The next day, she called Chunlv, Xiahong, Qiuyue, and Dongxue to her side. Looking at the four of them, she realized that they had taken good care of her for the past year without ever neglecting her. Each of them had developed a sisterly bond with her that went beyond that of a mistress and servant. So now, she was willing to do everything in her power to take care of them as well.
She took out the indentures of the four people from a wooden box and returned them. The four women looked at the thin piece of paper in their hands, their eyes filled with gratitude, but also with a sense of helplessness.
At the time of their marriage, Huo Jingsha gave her many things, including the indentures of her four maids. One reason was to put her mind at ease, so that the four maids would obey her completely from now on. The other reason was to make the four maids understand who their true master was.
Shu Yao said in detail: "This year, I gave each of you a piece of jewelry for your birthday. If you want to do some small business in the future, you can pawn it and use the proceeds to buy a shop. Once you are free, and you settle down, I think your lives will get better and better."
Chunlu and the others were stunned. They couldn't understand why the young mistress would suddenly return their indentures to them. And what was she saying about the future? Wouldn't they still be in the Huo family mansion? How could they possibly leave?
"I'm returning the indentures to you so you can choose your own path. I know girls shouldn't spend their lives doing things involving fighting and killing. Of course, if you want to stay in the Huo family, there will be a place for you. If you want to go out and try your luck, I can give each of you an extra three hundred taels of silver to help you. At the same time, it won't be a waste of our time as master and servant. In short... you can choose whichever you want, but you need to think carefully before making a decision. Even if you regret your choice later, you must be prepared to bear the consequences of your mistakes."
Chunlu tried to interject several times, but Shuyao spoke first. Finally, Shuyao stopped talking, and Chunlu immediately took over.
"Young Madam, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly return the indenture and make these arrangements for us? The master is doing some troublesome jobs outside, and in the future, he will have to rely on the four of us to take care of the safety of the young master and the madam. We can also take care of your daily life. Isn't this good? You are doing this... this... we are uneasy. Does the master no longer want to take care of us?"
Chunlu's tone was urgent and impulsive, losing her composure, but she was afraid—afraid that her mistress would really send them out of the manor. Having spent so much time together, they knew that Shuyao was truly a good mistress. She would always generously share the good things bestowed upon them by the master, and she always thought of them when there was something delicious to eat or drink. She never scolded or beat them, and had never even said a harsh word to them. Such a good mistress was rare even in the entire capital. They liked the young mistress and wanted to stay by her side for life.
Shu Yao smiled and reassured everyone.
"You're overthinking it. I'm returning your indentures because times have changed. In the future, I might not even be the mistress of the Huo family. So I have to plan ahead, also to prevent you from being manipulated by others. Besides, now that there's one more person in the mansion, who can guarantee there won't be a second or third? If they're all gentle, kind, and easy-going, that's fine. But what if one of them is jealous? And you four are all good-looking. If they hold your indentures, you'll be in for a lot of trouble. Now, your fate is in your own hands. With someone to rely on, you'll have more confidence in your words and won't have to worry about so much when doing things for me."
"Young mistress, we don't want to..."
"Let me finish!" Shu Yao interrupted Qiu Yue. "As you all know, I'm currently unwell, and it won't be a matter of just a few days to get back to my former health. Even after I recover, I don't want to work as hard as before, and I'll definitely be unable to do many things. Not only you, but I also plan to gradually hand over the adults' businesses to the head steward. Didn't Doctor He say that right now, my most important task is to recover my health, and everything else can wait?"
She spoke with such conviction and reason that Xia Hong and Qiu Yue were speechless, completely stifled.
But having served the young mistress for so long, how could they not understand her temperament? The mistress was an upright and honest person who disliked hiding things. Although she gave a long explanation to justify herself, how could they not be suspicious? This was clearly an arrangement, paving the way for their future.
Xia Hong wanted to speak again, but just as she opened her mouth, the wet nurse came in carrying the young master, saying that he had been crying as soon as he opened his eyes that morning, perhaps because he hadn't seen his mother. Shu Yao quickly took him and comforted him with kisses and soothing words. The four maids looked at each other, and in front of the young master, they could only swallow their words. The four of them busied themselves getting the young master's toys, then went to the kitchen to get hot water and snacks, and then, at Shu Yao's signal, went about their own business.
"Young mistress, look how adorable the young master is! He's so chubby and fair-skinned, and he has all the best features of you and the master on his face. Even if you don't look at others, you have to look at the young master. As the saying goes, once you have a stepmother, you'll have a stepfather. Sigh... If you weren't by my side, I would really be afraid... afraid that the young master would suffer in the future."
Shu Yao smiled, feeling grateful that this wet nurse cared for Xiao Bao even more than she, his own mother. "No, Aunt Guo, the man is not one to allow his child to suffer."
"Oh dear, young mistress, what we women fear most is not being prepared for a rainy day. The men are busy with their own affairs outside every day. How can they stay in the mansion all the time? If they're not in the mansion, how can they know what's happening in the mansion? They just rely on what others say. What if the young master suffers because you're not here and she only says what she wants the adults to know?" The wet nurse was so anxious that she was jumping up and down. No matter what, she couldn't let the young mistress have the idea of leaving home.
Shu Yao held Xiao Bao in her arms and gave him a rattle to play with. But her heart was stirred by the wet nurse's words, and she couldn't help but sigh, "Oh! This brat, who knows how many women he'll break when he grows up? But my only hope is that Xiao Bao will be an upright person and learn to be faithful." She hoped he wouldn't be like his father, fickle and unreliable!
"Young mistress, aren't you being stubborn? Only with many wives and concubines can we have many children and grandchildren, and only then can our Huo family prosper. When you get old, you'll have a large family of children and grandchildren, and it will be so lively every day."
"I dislike crowds the most. With more people, there are more disputes and gossips. It's hard to say whether it will be a happy or sad outcome. Besides, even if my son becomes a monk, the Huo family line will not end. Isn't there Aunt Pei living next door? I think she's plump and fertile."
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