Aunt Liu said helplessly, "The young master has been weak since he was a child, and his condition has never improved. Moreover, he often cries incessantly. The doctors we consulted only said that the young master had a physical ailment, and even after they prescribed several doses of medicine, he still didn't get better."
Ouyang Yue did smell a faint medicinal scent in the room, but she stepped forward and said with a smile, "Speaking of which, my little brother is not well and rarely goes out. As his older sister, I have never even held him before. Aunt, would you like me to hold him and let you see him?"
Aunt Liu's expression immediately changed, but she quickly concealed it: "The young master has a chronic illness, and it would be bad if the third young lady passed on her illness."
Ouyang Yue smiled and shook her head: "It's alright, we're all family, no need for so much talk." She reached out to take him, and Aunt Liu's expression changed slightly, but she still handed Ouyang Tong over to hold.
Strangely enough, Ouyang Tong, who had been wailing loudly with his mouth wide open, stopped crying as soon as he was in Ouyang Yue's arms. His little face was still wet with tears, and his nose and lips were red. He sniffled as if he was aggrieved, looking quite cute. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but laugh.
Aunt Liu was completely taken aback, never expecting that Ouyang Tong would like Ouyang Yue so much.
Ouyang Yue reached out and gently poked Ouyang Tong's chubby little face. Ouyang Tong opened his eyes wide with curiosity, staring at Ouyang Yue without blinking, seemingly very intrigued. Aunt Liu smiled and said, "Young Master rarely sees people and often cries when he sees them. I didn't expect him to be so fond of the Third Miss."
Ouyang Yue smiled gently and looked at Aunt Liu calmly: "Aunt, what are you saying? My younger brother and I are siblings, so it's normal for us to be close."
Aunt Liu nodded with a smile but didn't say much. Ouyang Yue also played with Ouyang Tong with great interest, and soon the little guy got tired and fell asleep. Green Leaf, who was next to Aunt Liu, gave Ouyang Yue a strange look, then took Ouyang Tong to rest.
Aunt Liu and Ouyang Yue then sat down to talk face to face. Ouyang Yue spoke first: "My little brother is really cute. I'm sure Auntie loves him very much and takes very good care of him."
Aunt Liu's expression turned strange for a moment before she said, "The young master is born of this humble concubine, so naturally this humble concubine will do everything in her power to take care of him."
Ouyang Yue agreed and said with emotion, "Yes, all parents in the world love their children. I understand Aunt Liu very well."
Aunt Liu's eyes flickered, somewhat unsure whether Ouyang Yue was lamenting her lack of care from Madam Ning, or if there was an underlying meaning. She didn't answer, and Ouyang Yue clearly didn't need her reply, saying, "But Aunt, do you think you can protect my younger brother like this for the rest of your life?"
Aunt Liu's expression finally changed, and she looked at Ouyang Yue with a flickering gaze: "This humble servant does not understand what Third Miss means?"
Ouyang Yue said meaningfully, "Does Aunt Liu really not understand? No, you actually understand very well. Hiding one's abilities and biding one's time can only be useful for a while, but it cannot protect one's entire life." Ouyang Yue stood up and smiled, "I ate too much today, so I just came out for a walk. It's time to go back now, so I won't disturb Aunt Liu's rest any longer. I'll come to see my little brother when I have some free time. Aunt, you don't need to see me off."
Aunt Liu sat quietly, watching Ouyang Yue and Dongxue leave. Greenie came over and poured Aunt Liu a cup of tea, respectfully handing it to her. Aunt Liu waved her hand, and Greenie gently put it down, saying softly, "Auntie, what do you think the Third Miss means by this?"
Aunt Liu sighed, "The people in the General's Mansion are all getting restless."
Greenie said, "Auntie, do you mean... Miss won't harm the young master?"
Aunt Liu shook her head but said nothing.
On the other side, Ouyang Yue and Dongxue, although they had just left Ningxiang Courtyard, strolled around a bit more and even went to Liucui Courtyard. They heard that Aunt Hua had finished her meal and gone to bed, so they slowly walked back to Mingyue Pavilion with Dongxue.
