Undercurrents are surging
Once the vegetables are washed and the meat is marinated, it's ready to be served.
Although the two sisters worked quickly, the variety of ingredients meant that preparing the two base sauces and brewing the bubble tea took quite a bit of time. By the time the two sisters shoved the lady and Green Ripple and Red Silk onto the table, it was almost noon.
Hongxiao did not sit down, but stood by the table and said, "Master, we are maids, it is against etiquette for us to sit at the same table as the madam."
Green Ripple didn't dare to sit down either. The bubbling red soup in the pot made her throat churn, and she could only steal longing glances at the noble lady.
Wang Pan'er set out serving chopsticks: "Hot pot is best enjoyed with many people. The more ingredients you cook, the fresher and more delicious the broth will be. Madam, why don't you two sisters sit down together? With serving chopsticks, it won't break the rules."
"Rules are made by people." The lady gestured for the two maids to sit down. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do; one must be flexible."
Wang Xiaoyao carried a large bamboo tube for himself: "Madam, this is bubble tea. If it's too spicy, just take a big sip through the reed tube. This stuff is the best way to relieve the spiciness!"
Wang Pan'er then prepared a lot of minced garlic and sesame oil dipping sauce: "There's nothing that hot pot and milk tea can't overcome. If there is, we'll just have another meal!"
Spicy food is a sensation of pain, which stimulates the body to secrete dopamine and release endorphins, essentially giving you a free dose of euphoria.
The ancients did not understand the underlying principles, and after a hot pot meal, they would be sweating profusely from the spiciness.
It was incredibly spicy, but also incredibly satisfying.
The spicy stimulation made the lady abandon the constraints of rules and class, and she started fooling around with the Wang sisters and her own maid.
She imitated the young girls, sticking out her tongue when it was hot and drinking bubble tea like crazy when it was spicy, completely disregarding dining etiquette, not to mention the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping. Her behavior was even worse than when she was drunk yesterday.
Even a noblewoman cannot escape discipline; this is the first time in her more than thirty years of life that she has been so "unrestrained".
She wasn't ashamed; the barrier that had imprisoned her deep inside was cracking under her unrestrained behavior. A surge of energy seemed to be rampaging through her body—a feeling that wasn't unpleasant, but rather made her blood boil. With each act of "eating meat and drinking milk in large gulps," the cracks in her barrier had quietly spread, beyond repair.
The lady was so overwhelmed by the spiciness that tears streamed down her face. Just as she was about to pull out her handkerchief to blow her nose, the mottled, spiderweb-like barrier shattered into pieces as if struck by a hammer.
Her senses, which belonged to "herself," were amplified infinitely, and the resentment in her heart was washed away. The marital discord that had been troubling her for a long time was no longer a problem at this moment.
She was a woman of the highest rank who married into her husband's family. Her husband, who was attached to her, was never satisfied and even hesitated like an abandoned wife, constantly reflecting on whether she should have forced him in the first place.
The way things were before was truly unbelievable.
The noble lady's face lit up with a smile.
Before her departure, she went to Kaiyuan Temple to pray for her child's safety and well-being. A high-ranking monk there predicted that she would soon meet a noble person. Since the most powerful and influential figures were all in the capital, she assumed the monk's words were just casual remarks and dismissed them with a laugh. Little did she expect that the noble person would be a young man of sixteen, a small business owner from the countryside.
The owner was young, but her craftsmanship was superb, and she was also exceptionally kind-hearted. Not only did she save Chuan'er from danger, but she also resolved her long-standing grievances. Her kindness was as heavy as a mountain.
Unfortunately, the young mistress is not materialistic, and her current lifestyle perfectly meets her expectations. The noblewoman wanted to do something for her, but after much thought, she found herself at a loss for what to do.
Today, the lady wore a pearl hairpin, the small pearls hanging from her hair amidst her laughter. Green Ripple reached out to adjust the lady's hair, and seeing that the lady seemed lost in thought, she said, "When the head of the household invited us, he said she wasn't good at managing things. This estate does indeed feel empty. Why don't you take us to buy some decorations for the two heads of the household?"
That's a good idea.
Wang Pan'er is a staunchly pragmatic and straightforward woman. She's fine with planning the functional areas of the manor, but when it comes to ornaments and decorations, even just thinking about those things gives her a headache.
