Chapter 19 Starting Work "Let me tell you..." "Those are all old..."
"Let me tell you..."
"That's all old news, what's so interesting about it? Let me tell you..."
In the servants' quarters, several female servants sat by the well, their wooden buckets filled with water at their feet, chatting idly.
Most of them were in their thirties or forties, the age when they loved to talk about anything and dared to say anything. One minute they would say that a girl had fallen for someone, the next they would say that a girl dressed up beautifully every day, wondering what she was thinking, and then they would say that a young man was handsome. They talked so much that several young, shy girls hid to the side and didn't dare to come over to fetch water.
Aside from these, there are the gossips in the mansion.
Just as the group was getting into their conversation, a maidservant caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye and immediately perked up: "Isn't this the Queen's wife? How are your injuries?"
The gossip abruptly stopped, and several pairs of eyes immediately fell on the Queen's wife. The crowd exchanged knowing glances and winks, wishing they could get rid of her quickly so they could continue their gossip.
In the past, Wang's wife was one of them. However, she had lost face by beating her mother-in-law, so she didn't like to get involved because she disliked people talking about her. Now, Wang's wife also knew that with her family's affairs exposed, she would definitely become the subject of gossip as well.
Wang's wife, harboring a bellyful of anger and grievances, still had to put on a smile and try her best to maintain the family's dignity in front of outsiders. She smiled at the person who spoke and said, "Aunt Li is joking. My mother and I only had a small argument. No one was injured."
No one present believed what he said.
Even though Wang's wife used makeup to cover her bruised and red lips, the story of her disheveled appearance that day had already spread throughout the servants' quarters.
Aunt Li had initially intended to criticize Wang's wife, but seeing her aggrieved yet still trying to cover for her by Granny Wang, she felt a pang of sympathy and regret. Poor Wang's wife, having such a mother-in-law like Granny Wang, she was truly unfortunate.
Aunt Li sighed, patted Wang's daughter-in-law's hand, and unusually showed kindness by reminding her, "That's true, then your mother-in-law should be alright now, right?"
"yes……"
“But I remember she’s been resting in the house for quite a few days.” Aunt Li interrupted Wang’s wife, and seeing that she hadn’t come to her senses, she reminded her, “It’s a blessing for us servants to be kind and benevolent to our masters, but we servants should also know our place and not take our masters’ kindness for granted, don’t you think?”
Wang's wife opened her mouth, then belatedly realized what was going on and instantly understood that Aunt Li was pointing out that Granny Wang hadn't been going to work at the mansion for a long time.
She wasn't ungrateful; she understood what Aunt Li meant. It seemed the master of the courtyard was dissatisfied with Granny Wang.
If the master is not satisfied, what future do the servants have? Just like Granny Fang who washes the chamber pots in the mansion, who remembers that she was once the old lady's maid when she was young? Later, she had some improper thoughts and was reduced from a senior maid to a lowly maid who washes chamber pots, a job she has been doing for decades.
These are the ones who survived.
Everyone said that the Marquis's mansion was generous and treated its servants well, but since people were brought in every year, there were also people who were sent away every year.
Wang's wife suddenly remembered Granny Zhao, who had been sweeping the front. When Granny Zhao was chased out, she had joined the other servants in watching the spectacle, seeing her belongings thrown out the door, and seeing her two sons and daughters-in-law looking ashen-faced and begging for mercy.
If her mother-in-law were to fall out of favor with her master, her family might be the next to be kicked out! Thinking this, Wang's wife broke out in a cold sweat. When she returned home, she even picked up her dowry and gave it to Aunt Li to thank her for her words of advice that day.
But that's another story. Now, Wang's wife has said goodbye and is hurrying back home. Seeing this, some of the other servants felt they hadn't seen enough and complained, "Why did Aunt Li have to say it out loud? I was originally planning to start a betting game to see when Granny Wang would find out she'd been kicked out of Third Sister's courtyard."
"That's exactly what I meant."
"Old Wang always boasts about how promising her son is and how clever her grandson is. Anyone who didn't know better would think her son was already a big manager!"
