Chapter Seventy-Nine: Adding People

  PS plus more seeking pink powder

  "No need." Wan Sui chuckled and shook his head, "Let Shen Ai Qing slowly grind it out between husband and wife."

  So early let Shen Zhongqiu know that he still has a pair of legitimate children, wouldn't it be boring to watch?

  Never had I discovered that Wan Sui still had such a wicked interest in watching the commotion, Zhu An hesitated for a moment, "......That child should be enlightened now."

  If he stays in Wutong Town, it will ruin his whole life.

  Returning to the general's mansion not only can hire good martial artists, but also can listen to lectures with the princes, and it doesn't matter whether they learn well or not. Just being able to make friends with these princes is a resource that will last a lifetime. Shen Zhongshuo was already having trouble with his children, and now he has finally had a pair of precious sons, but they are being wasted, he must be gnashing his teeth in anger even after death.

  That's indeed a problem.

  Long live really frowning and thinking.

  ……

  Long live this face-to-face meticulous and thoughtful teasing of Shen Zhongge, but Zhen Shiniang was unaware, she just sat at home in peace, and the disaster fell from the sky.

  And then, it really flew down from the ninth heaven!

  She didn't know that last night she had walked back and forth on the knife's edge several times. If it weren't for Wan Si's painstaking efforts to have Zhu An investigate her, she and her servants would have long since become lost souls on a dead-end road, sipping tea with the little ghosts in the underworld.

  At this time she was looking at the collapsed drying rack in the yard with a puzzled expression, "...... How did I not hear any sound?" She was extremely tired and her sleep had always been light.

  "The slave also didn't hear any noise." Qiuju finished checking the goods and hastily ran out.

  "What's all lost?" Zhen Shining stretched out her hand to hold up the clothes rack.

  "Nothing's missing." Qiuju went to support the other end, "The servant came out this morning and the gate was also locked properly, it doesn't seem like a thief." If it were a thief, why would they leave without stealing anything? "Maybe it was blown down by the strong wind?"

  There are so many things in the house. How did the shelf in the corner of the wall fall over?

  She lifted the shelf, and Zhen Shiniang carefully scanned around again. In the early hours of the morning, a snowfall had covered the ground, rooftops, and walls with a thick layer of white. Under the sunlight, it shone with dazzling light, even footprints were concealed. Not a single clue could be seen.

  "Sweep away the snow." Zhen Shi Niang's hand slid lightly down from an inconspicuous cut on the iron frame, and she turned into the house.

  Xī yuè led Jiǎn Wǔ and Jiǎn Wén in hastily, "......I heard that the bandits were invited last night?" As soon as they entered the door, Xī yuè asked eagerly.

  Zhen Shi Niang, who was sitting on the kang in deep thought, jumped up with a start. "....How did you come again? Quickly get on the kang and warm up." On snowy days, the road is not easy to walk, these days Zhen Shi Niang had been letting Xi Que stay at home to rest during her pregnancy.

  "It was me who brought Aunt Ji Kuai here." Jian Wu said with a smile, "Uncle Ji Kuai is checking outside right now." In the morning, when they heard Qiu Ju shouting in the courtyard that they had been robbed, Jian Wu and Jian Wen immediately went to find Ji Kuai.

  In their eyes, there was only one strong presence in this house, and that was Uncle Magpie, who could chase away the burglars.

  “……it was the strong wind that blew the frame down, not a thief.” Zhen Shi Niang couldn't help but laugh and cry. She pinched Jian Wu's frozen red face, "Wu Ge is really clever, knowing that our home has been robbed and going to find Ji Kuai Gu Fu for help. Just remember next time to figure out what happened first before seeking rescue."

  Jian Wu smiled and said, "I'll go get some crystal cake for Aunt Ji Ku."

  Li Changhe pushed the door open and came in, just hearing Zhen Shiniang's words, he interrupted, "I've just turned around front and back, that frame is standing in the corner of the wall and it's iron. The wind can't blow it down, besides..." Seeing Zhen Shiniang's stern gaze looking over, his voice stopped abruptly.

