In Xiuxia Courtyard, Madam Yang had a long face and remained silent no matter how much her son tried to coax and persuade her.
After a while, she was caught off guard when her son fed her a piece of candied plum, and she couldn't help but laugh.
"This girl doesn't seem like a good person. She's like a weather vane, always changing her mind. What if she stabs you in the back later? Do you really have to take her as a concubine?"
Gu Ting straightened his robes, sat down in the chair nonchalantly, and began to speak.
"She's just a liar. We'll treat her nicely when things go our way, but once our son gets tired of her, we'll get rid of her. She won't cause any trouble."
Madam Yang was furious. "What are you trying to achieve? Do you know how bad the rumors are going around the house right now? If Madam finds out you've done something wrong, she'll punish you terribly!"
She paused, then picked up the cold tea and took two sips. Her heart was burning with heat, and she couldn't drink hot tea right now.
"You finally caught your father's eye by virtue of your ability to study."
The maid I chose for you is related to Steward Wang's family in the inner courtyard. Although they are distant relatives, how could she not be better than this girl from the gatekeeper's family who has no connections?
We've only had a few days of peace and quiet. And you have to cause such a scene!
Gu Ting was annoyed by these words. "Yes, I am not as powerful as the young master, who has the talent of a martial arts champion at such a young age."
She wasn't as noble as her second and fourth brothers, who were legitimate sons. Yet, she was merely a concubine, not even considered a proper wife, and yet she was being so harshly punished?
After saying that, he stood up angrily, flicked his robe, and left.
"What a terrible child!" Yang Yiniang cried bitterly behind her.
"That's not what I meant. Although there are many people in the manor who excel in martial arts, when it comes to academics, apart from the young master, which brother in the entire manor can compare to Ting'er? His grades are the best."
Otherwise, would the Second Master value it so much? But the more he values it, the more cautious and careful he must be in his words and actions.
"He's caused trouble, and that wife has found something to use against him. Who knows what kind of torment my son will suffer next? But why doesn't he understand!"
While comforting her, the nanny told Hanqiao to quickly fetch a handkerchief and a basin of water for her aunt to wash her face.
Gu Ting knew perfectly well! He was just annoyed and didn't want to get entangled with his aunt any longer!
When they returned to Moyuan Courtyard, they went to the servants' quarters first, where Liu Xiang'er was still unconscious.
Her face was so swollen it was unrecognizable, but you could still vaguely make out her features.
His eyes were filled with malice, his brows furrowed, and he stared silently for a while. Then he flicked his sleeve and left.
………………………………
"Aunt Wang, your Yan'er has reached the age to enter the household, hasn't she? What position are you planning to get?"
The one who asked the questions was Aunt Cui, who lived in the same courtyard as them, and the two families had a very good relationship. So she told them whatever came to mind.
"The needlework room is an easy job, and you can get rewards from time to time, but you don't have to serve the master in person."
"Having a skill means you're in a relatively safe environment. You know, my older sister has been giving me quite a fright lately."
Madam Cui sighed, "That's true." Then she nudged her with her elbow, pursed her lips, and gestured for her to look towards the Liu family's direction.
Aunt Wang was still angry, but she would never confront the Liu family right now, having heard that Liu Xiang'er had been taken as a concubine the other day.
The couple felt no shame at the honor they gained by selling their daughter; on the contrary, they were practically strutting around with pride!
She took the clothes out of the wooden basin and gestured for Cui to help wring them out.
While twisting the metal, he whispered, "We don't do things like selling our daughters for personal gain! She's not even a concubine, just a nameless maid. Why are you so happy about it!"
Aunt Cui laughed loudly, knowing that she resented Liu Xiang'er for framing Ying'er.
However, she didn't think being a concubine was a terrible thing; in fact, most people thought it was a good thing.
If you're lucky enough to give birth to a son or daughter, you might be elevated to the status of a concubine, which would make you practically a mistress.