Wang Xiaoyao was happy to fuss over these things, but she hadn't been playing with Madam You and her new friend Su Lingya for very long. Although she had developed some aesthetic sense, it was still quite unstable, and she often made mistakes with her own outfits. So she wouldn't easily try to change the style of the manor.
When the lady offered to help, it was like someone offering a pillow when you're dozing off. The two sisters readily agreed and followed the lady's carriage into the city to shop.
The difference between a horse-drawn carriage and a donkey cart is like the difference between a car and an electric scooter. Although they also sway and wobble, they are still much more comfortable than an open-topped donkey cart that is exposed to wind and rain. However, both are better than relying on walking. No matter what kind of donkey it is, they are all economical and practical donkeys.
Wang Xiaoyao was fascinated by the carriage, touching the curtains, tapping on the walls, and even propping herself up halfway to examine the carvings on the four corner joints: "Sister, what do you think about us putting a thatched canopy on the donkey cart when we get back?"
Wang Pan'er chuckled at her enthusiastic expression: "You seem quite interested. I thought you'd want to buy a carriage."
Wang Xiaoyao quickly shook his head: "How could that be? Raising horses is too expensive. It's not the right time yet."
After figuring out the general style that Wang Pan'er wanted, the lady began making purchases in earnest.
Wang Pan'er likes minimalism; as long as the house doesn't look crude, that's fine.
The noble lady, unsure of Wang Pan'er's financial resources, dared not make any further ill-advised moves after the two sisters, Lüyi and Hongxiao, politely declined to pay.
They weren't quite satisfied in the end; after buying most of the decorations, they went to browse clothes and jewelry instead.
This suited Wang Xiaoyao's wishes perfectly. Although he couldn't buy a carriage, he could still browse around freely for clothes and jewelry. With a noble lady from the capital overseeing the selection, he wasn't worried about making a mistake.
After a whole day of sightseeing, the group had filled three carts with everything they could fit in the horse-drawn carriage, and they dragged them back to the village.
For the servants of the estate, redecorating the estate was a momentous event. Everyone was summoned to the front hall and waited obediently with the steward and nanny, awaiting the group's return.
The noblewoman directed the servants to unload the goods and sort them into different halls.
Wang Pan'er stood beside the lady, looking at her estate, which was gradually being enriched by her writing.
In my past life, my parents went south to work in the city of Yaodu. The housing prices in Yaodu were extremely high, and they couldn't afford a larger house. The couple squeezed into a one-bedroom apartment of about 50 square meters, and the maximum they could fit a small bed and a desk in the room was the best they could manage.
Her parents patted her head, saying she was sensible and had good grades. They said they couldn't rest easy about their younger brother back in their hometown. So Wang Pan'er was left with her maternal grandparents and watched helplessly as her brother moved into the small room that had been partitioned off.
Fortunately, she still had her maternal grandparents who loved her. However, it wasn't easy for her grandparents to run a small medicinal food shop to support three people and pay for a student's tuition. They didn't have much free time to take care of her daily life. She felt sorry that the two elders couldn't enjoy their old age because of her, so she took the initiative to do most of the housework, not to mention the days when she was all alone after they passed away.
This was the first time an elder had arranged household chores for her.
Wang Pan'er couldn't help but start envying Mu Chuan again.
Wang Xiaoyao chattered away beside the noble lady, asking why the items were arranged the way they were, and praising her for the harmonious and exquisite arrangement.
Of all the children around the lady, only Green Ripple was talkative and restrained by the rules. She rarely saw such a lively and cheerful child and was very endearing, so she patiently answered Wang Xiaoyao's questions.
There weren't many houses on the estate, and the group, being directed, quickly finished interviewing everyone about the ornaments. The lady then walked around the estate to see if there was anything missing.
The estate was large, but the houses were few. The previous owner mainly used it as a garden landscape resort. Wang Pan'er demolished the landscape, leaving only pitted, yellow land, which occupied eight or nine tenths of the area.
Looking at the vast, bare expanse, the lady wondered, "This huge field looks like it was converted from a woodland. I wonder what the owner intends to do with it?"
"Medicine garden: the last time my order of medicinal herbs was robbed, I lost a lot of money, so I thought I'd buy a manor to turn into a medicine garden, plant some common medicinal herbs, so I can have some for emergencies and also reduce costs."
