Xue Shao pursed his lips and stopped talking. He lowered his head
and stroked Ji Lei's sleek fur. After Liao Huo was dragged away, Ji Lei had regained his composure and raised his head to lick his palm playfully.
Zheng Xiu smiled at Xue Mian, "A Shao is also ignorant, please don't be offended, Master."
Xue Qin said, "Second Aunt, you are too polite. Compared with A Mian, A Shao is already very polite and sensible."
Xue Shao muttered in dissatisfaction, "Who wants to compare with him?"
Xue Qin exchanged a few more words with Zheng Xiu and returned to Changfeng Garden.
After he left, Zheng Xiu also put on her smile, turned around and told everyone, "Everyone follow me into the house!"
Everyone responded in unison and followed her into the house.
Zheng Xiu went into the room and sat down, letting Xue Shao sit next to her, then looked at everyone coldly: "This is how you protect your master when something like this happened in Haoye Hall today?"
Everyone hurriedly begged for forgiveness.
Zheng Xiu looked at everyone one by one, and saw that although they looked terrified, that terrified expression was only in their eyes, and it was clear that they still didn't take her seriously.
She sneered, "Anyway, there are not enough people in the yard, and not many capable people, so just hire two more people. I come from a small family, so I can do things without relying on others. Bai Shu, you calculate, in addition to the three of you, how many more people do we need to do rough work in our yard?"
Bai Shu thought for a while and replied, "I think the madam's room will be cleaned by me, Sister Minghui, and Sister Bai Shu, and there are two housekeepers outside to do rough work."
Zheng Xiu nodded, looking at the ten people in front of him, "Did you hear that? Just keep two housekeepers. Do any of you have other good places to go? If you have any, just tell me, and I will let you find better jobs!"
Hao Yetang now has a total of four housekeepers and seven low-class maids. Everyone lowered their heads when they heard this. Zheng Xiu got even angrier when she thought about how they just backed away when something happened.
Of course, she didn't want these people to really get into trouble and die for Xue Shao or herself, but with people like this all around her, what can she expect from them in the future? !
Everyone was silent for a moment.
Zheng Xiu picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said, "I'll give you a chance to think it over. Do you want to stay in Hao Yetang? If you want to stay, think about what you'll do if something happens to you. If you don't want to stay, leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, when the Second Master comes back..." She smiled coldly, "The Second Master's temper is not made of clay. You should know that."
Everyone in the Duke of Qing's Mansion knew Xue Zhi's temper. However, he himself had not been home for many years, and his prestige in the mansion had weakened. Zheng Xiu didn't know how much use these words would have.
Fortunately, although everyone was no longer too afraid of Xue Zhi, they all knew how much Princess Guihe valued Xue Zhi. Princess Guihe was definitely a big Buddha that no one could afford to mess with! Then they saw Ji Lei lying next to Xue Shao. Ji Lei's copper-bell-sized eyes looked at them from time to time, which made them sweat coldly on their backs.
"Madam, please forgive us for once, we know we are wrong!" One of the sturdy old women said, "I will do my job well and will not disappoint Madam's expectations!"
The others followed suit and expressed their loyalty.
After listening to their words, Zheng Xiu waved her hand and asked them to go down.
Minghui and Fen Ge also came back one after another. Seeing that she was scolding, they stepped aside.
After everyone left, Fen Ge asked cautiously, "Madam, can we serve the meal first?"
Zheng Xiu had no appetite, but thinking of Xue Shao, she nodded and said, "Serve it."
While the meal was being served in Haoye Hall, dinner was also served in Changfeng Garden.
Princess Guihe also had no appetite, but she still sat with Xue Mian and Xue Qin to prepare for dinner.
Xue Mian was angry with his mother, and was afraid that his eldest brother would complain to his mother, so he ate a bowl of rice very quickly.
Princess Guihe saw this and said, "Eat slowly, no one is competing with you for the food."
Xue Mian said nothing and continued to eat his meal.
Princess Guihe glanced at the maid Xia Zhi behind Xue Mian. Xia Zhi understood what he meant and took the serving chopsticks to pick up a few dishes that Xue Mian usually liked from the plate in front of him.
Xue Mian took two bites of the dishes and continued to eat the rice. He finished eating quickly.
After finishing, he put the bowl on the table and jumped off the round stool. "I'm done. Mother and big brother, enjoy." Then he ran back to his room without looking back.
Princess Guihe shook her head and sighed at Xue Qin, "I don't know who Mian'er takes his personality from."
Xue Qin also smiled bitterly and said, "Before dinner, Amian went to Haoye Hall again. If I hadn't arrived in time, there would have been a commotion again."
