Lin Mengya and the others were seated at the main table, while Ning'er was in her arms.
Looking at the table full of dishes, the little guy had already eaten to his heart's content.
"Thank you all for your hard work this year."
Lin Mengya raised her glass and said sincerely to the servants.
Ever since she came to Dragon City, the family had been taken care of by these people.
Thanks to them, the Gong family was like an iron wall, and no one could come in and cause trouble.
"Uncle Rong, let me toast you. Cheers first."
She was drinking a sweet wine with a low alcohol content. Even so, she blushed after one glass.
"Eldest Miss, this … this is not appropriate!"
Uncle Rong drank a glass of wine as well, but he looked a little embarrassed.
The chief butler, who was always calm, seemed to be at a loss.
"Since we've entered this door, we're all a family. I had a discussion with my great-grandfather a few days ago. We decided to return everyone's indentures to you. "
Apart from some of the children of the Gong family, many of them were slaves and servants bought by the Gong family.
Although the Gong family treated them well, they were still under the control of others.
"Eldest Miss, what are you going to do? Everyone seems to have no intention of leaving. "
Uncle Rong was puzzled. Compared to the slaves who were not treated as human beings, the people of the Gong family were treated well.
"Uncle Rong, please don't misunderstand. Listen to me. I know that many of you have left your homes to come to Wei Country. Although our family is different from other families, in the end, you are just slaves. I want to change this situation, so I think that I can at least make decisions for the Gong family. "
This was the first time she felt the oppression and cruelty of being forced into a social class after coming to Wei Country.
They were all human beings, but why did they have to be oppressed and exploited just because they were not born in Wei Country, or because they were forced to do so by life?
Those who were born into aristocratic families, even the scum of society, would enjoy the glory and status that came with their birth.
She had never been used to this kind of thing, and now it was even more so.
With her ability, it was not enough to liberate the entire Wei Country. However, she could turn into a spark and sing the prelude to a prairie fire.
"Eldest Miss, even if we have a slave contract, we are still just servants. It won't change anything."
His words made those who were once servants feel a little depressed.
Even with the slave contract, he could only be a free slave.
Outside, he would still be looked down upon.
"There's a good saying, 'A hero doesn't need to ask about his background.' Could it be that your abilities are inferior to those from aristocratic families? Not necessarily, I suppose. So, I've discussed it with my great-grandfather. In the future, you can choose to work for the Gong family. I'm sure you all know that our family is going to open an academy, right? "
Everyone nodded and Lin Mengya continued.
"You can choose to work within the academy. However, we are equal. I'm the shopkeeper, and you're the people I've hired. You're no longer servants, but part of this family or the school. I will implement this measure throughout the entire Gong Family. How you choose, that's your own business. In short, I hope that you can straighten your back and stop feeling inferior. "
The servants looked at each other, but did not have much of a reaction.
Lin Mengya knew that this was a very difficult beginning.
After all, this had never happened before.
"Alright, little sister. Let everyone think about it carefully. There's no need to rush. If you're worried, everything will remain the same. However, you're welcome to make your own choice. "
Gong Si stood up and said gently.
In fact, he was the first to vote for this matter.
During the years when the Gong Family was in trouble, he had also experienced many hardships.
He often felt that it would be better if one day, people did not look at their family background and only looked at their abilities.
However, what moved him the most was what his little sister said.
If they could not change others, they should change themselves first.
He believed that in the future, more and more people would be inspired by them.
"Alright, alright, that's all. Let's hurry up and eat. Today, no matter how big or small it is, we have to enjoy ourselves. "
Gong Bin's face was full of excitement. After all, this was the best year the Gong Family had had in recent years.
Lin Mengya held Ning 'er in her arms and smelled a special fragrance, which seemed to come from outside.
After a while, several maids appeared at the door.
"Ancestor, this is sent by Aunt An. She said it's a little gift from her."
The maid opened the lunch box in her hand, and the fragrance made Lin Mengya curious.
There were only some red bamboo shoots on the plate, but the smell only went into her nose.
"Isn't this the three braised bamboo shoots in our hometown?"
Gong Wu was the youngest, and his nose was the most sensitive.
The three braised bamboo shoots was a cooking method in their hometown. It got its name because the ingredients had to be cooked three times.
It was tender but not dry, without any residue or hard lumps. It was the most tender and delicious.
