With Lu taking care of all the affairs of the Duke's Mansion, Wen Ye lived a very leisurely life.
Auspicious snow means a good harvest, and near New Year's Eve, it snowed heavily again.
The busy Lu learned that her eldest aunt wanted to go to the west courtyard to sit tomorrow, so she specially called Wen Ye over today to give her some instructions.
While flipping through the gift list, Lu said to Wen Ye, who was sitting below her, "Although the eldest aunt has an open-minded personality and is not easily bothered by others, she is still an elder after all. You'd better put aside your usual petty thoughts for now."
Just because she can accept it doesn’t mean her aunt can accept it too.
Lu remembered that when she first married into the Duke's Mansion, her eldest aunt also stayed at the mansion for a few days. At that time, she was still very serious and dignified, and the smile on her face was always faint.
Perhaps it was because my cousin had become more successful and got married in recent years, so my aunt was finally able to take a good break, and her temperament had changed as a result.
But a person's temper cannot be changed overnight. Lu was afraid that Wen Ye had only met the eldest aunt twice and thought that what he had seen before was all about the other person. If she was not careful, something bad might happen to them again.
Wen Ye obeyed Lu's instructions obediently.
She really didn't know her eldest aunt very well. Although they currently lived together in the Duke's Mansion, they seldom saw each other.
Wen Ye was grateful that Mrs. Lu called her over and told her all this.
Since the elders were coming over, it was impossible for Wen Ye to not entertain them politely. After Lu finished speaking, she asked about the eldest aunt and Yao's usual tastes.
Lu told her everything.
Finally, she added, "You don't have to be nervous. I'm just bored. I remembered that I haven't been to the West Courtyard officially yet, so I want to take advantage of the free days before the New Year to visit you and chat for a while."
Wen Ye smiled and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I will definitely entertain my aunt and cousins well."
After hearing her assurance and noticing her plain and simple headdress, Lu couldn't help but ask, "Do you have enough silver? Why don't you use the box of rubies I gave you?"
Wen Ye explained: "Ruby is precious, and I haven't decided what kind of headpiece to make yet."
Lu said nonchalantly, "It's just a box of rubies. If you don't like the headpiece you made, bring it over and I'll give you a new one."
There is a lot of magnanimity in his words.
As the most favored eldest daughter of the Ding'an Marquisate, Lu's dowry was as expensive as ten li of red makeup. If it were not for the fact that a servant could not marry without going through the royal family, Lu's dowry would have been more than that.
Lu really didn't take it seriously as a box of rubies.
Lu's appearance was actually rather flamboyant, but because she was the wife of a duke, in order to appear more stable, she wore clothes and accessories that were more dignified. With these external things covering her up, at first glance, she looked calm and dignified.
And today, the casual attitude she inadvertently revealed towards Wen Ye made her look much more radiant.
When Wen Ye caught a glimpse of this scene, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly that Duke Xu was so lucky.
"Then I'll listen to my sister-in-law and ask Yunzhi to get a new headdress in a few days."
Originally, Wen Ye had no intention of touching the box of rubies.
But when a rich and extremely beautiful woman suddenly tells you: Go ahead and build it, it's her fault if it gets damaged.
It's hard for anyone not to be moved.
Whether or not a new ruby can be exchanged is not important. Wen Ye mainly does not want to waste Lu's kindness.
Lu always thought that she did not mind Wen's occasional eccentricity, probably because she knew her limits and when to advance and retreat when faced with major issues.
Although she is not as stable as other girls from aristocratic families, she has a delicate heart.
Seeing the smile on Wen's face, Lu's eyes flashed with helplessness, but she said, "The most exquisite headgear in Shengjing is Liuyunzhai. Remember to let Yunzhi bring the badge of the Duke's Mansion."
Wen Ye's eyebrows curved: "I've remembered it all."
Mrs. Lu still had to continue checking the gift lists before and after the New Year. Wen Ye stayed in the main courtyard, doing nothing but drinking tea or eating snacks.
It looks very pleasant.
The warmth and affection between the sisters-in-law disappeared in an instant, and Lu said angrily and sourly: "You can go back. You don't have to stay here with me."
Wen Ye immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Sister-in-law, please get busy first. I will go back to the West Courtyard first."
Lu was too lazy to look at her. She lowered her eyes and pretended to concentrate on the gift list and said, "Let's go!"