  "Miss!" Jiya turned her head to look at Zhen Shining.

  "Autumn chrysanthemum has been cleared up, nothing is missing at home." Zhen Shi Niang's voice was faint.

  Jianwen gazed at her mother with wide eyes.

  "In the past, our family was poor, and even if we didn't lock the door at night, no one would steal from us. But this year, General and Master Xiao both sent us gifts for the new year, so it's likely that someone has taken notice of us...". Ji Quan muttered to himself, then suddenly looked up, "You and Zhang He move over here." As a man, he was stronger than all the women in the courtyard. "Let Qiu Ju take Zhang He to clean out the east wing, light some fire, and we'll move over tonight."

  Before Shen Zhong's family became wealthy, their home was still quite affluent. Although this ancestral house was not as luxurious as those of the wealthy and influential families, with its carved beams and painted pillars, it had many rooms. Not to mention the backyard, the front yard alone had a five-room main building where Zhen Shiniang lived, with two wing-rooms on either side, and three additional outhouses on both the east and west sides.

  Because there are few people at home, most of the rooms are idle.

  Zhen Shiniang brought Qiuju and Jian Wu to live in the three large rooms on the east side, the other two rooms were used as warehouses, the east and west wings were empty in summer, and used to raise chickens and ducks in winter, the ear room was piled with some miscellaneous items.

  The magpie is about to give birth too, it's better to have them under her own eyes, otherwise, why not let them move over?

  Zhen Shining's heart was filled with hesitation.

  Shen Zhong Xiao left in a hurry that day and there was no news from him since then. It is unknown what he had planned to do.

  If he insisted on divorce, she would soon be driven out of the ancestral mansion, and it would be superfluous to take back the dowry house at that time.

  The room is empty, but it hasn't been lived in for many years, and cleaning it up would be a lot of trouble.

  "It's time for the New Year, and all our relatives are coming home. My mother has been asking me to clean up the house these past two days..." Seeing Xi Que giving him a signal, Li Changhe hastily agreed, "Exactly, I'll have Xi Que help me tidy up the east wing and move over there, and we can give the rest of the rooms to them."

  "Miss, I'll move over here so I don't have to walk every day." Seeing Zhen Shiniang still frowning, Xi Que pulled her arm and shook it, "I haven't seen you for two days, and my whole body feels uncomfortable."

  Sweat, and it's not gay, is it that serious?

  Zhen Shiniang got goosebumps all over her body, and she pushed them away with her hand. "Alright, alright, you can clean up now. Don't bother moving the furniture, just pick two things from my room to take over there. You only need to bring the bedding." This way, they wouldn't have to go through another ordeal if they were kicked out again.

  "Then I'll go and pick it up..." Ji Kuai got up and was about to get down.

  "...you just stay with the young lady in the house and keep warm, I'll go call Second Brother over to help." Li Changhe reached out to stop her.

  The magpie responded with a single cry, "......Don't forget to bring over my needlework."

  Qiu Ju was busy with Li Changhe and his younger siblings, when Rong Sheng arrived with five carts of goods for the new year. Seeing them bustling about, he chuckled and said, "The mistress is truly clever. She knew I was coming to deliver the New Year's goods today, so she had everything cleaned up and ready."

  Unlike previous times, this time's promotion speech had a clear tone of trying to please and an extremely respectful attitude.

  "It's not Miss who cleaned up the house!" Autumn Chrysanthemum retorted, "It was last night..." Before she could finish speaking, Zhen Shi Niang interrupted her, "It was last night when Jixi returned and slipped, almost having an accident, that I let her clean up the house and move here."

  "Miss......" Jiya Chao Zhen Shining repeatedly made eyes at her.

  They can let Rong Sheng send over a few carts of goods. Looking at Rong Sheng's attitude, it's clear that Shen Zhongge intends to keep the young lady from her family here, and they can take this opportunity to tell Shen Zhongge that it's not safe here and have them taken into the General's estate as soon as possible.

