Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 28 Winning People Over

After Meng Qianqian’s group left, the room was in complete disarray.

Lu Luo wept as she helped Lin Wan’er up, venting her grievances bitterly: "How could they treat you like this? You’re still the General’s lady... not to mention you’re carrying his child... Don’t they fear waking the General up and being chased out of the mansion? I think the Eldest Young Madam deliberately took advantage of the General’s coma to torment you! Her heart is truly venomous!"

Lin Wan’er sat on the chair, her chest heaving violently, her nails dug deeply into her palms.

All along, Meng Qianqian had maintained a detached attitude toward Feng Courtyard; even when she cut off its resources later, she never humiliated Lin Wan’er in person.

At the shop, Meng Qianqian had indeed slapped Lin Wan’er, but that was outside.

Thus, even Lu Luo thought Meng Qianqian would not dare to behave recklessly against Lin Wan’er within the mansion.

What Meng Qianqian did today was undoubtedly a declaration to Lin Wan’er—her lack of confrontation wasn’t because she feared her, but because she despised her.

After returning to Haitang Courtyard, Meng Qianqian instructed Ban Xia to fetch three money bags and rewarded three coarse servant women from Song Courtyard and Feng Courtyard.

The three women were overjoyed with the heavy money bags in their hands.

Ban Xia said, "As long as you work earnestly for the Eldest Young Madam, you’ll certainly not be shortchanged!"

Nanny Wan cradled the money bag, beaming as she said, "Ban Xia, what are you saying? Even without the reward money, we’d still put our whole hearts into serving the Eldest Young Madam!"

Old Lady Hu chimed in, "Exactly, exactly! Nowadays, who in the manor doesn’t envy being a servant working in Haitang Courtyard? Not to hide it, Eldest Young Madam, but my husband even thought about coming to pledge his service to you!"

Old Lady Liu added, "That’s right! Eldest Young Madam, if you have any commands in the future, just summon us freely!"

All three spoke with utmost sincerity—when the Eldest Young Madam first married into the Lu Family, she was less than twelve years old, and the one truly managing the household was the Old Madam.

All the servants vied to work under the Old Madam and Second Branch.

No one could have predicted that once the Eldest Young Madam’s dowry silver was spent, the Old Madam would slash the household expenses across the board, including reducing the servants’ monthly wages and completely stopping any rewards.

By contrast, in Haitang Courtyard, monthly wages were paid without a hitch, and bonuses were regularly given. Who didn’t praise the Eldest Young Madam for her generosity toward servants?

Meng Qianqian looked at the three women and said calmly, "Let me lay down the rules: if you’re working for me, you’ll only listen to me."

The three women promptly agreed!

Meng Qianqian added, "Nanny Wan, you’ll be transferred to the inner courtyard from now on."

Being called "Nanny" meant she was no longer merely a coarse servant!

Nanny Wan was overwhelmed with favor: "Thank you, Eldest Young Madam! Thank you, Eldest Young Madam!"

Aye, those two slaps to the vixen weren’t for nothing!

Meng Qianqian said, "I’ll be heading out for a while. Look after the courtyard for me, and don’t let anyone touch anything in my room."

Nanny Wan thumped her chest confidently: "Don’t worry, Eldest Young Madam. Even if the Old Madam herself came—"

Meng Qianqian interrupted, "My great-grandmother may touch."

Nanny Wan awkwardly stammered, "Ah, yes, yes."

Meng Qianqian then left the courtyard with Ban Xia.

"Call Brother Wu over."

"Yes, Miss!"

Last time, the coachman wasn’t Brother Wu, and Meng Qianqian didn’t trust him. She had secretly walked with Ban Xia from the study to East Street.

"Eldest Young Madam!"

Brother Wu drove up the carriage, placing the wooden stool in place.

Meng Qianqian gave a slight nod and boarded the carriage with Ban Xia.

"To East Street."

"Yes, Eldest Young Madam!"

At the rouge shop, Meng Qianqian had Brother Wu stop the carriage, while she and Ban Xia took out veils and face coverings from their bundle and wore them.

