Chapter 128: Handling (Below) (Pink Ticket 1270)

  Coming out of Tai Fu's house, 11th Sister and Third Madam went out the door together: "Third Elder Sister, about Wan Xiang's matter, we still need to discuss it with you!"

  The three madams were waiting for the eleventh lady to speak up. She smiled and said: "I don't know what ideas Fourth Brother's wife has?"

  Eleventh girl smiled and said: "Third sister is right. This matter has been brought to my attention, you are the head of the household, even if you don't have the face, she was originally a proud person in front of my elder sister, it's also laughable. Third sister is the one who takes care of the house, she broke the rules of the family, not punishing her is not enough to convince everyone, but if the punishment is too harsh, I'm afraid there will be people coming out saying things like 'bullying Late Fragrance has no one' and other nonsense, which would ruin Third sister's good name. I've been thinking about it, considering this and that, I think Third sister is having a hard time, I don't know what to do for the best, so I came to discuss with Third sister. See if there's any way to resolve this matter. Third sister knows, mother has always been lenient with people, if rumors get out, it won't be good!"

  The three madams listened and sneered in their hearts.

  This is not pleading, this is clearly a threat!

  But then she thought of Wanxiang's virtues - even if she let it go this time, there would be a next time sooner or later. She smiled and looked at Shiyi Niang: "Since it was my fourth brother's wife who begged for her, I couldn't help but give her face. However, if I just let it go like that, as my fourth brother's wife said, how could I convince others in the future? I think so, I will still keep her errands for her and punish her with three months' worth of monthly expenses. What does my fourth brother's wife think?"

  The eleventh girl let out a sigh of relief.

  It seems like this matter has been settled!

  She smiled and said: "Thank you, Third Aunt. I have severely scolded her. Tomorrow morning, I will let her come to apologize to you."

  "No need for apologies!" The third madam's eyes flashed with disdain, "Let her be a lowly servant, that's all she's good for!"

  The eleventh girl smiled and said: "She has received such a lesson, and in the future she will definitely be good at being bad."

  The two of them stood there exchanging pleasantries for a few sentences.

  A little maid ran swiftly from the opposite corridor.

  The eleventh girl was taken aback.

  It seems like it was just now when I found Wei Zi's little maid!

  She was taken aback for a moment, and Third Madam had already smiled and said: "......so that Third Master won't come back to find no one here. I'll go first."

  The eleventh girl smiled and parted ways with the third madam.

  Amber couldn't help but feel a pang: "I don't know if Xiang knew about Madame's difficulties that night, and how she had to ask for his help!"

  "The heart of man is not enough to swallow an elephant." Eleventh Sister said calmly, "She has been favored in front of her elder sister. Even if I treat her well, it's hard to win her heart."

  Amber saw that Eleventh Sister was not in high spirits and smiled as she persuaded her: "You still have us, no matter what!"

  Eleventh Sister smiled and asked Wan Er Xian: "I heard that you're 16 years old this year and are very clever at handling things!"

  Amber nodded: "Compared with Wan Da, he is much more clever and always calls out 'sister' when meeting people."

  The two of them walked into the courtyard talking.

  A little maid came up to welcome her.

  "Has Master Hou returned?"

  "Master Hou hasn't come back yet!" The little maid hastily took over the lantern from Hupo and led the way in front.

  Hasn't he come back yet?

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but raise her head and take a glance at the snowflakes dancing in the sky.

  As soon as they entered the house, the maids had already received the news and came forward to serve them.

  Eleventh Girl asked Fang Creek: "Has someone been sent to tell Madame Wen?"

  "I'm going," said Fang Xi. "I'll go report the news."

  Eleventh Sister ordered the two jade-like attendants to deliver a message to Late Fragrance: “... tomorrow morning, go and serve as an attendant to Third Madam. As punishment, deduct three months' worth of monthly allowance, and continue working in the inner courtyard kitchen.”

  The twin jade disappeared in response to the sound.

  Binju brought autumn rain and Yanrong served her with a comb and said, "Today she only ate a bowl of porridge."

