Chapter 7: The Troublesome Servants

Chapter 7: The Troublesome Servants

Ying Shi instructed Chun Lan and Xiang Yao: "Go and call all the servants in the courtyard, tell them the mistress is giving out rewards."

The two maids, though puzzled, accepted Ying Shi's order and went out to summon everyone.

Unexpectedly, after a short while, Chun Lan, who had just gone out, hurried back, but there was no one with her.

"Did you deliver the message already? Where are the people?" Gui Niang asked.

Chun Lan returned without success, naturally looking upset. She said angrily, "As soon as I went out, I was stopped by that Nanny Cao. She said the servants are busy with Third Master's funeral today, and tomorrow Third Master will be buried, so they might not all be able to come. She said if the mistress is not in a hurry, she could bring the people to pay their respects to you on a morning when you are free in a few days."

Gui Niang was almost amused by these words, "What a coward, letting yourself be bullied and then slinking back! The mistress is the lady of this courtyard, how can a nanny act so boldly?!"

Chun Lan dared not explain, her panicked eyes turned to Ying Shi.

Ying Shi, however, seemed not at all angry. She said calmly, "Call them again."

This time, Chun Lan did not dare to hesitate, and quickly led Xiang Yao to call the people again.

After some time, the servants in the garden came in twos and threes.

They saw their young mistress dressed in mourning white, with her hair in a cloud-like bun, adorned with a simple silk flower, brewing tea by the window.

Ying Shi had entered the mansion in haste, missing all the usual bridal rituals, even without having her face threaded.

The orange sun outside bathed half the sky, casting a soft glow on her cheeks.

Ying Shi took her time; she carefully broke apart the tea cake, ground it finely, and then put it into the pot to boil.

As the servants paid their respects in turn, she finally put down her teacup.

She seemed not at all concerned about being slighted by the servants, instead speaking kindly to everyone, "I know you are busy with Third Master's burial, it’s fine if not everyone can come. Today, I just want to meet you all, so I don’t embarrass myself by not recognizing you outside the courtyard."

Following Ying Shi's words, a woman with a round face and broad shoulders stepped forward, followed by two young maids dressed very meticulously.

The three paid their respects to Ying Shi again.

"I am Third Master's wet nurse, also the steward mother of this garden, married to the steward Cao from the front courtyard, you can call me Mrs. Cao. These two girls are Shan Hu and Wen Zhu, they served in Third Master's courtyard. Third Master had me and these two senior maids manage the young maids and servants in the garden."

Ying Shi naturally knew of this wet nurse of Liang Ji. Her laziness and gluttony had caused Ying Shi much trouble in her past life.

She loved flowers, only because in her past life, when she passed by the front courtyard and spoke a bit more with a young gardener, Nanny Cao reported it to Madame Wei, who subtly reminded her to follow her wifely duties.

Now, seeing her again, it was clear that Nanny Cao was already throwing her weight around. Every sentence was about Third Master, and it was always 'Third Master this, Third Master that.'

Ying Shi hid the disgust in her eyes and smiled, "Since it was arranged by Third Master before his passing, it must be good."

Her words brought a genuine smile to Nanny Cao’s face.

The house servants feared a new mistress entering the household, as most young mistresses would drastically reduce the number of servants upon entry, placing their own close relatives in important positions in the courtyard.

Now that Third Master was gone, they were certainly no match for the maids brought by the new mistress.

Therefore, Nanny Cao had not been idle these past few days, often going to Madame Wei's courtyard to try to curry favor, hoping to cling to Madame Wei to continue her previous prosperity.

Now, seeing that the new mistress was young, with a thin face and a soft nature, she would probably be easy to handle in the future.

Hearing the new mistress’s praise and trust, she felt somewhat elated.

"Then shall we, the servants, continue with our usual tasks, and have Coral and Bamboo serve Madame Ying in her chamber?" asked Mama Cao tentatively.

The difference between serving in the main hall and serving closely in the chamber was substantial.

If she agreed, even her nighttime murmurs might reach Madame Wei by morning.

Gui Niang kept signaling to Ying Shi, urging her to refuse, but Ying Shi feigned ignorance.

She acted completely indifferent and clueless: "Those who served the Third Master in his lifetime, how could any of them be less than good?"

With that, she got up from the perfumed couch and went to Mama Cao, personally helping her to sit on the chair beside her, showing her great respect: "You are the Third Master's wet nurse, how can you keep bowing and kneeling to me? My family was small and had few dealings, unlike the Liang family with its many rules inside and out. In the future, I’ll depend on your guidance for anything I don’t understand."

Ying Shi’s words practically put Mama Cao on a pedestal.

As a servant, even when the Third Master was alive, she wasn’t given much respect, but now this new mistress treated her with such regard.

Mama Cao, however, wasn’t moved but instead felt contempt.

She’d heard that Ying Shi was an orphan with no family in the capital. Such a humble background must be the lowest among the Liang family women, no wonder she had to respect her so.

Hiding her pride, Mama Cao responded repeatedly: "If Madame Ying needs anything, just call for me. My family has served the Liang family for generations, and I am very familiar with the affairs of the house."

After speaking, she turned to the maids behind her: "Coral, Bamboo, from now on you must serve Madame Ying as carefully as you served the Third Master, and always know the rules! Otherwise, even without Madame Ying's words, I will not spare you!"

The two maids seemed somewhat lazy towards Ying Shi, but were very respectful towards Mama Cao's orders.

