Chapter 73 Something Big Happened
The matter was settled and the maid started working that same day, giving Zhu Hao an extra helper at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet in the evening.
Zhu Niang wanted to test the ability of the new maid, so she asked her to try cooking.
Children of poor families have to grow up early, and the little girl has learned how to cook for a long time, but her cooking skills need to be improved. This is because her family only cooked some vegetables and tofu dishes before. If she wants to cook delicious meals, she still needs the guidance of Aunt Li.
"Erdan, go help your Aunt Li and observe how she cooks..."
"yes."
The little girl obeyed orders.
Zhu Hao said at the side: "Mom, I always feel that the name Erdan is weird... Why don't I change her name? Her last name is Bai, so let's call her Xiaobai."
The girl quickly said, "No... no need, Erdan is fine."
Zhu Niang looked the girl up and down and said: "From her appearance, as long as she is diligent and honest, she can live in the city for a few years and find a good husband... It's rare that Xiaohao likes you, so just listen to him."
It was Zhu Hao who originally proposed hiring a maid. Now it was nothing wrong for his son to give the maid a name. The name Erdan sounded very rustic and was not suitable for a beautiful girl.
"Um."
Since the lady has spoken, it is basically an official decision, and Erdan has become Xiaobai.
…
…
The family had a reunion dinner in the evening.
Xiaobai did not sit at the table. After the food was served, she wisely retreated to the kitchen, waiting to eat some leftovers or wait for Zhu Niang to arrange what to eat.
"Xiao Bai, don't be so formal. We are not a wealthy family. We just want someone to come back to help. You can just eat with us from now on. Hurry up and sit down to eat with us!"
Zhu Niang would not treat Xiaobai as a servant, so she went straight to the kitchen and pulled him back to the dining table.
She has been looked down upon too many times. Instead of hiring a maid, it would be better to find a little sister to help. This maid will be responsible for washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning in the backyard, and may also have to help look after the shop. Zhu Niang feels that Xiaobai will have a hard time in the future. If she doesn't treat her better, how can she win people's hearts?
Xiaobai was extremely terrified.
Zhu Hao handed over the chopsticks in his hand: "Sister Xiaobai, I haven't used my chopsticks yet, you use them first, I'll go to the kitchen to get them... Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, you can't go home to reunite with your family, from now on we are a family... Let's have a reunion dinner together."
Aunt Li looked at Xiao Bai's blushing face and smiled, "Master Hao, you are so young and yet you are so talkative. I'm afraid you will grow up to be a charming and talented man who will fascinate people to death."
Zhu Niang rolled her eyes at Aunt Li, thinking that it was inappropriate to evaluate her son in this way, but she also did not object to letting her son learn how to get along with women from an early age and lay the foundation for the family to expand.
Xiaobai was already very shy, and after hearing what Aunt Li said, she couldn't even lift her head.
"Now that everyone is here, let's eat!"
Zhu Niang called out, "But Xiaohao, go to the main hall to worship your father first, and then come back have dinner... We can never be separated as a family!"
Zhu Niang pays great attention to etiquette and no details can be missed.
Zhu Hao could only get up and follow his mother to the main hall to burn incense for his father. After they came back, the family had a reunion dinner together.
…
…
The next morning, at daybreak, Zhu Hao got up and prepared to return to the palace.
At this time, Xiaobai had woken up and was helping to fetch water in the yard... For people of that era, using a bucket to fetch water from an ancient well was a basic operation.
Zhu Hao walked around the well twice, considering whether he should get a water-pressing device, which would save him a lot of effort. Just as he was thinking about it, Zhu Niang came over from the counter of the shop.
"Xiaobai, did you sleep well last night?" asked Zhu Niang.
The front shop and the back yard cover a large area, which is also the main reason why the family covets it. There are several orphans and widows living there, and there are many empty rooms. Aunt Li has always wanted her daughter to learn to be independent, and she has arranged a separate room for Zhu Ting a long time ago, but Zhu Ting is afraid to sleep with her mother at night. When arranging accommodation last night, Aunt Zhu let Xiaobai sleep in the same room with Zhu Ting.