  Eleventh Miss thought of what Lady Tao said to her yesterday: "Master Hou spent the night at Madame Wen's place."

  I already know myself, let alone Qianfang who lives in the front and back yards with Aunt Wen.

  To say the least, where she lives is really bad.

  In front of her was Wen's wife, and behind her was Qin's wife... seeing Xu Lingyi going in and out, she must have felt even more uncomfortable.

  "Don't worry, she'll be completely fine in two days."

  Binju was a young girl's home and naturally didn't know the subtleties of it, pouting: "I think she isn't hungry."

  On a cold winter's day, the outside wind is howling, but inside it's warm and cozy like spring. Taking a fragrant flower bath in a cedar wood tub makes one feel as if they're in heaven on earth.

  The eleventh girl closed her eyes comfortably and chatted with Binju: "It seems she's eaten something!"

  "How did you know?" Binju asked in surprise, "I just heard it from Xiaoban today."

  It's not like I really want to die, who can bear to starve themselves?

  "Little bench?" Eleventh Daughter smiled and said, "Qiao Yiniang's little maid in her house?"

  "It wasn't," said Binju, "It was the little granddaughter of Lü Mama from the East Wing's small kitchen. She took a piece of osmanthus sugar to eat, I found it strange, this osmanthus sugar costs two silver coins per package, where did she get it from? So I scared her a bit and she told me everything!"

  The eleventh girl burst out laughing. She opened her eyes and leaned against the edge of the wooden bucket: "How big is the small bench? What did they say?"

  "She's seven years old." Binju's expression was somewhat awkward, "I said that a package of rock sugar had been lost in the house. I asked if she had stolen it. She was so scared that she cried and said that it was given to her by Qiao Yiniang's embroidered box. I asked her again why the embroidered box would give her sugar to eat. She said that the embroidered box had asked her grandmother to make millet cakes and pea cakes for her. I thought about it for a long time. You are already very generous, so it's not surprising that several madams would do this. Not to mention that several madams wanted to eat some pastries, even we maids and servants wouldn't have any reason not to make them. Why did the embroidered box use such expensive rock sugar? Just then, Lü Pózi heard the child crying and understood everything - it turned out that Qiao Yiniang had been saying that the food didn't agree with her stomach, so she asked Lü Pózi to help make pastries. She also said that she was afraid you would know about it and say she was being spoiled, so she specifically instructed Lü Pózi not to tell anyone." Saying this, she became angry, "That Lü Pózi is also at fault, not even considering who the mistress of the house is, actually keeping quiet just because someone told her not to speak."

  The eleventh girl smiled and said: "You taught her a lesson?"

  "That's not true at all!" Binju said somewhat dejectedly, "I didn't know what you meant, so I just endured it!"

  The eleventh girl nodded.

  There is a small kitchen on her side, which is specially managed by her. In the east wing, there is also a small kitchen, which is in charge of the three madams. Sometimes when the maids and wives want to boil some hot water to wash their hair or cook something, they dare not go to her small kitchen, so they go to the small kitchen in the east wing. The eleventh lady does not stop them either. It seems that Qiao Lian has taken advantage of this loophole.

  She got up and dressed, casually tied her hair, let Binju go and call Huopo in, then told her about the things that Qiao Niang did to help with the pastry in the small kitchen: "......There should be a little maid serving in the small kitchen of the East Wing, right? If she can use it, use it. If not, replace it with our own people. I want to know what's going on over there."

  "Madam, rest assured! It will be settled within these two days."

  The eleventh girl nodded and praised Binju: "Thanks to your carefulness. Otherwise, this matter would have been really overlooked."

  Binju's face turned slightly red, and she waved her hand repeatedly: "No, no, I also discovered it unintentionally."

  Just then, a little maid came in and reported: "The young master has returned!"

  "Did he come this way in the morning, or did he go to the East Wing?"

  The little maid's voice dropped: "Went to the East Wing..."

  That's good then. No need to redo your hair and makeup.

  The eleventh girl let out a sigh of relief and sent Amber and Binhu off to rest.

