Da Zao, Jujube, and the three maidservants called Qiu Ju looked up at the same time.
"Steward Zhang, why are you here? Just in time, help me pick them up, there are too many broken pieces." Qiu Ju saw that it was Steward Zhang and immediately called out to him.
Under the surprised and disbelieving gazes of Da Zao and Xiao Zao, Steward Zhang really squatted down to help pick up the pieces. As he picked, he said, "You have to be careful in the future, if you hurt yourself or others, you will be in pain for a few days. Don't you have a special bag for holding dishes? Remember to take it."
"I know, I was in a hurry to deliver the dishes just now, so I didn't take them. Steward Zhang, I'll take the rest, help me get something to hold it." Qiu Ju saw that the broken pieces were placed on a slightly tidy table and said to Steward Zhang.
Steward Zhang immediately went to find something to hold the dishes. Da Zao and Jujube stood there in a daze, looking at the maidservant in front of them, speechless for a moment.
"What's wrong with you? Is it cold? Quickly go to the brazier over there to warm it. Thank you. "Qiu Ju said to Da Zao and Jujube.
This time, the two of them finally came back to their senses. Looking at the calm expression of the maidservant in front of them, Jujube asked tentatively, "Sister, you won't be punished, right? The plates are worth a lot of money. "
"If you hurt others, you will be punished. If you hurt yourself, you will also be scolded. Now that no one is hurt, it's fine. Fortunately, I didn't hurt you." Qiu Ju let out a sigh of relief.
Da Zao and Jujube took a deep breath. They didn't dare to believe what the maidservant in front of them said. Being punished and scolded wasn't based on how many plates were broken, but on whether or not you hurt others or yourself.
Da Zao exhaled and asked, "Sister, what if you hurt others or yourself?"
"Ah? Was he hurt? That would be troublesome. If someone were to be injured, I would have to call a doctor over immediately. I would also have to see where the injury was. If I were to delay their work, I would have to report it to the Inner Court, and the Inner Court would pay for the delay.
If I hurt myself, that would be too scary. Please don't do it. I will be specially called to listen to how to follow the steps when working. I will also have to write at least 30 times. It is very tiring, even more tiring than working. Look at my hand, it is not injured at all. I am so happy. "
Qiu Ju waved her white hands in front of Date and Jujube, and a happy smile appeared on her face.
Big Zao and Jujube did not expect that they would receive such a punishment. Liar? The Inner Courtyard would pay for her injuries, but she would only have to write something when she was injured. This meant that the maidservant in front of her had to be literate. Which Zhuangzi or Zhuangzi's manor would be like this? If it were him, he would at least be beaten up.
Jujube swallowed her saliva and asked again, "Sister, what if the plate is broken?"
"If it is broken, then it is broken. It can't be fixed. What else can we do? Throw it away. Find a place where no one can touch it. Otherwise, it will hurt people again. Why is Steward Zhang not here yet? Why is he taking so long to find something? I still have work to do, but others have already rushed to finish it."
Qiu Ju dealt with the plate very simply. She threw it away, but she was not satisfied with Steward Zhang. She pouted and muttered.
"Sister, Jujube said that you don't need to pay for this plate?" Date asked from the side. Qiu Ju laughed.
She suddenly smiled, "Pay for what? It is just a plate. If it is gone, we can just buy it. Young … Madam said that if the plate is gone, we can think of a way to get it. Talent is the most important. We can't use money to measure talent. In your manor, will you be beaten if you hit a plate?
It is not like that here. If something happens, the punishment is usually to hurt yourself or put yourself in a dangerous place. The plate does not matter. We all know that the master is good. We all fight to do the work. No one will be lazy. That will be looked down upon by others. They will not even talk to you. "
"It is so good that there is actually such a master. To be able to do things in such a place, I will also fight to do the work. It is like a dream." When Jujube heard Qiu Ju's words, her eyes turned red. It was unknown whether she was envious or touched. She said faintly.
Date was the same. Looking at her white and tender hands, and then looking at his and Jujube's hands that were frozen and cracked while washing clothes, he knew how she worked. She must have let a man do the washing. Otherwise, how could the maidservant's hands be so good?
"Aiya, what did you do to your hands? You washed the clothes, right? You did not know how to boil some hot water. Next time, remember to wash it with hot water. It is fast and clean. After washing, apply some oil on your hands. You are not afraid of cracking. I still have some. I will give you a small jar later.
The master made it himself. There is deer oil, snake oil, and badger oil. It is very good. Look at my hands. I still have two jars. After the New Year, I can go and get more on the 15th. It is enough. "
When Qiu Ju saw Date looking at her hands, she looked at the two people's hands. The cracks on them were scary.
Date knew that he guessed wrong. He tried his best to shrink his hands into the sleeves of his clothes. "Thank you, sister."
