Chapter 218 Madam Xiao gives a copper hammer to Lu Zhaoruo
She looked at Er Ya and said gently, "Don't be afraid. Since the past was not something you did intentionally, let it go. From now on, you can stay with me."
Upon hearing this, Er Ya could hardly believe her ears. She froze for a moment, and then tears welled up in her eyes.
She kowtowed repeatedly, sobbing, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam! Thank you for your kindness, Madam! This servant...this servant will serve you faithfully from now on, like a slave!"
"Get up quickly."
Lu Zhaoruo said gently.
As Er Ya timidly stood up, Lu Zhaoruo examined her pale yet delicate features, pondered for a moment, and said, "The name Er Ya is too crude and does not match your new life. From now on, you shall be called 'Qiu Lü'."
Er Ya exclaimed with delight, "Thank you, my lady, for bestowing this name upon me. I really like the name Qiuqiu Lü."
Xiao Yeming stood silently behind Lu Zhaoruo, protecting her.
Occasionally, when Lu Zhaoruo looked at a maid with suspicion, he would whisper some of the subtle things he had observed: "This woman's eyes are shifty, as if she has something to hide." or "That girl has calluses on her knuckles, as if she has done rough work, but she is quite reliable."
Lu Zhaoruo would turn her head to listen to his whispers and nod slightly.
After careful selection and questioning, Lu Zhaoruo finally decided on six clever and honest-looking maids, as well as six calm and capable retired veterans recommended by Xiao Yeming, to serve as guards.
After exchanging money and signing indentures, the group returned to the Lu residence with the newly selected people.
Returning from the brokerage firm, after settling the newly selected servants, the sun was already nearing its zenith.
Lu Zhaoruo was preparing to change her clothes, intending to personally visit the Xiao residence to invite Madam Xiao to come over for a chat.
Xiao Yeming stopped him, saying, "There's no need for you to make this trip. My mother started making preparations before dawn, saying she was determined to come and 'warm your home' herself."
at this time.
Madam Xiao, dressed smartly, sat upright on a tall horse, followed by a line of strong servants carrying red lacquered chests and brocade gift boxes. The procession was quite spectacular, making a high-profile entrance through the streets and city, and stopped directly in front of the Lu residence bestowed by the emperor.
This spectacle immediately drew a crowd of neighbors, who craned their necks to watch and began to discuss the scene.
Several elderly men stroked their beards and nodded, their faces showing approval:
"Look at this! This is a residence personally bestowed by the Emperor! I've heard that this Madam Lu, though from a merchant family, is a woman of great integrity!"
"That's right! I heard that when she was in Jizhou City, seeing the Japanese pirates running rampant, she spent all her family fortune and donated a whole ship full of grain and military supplies to help General Xiao quell the sea threat. That's a real merit!"
Some women whispered among themselves, their voices filled with admiration and curiosity: "Tsk tsk, for a woman to have such courage is truly remarkable! No wonder she received such an honor. Judging from Madam Xiao's enthusiasm, she must value this Miss Lu highly. This neighborhood is going to be even more lively from now on."
However, a few harsh murmurs rang out from the crowd, their tone sour: "Hmph, easy for you to say! Do you know what other 'good deed' she did in Jizhou? She actually sued her ex-husband's entire Shen family in court! Such a formidable character, tsk tsk..."
"Such a thing is true? How could a woman be so heartless? It's truly... immoral."
"The daughter of a merchant is ultimately lacking in the gentleness of a lady from a prominent family. Her actions are so shrewish; she is probably not a well-behaved person."
...
Madam Xiao nimbly dismounted, her steps light and brisk. Without waiting for the gatekeeper to announce her arrival, she strode into the central courtyard with a cheerful smile.
As she passed the newly arrived guard, she even enthusiastically reached out and patted his shoulder and arm, testing his physique, and nodded in satisfaction, praising, "Not bad, you've got a sturdy build!"
Upon entering the main courtyard, Madam Xiao called out loudly, "Zhaoruo! My dear Zhaoruo! Your aunt has come to warm your home!"
