Chapter 142 Being Cleaned Up
When they arrived at the Xu Mansion, Li Runrun was arranged to stay in the side room next to Miss Xu's boudoir, while Haitang and Honghua were arranged to stay in the maids' quarters.
Although it was also an ear room, it seemed much emptier than the ear room that the prince had asked her to live in. There was only a bed, a cabinet, and a set of tables and chairs.
There were no ornaments at all, and the bed curtains were dusty, making it look very small and depressing.
There was no stove or charcoal basin, and it was as cold inside as an ice cellar.
Li Runrun went over to make the bed, only to find that the bedding was damp and smelled musty.
She coughed twice because of choking.
Haitang and Honghua came over after putting their luggage away. Haitang wanted to help Lirunrun make the bed, but she frowned when she touched the quilt.
He stood aside and said to Li Ruanruan, "When I see Miss Xu later, I will definitely tell her about this. How can I sleep with such a moldy quilt?"
Li Ruanruan looked at Haitang: "Haitang, what is your impression of Miss Xu?"
"She's a lady from a wealthy family, well-educated and well-mannered. She may seem aloof, but she should be easy to get along with."
Haitang had a very high opinion of Xu Wan. She naturally thought Xu Wan was a very good person, which was why she said she would tell Xu Wan that people could not sleep on the quilt, thinking that Xu Wan would solve the problem.
Li Ruanruan chuckled softly: "If she really wanted to, she wouldn't have called me over and given me such a show of power. Just wait and see. Our hard times are yet to come."
Haitang was still a little skeptical: "I am the prince's person, she wouldn't dare to do that. If that's the case, isn't she afraid that I will tell the prince?"
"She dared to do this, she must have some tricks up her sleeve. We should all be extra careful."
Sure enough, after a while, Xu Wan summoned the three of them.
Xu Wan sat on a chair. She looked at the three of them with their luggage and said kindly, "Get up. I didn't want to disturb you, but it's hard to refuse from my mother's side. I'm sorry for making things difficult for you. I'm not a housekeeper. I hope the people below didn't make things difficult for you."
Haitang immediately said, "The quilt the servants gave the maid is moldy and damp. How can we sleep in it?"
"There is such a thing."
Xu Wan said with a cold face: "Madam Zhang, how did you do it so badly?"
Nanny Zhang bowed, putting on a smile and saying, "Miss, the servants must have been busy and forgot. The side room hasn't been occupied for a while, so they probably forgot to change the bedding. I'm sending someone to change it right away."
Xu Wan smiled gently and looked at Li Ruanruan: "Sister, please don't be angry."
Li Ruanruan hurriedly bowed and said, "I'm unworthy. Miss Xu, please let me take your place."
"Why not? When I come home, I think you will be my aunt. We can call each other sisters."
"How dare I, a lowly servant, address my master as your sister?"
Xu Wan smiled: "Okay then, I'll call you Ruanruan from now on."
"Master, please do as you please."
Li Ruanruan looked very well behaved.
Xu Wan lowered her head to drink tea, but the smile on the corner of her lips was very cold.
As they were talking, the nanny beside Madam Xu came over and whispered something in Xu Wan's ear.
Xu Wan frowned: "How can that be done? No, go and tell your mother."
The nanny ignored Xu Wan and said directly to Haitang, "Madam said that the young lady's courtyard does not need so many maids to serve. You two, go to the main courtyard to serve, and she will stay here to get along with the young lady."
Haitang frowned: "The prince asked me to follow the concubine, how can I leave?"
“Snap—”
The nanny slapped Haitang and said, "Since you are here, you should obey Madam's orders. Who taught you to be so talkative?"
"presumptuous!"
Xu Wan stopped the nanny, protecting Haitang, and scolded her, "Mammy, how could you hit the young master's people? I'll go and tell Mother how you could do that. The nanny is getting more and more confused with age. I'll tell Mother right away and have her punish you severely."
"Madam is just worried that the young lady will be soft-hearted. Someone, take the young lady away. I will make arrangements here."
"Mother has gone too far. I will go find her myself."
Xu Wan stood up angrily as if she was going to go find Madam Xu to argue.
Haitang covered her face and looked very grateful to Xu Wan.
Only Li Runrun knew that this was just a double act performed by Xu Wan and her daughter.
It is so clumsy, and Xu Wan is such a good person. But they are just one playing the good cop and the other playing the bad cop.
They are not good birds.
Xu Wan left not to support Haitang, but because her departure would give the nanny beside Madam Xu more power.
Haitang covered her face and said, "I will report everything I've experienced here to the prince when I get back."
The maid tugged at Haitang and Honghua fiercely, "It was the Empress' order that brought you here. The order told you to obey the Madam. You servants are so bold! You even dare to disobey the Empress? How many lives do you have? How dare you confront me here? Come, take them away!"
Haitang was still afraid when she heard about the Queen.
Only Honghua said: "I won't leave, I won't leave the room, let me go."
Even the nanny Haitang dared to hit Honghua, so she didn't take it seriously and slapped her twice.
The nanny wanted to hit more, her expression twisted with ferocity, and she looked like she was going to slap Honghua in the face and tear it to pieces.
Li Ruanruan rushed over to protect Honghua: "That's enough, I'll persuade her myself, Mammy, stop it."
The nanny snorted coldly, "You're at least a bit sensible. From now on, when the young lady arrives at the Marquis' Mansion, she will be your master. Serving her is your natural duty."
Li Ruanruan protected Honghua. She whispered in her ear, "I'm the prince's concubine. They'll just give me a hard time, but nothing will happen to me. Don't worry. Follow Haitang closely over there and be careful."
Honghua wanted to say something else.
Li Ruanruan added, "Don't cause me any trouble. Be careful and cautious, just like when you were a slave."
Li Ruanruan pressed Honghua's shoulder hard.
She gave him red flowers and left.
Li Runrun suddenly felt uneasy. She regretted bringing Honghua here. Seeing Madam Xu's attitude, she brought up the Queen again.
This trip was much more dangerous than she had expected.
The pear is soft and the hands and feet are cold.
Soon, Nanny Zhang came over and pinched her hard.
Li Ruanruan covered her arm and stepped aside.
Aunt Zhang wasn't as kind as she was in front of Xu Wan. She pointed at Li Ruanruan and yelled, "You're already complaining about me on your first day here? That's great! You don't want to sleep on those damp and moldy bedding, right? Then don't use it."
Nanny Zhang gave a look to the little maid beside her, and the little maid quickly understood and left.
Li Runrun didn't need to follow, she knew that her quilt was taken away, leaving her without one to sleep on at night.
Li Ruanruan covered her arm with red eyes, looked at the nanny, and then said calmly: "Nanny, try harder."
Aunt Zhang pretended to roll up her sleeves and said, "It doesn't hurt, does it? This is the first time I've seen someone seeking death."
Li Ruanruan stared at her intently: "If the bruises don't go away in the next two days, I'll tell the prince when I get back that it was Madam Zhang who pinched the young lady. I wonder if Madam Zhang can be included in the dowry when she goes to the Marquis' Mansion?"
Nanny Zhang was about to move but stopped abruptly.
He stared at Li Ruanruan and gnashed his teeth: "She is indeed a foxy woman with tricks!"
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