Chapter 24 She's Mine
Chen Tang looked at the painting screen yawning and couldn't help but sigh.
Qi Huaijing was right. Everyone in this mansion, from top to bottom, had a hundred and eight schemes on their minds—except perhaps Madam Yue.
If you are not careful, you will be bullied openly or secretly without even realizing it.
Chen Tang thought about it, put away the note he had just written, asked Huaping to call Qingluo over, and gave her two tasks at the same time.
"Hua Ping, the Third Master brought back two boxes of the best Lao Jun Mei tea a few days ago. I remember that Madam likes to drink this. Send one box to Yu Jin Tang and say it is a gift from the Third Master. Qing Luo, I heard from Aunt Luo yesterday that You Lan wanted to practice calligraphy. I have two good pens here. Go to the North Courtyard and give them to Miss Lan."
Delivering gifts to Yu Jintang is a good job. Not only can you show off in front of the wife, but you can also use the banner of Third Master's filial piety, and you will definitely get some good rewards.
Delivering things to the North Courtyard was a common task. Not only did she have to walk a few more steps, but she also didn't get any good rewards. Aunt Luo was always frugal, so a reward of a few dozen coins was considered good.
Both of them responded, took the things, and went to the backyard side by side.
When the others came back, Chen Tang called Hua Ping again and asked her how the task went.
Sure enough, when they were halfway there, Qingluo said a few words, saying that the elder sister was taller than the younger sister, and coaxed Huaping into changing her job. She went to the North Courtyard while she went to Yujin Hall.
Shen Tang shook his head and chuckled.
What a vicious and clever person, he always has such sinister little tricks.
It turns out that she was not wronged.
Chen Tang first sent Hua Ping back to catch up on her sleep. After she left, he sent someone to tell Qing Luo to go to the small kitchen to get today's menu.
Qingluo is a girl who works slowly but speaks quickly and talks a lot. She always likes to ramble on.
Then listen to what she has to say today.
Guessing that Qingluo would be back soon, Chen Tang called Bailu again and asked her to take two maids to slowly pack the seasonal clothes for the two masters in the inner room.
After a while, Qingluo took the list to the main hall and listened to the master's instructions.
In terms of diet, Chen Tang is much easier to feed than Qi Huaijing.
She was not picky about food, and didn't have any quirks like him, but she preferred fresh and sweet fish and shrimp. If not, other foods were fine.
After all, a picky girl would have a hard time pleasing her stepmother.
After pondering for a moment, she ordered a crystal roast goose, a steamed chicken in lotus leaf, a four-happiness meatball, and a steamed pastry with fruit filling.
None of these are the dishes that Qi Huaijing usually likes to eat.
"Okay, that's all."
The maid took the order and did not leave. She stood in front of the hall and talked with a smile.
"How could Third Madam forget that Third Master doesn't like to eat these on weekdays. If he eats these, won't Third Master starve?"
Having said that, he handed over the list again.
Shen Tang smiled.
"Oh, you are smart. If you didn't mention it, I'm afraid your Third Master would have starved to death."
While reaching out to take the order, she looked over Qingluo's shoulder to see what was happening in the inner room.
Sure enough, through the bead curtain, I saw Bai Lu take two steps towards this side.
"In that case... let's add a dish of braised beef and a dish of stir-fried wild rice stems - is that enough?"
Qingluo had just been praised by Chen Tang for her cleverness, and she felt a little proud.
"These two dishes are fine, but they are not enough! When Third Master used to eat alone, he would at least have four dishes and two soups. Now, six dishes would be fine, but how come there is not even a soup!"
Shen Tang suddenly realized.
"Oh~Is that so? Then...let's have another serving of Eight Treasures Soup."
"Oh! Third Madam has such a bad memory! I remember that Third Master also doesn't like to eat this! Isn't it a taboo for Madam to order this? If you ask me, we should change it to..."
"Qingluo."
