Chapter 27 Trembling

  Although I had already guessed that he was no ordinary person from his daughter's reminder, I really didn't expect him to be so extraordinary. Looking at the old man's house, it doesn't seem very impressive either.

  The girl's expression was dazed, and her parents outside had already been driven silly.

  My dear, in a household like this, even the lowest-ranking servant can walk out and no one in the entire Jiangzhou Prefecture would dare to provoke them.

  Cheng's family and Zhang's family are different, being a maid and being a cook are also different.

  A daughter-in-law cannot be one for a lifetime, but a wife can be one for a lifetime.

  Those rich families' good cooks have a high status at home and can even be lent out. To hire a good cook and set up a good banquet is an extremely prestigious thing.

  Not to mention the reward money received.

  The parents of the little girl outside the door can't sit still any longer.

  The daughter went to such a family, even if her own family didn't have good fortune, they would still follow and enjoy the good fortune of the Cheng family.

  "It's all settled then." The old woman couldn't help but kowtow and shout with joy, "Thank you, sir and madam, for valuing us so much, thank you, sir and madam, for valuing us so much."

  One of them quickly knelt down and pushed back the little girl who was still in a daze.

  "Hurry up and thank the old master and mistress. After you leave, be sure to behave yourself properly, don't lose face for the old master and mistress, and don't forget, what's your surname." She said in a low voice.

  The girl was pushed forward and fell over, her hands grasping at the ground in a fluster.

  "Master, mistress, servant..." she stammered out.

  "That's it, don't mention those words again. From now on, just mind your own business and you will be a member of the Zhang family. Don't keep thinking about the Cheng family anymore," said Mr. Cheng II.

  "No, master." The maid hastily cut in, knocking her head. "I, a slave, cannot go."

  The room fell silent for a moment. Mr. and Mrs. Cheng were somewhat surprised.

  What?

  "You're a dead girl, what nonsense are you talking about. It's not time for you to be coy, listen to the old lady's words." The old woman hastily and fiercely pushed Yu Tou again and scolded.

  "Girl, you don't know, don't talk nonsense." The maid hurriedly turned her head and said, then looked at Master Cheng's wife again, "Master and mistress, I don't have any skills either. These are all taught by my mother-in-law, I dare not go in front of the old master to show off."

  It's this sentence again...

  Madam Cheng II was somewhat dazed.

  This, this wasn't done by me, it was taught to me by my wife...

  The little girl in front of me who was kowtowing seemed to have turned back into the little girl she used to be, with a flustered expression and speaking nonsense.

  "Do you think you have the surname Zhou too?" Madam Cheng asked with a cold smile.

  The girl doesn't understand why she should look up.

  "I called you here to tell you that tomorrow, you will go to Old Master Zhang's residence. It is not for me to ask if you are willing to go or not." Madam Cheng said, looking down at her from a superior position.

  In the late afternoon, Sun Guan led Xiao Tong hastily to Taiping Palace.

  "What? Half Cinnamon Girl hasn't come back yet?" she asked.

  The Taoist nun guarding the door nodded tensely.

  "It's almost dark now, why hasn't he come back yet?" she said.

  "Didn't you say you were going to the city to deliver mooncakes to that old man? You should have returned by now." Sun Guanzhu said, rubbing her hands anxiously. "Call a few senior sisters to go to the city and welcome him back."

  The Taoist nun responded and hastily walked away. Sun Guan-zhu led the little boy into Cheng Jiao-niang's courtyard.

  As soon as I entered, I saw Cheng Jiaoniang standing under the corridor, looking up at the sky.

  "Miss." Sun Guanzhu hastily greeted. "Half Cabbage Miss might have gone far to buy vegetables and hasn't come back yet."

  Jiang Yao withdrew her gaze and looked at her.

  "No," she said, "she won't be back tonight."

  Sun Guanzhu was stunned for a moment, then let out a sigh of relief.

  "It turns out you knew where she was going all along, you scared me to death." She said, while calling for the young servant to go and summon her fellow sisters back.

  Jiang Nang didn't say anything, she just lifted her head and continued to look at the sky.

  Every time Sun Guanzhu came over, he saw her like this and couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

  "Daughter, what are you looking at?" She couldn't help but look over too.

  The sun sets in the west, autumn dusk is thick and heavy.

  "Look at the sky," said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  "What's so good about the sky?" Sun Guan asked.

  "There's nothing," said Jingniang, withdrawing her gaze, "It's just that I used to like watching it."

  Before?

  Sun Guanzhu was somewhat confused, and when he looked again, Cheng Jiaoniang had already turned around and gone inside. This woman, although not a fool, was always a bit strange and different from ordinary people. Sun Guanzhu hurried to follow her.

  "Girl, Miss Half Cabbage isn't here, what do you want to eat? I'll get them to make it," she said.

  "Good." said Jingniang, supporting herself on the armrest and sitting down on the cushioned stool. "I want to eat lotus root, lily, mushroom and steamed pork, seven-treasure vegetarian congee, and sesame seed cakes."