Xiaobai nodded repeatedly: "Very good."
Zhu Niang said with a smile: "This child is good in every way, except that she is shy and doesn't talk much... But it's better for girls to be shy, as they are not talkative."
As she spoke, she did not forget to glance at her son, as if the person she was describing as talking too much and causing trouble was her son.
Zhu Hao said, "Mom, are you talking about me? I rarely speak in the palace and never cause trouble for myself."
As they were talking, there was a knock on the door in the backyard.
Normally, the aunties and grandmas from the neighborhood would come in through the back door, so Zhu Niang didn't find it too surprising and asked Aunt Li, who was doing laundry, to go and open the door.
Soon Aunt Li came over nervously and reported: "It was the housekeeper Liu at home."
Zhu Niang became cautious.
She went there in person, and Zhu Hao naturally went with her.
When he arrived at the back door, he found that only Butler Liu was there, but the old lady who usually served him was nowhere to be seen.
"Butler Liu, is there something wrong?" Zhu Niang was a little nervous and looked out at the streets.
Butler Liu smiled and said, "I have something to tell your son. Madam San, please step aside for a moment... It was the old lady who asked me to come here to tell you something."
Zhu Niang's face looked heavy.
In the past, the Zhu family always targeted her, but now they directly blame their son for everything. This trend makes her feel uneasy.
After Zhu Niang left, Butler Liu told Zhu Hao what he wanted to convey.
"…The old lady has said hello to Captain Lin of the Imperial Guards, and she said that she would let you meet someone in a few days. He is the inner supporter of the palace. You will have an extra helper then."
Zhu Hao frowned.
As soon as I heard it, I knew he was going to see Lu Song.
But the problem is that the two of them had already taken over the line. Lu Song did not tell Captain Lin, and Zhu Hao did not tell the Zhu family , so both parties were kept in the dark.
Perhaps it was because the intelligence he brought to the Zhu family during these two visits was not very important, or perhaps Lu Song did not meet Lin Baihu's expectations. The two sides decided to let them meet and get in touch, so that they could supervise each other and use each other...
Zhu Hao himself doesn't care, but as for Lu Song, once his identity is exposed, he will no longer be able to gain a foothold in the palace.
"Who is it?"
Zhu Hao pretended to be confused and asked Butler Liu with curiosity.
Butler Liu smiled awkwardly, as if he thought the child was too naive, so he naturally didn't take him seriously. With a hint of ostentation on his face, he said smugly, "I heard that he is a master in the palace. It's hard to say who he is. You'll know when you meet him."
"oh."
Zhu Hao nodded.
Then Butler Liu turned around and left without stopping.
…
…
Just after the hour of Mao, Zhu Niang asked Yu San to drive the carriage to take Zhu Hao back to the palace.
On the way, Yu San asked Zhu Hao again and again about the management of the bookstore. Zhu Hao answered casually, but in his heart he was thinking about the Zhu family and Captain Lin's discussion about letting him meet Lu Song.
"Captain Lin even told the Zhu family that the traitor was the palace guard. It seems that he really wants to cooperate with the Zhu family. I provided very little intelligence to the Zhu family, and Lu Song would not sell out the palace for fame... Or maybe the capital is putting pressure on the people in Anlu who are collecting intelligence..."
After entering Prince Xing's Mansion, Zhu Hao wanted to tell Lu Song the news.
After searching for a long time, I didn't see Lu Songren.
Until Jinghong came back, Lu Bing and his son did not enter the palace.
When it was time for class, Zhu Hao and Jing Hong went to the school dormitory together. After waiting for a while, they saw Zhu San, Zhu Si and Lu Bing coming together. The three of them were talking and laughing.
"Zhu Hao, there is something I want to tell you."
