Li Yuexi couldn't stand it anymore. She looked at A-Ling and said bluntly, "A-Ling, don't talk to me like that. I know what I should and shouldn't do. A-Ling, we grew up together. You know very well how I've treated you. This is the last time I'm telling you this. If you still don't understand, I'll have to send you back to Hexi."
Upon hearing Li Yuexi's words, the maid A-Ling was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red, and she stood to one side with her hands at her sides.
Li Yuexi put down what she was holding, closed the kitchen door, and said, "Ah Ling, I know what you mean. The personal maids of the masters in this mansion are all very influential people. After I got married, I didn't stay in the mansion for more than a few days before I went to Tai'an with the eldest young master. After we came back, because the eldest young master will be taking the imperial examination next year, we have always kept to ourselves in the mansion, so that the eldest young master can have a good environment for studying."
Ah Ling listened to Li Yuexi tell her these things with her head down, but she was still a little resentful.
Although the eldest young master's father was born out of wedlock, he was the most capable official among the family's sons. The other sons, except for the heir, all relied on their family's ancestral influence to obtain minor positions. Moreover, Ah Ling had personally witnessed how the third master defended against the Northern Di people when he was in Hexi.
Li Yuexi had been with A-Ling for so many years, how could she not understand what A-Ling was thinking? She sighed inwardly, thinking that she should give A-Ling another chance, and said earnestly, "A-Ling, because the old lady is still alive and the Marquis is our master's father, we are able to live in this Marquis's mansion. In the future, our family will eventually have to move out of the Marquis's mansion, so why do you have to compete with those maids and servants in the mansion?"
When Ah Ling heard Li Yuexi say this, she was quite surprised. She looked up at Li Yuexi's face and saw the pain on Li Yuexi's face. She was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head and responded softly before going back to what she was doing. Li Yuexi looked at Ah Ling's somewhat deliberate back and sighed softly, feeling that it was time to make a decision.
Ah Ling was sent away on the morning of New Year's Eve.
Li Yuexi didn't tell Xu Di. Instead, she arranged for someone to take A Ling to the house Xu Di had bought, planning to send her back to Hexi after the New Year. Li Yuexi didn't want a vain person serving her. Who knew when such a person might betray her for a little benefit?
Li Yuexi didn't want to take such a risk at all. Although her parents-in-law and husband didn't say anything, Li Yuexi could see and understand that the situation in the capital was far from peaceful. Who knew when her servants would be bribed to frame their master?
Ah Ling was a local from Hexi. Her family was poor, so they sold her. After the Li family bought her back, Madam Li saw that Ah Ling was clever and that she was about the same age as Li Yuexi, so she asked Ah Ling to serve Li Yuexi. She served her for more than ten years.
Li Yuexi had always wanted to find a marriage for A-Ling, after all, she had been with her for so many years. Who knew that after A-Ling witnessed the wealth of the Marquis's mansion, she was blinded by the riches and became arrogant.
Actually, with proper guidance, Ah Ling might be able to change her mind. Li Yuexi didn't want to take that risk. Right now, nothing was more important than Xu Di's imperial examination, and Li Yuexi didn't want to bother Xu Di.
How could Xu Di not know? The people stationed in that house were all his own. Xu Di knew as soon as Li Yuexi sent the person there. He didn't ask his wife, not only because A-Ling was Li Yuexi's person, but more importantly, because it was something Li Yuexi did, and Xu Di felt that he should respect Li Yuexi.
Early on New Year's Eve, the mansion became lively.
This was Li Yuexi's first time spending the New Year in the manor. Early in the morning, she was invited by the Crown Prince's wife's people to the old lady's courtyard. Everyone gathered around the old lady, chatting and joking. It wasn't until lunchtime that the Crown Prince's wife, who had been busy running around outside, returned to the old lady's courtyard.
Seeing the young ladies, along with Li Yuexi, having a good time with the old lady, the young master said to her in a coquettish tone, "Grandmother, you have to keep an eye on these young ladies. All they think about is how to play all day long, and they don't even know how to help me with my chores."
Seeing her mother acting coquettishly with her grandmother, Xu Yao wrinkled her nose, made a face, and said with a smile, "Mother, you're so old, and you still come to act coquettishly with your grandmother. Aren't you ashamed?"
Xu Yao was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). She had just finished speaking when her mother grabbed her ear and said, "You little rascal, how dare you talk about your mother like that? I think I've spoiled you too much. Your mother is so busy that I don't even have time to drink water, and you're acting like this, talking about your mother like this."
Xu Yao didn't expect her mother to get right to her. Xu Yao is not the same Xu Yao she used to be. Back then, Xu Yao was sensitive, self-reliant, and liked to keep a certain distance from people. In the past few years, Xu Yao has experienced so many things and has become more open-minded. She can not only take a joke, but also know when to joke with her elders and make them happy.
Although her ear was being twisted by the Crown Prince's wife, Xu Yao could feel that her mother wasn't using any force at all. If she strained her head, she could immediately break free from the Crown Prince's wife's grasp.
Xu Yao didn't move, but covered her ears with her hands and begged loudly, "Oh, Mother, I was wrong, I was wrong, I won't do it again. You have worked so hard, I will definitely toast you tonight and perform a show to make you happy, what do you think?"
The Crown Prince's wife naturally knew that her daughter was joking with her. Seeing her daughter begging for forgiveness, she took the opportunity to release her daughter's ear and said to the old lady, "Grandmother, do you see? Our fourth young lady is now even more mischievous than a monkey."
The old lady chuckled and said, "Our girls can stay home for a few more days, so you should take good care of them. In the future, won't these girls remember your kindness?"
Madam Ning naturally smiled and agreed. Seeing that it was getting late, Madam Ning told everyone to go back to their own courtyards for lunch. In the afternoon, various colorful ribbons and tassels would be tied to the plants and trees throughout the mansion. She told everyone to take a look at how to tie them in their own courtyards. Everyone smiled and bid farewell to the old lady, returning to their own courtyards.
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