"Exactly, exactly!" Then Li's wife stepped forward and supported Yao Shi with one hand, leading the crowd into the courtyard while saying: "The madam said that since Yao Niang has just returned to the mansion, it's inconvenient for her to handle everything. If we were to change to a new servant who doesn't understand the rules, she might not be served well. So let me bring two senior maids over first to help out temporarily until everything is settled here, and then we can select suitable servants for Niang to command."
"It's really troubling you, madam." Mrs. Yao withdrew her hand from Li Mama's grasp. This Li Mama had always been serving Shen Shi, and even when Shen Shi was just a concubine, Li Mama would nod and bow to her, addressing her as "Madam". Now that the winds of fortune had shifted, everything was different upon their return to Feng Manor.
Under Li's lead, two other maids also came over to pay their respects to the three of them. One was called Man Xi and the other Bao Tang.
Two young girls, about sixteen or seventeen years old, Man Xi was slightly taller and more slender, Bao Tang was a bit chubby, but if judged by the standards of the 21st century, being chubby is the most sexy figure.
She coldly glanced at the three people in front of her, saying they were servants, but their clothes were decent and their attitude was not humble at all. The two maids even had light makeup on. Looking again at the mother and daughter trio, they wore coarse cloth and looked disheveled from rushing along the road. It was clear who the masters were, but if you didn't know, you'd think they were the servants instead.
Li Auntie is an old woman, her face work is done very well, no matter what she thinks in her heart, there is always a smile on her face. But Manxi and Baotang are different, Feng Yuexiang saw obvious disdain from the two people's faces, and then looked at the two people wearing light green and pale yellow long gowns that trailed to the ground, who can work with this material?
Her mood suddenly improved - "Since everyone is here, let's get started!" Feng Yuhan clapped her hands, "This courtyard full of dust will be cleaned up by Man Xi and Bao Tang, Li Ayi will lend a hand, Sun Ayi will follow me to clean up the inner house."
She said as she walked to the corner, casually picked up two brooms piled there and threw them at Manxi and Baotang: "Sweep the dust on the window frames, the dirt on the roof of the house, and all the broken things in the yard. The floor needs to be sprinkled with water and then brushed to its original color. You are doing menial work, I don't need to give you too many orders, just hurry up and finish it, and you can have lunch after that."
She finished speaking in one breath, pushed open the door of the main room first, and entered the house amidst the dust that came rushing towards her. She then shouted: "Li Niangniang, go get me a bucket of water and find an empty basin."
When Feng Yu Huan entered the house, Sun Niang and Yao Shi followed with Zi Rui. The three people left behind were stunned, especially Man Xi and Bao Tang. Although they were servants, they were high-ranking maids by Madame's side, and their usual tasks were limited to serving tea or chatting idly with Madame. They had never done such rough work before!
The two maidservants looked at each other in distress, seeing that the other was also shaking her head helplessly, and knew that she too had no solution. Who made the mistress send them over? They said they were helping out, but who didn't know that it was just for show? Just look at their attire and their position by the mistress's side; not a single madam would dare to really treat them as servants.
This second young lady who just returned to the mansion is acting unreasonably, not only ordering people around but also doing so as if it's a matter of course, and even saying... that she can't have dinner until everything is done?
"Ah?" Man Xi frowned and said, "Do we really have to talk about those unpleasant things?"
"Li's wife glared at her and said with a stern face: 'If you want to go back and see the madam like this, I won't stop you. Just think carefully about what the madam has instructed. If you haven't accomplished anything and still return, be careful of your skin!'"
She was so frightened that the two girls didn't dare to say another word. Yes, coming to Liu Garden is a task, and being scared away as soon as they arrived would get them skinned alive by Madame when they returned!
She didn't care about the clothes on her body anymore, grabbed a broom and started sweeping with her nose pinched, while Li Auntie went to the well at the gate of the courtyard to fetch water.
The four people in the house also rolled up their sleeves and got busy, even Fengzi Rui followed suit.
Madam Sun originally didn't want to trouble the masters, but first, if this room wasn't cleaned up properly, there wouldn't even be a place to sit, and secondly, seeing Yao Shi doing these chores with such ease, she knew that over the years in the mountain village, she must have gotten used to it. The old woman turned her head and wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes, no longer mentioning anything about the masters needing to rest.
Soon, Mrs. Li poured water into an empty basin, and Feng Yu wiped the table with a cloth.
A group of people were busy as can be when a shrill cry came from outside the door: "I'm going to choke to death! What kind of godforsaken place is this?"
