Chapter 200 Zhiqiu Leaves the House
Zhiqiu knelt there and turned her head to look at the disappearing back of Butler De. She felt flustered and glanced at Zhichun. Without caring about anything else, she opened her mouth to shout towards the hall. However, she saw Master Ouyang, who was dressed as a waiter and claimed to be her brother from her mother's family, coming over with Zhixia . She was puzzled as to when the Second Mistress had sent someone to look for Master Ouyang. Master Ouyang stopped, glanced at her, and walked inside again.
When Zhiqiu saw this, he quickly knelt down and crawled half a step, grabbed the corner of Ouyang Di's clothes, and said to him:
"Oh... Big Brother, please help me to speak for me. I have violated the rules and I am willing to be punished. I only ask Second Madam not to chase me away. I will never leave Second Madam, even if I die. Big Brother, I kowtow to you."
After hearing this, Ouyang Di quickly leaned over, stopped Zhiqiu who was about to kowtow, and said:
"Sister, please stop being like this. I'll just do my best."
Meeting the loving gaze of Master Ouyang, Zhiqiu slowly loosened her hand. Master Ouyang stood up and walked in quickly.
Staring blankly at the door of the east wing, Master Ouyang had been there for a long time. Zhiqiu and Zhichun both hoped that under Master Ouyang's persuasion, the decisive Second Wife would change her mind and a miracle would happen.
Finally, the door of the east wing was opened, and Master Ouyang, dressed as a waiter, walked out. He came to Zhiqiu in a few steps, paused, and was about to speak. He caught a glimpse of the maids and old women watching the excitement, and leaned down again, meeting Zhiqiu's eager eyes, showing a helpless look, and said:
"Sister, let's go. This is a noble family. The mistress here is not something that a lowly family like us can ask for. My eldest brother begged for a long time, and the second mistress said that it was a great favor to return our indentures, and told us not to dream of staying in this mansion. Sister, don't embarrass yourself here. Get up and follow your brother."
After hearing what Master Ouyang said, Zhiqiu felt something was wrong, but he was already flustered and confused at this time, so he kowtowed to the east wing door and said:
"Second Madam, I swore that I would never leave you even if I died. Today, Second Madam, you drove me away because I broke the rules. I was unwilling to do so. The only way to atone for my sin is to die."
After Zhiqiu finished speaking, she suddenly stood up and rushed towards the pillar at the east wing door. Ouyang was so frightened that he hugged her tightly and whispered a few words in her ear, but Zhiqiu just shook her head and said to the east wing:
"Second Madam, I cannot leave you here alone. This time, I will never obey your arrangement even if I die."
Zhiqiu said, desperately trying to break free from Master Ouyang and rush to the east wing. Master Ouyang covered Zhiqiu's mouth tightly, looked at the people watching the excitement in the yard in horror, and had no choice but to press her acupoints. Seeing Zhiqiu fainted in his arms, he breathed a sigh of relief and carried her to the second door.
After walking a few steps, he seemed to remember something, turned around, and said to Zhichun, who was kneeling there stubbornly with tears in his eyes:
"I think this is Miss Zhichun. I heard that your home is not in Pingyang. If you kneel until tomorrow, Second Madam will not change her mind. If Miss Zhichun doesn't mind, why don't you stay at my house today and help me take care of your sister. I will find a way to notify your family to take you back tomorrow."
Zhichun just knelt there and shook his head desperately. Master Ouyang saw this and looked at Zhiqiu in his arms. He couldn't knock another one out, he couldn't hold her in his arms!
After looking at the maids and servants in the distance, he could only squat down and whispered:
"Miss Zhichun, please stop making trouble here. If you do this, the master will be even more upset. This is not a place to talk. I will tell you in detail about the master's instructions later. The master specifically ordered me to take the two girls away quickly, fearing that the second master would come back and cause trouble again."
After hearing this, Zhichun glanced at Master Ouyang hesitantly and asked in a low voice:
"Second Madam, don't you really want to chase us away?"
"You have followed the master for so long, don't you know her character?"
As Master Ouyang spoke, he nodded firmly at her. Zhichun saw this and hesitated for a moment. Finally, he kowtowed to the east wing again and said:
"Second Madam, I will listen to you. I am leaving now. Take care, Second Madam."
After bowing, Zhichun got up and followed Master Ouyang. In full view of everyone, Master Ouyang hurriedly left the Xiao Mansion with Zhiqiu and Zhichun in his arms.
Zhidong and Zhixia, who were kneeling on the ground in the east wing, were already in tears. Listening to Zhiqiu's crying outside, they looked at the Second Madam pleadingly, hoping that she would change her mind.
Mengxi just sat there calmly, without saying a word, until she heard the footsteps of Master Ouyang gradually fading away outside. Then she let out a long sigh, stood up, walked to the door, slowly pushed open the door of the east wing, and watched the backs of the three people disappearing around the corner. This strong little woman, who had never bowed her head under the strong pressure of the Second Master and the First Wife, and in such a difficult environment, shed two lines of hot tears for the first time.
As soon as Xiao Jun returned to Xiaoxiang Courtyard, he felt that the atmosphere was not right. He sat there and let out a breath. He took a sip of the tea that Hongzhu had just brought him, and asked Hongzhu, who was standing aside with a heavy heart:
"What's wrong? You all look so dejected. Where's Second Madam? Go tell them I'm back."
"Replying to Second Master, Second Mistress has kicked Zhiqiu and Zhichun out."
