Madam Xu then proceeded to recount the entire story in a long, rambling manner.
It's actually quite simple. On the one hand, the Xiao family couldn't stand the constant scolding, and on the other hand, the Zheng family's relationship with the Second Miss Chang had soured because of the hanging of the beam. Caught between two unfavorable circumstances, the Xiao family finally couldn't hold on any longer and, in an attempt to salvage their reputation, bowed down to Madam Xu.
Xu Rong was speechless, stunned by Madam Xu's amazing negotiation skills: "...That's it?"
Madam Xu asked curiously, "Otherwise? Rong'er, I don't quite understand what you mean. By the way, why do you seem unhappy?"
She'd be more excited than happy; she'd probably be seeing a ghost.
Xu Rong choked on the sweet soup she had just eaten. She held her head and struggled to organize her thoughts: "Mother, Xiao Lun has harmed me like this. Shouldn't you talk to him about compensation? He wants me to marry him. Then his family won't suffer any loss?"
Madam Xu asked in surprise, "Rong'er, why are you calling Prince Xiao by his name?"
However, she didn't take the question to heart and quickly replied, "We talked, we talked! Madam Xiao asked him to come out and apologize. I scolded him several times, and he listened to me. He even promised me that once you marry him, he will treat you well and never make you sad again."
Xu Rong waited a while, then waited a while longer, but nothing came of it. Only then did she realize that this was the result of Madam Xu's negotiations, and there was nothing more.
This silly and naive Mrs. Xu has managed to live a good life since her husband's death, without being eaten alive. That's really something.
Xu Rong couldn't help but sigh deeply: "Mother, Xiao Lun doesn't care about me at all. He likes Miss Chang the Second. If you force him now, he may agree verbally, but how can you control what he thinks and what he does in the future?"
Perhaps Madam Xu was too shrewd; she called him "Mother" without any hesitation, as if it were a joke.
Madam Xu blinked – she had been crying for too many days, and although she hadn't cried today, her eyes were still a little swollen. But apart from that, the years hadn't left many marks on her beautiful face, which showed that it was good to not worry.
“If he does not keep his word in the future, your mother will stand up for you,” Madam Xu said after a moment of hesitation. “And your younger brother will also stand up for you.”
Xu Rong privately doubted the claim that her younger brother, who hadn't shown up at home for two or three days under the guise of finding a miracle doctor, was "backing her up." However, since they weren't close, she decided to leave it aside for the time being. As for Madam Xu's "decision," Xu Rong was truly reluctant to accept the decision she had made.
"Mother, did Xiao Lun do all this to me for nothing?"
Madam Xu said, "It's not really harm—he swore to heaven that he didn't push you, Rong'er, but you yourself can't remember clearly either."
Xu Rong: "..."
In her mind, she raised Ms. Xu's level of muddle-headedness by another notch.
There's no need to get angry with a fool. Xu Rong smiled and said, "Mother, of course he won't admit it. Would he say that he not only wanted to break off the engagement, but also wanted to kill his fiancée to achieve his goal?"
Madam Xu still felt sorry for her daughter, and became anxious upon hearing this: "Rong'er, you remembered? It really was Prince Xiao who pushed you?"
Xu Rong shook her head: "No." She didn't intend to wrong anyone, and said, "But it can't be said that Xiao Lun didn't push me, and even Chang Er's daughter might not be able to guarantee it. Whatever they say, Mother, just listen to it and don't take it seriously."
This Schrödinger-like situation was beyond Madam Xu's ability to accept and handle. She stared blankly for a while, and finally found another point to blame: "It's all the fault of those two little hussies, Zhi Tao and Zi Yan, who secretly followed you out. They couldn't protect you, and their legs were so slow that even with four eyes, they couldn't see how you fell!"
Xu Rong knew that these two "little hussies" were also maids. That day, they went out with the original owner. When the original owner saw Xiao Lun and Chang Er Guniang walking hand in hand, she was furious and ran up to them. The two maids didn't react in time. By the time they stumbled after them, the original owner had already fallen down the slope.
This resulted in the absence of any witnesses from their side at the scene.
Because of a series of huge mistakes, Zhi Tao and Zi Yan are still locked in the woodshed. Bai Fu cautiously revealed that Madam Xu is only allowed to send them one meal a day and no one is allowed to visit them.
In Xu Rong's opinion, although the two maids had neglected their duties, the punishment was sufficient. Since Madam Xu had brought it up, she took the opportunity to say, "Mother, they went out because they listened to me. I didn't expect such a thing to happen. They have been locked up for so many days and have learned their lesson. Let's release them."