Brother Wu recognized this as the shop the Zhao Family had forfeited as debt repayment—the same place where the Eldest Young Madam had been abducted by Beiliang spies.

Although curious about why the Eldest Young Madam came here, as a servant, he knew better than to ask questions.

Meng Qianqian and Ban Xia were well-disguised, and the shop’s staff failed to recognize them.

Meng Qianqian spent an hour inside the shop.

"Let’s go."

"Miss, aren’t you buying the shop?" She was already aware of the shop’s details.

Meng Qianqian replied, "Not yet."

Ban Xia was puzzled. "Then why did we come?"

Back on the carriage, Meng Qianqian told Brother Wu, "To Four Directions Hall."

Four Directions Hall was originally where nobles and royalty gathered talent, but it became riddled with foreign spies posing as advisers infiltrating Prince Mansions. Lu Yuan’s Jinyi Guards later exposed this and sealed the site.

However, the nearby marketplace remained, hosting small merchants as well as human traffickers.

Meng Qianqian entered a brokerage shop.

Though she was fully concealed, the broker matron, seasoned in gauging people, immediately saw she was a wealthy patron and cheerily invited Meng Qianqian to sit while offering fine tea.

Meng Qianqian bluntly asked, "Do you have anyone here good at accounting?"

"Yes! What sort of person would you like? Older, younger, or—"

Meng Qianqian placed an account ledger on the table: "Find someone who can decipher this ledger for me. They may set their own wage. I’ll return in three days."

What a big spender!

The broker matron suppressed her excitement, cleared her throat, and began, "At our agency—"

Ban Xia placed an ingot on the table.

The broker matron grinned widely, all teeth on display. "Don’t worry, Madam! Leave it to me! I’ll find ten, even eight capable individuals for you. You may choose freely!"

Meng Qianqian asked further, "Do you have maids?"

The broker matron smiled, "Live contracts or permanent ones?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Either works."

The broker matron rose, waving her handkerchief, shouting toward the rear yard, "Girls, come meet the guest!"

"Hmm?" Meng Qianqian tilted her head to look at her.

The broker matron awkwardly laughed. "F-for, uh, former courtesans."

A true group of courtesans, each more radiant than the last, each delicate as budding flowers, clearly unfit for labor.

Meng Qianqian stood up.

The broker matron quickly grabbed her sleeve. "Madam, tell me what you desire, and I’ll bring it for you in three days!"

Meng Qianqian pointed toward the rear yard: "No need; I want her."

The broker matron followed her finger, then chuckled dryly. "Madam... It’s not that I don’t want your business, but that girl... she’s unruly... In just three days here, she injured seven guards and scared off three patrons! I was just thinking of selling—or giving—her away!"

Meng Qianqian walked toward the rear yard.

The broker matron panicked and followed, pleading, "Madam! Don’t approach the cage! She bites!"

Inside the cage, a shabby, filthy young maid caught Meng Qianqian’s gaze. She offered the girl three neatly wrapped candies from her pouch.

The maid grabbed them and devoured them ravenously.

After eating, she wiped her mouth, never once looking at Meng Qianqian, and muttered: "Where N Four?"

The broker matron was stunned. "You know how to speak?!?"

In the past month, this maid hadn’t uttered a word—neither when fighting nor beaten. The matron had thought her mute!

Yet, that accent...

Meng Qianqian said, "Come with me."

The maid asked, "Will there be food?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Enough to eat."

Only then did the maid raise her head, revealing a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyes. "Alright, I’ll go with N. First thing’s first, if life isn’t good, I won’t stay and I won’t call you my master."

Meng Qianqian smiled. "Sure."

The broker matron frantically intervened. "No, no, no, Madam! That girl’s a cunning one! To be honest, she once escaped, injuring over a dozen government officials. She cost me a fortune in reparations! Taking her home will bring disaster upon you!"

The maid feigned innocence, saying, "She’s lying. I’m very obedient!"

Even Ban Xia doubted that a twelve or thirteen-year-old maid could be that vicious. However, she was concerned about something else. "Miss, what if she runs away?"

The maid clasped the cage bars with both hands, her gaze sincere. "Sister, I won’t cheat you! I never lie!"