Hua Zhi, who had left and returned, stood outside the house for a long time, her sobbing voice suppressing and sad. The woman who had never known sorrow was now sad because of her. She was satisfied with such concern, but also angry that someone was making trouble while she was away.
Hua Zhi turned her eyes and looked at Yingchun.
Yingchun nodded.
Hua Zhi left quietly only after the crying slowly stopped.
In the courtyard, Liu Cui, the maidservant beside the eldest lady, was looked at by two sturdy old women with a look of doubt on her face, not knowing what she had done wrong. On the other side, Nanny Lin, who was with the dowry, lowered her head, but there was no panic on her face.
When Liu Cui saw the eldest girl coming out, she was about to speak, but the burly old woman covered her mouth and held her from the left and right.
Hua Zhi twisted her body without any cover and walked through several courtyards with the servants of the main house back to her own courtyard. She looked a little tired in the familiar environment. She had been sitting in the carriage for such a long time, and then she came back without any rest. Her body, which had not yet recovered, could not bear it.
After taking two sips of ginseng tea, Hua Zhi looked at Nanny Lin.
Her mother was known for her soft-heartedness, but the courtyard had been kept well-maintained over the years and nothing had ever happened. Much of the credit went to Nanny Lin. Her grandmother probably also saw that her daughter was a hopeless person, so she trained a maid to help her early on.
With the protection of their father outside and the help of Nanny Lin inside, the mother could still have a simple mind even though her children are so grown up. Given Nanny Lin's loyalty, she would not stop caring about their mother just after the fall of the Hua family.
"Madame Lin, what happened to mother while I was away?"
Nanny Lin prostrated herself on the ground. One could tell she was guilty just by her voice. "It was my fault. My son fell ill a while ago, so I asked Madam for three days off to take care of him. When I came back, I found that Madam looked strange. Later, I heard from others that Madam had said some unpleasant things and Madam took them to heart. As luck would have it, that day Madam Zhu's uncle and madam sent someone to pass on a message. The implication was that Madam should not send letters to her parents' home anymore, so as not to make things difficult for the eldest son. She also said... she also said that the eldest daughter had broken off the engagement, but the daughter of the Zhu family was still going to get married..."
Hua Zhi laughed in anger. Her breaking off of the engagement could actually affect the Zhu family's daughter's marriage? Then should the Hua family's daughter just use a white silk to solve the problem
Several maids were so angry that their eyes turned red. Who was the person who came to flirt with the eldest lady from time to time before? It has only been a short time since the Hua family fell, and it is too fast for the relationship to be forgotten even if the person has left!
"Did mother deliver a letter to Zhu's family? Stand up and talk."
Nanny Lin stood up, still lowering her head and looking docile, "Not only Madam, but all other rooms have sent letters back. You said before that everyone should cut off contact with their parents' family, and the old lady reminded them again later, so everyone went to their parents' family to report the news."
"Do you know what's in the letter?"
"I know that Madam was worried about writing something taboo, so she asked me to take a look. I saw that she only wrote a few sentences expressing her concern for her relatives and worrying about the eldest master, but did not ask her family to help her. I don't know how Madam Auntie could tell from this that she wanted to do something that would make things difficult for the eldest master."
Hua Zhi understood what her aunt was thinking. Her mother was the youngest daughter in the family and had always been loved by her parents and brothers. She said that she was concerned about the eldest master and that she wanted her aunt's family to help with this matter. She probably sent people here without telling anyone else, as she knew that her mother was too weak to tell her grandmother about this.
Unfortunately, there is still one soft one here.
Hua Zhi picked up the teacup, smelled the ginseng flavor, and then put it down in disgust, "Aunt Third, have you recovered from the shock of your son being exiled?"
Nanny Lin replied in a serious tone, "From what I've seen, he has been going to the old lady's courtyard quite frequently these days."
"She's trying to take this broken ship from the Hua family by all means. With her vision, can I let her take care of the family?" Hua Zhi smiled, but her eyes were cold. "I'll let her see the gap between her and me, Nanny Lin."
"The servant is here."
"You can pick out someone who can serve your mother and bring him to your side. Teach him well, and he will know how to protect his master when you are not around."
"As you command."
"I'll go to the Zhu family again and cry about what she did in front of my aunt and my grandmother. My mother will suffer, but I won't." Hua Zhi sneered, "Don't be afraid of offending anyone. I don't expect anyone to help me, and I don't need it."
"Yes." Nanny Lin said loudly, and the breath she had been holding in her heart seemed to be released with this word.
"Go ahead. Go now."
"Yes, I'll take my leave."
Nian Qiu came over with the ginseng tea, "Miss, please have a couple more sips."
"Give me some normal tea. If you keep drinking like this, I'm going to throw up at the smell."
Nian Qiu had no choice but to make a cup of warm water. There was no way she could have any tea leaves. The young lady was currently recovering from a wound. If the color of the new flesh darkened due to drinking tea leaves, they would have no place to cry.
"Bring Liu Cui in."
Liu Cui knelt down in front of Hua Zhi tremblingly, "Big, big girl."
"Liu Cui, how long have you been serving my mother?"
"It's been seven years. I came to the Madam's side when I was eleven years old."
"Seven years." Hua Zhi looked at her quietly. "My mother is so gentle, I guess you haven't suffered much."
Liu Cui was so flustered that she could only respond, "Madam is kind and has never complained about how she treats me."
"So you have taken my mother's pulse, and even if she finds out, she won't do anything to you?"
Liu Cui fell to the ground, her lips trembling and she couldn't speak.
Hua Zhi originally had only a 30% chance of success, but this trick turned the 30% chance into a 100% chance.
Nanny Lin was a prudent person and knew clearly the character of her master whom she had served for many years. It was impossible for her to leave without making arrangements. Since she had made arrangements, she also gave her mother the opportunity to be bullied by her third aunt. The problem could only be with Liu Cui, whose status was second only to Nanny Lin. If she behaved properly, her subordinates would not dare to do anything to deceive her.
"What benefit did Third Aunt promise you?"
Liu Cui bit her lip and lay on the ground without saying a word. She didn't dare to say anything. She had been with the eldest lady for seven years and had seen the eldest girl countless times, but never had she felt such oppression as she did now. She always thought that the eldest girl was harmless. No, not only her, who didn't think that the eldest girl was harmless before she said she wanted to be the head of the family
But it was too late, they knew it too late.
"It doesn't matter if you don't tell me. I don't really want to know." Her sore body was clamoring for rest, but Hua Zhi brushed her sleeves as if nothing had happened, supported herself on the chair and stood up, "Take her with you."
“Young lady…” Liu Cui fiercely grabbed Hua Zhi’s legs, causing her to stagger and almost fall. Yingchun and Nianqiu both leaned over to support her, glaring at Liu Cui.
The old woman who was a step slower pushed Liu Cui to the ground without using any strength. Liu Cui wanted to scream in pain, but her mouth was immediately covered. Only then did she feel real fear in her heart.
PS: If Kong Kong does not specify at the end of the article that there will be only one update, there will usually be two updates.