Recently, Xiaotao felt that her popularity had suddenly leaped to several levels.
Those maids and wives who had never met her before would chat with her when they "ran into" her on the first day, and would feel that they "should not have met earlier" and wished they could become sworn sisters. On the second day, they would pour out their heartfelt confessions of "long-buried pains" or "loyal, kind, honest and reliable feelings". Then on the third day, they would express or imply that they hoped to stay in the Marquis' Mansion, preferably to serve in Chengyuan.
With the separation of the mansion imminent, anyone with a sense of purpose would know that staying in the mansion would bring them a better life. From the maids and servants to the housekeepers and stewards, everyone was busy looking for people to speak up for Minglan. The housekeeper's wife from Liao Yong's family, who Minglan needed, and the several head stewards in the outer courtyard, were the first choice because they were easy to approach and cheap to get in touch with.
"If there's something really good, it's okay to stay."
Minglan smiled gently, and Danju beside her was slightly surprised, because she knew that Minglan had always disliked this group of servants who relied on their seniority to bully others. They might not be useful when ordered around, but they were very professional in taking time off and bullying others outside.
"But madam, there is a rule here. Everyone makes mistakes. Minor mistakes are fine, but if you keep that cunning and evil servant, the person who recommended him will be held accountable as well. Everyone, please think carefully." Cuiwei, with her hair in a neat bun, explained to everyone in a serious manner, looking a bit like a housekeeper's daughter-in-law.
As a result, Xiang's steward couldn't help but hesitate secretly, fearing that he would be implicated. Minglan's style of behavior was not as weak and harmless as she looked. Moreover, they were not brought by Minglan's family after all. He was still in the stage of desperately trying to gain the mistress's trust, so how could he dare to take responsibility for someone he didn't know well?
Among Minglan's dowry family members, there are only a few who can talk, and most of them are cunning and unwilling to touch her at all. Only Xiaotao is the easiest to talk to. Unfortunately, her style of doing things is -
"From An Yong's family? Do you know his family?" Minglan asked.
"I don't know him."
"What are your talents?"
"I don't know."
"What's your character like?"
"I just met him three days ago."
"You don't know anything about anything, silly girl. What are you talking about?" Minglan was upset.
"They asked me to do it for them." The round-faced girl was very kind. "I accepted three baskets of peaches and a basket of crabs. I didn't take anything else." There was even a hint of 'I am very honest and upright' on her face.
"Idiot!" Luzhi lowered her head in hatred and cursed softly.
"You eat no less than her." Danju's lips moved slightly, and she turned her gaze away without leaving a trace.
The hostess with a gloomy face and a silly peach were left in the room. Danju and Luzhi went to the back porch to take a look. When they entered the water room in the middle, they saw only Cuixiu and Xiaochunya inside.
Green Branch said bluntly: "I wonder where these hooves have gone now!"
Danju was confused and frowned, "Aren't Bisi and Caihuan on duty right now? Where are they?"
Cuixiu stood up and replied with a smile, "Just now, Wanggui's wife came to ask about getting carriages and horses from the Marquis's Mansion. Sister Huan went to check on it first. Sister Bisi had diarrhea and said she would go back to her room for a while, so she asked us to look after her first."
Luzhi snorted lightly, and Danju smiled helplessly: "Never mind, it's been windy lately, so it's inevitable that she'll catch a cold. She must have gone back to her room to put on more clothes. I'm afraid Caihuan can't handle Wanggui's wife, so why don't you go and take a look."
Luzhi pouted and moved away.
The maids' quarters were located in a row of rooms behind the main house of Jiaxiju. Although they were servants' quarters, Minglan treated her very well and Chengyuan had ample funds, so they built walls, laid kangs, and arranged the floors like proper wing rooms. The rooms of the older maids were especially exquisitely and cleanly furnished, better than the rooms of ordinary girls. Every day, little boys and sturdy maids came to clean and wash.
"Finally you are not confused and come to ask me before anything happens." Ruomei was lying on the bed with a thick bright satin pillow with a pattern of goose yellow spring plum blossoms and singing magpies under her arm. Her face was flushed, as if she had not woken up from a nap.
"I'm just hesitating." Bisi's brows were thick with worry. "Caihuan said it's okay. Xiaotao also went to the lady to plead for her favor today. If she can go, why can't I go?"
