Volume 1 Chapter 109: Hometown (Part 1)

  In two days, Double Eleven is coming.

  She couldn't help but let out a huge sigh of relief.

  She never had a regular period and was worried about it. Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better and her mood improved greatly.

  Tao's mother then reminded her: "Who are you planning to let share a room with you?"

  The eleventh girl was stunned for a moment.

  After getting married, she felt that Xu Lingyi was not a person who attached great importance to beauty. Moreover, the two had already become husband and wife in reality, and there were still three concubines living next door... She didn't feel that Xu Lingyi necessarily wanted a mistress.

  Old Mother Tao thought that Eleventh Sister was not speaking because she was unhappy, so she hurriedly whispered in her ear: "Even if you are older, you are still the mistress of this house. Whether someone lives or dies, whether they are promoted or demoted, all depends on your one word. I think both Dong Qing and Hu Po are suitable. The madam should also consider it!"

  Wintergreen?

  How can I mention her!

  The eleventh girl felt very surprised.

  Tao's mother smiled and explained: "I saw Dong Qing growing up so big but still unmarried, I thought..."

  Eleventh Sister shook her head: "No, no. She has been serving me since she was a child, I want to choose a good one for her."

  Mother Tao was not very convinced, but she didn't say much about it either. She just repeated a few words of caution and then backed off.

  Do we have to prepare a bridal chamber?

  The eleventh girl feels very tricky.

  Mainly because there is no one trustworthy to discuss with, I don't know if this is the rule of Xu's household or Tao's mom personal assumption?

  She decided to see Xu Lingyi's attitude first.

  But she couldn't bring herself to tell Xu Lingyi about her physical condition either.

  After some thought, she instructed her mother Tao to go and say something.

  In the evening when he returned home, Xu Lingyi was no different from usual, seeing her reading and asking where she had read up to.

  Eleventh didn't know whether Tao's mom had told him or not, and smiled as she said two sentences to him before Xu Lingyi went to sleep first.

  She asked Aunt Tao the next day: "What did Lord Hou say?"

  "Just say you know!" Tao's mom looked a bit puzzled too.

  Since the main characters have no opinion, these supporting characters don't need to worry about it either!

  Eleventh girl sent away Tao's mother.

  The matter of divorce was left at that.

  Madam Er looked at Shiyi Niang every day, calm and composed, greeting her on time, but she couldn't help but have some doubts in her heart. She specially instructed Du Mama to go to the laundry room to ask. Knowing that nothing was happening, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed: "Didn't they say that the two of them were quite good?"

  Du's mother smiled quietly: "It won't be that fast. Besides, you're still young, it's even more unlikely."

  "I'm getting old, I don't know what tomorrow will bring." The old lady sighed, "Nor do I know if I'll get to see it or not."

  "I'm still prepared to serve you for another thirty years." Mother Du said with a smile, "I haven't retired yet, but you have!"

  "Thirty years!" The old lady laughed and said: "You still want me to live like a monster?"

  "There's an old saying: 'A family with an elder is like having a treasure.' Du's mother smiled as she helped Madam Tao tidy her hair, 'Fourth Mistress is still young, you'll have to help take care of things for a few more years at least! Later on when you have grandsons, there will be even more to do. Young people these days just don't understand these things!"

  "That's also true." The old lady smiled confidently, "I don't dare say anything else, but bringing up children is what I'm best at..."

  By October, the imperial calendar had been issued and winter clothes had been distributed, but Qiao Lian's illness showed no signs of improvement.

  The eleventh daughter called her maid Xiu Ju to ask, saying that she was restless at night, suddenly cold and hot. She also specially invited Liu Yizheng, the imperial physician, to diagnose her condition.

  Liu Yi prescribed a nourishing heart decoction.

  Eleventh Girl looked at Fangzi, asked Liu Yizheng to come back for a re-examination every five days, and then let Taomama send her out, sending a servant girl to pass the prescription to the outer courtyard to arrange for medicine.

  Just then Xu Lingyi returned: "Who's uncomfortable?"

