The system asked me to chase his wife

Rongzhu was really tired from taking care of her and Xia Mang alone at the Qiao residence, so Qiao Yuandong gave her a day off as soon as he came back.

But that little girl Mangxia is always good at sneaking around and playing tricks. She doesn't use her smart head for serious purposes.

She then instructed Yunxiu: "Don't spoil her, otherwise she will become lazy and that won't be good."

Yunxiu couldn't tell whether Qiao Yuandong was happy or angry, so she agreed respectfully and then talked about other things.

"Rongzhu went back to visit her mother today. Could it be that her family is going to tell someone else about her?"

After being reminded by her, Qiao Yuandong thought that Rongzhu was old enough to be married off.

"If her family has shown her a good opinion and she is willing, I will release her. If she asks for my mercy, I can also make the decision for her."

After Qiao Yuandong finished speaking, he glanced at Yunxiu who was serving her dishes seriously and said, "If you want to leave, I can make the decision."

They are all my maids, I can’t favor one over the other.

Yunxiu blushed slightly with shame. She pursed her lips and said, "I grew up in the mansion. Whether I marry or not is up to the master. But I still want to serve the master for a few more years."

Qiao Yuandong nodded at her and gave her a faint smile.

Yunxiu looked at her face and said tentatively, "I think that girl Mangxia is very smart. If Rongzhu is really released from the mansion, it would be just right for her to take over Rongzhu's affairs."

The several maids around the lady all have their own duties. Among them, Rongzhu and Yunxiu are the most capable. They can even mediate all the major and minor affairs in the mansion on behalf of the lady.

After hearing Yunxiu's words, Qiao Yuandong frowned slightly and rejected her proposal.

"Even if Rongzhu gets married, she can still come back to work. It won't hinder anything. Mangxia will be placed in Ang's nursery in the future. You just need to help her learn some worldly ways."

Mangxia only needs to be an obedient concubine, and things like managing the household chores are what the mistress needs to consider.

After saying this, Qiao Yuandong suddenly lost her appetite for some reason. She put down her bowl and chopsticks and stopped eating.

Yunxiu put on a stiff smile and tried to persuade Qiao Yuandong to eat more, but her words changed when they reached her lips.

"Those who know Mangxia say she is eccentric, while those who don't say she is lawless. With her temper, can she serve the Second Master well?"

"She is indeed a bit honest and straightforward." Qiao Yuandong agreed with Yunxiu's words. He didn't know what he was thinking about, and then smiled: "But she is also sincere."

When Yunxiu heard Qiao Yuandong say this, her heart couldn't help but sink.

If Madam really made up her mind to marry Mangxia to the Second Master, then she would probably never have the chance to enter the Second Master's room again.

What would it look like if a sister-in-law who keeps sending her maids to her uncle's room told others about it?
Xia Mang slept in a little, and after getting up and washing up, she went to the main house and happened to run into Qiao Yuandong having breakfast.

"Morning, Madam." Xia Mang leaned against the door frame and poked his head in, smiling in an extremely flattering manner.

When Qiao Yuandong saw her like this, he asked unhappily, "Are you awake?"

Xia Mang walked over with a shabby face, and seeing Yunxiu standing there in a daze, he picked up the chopsticks and served food to Qiao Yuandong.

"Try this pickled radish. It's crisp and refreshing, and it's best with porridge."

Qiao Yuandong looked at the extra side dish on the plate helplessly, picked up the bowl and ate the dish with the porridge.

She picked up the silk and wiped her mouth, then corrected him: "This is green bamboo shoots."

Xia Mang scratched his head and smiled awkwardly: "I thought it was emerald green."

As she spoke, she picked up some other side dishes and gave them to Qiao Yuandong, coaxing him into eating another half bowl of porridge.

Yunxiu looked at the two of them silently, stood there for a while, and then quietly left.

Qiao Yuandong has been very busy recently, and everyone in the mansion is busy as well.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and there will be banquets in the palace and in the mansion.

