Chapter 29: A Complete Falling Out
Chapter 29: A Complete Falling Out
"Farewell, my lady!"
The old crone personally saw Meng Qianqian's carriage off into the distance.
By her side, a girl asked, "Wasn't it a loss to only sell her for ten taels? We lost no less than a hundred taels because of that girl before!"
Another girl said, "Yes, wasn't it said that selling her there would bring at least fifty taels?"
This girl was a bit young, but some men liked them that way.
The old crone said, "You know nothing. With my decades of experience in this brothel, I can tell that girl is no ordinary one. Today, I'm doing her a favor. It's also because this little girl's life isn't destined to end here. A noble person has saved her life."
Otherwise, how many could escape that kind of place without being tortured to death?
In the carriage.
Banxia asked the little girl, "What's your name?"
The little girl played with the tassels on her clothes. "Tan'er."
Banxia continued, "From your accent, you don't seem to be from the capital. Where is your home? Who else is in your family? Why did you end up in the hands of the old crone?"
Tan'er hugged herself. "Why so many questions? Are you afraid I'll run away? Even if I do, you won't be able to catch me!"
Banxia was taken aback and muttered, "Not going to argue with a little girl!"
Upon arriving at the Lu family, Meng Qianqian instructed Wu Ge a few words and, together with Banxia and Tan'er, headed towards the Haitang Courtyard.
Tan'er exclaimed, "Sister, your place is huge!"
Meng Qianqian pointed forward. "That courtyard is mine. The others aren't."
Tan'er looked at the Haitang Courtyard, which was not yet as large as a tooth. "Uh..."
The servants of the Haitang Courtyard were all surprised to see the young lady of the house return with a dirty and smelly little girl. However, as the little girl was wrapped in a precious fur coat belonging to the young miss, the servants dared not slack off.
Tan'er curiously looked around, reaching out from time to time to touch the flowers and trees. "It's a bit broken, but it's quite unique!"
Banxia was stunned. "Broken? What's broken? Did a flowerpot break?"
Tan'er explained, "It's so small!"
Banxia nodded. "Oh... Wait, who are you calling small? You're just a maid, and you're being picky!"
Tan'er stuck her tongue out at Banxia. "Whatever."
Li Mama loved cleanliness. When she came out to greet Meng Qianqian, she was so shocked to see such a little beggar that she almost fainted.
"Mama, is there hot water?"
"Yes."
Li Mama was familiar with Meng Qianqian's habits. Whenever she returned from the outside, she would bathe and change her clothes, so she had already asked the kitchen to prepare hot water.
Tan'er touched all the flowers and plants in the courtyard and came to Meng Qianqian with a smile. "Sister, when is dinner?"
Meng Qianqian signaled with her eyes towards the room next to the small kitchen, which was the bathroom she had renovated for bathing during the cold winter months.
"Bathe first."
"I don't want to!"
"No bath, no food."
"Alright, alright, I'm going..."
Tan'er rushed into the bathroom and dunked herself into a tub of cold water.
Just as Wan Mama brought a bucket of hot water to the door, several dirty pieces of clothing flew towards her, covering her head.
She took a deep breath and dry-heaved. "Ugh..."
Tan'er sat in the cold water, hugging her arms and shivering. "I'm freezing to death..."
After the hot water was added, Tan'er stood up quickly. "I'm done bathing!"
Wan Mama was stunned. "You haven't even washed yet! You just went in and came out. Do you think you're stewing meat?"
Wan Mama called for Hu Po and Liu Po, and the three of them held down Tan'er, washing her from head to toe over and over again. The kitchen staff had to boil pot after pot of hot water.
Finally, after an hour, they managed to clean the little girl, and the three old maids were exhausted.
Meng Qianqian sat in the room, reading a storybook.
Li Mama and Banxia sat by the charcoal basin, embroidering.
When Tan'er, clad in a light green vest, entered the room, Li Mama and Banxia were utterly astounded.