  "Eldest Aunt," said Eleventh Sister with a smile, "I've especially invited Dr. Liu to come and diagnose her condition. He prescribed a Nourishing Heart Decoction. I saw that it was all medicines that nourish the energy and calm the spirit, so I let the maid go and prepare the medicine."

  Xu Lingyi nodded and went to see Qiao Lian's room.

  Eleventh daughter followed along.

  She lived in the courtyard in the middle of the east side, with a small black lacquer gate at the west end. The main house had three rooms with ear rooms, and there were three wing houses on the east and north sides, with corridors connecting all four sides. Next to the steps of the main house was a tree peony, full of flower buds, and in the courtyard was a small flower bed, where various chrysanthemums and azaleas were blooming in autumn.

  Seeing Xu Lingyi and Shiyimao arrive, the two little maids standing in front of the curtain, one ran in to report, and the other came over to greet them. When they entered the house, Qiao Lianfang had already been supported by Xiangyun to welcome them out.

  "Master Hou, madam." Her face was pale and she had lost a lot of weight, her originally slender yet curvaceous figure now as weak and thin as a willow branch.

  Xu Lingyi was visibly startled.

  "How did you get so sick?"

  Qiao Lianfang smiled wryly: "It's all my fault, I was reading a book at midnight and didn't close the window. Letting Master Hou and Madame worry." Her beautiful eyes, however, were fixed on Xu Lingyi, unwilling to leave for even half a moment.

  Eleventh Sister had encountered many such situations when handling cases in the past, and her mind immediately understood a few points.

  She suddenly understood why Qiao Lianfang was deceived at first...

  Even those who are openly married don't have excessive expectations, let alone her being a concubine... When people can't find their own place, they are most likely to fall into the abyss.

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

  Xu Lingyi seemed to be unfazed, or perhaps this kind of gaze was too common, and she had long gotten used to it.

  He faintly instructed a few words like "rest well and be careful in the future", then went to Tai Furen's place with Shiyi Niang.

  During this time, everyone would have dinner together, and as the mistress was in a good mood, it gradually became a habit.

  After dinner, everyone went to the living room to have tea.

  Madam Tai asked Eleventh Sister: "How many days are you planning to stay when you go back?"

  The eleventh girl smiled and said: "If mother agrees, I want to go back and live for four days."

  She had already asked Auntie Tao about it. The third madam stayed for four days, Yuan Niang stayed for six days, and the fifth madam stayed for twelve days.

  Madam nodded slightly and said: "Then go back and stay for six days! Your aunt is still ill, you can also serve her when you go back."

  The eleventh girl nodded enthusiastically and replied "yes".

  In the evening, I was in a good mood and lay down to read for a while.

  Xu Lingyi saw that she had returned to normal and smiled, then went to sleep on her own.

  Two days later, Luo Zhenxing came to pick her up and take her back to her parents' home.

  She left Amber at home and took Camellia and Zixiang to bid farewell to Madame Tai, then returned to Hu Tong.

  Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister had already been waiting in the house. After meeting with Madame, presenting shoes and socks, several people including Big Nai surrounded Eleventh Sister back to her original residence. The maid opened the trunk, took out the bedding and utensils brought from the Xu family's side, and set them up. Binju served Eleventh Sister to wash her face and change clothes, then sat with Big Nai, Fourth Sister, and Fifth Sister chatting for a while. When Mother Hang came to report that the banquet had been arranged, everyone moved to Big Nai's courtyard to have lunch. After lunch, Eleventh Sister returned to her room to rest, and Big Nai arranged for Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister to take a nap in their original place. In the afternoon, they went to see Madame, and everyone sat around the bed. Big Nai and Fourth Sister gave advice to pregnant Fifth Sister one after another, while Eleventh Sister listened with a smile, enjoying this homey feeling.

  The mistress's spirits had obviously improved a lot, and in the evening, the banquet was set up in the mistress's room.

  After dinner, Si Niang and Wu Niang returned home, Da Nai saw Shi Yi Niang back to her residence.

  Binju directed the young maids to pour water and boil soup, serving the eleven as they bathed and changed clothes.

  "But after going for a month, I feel like this place is small again and it's inconvenient to get things done!"