  What's going on? Sun Guan was confused and wondered if he had eaten something bad.

  This heart-trembling name sounds as enchanting as celestial music.

  My dear, what did this girl usually eat every day?

  "Miss, miss." Sun Guanzhu hastily called out, with a hint of embarrassment, looking at the woman who had already sat down, "I, I won't do it."

  "No." Jingniang looked up at her, "It can be learned, eating, dressing, living, and traveling, eating is the first priority, it's the simplest and easiest thing to do."

  Is this what you mean by food, clothing, shelter and transportation?

  Sun Guan seemed to understand and yet not understand.

  As the sky brightened, two Taoist nuns hastily walked out of the Xuanmiao Temple.

  "I said I'd stay there, but Master was still worried and insisted on keeping watch himself."

  "What's become of that Miss Celery after all? She didn't even say goodbye."

  "It's true, although we don't care about her coming and going, that woman is a fool. She just threw it down and left without saying a word."

  "Last night's dinner was exhausting, I'm still feeling sore in my arm from stirring the meat dish."

  "What you're doing is just steaming, making hu bing is much more troublesome."

  "But it's really delicious, rich people are indeed good at eating, how did they come up with this..."

  "Hurry up and go, who knows what strange things we'll have to eat in the morning."

  As they walked and talked, just as they were about to climb the mountain, they saw a line of people in front of them.

  "Unbelievable, it's just been a few days and they're changing people again?"

  "Hey, this time is really unlucky. That green plum has hit the jackpot."

  "Yes, she's not unlucky. We're the ones who are unlucky and have to serve this fool."

  "Hey, if we're talking about it, that green plum was brought here by this silly girl, so coming here isn't entirely unlucky?"

  Two of the girls were whispering and giggling.

  Hearing footsteps, a group of people turned their heads to look.

  "Good man." The two Taoist nuns bowed.

  A person no longer pays attention, turns around and continues on their way.

  The two Taoist nuns exchanged a glance and didn't say another word, following behind them in slow steps.

  Before long, the group arrived at the gate of Taiping Palace. A little boy stood in front of the gate, looking around, and was taken aback when he saw this group of people. When he saw the two Taoist nuns behind them, he hurriedly came to welcome them with a smile.

  "Has Half Cabbage Sister come back?" she asked hastily.

  "Haven't they come back yet?" The two Taoist nuns also asked in response.

  As they heard this conversation, a group of people walked over.

  "What's with the half-witted ones?" One of the men who looked like he was in charge glanced at the three and said, "She won't be coming back."

  Two maids in the courtyard looked around with a hint of disdain, occasionally gathering together to whisper a few sentences.

  "This is the two new maidservants." said the housekeeper, looking at Sun Guan Zhu in front of him.

  Sun Guan's master and his disciples behind him were shocked.

  "What about that Miss Half Cabbage?" Sun Guan asked.

  "She's been sent to Old Master Zhang's mansion by the master," said the steward with a hint of disdain towards Rong.

  Slaves in the household are just objects that can be replaced at any time. Selling or giving them away is a very normal thing to do.

  Sun Guan's expression was calm and silent, but his heart felt a little sad.

  "That old man you also know, Half Cabbage said it was here that they got to know each other, and liked eating the dishes she cooked. What a stroke of luck, to be able to climb to such heights in this place..." The housekeeper continued to say.

  After being stunned for a moment, Sun Guan and others suddenly came to their senses.

  "That's the old fellow who got hungry sickness!"

  "That's great. He must be the old man who wants to take half of Qian's sister away."

  "I said it early, this time Ban Jin sister can be considered to have escaped from the sea of suffering."

  "Sister Bán qín will definitely be very surprised."

  The Taoist nuns' long-held wishes have finally come true. They couldn't help but smile and discuss it eagerly, also curiously asking who that old man was.

  It's great luck for this young lady. The servants in the Cheng family are all very envious and eager to gossip about it.

  When the two girls exaggeratedly told Daogu about Zhang Lao Taigong's identity, the nuns who listened to it were overjoyed and thanked Tianzun.

  The only son watched his father with a dazed expression.

  "Is she just going to leave like that?" She muttered to herself, "What about his wife?"

  "Didn't you just give away two more maids?" The steward said impatiently, shaking his clothes and looking at the sky. "Alright, I should go now, I'll leave this to Fairy Maiden to take care of."

  Sun Guan stopped him in his tracks.

  "This kind of thing, you'd better tell your wife yourself," she said. "After all, I'm an outsider."

  It can be seen that the master and servant have a good relationship. This kind of thing that offends people, she cannot go to take responsibility for it, let alone offending this woman.

  It's pointless to talk about these things with a fool, does she even understand?

  "Understood, understood, follow me." Sun Guan urged, leading the way into the inner courtyard.

  Having no choice, she had to bring the two maidservants along. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw a young girl in a plain dress sitting under a tree facing them, with long hair hanging down to her waist and holding a branch in her hand drawing on the ground.

  "Miss." Sun Guan Zhu respectfully shouted.