She did not need to ask how the money for the firewood was calculated. The master could even give such a precious hand oil on time. What was the money for the firewood? People could not be compared. It seemed that Lady Qiao would not go back. If she went back, what about the rules?
Yes, she and Jujube must think of a way to stay. As long as they stayed, they could be like them. They did not need to care about the dishes. When they were working, they would be protected by something. They just needed to work hard.
Date was determined to come here. He turned to look at Jujube. Jujube also had the same look.
Steward Zhang finally came. He smiled at Qiu Ju who was waiting there and said, "I was busy with something just now. You go and do your work. I will clean up."
Qiu Ju pouted. She stood up and said, "You delayed my work. Hmph."
Date and Jujube looked at Qiu Ju who left enviously. A person who was willing to work could give the housekeeper a hard time. The housekeeper still had to stand firm. It was unbelievable.
The two of them looked at each other and continued to walk towards their destination.
*****
"Father, eat more ginger. Staying in the house all day is too dark. It is easy to catch a cold. Tomorrow, I will ask someone to make more ginger slices and send them to father."
Zhang Xiaobao saw his father retch when he drank the dumpling soup. He knew that his father's stomach was cold. When he washed it with hot water, it would be like this. He picked up a few ginger slices from a plate of fish and placed them on his father's plate.
Father Zhang did not like to eat ginger. When he heard his son's words, he picked up the ginger slices and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed vigorously and said, "It's delicious. My son knows how to care for his father. Eat more in the future."
"Mother, try this fish. It is made directly from the sauce of the live fish." Zhang Xiaobao picked up a piece of meat beside the gills and placed it on his mother's plate.
Wang Juan was also doing the same thing. She grew up in a traditional family and knew what to do.
No matter what the children gave them, the two families would immediately eat it and praise how delicious it was.
At this kind of warm moment, Date and Jujube suddenly appeared. Seeing the two families getting along well, they stood at the door and did not dare to make a sound.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan turned around at the same time. The person sitting in front also happened to see Date and Jujube.
"You …? You are Date …? " Jang Wong Clan was sitting next to Zhang Xiaobao. She also turned around and looked at the two maids. She felt that they looked familiar, so she guessed and asked.
"Date and Jujube wish Lady Qiao a happy new year. Wish Young Master a happy new year. Here …" Date and Jujube seemed to have discussed it a long time ago. The two of them spoke at the same speed and in the same order. They knelt there and kowtowed one by one.
After a round of kowtowing, they still knelt there and did not get up.
"Okay, okay, get up. You are so far away and yet you are still here. Come and eat something." Jang Wong Clan saw that the maids at home had come to wish Lady Qiao a happy new year. Even if she was angry, she could not vent it on them. She also knew that the maids at home could not be compared to the maids here. They had to endure hardships and tiredness, but they could not do anything wrong.
Date and Jujube were still kneeling there. Jujube kowtowed to Jang Wong Clan a few more times and said: "Lady Qiao, please let Date and me stay. We don't want to go back. We will work hard and not be lazy. Our family is not as good as ours.
Just now, Date and I accidentally bumped into Qiu Ju's older sister, and the plate broke. Date and I were scared and thought that it was over. Then, then … the housekeeper came, and then … "
Without Jujube saying anything, Jang Wong Clan also knew what was going on. The rules were set by her son and daughter-in-law, and there were also people patrolling back and forth at night. At first, she did not think much of it, but later on, she realized that the maids in the courtyard did not need to be urged to do anything. If there was work, someone would do it.
Sometimes, when there was nothing to do, the maids in the courtyard would go find work themselves. It was easier to manage them than before. How many things could be broken? It was impossible for the maids to break things every day. That little bit of money could not be compared to their enthusiasm for work.
Date and Jujube must have seen Qiu Ju break things. When the housekeeper saw it, he first asked if Qiu Ju was okay. If Qiu Ju was fine, then he did not care about the situation.
Usually, there was no comparison, but today, they saw that the maids were treated differently. It was no wonder that they wanted to come over. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
"Hey ~! Get up. We have to wait for Housekeeper Wang to come over. She didn't come? " Jang Wong Clan stretched out her hand to pull Date and Jujube. As she spoke, her expression darkened. The maids were here, and you, as a housekeeper, dared to not come over to pay your New Year's greetings?
"Aunt Wang didn't know that Date and I were coming over. We were afraid that she would not let us. If we wanted to do something here, she would beat us to death." Jujube said as she wiped away her tears.
Jang Wong Clan thought for a moment. "Alright, if she doesn't want to come, then so be it. I am no longer a member of the Wang Clan. I am the daughter-in-law of the Zhang Clan. I will get someone to do the work for you two. Even if I have to buy it, I will buy it for you."
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