Full House Spring

Chapter 8 A mistake
After the prince walked away, Mai Dong straightened up. She weighed the gold ingot in her hand like a money-grubber and said happily, "The prince is really generous. This is the first time I have received such a heavy reward."

Xiangru held the golden ingot and smiled happily at first, then said with some regret:
"We have received such a generous reward just for meeting the master and paying respects. If we could serve him closely, I'm afraid we would get even more."

Mai Dong blinked his big eyes and said casually, "Are you trying to enter the prince's courtyard? That might be difficult. Most of the servants there are the mistress's companions."

Xiangru's eyes flickered slightly, she lowered her head and put the gold ingot into her purse, and said in a low voice:

"I'm just saying that. We are very lucky to be promoted to second-class maids soon. If we can be favored by the old lady, it will be the best."

Maidong nodded heavily and preached like a little adult:
"You are right to think so. My father does not ask us to be successful. It is enough for us to learn some rules in the old lady's courtyard and ask for grace to let us go and live a free life in the future."

Xiangru didn't want to continue this topic, so she nodded perfunctorily. She turned her head to look at Xia Li and said, "Why were you distracted just now? I saw that you were a little hesitant when you took the reward money. What's wrong with that?"

Could Xia Li say that it was her pride that made her feel like a beggar? She shook her head and said calmly:

"I have never received such a huge reward before. I was a little dazed for a moment. This gold ingot can buy a lot of things, right?"

Elsholtzia always felt that it was not the case, so Maidong took over the conversation and said:
"What do you want to buy? We can't go out. If you ask the shopping manager to bring it back, you need to give him more money. If you don't need it urgently, my father will come over tomorrow and ask him to bring it to you."

Xia Li smiled at her gratefully and said gently, "I want to buy some needlework and thread stuff. It's not good to get rusty with my hands. I need to practice more when I have time."

Xiangru pondered and said, "If you only want to buy things for embroidery, you can go to the needlework room in the mansion. There are a lot of leftovers there, and the embroiderers are also reselling them secretly, but they dare not put them in public."

Xia Li knew very little about the situation in the mansion. After all, she had only been there for a short time. She was very surprised and asked, "There is a sewing room in the mansion? Did those embroiderers also sign a contract to sell themselves?"

Although Xiangru didn't understand her focus, she still patiently explained, "How could that be possible? The more capable the embroiderer is, the more money she earns. How could she easily sign a contract to sell herself?"

Xia Li understood after thinking about it carefully. If she had not been sold after opening her eyes, she would have fought desperately. But who would be willing to bow down to someone with some ability?

The three of them continued to chat as they walked forward. Xia Li asked again, "If the maids in the mansion are good at embroidery, can they work in the needlework room?"

Xiangru shook his head. "There has never been such a precedent in the mansion. Even if there is such a maid, she should serve the master first. For example, the masters will not let others make underwear such as undergarments. They will only feel at ease if they are made by their trusted confidants."

Xia Li's way of escaping control by relying on her skills was blocked again. Although she was disappointed, she didn't show it on her face. Mai Dong said slowly:

"I think the needlework room is not a good place to work. Those embroiderers work day and night without a moment's rest. Their eyes are almost blinded by the work. Even if they can earn a few coins, it's all at the cost of their lives."

Xia Li was naturally aware of this, so she stopped thinking and after careful consideration, she decided that it would be more cost-effective to climb up to the position of the old lady's maid. Now that she had made the decision, she just had to move forward.

She invited Xiangru, "Then can we go to the sewing room when we are not on duty?"

Xiangru nodded in agreement and said softly, "Of course you can go. Before you go, you must exchange the gold ingots for small pieces of silver or copper coins, so that it will be more convenient to use."

Xia Li didn't have any connections in this area, so she humbly asked, "Where can I get it? I'm afraid I need you to show me the way."

Xiangru wanted to make friends with him, and with Xia Li's intelligence, he would be able to come to the fore sooner or later, so he might as well consider it as an opportunity to build some connections in advance.

"The maids in the mansion all go to the Chai Guanshi in the front yard to exchange money. He is in charge of purchasing in the front yard and has a lot of spare money, so it is more convenient for him to exchange money. If you don't recognize him, I will take you there later."

Xia Li smiled and thanked him. She was not very clear about the value of the gold ingot, so she asked, "How many copper coins can this gold ingot be exchanged for?"

Xiangru thought she had never received so much money before, and said carefully:

"If you are not in a hurry to use it, it will be easier to keep it this way. If you really want to exchange it, you can exchange it for one tael of silver and one thousand copper coins. The first time you go to the Chai Guanshi, you will probably have less than two hundred coins. I will tell you in advance so that you have an idea."

