Chapter 219 The First Wife’s Plan Was Broken
After hearing the old woman say that the food was not poisonous, the Third Master nodded, said a few good words, and shouted loudly:
"eat!"
At the loud shout, the old woman on the ground shivered violently, and looked up to meet the intimidating gaze of the Third Master. She knew that she could not escape today. She secretly regretted not checking the almanac before going out, and actually provoked such a plague god. With trembling picked up the cold and hard steamed bun on the ground and started to eat it.
The Xiao family had no shortage of money, and even the servants usually ate much better than ordinary people. But after eating this, and rolling on the ground a few times, the steamed buns, which were not white to begin with, now looked grey .
He took a bite with difficulty and chewed it for a long time, but he couldn't swallow it. When he tried hard, even the contents of his stomach came up and he started vomiting.
The Third Master turned away with a look of disgust. Meng Xi saw that the trouble was almost over, so she said to the Third Master:
"Forget it, Third Master. No servant would dare to do this unless ordered to do so. Third Master, why don't you ask Mr. Yun Qian, the host here, to come and ask him?"
After hearing this, the Third Master looked at the two women on the ground and felt disgusted. He said to them:
"Second Grandma has spoken, why don't you get out of here now"
The two maids kowtowed repeatedly as if they had been pardoned, thanked the Second Mistress and the Third Master profusely, got up, and walked out in a hurry. After taking two steps, the Third Master shouted again:
"return!"
The two women were so frightened that their legs went limp and they sat down on the ground with a plop. They only heard the Third Master say:
"Clean up this place before you leave."
The old woman responded quickly, got up from the ground and started to clean up.
With such a loud commotion outside the East Zen Hall gate, how could the people in each room not hear it? They all came out and stood in a circle watching from a distance. They heard that the Second Mistress wanted to find the female teacher Yun Qian, and someone had already helped to pass the message . Zhixia had not taken a few steps when she met Yun Qian who had rushed over after hearing the news.
Yun Qian came forward and greeted the Second Mistress and the Third Master. The Third Master glanced at the Second Sister-in-law and saw that she had no intention of speaking. He turned to Yun Qian and asked:
"Mr. Yun Qian is the host here. Are you responsible for everything about the Second Madam?"
"When the Second Madam came to my place, I was responsible for her daily expenses. Yesterday, the old lady specifically called me over, saying that the Second Madam was different from ordinary people and asked me to serve her carefully. I had originally arranged everything yesterday, and the Second Madam's expenses were all based on the highest treatment here. However, this morning, the eldest wife sent a large group of people and called me over. She told me that the Second Madam was different from ordinary people, and that she was afraid that something might go wrong, so she sent more people to take care of her. She also said that they would be responsible for the Second Madam's affairs in the future, and I didn't need to worry about it. She also replaced all the maids who worked at the gates and the night watchmen in various places."
"Are Second Madam's three meals still prepared by the nunnery's cook?"
"No, the eldest wife ordered that the second wife be treated delicately, and the cook in the nunnery was clumsy and rough, so she was afraid that she could not serve her well, so she personally sent a special cook over."
"fart!"
After hearing what Mr. Yun Qian said, the Third Master was already furious. He forgot his identity and started talking dirty in front of everyone in the yard.
Mengxi was afraid that the Third Master would say something indecent again. Not only would it be indecent for the servants in the courtyard to hear, but these were all the First Madam's people, so she quickly said:
"Third Master, don't take it too seriously. The First Madam had good intentions and was afraid that I would be treated unfairly. It's just that a few servants didn't understand the First Madam's intentions and messed up their work. Just a small punishment is enough. There's no need to get angry about this. It's not worth it if you get hurt by getting angry."
After hearing what the second sister-in-law said, the third master was also shocked. With so many people watching and evidence, he originally wanted to go out and report directly to the old lady, but the second sister-in-law's words reminded him, and he really reported to the old lady and asked the first wife. The first wife only said that adding people was for the good of the second wife. But the servants pretended to obey but secretly disobeyed, treated the second wife badly, and sacrificed several servants' lives in vain, and also made enemies with the first wife. It was really not worth it. Thinking of this, he said:
"Second sister-in-law is right. The eldest lady had good intentions, but I never thought these treacherous servants would dare to pretend to obey and secretly do such evil things. When I report this to the old lady, I'll see if these servants' lives are spared!"
The Third Master said this to the Second Sister-in-law, but his voice was so loud that the servants in the distance could hear it clearly. After hearing it, they were frightened, but they also came to their senses.
Yes, the first wife ordered them to torture the second wife to death, but a grandmother died in the mansion for nothing, how could they not investigate? Would the first wife admit it then? The blame would be put on them, even if they wanted to fight to the death and expose the first wife, the question was whether they could see the old lady! Maybe once the second wife died, they would be silenced.
With this thought, these old women finally understood what the word “fear” meant.
Especially the cook who was in charge of Second Grandma's meals was so frightened that he was sweating profusely and his legs were shaking as he stood there. If Third Master really went to report to the old lady at this time, would she still be alive?
He hurriedly walked out of the crowd, came to the Third Master and the Second Madam, knelt down with a plop, and begged:
"Please spare my life, Third Master and Second Madam. It was all because of my stupidity that I did such a stupid thing. Second Madam and Third Master are kind-hearted people. Please don't go back to the old lady. I will make lunch again and send it over. Please don't go back to the old lady."
