♂?，，

  After dinner, Li Ze's father called his two sons to the study again. Lin Lan had no choice but to accompany the old witch and the old lady to drink tea and chat. Ye Zi was absent-minded.

  Mingzhu and Yulian came hand in hand to pay their respects.

  The great aunt has already rushed back to celebrate the New Year, Yu Lian was left behind, spending all day stuck with Mingzhu, fortunately nothing unexpected happened, Lin Lan temporarily didn't bother her.

  Today's topic is about making arrangements for some things during Chinese New Year.

  The old witch humbly expressed that everything would be done according to the old lady's wishes.

  Lin Lan silently thought: I reckon the old witch knew that Old Lady Li was frugal, so she intentionally asked her opinion, in order to save some expenses. Logically speaking, this is the first year that Old Lady Li has spent with the Li family, it should be celebrated grandly and lavishly. The old witch's actions not only earned her a good reputation for being filial and obedient, but also alleviated their economic difficulties.

  The old lady said: "These things are done according to one's own wishes, this is the capital, it can't be compared with rural areas, everyone eats a meal, watches a few plays, and makes a lively scene."

  The skin ball was pushed back, and the old witch said with a smile: "Listen to the old lady's meaning first, then ask the old man's meaning, and make arrangements."

  Mingzhu muttered to her aunt, "I heard that fireworks are popular this year. Why don't we get some for our estate? It's much more lively than firecrackers."

  The old witch's face suddenly turned gloomy, and she glared at Mingzhu with a swift glance. Mingzhu happened to turn her head to talk to Yu Lian, not receiving the information transmitted by her mother, and said with flying eyebrows: "Yu Lian, haven't you seen fireworks? It's so beautiful! With a loud bang, it rises into the air, then bursts open like a flower, purple and red... it's so pretty..."

  In this era, fireworks are still a high-end consumer product, most families just set off firecrackers to make some noise, while something as spectacular as fireworks is unaffordable for ordinary people. The old witch will not be happy about it.

  "That thing is just a waste of money." Han Qiuyue said indifferently, hinting that she hadn't received the pearl.

  The old lady was slightly moved by Mingzhu's words, but when she heard that it would cost money, she felt a little heartache.

  Lin Lan said, "I heard Ming Yun say that on the Yuanxiao Festival, fireworks will be set off inside the imperial palace. At that time, they can be seen everywhere in the city. I think, since the imperial palace is going to set off fireworks, our family doesn't need to do it again. We don't want to steal the emperor's thunder."

  Han Qiu Yue hastily said: "That's right, I also heard Master say that although the palace has set off fireworks before, it's still unprecedented for anyone to dare set them off inside the palace."

  This Lin Lan finally said something that pleased her.

  Lin Lan silently, I'm helping not for nothing, the longer we keep the investment in coal mines a secret, the higher the success rate of Ming Yun's plan.

  "That can't be put down." The old lady was also a person of awareness.

  Mingzhu's face was unhappy, and she gave Lin Lan a white eye. She muttered to herself: Just making trouble.

  "The emperor has always been frugal, if not for the empress dowager's 60th birthday next year, he wouldn't be so extravagant." Lin Lan just pretended not to see Mingzhu's rolling eyes and cooperated with the old witch.

  "That's right! Master said the same thing last year, so every New Year's Eve, he repeatedly instructed 'be as low-key and simple as possible...'". Han Qiuyue lied with a straight face.

  Mingzhu didn't quite grasp her mother's intention, thinking that her mother had been led by the nose by Lin Lan. She immediately pulled out a counterexample: "Didn't we invite the most famous Hechun Opera Troupe from Beijing to perform at our estate during Chinese New Year last year and the year before? I remember they performed for three days and three nights two years ago, and last year we even invited two additional acrobatic troupes..."

  Han Qiu Yue was really angry, coldly saying: "What do you understand? Times are different now, with Uncle as the Minister of Revenue, holding a high position and great power. My two older brothers are also favored by fortune, how many eyes are watching our family, waiting for us to make some mistake. This dead girl is really infuriating me! To hire a Spring Class, one day costs 500 taels of silver, that's still last year's price, who knows how much it will rise this year? Where does she have so much money to hire?"