"If she's so smart, why wasn't she chosen before?" The servants chimed in, their words full of complaints.
It was also because Granny Wang had a sharp tongue and loved to gossip. She would say a few words about even the dogs that walked by in the servants' yard.
Now she has become the laughing stock in the servants' quarters, and many people are eager to see more of her.
"Anyway, Granny Wang has already been kicked out, so this commotion will make things interesting for us," Aunt Li said, changing her tune instead of mentioning her soft heart.
Upon hearing this, the surrounding servants became curious: "Won't Granny Wang and Madam Jiang get into a fight?"
"Wow! That's actually quite possible."
"With Jiang's delicate skin, I'm afraid something might happen to her."
“That’s not necessarily true.” The maid next to her shook her head repeatedly. “I worked with Madam Jiang in the laundry room. Don’t let her thin and frail appearance fool you; she has the strength of an ox and can wring water out of the sheets and blankets all by herself.”
The servants chattered excitedly, eager to place bets on the outcome of the fight between Granny Wang and Madam Jiang. Meanwhile, Wang's wife walked faster and faster, until she was practically running home.
As she approached her doorstep, her pace gradually slowed. Thinking about persuading Granny Wang to return to work, Wang's daughter-in-law felt as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly.
Unfortunately, she had no choice but to do it.
At least until she starts working in the mansion, Granny Wang's job can't be abandoned!
Having prepared herself mentally, Wang's wife swayed as she entered the house. She glanced at Wang's mother, who was leaning against the kang (a heated brick bed) and picking at braised chicken intestines with her grandson, and said, "Mother."
Granny Wang turned her face away and ignored Wang's daughter-in-law.
Wang's wife didn't take it seriously. From that day on, Wang's mother-in-law always had a long face towards her, acting all sarcastic and strange.
If she thought Granny Wang was really capable, then she shouldn't eat the food she cooked. Wang's daughter-in-law grumbled to herself, but forced a smile: "You've already taken seven days off, shouldn't you go back to work?"
First, she was caught red-handed by Jiang Zhenniang and became known as a thief who stole underwear. Then, she got into a fight with Wang's wife, becoming the laughingstock of the servants. Wang Pozi lost face and was laughed at, so she took seven days off.
At first, Wang's wife was just angry and didn't think things through. It wasn't until Aunt Li spoke up that she realized something was wrong. Not to mention that she would receive far less of her monthly salary this month, why hadn't anyone from Third Sister's courtyard come to inquire about her absence for so many days?
Last time, when the eldest daughter of Madam Tao's family fell ill and took leave, Madam Tao sent someone to invite a doctor to see her. Madam Tao was so excited that she boasted about it for several days.
"You little hussy, how dare you say that!" Old Mrs. Wang glared at her daughter-in-law. "If you hadn't encouraged Xue Rong to let me go home to retire, would I have been able to stay at home for so many days?"
"How dare you slander me? Wasn't it you who went to the Jiang family to spy on them? Wasn't it you who was too ashamed to go to the mansion? If you ask me, it's clearly you who's lazy and using that as an excuse not to go to the mansion to do your work!" Wang's wife originally wanted to persuade her in a kind manner, but seeing that Wang's wife had pinned the blame on her, she immediately became angry again.
“Go ask around, everyone knows you love to slack off and be lazy. You just take a quick stroll around Third Sister’s courtyard every day and then leave. You lie on the kang (heated brick bed) all day and still need someone to wait on you…”
"You're always taking leave, complaining of back pain or other aches and pains. Your mother has told you off twice already, but you've never listened."
"Besides, it wasn't me who encouraged Xue Rong to do this. You just like Da Bao, right? You don't like going to work in the yard, right? I'll let you stay at home and enjoy your life, and I'll go to Third Sister's yard. Maybe in less than two years I can become the head housekeeper!"
As soon as Wang's daughter-in-law finished speaking, Wang's mother couldn't help but burst out laughing. She laughed so hard on the kang (heated brick bed) that she almost fell over, forgetting all about her precious grandson: "You silly girl, I thought... Oh my! You're really ambitious!"