When Xiao Jun heard that Mengxi had chased Zhiqiu and Zhichun out, he was shocked and asked hurriedly:
"Kicked out, why?"
When the Second Master asked about it, Hongzhu told him the whole story of driving Zhiqiu away from him.
Mengxi was not greedy for fame and fortune, nor did she love power and wealth, and she didn't care about him at all. How could she drive Zhiqiu and Zhichun away just for breaking a jade bowl he gave her? He saw how much Mengxi loved those two girls, and even though he was the master, he didn't dare to touch them, for fear that Mengxi would turn against him.
Now Mengxi actually found such a bad excuse to drive them away. Why?
After sending Zhiqiu and Zhichun away, it would be her turn to leave the house next. Thinking of this, Xiao Jun's hand trembled unconsciously, and the tea in his hand spilled out. He poured the tea in his hand, put down the cup, stood up suddenly and walked out.
"Second Master, dinner is ready, where are you going?"
When Hongzhu saw the Second Master like this, she hurried out and asked. Xiao Jun didn't say anything, but strode towards the east wing.
When he came to the east wing, he ignored Zhidong who was greeting him and pushed the door open. When he came to the north room, he saw Mengxi sitting at the table writing big characters. When she heard him come in, she didn't even raise her head, but wrote carefully stroke by stroke.
Looking at the unusually calm Mengxi in front of him, Xiao Jun confirmed his guess. He could no longer control his fearful heart. He stepped forward and hugged Mengxi from behind. He said in a trembling voice in Mengxi's ear:
"Xi'er, don't go, don't leave me"
The stiff body felt the trembling of the Second Master, and listening to his hoarse voice, Mengxi felt her heart trembling for the first time. The Second Master was too scary. Zhiqiu had been with her for so long, but she didn't know what she was thinking at this moment. The Second Master actually guessed that she was leaving. They had never been heart to heart, but he actually saw through her heart.
Such a second master is not someone she can afford to offend. She must leave him!
She did not struggle, but put down the brush in her hand, closed her eyes and leaned her head on Erye's chest, letting him hug her tightly. She was about to leave, and this embrace was actually very warm.
…
Sitting in front of the guqin, Mengxi played the song "Piaomiao Limeng Qu" again. After trying the notes several times, he still couldn't calm down. Feeling flustered, Mengxi suddenly plucked a heavy note and pushed the guqin:
"Zhiqiu, Zhiqiu..."
"Second Grandma, what's the matter?"
Zhixia heard the second grandmother calling someone and pushed the door open and walked in.
When she looked up and saw Zhixia coming in, Mengxi was stunned for a moment, then she remembered that Zhiqiu had already left. She sighed secretly and realized that she really couldn't live without this girl.
"Walk with me to the backyard."
After hearing what Second Madam said, Zhixia hurried forward to help Second Madam up and said:
"I just wanted to persuade you to go out for a walk. It's a nice day outside, with a gentle breeze and a bright sun. If you stay in this room all the time, you'll get moldy."
The two came to the small stone table beside the pond in the backyard. Zhixia walked up to the second grandmother and wiped the stone bench with a handkerchief, then helped her sit down.
Mengxi gently stroked the small stone table in front of her. Zhiqiu and Zhichun often accompanied her here. The two girls often quarreled over the second master. The image of Zhiqiu scolding Zhichun flashed before her eyes. She smiled and shook her head, wondering what happened to the two girls.
"Second Grandma, what did you think of that made you so happy?"
"Is there any news about Yichuntang these two days?"
"Manager Li just sent me a letter saying that Zhiqiu has stopped making trouble, but is in a state of dismay every day. He is worried that you will be bullied in the mansion. Yesterday, he sent someone to tell me about some of your daily habits, fearing that I would not serve you well and let you suffer."
After hearing this, Mengxi felt a warm sensation in her heart, a sore nose, and a layer of mist in her eyes. She stared hard, forcing back the tears that were welling up, and said sadly:
"I'm sorry for her. Tell her that we'll be leaving the house soon. Tell her to take good care of herself. I'm leaving, so I can't let her have a rest. She has to continue to follow me."
"I will pass the message to her tomorrow. Sister Zhiqiu will be happy to hear this. But Second Madam should have told Sister Zhiqiu about this big matter. Sister Zhiqiu was so upset that she almost died. When I saw her that day, I was worried."
After hearing this, Mengxi sighed and said:
"It's not that I don't want to. Zhiqiu listens to me in everything, but I'm afraid she will never listen to my arrangements in this matter. The four of you followed me as soon as you entered the mansion. I don't want any of you to get into trouble. Zhixia, I left you and Zhidong in the mansion because you two have been in Xiaoxiang Courtyard for the past two years and rarely go out. You haven't made such a deep hatred with the eldest wife. I was lucky enough to think that the old lady would let me take you away because of my hard work in serving her every day. If the eldest wife hates me and doesn't let you go, remember, no matter how difficult it is to stay in the mansion with Zhidong, you must hold on. I will send people to sneak into the Xiao Mansion to steal you out."
"Second Grandma..."
After hearing what the second grandmother said, Zhixia was choked up for a moment and could not speak anymore. She could only nod desperately.
As they were talking, Zhidong hurried into the backyard. Seeing them from a distance, he shouted:
"Second Madam and Zhixia are here, making it easy for me to find them. The old lady sent someone to tell Second Madam to go to Shouxi Hall as soon as possible."
