When Madam Li stepped into the courtyard again with her daughter Ying'er, she felt very uneasy.
This place has high walls that can keep out the wind and swords from the outside world, giving her and her daughter a place to live; this place also has people she likes at first sight. Li Niangzi longs to be in this place, to use her own hands and her own labor to make herself and her daughter live a stable and prosperous life.
The steward led Lady Li directly to the kitchen.
Li Niangzi was a cook, and the place she spent the most time in was the kitchen. After entering the kitchen, she looked at the place, which was obviously newly renovated, and couldn't help but nod.
There was a room on one side of the kitchen, with a door on the outside and another door inside that connected to the kitchen. It was a storage room. The steward led Li Niangzi there and said, "Our master and mistress have just arrived, and we haven't prepared everything. You can use what's in here to cook."
Madam Li nodded, took out the clothes she would wear to cook in the kitchen from her bundle, instructed her daughter to light the stove, then went around the storage room, took out a few ingredients, and began to prepare them.
It was getting late, so Li Niangzi quickly cooked a few dishes. Bai Ying put the dishes in a food box, picked them up, and went to the backyard.
Zheng Boyuan had already returned. Seeing Bai Ying carrying food, he asked, "Have you found someone to cook?"
Xu Zhi helped take the food out of the food box and said, "Yes, the manager went outside to find someone, but I'm still a little worried. Hong Gu said to leave the person at home and keep an eye on them, since they have to take care of our three meals a day."
Zheng Boyuan nodded, went to the corner room to wash his hands, and sat down to eat with Xu Zhi.
They were all seasonal vegetables, and they looked very ordinary, but they tasted very delicious. It is said that the same ingredients can taste different when cooked by different people because of the different control of the heat. Xu Zhi felt that this Li Niangzi had a very good control of the heat. Simple ingredients can truly test a person's cooking skills.
Zheng Boyuan ate a few bites and said, "This cook's food is really delicious."
Xu Zhi nodded and said, "In that case, let's keep her here. The steward can help with the household's shopping, and Madam Li can just cook in the household and try not to have any contact with the outside world."
Zheng Boyuan nodded.
After Bai Ying left with the food box, Madam Li sat in front of the stove, her heart pounding with anxiety. She was afraid that the food she had prepared would not suit the tastes of the master of the house, or that it was just wishful thinking on her part. When the steward came over and told her to take her daughter to the next room to rest, Madam Li couldn't help but cry.
The manager knew that this lady had gone through a lot of hardship and finally had a place to settle down, so it was understandable that she would vent her frustrations. However, he still urged Lady Li to hurry up and get ready to rest.
Madam Li wiped away her tears and said, "I see you haven't eaten yet. Let me cook for you first, and I can clean up after I've finished cooking."
The manager waved his hand and said, "I was afraid we wouldn't be able to find anyone to cook today, so I ordered food from Zhaixing Tower early this morning. It will be delivered over later. You and your daughter can eat with us."
Madam Li quickly thanked her, but when she opened the door to the next room and saw the bedding, daily necessities, and several washbasins, foot basins, and bathtubs already laid out, her eyes welled up with tears.
Looking at the spacious, bright, and fully furnished room, Ying'er took Li Niangzi's hand and happily asked, "Mother, is this where we're going to stay?"
Madam Li nodded and said, "That's right, from now on, Mother and Ying'er will be living here. Are you happy, Ying'er?"
Ying'er smiled and nodded, then thought for a moment and said, "Then does that mean Grandmother and the others can't come?"
Thinking of her mother-in-law, Madam Li nodded vigorously and said, "Yes, of course they can't come."
Lady Li made a decision in her heart. When the steward came to deliver the food, Lady Li asked him if she could sign a contract of servitude with the lady.
The steward said in surprise, "Madam Li, this is not something you can sign lightly. You should think about it carefully."
Li Niangzi said calmly, "I am a widow with no other desires. I just want a safe place to raise my child. I have no skills and can only work in the kitchen. I think it's better to sign a contract of servitude with you, so that I can work with you and cook for you. That way, my child and I can have a way to survive."
The person in charge was also from a poor family, so he naturally understood how difficult Li Niangzi's situation was. Now that such an opportunity was presented to them, they naturally had to seize it tightly so that the mother and daughter could fight for a way to survive.
The steward said to Madam Li, "I can't make that decision. I'll go and talk to our master and mistress later to see what they think."
After thanking the steward, Madam Li took her and her daughter's meal and went back to her room.
It was getting late, and the lights were on in the room. The mother and daughter had just finished eating when Bai Ying and Bai Guo came over carrying a bundle.
Madam Li quickly stood up, and Bai Ying said with a smile, "Madam Li, this bundle contains a few clothes that Bai Guo and I have outgrown. The material is still okay. Could you alter them for Ying'er? Please don't mind."
Li Niangzi quickly thanked them. After Bai Ying and Bai Guo put the things down, they took their leave. Looking at the bundle on the bed, Li Niangzi became even more determined to sign the indenture.
Once you sign a contract of servitude, you become a slave. From then on, your life and death will not only be tied to your master, but you will also be in the master's hands. Slaves can be bought and sold. How can they be compared to good citizens?
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