With her fair complexion, delicate features, high nose bridge, rosy lips, and pearly white teeth, she was a far cry from the dirty little girl they had seen earlier.
If not for the fact that she was wearing Banxia's old clothes, they would have hardly recognized her.
Tan'er paid no heed to Li Mama and Banxia; instead, she smiled at Meng Qianqian and said, "Sister, I've washed up!"
Meng Qianqian smiled back and said, "Let's eat."
Tan'er didn't stand on ceremony and sat down without hesitation.
Soon, she frowned at the bowl of noodles in front of her, devoid of any chili, and commented disdainfully, "It looks bland and unappetizing."
A quarter of an hour later...
"Another bowl, please!"
"More!"
"Keep it coming!"
Banxia and Li Mama stared at the table full of empty bowls, astonished by her voracious appetite.
After polishing off the last bite, Tan'er rubbed her round little belly and put down her chopsticks.
"Was it tasty?" Meng Qianqian asked.
"Delicious..." Tan'er belched softly.
"Tomorrow, we'll have fragrant crispy duck, eight-treasure chicken, braised pork, and stewed pig's trotters," Meng Qianqian said with a smile.
Tan'er's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "You bet!"
Meng Qianqian chuckled. "So, you've decided to stay?"
Tan'er winked mischievously. "Yup!"
Banxia took Tan'er away to rest and also to teach her some of the manor's rules and regulations.
Worry creased Li Mama's face as she asked, "Young Miss, what about this girl...? Will she be all right? It's not that I'm worried about her eating us out of house and home, but she's so young. Although Banxia was also young when she first came to serve you, she's a native of the Meng family and has been trained in manners and etiquette since childhood... This girl doesn't seem like she can do any work. Of course, if you like her, Young Miss, and want to keep her by your side, that's fine. I'm just concerned that she won't follow the rules and might cause some trouble in the manor."
Banxia relayed what the toothless granny had said, but while she herself didn't believe it, Li Mama was half-convinced.
Meng Qianqian turned a page of her storybook and said, "Mama, haven't we been well-behaved these past few years in the Lu family? What good has it brought us?"
Li Mama was taken aback by the question.
Before dawn, Meng Qianqian was roused from her sleep by a commotion. It turned out that someone from the Old Madam's quarters had come to urge her to pay her morning respects.
Having tended to Lu Lingxiao a few days prior and left the manor yesterday, Meng Qianqian could no longer make excuses about her health.
So, accompanied by Banxia, she went to greet the Old Madam.
Usually, when she came to pay her respects, she had to wait outside for over half a hour. But today, the Old Madam had surprisingly risen earlier than her.
"Your granddaughter-in-law pays her respects to you, Grandmother," Meng Qianqian said.
The Old Madam sat in her chair, her eyes cold as she regarded the girl whom the Lu family had raised for five years. "I heard that you moved all of your husband's gifts back to your own courtyard?"
"That's true," Meng Qianqian admitted frankly.
The Old Madam huffed in annoyance. "Don't we have storehouses in this manor? Since you're not the one managing the household, what do you need those things for? Hurry up and have someone move them to the storehouse!"
The mention of this topic only served to anger her further. She had intended to wait for her grandson to wake up and inform him, confident that he would give her all the gifts he had received.
But now, she had missed her chance. That girl had cleaned out her grandson's study! She had heard that the Emperor had not only bestowed ten thousand taels of silver but also precious jewelry.
They were imperial gifts, and in her entire life, she had never worn any. And now, that little brat had taken them all!
Meng Qianqian replied calmly, "Grandmother, those were my husband's gifts to me as part of my dowry. I'm afraid they can't be moved to the storehouse."
"Nonsense!" The Old Madam slapped the table. "Once the Lu family marries you, your dowry becomes the Lu family's! How dare you ask your husband for it back? I see that you truly don't understand the rules! Someone, come to the Haitang Courtyard and retrieve the Emperor's gifts!"
(End of Chapter)
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