Full House Spring

Chapter 3 Thank you, Grandma

Madam Zhang twisted her waist and pretended to leave. Mrs. Jiang had finally found a buyer and naturally wanted to make the deal happen.

She didn't dare to be stubborn, and forced a smile and said, "Sister Zhang, let's talk it over. My two girls are first-rate. If you really want them, we can bargain."

Madam Zhang had a sharp eye. She thought that Hong Xingpan Zheng Tiaoshun would be a good candidate to become an oiran in the future, and she didn't want to miss it, so she took the opportunity to bargain with Mrs. Jiang.

Xia Li found it extremely ironic to hear this. In this world, people are truly treated like grass.

She turned her head slightly and saw the older woman who had just stood with Madam Zhang, drinking tea leisurely.

Although she was wearing an inconspicuous moon-gray summer shirt, her every move was elegant and very proper and dignified, which was very different from the worldly air of a brothel owner. She was more like the housekeeper in the inner courtyard of a mansion on TV.

Xia Li changed her mind and decided that instead of being sold to a dirty place by Jiang Yapo, it would be better for her to fight for her own future.

On the other side, Mrs. Jiang Ya and Mrs. Zhang also agreed on the price. They both took a step back and finally settled on twenty-five taels of silver.

Grandma Jiang felt that she had suffered a great loss and was heartbroken. However, Madam Zhang didn't care what she thought. She took the indentures and took Hong Xing and San Ni with her and left with a swaying hip.

It was only then that Jiang Yapo remembered Aunt Xie. She had been to several inner courtyards of deep houses, but she had no impression of Aunt Xie. She only thought she was the housekeeper of a minor official's family. She walked up to her and said politely, "I'm so sorry, Aunt. The person in front was invited last night. I'm sorry for neglecting you."

Madam Xie put down her teacup and said slowly:
"I thought that Mrs. Jiang had good girls to choose from, but I didn't expect that they are not as good as they used to be. The old lady in our mansion also wanted to select a few girls with clean backgrounds, clean and smart to serve her. You only have these two girls left?"

Grandma Jiang Ya was determined not to sell it anymore. She lowered her head and said:
"Please forgive me, Madam. My family is short of money and cannot afford to support so many maids. These two are insignificant and cannot harm your old lady. You should choose from other families."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xie looked calm as usual and stood up as if to leave. Xia Li gritted her teeth, made up her mind, and leaned forward towards Aunt Xie.

"Grandma, wait a minute. Although I am not as pretty as the two sisters above, I am not bad looking. This rash on my face is just caused by eating eggs. It will be fine tomorrow. I have learned embroidery from my grandmother since I was young. I can read a few words. I am willing to go back with you to serve the old lady."

There was a glint of interest in Madam Xie's eyes, it was rare to find literate maids these days, she was well-mannered and eloquent, and she looked OK, it would not be a loss to buy this girl back.

Aunt Xie was somewhat tempted, and turned around to look at Xia Li carefully. Xia Li bent over obediently and let her look at him. Aunt Jiang was so angry that her teeth were itching. It turned out that the barking dog bit people.

She changed her expression and yelled, "You bastard, you know nothing about reading, why don't you go back to the backyard and do your work."

Xia Li ignored her, took Qiao He's hand with a smile, and said to Aunt Xie:
"Grandma, my sister and I are honest and capable of cooking. Why don't you buy us both? It will be cheap and cost-effective."

Grandma Jiang was so angry that she reached out to hit her. The women following Nanny Xie quickly blocked Grandma Jiang's way.

Madam Xie said calmly, "I want both of them. Just name your price. If you have any objections, go to the Duke of Liang's mansion and tell him."

After hearing this, Mrs. Jiang's face changed drastically. How could she dare to continue to argue with Aunt Xie? Xia Li did not expect that this grandma was so powerful. Qiao He was even more frightened. Mu Mu stood there stupidly.

Nanny Xie paid the money, took the indenture and led the two girls out. She came in a carriage, and after leading the two girls into the carriage, Nanny Xie looked at Xia Li with a smile.

"Little girl, how old are you? What's your name? Why are you here?"

Xia Li didn't dare to play tricks in front of the old and cunning nanny, so she said honestly: "To answer grandma, my name is Fang Xia Li. Grandma Jiang said I was eight years old and came all the way from the south. I was weak and had a high fever and forgot a lot of things. I don't know why I sold my body."

Aunt Xie sat up straight, looking suspicious and asked, "Since you have lost your memory, how can you know your name?"

Fang Xiali blinked her clear eyes and said innocently:
"I just know it. I still remember my grandmother teaching me how to embroider and my father teaching me how to read. I just don't know why I sold myself into slavery..."

The doubt in Xia Li's eyes did not seem fake. Aunt Xie said in an ambiguous tone, "Could it be that you were trafficked here? If that's the case, I should take you to the police."

Fang Xiali's eyes were red, and her voice was choked with sobs:
"Thank you for your kindness, Grandma. I have been wandering here and have never met anyone who cares about me as much as you do. It is a great blessing to be able to enter the Duke's Mansion. I dare not expect too much. My background is not important. The most important thing is to work hard and repay Grandma in the future!"

She was so young yet she could speak so tactfully. The maids in Leshou Hall were not as smart as her. Aunt Xie appreciated her talent. She looked at her kindly and said in a calm tone:

"Your words make sense. It's rare for a person to be ignorant in life. Now that you've fallen to this point, it's meaningless to get to the bottom of it. You're a smart little girl."

