entanglements her grandson had caused, Li Shiyue was merely an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. It was best that there were no rifts among the family members.
With her prayer beads in her palm, Madam Xu stopped talking to Li Shiyue about what they had just discussed: "Are you tired from playing today?"
Li Shiyue shook her head: "I'm not tired. The capital city is extremely prosperous. My sixth cousin said there will be a lantern festival during the Lantern Festival. My cousin will also take us to release lanterns on the moat during the Lantern Festival."
Madam Xu raised her hand and tapped the tip of her red nose, the touch cool and gentle: "Alright, alright, go find Erlang and Liuniang whatever you want to play."
Inside Chengyu Pavilion, the servants had already neatly arranged the things she had bought, along with their packaging, on the round table.
"As the young lady instructed, the items have been delivered to each room and courtyard, but the west courtyard..." Cui Xia and Qiu Fan looked at each other, then looked at Lian Dong for help.
Lian Dong was the most composed, and she had come in front of Old Madam Xu, which was why Li Shiyue valued her for her steady actions. She received their request for help and picked up the teacup beside her, facing Li Shiyue: "Second Madam is always unforgiving when she is in the right, and even the Old Madam is too lazy to pay attention to her, so you really don't need to take it to heart, Miss."
Li Shiyue wasn't surprised: "You accepted the things?"
Lian Dong glanced at Cui Xia and Qiu Fan: "They accepted it, but they said some unpleasant things."
Cui Xia and Qiu Fan were only thirteen or fourteen years old this year, and they looked puzzled: "It's strange, when I went there, the Second Madam saw that my face was frighteningly dark. It was the Tenth Miss who stopped me. Otherwise, the Second Madam would have ordered people to kick me out with the things I brought."
None of them were newly arrived maids. How could they not know about the trouble that the Tenth Miss had caused when this cousin first entered the manor?
But seeing how sensible the Tenth Miss was today, she was quite different from the person who had targeted Li Shiyue a while ago. No wonder the two maids were surprised.
Li Shiyue suppressed a smile. Since that day at the ancestral hall, she hadn't seen Xu Lingwan. It seemed her words hadn't been in vain, and the chestnut cake she sent hadn't been wasted either.
“Miss, I ran into Third Master on my way back. Third Master asked me to bring back something.” Cui Xia looked young, only fourteen years old this year. She took out a wooden box from the other side.
The wooden box was exquisite, only the size of a palm. Cui Xia opened the lid and found a delicate purse inside, embroidered with finely stitched begonias.
Cui Xia cautiously looked at Li Shiyue: "Third Master also said that the Sixth Miss and the others will receive some this time, so please don't refuse him again."
Holding the wooden box in both hands, she dared not make a decision without Li Shiyue's permission. Seeing Li Shiyue staring at the purse with a calm gaze, she was unsure what to do and looked at Lian Dong and Chun Ling.
Even though she was the youngest, she could sense that the girl didn't seem to like Sanlangjun, and even disliked the things he sent her.
"Put it away." Li Shiyue's voice was very soft. When she came to her senses, she saw Cui Xia's relieved expression and couldn't help but chuckle.
She disliked Xu Yunyang, so naturally she didn't care for the things he sent. But Cuixia was just a maid, and even if she knew that she didn't like Xu Yunyang, Xu Yunyang was the young master of the mansion, and she, as a maid, couldn't make decisions for Xu Yunyang.
Not to mention blaming a mere maid like Cuixia; wouldn't that be unreasonable of her, making her no different from someone she dislikes?
Xu Yunyang had prepared ample reasons, so it would be unreasonable for her to refuse. There were only two small purses on either side, containing very little stuff and taking up little space; they could be placed out of sight.
Xu Yunyang couldn't possibly keep chasing after her every day, asking her why she didn't use the purse.
"Chunling, go and distribute the things I chose to everyone."
Li Shiyue turned to the three women and said, “Although you are maids, you are not much different from me. I have selected some pretty pearl flowers for you to choose from and wear in different styles.”
The hairpins were all of the most common style, perfectly befitting the current status of Lian Dong and her two companions. For their mistress, this amount of silver was not considered precious. For the maids, however, a single hairpin would cost a month's or several months' worth of their monthly allowance. Most of them had signed indentures of servitude or were using their monthly allowance to support their families, so naturally they wouldn't be willing to spend it.
It depends on whether the master they serve is kind-hearted and whether he usually rewards them more.
Even though Lian Dong accepted the gift, she was all smiles. Not to mention the two little maids, Cui Xia and Qiu Fan, they couldn't help but feel touched. The young lady was still thinking of them when she went out. They should serve her even more diligently in the future.
Seeing that they happily accepted the clothes, Li Shiyue looked at Lian Dong and asked, "Have you received your new clothes for the New Year? Do they fit?"
Lian Dong replied with a smile, "Don't worry, Miss. Granny Liu sent them over this morning, and they all fit perfectly. However, we usually only have one set, but we each have two sets, which is what you instructed us to do, Miss."
Li Shiyue did not deny it, and smiled slightly: "Well, you came from your maternal grandmother's side, and you should have been the most important people around her. But here you are just like the servants around my cousins, so I thought I would give you more."
"Besides, you have served me with utmost care these past few days. I am only able to recover from my cold quickly thanks to you. Otherwise, I would probably not be able to go out in a few days until New Year's Eve."
This was Li Shiyue's way of praising them. Lian Dong couldn't really accept it. She showed humility and said, "Miss, you flatter me. How could we not serve you wholeheartedly? You have been so kind to us."
Her humble attitude and lack of arrogance even when she received benefits were what made Li Shiyue particularly fond of Lian Dong; such a person was truly rare.
After tidying up her things, Li Shiyue took off her outer robe, leaned against the bed, closed her eyes to rest, but her mind was blank.
Xu Yunci's words calmed her flustered emotions, but she also realized that power was a good thing. If she had to marry, why couldn't she marry someone who could protect her—someone powerful enough to shield her from all dangers?
Xu Yunci is the Crown Princess's younger brother and the future head of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. Since she is going to marry into the Xu family, why can't she marry Xu Yunci?
She could use Xu Yunci to deal with Xu Yunyang, and she could use Xu Yunci's influence to suppress Xu Yunyang and prevent him from messing around with her again.
Li Shiyue faced the inside of the bed, her expression calm when she opened her eyes. Given Xu Yunci's personality, she would never let her follow in her mother's footsteps.
But does Xu Yunci have someone she loves? If so, she should give up this idea. Even though she wants revenge, she doesn't want to break up a marriage.
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