Ruomei said sarcastically, "Oh, you really know how to flatter yourself. How can we compare to the affection that Danju and Xiaotao have for Madam? Even Luzhi is barely close to that."
Bisi blushed and muttered, "I know I'm not as good as Xiaotao. But Caihuan said that those who came to plead for mercy are all old family members of the Marquisate for generations. Some of them have a lot of power and manpower. If I sell one of them out today, they will have a lot of benefits. If I don't give them face, in the future..."
She spoke excitedly, but Rumei sneered and rolled her eyes.
Seeing her expression, Bisi quickly added, "Caihuan said again, when it comes to character and ability, Xiaotao is the best of us. She's bad at sewing, acts recklessly, and often plays dumb, but it's only because Madam values friendship that she gives her respect. Although I'm not as good as her, I've served Madam for so many years. Even if I'm not good enough, Madam probably won't..."
Ruomei couldn't stand it any longer, and she propped herself up and sat up on the bed, saying with a fierce face, "One Caihuan on the left says, and another Caihuan on the right says, 'She's your great-grandmother! You like to listen to her so much, why are you looking for me? Just do as I say!"
Bisi had always been a weak-willed person, often being bullied by the shrews. Qin Sang and the others couldn't get to the point, but Ruomei was not only eloquent but also proud of her status and disdained to spread rumors. As time went by, she found her easy to get along with. Seeing Ruomei angry, she quickly begged for mercy, calling her "good sister" repeatedly.
"How dare you listen to that bitch?" Ruomei's face was as cold as ice. "Look at her charming face, and she keeps hanging around the master all day long. Looking at her dirty thoughts, can't Madam see it, or do we think we are all blind? If it weren't for Danju's kindness, who often restrained her, she would have asked Madam Cui to find a reason to drive her out eight generations ago. Today, our Madam is a first-rank imperial concubine. Can't you imagine that the lady of her family would still make things difficult for Madam for a little girl?! You see, although Madam Cui is not in charge now, there is still He Youchang's family. She grew up with Madam Fang. Will she be polite when she takes action?"
They had been disciplined by Cuiwei since they were young, and her influence was still there. Bisi couldn't help but shrink her neck, and glared at her as she lectured: "I told you a long time ago, don't listen to that bitch. If you insist on listening, don't come to me to cry if you make a mistake in the future!" Bisi smiled embarrassedly and apologized again and again.
Ruomei felt relieved and continued, "Let me ask you, even if you can't match Danju and Xiaotao's qualifications, what about Luzhi? You're still older than her! Now she can even enter the Madam's inner room, and you're still waiting in line on the second floor. Even Qinsang and Xiahe, the Madam orders them around more than you do. You always think you're capable, but how did you end up like this?"
Bisi's face turned green and red after what she said. She lowered her head and said, "I hope you can give me some advice, sister."
Seeing her being so humble and submissive, and feeling flattered, Ruomei was willing to give her some advice: "Who are we? We are the personal maids of the wife of Marquis Ningyuan! As long as the madam doesn't give the order, which housekeeper in the mansion would dare to punish us?! What are you afraid of?" In other words, as long as she served the madam well, she didn't have to worry about anything else.
Bisi's heart brightened. She sat down beside the bed, took Ruomei's arm, and said flatteringly, "Sister, you're right! It's all because of that bitch Hu Qinqin from Caihuan. I thought I had to look at other people's faces all the time when I was in Mucangzhai."
Ruomei smiled proudly, her back straightening even more. "I'm telling you, don't look down on Xiaotao. She's a wise woman who appears foolish. No matter what she hears or sees, good or bad, fragrant or smelly, she tells Madam everything she knows, without holding back a single detail. She's so carefree in front of Madam, for no other reason than this: she doesn't have a single petty thought of her own. To be frank, she's the uttermost loyal."
Bisi was unconvinced and said, "She's so stupid, she can't make any decisions at all. Without the Madam, she's clueless and not very tactful. What can she do? No wonder she can't manage things!"
"So what if she can't manage things? But the Madam likes her and trusts her!" Ruomei poked Bisi's forehead hard, "I'll find her a capable son-in-law later, whether he works in the palace, or is sent out to manage the farm or become a shopkeeper. How rich and powerful she would be! Only fools have good fortune." As she spoke, she slowly recalled, "When I was a child, I heard my father say that those stewards of the prestigious royal palaces and dukes' palaces were so glorious outside, and so many high-ranking officials were vying for their favor..."