After punishing Xue Mian's wet nurse and maid, the servants dared not hide his movements anymore. Princess Guihe had heard from the people below that he took Liaohuo to Haoye Hall, so she was not surprised. She just said, "Amian is angry, just let him vent. Liaohuo is a military dog that has been trained for you for many years in the mansion, and nothing will happen."
The implication seemed to be that Xue Qin didn't need to make a fuss about this matter.
"Mother is still saying that Ah Mian has a bad temper, but she doesn't think about who spoiled him. Second Aunt and Ah Shao just came back, and Ah Shao is Second Uncle's only child. Mother shouldn't let Ah Mian bully them." Xue Qin frowned.
Princess Guihe said unhappily, "Do you mean to blame me?"
"Son, I dare not."
Princess Guihe said, "Since the people have been brought back, you should go to Hao Yetang less in the future."
Xue Qin really couldn't understand his mother's thoughts. His mother's feelings for Second Uncle were not worse than for himself and Ah Mian. Since she loved Second Uncle, she should love Second Aunt and Ah Shao as well, especially since Second Uncle was out there in danger, his life or death was uncertain. But mother was not only indifferent to Second Aunt and A Shao, she even disliked them. Second Aunt was of humble origin, so mother looked down on her, but why did she treat A Shao like this?
However, he never dared to contradict Princess Guihe, so he didn't say much, finished eating quickly, put down his bowl and chopsticks, said goodbye and went back to the front yard.
They left one by one, and Princess Guihe was no longer in the mood to eat, so she asked people to take away the food and dismissed the others, leaving only the old nanny to talk.
Princess Guihe looked unhappy. The old nanny served her tea and gently advised: "Mian'er is still young, princess, just teach him slowly, there is no need to get angry and hurt yourself."
Princess Guihe shook her head and said: "How could I be angry with him? I am angry that Aqin does not understand my painstaking efforts..."
"The prince is young and naive, and he does not know Xue Shao's identity, so he said that."
"Xue Shao," Princess Guihe smiled coldly, "Does he deserve the surname Xue? If it weren't for Ah Zhi, he would have..." Recalling the old events of many years ago, she took a few deep breaths and suppressed the anger in her chest.
The old nanny knew that the matter had become a thorn in Princess Guihe's side, and others could no longer interrupt, so she didn't say anything more, but advised Princess Guihe to take care of her own health.
The next morning, Zheng Xiu was not used to living in a strange place, so she woke up early. Xue Shao was snoring on the side, one hand still pulling at the hem of her clothes, as if afraid that she would leave.
She gently pulled back her clothes, and then got out of bed quietly.
Minghui and Fen Ge heard the noise and came in with hot water to serve.
Minghui helped Zheng Xiu wash her face, and opened the closet to help her pick out clothes.
Zheng Xiu chose a plain snow silk cloud-shaped Qianshui skirt to put on. Fen Ge knew how to comb hair, so she took a comb and combed her hair, and deftly tied her hair into a lily bun.
In the dressing table, in addition to a few pieces of jewelry that Zheng Xiu brought from home, there were also some new jewelry. According to Minghui, they were also bought from outside by Xue Zhi when he was at home.
Zheng Xiu couldn't help laughing. This guy was busy with official business at home, and he still had time to buy new clothes and jewelry for himself, but he didn't know how to write back.
But on second thought, she seemed to have figured it out. Maybe being busy was only one reason. Another reason was that he was in the center of trouble, the focus of everyone. He didn't want the movement of sending a letter to alarm the people in the dark.
She chose a pearl and jade hairpin that looked expensive and put it on. Then she didn't touch the jewelry anymore. She only took the pearl and silver hairpin and earrings that Xue Zhi had given her when he was at home.
Bai Zhu had already brought breakfast from the stove.
Xue Shao had woken up and was sitting on the kang with his eyes wide open, sniffing the aroma of food in the air. He didn't look fully awake yet.
Zheng Xiu said, "You should sleep a little longer. I will go to the Buddhist temple to see your grandmother."
Xue Shao became energetic upon hearing this and patted his face, "I will go with my mother."
Zheng Xiu nodded and said with a smile, "Then hurry up, I won't wait for you."
Xue Shao threw off the quilt, jumped off the bed, and went to find clothes to put on.
Ming Hui hurriedly said, "Second Master, let the maid come, you go back to bed first, don't catch a cold."
Xue Shao said indifferently, "It's okay, I can dress myself."
Ming Hui found a light blue round-necked silk shirt for him, and he put it on in no time.
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