Xu Yiwen's face flushed red, unsure how to stop Gu. Xu Shimao might have had some minor flaws, perhaps because he was close to him and sometimes lost his composure, but they had known each other for over a decade after all, so he couldn't be kicked out for such a minor offense.
In a moment of desperation, Xu Yiwen knelt down in front of Gu and said, "Mother, Xu Shimao may have been rude, but please, for the sake of his years of diligent service, forgive him this time!"
Xu Shimao also cooperated very well and whimpered. Although his mouth was stuffed, his ears were fine. Since the young master was pleading for him, of course he had to show some performance.
"Wen'er, get up." Gu helped Xu Yiwen up more gently and gently patted the dust off his body.
"I know you have a kind heart and always remember the bond between master and servant. But he hasn't put himself in the right place, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Don't worry, I'll definitely pick the best and send it to you."
"But the work in the laundry is too tiring. He's old, and I'm afraid..."
"Alright, take him out and beat him!" Gu interrupted Xu Yiwen and signaled someone to take him out and teach him a lesson.
Xu Yixing had no connection with Xu Shimao, but he didn't want to disappoint the old man because of this incident, so he stood up and pleaded for mercy.
"Mother, although Xu Shimao made mistakes, he is an elder by my brother's side. I'm afraid that the person who replaces him won't be familiar with my brother's habits, which may not be good. How about a fine of several months' silver as a small punishment and a big warning?"
The laundry was just a general term. The people there had to do more than just wash clothes; they also had to clean toilets and latrines—the dirtiest and most tiring work. Not only was the pay poor, but they were also prone to illness, and if they weren't careful, they could die.
Generally, only those who have made mistakes will be sent there, and anyone with some connections will be transferred away early.
Take Xu Shimao for example. Those who go out with the young master are naturally the most respectable and can get many benefits on weekdays. If they go to the laundry room, the gap will be so big that they will definitely not be able to bear it.
Gu glanced at Xu Yixing lightly, with some inexplicable meaning in her eyes.
"Well, since you two are pleading for him, then fine. No need to be beaten. Go plant trees in the back garden and take over Sui'er's job."
Xu Yiwen wanted to beg again, but this time he had no reason, so he could only sit down silently, feeling listless.
Xu Yixing squinted her eyes. She'd picked up a bad habit from Ying Wu these days: squinting for no reason. She was wondering what the Gu family meant by all this. They'd been too hasty in punishing so many people.
"Little Wuzi, you are disobedient and have acted recklessly in the young lady's courtyard. You will be given thirty lashes and expelled from the house!"
Who? Xu Yixing's eyes widened. Gu was waiting for her here. This was the heaviest punishment of the day. She felt that Gu might kill her.
"Wait a minute, you're not following the rules? What rules are you breaking? How are you acting so recklessly? Explain it to me clearly."
Faced with the Second Miss' sudden and calm questioning, Huizhi was a little scared, but when she thought that she was working for the Madam, she knew there was nothing to be afraid of.
"According to the rules, Xiao Wuzi is only a third-class cleaning boy. He's not allowed to enter the young lady's courtyard except to do chores, and he should leave as soon as he sees the women in the mansion. But he stayed for most of the day, chatting and laughing with the young lady. It's indecent for anyone to see. How can this be considered decent?"
So they're making a fuss about the strict separation of men and women. I should have let Yingwu play a maid. It's really troublesome. It seems that even though the Gu family is in the Gu Mansion, they haven't forgotten about their family affairs for a moment, and even hired someone to keep an eye on this place.
"You know he was just chatting and laughing with me, so why didn't you say that I was the one who kept him in the yard? Could it be that you're jealous that he can enter my yard while you can't, so you're deliberately using this to disgust me?
Or do you think that I can't make decisions on my own about the affairs of my courtyard and need you to take care of them for me? Huizhi, put yourself in your place. Even when Nanny Gu was here, it was not customary to interfere in the affairs of the young lady's courtyard!"
Xu Yixing spoke so quickly and hastily that Huizhi didn't know how to respond. She had assumed the Second Young Lady would be mortified to death by such an accusation, wishing she could crawl under the ground.
Now, if I say that the young lady is right to keep Xiao Wuzi, then I will definitely be held accountable, and the lady will not be happy; but if I say that the young lady is too intimate with a man outside, then this will be considered to have damaged the young lady's reputation. Will the master forgive me...
Huizhi looked at Gu, hoping for her guidance. But Gu seemed frozen, completely ignoring her pleading eyes. It seemed the Madam wasn't going to intervene herself. Whether or not she could prove Xiao Wuzi guilty depended on her.
"Young lady, you may have been deceived by this man's sweet words, but as a servant of the Xu family, I must be careful in everything I do. If this matter gets out and the Seventh Prince hears about it, will your reputation be ruined? Will you still want to get married?"
Huizhi's face was filled with indignation, and she looked like a loyal servant.
Xu Yixing smiled faintly and said, "Little girl, you are still too young. When Gu wanted to choose a knife, he didn't even pick a good one. What's the matter with this little girl?"
"Huizhi, we were just chatting, how did it affect my reputation? You have a dirty heart, everything you see is dirty.
What does my marriage have to do with you? I won’t take you with me to marry. If anyone should be worried, it should be my maids Siqin and Sihua. Look, are they very worried now?
Besides, every time I talk to Xiao Wuzi, there are always a bunch of maids watching us in the yard. Tell me, what does this have to do with my reputation?
"This... But this is against the rules. You are doing this..."
"Since you were worried about the Seventh Prince finding out, why did you bother to tell it publicly? If you just gave me a quiet reminder, would I forget your kindness? I don't know who is trying to make this a big deal."
"How dare I, a humble servant, who has little influence..."
"You dared not tell me but dared to punish my people in front of me. Your courage is really strange, sometimes big and sometimes small. Or did someone instruct you to do this?"
Every word Xu Yixing said was stuck on Huizhi's cheek, leaving her in a dilemma as to whether to speak or not. She was so bitter that she was about to cry.
Xu Yiwen tugged at her sleeve slightly, as if to say that he should quit while he was ahead.
Xu Yixing nodded gently, and Yiwen sat up straight with peace of mind, intending to say a few words to ease the atmosphere. Suddenly, Xu Yixing stood up, shoved Huizhi hard, pushed her away from Gu, and then knelt at Gu's feet with a plop.
The tears started to flow, leaving Gu at a loss, and she could no longer pretend not to see them.
"Xiaoyan, what are you doing?"
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