Chang Zai was deeply afraid of implicating his two old coworkers and hastily cried out, “E-Eldest Miss, don’t be angry at Old Bai and Mother Xu. This matter has nothing to do with them. I-I, I’ll just go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he stooped his back, turning around to leave.
Yet Qiao Mu called out indifferently, “Hold on right there.”
Chang Zai’s stride immediately froze.
Qiao Mu cast the three people a glance. “So that means, you two, are willing to give up your doubled stipend for Chang Zai?”
“Yes yes yes. Eldest Miss, we are willing.” The two people nodded together without any hesitation.
“You are also willing to leave the Qiao Estate yourself and won’t harbor a grudge against me?” Qiao Mu turned to Chang Zai again as she raised an eyebrow.
Chang Zai hastily turned around and knelt to the ground with a flump again. “This old servant doesn’t dare. These years, this old servant has received the Qiao Estate’s grace and has been in Master and Madam’s care. Even if this old servant leaves the estate, this old servant doesn’t dare do such things as betraying his masters.”
“Rise, all of you.” Qiao Mu looked at the three people exasperatedly. “When did I say that I was going to drive you out of the estate?”
Chang Zai, Old Bai, and Mother Xu were all stupefied, and then they started to carefully recall what had happened. Oh yeah, from the moment Miss started her tirade, she had never said anything about driving Chang Zai away. At most, she merely ignored Steward Chang.
“I retracted your position as the steward only because I felt that you’re not too suitable for the job.” Qiao Mu sighed and continued, “Although you’re irresolute in handling matters, you are a loyal and righteous person. In the many years that you’ve accompanied my parents, you’ve worked hard even if you didn’t produce results, so how could I drive you away? Could it be that in your eyes, your miss, me, is such an unsympathetic person?”
Chang Zai hastily said that he didn’t dare. Old Bai and Mother Xu were also clumsy of speech, so they copied Chang Zai in saying that they didn’t dare, they didn’t dare.
“Alright, all of you get up.” With a motion of her finger, Qiao Mu took out two small bags.
Completely understanding Qiao Mu’s intention, Shaoyao compressed her lips in a smile. She took the two small bags and walked to Old Bai and Mother Xu, handing them over. “Here, Miss’s reward to you. Take them and calm your nerves.”
The two people got up from the ground in a daze, and they each dumbly took over a small bag. Once they took a sneak peek inside, they saw two pieces of ham.
These years, the price of meat was much more expensive than that of rice.
This was a generous reward from out of the blue!
Old Bai and Mother Xu both dumbly looked towards their little master.
“Chang Zai, you have two very good friends.”
By this time, after knowing that Miss wouldn’t drive him out of the estate, Chang Zai’s nerves were already not as tense as before. Hearing her remark, he laughed from the bottom of his heart, nodding his head repeatedly.
“In the future, go serve my parents in their Beautiful Vista Court.” Qiao Mu said faintly, “You’re already getting on in years, so just instruct the younger ones to handle trivial matters.”
“Thank you, Miss. Thank you, Miss.” Chang Zai secretly wiped his old tears, and he felt even more guilty in his heart.
Miss not only didn’t blame him for not managing the household properly, she even kept him in the estate. He couldn’t be as careless anymore when taking care of Master and Madam’s small courtyard in the future. He definitely couldn’t betray Miss’s trust in him.
Qiao Mu gave a nod before dismissing them all.
Chunying also led the remaining two maidservants and two boy servants in excusing themselves. She then went with the procuress to pick new servants.
Very soon, a black-clothed youth flashed to Qiao Mu’s side and whispered into her ear.
Qiao Mu slightly raised an eyebrow, and a cold glint flashed past her eyes. “Let me go out and take a look.”
“Master, Nanny Qing, who serves the queen, has already been waiting for a long time.”
Qiao Mu’s footsteps paused before nodding at the youth. “Go call her over.”