Fortunately, the rash subsided after seven or eight days, and the scars weren't serious. Otherwise, how could she have become a maidservant to the young lady with such a scarred face? How could she have a chance to become the future son-in-law's concubine if she didn't become a maidservant? How could she rise to the top in one step?!
Qin San Niang almost blocked her path to success! She would never forget it, even if she turned to ashes!
"Oh, young lady, why are you back again? Is there anything else you need to buy?" Lian Sheng asked in surprise when she returned, truly finding this maidservant rather clueless!
"Oh, I just left my purse here, did you see it?" Xiao Cui said with a smile, but in her heart she was thinking, "Your shop is a rip-off, if I come here to buy anything again, I'll be a sucker!"
"What color is your purse? What markings are on it?" Seeing her puzzled look, before she could ask any more questions, Lian Sheng quickly explained, "Anything a guest leaves behind here will be carefully collected. As long as you describe the characteristics of the item correctly, proving it's yours, the purse will naturally be returned!"
"Your shop is so long-winded! My purse is light blue with a red cord. Hurry up and give it to me, I have urgent business to attend to!" Xiao Cui said impatiently, frowning.
After receiving the purse, she remembered to ask Lian Sheng, "Was the mother and child who just left your shop also here to buy something?"
Lian Sheng looked up, his expression unchanged, and asked, "Which mother and child are you referring to, young lady? I didn't see them just now. Oh, they might have just passed by and come in to broaden their horizons! After all, although the items in our shop are not as valuable as those in the capital, they are not something that ordinary people can afford."
"That's possible. I saw that the mother and son were dressed like peasants, so they definitely couldn't afford it!"
However, you can't just let any country bumpkin into your shop, can you? It might offend your distinguished customers and spoil their shopping experience! Don't you think so?
Lian Sheng chuckled inwardly, thinking that she was probably referring to Da Wa'er and San Niangzi. This grumpy maid was truly ill-mannered, yet she called herself the head maid of the Xie family! She probably didn't know that the headband she had just bought for over a hundred taels of silver was supplied by the peasant she was talking about!
Even the man's face, which had been calm just moments before, now held a hint of anger. He said, "Our shop is open for business. Whether you are a high-ranking official or a commoner, no one is exempt from coming in to choose. Even those lowly maids, servants, or actors are treated equally! This is the rule set by the owner, and we dare not break it. Please, young lady, be careful with your words!"
"Well said, that's the rule of our Jinxiu Pavilion! Regardless of gender, age, wealth, or poverty, as long as you enter the gates of Jinxiu Pavilion and are not here to cause trouble, you should receive the respect you deserve!"
If anyone thinks that the people in Jinxiu Pavilion are a mixed bunch, they don't need to come and join in the fun. My Lan family doesn't need one or two more people! The one who spoke was Lan Yao.
When Xiao Cui questioned Qin San Niang and her son, he stopped in his tracks. How strange! Not many people in Jiangzhou City knew Qin San Niang, and besides, she was just an ordinary countrywoman. Could it be that someone had discovered her deal with Jinxiu Pavilion? Trying to steal her away? That was unacceptable! He'd have to see if he agreed!
Xiao Cui looked up and saw that the speaker was a man dressed in a red brocade robe. The man had long eyebrows that reached his temples, a pair of upturned peach blossom eyes, and a dashing and unrestrained demeanor. He wore a jade crown and a belt embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns around his waist, from which hung a crystal clear blue double fish jade pendant!
Xiao Cui blushed and her heart raced at his dashing appearance, completely oblivious to the sarcasm in Lan Yao's words!
However, having seen much of the world, she now understood that this man was unattainable, and even her own young lady might not be worthy of him. Some people could take her life with a single word, as easily as crushing an ant! The young master before her was just such a person.
Composing herself and straightening her back, Xiao Cui gave a graceful bow, her delicate, willow-like figure truly possessing the potential of a pure and innocent flower. She replied in a high-pitched voice, "Young master is right, it was I who overstepped my bounds! I hope you will forgive me!"
Lan Yao naturally wouldn't stoop to the level of such a person. If he hadn't overheard the conversation with Qin Sanniang, he wouldn't have bothered with a lowly maid. Suddenly remembering the Xie family that Qin Sanniang had mentioned, he asked, "Which family's maid are you from? Could it be the Xie family of Jiangzhou?"
"Young master is wise. This servant is Xiao Cui, a maid from the main branch of the Xie family in Jiangzhou." Xiao Cui was overjoyed to hear this ethereal young master ask her such a question.
She had heard of plays about maids and young masters, and dreamed of winning the favor of a wealthy young man.
Lan Yao gave a soft "hmm," pondering to himself. He remembered that Tan San Niang had mentioned having a grudge against the Xie family, and he realized that it wasn't someone coveting their business, but rather that this girl from the Xie family had discovered her whereabouts!
In any case, he and Qin San Niang are now in the same boat, and helping his business partner avoid risks is what he should do! He should let Qin San Niang know about this next time so she can make plans in advance!
After waiting for a while, and seeing that the young master still hadn't spoken, Xiao Cui belatedly looked up, only to find the area around the fence completely empty; the handsome man was nowhere to be seen!
She could only glare resentfully at the onlookers, clutch her purse, and quickly turn and leave! She was thinking to herself that she should hurry back and report to her mistress that she seemed to have seen Qin San Niang! Knowing her mistress's vengeful nature, she would surely seek revenge! Then she could get revenge for Qin San Niang as well.
Upon hearing that she had seen Qin San Niang, Xie Yuyan, who was reclining on the chaise longue, suddenly opened her eyes, smiled, and said, "As expected, it's true what they say, 'You can search high and low without finding it.' Jiangnan is so big, yet I still managed to run into her. It seems even the heavens think I should take my revenge! Where did you meet her?"
"Miss, I encountered that wretched woman and her son at the entrance of Jinxiu Pavilion. They seemed to be going shopping, but they didn't have enough money and slunk out." Xiao Cui quickly reported upon hearing Xie Yuyan's question. She was also afraid her mistress had changed her ways; thankfully, old habits die hard!
In fact, both Qin San Niang and her son were wearing cotton clothes. As a widow, she naturally wanted to be as plain as possible, while her eldest son, who had been learning to drive a cart with his mother these past few days, didn't want to dress too well, so he found an old garment to wear.
The Jiangnan region is prosperous, and cotton, which is not available in the north, is already quite common here. Therefore, the new cotton clothes of Qin San Niang and her family are not particularly outstanding, but they are considered quite good in Shiligou.
Before her family had sufficient strength to withstand the risks, Qin San Niang didn't want to attract too much attention.
The Xie family was a wealthy household in Jiangzhou, so their clothes were naturally made of fine silk and satin. A first-class maid like Xiao Cui, who received gifts from her mistress, would wear silk robes on a daily basis, and her everyday cotton clothes were also made of fine cotton. When they first arrived at the Xie residence, even though the mistress and maid wore their best clothes, they barely managed to avoid looking foolish! They were far from the stunning beauty Xie Yuyan had imagined.
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