Xu Rao had just finished cleaning her feet with Xu Zhi's help when Qing Miao came in from outside and said, "Third Master and Third Madam, Aunt Zhu's nanny has arrived."
Xu Rao asked curiously, "What is she doing here in the middle of the night?"
Zhang Zhaoci asked, "Did she come alone or with others?"
Qingmiao said, "I also brought Bihe, who came this afternoon."
Bihe was the maid that Aunt Zhu had brought over that afternoon while she was waiting in the courtyard. Zhang Zhaoci knew what was going on as soon as she heard this, and said, "Go and tell her that Third Master has already gone to bed, and we can talk about it tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Xu Rao knew that something was going to happen that afternoon. Even Xu Di put down his brush and kept staring at Zhang Zhaoci.
Zhang Zhaoci said, "When I came from the old lady's place in the afternoon, there was a maid waiting for me in the courtyard. She said that Aunt Zhu had sent her to serve the Third Master and that she wanted to come with us to Hexi County. I said that we were so far from home and that we wanted to take care of the elders at home. I told her to go back and serve Aunt Zhu and sent her away."
Xu Di smiled and said, "Oh dear, this is a gift to add fragrance to your life."
Xu Rao glared at Xu Di and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? But why are you bringing this now? Still not giving up?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Who knows? Let's go to sleep. We still need to go to the market to buy things tomorrow. We've traveled a long way, so we need to make sure we have everything ready."
Xu Rao said, "Aren't there post stations along the way? We can stay at a post station when the time comes."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "You men wouldn't know anything about these things. Take the last time we went out, for example. You and Xu Di were always urging me to go, and you never cared about what we needed on the road. But when we were thirsty or hungry, you would come and ask me. If I didn't prepare in advance, wouldn't I be at a loss when I needed something?"
Zhang Zhaoci was rambling on when Qingmiao came in again. Xu Di saw her and said with a smile, "Sister Qingmiao, does she not want to leave?"
Qingmiao sighed and said, "Third Grandmother, Granny Zhu said that if you and Third Master don't go to see her today, she will kneel in the courtyard all night. Anyway, she didn't complete the instructions given to her by Aunt Zhu, and she won't have the face to see Aunt Zhu when she goes back."
Zhang Zhaoci said with great surprise, "What, does this Aunt Zhu think she's some kind of emperor? If a servant doesn't complete her orders, she has to kneel in someone else's courtyard all night. Who is she kneeling for? Third Master and I are the masters of the mansion. Who gave her, an old concubine, such power? Wow, she's even threatening me now. I'm going to go and meet this old hag."
Zhang Zhaoci rolled up her sleeves and headed outside. Xu Rao quickly put on the cloth shoes she wore inside, and even Xu Di hurriedly got off the bed and put on his shoes. Xu Zhi naturally followed her mother, but she always felt that her father and brother had more expressions of watching the spectacle than of worry on their faces.
The main house has three rooms with two steps leading up to it. Two red lanterns hang under the eaves. When Zhang Zhaoci came out of the house, he saw an elderly woman standing in the courtyard. Behind the elderly woman was the same maid who had been wearing a silver-red jacket that afternoon, named Bihe.
Seeing Zhang Zhaoci come out of the house, the old nanny bowed and said, "Third Madam, I have brought the person to you on the orders of Aunt Zhu."
Zhang Zhaoci said with a smile, "Aunt Zhu is too kind. Bihe was ordered by me to serve you, so why did you send her back? Is it because this girl doesn't know how to serve? It doesn't matter if she doesn't know how to serve. Tomorrow I'll go to the old steward and send her to the estate to temper her temperament. Then I'll bring her back to learn the rules properly. Once she's learned the rules, we can send her to serve you again. What do you think?"
Everyone in the manor knows that this Third Madam is a reckless and unruly person; once she's said it, she'll definitely do it.
Upon hearing Zhang Zhaoci's words, Bihe looked at Granny Zhu with a look of horror. Bihe knew that although she was a maid in the manor, she was well fed and served, and her job was simply to serve others. If she were sent to the estate, she would have to work in the fields. Someone like her would not be able to face anyone for more than a few days. Without her good looks, how could she win the favor of her master?
Granny Zhu said, "Since Third Madam insists on giving the person to the concubine, then I will take the person back with me."
After Zhu Mama bowed to Bihe, she walked towards the courtyard gate. Zhang Zhaoci snorted and said, "Why do you have to cause trouble instead of living a good life?"
Granny Zhu paused for a moment, then strode forward.
Xu Di saw Granny Zhu leave with her entourage and said in surprise, "Oh dear, they're gone already? I thought we were going to have a proper fight."
Zhang Zhaoci flicked Xu Di on the forehead and said, "Are you trying to make your mother suffer? You unfilial son."
When Xu Zhi saw her brother being scolded, she quickly took his hand and said, "Mother, I will take good care of you from now on."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhaoci laughed and picked Xu Zhi up in one go, saying, "Our little Jiu is the best, so sensible and obedient. Come here, Mommy has a box of pearls hidden here. Let Mommy find them for you, and we can string them together and play with them later, okay?"
Xu Rao looked at Xu Di, who was covering his forehead, and said, "I've noticed that your mom's fighting power has increased by quite a bit since she came. We two should be more careful in the future, lest we get torn apart by your mom."
Xu Di nodded and said, "Dad, I know. It was my fault for being so talkative. I won't do it again. Oh dear, Mom's grip is even stronger than before. Dad, do you see it's red?"
Xu Rao looked at it and said, "It really is a bit red. Let me put some medicine on it for you."
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