Chapter Three for An
Although she had expected it to be more difficult here than at home, when she really encountered it, Ya Tou was still angry and sad.
"What a wicked slave! How dare he!" she said. "Hasn't the sale of so many people in our household taught him a lesson? Isn't he afraid that we'll report him?"
"If one dares to do it, then naturally they are not afraid." said Cheng Jiaoniang, "I suppose he has already discussed it with the master of the tower."
What's wrong with you?
The girl sat up straight.
"Is it true that the mistress also participated in this?" she asked.
"It's not just about participating, it should be the mastermind." said Cheng Jiaoniang, her hand on the desk, without opening it.
"I'll go find her!" said the young girl, getting up.
"What did you say to her?" said Cheng Jiaoniang, "She dares to do it, she must have an excuse. Since I was sent out, my family is not happy about it. Moreover, this kind of disturbance won't happen three times, let alone this time, the Zhou family is not around."
"Daughter." The maid straightened up, "The Zhou family has sent a few people who happen to be nearby, I'll go find them."
"It's no good," said Jingniang Cheng.
The girl looked at her.
"They came before we arrived at the Taoist temple," said Cheng Jiaoniang. "I was sent to the Taoist temple, how could they not know?"
The girl looked disappointed.
"Yes, at that time they didn't care, and just didn't care anymore." She said with her head down.
"Besides, it was just a coincidence last time," said Cheng Jiaoniang. "When people have what they need, we tell them, and that's when they come together. Now they've already gotten what they wanted from the Zhou family, they know what it means to know when to stop."
So there's no other way?
The girl's hair is disheveled.
"After all, it's all because I'm a fool." said Cheng Jiaoniang.
Otherwise, as the legitimate daughter of the Cheng family, even if her mother died early, no one dared to underestimate her.
The girl wept silently.
It's heartbreaking to say this sentence.
"She's not stupid," she said.
"Yes, I originally thought that slowly and quietly would be good for me. How others treat me is not important for now, but it seems like it's not possible." said Cheng Jiaoniang.
The tomboy was heartbroken again.
"This place is no good, it's delaying our daughter's recovery," she said.
"No, we're fine here," said Jingniang, "I like it."
The girl was stunned and didn't understand.
Is this still good? What's good about it?
"This foolish child living here is indeed very good."
The night was deep and dark, in the wing room over there, the man called "Chai" sat facing the master, at this time the master had lost his daytime dignity.
She was originally a glutton and lazybones, couldn't make ends meet at home. The Northern Cheng family would never use their own people as servants, and the scattered outside work wasn't available to her as a woman. After some thought, she came up with the idea of going to the Taoist temple on the mountain, claiming that her deceased relatives had entrusted her in a dream to cultivate herself and pray for blessings. She spent some effort memorizing a few volumes of scriptures, deceiving the old master, and got this job.
From then on, she had someone to provide for her food and drink. Although she was poor, she was carefree. Later, relying on her charm, she hooked up with several men in the area, and lived a life of ease and contentment.
"I didn't think it was convenient," said the firewood delivery man, having a drink with the innkeeper, "but unexpectedly, good days have arrived."
He said with a big hand directly from the table picked up a piece of mutton and stuffed it into his mouth to chew.
"This foolish child is of no other use, the Cheng family has been pampering him with good food and drink all his life, now sending him to me, it's like I'm feeding a big fat pig." The host smiled, leaning on the strong man's body, his face flushed red from drinking.
"You deducted their food allowance, aren't you afraid they'll report it?" the man asked.
"What a fool!" The host laughed, "Moreover, I have an agreement with the person who delivered the grain, he guaranteed not to take a single penny more, and I will give him other benefits. When it comes to confrontation, that person is also justified."
"What benefits did you give him?" The man asked with a smile, rubbing the woman's body twice, causing her to giggle.
"Now there's only that little girl left." The woman continued with a smile.
When he mentioned that young girl, a hint of lust appeared in the man's eyes. Although she didn't look great, she was after all young and tender, naturally more appealing than this middle-aged woman.
"Yeah, what if she goes and tells you that I'm intentionally making things difficult for her?" The man led the conversation.
"That little girl was sent here, she must have been unable to get by at home. Today I'll give her a yellow lotus seed to eat, tomorrow I'll give her a honey date, and treat her well with good food and drink. Slowly but surely, I'll let her know the benefits of living in this nunnery." The woman smiled and said, "Do you think she'd rather follow that fool and suffer hardship, or follow me and enjoy happiness?"
"I don't know about her, I just know that I am willing to enjoy happiness and pleasure with you." The man couldn't help but feel delighted.
It won't be long before there's another young girl on this couch, thinking about that feeling, the man is burning with desire, and hastily presses down on the woman to relieve his urges.
In the autumn night, the sound of merriment was faintly audible, and in the thatched cottage, two little children huddled together on a grass mat, bent their bodies to cover their ears.
"Sister, let's run."
"Where can you run to? Running out means instant death, but staying here at least allows us to live a few more days."
"What's next?"
"Let's live a few more days first, can't control what happens later."
When daylight broke, the maid who had not slept all night got up. It was a pity that the mistress threw away those grains of rice yesterday. How could they have their meals today?
"Don't worry, someone will bring it over."
When she carefully asked her mother about it, Madame Cheng told her so.
Who is it? Is that wicked slave coming over to surrender to them?
Behind the curtain, on the bed, Jingniang was still asleep. The maid carefully opened the door and walked out, gazing up at the sky in the courtyard for a moment, when the gate creaked open as someone knocked.
"Half celery girl, half celery girl."
The girl was taken aback, could it be...?
She hesitated for a moment before walking forward to open the door, and indeed saw the host standing outside, with two small children following behind him, each holding a basket containing rice bags and vegetables.
As expected! The young girl's expression was one of surprise and delight.
She knew this girl wasn't stupid, but didn't expect that she was not only not stupid, but also seemed to know the past and future.
Seeing Ya Tou's surprised expression, Guanzhu couldn't help but reveal a few hints of pride.
"Half Cabbage, you were scared yesterday, weren't you?" she said in a soft and gentle tone, putting away the fleeting smugness, and beckoned Little Tong to take a step forward. "Here, don't be sulky anymore, take these snacks."
The girl hesitated for a moment and stepped aside to let them in.
"Those people are soft and won't eat hard, don't bother with them in the future," said the host. "We rely on their regular deliveries, how can we not suffer a bit? If there's anything lacking, you tell me, I've been here for many years and am older, naturally my livelihood is better than yours."
Her expression was kind and gentle, yet with a hint of helplessness. If it weren't for the fact that Yatou had already guessed from her mother's words that she was involved in this, she might have really believed her good intentions.
"It's too unfair." The girl muttered.
It's unclear whether it was the master of the house or the male servant who delivered the rice dishes.