We have to prepare holiday gifts for the palace and for each household, and the servants in the mansion also have to send some thoughtful gifts.

With so many things to do, the maids around Qiao Yuandong were busy as hell, and the mothers everywhere were also in a hurry.

Although everyone is busy, they are all in high spirits.

Qiao Yuandong has always been kind and generous to his servants. He gives them generous gifts during festivals and even low-ranking maids can receive one or two taels of silver.

As a first-class maid, Xia Mang naturally received more benefits.

A piece of fine cotton cloth, three taels of silver, a flower hairpin, a box of ointment, and a bag of moon cakes.

The first thing Xia Mang looked at was the package of mooncakes.

The mooncakes produced by the Duke's Mansion all have thin skins and rich fillings. They come in both sweet and salty flavors, and some are even uniquely filled with fresh flowers.

Xia Mangxuan was so satisfied that he decided not to have dinner for the time being.

After Rong Zhu and others received the holiday gifts, they made some small things to give back to Qiao Yuandong.

Some gave embroidered handkerchiefs, some gave pajamas, and some gave silk stockings.

Xia Mang also wanted to give something to the leader, but Rong Zhu and the others all had special skills and took up all of Qiao Yuandong's places from head to toe.

She held the new cotton cloth and thought for a long time but could not come up with an idea.

Finally, Xia Mang decided to take a different approach and draw a picture for his leader!
what to draw?
Mid-Autumn Festival full moon picture!
How appropriate.

Xia Mang ran to Xiang Xiu'an to borrow his four treasures of the study. Xiang Xiu'an readily agreed, led the person into his small study, and waved his hand, indicating that the person could use them as he pleased.

Xia Mang was full of confidence. He spread out a piece of rice paper and filled the brush with ink.

The first thing a full moon picture needs is a moon.

Xia Mang turned the tip of the pen in a circle, and a big black blob appeared on the paper.

The moon didn't seem far enough away, so Xia Mang turned the pen back and forth a few times to make up for it.

A huge round moon appeared on the paper.

The moon alone is not enough, there must be scenery.

Add tree shadows in the corners, then add a roof. If there is a roof, there must be people.
Xiang Xiu'an read the book for a while, and when he saw Xia Mang busy at his desk for a long time, he became curious.

He walked over and took a look, then pointed at the painting in front of Xia Mang and looked at it with a smile on his face: "What's this painting about?"

Xia Mang said confidently: "Moon, can't you see it?"

Xiang Xiuan: “.”

He pursed his lips and remained silent for a long time, looking into Xia Mang's sparkling eyes, and didn't say a word for a long time. Seeing his reaction, Xia Mang began to realize belatedly that her masterpiece might lack some heat.

"No, isn't it good?"

Xiang Xiu'an felt that it was not good to discourage the little girl's enthusiasm, so he said against his conscience: "It's OK, the moon is painted quite realistically."

Xia Mang's eyes lit up even more, and she asked, "How about I give this painting to Madam?"

Xiang Xiuan: “???”

Are you going to kill my sister-in-law?

Xiang Xiu'an couldn't help himself, he took away the painting and said, "How about I draw one for you?"

Xia Mang put away his masterpiece with a bit of sadness, and looked at Xiang Xiu'an, the boss, with a squint and looked unhappy.

"Come here, I want to see what you can draw."

Xiang Xiu'an changed to a smaller brush, dipped it in light ink and began to paint on the paper.

Yunxiu also came over at this time. Shuanglu, who was guarding outside the study door, saw her and immediately stood up and greeted her with a smile.

"Sister Yunxiu is here to look for Second Master to paint, too?"

He was secretly surprised that all the sisters came today.

Yunxiu was stunned for a moment when she heard this, then she smiled and said, "I have something for you, Second Master. How come someone who painted this has found you here?"

"Mangxia." Shuanglu pointed towards the study.

Yunxiu's eyes shrank when she heard that, and the fan cover she was holding in her sleeve was almost torn to pieces.

Madam intends to marry Mangxia to the Second Master as a concubine, which would eliminate Yunxiu's chance.