Fang Xiali breathed a sigh of relief and showed a shy expression. No matter who it was, no one would be willing to bring trouble back.

Xia Li is an imposter. If she really finds her original relatives, she doesn’t know how to deal with it.

Madam Xie turned her attention to Qiao He and asked about her background. Qiao He was not good at speaking and her answers were halting, which disappointed Madam Xie. There were very few girls as clever and pleasing as Xia Li. She was very lucky to find a treasure on her trip. Qiao He was not outstanding but she was honest and dutiful, and she was also good at cooking. It was not a loss to buy her back to the mansion.

The carriage traveled for a while, and Madam Xie raised her hand to lift the curtain and look outside. After seeing clearly where they were, she turned around and said to the two of them calmly:
"The Duke of Liang's Mansion is not a poor family. The rules in the mansion are strict. You must not make any mistakes when you are on duty. I bought you two personally. You must not lose my face."

Xia Li and Qiao He immediately responded respectfully. Even someone like Jiang Yapo dared to beat and kill them at will, not to mention a behemoth like the Duke's Mansion. Xia Li would not be stupid enough to jump in front of her master and demand equality for all.

The carriage drove for half an hour before it stopped. During this time, Xia Li sat obediently, not daring to look around, until Nanny Xie got off the carriage first and then he followed closely.

The Duke of Liang's Mansion was the residence of nobles for generations. The vermilion gate bore witness to the dignity of the owner. Xia Li looked up at the solemn and dignified exterior, feeling its glory and majesty strongly. This was the sense of oppression brought by the top of the feudal class.

Qiao He was also overwhelmed by the grandness of the mansion. Aunt Xie turned around and saw that the two of them looked terrified. She walked towards the corner gate while comforting them:
"The master in the mansion is considerate of his servants. As long as you serve him attentively and without any bad thoughts, your life will be better than that of ordinary people outside."

Xia Li believed this. Following the people in the core circle of power, his vision would naturally be extraordinary. Anything that slipped through their fingers would be enough for ordinary people to chew on for a long time.

Xia Li walked forward with his head lowered and his eyes fixed straight ahead, whispering, "Don't worry, Grandma. We will do our job well."

Qiao He also quickly followed suit and said, "Me too, I will never cause any trouble for Madam."

Nanny Xie was originally the old lady's companion in the mansion. She had served the old lady for decades and had seen all kinds of monsters and demons. The two girls were young and immature, and had nothing to do with the complicated family background in the mansion, so she didn't have to worry too much about using them.

Nanny Xie took the two maids to Leshou Hall. People kept greeting her on the way, which showed that she was very respected in the mansion. This was a good thing for Xia Li, as it was Nanny Xie who brought them into the mansion, so the two girls were naturally close to her.

As soon as Madam Xie entered the courtyard of Leshou Hall, she saw a girl in a ginger-red half-sleeved Confucian robe coming up to her. She bowed first, and then said with a little sadness:

"Grandma, the old lady only ate half a shrimp and fish bun for breakfast and now she has no appetite. What should I do?"

Madam Xie frowned slightly and said calmly, "You go and stay by the old lady's side first. I'll go to the kitchen and ask Madam Lu to make some fish noodles and prepare some basil drink. It's hot and irritating, and it's normal to have a poor appetite."

Bai Shao's expression eased a little, and she said in a soft voice, "I feel relieved now that grandma is back..."

She turned her head slightly and saw Xia Li and Qiao He standing behind Aunt Xie. She was surprised and said, "What a nice little girl! Is this what Aunt bought from outside?"

The rash on Xia Li's face had mostly subsided, and he looked no worse than Qiao He. Madam Xie nodded slightly and said in a brisk tone:

"It was just a coincidence that we met. They are all good seedlings. They should learn the rules first. You can teach them when you have time."

After that, she introduced them to each other, "This is Bai Shao, the head maid in our courtyard. Come and greet her."

Xia Li glanced at the visitor inconspicuously. Bai Shao had a beautiful and refined appearance, and the material of her clothes was even more exquisite than that of Peng'er. It was obvious how pampered this maid was.

The two of them bowed respectfully, and Bai Shao hurriedly helped them up, saying in a sweet voice: "Our old lady likes young girls who are like flower buds the most. If you two work hard, the old lady will not treat you badly. What skills do you have?"

Xia Li gently touched Qiao He's arm, signaling her to speak first. Perhaps because Bai Shao was so kind and friendly, Qiao He was no longer so nervous. She said honestly:
"To answer my sister, I know how to do kitchen work, and Xia Li can do embroidery and read. She is very dexterous."

Bai Shao smiled when she heard this and complimented Madam Xie:

"Grandma is so smart. She just went out for a while and brought back two such capable sisters. It really touched my heart."

Aunt Xie was very calm. She stroked her temples and said in a calm tone:

"They are not yet useful. How can they be sent to serve the old lady without being polished for a few years? Whether they are really capable remains to be verified."

As soon as these words came out, Qiao He shrank her neck first, Xia Li looked like she was willing to learn from him, and Bai Shao said sincerely, "Grandma is right. It is our blessing to serve the old lady well. Sisters, don't be too ambitious."

Xia Li lowered his eyes and replied, "Thank you grandma and sister for your teachings. We will definitely work diligently and conscientiously."

Aunt Xie's eyes were filled with relief. She straightened her back and said to Bai Shao calmly:

"I'll take them to the kitchen first."

Bai Shao nodded slightly and watched Nanny Xie and the other two walk away before turning around and entering the inner room.

(End of this chapter)