Granny Wang laughed so hard she almost couldn't breathe: "But you should first see how capable you are! The ones who can be the head maids in the courtyard are either maids of the other ladies or servants of the Marquis's household!"
“Someone as newly purchased as you, if I hadn’t taken a liking to you and arranged for you to marry my son, you would probably still be washing clothes in the back like Madam Jiang next door, or washing dishes in the kitchen like that Han’er!”
"And she'll be the head housekeeper—"
"Oh dear, my belly! My good daughter-in-law, let me give you a piece of advice: never say this outside. People outside will laugh about it for a whole year!"
Wang's wife's face flushed bright red, while Wang's mother was amused and perked up. She pulled out a handkerchief from her waist and wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes: "Alright, alright, I'll take your advice. I'll go to work at the mansion this afternoon."
Don't worry—
“I still have some influence with Madam Xu, so it’s not your place to worry about me.” Granny Wang glanced at her daughter-in-law, thinking that she really had to keep an eye on the household chores so that her daughter-in-law would behave herself: “You stay home and take good care of Da Bao, and spin the spinning wheel while you’re at it. I’ll talk to Madam Xu later and see if you can fill in when there’s a shortage of people in the yard.”
Wang's wife gritted her teeth, but unfortunately, she had neither money nor connections to find a good job, so she had no choice but to endure the grievances and swallow Wang's wife's ridicule.
However, her desire to work in the manor burned ever brighter, like a flame touched dry tinder.
Granny Wang glanced at her and knew exactly what her daughter-in-law was thinking. Seeing her reluctantly lower her head, all her displeasure of the past few days vanished completely.
Find work for Wang's wife? Old Lady Wang was not willing to spend that money. When she was choosing a daughter-in-law, she chose Wang's wife because she was honest and hardworking, and because she was sold into the household by her parents. Her family outside was of little use and could only obediently listen to her.
Just as Wang Pozi had thought, after the wife got married and had a child, she would work at home while Wang Pozi would control all the money and power in the family.
After having lunch, Granny Wang rummaged through her room and found two fine pieces of fabric, which she then carried out to the mansion.
Despite her domineering attitude in front of her daughter-in-law, she knew in her heart that this matter was not going well. She planned to give Xu's mother some gifts as soon as she entered the courtyard, asking her to put in a good word for her with the stewardess.
As Wang Pozi walked along the road, she noticed several pairs of eyes fixed on her.
She turned her head to look, and the servants by the roadside immediately turned their faces away, talking to themselves. When she turned around, their gazes returned to her.
Granny Wang's face was long and drawn. She figured these gossipy people were just watching her make a scene. She muttered a few curses under her breath, but still quickened her pace and walked towards Third Sister's courtyard.
Just as Wang Pozi was about to step into the Third Sister's courtyard, she was stopped by the two maids guarding the gate: "Stop."
"It's me, Granny Wang..."
"Of course I know you're Granny Wang. What are you doing here?" The maid at the gate rolled her eyes and interrupted Granny Wang. She waved her hand impatiently: "Go away! Don't get in the way."
"What's wrong with you, girl? I came here to work! You're stopping me, what am I going to do if I'm late?"
Granny Wang stared wide-eyed, then lifted her foot to walk inside again, a vague unease creeping into her heart.
As more and more gazes fell upon her, and she seemed to hear more indistinct whispers, her unease intensified.
"Go to work?" The maid covered her mouth with a handkerchief, almost laughing out loud. "Old Wang, what nonsense are you talking about? Third Miss already said that you are not in good health and cannot do the work in the courtyard, so you don't need to come anymore."
"Wh-what?"
"Madam Jiang is here?" The maid's eyes lit up as she looked at the person coming from behind. She smiled and stepped aside. "Mother Xu asked me to tell you that Madam is taking the cat out tomorrow. Please give the cat a bath and some incense."
“…Jiang Niangzi?” Granny Wang turned around stiffly, and what came into view was Jiang Zhenniang!
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