After meeting everyone, Ying Shi felt tired and asked Gui Niang to get something from her storeroom: "Now that the Third Master has just passed, I can’t give silver rewards, but the first time we meet, I can’t let you leave empty-handed. Gui Niang, go and give each of them a bolt of plain silk, and also give Mama Cao the tea I brought from Chenjun, and give Coral and Bamboo each a cake of tea."

Hearing this, everyone was naturally delighted and grateful.

Only Gui Niang didn’t understand why her mistress was doing this.

Anyone could see that the whole courtyard was looking down on her, yet instead of asserting her authority, she was rushing to show weakness and giving away good things?!

Gui Niang wouldn’t contradict Ying Shi in front of others, so she had to agree and went out.

The servants were all delighted and went outside to receive their rewards.

The once bustling main hall was suddenly empty, and Xiang Yao, who had been waiting outside, finally dared to come in with a tray.

"The main kitchen has just sent the meal. Mistress, you've been busy all morning, please eat while it's hot."

Ying Shi relaxed and only then realized she had been busy until lunchtime.

No wonder she felt so tired and hungry.

Seeing Xiang Yao setting the chopsticks for her, the sound of the bowls and chopsticks made her stomach growl.

"What's good to eat?" she couldn't help but ask.

Xiang Yao said: "The main kitchen has cooked bean rice and bamboo shoot soup for you today."

The smile on Ying Shi's face instantly disappeared.

Just hearing the names of the dishes, one could tell how bland they were.

Bean rice was rice steamed with soybeans and millet, with nothing else added.

Bamboo shoot soup, also known as three delicacies soup, though it had the word 'delicacies' in its name, had nothing to do with meat. It was a soup made by boiling dried bamboo shoots, shredded bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts in water.

No oil, just a pinch of salt—how’s that supposed to taste good?

In her previous life, she had been widowed for many years after Liang Ji’s death, and later, due to severe illness, she couldn’t eat anything. Now that she’s been reborn and is healthy again, she’s still being made to eat bean rice and vegetable soup?

Ying Shi frowned, her voice filled with frustration and even a hint of grievance: "I only had a sip of plain porridge at the old lady’s this morning, and now I’m so hungry I feel dizzy. And now you’re giving me this?"

Xiang Yao: "Then??"

"Xiang Yao, think fast—get me something good to eat." Ying Shi knew that although Xiang Yao was young, she was clever and probably had many ways.

But the usually resourceful Xiang Yao, after much thought, came up with: "Then shall I go and cook some noodles for you? Add some lard that Gui Niang secretly prepared?"

Lard? Plain broth with noodles?

Ying Shi couldn’t hide her disgust.

"So, what does the lady want to eat?" Xiang Yao innocently opened her eyes and asked her.

Ying Shi closed her eyes, recalling those distant memories for her.

She had been longing to eat so many things.

"Roast lamb, braised deer tendon, stir-fried phoenix tongue, cherry pork, osmanthus wings, almond pudding..."

Xiang Yao, at her growing age, had been eating plain food with Ying Shi since coming to the Liang residence. Hearing Ying Shi list these dishes, her mouth watered.

But she wasn’t foolish, swallowing her saliva and worrying: "Everyone’s watching us—even the jar of lard in the small kitchen was smuggled in by Gui Niang. How could we possibly buy those things..."

Ying Shi opened her eyes and whispered: "Didn’t the old lady send some bird’s nest today? Did you see where Gui Niang put it? Soak two pieces, then grab a jar of milk from the big kitchen to cook it with. When it’s done, add sugar, preserved fruits... It’s not meat, but it’ll still do us good."

Xiang Yao swallowed her saliva, her stomach growled loudly, stirred by Ying Shi’s words.

She held onto her last bit of reason: "Soaking two pieces is too much, right? We servants can’t eat such fancy stuff. I’ll soak half a piece and cook it for you..."

Ying Shi couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.

Her servants skimped on food and spending—wasn’t it because she, as the mistress, was broke?

Ying Shi wasn’t exactly poor.

But Gui Niang was always stingy, and for good reason.

Ying Shi’s father was the eldest son, supposed to inherit a huge family fortune, but unfortunately, he only left her, a girl, and the ancestral lands and deeds from the Ruan clan didn’t go to her.

Ying Shi’s father had left her some private property, plus the dowry from her mother, with these assets, she had more than enough to live comfortably.

But Gui Niang was always saving up for a decent dowry for Ying Shi, because Ying Shi was to marry into Duke Mu’s residence in the future.

The Liang family was a prominent clan, and the in-laws and sisters-in-law were all of extraordinary backgrounds.

Gui Niang feared that Ying Shi would be mocked by her sisters-in-law and looked down upon by her in-laws for her small dowry.

Later, when the young master died, there were many rumors around the widow’s door, and Gui Niang became even more reluctant to spend, wishing to split a single tael of silver into two.

But Ying Shi knew that before her death in her previous life, she still had a lot of silver left unspent.

She had given it all to Chun Lan before she died, and Chun Lan, being a miser who had never seen the world, probably didn’t know how to spend even with a mountain of gold and silver.

This time, Ying Shi wasn’t going to shortchange herself or her loved ones.

Life is short—just a few decades—so you should enjoy good food while you still can.

Otherwise, when you get old or sick and lose your teeth, you won’t be able to eat even if you want to.

"What’s the big deal with two bowls of red bird’s nest? Today, the old lady herself has spoken, and from now on, even Liang Ji’s monthly stipend will be given to me. Your lady now gets dozens of taels of silver every month—isn’t that enough for you to have a few bowls of bird’s nest?"

Xiang Yao didn’t go in the morning and had no idea that Ying Shi was now receiving double the stipend. Hearing this, she was over the moon.

"Hurry up and go!" Ying Shi urged her repeatedly.