These days, Xiaotao felt herself becoming more and more popular.

The first day, she came across many maids and servants whom she never knew before and chatted with them. Then they all expressed how regretful they were that they couldn"t meet Xiaotao sooner and wished that they could become sisters with Xiaotao. The second day, the maids and servants started to pour out their difficulties which they had hidden for too long or their determination of being loyal and faithful. The third day, they expressed explicitly or implicitly that they wanted to stay in Marquis Ningyuan"s mansion and that working in the Cheng Manor would be the best for them.

Each family of the Gu"s was about to live independently. Now, any servant who wasn"t blind should know that staying in Marquis Ningyuan"s mansion would provide them with a better life. Therefore, the maids, the pageboys and the servants all got busy finding someone to help them stay there. People like Liao Yong"s wife as well as a few stewards in the outer yard were easy to come into contact with or talk with, so they became the first target.

“If there really are some capable ones, we can let them stay.”

Minglan smiled gently. Hearing that, Danju got a bit surprised, because she knew that Minglan didn"t like those servants who had worked in the Gu"s family for a long time and always took advantage of their seniority. Those people were hard to order about, but good at loafing on the job or throwing their weight about at the outside.

“However, our Madam has one rule. Everyone will make mistakes. It"s still forgivable if those servants make small mistakes. However, if anyone with evil intention stays, the people who recommend them would also be punished. I want everyone to be clear of that.” Cuiwei who had a bun on the top of her head said that seriously, seeming just like a housekeeper.

After she had said that, the stewards who had come to give recommendations all got hesitant secretly, afraid that they would be implicated. Right now, they already knew that the way Minglan handled matters was not as soft as she looked. What was more, those stewards were not from the Sheng"s family, so they were still trying to win their madam"s trust and didn"t dare to shoulder the responsibility for the people they didn"t know.

However, there were only a few people who were brought here by Minglan from the Sheng family, and they were all shrewd enough to stay out of this affair. Xiaotao was the most amicable one among them, but her style of recommending someone was—

“An Yong"s wife? You know her family?” Minglan asked.

“No, I don"t.”

“What is she capable of?”

“I don"t know.”

“What about her character?”

“I only knew her three days ago.”

“Since you know nothing about her, why did you recommend her?” Minglan answered disappointedly.

“She has asked me to do this anyway.” Xiaotao, the girl with a round face, put on a gentle look, “She gave me three baskets of peaches and one basket of crabs, but that"s all I accept.” When she said that, the look on her face seemed to be saying, "I am a very honest and upright person."

“Stupid girl!” Lvzhi, head lowered, cursed that in a low voice.

“You ate those peaches and crabs more than she did.” Danju said that while glancing to another place.

Then Danju and Lvzhi went to the Bao Sha behind, leaving their Madam whose face was covered with sullenness and a stupid Xiaotao in the room. After the two maids entered the water room, they saw that only Cuixiu and Chunya were there.

Lvzhi scolded right away, “Those naughty girls, they must be playing around now!”

Danju pondered for a short while and asked with her eyebrows knitted, “Now it should be Bisi and Caihuan on duty. Where did they go?”

Cuixiu stood up and answered smilingly, “w.a.n.g Gui"s wife came over just now to ask about the people from Marquis Ningyuan"s mansion borrowing horses and sedans from us. Sister Bisi got an upset stomach, and she told us to guard this place for her for a while and went back to her room.”

Lvzhi snorted slightly while Danju gave a meaningful chuckle, saying, “All right, the windy days make it easy to get a cold. I guess she has gone back to her room get her coat. Caihuan might not be able to handle w.a.n.g Gui"s wife, why don"t you go to help her?”

Lvzhi then walked away, pouting.

The maids" rooms were in the row houses behind the Auspiciousness House. The rooms where the maids lived should be of low cla.s.s, but Minglan was a generous madam and the expense in the Cheng Manor was always large. Therefore, the maids" rooms had been built and furnished like the proper wing-rooms, especially the ones in which the maids of high cla.s.s lived. With its delicate decoration, the room looked even better than the ones where the ladies from an ordinary family lived. Every day, there would be little maids and old servants doing the cleaning there.

“You are not stupid enough I guess, since you still know that you should ask me first.” Ruomei leaned on the bed with a yellow pillow with the pattern of magpies resting on the branches under her arm. Her face was a bit red now, perhaps because she was not fully awake from her afternoon nap.

“I am still hesitating right now.” Bisi frowned worriedly, “Caihuan said that it didn"t matter, Xiaotao also came to Madam to recommend someone. Since she could go, why couldn"t I?”

Ruomei then said in a sarcastic tone, “Well, you really know how to flatter yourself. Do you think we matter to Madam as much as Danju and Xiaotao? Even Lvzhi has just got a bit closer to Madam.”

Bisi blushed and murmured, “I know that I cannot compare to Xiaotao, but Caihuan said that the people who came to ask a favor from me have worked in Marquis Ningyuan"s mansion for generations and are of great weight. If I lend a hand to them, it"ll bring me lots of benefits. However, if I give them the cold shoulder, my future will be…”

While Bisi was speaking, Ruomei kept snorting while rolling her eyes.

Seeing that, Bisi added in a hurry, “Caihuan also said that Xiaotao"s ability and character is no better than anyone of us. She couldn"t do the needlework well and always acts rashly but is good at playing dumb. Madam only puts Xiaotao in an important position for the old-time sake. I have also served Madam for many years, though not as long as her. Even if the people I recommend couldn"t stay, Madam wouldn"t…”

Ruomei finally couldn"t listen to any more of that. She propped herself up on the bed and said with a sulky face, “Caihuan said, Caihuan said, is Caihuan your grandmother?! Since you listen to every word of her, why did you come to me anyway? Just follow her order!”"

Bisi could be easily swayed. In ordinary times, she was often reproached by Danju and Lvzhi. As for Qinsang and other maids, Bisi didn"t have much to talk with them about. However, Ruomei who was eloquent and straightforward would never gossip with others because she despised that behavior. After a long time, Bisi only found it easy to get along with Ruomei. Now that she saw that the latter had got mad, she could only beg for forgiveness while kept saying, “My great sister.”

“How could you listen to that b.i.t.c.h?” Ruomei said that with a cold look, “Haven"t you seen how she has put on the heavy make-up and acted coquettishly in front of Master all day? Does she think that Madam knows nothing about her filthy thoughts and that we are all blind? If it were not for Danju who has been so kind to stop that b.i.t.c.h from going out all the time, she would have already been kicked out by Mama Cui. Now our Madam has been enn.o.bled as the First-Cla.s.s Madam, do you think Madam w.a.n.g would offend her for a maid?! Just wait and see. Although Mama Cui is not in charge of most of the affairs, He Youchang"s wife is still here. That woman learned from Mama Fang and would never go easy on anyone!”