Chapter 101 - Small Province Big Problems 3
Chapter 101 – Small Province Big Problems 3
Nongzhuo's Governor's house
Lu Yaozhu gazed at the two mad suspiciously, this was his first time meeting these faces at Su Liya's rooms. He glanced at Yu Tai questionably but even his trustee assistant wasn't familiar with these maids but since they were dressed in the light green uniform of Ningzhuo's governor's housemaid.
They might be new maids which would explain why he was only meeting them for the first time. He stepped back, the two maids looked like they wanted to pounce on him. They looked too excited, one quickly came forward.
Ah Mei arranged her hanfu quickly and let the folds open a little such that her smile chest was visible. She had been working for sometime days in Fangxi pavilion and during that time, the young madam had kept them away from the room whenever the young master arrived.
Their young madam made them do the hard jobs at the side room and kept them away from meeting the governor. 'So what if the madam was very beautiful, no man could resist such view. This plan had been thought of by her mother and since the madam wasn't around, this was the right time to do this' Ah Mei thought as she skillfully bowed and said in a sweet voice "Ah Mei greets Master Lu" she said.
"Hmm, is your mistress?" Lu Yaozhu replied looking straight ahead, he had noticed her sneaky actions and locked eye at the wall behind her as soon as she bowed low. He wasn't in support of these snide actions and wasn't about to encourage her.
Ah Mei looked up and instead of locking eyes with the master as she had expected, she locked eye on his clean shaved jaw. She got up and gently and followed his gaze to the wall behind her. She bit her lip gently and balled up her fist when she noticed that he had ignored her and instead treated her like air.
She felt so embarrassed especially since there were people that witnessed her embarrassing situations. She murmured an excuse and rushed out of the room, she couldn't stand there anymore. The second maid Ah Lan had a half-smile on her face as she watched her sister leave quickly.
It was satisfying watching her leave out of embarrassment, it served her right for always throwing orders at everyone. She thought that a battle ridden general like the governor would fall for such tricks. She turned away from the door and faced the governor when she heard a discrete clearing of a throat.
"Answering Governor Lu, our mistress is receiving guests at the receiving room" Ah Lan replied head bowed.
"Has she been gone long?"
"Yes".
"Bring me a pot of tea I will stay back and wait" He glanced at Yu Tao and went to set on the seat by the window.
"Yes, my Lord" Ah Lan walked briskly out of the room. Before heading to the small kitchen at the side of Fangxi Pavilion, she left for the side room where the madam was receiving the female guests and reported that the Governor was waiting in the living room.
While Yu Tao rusted his master's pavilion and returned with a book to keep his master entertained. As she left the study, he sent a message to the kitchen to hold on bringing the lunch set until Madam Lu had returned.
Meanwhile, back at the side room of the Governor's audience hall Su Liya was stuck receiving a small group of nosy noble ladies. They had received on her when she had just got back from visiting the Mu family's Restaurant.
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Hours earlier, At Su Liya's rooms.
Su Liya had just finished having a bath when the noisest one of the three ah's, Ah Li reported that matron Bao came over with a batch of the maids of the residence to pay respects to the new madam. Su Liya sighed loudly, "okay I will be there soon".
Ah Li secretly glanced up at their young madam, she had just finished having her bath and was bare-faced. Their young madam only had her inner clothes on which gave a good view of her small waist, and curvy hips. She was very pretty as the rumours said, it was no surprise that she caught the young master's eyes.
Ah Li bowed a left the room, she met her elder sister Ah Mei on her way out. She couldn't help but compare her pretty sister to the beautiful young madam. Her elder sister was often praised by everyone for being quite the beauty, with her clean, pale complexion free from blemishes and pimples, big Bright eyes, small thin lips small nose and slim figure.
Ah Mei was tge pride of their family, according to her mother matron Bao, Ah Mei would make their family proud by getting herself a marriage into a noble family. A few young masters of Ningzhuo's noble families have shown interest in her but her mother all turned them down when she heard that the newly appointed governor was the Empress's favourite nephew.
Ah Mei scoffed when she noticed her looking intently at her "stop standing there like a fool and go report to mother. I don't know why we have to listen to that madam, look at how she is giving out orders like she is even of noble birth".
"Hush! Ah Mei Jei jei, she might hear you" she chastised her quickly.
"Who cares if she hears me, she can not do anything to me. Just give me a few days and I will have the master in the palm of my arm, I will surely put her in her place!" Ah Mei grumbled and walked out with Ah Li.
Minutes later Su Liya came out with her two ladies made, two chairs and a low table was brought out for the young madam and Matron Gu. The small low table was in-between the two chairs, Su Liya was seated on the cushioned chair while Matron Gu sat on the other chair.
A fresh set of unused paper and ink was placed on the low chair. Each maid came forward and reported their qualification and duties to Su Liya. After which Su Liya asked them a few questions on their duties, while Matron Gu wrote a report on each made.
Meanwhile, on Su Liya's orders, Baozhai drafted a new contract for the maids, stating their new wages and duties. The mauds came forward to sign the contract before stepping aside. By the end of the introduction, the makes received new contracts.
A few were given higher positions but everyone was given a raise. However since they had worked for years in the residence, Su Liya didn't dismiss the unqualified maid and just kept them at their previous lower position but increase their salary by 5%. Everyone went home in high spirits as opposed to what matron Bao expected.
Su Liya was about ordering for breakfast when the servants came over with some dried Fruits sent over by Zhu Fengyin. She had been expecting to receive a message from Zhu Fengyin so she opened the parcel as soon as it was brought in and as expected, Zhu Fengyin left her a secret message inside one of the smacks.
The message was rolled into a small thin slip of paper, she carefully unrolled the note and the note was empty. All that was written was two lines of words which was an address to a restaurant in Ningzhuo.
"Baozhai help me get dressed, I am going out for breakfast. I want to taste some of Ningzhuo's local delicacies" she said as she balled up the note and threw it into the warm handsome on the table to burn.
Although Baozhai found her sudden interest in the Local delicacies odd, she didn't say anything about that and just helped her get dressed while Rong Rong was sent out to inform the kitchen not to make any breakfast for her.
Twenty minutes later she got into the carriage with Baozhai, while Rong Rong stayed by to gather information. Rong Rong initially prepared to follow her out when she was held back by Su Liya,
"You will be staying back Rong Rong, you can't go with me. Someone has to stay back here and watch the servants movement. I need you to use your expertise to find out as much as you can about the former Masters of this residence and the servants. You have to earn their trust through any means necessary".
Rong Rong initially felt like she was being left out when she was informed that she wasn't leaving with her mistress but her mood uplifted as she received her mistress's orders. She nodded happily "Yes"
Baozhai just shook her head on seeing Rong Rong's joyful expression. Rong Rong is the only one that will be happy to gossip in orders, while she didn't understand the obsession this younger maid had with gossip. She understood the importance of these orders, she patted Rong Rong on the shoulder and muttered,"Do good job" on her way out.
Su Liya and Baozhai got into the carriage, while Steward Meng looked on. Su Liya was sure that the crafty old man would report her movements to his master as soon as she left.. Su Liya didn't let the driver know where she was headed and just instructed the carriage driver to take her to a restaurant before going close to city hall.