<h4>Chapter 34: A Guideline on Improving Living Conditions (1)</h4>
Trantor: Iris
Proofread by DragonRider
As things went uncontroble, Cuiwei just gave up and led Danju and Xiaotao to safely guard Minn’s main room, turning a blind eye to other situations. At a time, the House of Clear Dusk was in aplete mess without any binding rules. Lower level girl servants imitated adult servants, either hanging out or visiting other courtyards to chitchat. Only Yancao and a few others performed their duties and earnestly did their work, which could be attributed to Fang Mama’s effective training for these years.
Thepetition between women in the Mansion lied in patience, which Minn had while others didn’t. The first impatient oneing over was Liu Kun’s wife who suggested and indicated that Minn should discipline the girl servants in her House.
Minn responded naively, “They are nice. Did they do anything wrong?”
Liu Mama swallowed a great deal of anger and struggled to answer, “Mei’er showed a cold-face to first young lord and you never educated her. This is tolerable, but there are other girls that dress up gaudily and wander about to gossip!”
Every day, the way Changbai went to school was just a few steps away from the House of Clear Dusk. Cuiwei, Danju and a few others seamlessly guarded Minn from nuisance, so Yinxing, with her zeal unable to release, waited at the door every day with her neck stretched long, stepping forward to greet Changbai whenever she saw him and vigorously invited him into the House of Clear Dusk. Changbai was so annoyed by her, so heined a little. Hearing this, Liu Kun’s wife, who assisted Madam with domestic affairs, was startled at once and hurriedly reprimanded Yinxing, who recently turned very grumpy and even talked back, “Mind your own business, Mama. I’m now sixth youngdy’s hand. She never criticized me. Why should you be so officious?”
Liu Kun’s wife was blown up but Minn embarrassedly mumbled, “Yinxing was just being hospitable. On the other hand, she was sent here by Madam. How can I not save her face?”
Liu Kun’s wife walked away resentfully. Danju was eager, “Mydy, we can deal with the bitches now!”
Minn smiled and shook her head, “Not yet.”
Two dayster, Wang shi detained Minn after morning greetings and scolded her, “Your servants are behaving increasingly outrageous. The girl called Ke’er should pull and touch your third elder brother on his way. You should discipline her!” In fact, what Wang shi had in mind was Yinxing who appeared in front of Changbai more frequently.
Minn continued to y the stupid, “Ke’er originally came from third elder brother’s house. He gave up the girl he favored and sent her to my ce. I’m afraid he will be angry at me if I punish her.” Wang shi, hating Minn for being so timid, tried hard to encourage Minn in disciplining servants but thetter made no respond except for bobbing her head in hesitation and suspicion.
Propping Minn’s arm and walking out from the main yard, Xiaotao said in excitement, “Mydy, now that Madam has ordered, we can punish the uneducated maids now!”
Minn still smiled and answered, “Just be patient and wait.”
Counting the days one by one, Minn finally saw the daying when Sheng Hong had a day off. The whole family went to greet Old Madam and Minn deliberately dressed herself up carelessly. After curtseyed to Old Madam, everyone sat down in order based on age. Old Madam Sheng pulled a sullen face and sat up in silence. Seeing Old Madam Sheng’s unhappy face, Sheng Hong asked the reason for her bad mood.
Old Madam Sheng pointed to Minn and fumed, “Ask your sixth girl. Her House of Clear Dusk is almost overturned by a batch of uncourteous servants. Rectify it!”
Sheng Hong was stunned, “What do you mean by this, mother? Minn, what happened?”
Minn who looked like a useless girl stood up cautiously. Wang shi got alert because she knew recently the House of Clear Dusk had been chaotic, which many of the old servants had reported to her. Old Madam Sheng would know the situation sooner orter, but Minn never asked Old Madam Sheng to prop her up, a thing made Wang shi feel satisfied with Minn.
Others remained calm when, seeing Minn muttering for quite a while and constantly peeping at Changfeng and Mn but just couldn’t make herself understood, Rn couldn’t wait but shout out loud, “Daddy, let me tell you. Sixth younger sister is such a mild person that she let her girl servants run wild. Now, they even dare to put aside their work and hang out in the garden all day long. Gardens are left untrimmed and rooms untidied. They won’t listen to orders and keep gossiping about seniors. When my first-level servant rebuked them, they even talked back!”
Sheng Hong pped his thigh in anger, “Minn! Why didn’t you discipline your maids!”
