Volume 1 Chapter 92 Asking After Someone's Well-being (Middle)

  Xu Lingyi then asked Xu Siyuan a few more questions, and Xu Siyuan answered them all fluently.

  Xu Lingyi's eyes showed a deeper sense of comfort, and he instructed a few words such as "study hard".

  Xu Siwei nodded in agreement.

  Eleventh Girl took this opportunity to observe the expressions of Qin Niang and Qiao Lianfang.

  The former looked at the father and son with a silly smile, while the latter lowered his eyelids and sat upright, looking somewhat stiff.

  She thought of the flattering Wen Niang... and also herself who was coldly watching from the side.

  Suddenly found this scene a bit ridiculous.

  Although it seems lively and bustling, everyone has their own thoughts.

  As soon as the thought flashed through her mind, she couldn't help but look at Xu Liangyi.

  Under the bright light, his serious expression on his profile has a kind of introversion and stability that only mature men have.

  To be honest, Xu Lingyi is a rare handsome man, with a strong and stable temperament, giving people a sense of security that he can take on everything. At first, I didn't reject him, and this has a lot to do with it? Such an outstanding person, with an enviable status, if I were at Qiao Lian's age, I would also be moved.

  She couldn't help but let her eyes drift towards Qiao Lian's room as she indulged in wild thoughts.

  A sharp and icy gaze seemed to pierce through me like a razor.

  Eleventh suddenly realized that Qiao Lianfang had been sizing her up all along!

  Before she could lift her head to look over, Qiao Lianfang had already resumed her demure appearance with downcast eyes and a straight back, not showing any sign that she had just looked at Shiyi Niang with such an expression.

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  Everything is just as Yuanniang wished...

  She let out a faint sigh in her heart, and then heard Xu Lingyi instructing Xu Sichen: "...... It's getting late, you should also go back and rest well! There are still classes tomorrow."

  Xu Suiwen and Qin Yiniang, Qiao Lianfang stood up.

  The eleventh girl glanced at Amber.

  Amber immediately tiptoed over and drew the curtains for them.

  "...Don't delay Father and Mother's rest. The child takes his leave." Xu Siwei respectfully bowed to Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Lady.

  Qin Ayi also briefly said "I'm leaving".

  The eleven girls nodded their heads and whispered to them: "Be careful on the road."

  Qiao Lianfang did not make a sound, and followed Xu Xun and Qin Yiniang as they withdrew.

  Amber sent three people out of the door.

  Xu Lingyi's mood was visibly better than before, and he told the eleventh lady to call Chun Wei and Xia Yi to come in and serve him a bath: "…there is an early court session tomorrow."

  The eleventh girl was quite surprised.

  Isn't it said that there is a numbness disease?

  I thought Xu Lingyi would rest at home for a while!

  But she didn't say anything.

  When you don't fully trust someone, there will always be selective speech. Xuliangyi is like this to herself, and she is no exception to Amber and Dongqing.

  She smiled and replied "yes", calling Chunwei and Xiaoyi to come in, while she herself went to the eastern room, letting Binju help her take down the hairpins on her head: "...all were rewards from Madame, don't damage them!"

  Before arriving at Xu's house, she re-assigned tasks to several maids.

  Amber took the lead, Dong Qing was in charge of managing the maids and concubines at night, Bin Ju was responsible for managing jewelry, clothes, monthly expenses, and dowry utensils, etc., Zhu Xiang was responsible for food and laundry - both of which required dealing with people from the Xu family, Zhu Xiang spoke little, understood a lot, and was most suitable.

  Binju gazed at those hairpins and was all smiles - Madame Tai was indeed good to her.

  She carefully removed the hairpin from Shiyi's head.

  The second day after the wedding, when she went to visit her mother-in-law, her mother-in-law gave her a box with a red lacquer bird carved on it. It felt very heavy in her hand, and she immediately felt that what was inside must be very valuable. Since Third Madam was present, she promptly handed it over to Binju. On the day of her return visit, she opened it and found that it contained some rare gemstone jewelry. Just as one has to maintain dignity in front of subordinates while being considerate of them in front of superiors, so too does one have to earn face for their natal family while at their husband's home, and vice versa. She immediately put on the jewelry her mother-in-law had given her.

  Xu Lingyi's eyes had a few points of satisfaction.

  The eleventh girl whispered to Binju: "Be careful and collect them well, don't lose a single thing."

  It's said to be a reward for her, but she can't sell it and can't re-make it. It's better to say that it was lent to her. Losing something borrowed is not a good thing...

  "Madam, don't worry. I'm being very careful! The old madam specially rewarded me with this, if it's lost, it would hurt the old madam's kind intentions."

  Two people were talking when Amber came in.

  Binju didn't say anything else and quickly helped her clean up before retreating.

  Amber directed the little maid to bring in hot water and serve Eleventh Lady with a bath.

  Soaking in a cedar wood tub filled with rose petal essence, smelling the refreshing scent of cedar and the rich fragrance of roses, it's as if she had entered nature itself. She couldn't help but take a deep breath, feeling all her fatigue from the day melt away.

  This is also a benefit of marrying Xu Lingyi - when preparing the dowry, the Xu family sent over the cosmetics to be used on the wedding day, including two bottles of perfume, one rose and one jasmine.

  One day, ask if there are any other flavors. Or, you can try to extract some yourself. Isn't the Xu family's backyard full of flowers? Especially that Lijing Pavilion, which is said to be in bloom all year round with a riot of colors. She thought back to the first time she saw the flowers and trees in Madame Xu's courtyard. The Xu family must have a special greenhouse, as well as skilled gardeners...