  Mingzhu was scolded by her mother, and with a wronged expression, she pouted and lowered her head, twisting the handkerchief in her hands, imagining it to be Lin Lan's detestable face, wishing she could pinch her to death.

  Yu Lian sympathetically pulled on Ming Zhu's sleeve.

  The old lady said in a low voice: "It's better not to be too showy, it's good to save if you can."

  Han Qiuyue's heart finally settled down a bit, and she respectfully said: "The old lady is right!" With the old lady's words, she could take the chicken feather as an order arrow and go to the master's face to say it.

  A business talk, satisfied the old witch's mind, and the old witch's expression also relaxed.

  As they came out of the Chao Hui Tang, Ming Zhu deliberately raised her head and chest, pulling Yu Lian past Lin Lan's side, muttering: "After all, she's from the countryside, poor habit..."

  Lin Lan knew that Ming Zhu's words were directed at her, but it seemed that Yu Lian, who was holding hands with Ming Zhu, looked even more embarrassed. She smiled awkwardly and pretended not to have heard. Wasn't this illegitimate Miss Li Ming Zhu also from the countryside? Including her father who didn't dare to acknowledge her, wasn't he also from the countryside? Scolding people is just a matter of being brainless.

  Ru Yi came over to help the Second Young Mistress put on her cloak, and advised: "Second Young Mistress, don't bother with her, she's just a cousin, but she puts on more airs than the real young mistress."

  Lin Lan pulled her windbreaker and smiled: "Perhaps she thought of herself as a real young lady."

  Ru Yi had always looked down on Biao Xiaojie and sneered: "She's also worthy, doesn't she take a look at her own identity."

  "All right, don't say any more, just be clear in your own mind. Be careful, walls have ears." Lin Lan warned.

  As she wished, she didn't say anything else and quietly followed Second Young Master's wife along the corridor with a handrail.

  The sky was dark and gloomy, the wind was extremely cold, was it going to snow? Lin Lan couldn't help but quicken her pace, wanting to hurry back to her warm little cottage.

  Lin Lan returned to the house and waited for a while, but Li Mingyu still hadn't come back. She went to wash up first and hid under the quilt. Although Yin Liu had already put the hot water bottle in the bed, it was only warm in one place, and it couldn't compare to the warmth of the quilt that Mingyu had covered her with, which was warm all over. Lin Lan couldn't help but complain, "Why does Li Mingyu talk so much? It's so late, why hasn't he let me come back yet?"

  Just then, a sweet and gentle voice came from outside: "Second Young Master is back..."

  Today, listening to this voice, it feels exceptionally gentle and soft, but also exceptionally piercing. Lin Lan let out a stifled sigh, the sky is going to rain, her mother is getting married, it's really impossible to hold on. For so long, she had never intentionally blocked Bai Hui from approaching Ming Yun, hoping that Bai Hui would understand herself, Second Young Master wouldn't like her, and even more wouldn't want her. Unfortunately, she couldn't understand.

  The quilt was lifted, a cold wind came in, and through the hollowed-out ten brocade, Lin Lan shrank. Then she saw Li Mingyun walking in.

  Li Mingyu saw Lin Lan already in bed, smiled and said: "I'll go pick up Chao Hui from the Dawn Hall."

  Bai Hui followed in to help Second Young Master take off his cloak.

  "They just chatted casually for a few sentences and then dispersed." Lin Lan said calmly. Watching Bai Hui help Ming Yun take off his clothes, she had a strong urge to get up and push Bai Hui away, but it was too cold outside, so she endured.

  "It's getting late, hurry up and wash up, we have to get up early tomorrow!" Lin Lan said, turning a blind eye to Bai Hui's diligent appearance.

  Li Mingyun smiled and said: "I'm coming."

  She said and went to the toilet, only to hear Yurong say: "I'll serve the second young master!" Leaving Bai Hui outside.

  Lin Lan coughed twice: "Bai Hui, I'm a bit thirsty, go and make me a cup of honey water"

  Bai Hui came back to her senses after a while, let out a sigh, and left.

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