Inside Mingyue Pavilion, Xique was waiting outside. When she saw Ouyang Yue return, she immediately greeted her with a smile: "Miss, you're back. I had the kitchen prepare some white fungus soup. Would you like some?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "No need, I just had a walk and ate, so I don't need it today. You can keep that as a reward."
Xi Que beamed with joy and immediately said with a smile, "Thank you for your generous gift, Miss." Ever since she heard that a maid was being chosen tomorrow, the young lady seemed to have been much nicer to her. Could it be that there was really hope for her to be promoted to a first-class maid?
As Xique muttered to herself, Ouyang and Dongxue had already walked a few steps away. Ouyang Yue suddenly sighed, "Dongxue, Qiuyue is gone, and our Mingyue Pavilion has lost another talented maid."
Dongxue respectfully asked, "Does Miss wish to find a maid who is skilled in needlework?"
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment: "If we're talking about needlework, it would be better to find someone who knows some pharmacology. They can also pay more attention to diet on a daily basis. But such maids are hard to find, aren't they?"
"I don't think so."
"We'll see when the time comes. If we don't find anyone we like, we might as well not have them. Anyway, we have enough servants at Mingyue Pavilion." As they spoke, the two of them entered Ouyang Yue's boudoir. Their conversation was overheard by Xique, who was standing behind them.
The next morning, Ouyang Yue ate something and then, along with Chuncao, Qiuyue, and Xique, went to Anhe Hall. Because the General's Mansion was hiring a lot of servants this time, almost every courtyard needed to add servants. It would be time-consuming for the matchmaker to go to each courtyard one by one, so Old Ning had everyone gathered here to choose servants together.
When Ouyang Yue arrived, everyone was there except for Aunt Hua. However, Aunt Hua didn't keep everyone waiting for long. Soon, she was slowly helped in by two maids. She looked like she was about to give birth and couldn't walk. She was very delicate.
Old Mrs. Ning was extremely nervous: "What are you doing here? I was just about to pick out some things and bring them to you."
Aunt Hua said respectfully, "It is my blessing that the old lady cares about me. I cannot be ignorant of the rules and overstep the bounds of propriety." Although she said this, she could see that Aunt Ming and the others' expressions changed.
Old Madam Ning smiled and nodded, then said to Granny Xi, "Alright, let's start picking people. Flower Maiden needs manpower the most, so let's start with her."
"It's the old lady." With a wave of her hand, an old woman led a row of maids with bowed heads and downcast eyes into the room.
Aunt Hua looked on with great pride. Now she could do whatever she wanted in the mansion, so she naturally wanted to show off: "Raise your heads and let me have a good look at you."
Ten people in a row obediently raised their heads one after another. When Ouyang Yue saw these ten people, her smile gradually deepened...
☆、074、The Shock of Delivering Medicine!
Congratulations on receiving a monthly pass!
At this moment, all ten women in the hall quietly raised their heads. Each of them had a different demeanor, yet they were all young and beautiful. Some looked pretty and cute, some looked gentle and affectionate, and some looked shy and delicate. This matchmaker had clearly put in a lot of effort. However, these maids might not please the ladies-in-waiting today.
As expected, the previously excited and smug Aunt Hua now looked quite displeased. Although these maids were all of very low status, they were all young and beautiful. Now that Ning Shi, Ming Madam, and Hong Madam had all fallen out of favor, Aunt Hua was undoubtedly the darling of the household. Moreover, she had finally conceived after many years, so she was naturally even more pampered. But now that she was pregnant, she could no longer serve Ouyang Zhide! Bringing so many young and beautiful girls into the household, perhaps with the intention of using them as maids, was actually just a way to give them away to Ouyang Zhide!
Aunt Hua gritted her teeth and stole a glance at Old Madam Ning, only to see the latter nod with great satisfaction. Aunt Hua's expression became even more unpleasant. Rui Yuhuan stayed by her side the whole time, but her smile had a deeper meaning.
Every elderly person desires a house full of children and grandchildren, a harmonious and joyful life. The fact that Concubine Hua had conceived after only a few years in the household naturally stirred up old Lady Ning's interest, as she hadn't heard a child cry in years. If she brought in a few more pretty young maids, perhaps there would be a few more to bring good news this time.
