Gu Xingzhi had been busy finding a maid for Yao Niang since early morning, saying that he hadn't found a suitable candidate yet. But it turned out that he had already chosen someone and was just training her.
Yao Niang couldn't help but be curious—what kind of girl would Qiao Niang, whom she had waited so long to train, be?
Qiaoniang called a maid and sent her down to bring two women over.
The two women looked to be about the same age as Yao Niang, like flower buds. Their figures were somewhat similar to Yao Niang's, except one of them was slightly taller.
Seeing Yao Niang's reaction and noticing her curiously sizing up the two of them, Gu Xingzhi pointed at Yao Niang with his folding fan and said to them, "Come and greet your future masters."
The two knelt down and bowed to Yao Niang.
Gu Yaoniang felt somewhat awkward. She had never paid much attention to such etiquette, and had never had such a clear distinction between superiors and inferiors when interacting with Bitao.
I always feel like being knelt on both knees makes me look ten years older.
Her gaze swept over the two of them, then quickly glanced at Gu Xingzhi and Qiaoniang. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and asked:
What are your names?
The two people on the ground looked at each other but did not speak.
Qiaoniang smiled and said, "Your people should naturally be named by you."
Yao Niang was slightly surprised. It was common for masters to name their maids. However, she always felt that she came from an ordinary family and didn't have such strict rules. She felt a little uncomfortable.
She looked at the two maids, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Then you two tell me what you can do."
The taller of the two maids spoke first, saying, "This servant knows how to comb hair and smooth facial hair."
The shorter maid said, "This servant knows how to embroider and sew clothes."
The two exchanged another glance, and the taller maid continued, "This servant knows martial arts and is very strong."
The shorter maid said, "I also know kung fu and can run fast."
The taller maid said, "This servant is skilled in using concealed weapons."
The shorter maid said, "This servant has a rudimentary understanding of poisons."
As Gu Yaoniang listened to the two maids talking back and forth, seemingly competing with each other, her gaze grew increasingly strange.
Finally, they looked at Gu Xingzhi and Qiaoniang.
Gu Xingzhi looked smug, while Qiaoniang smiled gently and kindly.
After a moment of silence, Yao Niang finally asked, "Second Uncle, is everything we do legitimate business?"
She suddenly felt uncertain.
Upon hearing this, Gu Xingzhi snapped his folding fan shut and, heartbroken, slapped the table with his fingers, leaving a resounding thud.
"What are you saying! Does your second uncle look like a disreputable person?"
His tone was very confident, without any hint of guilt. There was even a hint of grievance, probably because of Gu Yaoniang's doubts.
Gu Yaoniang still looked suspicious: "It's quite common for respectable families to have maids who know martial arts when they marry their daughters. But one is skilled in using hidden weapons, and the other can use poison. Isn't that a bit abnormal...?"
Gu Xingzhi shook his head and sighed: "Oh dear child, it's precisely because you're not normal that your second uncle has taken so long! Otherwise, I could have given you the person on your very first day in the capital!"
That seems to make some sense.
But why must we seek out a young girl who knows how to use hidden weapons and poison?
Seeing that she still had a strange expression, Gu Xingzhi successfully interrupted Gu Yaoniang's myriad thoughts with a single sentence: "They'll go out with you, so your second uncle can rest assured."
It's too dangerous for a little girl to walk around alone. With these two people accompanying her, the elders feel at ease.
Gu Yaoniang agreed with this.
She thought for a moment, looked at the two maids, and said to the taller one, "Then you shall be called Bizhu."
Then, turning to the shorter maid, he said, "Your name is Bishuang."
The two maids bowed their heads and responded, thus officially becoming Gu Yaoniang's followers.
In the evening, Gu Yaoniang took Bizhu and Bishuang out to the clinic, carrying a food box prepared for Bitao.
It was the first time Yao Niang had taken Bi Zhu and Bi Shuang out, and she felt quite uncomfortable.
Bizhu is indeed very good at combing hair.
Bitao usually combs Yaoniang's hair. Although she can do some complicated hairstyles, it takes her a lot of time.
Therefore, unless there was something important, such as attending a banquet, Gu Yaoniang would usually just wear a simple hairstyle and get by.
Bizhu combed her hair quickly and skillfully. Yaoniang watched as her fingers flew across the page, and the soft hair suddenly became very obedient in her hands.
Before long, he had styled Yao Niang's hair into a high bun and then selected suitable ornaments from the jewelry box to put on her.
Yao Niang was quite satisfied.
However, when Bizhu saw the hairpin that Xie Danqiu had given to Yaoniang, her brows twitched slightly.
There was a night market in the neighborhood, but Gu Yaoniang didn't take a carriage. Instead, she walked slowly with Bizhu and Bishuang. Bitao used to be by her side, and now that it was someone else, she felt a little unaccustomed to it.
Yao Niang didn't speak, nor did the two little maids; they simply followed quietly, step by step.
Upon arriving at the clinic, I saw the old doctor I had met that morning looking very happy, with a broad smile on his face.
The old doctor's face lit up with even more joy upon seeing Yao Niang and her two companions: "My lady has arrived? The patient has awakened!"
The young waiter beside him was flattering him: "You're really amazing! No wonder you're the best doctor in Shuojing City! You managed to pull someone back from the brink of death with such a serious injury!"
The old doctor's face crinkled even deeper with a smile: "Oh, no, no! You wouldn't dare say that! You little rascal!"
He was lecturing the young waiter and pretending to slap him, but he was actually laughing very smugly.
When Yao Niang heard that Li Niangzi had woken up, she was also very happy. Seeing the genuine smiles on the faces of the old doctor and the young shop assistant, she was also infected by their joy and felt very happy.
She entered the room and saw that Li Niangzi was still pale and lying on the bed without moving.
Bitao seemed to be talking to her with her head down when she heard Gu Yaoniang's footsteps and turned around happily.
Seeing that Lady Li was also turning her head with difficulty to look in her direction, Yao Niang quickly stepped forward and said, "Don't move!"
Bitao was very happy and said to Li Niangzi, "This is my wife!"
Lady Li seemed to be having a lot of trouble moving around, but upon hearing this, she tried her best to move, muttering something under her breath, but her voice was too soft for Yao Niang to hear clearly.
Seeing Yao Niang's confusion, Bi Tao said to her, "Li Niangzi is thanking you!"
After waking up, Madam Li didn't say anything. But ever since she learned that it was her young mistress who had saved her, she kept expressing her gratitude.
Upon seeing this scene, Bitao knew that Madam Li must be expressing her gratitude again.
Suddenly, she saw the two maids, Bizhu and Bishuang, standing at the door, and was startled.
Who are these two people?
Bizhu and Bitao already knew that Yaoniang had a maid named Bitao, and the two grew up together and were very close.
Seeing her looking them over, they all gave her a friendly smile.
Although she didn't know who it was, seeing the other person's friendly attitude, Bitao smiled back.
Gu Yaoniang sat down beside Li Niangzi's sickbed. Seeing that although Li Niangzi had regained consciousness, she seemed listless and unable to say much, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her again.
Seeing that Li Niangzi still wanted to say something, Yao Niang moved closer to her lips, but still couldn't understand what she was saying.
He could only gently hold her hand and say, "Take good care of yourself and get better. We can talk about it when you're all better."
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