Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 154 - 4: Servants (Part 2)_2

Truly, every household has its own difficult scripture to recite, and as soon as the four maids returned, all sorts of goblins and demons emerged.

However, Susu did not care about these things. Housekeeper Qiao knew Susu’s methods, so he dared to buy these families. After all, flaws do not conceal virtues, and those who run the household truly have unique skills. Once tamed, they become great assets.

After a nap, Susu washed her face under the service of the maids and changed into a cross-collared blouse with a chest-length skirt. It was embroidered with pink blossoms, with a silver-red skirt tied under the chest. The material was very light cicada-wing gauze. Underneath was a silver-white petticoat embroidered with peach blossom branches and on top was a pine-green short jacket, tied with two pink silk sashes.

This outfit was newly made in the mansion, it was the first time she wore it, and it made Susu look particularly playful and enchanting.

Her long hair was loosely tied with a white jade hairpin intricately carved with a dragonfly and lotus. On her earlobes hung a pair of white jade teardrop earrings, and on her wrist was a set of mutton fat jade bracelets fit for an Imperial Consort.

On her left middle finger was a white jade ring, and on her right ring finger, a red gold ring set with a white jade gourd. In her left hand, she held a silver-red Soft Smoke Luo handkerchief embroidered with a phoenix among peonies. In her right hand, she held an ivory-handled double-sided embroidered round fan, with one side showing the drunken Imperial Consort and the other depicting Diao Chan worshipping the moon. Dangling from the fan was a mutton fat jade fish playing among lotus flowers, about the size of a copper coin, a gift from the palace.

After the hottest period passed, Susu summoned the servants from the estate. Since Susu was already engaged, to avoid suspicion, she only allowed the female servants to enter the door. The male servants kowtowed at the door, received their rewards, and left.

In the upper room, Susu sat at the head, with Bai Fu’s family leading the twenty-odd female family members to formally pay respects to their master. Susu had absolute strength and confidence, so those who were not convinced were all overwhelmed by her presence after meeting Susu, and those who spoke ill of Susu secretly wished she wouldn’t notice them.

Fen Dai and the four others were loyal to her, and since these people were all relatives of Fen Dai’s group, Susu didn’t want to make things difficult for them, so she never inquired about the other servants’ nature and behavior. After all, there was still a year before her marriage to go to the Northwest, and if she couldn’t even discern that, it wouldn’t be anyone else’s fault if she were exploited.

Understanding this, Susu did not give any speech balancing grace and might. She only said, "My temple is small and cannot accommodate great Buddhas, and I have never liked to force people. If any of you want to leave and find another way out, just say so. I won’t require any redemption silver; consider it a parting of good fate."

No one expected such a celestial-like master to speak so directly, and they were truly shocked, unable to contain their emotions, each showing different expressions. This was exactly the moment Susu wanted. With just a glance, she could tell who was usable and who was tempted.

Especially the old lady supported by Shuimo’s mother in front, her eyes were practically glowing, more excited than when she first saw Susu in person. The woman next to Qi Qiao’s mother and the beautiful young girl exchanged a glance, extremely tempted, but when the girl gently shook her head, they fell silent.

After a long while, a plump, beautiful young woman in her twenties asked coquettishly, "Miss, is it true? No need for redemption money and we can leave? Then..." She hadn’t finished her sentence when Lin Sheng’s wife’s hand pulled her back, "What nonsense are you spouting in front of the master?" She finished and then knelt before Susu with a "thud." "Please forgive her, madam, she is my daughter-in-law, though a bit frivolous, her cooking skills are quite good." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Fen Dai and Hong Dou, seeing their sister-in-law and mother in such a state, felt the onlookers’ gazes, grit their teeth, and knelt down too. Fen Dai felt particularly ashamed, her eyes turning red.

"What are you doing? Stand up. Linglong, Qi Qiao, Shuimo, help them up." Susu shook her head. The wife of Lin Sheng, although a good cook, seemed incapable of handling significant matters.

"Since I made this statement, I naturally mean what I say," Susu said, looking at the woman who was probably Fen Dai’s sister-in-law.

Fen Dai’s sister-in-law was never particularly respectful to her mother-in-law, and being suddenly reprimanded earlier, she was startled. Hearing Susu’s words, she assumed Susu was afraid of those with rebellious thoughts, and it was better to be magnanimous upfront.

"Does Miss allow an entire family to leave or just one or two members?"

At this, Susu chuckled, "If an entire family wants to leave, then they can all go. If only some want to leave, that’s fine too. I’m just giving you a reminder that after I get married, I’ll be heading to the Northwest, and my dowry maids will naturally follow. You still have time to discuss it now. Miss this chance, and it’ll be gone."