Xia Li didn't expect that Manager Chai was so cruel. She frowned slightly and said, "Can't you bargain with him? Two hundred coins is too much."

Xiangru said with a smile: "This is not bargaining with a peddler. If you don't accept, then don't exchange. Manager Chai is not an easy person to deal with. Otherwise, there are so many managers in the mansion, why can we only go to him to exchange."

Xia Li knew what was going on. What Manager Chai was doing was monopolizing. This showed that he had some influence in the mansion. The masters in the mansion were divided into different levels, and even the servants had different ranks. Life there was really not easy.

Even if I have to lose half a month's salary, I still have to change what I need. It is really inconvenient to have no cash on hand.

"Then go and exchange it after breakfast. I want to go to the needlework room as soon as possible."

Xiangru nodded in agreement without objection, and Maidong decided not to go with them as the monthly salary she had was enough for them.

After returning to the house, Xia Li first washed the dust off her face, and then went to have breakfast. She had never brushed her teeth properly since she traveled through time, and always felt that her mouth smelled bad. She had previously filmed a video of making toothbrushes with pig, cow and sheep leg bones. She remembered every production process clearly, and was thinking about making a few more when she had time.

After breakfast, Xiangru led her to the front yard. Although the rules in the mansion were strict, they were both young girls and did not need to be too taboo.

Today, Manager Chai was free. When they approached, he was sitting in an armchair taking a nap. The two of them politely greeted each other. Manager Chai knew Xiangru and said with a half-smile:
"You haven't come to exchange money for a while. How come you come here to exchange money today?"

Xiangru said shyly, "Thank you for your consideration, Manager Chai. I came here today mainly to accompany my little sister, and I also exchanged some silver coins for copper coins."

Manager Chai then looked at Xia Li and squinted his eyes and said, "This little girl looks unfamiliar. Is she new? Whose family is she from?"

Xia Li was not afraid at all. She said calmly, "To answer Manager Chai's question, I was bought from outside and brought into the mansion. I am not a family-born child, so you may not know me well."

Manager Chai sat up straighter, raised his eyebrows and said, "I heard that Madam Xie recently bought two maids. Are you one of them?"

Xia Li raised the corner of her mouth slightly, and said in a brisk voice: "It is this servant. Grandma Xie is kind-hearted. She saw that I was being bullied by the matchmaker and felt sorry for me. Since I have some skills, she decided to buy me back."

I don't know what she said satisfied Manager Chai, but it made him look much better. He held his chin with one hand and said in a relaxed tone, "Tell me, how did Aunt Xie fall in love with you?"

Although Xia Li didn't know her intention, since he asked, she told him everything without any reservations. She told him a story, but Xiangru was terrified. If she had fallen to this point, she might not have Xia Li's courage to save herself. After that, Xia Li said with great emotion: "If grandma was a little cruel, Qiaohe and I would have been doomed in this life. So from the moment I entered the mansion, I treated grandma as my grandmother, and I will take care of her in her old age and see her to the end of her life."

Manager Chai's expression was slightly restrained. He sat upright, looked at Xia Li with a scrutinizing gaze, and said in an ambiguous tone, "Are you telling the truth?"

Xia Li let him look at her, and she said in a relaxed tone: "It's the truth. I have nothing to do with you, so why would I lie to you? I have no one to rely on and no one to worry about. If grandma is willing to be my grandmother, I would be more than happy to do so. I would even wake up laughing in my sleep."

Her attitude was too calm, and Manager Chai couldn't see any flaws. He asked calmly, "Have you mentioned this to Madam Xie?"

Xia Li nodded and said confidently, "I told grandma that I just don't meet her eyes for now. She didn't agree but she didn't refuse either. That's enough. Sooner or later I will be able to prove to her that I have the ability to let her spend her old age in peace."

She looked like a clean little calf, with eyes full of life, which made Chai Guanshi a little dazed. He pondered for a moment before speaking:

"Since you have such a heart, you should be filial to her in the future. She is a hard-mouthed person with a soft heart. She may seem difficult to approach, but in fact, she is not difficult to get along with."

Xia Li was somewhat curious about his relationship with Grandma Xie, and said, "I know this without you having to remind me. If you run into Grandma later, please say a few good words for me. I am sincerely honoring her."

Manager Chai was stiff for a moment, but he finally nodded and agreed. He said in a hoarse voice, "How do you want to exchange the money?"