  "It's easy to go from being frugal to being extravagant, but it's hard to go from being extravagant to being frugal."

  "Let's not make things difficult for ourselves then!" Binju smiled as she made the bed for Shiyi Niang, "Take good care of Master Hou and stay at the Xu residence."

  "Oh?" Eleventh Sister smiled and said, "You want to stay in the Xu Mansion?"

  "At least we don't have to worry about being suddenly kicked out or sold."

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly.

  She has this feeling too.

  All previous worries and fears have settled like dust on the ground. From now on, joys and sorrows are just trivial matters unrelated to life and death.

  She lay contentedly in bed: "Finally don't have to get up early!"

  Binju several covered their mouths and smiled.

  The result was still awake at 2 am the next day.

  The biological clock has been adjusted.

  Eleventh Sister gazed at the black canopy, her mouth curled up in a smile. She thought of Dong Qing. Who knows how she's doing in that Golden Fish Alley in the west of the city? Wan Da Xian, the eldest son of the Wan family, didn't seem bad; who knows if the two would hit it off? If Dong Qing were to get married, she'd have to prepare some gifts for her too.

  Thinking of this, I also thought of my empty wallet!

  When can I fill it up...

  He fell asleep while thinking wildly and didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky. He hastily got up to pay his respects to the mistress of the house.

  Daiyu had already prepared breakfast and teased her: "Isn't it more comfortable sleeping in your own home?"

  "Of course," said Xiāng Niáng with a smile.

  Ate breakfast, but just chatted and talked.

  Eleventh Sister took out needle and thread to work with them.

  The big red lantern was a little boy's delight, with three deer of different expressions standing next to the old man holding the lantern pole. She pulled him and looked for half a day: "Look at this clever hand, these deer are about to run out."

  The eleventh girl smiled and said, "This is for the fifth sister to embroider. If big sister thinks it's good-looking, I'll make one for the master of Danyang County too - she asked me to do a few embroidery pieces for her unborn nephew two days ago."

  "Go and make a few small shoes and socks for the child," she said in a low voice. "It's not as if you're a seamstress from their household."

  "Our family still has Old Lady Tai! The Eleventh Sister-in-law smiled and said, 'The old lady is eagerly looking forward to having a grandson!'"

  "When will you also add one?" Big Sister-in-law smiled and looked at her.

  Eleventh girl's face turned slightly red: "It's not time yet! We have to wait until Brother Yun is a bit older."

  Dai heard this and her eyes dimmed slightly. She mentioned that pears are particularly sweet these days, and someone should go to West Avenue to buy some back for the eleventh lady to taste the freshness.

  The eleventh girl knew that she was changing the subject, and followed her words: "Sister-in-law also buys some newly listed lotus root back, we make glutinous rice lotus root to eat."

  Dai Na naturally nodded repeatedly. Smiling, she said: "Not just lotus root, we also need to buy some old corn back, and we'll roast the corn to eat."

  When it comes to eating, everyone is delighted. Da Nai took out five silver coins and gave them to Xinglin, asking her to send someone to buy things. In the afternoon, they steamed glutinous rice and cooked osmanthus sugar sauce and hawthorn sugar sauce. Each person chose their favorite sauce to pour over the glutinous rice and lotus root to eat.

  For a time, the home was filled with happy laughter.

  The next day, he deliberately brought Wu Niang back. He roasted corn and had someone buy mutton, braised pork belly, and crystal stew to eat. In the evening, Qian Ming came to pick up Wu Niang, and Luo Zhenxing kept Qian Ming for a drink until dusk before leaving. The next day, he came again. It was very lively, and the old lady even instructed Da Nai with difficulty: "The crystal stew from **Hui Lou."

  Luo Zhenxing burst out laughing: "Mother now likes Wu Gongye the most."

  The big wife's stiff face also forced out a smile.

  "Of course! Where can you find a son-in-law as talented and handsome as me?"

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  Eleventh Sister couldn't help but sigh.

  Qian Ming has managed to get this far, it's truly remarkable.

  Before the "debt" is paid off, there will be double updates every day...