Huang Wanzhen picked up the broom in the yard and went to Zisu Courtyard angrily.
"Bang—dang—"
The wooden door of Huang Wanshu's room was pushed open with great force, which scared her.
"Huang Wanzhen, what are you crazy about?!"
Huang Wanzhen pointed at her with a broom, "Huang Wanshu, give me back the article and I'll forgive you, or I'll make you pay!"
Huang Wanshu stood up and shouted, "What article? Stop throwing dirty water on me!"
Huang Wanzhen glared at her fiercely: "What did you do in the study this afternoon?!"
Huang Wanshu: "I came to find you."
"Who told you not to open the door for me this morning? I didn't find anyone in your yard, so I thought you were in the study, so I went to look for you. When I didn't see you, I came back."
"I'm telling you, I didn't touch anything in the study. If you lost something, you can't blame me.
Huang Wanzhen clenched the broom and forced herself to calm down.
"Tell me the truth. If it was you who really took my manuscript, I will forgive you as long as you return it to me."
Huang Wanshu raised her eyebrows. "You don't believe me? Why do I need your manuscript? I can't even understand it."
Huang Wanzhen carefully observed her expression and found no flaws. If she really took it, she was too good at pretending. Is she so scheming?
"What are you arguing about? People across the street can hear you quarreling. It's embarrassing!" Mrs. Huang walked in with a cold face.
"Mother! Look at her, what she has become because of you. A young lady from a wealthy family, she comes here with a broom to accuse me." With tears in her eyes, Huang Wanshu threw herself into Huang Dong's arms.
"Wanzhen, what are you doing?" Mrs. Huang said unhappily.
Huang Wanzhen put down the broom and explained, "Mom, I came back from outside and found that the manuscript I wrote in the study this morning was missing."
"I checked. My eldest sister and third sister went into the study this afternoon."
"This morning, she was dissatisfied with your punishment and made a scene at the study door for a long time. She was very dissatisfied with me in her words."
"I wonder if she stole my manuscript just to play a trick on me."
When Mrs. Huang heard that Huang Wanzhen's manuscript was missing, she immediately took it seriously. "How can this be tolerated? Your manuscript should be published in the newspaper."
She patted Huang Wanshu anxiously twice and said, "Tell me quickly, did you get your sister's manuscript?"
Huang Wanshu covered her arm, which was hurt by the slap. "Hiss—, I didn't take it. I can't understand it, so why did I take her manuscript?"
Mrs. Huang Dong was immediately furious. "It must be that naughty girl from Xiyuan. She's so naughty at such a young age. I'm going to teach her a lesson right away."
She snatched the broom from Huang Wanzhen's hand and walked out angrily.
Huang Wanzhen and Huang Wanshu looked at each other, and without bothering to question her any further, they lifted their skirts and chased after her.
Huangfu West Garden.
As soon as Mrs. Huang Dong entered the yard, she saw Xiucheng.
"Xiucheng, come here."
Xiucheng hurried over with a lacquered red tray.
"Greetings, ma'am."
Mrs. Huang glanced down at the butterfly cakes on the tray and sneered, "Humph! You really know how to enjoy yourself."
Xiucheng's calves began to tremble as she saluted. "Madam, this is a reward from the master."
Huang Dongshi: "What a Huang Zhengming! He uses my money to reward others. I think he is living too comfortably."
Throwing her handkerchief down in anger, she called out, "Xiuzhu."
Xiuzhu: "Yes."
Mrs. Huang: "Cut the master's share in half."
Xiuzhu reminded her, "Madam, the master still needs to take medicine, and the monthly medicine fee is not small."
Huang Dongshi: "Just him? How dare he let himself down? From tomorrow on, cut my salary in half!"
Xiuzhu fulfilled her duty of persuading her, and seeing that the wife was not changing her mind, she bowed and replied, "Yes."
Huang Wanzhen watched all this expressionlessly, without saying a word.
Huang Wanshu, who arrived shortly afterwards, asked quietly, "Mother, did the third sister take the second sister's article?"
Huang Dong gave her a cold look, which immediately made her shut up.
"I've been here for such a long time, and you haven't even come out to pay your respects. Are they all dead?!"
As long as Mrs. Huang didn't wake him up, Xiucheng, who was squatting down, wouldn't dare to say a word even though her forehead was sweating, let alone inform her master.
It was only when Xiuzhu entered the room that she called out the second aunt and Huang Wanqiong.
"Greetings, ma'am."
"Greetings, ma'am."
Mrs. Huang didn't say anything, and the scene fell into silence.
The busiest person was Xiuzhu, who moved a chair for Huang Dongshi one moment and a stool for her the next.
After moving the stools and putting out the ready-made butterfly cakes, he won an admiring look from Mr. Huang.
"Xiucheng! You're not a child anymore, do you have any plans for marriage?"
Xiucheng quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times.
"Madam, my cousin and I have been engaged since childhood. I hope you will agree to this."
Huang Dongshi moved back, leaning against the back of her chair, and said calmly, "I will definitely make it happen."
"My Huang family has a long tradition of poetry and literature, and we are very kind and righteous. We have never treated our servants unfairly."
"Pack your luggage tomorrow and go home."
Xiucheng kowtowed, "Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."
The Huang family was declining and no longer as prosperous as it once was. Servants who had opportunities had already redeemed themselves and left.
She served two masters alone, and her salary was pitifully low. If her father had not signed a death contract and needed five taels of silver to redeem himself, she would have left long ago.
"Madam, no—" The second concubine looked up in panic, the strands of hair on her temples swaying, making her look quite pitiful.
Huang Dong hated her attitude the most, saying, "I'm a weak woman, and you're bullying me."
When I was young, I was often annoyed by Huang Zhengming because of this.
Huang Dong was furious, "Second Aunt, how dare you commit treason?! Have you forgotten your status?"
If this bitch's indenture contract wasn't in my possession, I would have sold her long ago.
"Madam! My mother has been a good citizen for a long time. You have no right to say that to her." Huang Wanqiong knelt down and saluted. She was not called up the whole time. She was so upset that her eyes were red.
"Qiong'er!" The second concubine was shocked and stood up to cover her mouth.
But it's too late.
Mrs. Huang Dong had already heard it.
"Great, hahaha, that's great."
Huang Dongshi did not get angry but laughed instead.
"Since you are no longer a servant of the Huang family, please leave."
Xiuzhu and Xiuqing looked at each other, stepped forward, and twisted the second concubine's arms.
At this time, the second concubine didn't care about pretending anymore. She shouted angrily, "Let me go, how dare you?"
"Zhengming won't agree. He can't live without me!"
Huang Wanzhen, who was watching the show silently on the side, calmly stuffed the handkerchief into Xiulan's hand and pushed her out with force.
Xiulan did not disappoint, she walked up quickly and stuffed the handkerchief into the second concubine's mouth.
Huang Dongshi smiled scornfully, "Order the Second Concubine... no, Zhang Qiaoniang, to appear within two meters of the gate and beat her with a stick."
“Throw it out!”
Xiuzhu and Xiuqing used their hands to support the second concubine and walked out of the courtyard gate.
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