Of course, Old Madam Ning hadn't forgotten that she also had a grandson, Ouyang Tong. However, the child had been frail and sickly since childhood. Doctors had examined him, and they all said he wouldn't live long. Old Madam Ning was very worried and sought out doctors to treat him, but as nothing progressed, she became somewhat disappointed and didn't hold out much hope. These maids were precisely the ones she had specifically instructed the matchmaker to bring.
Aunt Hua was very unwilling and was about to refuse when she suddenly stopped. This old lady hated it most when others went against her wishes. Aunt Hua's eyes flickered and she said, "Just these ten. Are there any more? None of them catch my eye."
The matchmaker, who frequented various noble residences in the capital, naturally had a good eye for people. She immediately smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes! Today I've brought forty clever women with me. I guarantee that you, my aunt, will find one you like." Then she turned around and clapped her hands a few times. Thirty more women filed out from outside, each with their heads bowed.
Aunt Hua then said, "Raise your heads so I can see you all."
Everyone immediately looked up, which startled Aunt Hua, as there were so many people that she was a little dizzy. These thirty women varied in height, build, and appearance; clearly, the matchmaker had called out the first ten at Old Madam Ning's behest. Aunt Hua carefully examined the women, asked a few questions, and finally chose four maids. Their looks were all average, but their skills were excellent.
As soon as Aunt Hua finished speaking, Old Madam Ning frowned slightly, but didn't say anything. She turned to Rui Yuhuan beside her and said, "Yuhuan, you've always had two personal maids. Even if I offer you more maids, you'll be sensible and refuse. Anyway, we're buying four together today, so you can choose four first."
Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, and Ouyang Rou all narrowed their eyes, slightly annoyed. The old lady was far too biased. Leaving aside them, Ouyang Zhide's wives, even Ouyang Yue was a legitimate daughter of the household, and Ouyang Rou was a proper young lady. Ouyang Yue and Ouyang Rou hadn't even been chosen yet, and Rui Yuhuan, who was living under someone else's roof, was already choosing first! There really wasn't a single rule in the household!
Rui Yuhuan smiled and said, "Madam, I prefer peace and quiet. Besides, Green Willow Courtyard has maids to clean it. It's not that we don't have maids. My Pink Butterfly and Bean Sprout are enough. I wouldn't be comfortable with four more people. I thank you for your kindness, Madam. Let the Second Miss and Third Miss choose first."
Old Madam Ning was about to say something, but seeing Rui Yuhuan's earnest and stubborn expression, she sighed, "You are just so sensible!"
Ouyang Rou, who had been keeping her head down, couldn't help but look up angrily. It wasn't that Rui Yuhuan was sensible; when it came to choosing maids, someone like her, orphaned and raised in the household for nothing, should just choose what others didn't want! What kind of sensible was that! Her grandmother was far too biased!
"Alright, let Yue'er choose first," Old Madam Ning finally said.
Ouyang Yue smiled at Ouyang Rou: "According to seniority, Second Sister is older, so you can choose first."
Ouyang Rou smiled, about to agree, but shook her head: "No, no, no, let's follow the rules. Third Sister is the legitimate daughter, how can I go over your head?"
“This…” Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, “Alright, Second Sister knows how to be modest.”
Ouyang Rou smiled and looked up, but she didn't see Old Madam Ning's approving gaze. All she saw was Old Madam Ning and Rui Yuhuan chatting and laughing quietly. Her heart filled with even more resentment. She had never been favored by her grandmother in the household, and now that Ouyang Hua was dead, Rui Yuhuan had appeared. Ouyang Rou thought, if she had gained her grandmother's favor, she wouldn't be living such a miserable life in the household now. Thinking this, her eyes filled with deep hatred as she looked at Rui Yuhuan!
Ouyang Yue watched quietly, a slight smile playing on her lips. She looked up at the forty women standing in the hall. Not all of them were young; there were also some women in their thirties. She didn't look at them one by one, but simply asked, "Which of you here knows anything about medicine?"
The forty people were silent for a moment, and then two of them spoke up.
"Yes, Miss."
"Yes, Miss."