When the Third Master heard this, he knew that the lunch was prepared by this cook, and he kicked her upside down. The old woman struggled a few times, climbed up, and knelt down, kowtowing and begging.
At this time, several maids and old women came over, probably sent by the Eldest Wife. They knelt there and kowtowed to the Second Madam and the Third Master together.
Mengxi saw that the cook's head was bleeding, and thought it was almost over, so he said to the Third Master:
"Third Master, it seems that they really know they are wrong. Considering that this is their first offense, let's let it go this time. If we really have to tell the old lady, we are just small-lived servants. If we make the old lady angry, we, as the younger generation, will be unfilial. Third Master, why don't you give me some face and put this matter aside for now? Tomorrow when you pay your respects, tell the old lady that you came to see me today and say that I can't eat the food here. See if the old lady can agree to let the eldest aunt bring me food every day."
Mengxi thought far ahead. A servant is always a servant and must listen to the master at all times. Even if a hundred servants were beaten to death, as long as the master was alive, someone else would continue to abuse her, unless she overthrew their master, the eldest wife. However, her own forces were all outside, and she had no power to compete with the eldest wife in the Xiao Mansion, unless she used the power of Yichuntang. But if that happened, she would not be facing a eldest wife, but the entire Xiao family.
Now, I ask the Third Master to report to the Old Madam and ask the First Madam to deliver food. I think the Old Madam will not refuse such a small matter. The food problem has been solved, and there are pigeons to communicate with the outside world. The plan set up by the First Madam with great effort is useless to her. She just needs to be patient and wait for a few days. After the Second Master recovers from his illness, it will be her time to make a move.
After hearing what the second sister-in-law said, the third master felt that it made sense. What he said just now was just to scare these servants and let them know to be afraid. In the future, they will not treat the second sister-in-law harshly. Seeing that it was almost time, he said to the kneeling people:
"Since you all sincerely know you are wrong, and Second Grandma is kind-hearted and pleads for you, I will let you off this time. But remember, if you dare to mistreat Second Grandma again, I will settle all old and new scores with you. No matter whose orders you took, I will make it clear today that if Second Grandma gets into trouble in this nunnery, even if she loses a hair, you will be punished one by one. No one will walk out of this door alive!"
The third master almost shouted out his last sentence, like a thunderbolt in a clear sky, which made the servants' ears buzz. They collapsed to the ground.
…
As Mengxi expected, as soon as the Third Master came out of Qingxin Temple with Zhixia, Zhidong and Hongzhu, they saw Baozhu and Aunt Zhang's personal maid Qing'er waiting there from afar. When the two saw the Third Master coming out of the door, they hurried forward and came to the Third Master to greet him. Baozhu said:
"Third Master, the First Madam has arranged a banquet in Yangxin Garden to welcome you. But when I went to invite you early in the morning, I found out that you have come to Qingxin Temple. It is getting late. Please follow me. Aunt Zhang is also there. I think the First Madam and Aunt Zhang are waiting anxiously."
After Baozhu finished speaking, Qing'er on the side nodded and said:
"Third Master, Aunt Zhang was called by the First Madam to prepare a welcoming banquet for you. I didn't expect Third Master to come here and delay you for so long. If it weren't for the First Madam's order not to disturb you, I would have gone in to call you. Third Master, please follow me."
After hearing this, the Third Master secretly felt lucky that his Second Sister-in-law had thought it through. Otherwise, if he had come out in anger, the First Wife would have threatened him with Aunt Zhang, and he would not have been able to get to the Old Lady. Thinking of this, he nodded and said:
"I understand. You guys go back first and tell mother and Aunt Zhang to let them use it first. I'll go get some things from my second brother and be there soon."
Baozhu heard this and said:
"Third Master, it's already past dinner time. I think the First Madam and Aunt Zhang must be waiting impatiently. After all, they are the elders, so you should go over first. If you need anything, I am willing to do it for you."
After hearing this, the Third Master looked up at the sun. It was indeed getting late. It seemed unfilial to let his mother and Aunt Zhang wait for him to eat. He hesitated and turned to ask Zhixia and the others to get the things first. Meeting their expectant eyes, his heart moved. The Second Sister-in-law asked him to make sure to send the two maids back. He was afraid that they would not be able to bring the things in without him. Thinking of the lunch that tasted like pig food, it was really hard to say.
Thinking of this, Chong Baozhu said:
"You guys go back first, tell mother and Aunt Zhang that I have something else to do and will come over later."
After the Third Master finished speaking, without waiting for the two to reply, he motioned Zhixia and the other two to follow him. Ignoring Baozhu and Qing'er's shouts behind him, he strode towards the carriage.
When Baozhu came, the eldest lady had ordered that the Third Master must not be allowed to go to the Old Lady. Seeing that she couldn't stop the Third Master, she dared not go directly to report to the eldest lady. Anyway, the Third Master was going to Shouxi Hall, so she might as well go with him. Thinking of this, she glanced at Qing'er and was about to chase the Third Master.
Qing'er grabbed him and said:
"Sister Baozhu, it will take at least half an hour for the Third Master to go to Xiaoxiang Courtyard. Why don't we go and report to the First Madam and Aunt Zhang first, so as not to keep them waiting for too long."
Seeing that the carriage had gone far away, Baozhu pushed Qing'er away and said:
"If you want to worry, go back first!"
As Baozhu spoke, she stumbled and followed the Third Master. Qing'er stood there in a daze for a moment, then gritted her teeth and followed him.