Madam Xu was reluctant: "Wouldn't that be letting those two little hussies get away with it? I haven't had time to argue with them because I'm busy worrying about you. Once I have some free time, I'll have a slave trader come and sell them off."
Upon hearing this, Bai Fu turned pale, and the two maids standing by the window huddled together for warmth, their faces filled with terror.
For slaves of lowly status, a place like the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion was the best place to live and survive. Even being sold to the palace was not as good as living in the mansion. A high wall separated them for life, and if they were gone one day, they would not even be able to make a sound.
Not to mention selling them to those filthy places; they'd be better off just killing themselves.
Xu Rong saw this and sighed softly, saying, "If Mother blames them, just send them to work elsewhere. Why bring up the word 'sell'? Do they really need a few taels of silver?"
She spoke slowly, but her words were those of the original young girl, Xu Rong. Madam Xu didn't find anything amiss. She frowned for a moment and then said, "Never mind. Fortunately, you saved them, otherwise I would never have let them off the hook."
Xu Rong glanced at Bai Fu, who snapped out of her daze and said, "This servant will go and convey Madam's message right away!"
She stumbled a little and hurriedly lifted the curtain.
The two maids were not of any concern to Madam Xu, as she had more pressing matters to attend to. Thinking about it, she became worried again: "Rong'er, what should we do about the Xiao family?"
Xu Rong looked up and rubbed her forehead—to hide her indifference: "Didn't his family want to break off the engagement? Then let them break it off."
Madam Xu was unwilling to accept this: "Then what are you going to do?"
Xu Rong didn't understand what she was saying. Madam Xu looked at her questioning face, and a wave of sorrow washed over her. She covered her face with her handkerchief and began to sob: "My poor child, don't I know how much I've wronged you? But now that things have come to this, what else can I do if you don't marry Prince Xiao? You're already this old, and you're disfigured. Your brother said he would find a good doctor for you, but he's been searching for days and hasn't found a trace of him. It seems unlikely. Waaah, my poor child..."
Xu Rong cried so hard that two dark lines ran down her forehead.
How could she be so old and disfigured?
Since waking up, her only form of entertainment has been looking in the mirror. After a few days of this, she felt quite pleased with herself and strongly disagreed with Madam Xu's tearful complaints.
But she didn't get angry and still said slowly, "Mother, why worry? Even if I never get married, staying at home with you and my brother is better than marrying someone who might want to kill me."
"Nonsense, what girl doesn't get married when she grows up?"
Madam Xu stopped crying and immediately said. But only then did she begin to have some doubts: "Rong'er, your temper seems to have changed a bit?"
The two maids who were always embroidering handkerchiefs under the window liked to chatter. From their words, Xu Rong roughly pieced together the original owner's personality: she was spoiled and pampered, a bit arrogant, and sometimes unreasonable. In general, she was a typical seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl.
Xu Rong is completely different from her personality, and she is neither prepared nor able to play the role.
Flowers may bloom again, but youth never returns.
Her appearance has returned to that of a young girl, but her mindset cannot return, and her soul cannot be rewritten and rejuvenated.
She smiled and said, "Probably. Having been brought back to life, I feel that many things are no longer important. Being alive and seeing my mother and brother again is the best thing."
This explanation might fool others, but it was enough for Madam Xu. She believed it easily and was deeply moved. She started wiping away tears again, saying, "That blind man Xiao Lun! He has such a good son of mine, yet he's so blind!"
She then proceeded to berate the "little slut" from the Chang family, calling her shameless and utterly shameless. Xu Rong, having nothing else to do all day, listened patiently without interrupting until Madam Xu herself grew tired and stopped. Only then did she order, "Qingzao, pour Mother a cup of tea."
One of the maids immediately obeyed. Madam Xu took the tea, pleased with her daughter's obedience and filial piety, but also critical of the maid: "They're like two abacus beads, only moving when propelled. Rong'er, it's fine to have such a little girl temporarily serving you for a few days, but it's unfair to keep her around for long. When you have more free time, I'll pick two better ones for you to use."
Qingzao and another maid named Hongliu turned pale again.
Xu Rong shook his head: "Mother, I think Qingzao and Hongliu are quite good. Although they are a bit clumsy, they have been working hard these past few days, and I have gotten used to them. If we bring in new faces, it will be like a revolving lantern in this house, which is giving me a headache."
Upon hearing that she had a headache, Madam Xu dared not say anything and quickly replied, "Then so be it."
After Xu Rong waited for her to finish drinking most of her tea, she spoke again: "Mother, tomorrow we should send someone to tell the Xiao family that we are not going to arrange the marriage with them."