  People always like to get more, previously Ji Xiang had been praying that her young lady would not be abandoned. As soon as there was a turn for the better, she began to think about whether General could take her young lady into the mansion.

  Zhen Shi'niang pretended not to see and said "Rong Sheng has gone inside to sit down."

  Rong Sheng thought it was impolite to consider the magpie unlucky, and didn't think much of it. He turned around and instructed someone, "First, unload the things into the courtyard." He followed Zhen Shi Niang into the house, but didn't dare sit down, instead standing on the ground to talk.

  He insisted on not sitting down. Zhen Shining didn't force him either and asked Qiuju to pour water for him instead.

  "This is the list..." Rong Shuang handed over the goods list to Zhen Shi Niang, "The general has something urgent and can't leave, let me send the annual goods first. You take a look at what's still missing, and then make another list, I'll supplement it for you."

  What's up?

  Shen Zhong could bring these over, she was already trembling with fear. Who would still dare to ask for them?

  Zhen Shi Niang took the list and handed it to Qiu Ju, letting her and Li Chang He go out to collect goods according to the list. Turning back with a faint smile, "Congratulations on your promotion, Xin Kuai must have had a hard time on this trip, right?"

  "It's not that..." Rong Sheng nodded, "It was before dawn when we left, and now we've just arrived." As he spoke, he pulled out a list and handed it to Zhen Shi Niang, "As the general's wife, according to the rules of the mansion, you should have four senior maids, eight secondary maids, eight rough-serving maids, one housekeeper, and four guards. The general said that since your courtyard is relatively remote and large, he has added two more guards for you, making a total of twenty-seven people. Take a look and see if they are all assigned from the general's mansion or if you want to buy some yourself, and the rest will be supplemented by the mansion." He looked at Xi Yue with a smile, "With more people in this courtyard, Xi Yue will also have an easier time."

  Treat her as the legitimate wife?

  That is to say, Shen Zhongge not only does not intend to divorce, but also acknowledges that the young lady of his family is indeed the legitimate wife of the General's Mansion!

  After hearing this, the magpie dispelled the last bit of doubt in her mind, and her eyes sparkled brightly as she turned to look at Zhen Shiniang, barely restraining herself from cheering.

  Zhen Shining was also excited.

  It's not because Shen Zhongge put her in the position of his legitimate wife, but because of the astronomical figure that Rong Sheng mentioned, which made her dizzy.

  How much? How many?

  She took the list from Rong Sheng's hand, counted with her fingers, "The monthly allowance for Da Ya is two taels, four of them are eight taels, and the second-class monthly allowance is one tael..." As a medical student, Zhen Shi Niang was not particularly good at math, it took her half a day to calculate, "Not counting her monthly allowance, just these maids' monthly allowances add up to thirty-one taels and four, plus her twenty taels of monthly allowance, that's more than fifty taels..."

  Heaven, hurry up and reward her for her hard work over the past year!

  Zhen Shining's heart fluttered up.

  She was finally incorporated into a state-owned unit with regular eight scenic spots, enjoying civil servant treatment, and receiving administrative appropriations every month according to the quota!

  "Miss..." Zhen Shiyin asked twice, but Zhen Shi only lowered her head and didn't speak, just calling out once.

  Zhen Shiniang raised her head.

  Rong Sheng repeated again, "The old lady wants to allocate how many people in the mansion, what level, make a list, and I'll send it back to you."

  "I'll just buy it myself." Zhen Shi Niang thought for a moment, "There's no need to be so extravagant, three or five servants will do." She handed the list back to Rong Sheng, "Let the mansion allocate the silver according to this amount on a monthly basis."

  This is obviously embezzlement!

  Never seen anyone so brazenly embezzling money, Jixiao hated that there wasn't a crack in the ground to hide in, while exchanging glances with Zhen Shiniang, she secretly peeked at Rongsheng's expression.

  If he tells Shen Zhongge about this, Miss Shen is done for!