  The next morning, she called in Mrs. Tao and told her about the third lady's intention to exchange maids for Xu Siqian and Xu Sijun: "…According to the rules of the mansion, shouldn't they be exchanged?"

  "By right, it should have been released."

  Was I just being paranoid?

  Shi Yiniang felt a little uneasy in her heart. She instructed Tao Mama: "We don't know much about the outside courtyard, it's better to ask around." And she discussed with her the matter of replacing Xu Siniang's maid, "Must find a few honest and reliable ones!"

  Mother Tao repeatedly responded.

  Qin Ayi and Wen Ayi came to pay their respects.

  As usual, Wen Niang immediately noticed with her sharp eyes that Shiyini was wearing a pair of brand new amethyst and gold earrings, and then lavishly praised them.

  The eleventh girl smiled and responded with a few words, leaving Qin Niang to speak.

  This has never happened before.

  Madam Qin's expression showed a few points of panic.

  The eleventh girl had her maid bring over a small stool and then started talking to her about replacing Xu Siye's maid.

  Qin Yiniang was shocked.

  "...Brother Ye is the eldest son of our house, and he will set an example for his younger brothers in the future. Moreover, living in the outer courtyard, we can't control him. We can't let others spoil him." The eleventh mother said, "As soon as the third madam mentioned it, the old madam agreed. I was worried about the maid's affairs. You also take a look and see if there are any honest and decent ones to serve Brother Ye in the future."

  She finished speaking, and it wasn't until then that Qin Yiniang seemed to come back to herself, her face filled with gratitude as she said: "Milady has thought this through very thoroughly. It's just that I'm not clever, I don't know anyone, and the matter of the maid is something I really can't help with." As she spoke, she stood up anxiously, "I shouldn't be troubling milady..."

  Anyway, we've already said hello!

  The eleventh girl smiled and said a few words to her, then sent Qin Niang down.

  Although she didn't have any ill intentions towards the three aunts, who would dare guarantee that the three aunts wouldn't have any ideas about her?!

  Eleventh immediately called Amber: "Immediately send someone to stare at Qin Niangniang for me, and see who she has been in contact with these days?"

  The people serving beside her precious son are going to be replaced, and she doesn't believe that Qin will make no move...

  Amber left at the sound of her name being called.

  The news made Eleventh Sister silent for a long time - Qin Yiniang had sent a servant to deliver a letter to the Second Mistress in her separate residence at Xishan.

  "What should we do?" Amber asked anxiously to Eleven Mama.

  "Nature calms the restless." Eleventh Sister smiled faintly, "Qin Niangniang merely wrote a letter to Second Madam. Must we jump out and say that Second Madam's interference in Second Young Master's affairs is not allowed?"

  Amber nodded and showed a determined expression: "I'll get someone to keep an eye on the west mountain side."

  He is indeed a young man who can be taught.

  The eleventh girl gazed at Amber with a satisfied smile.

  Xu Lingyi is back.

  Eleventh daughter went out to welcome her.

  His expression was calm and there was nothing different from usual.

  Eleventh Girl smiled and welcomed Xu Lingyi to sit down on the large kang by the window in the west wing, personally brewing tea and serving it.

  "Isn't Master Hou going on his city rounds today?"

  Is he done with all the matters of Mi Mei?

  Xu Lingyi murmured a response, and didn't say much more. She gently swept the tender leaves floating on the surface of the tea cup with the tea lid, and asked: "What did mother say?"

  He rises very early every day and only goes out in the evening to pay his respects to Madame.

  "I heard you're going on a tour, I'm worried about your hard work." Eleventh Girl knew that Xu Lingyi was worried about her mother, so she briefly told Xu Lingyi about the situation that night. She specifically mentioned that Third Madam wanted to replace the maids for Xu Siqian and Xu Sijun. Of course, she also tactfully told Xu Lingyi that she would choose a new maid who is honest and reliable for Xu Sijun, and then after selecting the maid, she would still need to get Old Madam's approval.

  Xu Lingyi fell into deep thought: "Change maidservant?"