Zhu San seemed very cautious when he arrived, as if he wanted to tell Zhu Hao something important.
Zhu Hao ignored her and asked Lu Bing first: "Lu Bing, where is your father?"
Lu Bing said: "I stayed in the palace with my mother last night, and I don't know where my father is."
Zhu San pursed his lips and said, "Zhu Hao, you are really thoughtful. Why are you asking about A Bing's father? I have something important to tell you. It's about our outing..."
Upon learning that Lu Song was not in the city, Zhu Hao suddenly had a bad feeling.
The Zhu family just informed him that they were going to meet with the Jinyiwei's spy planted in the palace, and the spy was the palace's guard. Lu Song was not in the palace. Isn't this too coincidental?
Could it be that the palace intercepted the intelligence in time and began to look for spies intentionally?
The only thing that can be confirmed now is whether the other guards will also be ordered out of the city, and then to contact Lu Song as soon as possible.
"Xiao Si and I asked our father to go out and play. He didn't agree at first, but he couldn't resist our repeated requests. Finally, Mr. Yuan spoke for us and said that as long as we can pass the test of the first few chapters of Mencius and the interpretation of the classics in a few days, he would agree to let the guards escort us out to play, and he can also bring you along... Zhu Hao, it all depends on you."
Zhu San looked at Zhu Hao eagerly.
Zhu Hao looked her over and asked, "Don't you usually sneak out to play?"
“This time is different.”
Zhu Si added, "Father means that we can go out of the city to play, go hunting in the mountains or wild fields... catching rabbits is fine."
Jing Hong asked in confusion: "If you want to pass the test, shouldn't you let the teacher teach you? Why is Zhu Hao teaching you?"
Zhu San said, "Xiao Jingzi, you know nothing. Yuan Changshi said that Mr. Sui has family matters and has not come to the palace recently. Even the teacher will be replaced in the future. Who else can we ask for the exam if not Zhu Hao? Besides, Zhu Hao taught so well before. Mr. Sui is not as good as Zhu Hao."
Jing Hong wanted to refute, but after comparing Zhu Hao with what he had learned from other teachers...
There is no point in arguing.
"If you want to take the exam on Mencius, then study hard. I promise to teach you with all my heart. As for whether you can master it, it depends on your comprehension." Zhu Hao said.
Zhu San said with a smile: "You really can't stand being praised. They say you are better than Mr. Sui. Do you really think you are better than Mr. Sui? He is a juren..."
"Third brother, we still have to learn Mencius from Zhu Hao. It will do no good if you squeeze him." Zhu Si was smart and knew that now was not the time to show off.
What benefit will it bring to you if you laugh at Zhu Hao?
Now when you ask someone to do something for you, it’s better to curry favor with them.
The lecture then began, and Zhu Hao once again acted as "Mr. Zhu" that day, teaching several children.
…
…
At noon, Zhu Hao took the opportunity to go to the dormitory next door and asked Old Song, who happened to be working there, why several guards from the royal palace were not seen today.
Old Song was honest and told him without much thought that several guards were away for some reason. They seemed to have gone out of the city to buy something and would be back in a few days.
Zhu Hao knew what was going on.
After school in the afternoon, Zhu Hao talked to Lu Bing alone.
"Lu Bing, are you staying in the palace tonight?" Zhu Hao asked.
"Yeah." Lu Bing was holding a copy of "Three Character Classic" in his hand, which was given to him by Zhu Hao. It might be okay to ask Lu Bing to recite "The Analects of Confucius", but it would be too difficult for him to recite "Mencius". In order to allow Lu Bing to learn and progress together, it is better to start from the basics.
Zhu Hao said, "So you can see your mother? So, tell your mother that Zhu Hao has something to ask your father about the Jinyiwei... If your mother is convenient, you can tell her, or come to see her in person. You can't tell anyone else about this. It's a secret between the two of us, okay?"
"Um."
Lu Bing nodded stupidly.