Ouyang Yue looked up and saw two women emerge from the crowd. One was dressed in red with a slender figure, looking pretty and charming; she was one of the original ten. The other wore a green blouse and had only a delicate appearance. A glint of light flashed in Ouyang Yue's eyes: "Since you both know how to do it, I can only choose one. Tell me where you learned from your teachers and how skilled you are, and then I will decide."
The woman in red spoke first: "Replying to Third Miss, my name is Li Cuier. My father was originally a doctor at Li's Pharmacy in the capital, but he was later killed after being robbed of his belongings by bandits on his way to make a house call. I have loved following my father since I was a child, and he has been very generous in teaching me everything he knows. So my medical skills are quite good. I can identify and prepare some medicinal herbs."
The woman in green replied, "Replying to Third Miss, my name is Tian Niu. I have been an orphan since childhood and wandered around. Later, I was taken in by the doctor of Cheng'an Hall. There, I was just a handyman, but the doctor of Cheng'an Hall was a very kind person. Because he had no children, he took good care of me. I could cure some minor illnesses and pains."
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, then shifted her focus from Li Cuier to Tian Niu. At this moment, Old Madam Ning suddenly said, "Both of these maids know medicine, which I think is quite good. Aunt Hua has chosen four maids, but none of them know medicine. You are pregnant now, so having someone who knows medicine by your side will reduce the trouble. Aunt Hua, please choose one first."
Ouyang Yue paused slightly, but Old Madam Ning didn't seem to care at all. Ouyang Rou's lips curled into a slight smile. See? Now, all Grandmother cares about is Aunt Hua's belly. So what if Ouyang Yue is the legitimate daughter? After Aunt Hua finishes choosing her maids, when it's your turn, she'll still look down on you because of your grandson. This was clearly a slap in the face to Ouyang Yue. Not only Ouyang Rou, but Aunt Hong and Aunt Ming also looked at Ouyang Yue with obvious sarcasm.
Aunt Hua, recovering from her earlier gloom, beamed with pride. She glanced at Li Cuier and Tian Niu, her gaze lingering on Tian Niu. Like Ouyang Yue, she favored Tian Niu, but her reason was Li Cuier's youth and beauty; Tian Niu seemed less threatening in comparison. Furthermore, Cheng'antang Pharmacy was far superior to Li's, a relatively unknown pharmacy. Tian Niu, though only an apprentice, knew more than someone like Li Cuier. She pointed at Tian Niu and said, "Madam, I'll take this little maid in green."
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips slightly, her brows furrowing gently. The remaining servant, Li Cuier, was naturally her maid. The two exchanged greetings and stood behind Ouyang Yue's maid, Hua Niang. Ouyang Yue looked somewhat sullen. Next came Ouyang Rou, followed by Concubine Ming, Concubine Hong, and Concubine Liu, who added servants to their courtyards. Finally, although Old Madam Ning's Anhe Hall was not short of servants, she still selected two more and then assigned them to Rui Yuhuan, who accepted them without hesitation.
After choosing their maids, they dispersed. Ouyang Yue's face clearly showed anger. Chuncao, Dongxue, Xique, and Li Cuier followed her back tremblingly. As soon as they entered Mingyue Pavilion and went into their room, Ouyang Yue immediately swept the tea set on the table to the ground, which made a series of crisp cracking sounds. The four maids' fear deepened.
Chuncao immediately advised, "Miss, please don't be angry. If you get sick from anger, wouldn't that just benefit those scoundrels even more?"
Ouyang Yue glared angrily and said, "Chuncao, tell me, they've gone too far! Aunt Hua is pregnant and a great contributor to the household, but she's still just a lowly concubine. Even if she gives birth to a son or a daughter, she can never surpass me, the legitimate daughter. It was one thing for Grandmother to let her choose her maid first, but when it came to my turn, she interfered. Does she even respect me, her granddaughter? With so many masters and servants in the hall, aren't they all laughing at me? This is outrageous! She treats Rui Yuhuan better than her own granddaughter, how can I not be angry!"
Chuncao's expression changed: "Miss, please stop talking. If these words get out and are overheard, it will be even more difficult to explain to the old lady."
Ouyang Yue snorted coldly and looked at Li Cuier with a sneer: "Spread the word? Who spread it? All three of you are servants of my Mingyue Pavilion. How could you not understand the principle of shared honor and shared honor? If anyone is spreading it, it is this newcomer who is too talkative!"