Shen Tang smiled and raised his voice slightly to stop her chattering.
"If your master doesn't eat it, then I can't eat it too?"
Qingluo was stunned. Before she could say anything, Bailu walked in.
"What are you talking about! Grandma has spoken, just listen. You have no right to talk back! Get down now!"
Qingluo immediately fell silent, lowered her head and walked out.
Bai Lu turned around and smiled at Chen Tang.
"Grandma, this is my fault. These girls have only been here for half a year, they are clumsy and not very obedient, and they even dare to talk back at you. It's my fault for not disciplining them well. Don't be angry, grandma, let me go down and discipline them properly."
"No need."
Chen Tang gritted his teeth and tried his best to imitate Qi Huaijing's tone towards his servants, calm and indifferent.
"Send her away."
Bai Lu was stunned. The Third Grandma, who usually seemed kind and good-tempered, was so straightforward today.
"Alright...Alright. This kid is a bit slick all the time, and the Third Master doesn't like him. Then I'll say it was the Third Master who spoke..."
Bai Lu probably wanted to leave Third Madam with a good reputation for being compassionate to her servants, but Chen Tang still spoke in a cold tone.
"No need, just say I said it. This maid is too talkative and made me angry, so I asked you to chase her away - didn't you see it just now?"
Chen Tang added another sentence.
"Do you understand?"
Bai Lu reacted immediately and nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, Third Grandma."
Chen Tang waved and asked her to go down as well.
She is kind and good-tempered, but now that she has been in the Qi family for a month or two, she has figured out some of the goings-on.
The maids in this courtyard were all carefully selected by Qi Huaijing. If they could work under a master like him for half a year, they must not be stupid.
He is not stupid, but he dares to bully Huaping openly or secretly, which means he is doing bad things on purpose.
Seeing that Qi Huaijing was so obedient to her, yet this maid dared to plot against her behind her back, if she didn't do something remarkable, she would be unworthy of her family's reputation as a devil.
In fact, she was more cautious than Qi Huaijing. She wanted to vent her anger on Huaping, but she didn't reveal her name openly.
Huaping was a maid. If people speculated openly or secretly that her master had driven away the people living in the same room with her for her, she would indeed have fewer opponents.
But you will have fewer friends.
She is also someone who likes making friends.
Bai Lu acted very quickly and it took only one meal's time to complete the task.
Qingluo left Wutong Garden with her bag in tears. Huaping didn't know the reason yet. She heard that Qingluo had offended her master because of her quick mouth and words, so she ran to Chen Tang, hesitating, trying to plead for her.
Chen Tang looked at the two dark spots on Hua Ping's face from staying up late, and told her not to worry about it and just go back to sleep peacefully.
Seeing Huaping walking away while looking back every few steps, Chen Tang held his forehead and sighed, and he understood Qi Huaijing's thoughts more and more.
He looked at himself in roughly the same way as he looked at the painting screen - she is mine, kind-hearted but silly, and I have to protect her.
After Chen Tang helped his silly girl vent her anger, he took out the menu he had written earlier and asked another maid to take it to the small kitchen.
We can't really let the picky eater Third Master starve to death.
At noon, Qi Huaijing returned home. As soon as he took off his coat and sat down, Chen Tang quietly told him that he had sent a servant away.
Qi Huaijing was stunned.
After Chen Tang finished explaining the whole story, he looked her up and down again, looking at her with admiration.
"Well done, little demon, you are quite capable. I underestimated you."
After all, this was the first time that Chen Tang had sent someone to prison, so he felt a little uneasy and couldn't help but sigh.
"A red flower becomes a red flower, a black flower becomes a black flower. I have been with Master San for a long time, and I have also learned to be cold-hearted, cold-faced, and cold-hearted."
Qi Huaijing felt relieved.
"If you could do this earlier, I would be able to rest assured sooner. Yes, my Tangtang has made progress!"
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