lcionline Chapter 208: The Straw Girl
Chapter 208: The Straw Girl
An unclear look flashed across Xia Xuelian's eyes, but Wang didn't care. She thought it was just some thoughts of a little girl.
"Thank you, mom. I understand."
Wang said again: "Lian'er, the Duke's Mansion has always treated servants well. Xiaozhu is your personal maid, and she should help you solve problems. But this time, she was indeed wrong, and a little punishment will do. It's all mother's fault. The little maid was not trained well. So transfer her back and teach her the rules again, and you can pick a good one yourself."
Xia Xuelian's eyes lit up when she heard this. She had not wanted Xiao Zhu for a long time. She wanted to go out and buy a maid herself. Her mother was right. The maid sent by the mansion would never be as caring as the one she bought herself.
After hearing this, Xia Xuelian felt somewhat dissatisfied, but she couldn't say anything else. Wang's words made sense, and she couldn't refute them.
Xiao Zhu knew that her mistress had transferred her back, and she was very grateful. Finally, she didn't have to follow the moody eldest lady anymore.
She should be the first maidservant to be beaten by an unmarried lady since the Duke's Mansion.
This matter soon reached the ears of the old duke. Not only did he not blame Xia Xuelian, he even gave her two hundred taels of silver.
Buy whatever you want!
He also scolded the maid Xiaozhu for not protecting her master and sent her directly to the farm.
Everyone in the mansion was even more respectful to Xia Xuelian, which showed that the old Duke had acknowledged this legitimate granddaughter!
In the Lotus Cottage, Xia Xuelian was making snacks with mixed feelings.
She understood that the old Duke was the backbone of the Duke's Mansion. As long as the old Duke recognized her, no one else mattered.
At this moment, I think of my mother, oh!
She told Liu that she wanted to make snacks for the old Duke, but she didn't know how to do it, so she called a nanny and went to the kitchen, saying that she wanted the nanny to teach her, but in fact she just watched the nanny make the snacks.
After finishing, Xia Xuelian asked Liu to take the snacks to Zhufeng Courtyard.
When they arrived at Fengzhu Courtyard, his personal servant was waiting at the door.
Xia Xuelian acted like a young lady and said, "This is the snack I made for my grandfather myself," and then she walked up the stairs to the study.
The servant quickly stepped forward and took the snack respectfully: "Thank you for your hard work, Miss! Don't disturb the master when he is resting, you can go back first!"
He also said that the old Duke already knew Xia Xuelian's feelings and would be very happy. Then, he took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to Xia Xuelian, saying that it was a reward from the old Duke.
Xia Xuelian took the banknote and felt a warm current in her heart. She knew that this was not just a banknote, but also an affirmation of her by the old Duke.
From now on, I will be the eldest daughter of the Duke's Mansion, truly recognized by everyone!
Xia Xuelian turned around and walked back with particularly brisk steps. If she wasn't in the Duke's Mansion, she would have wanted to jump up.
Thinking about the increasing amount of banknotes in her hands, she felt like she was dreaming. But she knew that she was different, and she suddenly thought of her sister who married to Shilibao.
I wonder how she would feel when she finds out that her real identity is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo’s Mansion?
My current status is totally different from hers.
The most important thing now is to buy a maid. It would be more considerate if you buy one yourself.
Early the next morning
Accompanied by Liu, Xia Xuelian got on the carriage and headed to the People's Bank.
Renxing is the largest maid market in the city. Every day, a large number of maids are sent here to wait for buyers to choose. Xia Xuelian and the Xia couple walked into the gate of Renxing under the guidance of an experienced old nanny.
The Renya industry is crowded with maids of all ages and looks.
Xia Xuelian walked and looked around, but she was a little hesitant. She knew that buying a maid was a big deal and needed to be carefully considered. She not only had to consider the maid's character and ability, but also whether she could adapt to the life of the Xia family.
After a selection, Xia Xuelian finally picked out two maids. One was a slightly older woman, probably in her 20s, with a skinny face and a sallow complexion.
There was also a younger girl with timid eyes and messy dry hair.
After asking about their names, family backgrounds and experiences, Xia Xuelian decided to buy them all.
The older one said that she was the only one left in the family and everyone else had died of illness.
The younger girl only remembered that she was sold by her father to another father, and this father sold her here.
Not even a name.
Xia Xuelian sold out these two people.
Liu paid the money and left the bank with the two children.
On the way home, Xia Xuelian was in a good mood. She knew that she would finally have her own person.
When passing by a clothing store, he asked Liu to buy four sets of clothes for them.
Looking at the grateful looks in their eyes, he couldn't help but feel proud.
This is the life that Xia Xuelian should live. She is originally a lady from a noble family.
At this moment, she saw Liu's smug face and felt a little uncomfortable. She didn't know why she always saw Liu's shadow on her face.
I guess maybe it's because she raised me, so it's normal for me to be like her.
After they returned to the Lotus Cottage, the old lady asked Nanny Rong to bring some people over, saying that she would take the two away to learn the rules and then send them back.
Xia Xuelian did not stop them and directly let Nanny Rong take the two of them away.
Liu was a little worried and asked, "Lian'er, will they..."
Xia Xuelian knew what she was worried about, and without even glancing at Liu, she said, "No."
She suddenly felt that she was not presentable because of her adoptive mother, Liu, who came from a peasant family and was short-sighted.
Getting more and more impatient: "Go back and rest."
Seeing that Xia Xuelian's face didn't look good, Liu swallowed back the words she wanted to say, but why did she suddenly feel empty in her heart?
Unbeknownst to Xia Xuelian, the news had spread all over the capital that the young lady who had returned from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was a complete idiot. She could not read a single word and dressed like a maid.
Completely ignorant of etiquette.
Of course, this news reached the palace, and the emperor asked Li Jun, "Is the young lady who returned from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion really so unbearable?"
Li Jun had no idea, so he replied, "People always exaggerate when spreading the story, but it's normal for Miss Xue to be illiterate. After all, you grew up in the countryside. It's said that the couple are farmers, so how could they afford to hire a teacher?"
Upon hearing this, the emperor raised his lip and said, "This year's palace banquet can allow the daughters of each family to show their talents."
Li Jun quickly agreed.
Soon, the news that the emperor wanted young ladies from each family to perform their talents at the palace banquet spread throughout the capital.
The Duke Zhenguo's Mansion received the news immediately.
When Xia Xuelian heard that she was going to enter the palace, she didn't know whether she was excited or scared, and her hands couldn't stop shaking.