Li Cuier turned pale with fright and knelt on the ground with a thud, hurriedly saying, "Miss, I will never betray you, I would never dare."
Ouyang Yue snorted coldly: "I wouldn't dare, that's hard to say. Go, give her a lowly maid's job, I want to test your loyalty!"
Xique said with some concern, "Miss, this person was chosen at the same time as Tian Niu. If you make her the lowest-ranking maid, it will be fine among our own people, but if others find out, won't they say that you are disrespecting the old lady and blaming her?"
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, "That's right, how could I forget about that? I was originally going to promote this medicine-training maid to a first-class maid, but if I did that, people would naturally gossip. Xi Que, you're much more thoughtful." She thought for a moment before saying, "Anyway, Mingyue Pavilion is short of a first-class maid. Xi Que, you will be promoted to first-class maid starting today, and Li Cuier will start as a third-class maid."
Li Cuier beamed with joy: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss. I will serve you wholeheartedly and will never have any disloyalty!"
"Alright, you can go now. Chuncao, show her around Mingyue Pavilion and make sure she doesn't cause any trouble." Chuncao responded and left with Li Cuier. Ouyang Yue also waved her hand, letting Dongxue leave, but leaving Xique behind, which surprised the latter.
Ouyang Yue Shen glanced at Xi Que: "Xi Que, I promoted you to a first-class maid because you've been in my Mingyue Pavilion for some time now and have done a good job in your work and speech. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't have given you this favor."
Xique immediately knelt respectfully and said, "Yes, this servant will always remember your kindness, Miss, and will never forget it."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "Now I'm going to give you a task. You go and keep an eye on this newcomer, Li Cuier, and see if there are any problems with her. I'll also have Chuncao investigate her background to see if it matches what she said. Do you understand?"
Xique was taken aback: "Miss suspects her? Yes, this servant will certainly live up to Miss's expectations and keep a close eye on her!"
"Okay, it's done. Miss, I won't treat you badly. You can go now."
Xi Que responded and left. Ouyang Yue smiled slightly. Soon after, Chuncao brought people in and carried away the broken teaware pieces that Ouyang Yue had smashed. At this time, Dongxue also returned, leaving only the three of them in the room.
Chuncao couldn't help but say, "Miss, you guessed right. Someone must have interfered with your choice of maids, but why is it not Aunt Ming or Aunt Hong, but the Old Madam?"
Ouyang Yue sneered: "Some people have already figured out Grandmother's thoughts, so this is how things will naturally turn out."
Chuncao thought for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, you mean Rui Yuhuan, she..."
"Alright, Chuncao, just have someone investigate Li Cuier casually. I doubt you'll find anything out even if you investigate seriously, and it'll only waste manpower and resources, which isn't worth it. You just need to keep a close eye on Xique and Li Cuier!"
Spring grass and winter snow both responded.
For the next period of time, not only Mingyue Pavilion, but the entire General's Mansion was peaceful and all was well. However, Ouyang Yue knew that this was just the calm before the storm!
That day, just as Ouyang Yue sat down to have her breakfast, Xi Que brought in a pot of something. Ouyang Yue glanced at it and asked, "What is this?"
happy Que smiled and said, "Miss, this is a medicinal diet specially prepared by Cui'er. It is said that drinking it regularly can prolong life and also has beauty benefits."
"Oh?" Ouyang Yue frowned.
Xi Que immediately said, "Miss, I had someone check and try it before, and I also sent someone to investigate the recipe for the medicinal diet. There were no problems. The doctor at the pharmacy even said the recipe was excellent and wanted to inquire about Cui'er." Not only that, but the information Ouyang Yue had previously asked them to inquire about regarding Li Cui'er's background was exactly as she described, without any errors. Furthermore, some locals familiar with Li's pharmacy said that Li Cui'er and her father were kind-hearted, charitable, and often helped others. After Chuncao and Xi Que found out this, Ouyang Yue naturally felt more at ease about Li Cui'er, because Li Cui'er understood pharmacology and had now been promoted to a second-class maid at Mingyue Pavilion.
Chuncao chimed in, "Miss, Xique is right, I know about this too."