Not only will they no longer have to endure constant beatings and scoldings, but their lives will also improve dramatically.
But Aunt Wang wasn't just saying that out of spite; she'd been thinking about her younger sister's words a lot these past few days.
“Mother, if Yingjie were freed from slavery, would she still have to endure this torment time and time again?”
That's still good; they'll just give him a beating and scare him a little.
I've heard that some women are treated as freeloaders and randomly assigned to men who indulge in eating, drinking, gambling, and all sorts of vices.
Even if you don't want to, can you disobey your master?
"It's better for my brother because he's a boy, but to put it bluntly, the other day, Third Master wasn't happy, and his life was entirely in the hands of others."
This is no joke. Last time, when Sister Ying was injured, Brother didn't come back. Did he not want to come back?
No, the third young master instructed him to properly organize and tidy up the books in the study; it's just his mischievous way of keeping him from coming back. He thought the young master didn't know.
He saw it all perfectly clearly, but what could he do?
Then, Aunt Wang gave Wang Yan a good beating, saying, "Why can't this child speak properly!"
But she listened attentively. Especially Yingjie, who would be looking for a husband in a few years.
If I offend Liu Xiang'er, and she whispers in the ear of the Third Young Master, I don't even want to think about what will happen!
Ironically, in this feudal and rigid era, very few people were willing to awaken to the truth for the sake of their daughters.
Most people would just think their ideas are crazy, especially this kind of hereditary family line.
They had never experienced the outside world and only felt that once they left their master, they were like bandits, wild beasts, or ostracized.
What's even more absurd is that these situations are real. You have no foundation, you're just a piece of fat meat; you might escape natural disasters, but you can't escape man-made ones!
Any one of these factors could crush them, so taking this step is very difficult, extremely difficult.
But these two honest and dutiful servants actually considered redeeming themselves, all to prevent their daughter from being harmed.
Wang Yan came out for a drink of water in the middle of the night and overheard them in the room calculating how much money it would cost to redeem the three children.
"We need to save up the money to redeem the two girls first."
"Yes, yes."
Wang Yan was deeply moved by these words; the Wang couple had been incredibly good to their children. They were no different from modern people.
Four families lived in the courtyard. Her family was only allocated three rooms, but the largest and best sunny room in the house was given to her and her sister.
My brother lived in a slightly less desirable room. My parents lived in a corner at the back, which also got some sunlight, but it wasn't as bright as the main room.
The neighbors laughed, but Dad just chuckled and didn't care. Mom, however, retorted with her head held high.
"Even if guests come, they'll stay in the main room for a while. What's the point of talking about losing face? It's not shameful if the children live well." This truly reflects a deep love for one's children.
However, the family isn't talking about leaving the mansion yet. They're talking about entering the mansion.
"Mom, I want to work in the kitchen."
Aunt Wang glared at him angrily, "Are you getting too cocky?"
"Mom, I like to eat well, so I'll go to the kitchen for convenience."
As she spoke, she pulled out a copy of "Miscellaneous Notes on Mountain Food," which she had found a couple of days ago by a down-on-his-luck scholar. She had memorized it, and he had written it down.
"Besides, I found this. I can experiment with it slowly once I get to the kitchen, right?"
It's not easy to get a prescription, so we need to try it as soon as possible so we can understand its effectiveness.
Whether you present it to them for a reward or keep it for yourself, it's an excellent guarantee.
Aunt Wang took it and looked at it. "Don't try to fool me. Even your dad can use it to taste dishes."
"Oh my goodness! If my father were so skilled, would he only be a cook in charge of the water dishes? My grandfather was the head chef of the red dishes in our household!"
Speaking of this, it was one of the biggest regrets of the Wang family patriarch, and he was filled with resentment whenever he thought about it! On the day he passed away, he even forced himself to pick up a pair of shoes from the ground and gave his father a good beating!
There's no other way; this is the only one.
Old man: Oh, sob sob sob, I regret it! I didn't create a new account.
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