They had been here for so long, and they missed the taste of their hometown more and more.
After looking at Gong San's face, Great Grandfather was about to ask someone to take it away when he heard Gong San say, "Alright, put it on the table and let everyone have a taste.
"Alright, put it on the table and let everyone have a taste."
He let out a sigh of relief, and everyone felt relieved.
However, Lin Mengya secretly raised her eyebrows. Her third elder brother was not someone who could be moved by a plate of bamboo shoots.
She turned her head and saw Gong San's calm face.
Was she thinking too much?
"Since it's a family reunion, let's let her come over for a meal."
Great Grandfather was very gentle now. No matter how unhappy they were before, at least now, An Jiarong was taking the initiative to be friendly.
As an elder, he could not turn a blind eye.
Gong San did not say anything, and the others could not say anything.
Unexpectedly, the maidservant said, "It's fine.
"Madam said that she wants to eat vegetarian, so we won't disturb everyone. Since we've delivered the dishes, it's time to go back. "
Gong San snorted coldly, and his expression softened quite a bit.
Lin Mengya looked at the plate of bamboo shoots. There was nothing wrong with the dish, but what trick was this man playing?
After the reunion dinner, the women in the family were busy making dumplings in the kitchen.
They had a lot of family members, and there were more than a dozen kinds of stuffing. After Lin Mengya put the baby to sleep, she came to the kitchen with Shang'er.
"First Miss, why are you here?"
The kitchen was managed by Aunt Gui, Uncle Rong's daughter-in-law.
Aunt Gui was tall and strong, and seemed to be a capable and straightforward person.
She admired Lin Mengya very much, so she was very diligent in her work.
"I'm just here to make some dumplings for His Highness. You do your work, and I'll do it myself."
Lin Mengya smiled and walked to the chopping board alone.
Cooking was not a difficult task for her.
She had been an orphan for more than 20 years, and had already practiced good cooking skills.
But she did not do much in the past few years, so she did not know if she had become rusty.
She boiled the vegetables, squeezed out the natural-colored juice, and let it cool outside, and then put it into the dough.
The balls of colorful dough were divided into several equal parts by her.
She was a little rusty at first, and then she became more and more proficient.
The young ladies and daughters-in-law who were helping in the kitchen were all stunned.
"Ah, this is really a wonderful method. Why didn't we think of it before? "
A few of them were eager to learn, and they began to learn from Lin Mengya on the spot.
Lin Mengya was also very patient, and she guided them one by one.
Ning 'er was still young, and she had specially told Long Tianhao to eat natural, soft, and not oily or salty.
And today, she felt that it was her first New Year's with the baby, and eating something special was also very meaningful.
In a short while, she had made dozens of small dumplings.
There were cabbage dumplings, and there were also dumplings in the shape of rabbits and fish.
Seeing that she was so dexterous, everyone could not help but feel closer to her.
"Our First Miss is really amazing. Not only can she manage the family, but she can also cook good food! "
"What do you know! For a rich young lady, the more precious she was, the better. First Miss, you'd better leave these rough jobs to us in the future. "
Lin Mengya smiled and began to make dumplings with the others.
"No matter how a woman lives, she has to live for herself. I can cook, but it doesn't mean that I have to cook. This is my hobby, not my vocation. "
Everyone in the kitchen looked at her with a strange look.
Shang'er could not stand her, and secretly pulled her clothes.
She and Baisu had heard so much that their ears almost grew calluses. Why did First Miss start to talk about it here?
"Although I don't understand what First Miss said, it's always right. But First Miss, how do you plan to deal with Aunt An? "
Women loved to talk about this kind of gossip the most.
Moreover, it was in the presence of Lin Mengya, who was loyal to the topic.
"Go away, don't gossip."
Aunt Gui was afraid of offending First Miss, so she hurriedly said.
But Lin Mengya waved her hand, and made a few beautiful folds for the dumplings.
"I'm young, and I grew up outside, so I don't know what happened at home. Do any of you know what this Aunt An was like back then? "
At this topic, someone immediately took over.
"Oh, speaking of this Aunt An, she was really glorious when she married into the family."
The person who spoke was an old woman in her forties or fifties.
She used to stay in the old house of the Gong family for a few years, and later came to Dragon City with her husband.
Naturally, she was the most clear about what happened in the past.
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