When this was mentioned, Madam Xu hesitated: "...Let me think about it some more."
Most people who lack shrewdness and decisiveness are like this, so Xu Rong didn't press the matter further or take it to heart. Madam Xu's temperament was very clear; once she made up her mind, Madam Xu would eventually give in to her.
After Madam Xu left, Xu Rong rubbed his lower back.
Staying in bed all the time is tiring. After lying in bed for so many days, she felt weak and listless. Madam Xu's arrival broke the tranquility of the place and made her feel that she should get up and go out to take a look.
The two young maids, having escaped unscathed, suddenly became more perceptive. Seeing her rubbing her back, Qingzao quickly came over and said, "Miss, is your back sore? Let me massage it for you."
The other red pomegranate was a step behind, but she found a prop—a pair of beauty hammers. The two of them immediately gathered around, one gently patting the waist, and the other pounding the legs with the beauty hammers.
Xu Rong was amused. This was not a heavy task, and she did not feel guilty about using child laborers. She was happy to enjoy it and let them do it diligently.
After massaging her for a while, she felt better, stretched, stood up, and said, "Alright, I'll go for a walk in the yard—"
Before she could finish speaking, the beaded curtain rustled, and Bai Fu returned.
Two disheveled, dirty-clothed, and tearful maids followed behind him.
The two men knelt down and cried as soon as they entered, "Miss!"
Xu Rong quickly adapted to the aristocratic bad habits of being waited on hand and foot, but she still couldn't stand seeing others kneeling before her. She waved her hand and said, "Get up. Have someone bring some water so you can wash up and change your clothes first."
"Waaah, thank you so much, young lady..."
"Thank you, young lady..."
Like Bai Fu, Zhi Tao and Zi Yan used to be treated like mistresses. After being worn out for several days, they were exhausted and had no energy left to struggle. They obeyed orders to go downstairs to bathe and change clothes, and after having a full meal, they returned to Xu Rong's side.
Xu Rong had already walked around the courtyard. The Marquis of Ji'an's mansion had few people, so her courtyard was extremely spacious. She had planted several flowering trees such as crabapple and osmanthus. Now that it was close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the crabapple blossoms had long passed, but the osmanthus was in full bloom and its fragrance was strong. There were also four pots of chrysanthemums on both sides of the stone steps. The flowers were either red or yellow and were very large, as brilliant as clouds.
Xu Rong, who had never had much leisure time before, now happily appreciated each one in turn, and after some thought, finally came up with three dry words: "So beautiful."
Having lay there for too long, her muscles and bones were not yet warmed up. After two rounds, she got tired. Bai Fu instructed two rough maids to bring out a huanghuali reclining chair and a small incense table for her. Freshly brewed osmanthus tea was placed on the incense table.
Xu Rong nestled into the recliner, surrounded by the aroma of tea and osmanthus. She lazily gazed at the courtyard, her eyes half-closed, seemingly half-asleep.
It was at this time that Zhi Tao and Zi Yan returned.
After they were washed, it was clear that they were two pretty girls, with Tao being the prettier one.
She knelt before Xu Rong, tears streaming down her face, pleading, "Miss, please, please, Madam, let me serve you again."
Zi Yan was stunned for a moment, then knelt down as well.
Bai Fu was a little anxious and stepped forward, saying, "Sister Zhi Tao, I told you, Madam was furious and wanted to call the slave trader. It was only because you, Miss, pleaded for us despite your illness that you and Zi Yan were spared. You did your best, so why are you still making things difficult for us?"
Ziyan remained silent, while Zhitao raised her head, glared at her with resentment in her eyes: "You're safe and sound, of course you'll say such cheap things!"
Xu Rong shifted her gaze, understanding Zhi Tao's resentment and grievances.
It's true that she failed to protect her master, but it's also true that she suffered because she followed orders. Her ranking was originally ahead of Bai Fu's, but now she can't even stay in this courtyard anymore.
Given Madam Xu's personality, if she tried her best to persuade them, she could probably keep them all—but she wouldn't go.
The reason was simple and cruel: she couldn't leave behind two maids who, like Bai Fu, were intimately familiar with the original owner.
She only needs girls like Bai Fu, who are alone and can no longer band together with others of the same social class, and young maids like Qingzao and Hongliu, who were originally rough and immature in the courtyard.
Zhi Tao retorted to Bai Fu, leaving Bai Fu speechless. Bai Fu then turned around and started crying and begging again.
Xu Rong raised his eyelashes and said calmly, "Alright, it's just a change of workplace. If you encounter any difficulties, you can still come to me."
"Go."
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