Xia Li took out the gold ingot and whispered, "I want to exchange this for silver and copper coins, save half and use the other half to buy some needlework and fabrics. I plan to make a headband for grandma. I see she rubs her forehead often, so she probably has a headache."

After she said this, Manager Chai looked at her with a satisfied look. He stood up and said, "You two wait a moment. I'll be back soon."

Looking at his leaving back, Xiangru sighed softly and said in a low voice: "You are really brave. You dare to say everything in front of Manager Chai."

Xia Li said with a smile: "I am telling the truth. Why can't I tell others about it?"

Xiangru is not stupid, she is just timid and afraid of things. She always thinks twice before doing anything. She cannot grasp some opportunities that are right in front of her. She envies Xia Li's courage from the bottom of her heart.

Manager Chai came out quickly, holding a piece of plain brocade in his hand. He walked over and handed it to Xia Li, not allowing him to refuse, saying:

"Take this cloth and use it to make a headband or clothes. You don't have to tell Madam Xie that I gave it to you. It will be wasted if you leave it in my hands anyway."

Xia Li held the brocade and knew clearly that there must have been an unknown story between Manager Chai and Grandma Xie.

She knew her limits and would never ask questions that she shouldn't. She nodded and said, "Thank you, Manager Chai. I'm short of money, so I have enough fabric now."

Xiangru's face was also full of shock, as if he had noticed something was wrong with her. Manager Chai looked over with sharp eyes and said meaningfully, "Girls should be careful with their words and actions, and stop gossiping outside. I'll give you the 500 coins you exchanged for first."

Xiangru quickly shrank his neck and took the money, not daring to say a word. Manager Chai turned around and looked at Xia Li again, saying expressionlessly:

"For your grandmother's sake, I only charged you fifty more coins. Take this two ounces of silver and nine hundred and fifty copper coins."

Who would complain that the money was too little? Xia Li happily took the money and put it into his sleeve. When Chai Guanshi saw it, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't you need to count it clearly?"

Xia Li complimented him, "How could the money handled by Manager Chai be wrong? There is no need to count it."

Manager Chai picked up the teacup on the table, and Xia Li said tactfully, "It's getting late, Manager Chai, please take a rest first, we will leave now."

Manager Chai nodded mysteriously. He did not criticize Xia Li. To him, killing an insignificant maid was easier than crushing an ant. He did not need to take it too seriously.

The two came out of the front yard. Xiangru looked at Xia Li's face and asked carefully, "Do you know about the past between Madam Xie and Steward Chai?"

Xia Li was in a good mood as she hugged Jinduan. She opened her red lips and said, "What old things? Have I ever said anything?"

Xiangru hated this look of hers the most, and said unhappily, "Don't keep me in suspense. I'm not Manqing or Zifu, and I won't do anything bad behind your back. Just tell me how you know about this."

Xia Li shook his head and told the truth: "I really don't know the inside story, it's just a coincidence."

Xia Li didn't expect that he was so lucky. Manager Chai had some say in the front yard. Although he couldn't use it at the moment, it was a good relationship that could be of use in the future.

Xiangru saw that she didn't seem to be lying, so he stopped asking and just sighed:
"You have only been in the mansion for a few days, so it is unlikely that you know so many things. This can be considered a blessing in disguise. With the help of Manager Chai, it will be easier for you to do things in the future."

Xia Li has always been nice to the people around her, and she smiled.

"Manager Chai, you are the one who introduced me here. If you and Mai Dong want to exchange silver in the future, just give it to me. Anyway, there is no inscription on the silver, so Manager Chai doesn't know who it belongs to."

Xiangru's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she said softly, "I won't spread this, don't worry."

Whether it was Xia Li's relationship with Nanny Xie, or the unusual behavior of Manager Chai, she would not mention it to anyone. She knew better than anyone that the mouth could cause trouble.

Xia Li raised the corner of her mouth but said nothing more. If this matter got out, Xiangru would be in trouble, and Manager Chai would definitely not let her go. She didn't need to worry at all.

The two men originally wanted to go back to the house to hide the silver and money first, and then go back to work. However, when they just returned to the servants' room, they saw Mrs. Wu sitting at the door, and behind her stood two servants. They looked aggressive and it was obvious that they were here to cause trouble.

Xiangru was a little scared, and trembled as he stepped forward to greet her. "Hello, Granny Wu. What do you want me to do for you?"

Mrs. Wu's leg bones were dislocated due to pressure, and she has been in so much pain these days that she has been unable to eat.

Fortunately, the old lady was considerate and found a capable doctor to correct her bones, otherwise her leg would have been crippled.

(End of this chapter)