  Is that silly girl? The housekeeper and two maidservants all looked at her curiously, and when they heard the call, the daughter-in-law lifted up her head.

  "My daughter, this is a guest who has come to our home, with something to report," said Sun Guanzhong, pointing behind him.

  After a long time, she didn't hear any sound, so she quickly turned her head back, only to see the housekeeper and those two maids standing there in a daze.

  What a pity! Such good looks, yet born foolish.

  A sense of gratitude in one's heart, and a reminder from Sun Guan's rebirth on this side.

  "My daughter, these are the two maidservants that the old master and mistress have sent over." He came to his senses, speaking loudly with a hint of sympathy, while pointing at the two maidservants behind him.

  Jiang Yao looked at him without saying a word.

  This fool's original maid was called Ban Jin, perhaps in her limited mind, this name was the most familiar, so after the original maid left, the new maid was also called Ban Jin, and Guan Shi Ling had an idea.

  "Half celery, they are all half celery." He said loudly.

  Jiang Yao's mouth curved into a smile.

  "Alright," she said, "half celery."

  In the city, outside Zhang's residence, the steward glared at the young servant beside him.

  "Don't cry." He said in a low voice with a hint of warning, "Don't turn good things into bad ones, think about your parents."

  The girl bit her lower lip, desperately holding back tears in her eyes, and lowered her head.

  The door opened and the gatekeeper looked out with a hint of vigilance.

  "I am from the Cheng manor, Master ordered me..." said the busy butler with a smile and a bow.

  The door was about to close before he finished speaking.

  "Hey, hey, someone's here to see you, someone's here to see you. Don't close the door yet, old fellow." The doorman said as he pushed the door open and shouted at the servant girl, "Hurry up and come over!"

  That girl suddenly went forward, the doorman clearly saw and suddenly let go of his hand, the manager stumbled and fell in, looking at the doorman who was laughing like a blooming chrysanthemum.

  "Miss Half Cabbage, you've arrived! What brings you here? I was just thinking of you."

  Old Zhang put down his tea bowl and looked at the steward and the servant girl standing in front of him.

  "Learning that the old master is alone here, and this girl has some culinary skills, our master sent her to serve the old master." The steward said respectfully.

  She said and glanced at her daughter.

  "Slave, I don't know, old master is... so fierce." The maid said with a trembling voice and knocked her head.

  Old Zhang smiled and nodded.

  "Ignorance is bliss, and besides, you didn't bump into me, and you're even my lifesaver." He smiled and said, "Are you willing to stay here with me as a kitchen maid?"

  "It's not a servant..." The maid trembled and wanted to speak, but the housekeeper coughed and the maid didn't dare say anything more, lowering her head in silence.

  This girl has been shouting at home that she can't do anything and it's all her mother-in-law's teaching, and now she's still shouting here, isn't it showing that she came unwillingly?

  Old Zhang didn't notice and smiled as he took a sip of tea.

  "If you turn this marriage into a feud, don't blame me for being ruthless."

  "You ungrateful wretch, I've wasted my time raising you, this is going to be the death of our whole family, we can't live like this anymore..."

  The girl's ears echoed with Cheng Erlao's angry roar and her parents' wailing cries, she bit her lower lip and swallowed back tears.

  "Yes, I am willing." She replied with her head bowed.

  When night fell, there was no sign of anyone rushing over from the foot of the mountain. It seems they won't be coming after all.

  Sun Guanzhu turned back from outside the door and let out a soft sigh.

  "What's to be done? What's to be done?" she said.

  "Master, what are you looking at? You've been staring for half a day!" The little boy asked in puzzlement.

  "It's nothing," said Sun Guan, stepping inside, "it's getting late, I'll go take a look at the young lady."

  It's been a whole day without anyone coming to visit. Either the master is keeping watch himself or he has let the two Taoist nuns keep watch, why do you still want to go now? Aren't there two maidservants already?

  The child didn't understand, but still followed him.

  In the courtyard, two new maids sat in a small pavilion chattering and laughing, with a pile of melon seeds scattered on the ground. On the other side, in the kitchen, two Taoist nuns were holding a tray.

  "I'm coming." Sun Guanzhu hastily said, stretching out his hand to receive it.

  "Master, we're here." The Taoist nuns said modestly.

  The girl on the other side giggled.

  "Shall we go?" one of them said with a smile, but showed no intention of getting up.

  "Let them go, they're taking our family's offerings anyway, that's what they're here for." Another one chuckled.

  Sun Guanzhu pretended he hadn't heard and opened the door.

  "Daughter, the rice porridge is ready." she said.

  Jiang Nang put down the book in her hand and sat up straight.

  "Thank you," she said.

  "I wouldn't dare, I shouldn't," Sun Guanzhu said with a smile, kneeling down and arranging the bowls and chopsticks. "Please, wife."

  Jiang Yao looked at her, with a slight smile on her lips.

  "Immortal maiden, do you have a name?" she suddenly asked.

  Four thousand words have been written, and there's nothing left for tonight. (sigh)