Wen Ye curled her lips silently and walked out of the main courtyard lightly.
After returning to the west courtyard, Wen Ye began to teach Taozhi and Yunzhi how to do things.
Lingcheng is located south-west of Shengjing, and people there prefer spicy food.
Although the eldest aunt is a native of Shengjing, she has lived in Lingcheng for many years and has been influenced by the eating habits of Lingcheng to some extent.
Therefore, the tastes of the eldest aunt, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law are very similar to Wen Ye, both of which tend to be heavy.
Wen Ye quickly wrote a menu and asked Taozhi to pass it down. The next day's lunch would be based on the dishes on the menu.
In recent days, Xu Yuejia has not had to go to work and has been staying at Wen Ye's place.
It would be fine if only the eldest aunt was entertained, but there is also Yao, so it would not be convenient for Xu Yuejia to dine in the west courtyard.
In the evening, Xu Yuejia stayed overnight as usual.
Wen Ye mentioned it to him.
Smart people get it right away. Xu Yuejia understood it immediately and said, "It just so happens that I have something to go out for tomorrow."
It's easy to talk to an intelligent person. Wen Ye lay down, calm and said, "My dear, go to bed."
I have to get up early tomorrow, so it’s not suitable to exercise tonight.
At 11:00 a.m. the next day, when Wen Ye woke up, Xu Yuejia was no longer in the West Courtyard.
Even during the New Year holidays, Xu Yuejia still maintained her usual living habits, which Wen Ye admired from the bottom of her heart.
After washing up, Wen Ye had a casual breakfast. After a while, Nanny Ji came over with Xu Yuxuan in her arms. Wen Ye picked out a few things suitable for him from the box of toys that she had bought in the West Market a few days ago, and let him play by himself.
With Nanny Ji and others taking care of her, Wen Ye doesn't need to worry about anything.
At the time of Si, the maid guarding the Moon Arch Gate came to report that the eldest aunt and her mother-in-law were coming to the west courtyard.
As the younger generation, Wen Ye stood up to greet him.
The eldest aunt and Yao entered the moon-shaped archway and met Wen Ye who came to greet them. She immediately smiled and said, "We have an old woman to lead the way. It's so cold today. Why are you coming out?"
Wen Ye said, "My aunt and cousins came here in the snow and wind. How can I stay in the house and just keep myself warm?"
The three of them entered the main hall, and Wen Ye immediately asked the maid to pour tea and asked Xu Yuxuan to come over to greet them.
The eldest aunt sat down and drank a cup of hot tea. After her body warmed up a little, she said, "I was so busy meeting old friends the past few days that I forgot to come and sit with you."
Wen Ye immediately replied: "My aunt has been away from Beijing for many years. It is a rare opportunity to meet with old friends. How can my niece-in-law delay this opportunity?"
The unfamiliar aunt, niece and daughter-in-law were very polite to each other.
The eldest aunt looked around and found that there was a huge difference between the west courtyard and the main courtyard.
The difference was not in the scenery or furnishings, but in her personal experience: the main courtyard was solemn and formal, but as soon as she stepped into the west courtyard, she felt extremely relaxed.
It’s not that the servants in the West Courtyard are undisciplined, but that kind of leisurely and relaxed atmosphere is rare.
The servants in the wealthy families are not puppets. There are relationships and conflicts of interest among them.
"You're doing well." The eldest aunt praised sincerely.
Wen Ye said modestly: "It's all because of my sister-in-law who took care of me."
The eldest aunt continued her words: "Your sister-in-law has been managing such a large Duke's Mansion for so many years. It has not been easy for her."
Her brother and sister-in-law passed away early. If it weren't for Lu, a good niece-in-law, the Duke's Mansion would definitely be a mess.
Wen Ye nodded in agreement. Every time she went back to the main courtyard, Mrs. Lu was busy and it was indeed hard work.
The eldest aunt sighed and said, "Jingrong is only eight years old this year. It will take at least another ten years for him to reach the age where he can get married."
Wen Ye raised her eyes and asked, "What does aunt mean?"
The eldest aunt said with an expression that said, "When Jingrong gets married, won't your sister-in-law be able to take a break?"
"Otherwise, why would you go to the trouble of finding him a wife?"
When Wen Ye heard this, he looked consciously at Yao who was sitting below the eldest aunt.