  Just thinking about it made her feel eager to give it a try.

  Like all girls, Shíyīniáng likes flowers and plants very much. She used to be so busy with work that she even planted a gardenia on her balcony.

  Tomorrow, Xu Lingyi won't be home, right? That's perfect, I can take this opportunity to check out the surroundings and then decorate the house. With all these jade stone landscapes arranged like this, it's luxurious but feels stiff.

  However, since they are living together, it's better to give Xu Lingyi a heads up in advance.

  Although she thought so, Shíyīniáng had a faint feeling that Xú Lìngyí would not make much of this matter with her.

  Is this another benefit of marrying Xu Lingyi?

  The eleventh daughter couldn't help but smile.

  It's not that marriage requires effort from both parties. Am I working hard like this, or am I actually working hard to maintain my own freedom...

  For a moment, she felt better than ever before.

  "Amber, what did you find?" asked Eleventh Sister with a smile.

  Amber looked at Shiyi with great joy and hesitated for a moment.

  "What's wrong?" asked Eleventh Sister.

  "After you left, Aunt Qiao went back to the courtyard directly. Aunt Qin sent Second Master out of the door before returning to her own courtyard." Amber hesitated and said, "However, not long after Aunt Qin returned, a maid from Aunt Wen's side took something over to Aunt Qin's place."

  This aunt is really unstoppable!

  Feeling the water was a bit cold, Eleventh Princess got up and wiped her body, while Amber helped her get dressed.

  "The courtyard where we live is actually divided into east and west courtyards."

  The eleventh girl didn't understand for a moment.

  "Amber said in a low voice: 'We are the West Wing, and there is also an East Wing. The three aunts live in the East Wing. The three courtyards are lined up front and back. Wen Aunt lives in the southernmost part, Qin Aunt lives in the northernmost part, and Qiao Aunt lives in the middle.'"

  The eleventh girl was somewhat unexpected.

  She has been very busy for the past two days and didn't even have time or opportunity to notice where several aunts lived.

  "Has he just moved in, or has he been living there for a long time?" she wondered.

  "Actually, I've been living there for a long time," said Amber. "It's said that behind Mrs. Qin's courtyard, there should be another courtyard. When the second young master was small, the old lady took charge and merged that courtyard into Mrs. Qin's courtyard, so it became three courtyards. Therefore, the first two courtyards are single-entry, only Mrs. Qin's courtyard is double-entry. After the second young master moved to the outer house last year to live alone, Mrs. Qin lived there by herself."

  In other people's eyes, whether it was Qin Yiniang or Qiao Lianfang, they all belonged to Xu Lingyi, which meant they were one family and should live in the same courtyard. But Yuan Niang had moved to the courtyard next to Xu Lingkuan... Was it because of illness? Or was there some other reason?

  Amber helped her dry her hair, and Eleventh Sister returned to the inner chamber.

  Xu Lingyi had already gone to bed and left half of the bed for her.

  Eleventh Sister blows out the lamp and lies down on her bed, starting to count sheep secretly in her heart.

  The person next door turned over in bed like a pancake.

  This person needs to arrive at the Meridian Gate by tomorrow morning, so he has to get up at least an hour in advance. As his wife, she has to get up even earlier than him, prepare breakfast for him, help him get dressed and see him off... After he leaves, she still needs to go pay respects to the Old Lady.

  "Master Hou." She softly called out to Xu Lingyi.

  "Hmm!" He casually responded with a murmur.

  "I couldn't sleep." The eleventh daughter sat up quietly, "I want to read a few pages of book..."

  It's you who made her sleep badly!

  But he really felt uncomfortable in his heart.

  Especially when he saw Xu Siyun's weakness and cowardice, and Xu Sizong's intelligence and composure. For some reason, he suddenly thought of the fifth prince who had taken his own life. One time, after getting drunk, he stood at the Wanchun Pavilion on Jing Mountain, looking down at the pavilions and towers below, and burst into tears: "…I'm better than him in every way, but just because he was born with a higher status than me, he's superior to me by a hundred or a thousand times, and can reduce me to nothing, forever trapped in the mortal world!"

  The later "Wu Zong case", everyone knew it was impossible for the crown prince, but none of the princes stood up to speak a word for him.

  Just thinking about these things made him toss and turn, unable to sleep, with a bitter taste in his mouth.

  "I've disturbed you, haven't I?" Xu Lingyi's voice had a hint of desolation. "You go to the warm chamber to sleep!"

  Why should I go to the warm room to sleep? Why shouldn't you go to the warm room to sleep instead?

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but mutter to herself.

  Finally got to see what real male chauvinism looks like.

  "No." She smiled, "I'm very sleepy, but I don't know why, I just can't sleep. So I thought I'd read a book."

  "Maybe I'm too tired." Xuling Yi responded absent-mindedly. Without raising any objections, Shiyimao got out of bed, lit the lamp, took "The Records of the Nine Regions of Great Zhou" from the small table by the window in the inner room, then slipped under the covers and read with her back against the headboard.

  Her figure just blocked Xu Lingyi's head, and Xu Lingyi didn't feel uncomfortable with the light shining on her.

  After a while, Eleventh Sister asked him: "Master Hou, where is Miao Territory?"

  "Why are you asking this?" Perhaps it was because she was lying in bed, Xu Lingyi's voice no longer had the clarity of earlier, but instead had a lazy, laid-back tone, and with her low, husky voice, gave off a rich, warm feeling.

  Eleventh Sister smiled slightly: "I heard you fought there? But the book didn't say where Miao Territory was."