Chapter 609 A Dream of Youth 141
The main wife's servants were generally not required to keep watch at night; when it was time, they would all go back to their own rooms to sleep.
Zhang Mama had a separate room, while Qianyun and Qianqiao shared a room. Qianyun had just returned from handing over the accounts when she saw Qianqiao doing needlework with her back to her, clearly looking angry.
However, she didn't care. She just opened the notebook and carefully wrote down the notes. They were all maids of the Xie family. The young lady was kind to everyone, including her. The young lady also taught her a faster way to keep accounts.
Qianqiao sewed socks angrily. When she saw that Qianyun was ignoring her when she returned, she finally couldn't help but speak sarcastically, "Miss is helping Qingli find a way out, but you're always trying to climb up the ladder. Instead of doing a good job for Madam, you want to become a female tutor. It's only because Madam and Miss are kind-hearted that someone like you would be kicked out sooner or later!"
Disloyal and unjust!
Upon glancing at Qianyun's account book, Qianqiao snorted coldly, "No matter how well you do math and bookkeeping, it was taught to you by the young lady. You are ungrateful."
"I don't!"
Qianyun originally didn't want to pay attention to Qianqiao, after all, she thought arguing with people was a troublesome thing, but this time what Qianqiao said was really too much.
"Although I am a slave, I will always remember the kindness that the lady and the young lady have shown me." She wasn't truly cold-hearted; of course, she would be moved by the kindness others showed her.
Moreover, being in a master-servant relationship, she didn't need to deliberately flatter or fawn over anyone, nor did she need to endure beatings or scoldings. She only needed to do her job well, and she received a stipend, new clothes for all four seasons, small gifts for holidays, and decent meals on ordinary days.
Such a good host family is hard to find in the capital.
But no matter how good things were, she was still a slave, so she wanted to climb higher and plan for her future... a future where she wouldn't be a slave.
She wanted to stay, but not as a slave.
Qianqiao's ideas were exactly the opposite of Qianyun's, which led to a deeper conflict between the two. However, they only bickered and didn't actually engage in any scheming or backstabbing.
Because the first rule they had to remember on their first day was to do their duty and not cause trouble.
"Knock knock—"
Granny Zhang knocked on their door, her sharp eyes sweeping over the two of them. She said in a deep voice, "Arguing over such trivial matters all day long, what kind of behavior is this?"
The two dared not say more, and simply lowered their heads to listen obediently to the reprimand.
Since the madam didn't say anything about it, Zhang Mama naturally wouldn't say anything more either. Thinking that the two maids were also of age, she reminded them, "You are about the right age. If you have someone you like, you can mention it to me, and I will report to the madam and arrange marriages for you."
If you don't have someone you love but are still thinking about marriage, then Madam will find you a good match.
Qianyun and Qianqiao curtsied, "Thank you, Granny."
Seeing that the two girls were obedient, Granny Zhang thought she should rest. Tomorrow she would have to go and pick a few more maids. As the head of the Xie family's backyard, Granny Zhang had the foresight to inform Chen Wan Niang and then buy some maids to train at the estate.
Tomorrow I'll just go and pick out a few to bring back.
With the lamplight flickering, Xie Ning focused on copying the medical records. She usually kept two copies of such documents, one in the open and the other in her private space.
She would also make a copy of some books that she didn't own and keep them for her own records.
Seeing Qingli bring in the snacks, Xie Ning put down his pen and didn't let Qingxu and Qingle leave. He called Qingli to his side and said, "Qingli, you've learned a lot from following me all these years, but you still have to learn, remember, and explore on your own."
If you have any questions, write them down in this notebook and ask me again when you have time.
At first, Qingli was somewhat confused, but when she saw Xie Ning take out her indenture, her legs went weak, and she knelt down beside Xie Ning, tears streaming down her face. "Miss, you...you don't want me anymore?"
How could that be?
Xie Ning handed the indenture to Qing Li, saying, "Even if you're in the weaving workshop, aren't you still working for me? That's very important. With you here, I can feel more at ease."
She was gradually testing the level of acceptance from society.
Even if noblewomen received education for the sake of fame and better management of their household after marriage, they were still considered to have some knowledge and understanding of the world, and were not ignorant.
Women at the very bottom of society... even men face immense difficulties in accessing education, let alone women.
She will teach them to recognize their own names, to get to know themselves first, and then slowly get to know the world. Perhaps this is just a tiny spark of light, but who knows if this spark will ignite another spark?
Fireflies flicker among decaying grass, yet dare I approach the stellar shadows?
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