But she didn't give up.

Since the Madam's approach doesn't work, Yunxiu might as well capture the leader first.

As long as she could conquer the Second Master first and make him devoted to her, wouldn't the Second Master ask the Madam for her in the future?
Yunxiu had made up her mind and carefully made a fan case these days, intending to give it to the second master.

This thing is exquisite and small, and it doesn't attract attention.

But the Second Master would often use it, so whenever he saw the fan cover, he would always think of her.

If we take it step by step like this, are you still worried that the Second Master won't pay attention?
Yunxiu had even thought of a plan, but unexpectedly he died before he could accomplish his mission.

This girl Mangxia actually got there first!
Yunxiu bit her lip and went to the study door to see what was going on inside.

Then he saw Xiang Xiu'an picking up the brush to paint, while Xia Mang stood beside him grinding the paper for him.

What a beautiful lady!

Yunxiu bit her teeth again and again. Shuanglu stood aside and asked Yunxiu: "Sister, if you want to send anything, just give it to me. I will give it to the Second Master later."

Ever since Xiang Xiu'an got older, Qiao Yuandong consciously avoided him and would not invite him to dinner when he greeted him in the morning as he did in the past.

But she would still send maids to Xiang Xiu'an's room from time to time to deliver things, including food, clothing and daily necessities.

Including the lady's side, maids would often come to deliver things.

Therefore, Shuanglu was not surprised by Yunxiu's arrival and did not think anything wrong about it.

Yunxiu's cheeks turned slightly red as she looked at Shuanglu's pure gaze, and she held the thing hidden in her sleeves even tighter.

"There's nothing, just pretend I've never been here!" Yunxiu gave him a light look and walked away without looking back.

Shuanglu was left alone, disheveled in the wind.

In the study, Xiang Xiu'an finished a painting. He put away his brush and blew dry the ink on the painting.

Xia Mang stood nearby and saw it all clearly.

The moon in his painting is covered by a thin cloud, and the willow branches under the moon are swaying gently, as if reaching out to the bright moon.

A pretty lady is standing under the tree, facing the person outside the painting sideways, with emotions and stories written in her eyes and eyebrows.

Xiang Xiu'an looked at the painting and then at Xia Mang, and everything was said without words.

Xia Mang said with a guilty conscience: "Yours is beautiful, but too artificial, unlike mine which is full of wildness."

Xiang Xiuan: “.”

Xia Mang finally accepted Xiang Xiu'an's painting and happily gave it to Qiao Yuandong.

Since you are giving a gift to your leader, you should give it with thoughtfulness and attitude.

So, Xia Mang specially found a beautiful ribbon and tied a bow on the painting.

After waking up from a nap, Qiao Yuandong leaned against the window to read a book. Next to her was a cup of refreshing tea, which was her favorite Lu'an Guapian.

Xia Mang came in stealthily, carrying something. There was no one else in the room to serve him except Qiao Yuandong.

Qiao Yuandong immediately heard Xia Mang's footsteps. She looked up from her book and saw that she was holding a roll of paper in her hand.

"What are you doing?"

Xia Mang was not shy when she saw that she was discovered. She handed the painting to Qiao Yuandong as if she was presenting a treasure.

"Madam, this is a Mid-Autumn Festival gift from me to you."

The maids around her would always give her some gifts in return after receiving holiday gifts. They were just daily used things, which showed their thoughts and consideration.

Qiao Yuandong would never refuse anything that would enhance harmony.

However, this was the first time that Xia Mang gave Qiao Yuandong a painting, so when he looked at the thing Xia Mang handed over, he was stunned for a moment and forgot to take it.

Xia Mang simply took the book from Qiao Yuandong's hand and stuffed the painting in her hand into hers.

"Ma'am, please open it and take a look. It's a very good painting."

In front of Xiang Xiu'an, Xia Mang was embarrassed to praise his superb skills, but in front of his leader, Xia, who was offering a helping hand, of course had to show off.

Only in this way can her loyalty as a lackey be demonstrated.

(End of this chapter)