The other person had a bitter face, but after noticing Wen Ye's gaze, he gave a strong smile.
Yao was also very distressed. Before she got married, her mother repeatedly told her not to focus on the power of housekeeper. It was natural for her mother-in-law to be the housekeeper. What she had to do was to get pregnant as soon as possible, and giving birth to the eldest son was the top priority.
Who would have thought that life after marriage would be completely different from what her mother had expected. Just two months after the wedding, her mother-in-law handed over all the housekeeping affairs to her and only cared about her own happiness.
In an instant, Wen Ye understood everything.
This eldest aunt seemed very different from what Lu had described. Seeing her hesitation, she immediately asked, "Why, do you think what I said is wrong?"
Not really, Wen Ye said silently, in fact, she strongly agreed with it in her heart.
"Auntie is right."
The eldest aunt guessed something from Wen Ye's expression, and immediately smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law has a different personality from you. I have to pretend in front of her, otherwise I'm afraid she will be scared."
One’s nature cannot be changed, but one can still pretend for a while.
Wen Ye couldn't help but smile and said, "So that's how it is."
This way, she doesn't have to pretend to be virtuous in front of the other party.
Wen Ye gradually relaxed.
The eldest aunt said, "When the Duke's Mansion is divided in the future, you will understand the hard work of the housekeeper."
Wen Ye lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then said calmly, "Xuan'er is still young, and he can't leave his aunt for the time being."
This sounds a bit strange, but Xu Yuxuan was raised by the Lu family, so it seems to be correct.
The eldest aunt glanced at the obedient and naive Xu Yuxuan and said, "But you don't have to worry. Children grow up quickly and will be old enough to get married in the blink of an eye. Then you can relax."
Wen Ye calculated in his heart that it would take at least sixteen or seventeen years for Xu Yuxuan to get married.
He had not thought so before, but now after hearing what his eldest aunt said, Wen Ye suddenly realized that he might not be able to keep doing this.
I don’t know if Mrs. Lu can tolerate her for another sixteen or seventeen years.
Wen Ye looked at Xu Yuxuan who was leaning obediently in his arms, and sincerely hoped, "You must do your best."
Xu Yuxuan half understood what he said and nodded solemnly.
His serious look made the eldest aunt and Yao laugh.
Especially Yao, the look in her eyes when she looked at Xu Yuxuan was mostly filled with desire. She had been married into the Shen family for almost two years, and there had been no signs of pregnancy.
Fortunately, she had a good mother-in-law who never urged her or asked her to take a concubine for her husband.
To reassure her, the mother-in-law also found a reliable doctor to examine her and her husband.
The doctor said that there was nothing wrong with her and her husband's health, and they had never gotten pregnant, it was just that their destiny had not yet arrived.
This time, her mother-in-law brought her to Beijing, also wanting to take her out to relax.
The conversation started and the atmosphere in the West Courtyard became relaxed.
The eldest aunt gradually revealed her true nature, "I have a very accurate eye for daughters-in-law. When you become a mother-in-law in the future, you can come to me and I will help you choose the right one."
Yao, who was standing by, wanted to cover her face in shame.
Wen Ye raised his eyebrows when he heard this.
Then he lowered his eyes to look at Xu Yuxuan, who was chewing the snack slowly and didn't understand anything.
She raised her eyes and glanced at Yao, and finally nodded slowly in agreement, "Aunt has a good eye."
But she doesn't have high requirements, just knowing how to manage the household is enough.
The eldest aunt was delighted, but she added, "It's hard to find a good daughter-in-law. I think Zi Tan will rise in the future. If you want to relax, you should at least find someone like your sister-in-law."
It was the first time that Wen Ye discovered that being too good at what one does can be a problem.
Seeing her confused face, the eldest aunt said with an "I know everything" look: "Are you thinking about how to rely on your sister-in-law?"
Wen Ye refused to admit: "What do you mean by 'laziness'? I just can't bear to leave my sister-in-law."
The eldest aunt laughed and said, "There's nothing wrong with that. If I were you, I would also try to get on with it."
She looked at Wen Ye with a hint of envy in her eyes: "You are so lucky to have such a good sister-in-law. You don't have to do anything."
Unlike her, she always serves as someone else's sister-in-law.
Women will occasionally show off some weird things to each other.
Wen Ye straightened his back and said, "I'm lucky."
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