Upon hearing the sound, Lu Zhaoruo hurriedly led Dongrou and Qiulu out to greet them.
Several gift boxes were already laid out in the courtyard, and the gifts brought by Madam Xiao were quite unique.
Besides various silks and satins and precious tonics, there was also a pair of heavy bronze hammers.
"This house needs something strong to keep it in check!"
Madam Xiao pointed to the pair of copper hammers and laughed, then pointed to the fabrics, "Take these satins and make new clothes. Your aunt loves to see beautiful women in gorgeous clothes."
After saying that, she truly displayed the qualities of a general, inspecting the entire residence inside and out. She paid special attention to the height of the walls and the structure of the doors, commenting on the security layout with the air of an expert, and even giving Sun Jing and the new guards instructions on how to set up sentries and respond to emergencies.
The inspection is complete.
In front of all the servants, she said loudly to Lu Zhaoruo, "Good child, this house has a fine atmosphere! If there are any ignorant people or things in the future, just send someone to tell your aunt! Although I have been retired for many years, this old body can still wield a spear and stick for you a few times!"
Lu Zhaoruo was amused by her feigned maturity and took her arm, saying, "Auntie is in her prime, how can you be called an 'old woman'? In my opinion, you are more dashing than many young men!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao's eyes lit up, and she straightened her back with great pleasure, laughing heartily: "Hahaha! Our Zhaoruo knows how to talk, it makes me feel so comfortable!"
Her laughter subsided slightly, her face hardened, and she glanced sideways at her son, Xiao Yeming, beside her. She raised her voice, "Unlike some blockheads! First thing in the morning, they were constantly nagging, 'Mother, be careful, don't hurt your back!'"
She mimicked Xiao Yeming's earnest and concerned tone perfectly, then glared at her son and said, "Pah! This brat, he always brings bad luck on his mother!"
Xiao Yeming, whose weakness had been exposed on the spot, blushed instantly. He coughed awkwardly and protested in a low voice, "Mother... I was just worried about you."
His embarrassed appearance made Lu Zhaoruo and Dong Rou cover their mouths and chuckle.
The courtyard was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
To express her gratitude to Madam Xiao, Lu Zhaoruo personally cooked several exquisite home-style dishes. Although they were not delicacies, they had a unique flavor.
Madam Xiao ate with gusto, her chopsticks never stopping, repeatedly praising, "Mmm! Delicious! Zhaoruo, your cooking is absolutely superb!!"
As she spoke, she glanced at her son out of the corner of her eye and sighed meaningfully, "Oh, what a bargain... cough cough, I mean, whoever is lucky enough to marry you in the future will truly be blessed by their ancestors!"
Xiao Yeming buried his head in his food, his ears turning slightly red. He pretended not to hear and silently put a piece of food into his mother's bowl: "Mother, please eat more."
The meal is over.
Madam Xiao was in high spirits and pulled Lu Zhaoruo by the hand, leading her to an open area in the courtyard: "Come, come, Zhaoruo, help your aunt stretch your muscles! Just eating without doing any exercise is a waste of your energy!"
Seeing this, Xiao Yeming smiled helplessly, wiped the stone table in the courtyard clean, set out tea and fruit dishes, and sat down comfortably on the stone bench, acting as a leisurely person serving tea and watching the battle.
Madam Xiao took a long wooden spear, flicked her wrist slightly, and a silver flower the size of a bowl trembled from the spear tip.
Her movements were graceful and her steps steady. Although she had been out of armor for many years, every move still exuded the fierce aura of her past battlefield days. As she demonstrated, she explained the key to generating power to Lu Zhaoruo: "Look at this 'thrust' technique. You must unify your waist and stance, and let the power penetrate to the tip of the spear to achieve the effect of defeating the enemy..."
Lu Zhaoruo observed closely and saw that the marksman's spear technique was highly skilled and his strength was contained without being revealed. He was filled with admiration.
Just as the rehearsal was in full swing, Madam Xiao suddenly cried out "Ouch!" Her hand paused, she clutched her lower back, and frowned: "Hiss... People over forty, their muscles and bones really aren't what they used to be, it seems... I've really strained my back..."
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