Chapter 99 My Aunt's Maid, So Generous!
In the main hall, Granny Wang had someone bring Rui'er and Lady Liu in.
They even had someone bring in the basket and place it directly in front of Wei and Ma.
The two of them knew what was in the basket without even looking. Madam Ma rolled her eyes, got up, and went to tear at Rui'er's clothes.
"You shameless hussy! I told you to go out and buy some dried fruit and snacks for the young master. I never expected you to be so audacious as to bring these things along. You know that the manor is in mourning, yet you dare to bring meat in without permission. I'm so angry! I'll tear your mouth apart and teach you a lesson so you can never be greedy again."
Although Ma was just putting on a show for everyone, she was actually quite strong. Soon, Rui'er's hair was disheveled and her little face was covered with red fingernail marks.
Rui'er burst into tears and begged for mercy, "Madam, please forgive me! I know I was wrong and I will never be greedy again."
Wei also stepped forward and slapped Liu Niangzi while cursing: "You old hag, you're so greedy! You even bought wine. I'll make sure you drink yourself to death, you old hag."
Madam Ning slammed her hand on the table and said angrily, "Enough! Do you think we're all fools? Who are you putting on this show for? It's obvious that you were greedy and sent them out to buy these things, and now you're making excuses."
"Do you even care about your elder brother and Qi'er?"
As Madam Ning spoke, she lowered her head and became sad again. Yu Qingci quickly got up to comfort her.
Ma looked up and exclaimed, "Sister-in-law, you can't wrong me! I really didn't give the order!"
Madam Wei also said, "That's right. It's clearly the servants who are ignorant and took advantage of the opportunity to go out shopping to bring in some meat for themselves. We can't blame it on us."
However, since they are servants of both our families, we don't need to trouble our sister-in-law with her mistakes. Just hand them over to us to deal with when we get back.
"My sister-in-law is trying to accuse us of stealing food in front of so many servants, and we won't stand for that!"
Seeing that the two were stubbornly insisting on blaming the servants, Yu Qingci slowly walked up to them, picked up the wine from the basket, and read aloud the words on the porcelain bottle:
"Han Tan Xiang, fine wine. I heard that just a small bottle of Han Tan Xiang costs eight taels of silver in a big restaurant outside. These two bottles are sixteen taels. Second Aunt, I didn't expect you, a servant, to be so rich. You can easily take out sixteen taels of silver to buy wine for yourself."
Having said that, he looked at Lady Liu kneeling on the ground and said slowly:
“This Lady Liu is a second-class servant in your courtyard. According to the rules, her monthly salary is five hundred coins. Not counting these good dishes, these two bottles of wine alone would cost her almost three years' salary. Could this money have been stolen?”
Or was it a generous gift from her second aunt? I wonder what favor Liu Niangzi did for her second aunt that made her so generous, giving her so much silver at once?
Wei's face flushed red and then turned pale as she was told this, and she struggled to come up with a rebuttal.
Yu Qingci then looked at Madam Ma: "And Fourth Aunt, let me see what good things are in Miss Rui'er's basket."
Ma reached out and snatched the basket, saying with a sheepish smile, "It's just that the girl had a sweet tooth and bought some pig ears and duck legs. They're not worth much. My dear niece-in-law, you don't need to look at them."
Granny Wang chimed in, "I saw it as soon as Miss Rui'er returned. The dish on the table is Eight Treasure Duck, Dongpo Pork, and Crispy Chicken. The porcelain bowl contains Tianxianglou's signature Snowflake Pigeon Soup."
Yu Qingci laughed: "It turns out I was ignorant. Fourth Aunt's maid is even more extravagant than Second Aunt's. This whole basket of money means that Miss Rui'er spent more than she earned in three years as a maid, and it wouldn't even last five years."
Ma dared not vent her anger on Yu Qingci, but instead took it out on Rui'er.
Yu Qingci's face fell: "Enough! Don't treat anyone like a fool. The manor has long strictly prohibited meat during the mourning period. Now that the servants of Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt are disregarding the rules of the manor, why don't you two aunts tell me how to deal with them?"
If the two aunts insist that these dishes and drinks have nothing to do with you as the masters and are just their private actions, then it's easy to handle.
Mother, your daughter-in-law thinks it's really unreasonable that these two servants could afford such things with their income. They must have stolen money from the manor. This is outrageous! In my opinion, we should report this to the authorities.
Have the officials come and take them to the yamen for questioning. If they deserve punishment, then punish them. Their families should also be sold off. Our general's mansion dares not keep servants who are dishonest and dare to steal from their masters.
"Wang Mama, go and tell Steward Lu to go to the yamen immediately to report the case, and then take men to tie up both of their families and await their fate."
Granny Wang responded and was about to leave.
The two kneeling men were already terrified when they heard that the authorities would be notified. As soon as they saw Granny Wang walking out, they rushed forward and begged for mercy.
Ruier hugged Madam Ma's leg and cried, "Madam, save me! I didn't steal anything from the manor. This money was given to me by Madam, and the things were also ordered by Madam to be bought. I was just following orders and didn't steal anything."
Madam Ma wished she could knock this brat unconscious and stop her from spouting nonsense.
Wei also stopped Wang Mama, saying, "How can such a small matter involve reporting to the authorities? If word gets out, people will laugh at us to death."
After saying that, he stamped his foot and said bluntly, "Hey, it's just a little bit of meat. Sister-in-law and niece-in-law are making a mountain out of a molehill. My fourth brother's wife and I are just worried that our children haven't been able to eat meat for a long time and their health is not as good as before. Children are growing up, how can they eat vegetarian food for a long time? We adults can accept eating coarse grains and wild vegetables, but we can't let the children suffer."
And the men in the family, they're all grown men who can't live without alcohol, so buying them a little bit occasionally to satisfy their cravings isn't a big deal, right? My sister-in-law and niece-in-law shouldn't take it to heart.
Yu Qingci: "So that means the two aunts admit that you knowingly violated the rules and did not take the mourning period seriously."
Wei and Ma: "Who said that..."
Madam Ning was so angry that she pointed at them with her finger: "What kind of talk is this? Can you put your hands on your conscience and say that?"
Who drinks alcohol and eats meat during a mere few months of mourning, using a child as an excuse? Besides, how is it eating coarse grains and wild vegetables? The kitchen prepares vegetarian meals for you every day, and I turn a blind eye when you occasionally go to restaurants for a treat, but I never expected you to go further and further astray.”
Seeing that Old Madam Ning was extremely angry, Granny Wang hurriedly stepped forward to help her by patting her chest. Yu Qingci's gaze swept over the two of them:
"Look at the clothes your two aunts are wearing today. They are even more stylish than us younger generation. If someone with ulterior motives sees this and reports it to the Censor, you will be bringing trouble to the General's Mansion."
Wei and Ma looked down at their own clothes, their expressions becoming even more embarrassed.
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