Speaking of the herb garden, she had originally planned to get to the bottom of it, but the sudden visit of Master Su, who asked her to properly entertain the noble lady, meant that she had to put it aside for the time being.
Now that the lady mentioned it, Wang Pan'er's doubts resurfaced.
The potted plants that Wang Chengxi, the little girl, was tending have sprouted, but the medicinal herb garden is still lifeless. It turns out that those precious flowers and plants can grow, but with the same soil and the same group of people, the medicinal herbs just won't grow.
Wang Pan'er beckoned to the steward and the nanny and asked, "Why are these seeds not sprouting? The seed shop has been open for so long and is a subsidiary of the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce. It has a good reputation and must be a trustworthy business. They wouldn't lie to me for such a small amount."
The old woman sighed and gave Wang Pan'er a playful shove: "Perhaps the soil is not suitable for the growth of herbs. I'll have Baozong go out and ask later if the soil needs to be improved for planting herbs."
Wang Pan'er snorted coldly and shrank her arms. The butler quickly stepped forward: "Master, we are investigating the cause. We need to check one by one whether it is the seeds, the soil, or some other reason that caused them not to germinate."
"How long do you plan to investigate? Right now is the perfect time for planting. Can you afford the losses from any delays?"
It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature. Once a person's values are formed, they won't be easily changed unless there's a major life upheaval. She's lazy and dislikes trouble, so when choosing people around her, she firmly believes in the principle of selecting but not changing.
Therefore, Wang Pan'er has very smooth interpersonal relationships and rarely loses her temper throughout the year.
So she wondered if she had been too accommodating, making the servants think that the new master was easy to manipulate.
Wang Pan'er tapped the porcelain vase beside her: "Speak!"
A person who is usually all smiles can suddenly become stern and imposing, their gaze fixed on the eyes of others.
The steward's expression hardened, realizing something was terribly wrong. After much deliberation, he carefully replied, "Give me seven days. I will definitely find out the cause within seven days."
"Seven days? The first sowing was done during the Awakening of Insects, and now it's already the Grain Rain season. I'm busy with other things, so if you don't ask, just pretend you don't see it."
Hairs suddenly appeared from behind him, covering the butler's entire body.
He misjudged the situation, thinking that this new master, who came from the countryside and had no parents, was someone he could easily manipulate.
Wang Pan'er was always amiable and gentle, and after returning to the estate, she rarely discussed business matters with the servants. Her quiet and good temper obscured the terrifying strength she possessed, which allowed her to go from having nothing to almost breaking into the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce in such a short time.
The steward carefully straightened his expression, his spine unconsciously bending slightly, and respectfully said, "Three days."
Before Wang Pan'er could respond, the old woman twisted her body and stepped forward to defuse the situation: "Master, please don't be angry, or you'll hurt yourself."
The old woman leaned close to Wang Pan'er again, patting her upper back affectionately. Thinking of what Wang Pan'er had said earlier about being "busy with other things," she added, "First, the master picked up a mute girl, and then he entertained dignitaries from the capital to come to the estate for a vacation. We thought the master was just planting herbs out of interest."
oh?
Did the host just give up on their interests?
Wang Pan'er laughed in exasperation.
Things shouldn't be taken too long, but three times is too late. They've been given two chances, yet they've only gotten worse. It seems they're trying to turn the world upside down.
Since they didn't respect their master, Wang Pan'er concluded that their acts of deceiving their master were not limited to sowing seeds.
Having made up her mind to deal with these people, she quickly calmed herself down. Getting angry wouldn't solve anything; it would be better to drag Wang Xiaoyao and Wang Chengxi along to see what these unruly servants had been up to in private. Consider it a study of biodiversity, something to broaden their horizons.
The old woman was clearly less adept at judging situations than the steward. Wang Pan'er thought she might be able to glean some information from the old woman's words to avoid having to gather additional evidence and investigate. So, she followed the old woman's lead, toning down her tone, and said, "That's right. It's my fault for not explaining things clearly to you. These medicinal herbs are for my shop, to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. They are quite important to me. It wasn't easy for me to come from the mountains and get to where I am today. Buying this estate is also a kind of fate that brings us together. You have more experience managing the estate than I do. In the future, I'll have to rely on everyone's help with the affairs of the estate. Let's consider today's matter settled. Within three days, we must solve the problem of the seeds germinating."
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