Bisi was fascinated by what she heard. She had heard these things when she was in Sheng Mansion, but not as directly as what was said in front of her.
Ruomei seemed to remember something, and suddenly her voice became serious: "You always like to have little thoughts, this is your biggest problem! Don't forget the lesson of Yancao!" Bisi was still hesitating, but when she heard the name, her heart suddenly trembled.
"Isn't Yancao's behavior and personality better than yours? She also likes to have her own little plans. Back then, before the young lady even said anything, she was already anxiously thinking of a way out. She sent someone to pass a message to her parents, thinking about staying in the Sheng family." Ruomei despised people like this the most and was even more blunt. "The young lady knew everything, but she just said, 'Everyone has their own aspirations, let her be.' Although she didn't get angry on weekdays, that little bit of friendship was over. Later, when Yancao cried and made a fuss again, the young lady was too lazy to pay attention to her. You must not repeat the same mistake. Although our lady is kind and compassionate, she is not someone to be fooled."
"...Madam is really cruel. She broke off our relationship just like this one time." Bisi's heart was pounding.
Every time Minglan returned to her parents' home, Yancao would always try to find an opportunity to see her, so that Minglan could reminisce about their past. It was unclear what Minglan was thinking, but even though she offered her some silver and silk, she refused to see her, not even once. What did this mean? Everyone knew what she meant.
"What's so cruel about her? A maidservant has other thoughts in her mind, and she still expects the master to treat her as her own?" Ruo Mei snorted coldly, "Our master is definitely difficult to serve. She is very clear-headed and can't hide anything from her subordinates. But she is also easy to serve. As long as you treat her sincerely, she will not treat you unfairly. For those like Danju and Xiaotao who are completely loyal to the master, the lady will naturally make good plans for them. People like you and Yancao, who are always thinking about their own little things, haha, Miss Bisi, you are so thoughtful and calculating, so the lady will let you think about your own future."
Bis was hesitant and looked half-dazed and half-stupid, not knowing whether he had heard it or not.
After all the quarrels and noises, the fifth branch was the first to move out of the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion. Three or four days later, the fourth branch also moved out. Before leaving, the fourth old master sneered at the two stone lions at the gate of the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion.
Naturally, the Ministry of Justice quickly quieted down. If anyone ever brought up the Gu family again, the Ministry would confidently say: "There are promising young men in the Gu family; they have made contributions to the country and are trusted by the court. Their merits and demerits offset each other, so it's no wonder they're being given lighter sentences!"
However, because of the two sneers from the Fourth Old Master, Gu Tingye seriously considered whether he should move Gu Tingbing further away.
"Don't go too far. After all, they are our brothers." Minglan didn't think that Gu Tingye really wanted to kill Gu Tingbing.
Unexpectedly, Gu Tingye said, "The evil will last for a thousand years, and he will not die." He went to the Ministry of Justice to see yesterday. Gu Tingbing was in good spirits. When he complained about his elder brother's living conditions, he was still full of energy. When he turned around and left, he heard Gu Tingbing yelling that he wanted to take two maids and a woman with him on the road to exile.
Gu Tingye's forehead twitched twice, and new sorrows and old hatreds surged into his heart - he thought this was a spring outing!
Seeing that half of the Marquis' Mansion was suddenly empty, Minglan immediately thought about fulfilling her original verbal promise. She immediately arranged to find a suitable bricklaying team to start the work. She wanted to stop while she was ahead and continue to maintain a good public opinion.
"You haven't collected your fourth uncle's debt yet, and you haven't handed over the Gu family's ancestral property to you, and you're just letting it go?" Gu Tingye looked at her with a half-smile, "You're such an honest person."
"Even thieves have their own code of conduct, and their words must be kept."
"How can you be trustworthy to someone who has no faith?" Gu Tingye smiled.
Minglan blushed and explained sheepishly, "I always keep my word, but occasionally breaking it is extremely effective."
Gu Tingye laughed, leaned back, and praised: "That's a good saying! It captures the essence of military cunning."
The praised person raised his neck high, like a proud fat frog, and said in a casual and relaxed manner: "Anything in the world that can be solved with money is not a problem."
The man raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, "If Minister Chen of the Ministry of Revenue heard this brilliant idea, he would surely applaud it. It's a pity that the National Treasury doesn't give it face."
Minglan is embarrassed, the lines in Hong Kong dramas are indeed not suitable for ancient times.
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