This was the first time that Sheng Hong responded to theint from Rn who felt greatly encouraged and made her speech before Minn could answer, “The most brash two in sixth younger sister’s house were sent over by third elder brother. How might she discipline them!”
Sheng Hong hesitated when he heard Concubine Lin was involved. He took a nce at Changfeng who was bowing the head and then at Wang shi suspiciously, who, getting his meaningful nce, knew immediately that Sheng Hong suspected her of framing up Concubine Lin. Therefore, though she got pissed off immediately, she choked down her anger and forced a smile, “My dear daughter, stop talking nonsense. Your third elder brother must have chosen the best hands for your younger sister.”
Rn retorted at once, “I’m not. Of the two girls, one is so patronizing that she even turned a cold shoulder to big brother; the other pretends to be ady that falls ill every day and waits for others to take care of her. Her manner is more exaggerated than herdy! Minn, you tell others if I’m lying or not!” While speaking, she pulled Minn to testify for her.
Minn put on a grieving face, saying, “Maybe my ce is not good enough for them, which have both upset big brother and troubled Liu Mama to repeatedly send for a physician to our courtyard. Staying here only for a dozen of days, Ke’er has fallen ill five times. Luckily, third elder brother oftenes to visit her, which makes her recover faster.”
“What?” Sheng Hong was shocked.
Old Madam Sheng said in a cold tone, “... It’s seen that at the door of the House of Clear Dusk, a girl servant dragged Changbai in broad daylight. What a scene!” Wang shi was so irritated that she squeezed the cushion on the chair with her fingers.
No one knew the son better than his father. Sheng Hong looked up at Changbai who was wearing an indifferent face and then at Changfeng who looked guilty, immediately figuring out what Rn said was real. He cursed Concubine Lin secretly for being troublesome and that even if in an attempt to get rid of the girl servants she didn’t like, it was not necessary to drag Minn in it. On the other hand, Mn turned really anxious, winking at Changfeng constantly, but said with a smile, “Calm down father. Don’t be upset by these trifles. The ignorant servants will be lectured. Sixth younger sister, it’s partly your fault. No matter who sent you the servants, once they enter the House of Clear Dusk, they are your servants for you to scold or beat as you wish. Maybe you have a soft heart, but you’ll be bullied by them.”
Hinted by Mn’s wink, Changfeng made his attitude clear at once and said to Minn apologetically, “I’m sorry for making you troubles sixth younger sister, but back when they were at my ce, they were well-behaved. They might not be used to your ce. Just teach them more; they are clever to learn!”
By just a few words, he tried to cover the seriousness of the situation. Rn sneered with the corners of her mouth tilted up. Old Madam Sheng hit the ceiling, thumped hard on the table and said in a louder voice, “What? Trifles? She has a soft heart? You’re her elder sisters and brothers. It’s only a dozen of days after Minn moved out of my ce, look what position she is in right now! Should a youngdy stoop topromise before servants? How is it sixth girl’s fault for being bullied by servants?!”
Noticing Old Madam Sheng was infuriated, Changfeng and Mn stood up from chair in a hurry to disy their respect.
Sheng Hong turned to gaze at Minn, finding that she was much thinner with pointed chins and paleplexion, not a bit like the chubby girl in rosyplexion when she lived in the Hall of Peaceful Ages. He instantly frowned and asked Wang shi in a scolding voice, “How did you take care of her? You didn’t even ask when Minn’s house is in such a mess?”
Wang shi was suddenly hauled in, so she grumbled, “... I thought sixth youngdy was old enough to manage on her own...” She had nned to let Minn clear away Ke’er and Mei’er. Before she could finish her exnation, Sheng Hong cut in, “Old enough? She’s been with Old Madam and just moved out to live alone. Why didn’t you teach her in disciplining servants but only be an onlooker?”
Though the words were a bit harsh, it hit right to the point. Wang shi now looked sullen with resentment boiling in her heart. Minn realized that this was the time, so she stood up slowly and said in a low voice, “Father, do not me Madam. She is very nice to me and sent over two girl servants. It’s me being too ipetent to discipline servants.” Her voice got weaker and weaker, mixed with crying.
Wang shi’s face looked less icy but she still pretended to be wronged, “The two girl servants were sent to Minn by Changbai, I have to save his face, but other servant girls did follow their improper manners.” While talking, she bowed her head to peep at Sheng Hong.