Chapter 469: Chapter 466: Beasts of Burden Are Livestock

Yao Ru couldn’t hear clearly, frowned, and looked at the old woman: "Go see what’s happening."

"Yes."

The old woman, with a composed expression, stepped forward.

"What’s all this noise about? Is there no discipline left? If you disturb the young master, what will be your punishment? The mistress is meeting with esteemed guests later, what kind of scene are you all causing with this ruckus?"

Zhang’s wife pushed through the crowd, regardless, rushed to kneel in front of the old woman, her face full of tears.

"As a servant bound by contract, I should serve the mansion loyally. But ever since the Seventh Princess and the Prince Consort had a fallout, she has been venting her anger on the servants below."

"Today she wants to eat silver sprout, tomorrow it’s exquisite jade. The kitchen staff are running around, not daring to slack off, yet the princess is never satisfied and always finds fault."

Yu Tingwan arrived at this moment, a bit perplexed.

"What is silver sprout?"

It sounds delicious.

Tan Jiang was just about to speak.

Gu Wu: "Take three-inch bean sprouts, remove the tips, split them with silver needles to hollow them out, fill with bird’s nest threads and minced ham..."

"And what about exquisite jade?"

Again, Tan Jiang was about to respond.

Gu Wu: "Take the tenth rib of a non-pregnant ewe, marinate with honey for three years, repeatedly roast it with dried orange peel until crispy, then ground down the crust and wrap it back on freshly roasted tender meat. A hundred sheep yield only a small plate."

Yu Tingwan: "What a refined palate."

Zhang’s wife: "It’s nothing really, the master commands, and the servants follow orders."

"The princess finds it unappealing, so I must try everything to make her eat a few more bites."

As she spoke, she couldn’t stop sobbing. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"But... but my daughter, who served tea in the Seventh Princess’s courtyard, was there yesterday when the Prince Consort came to seek reconciliation and just glanced at her."

"Heaven knows, my daughter is honest and has been promised to someone with a child in her womb. Yet the Seventh Princess said she was seductive and poured scalding hot tea on her head."

Her voice carried a tremble.

"The girl is simple-hearted, her scalp burned and bleeding, her face full of blisters, not daring to utter a sound."

"She moved the fetus, and... the child is gone."

"The steward said it was my daughter’s good fortune. Told me not to be ungrateful, to swallow my grievances."

But her daughter was going to be a mother.

How could her heart not ache?

She... she was going to be a mother.

"I beg the mistress to grant us a path to survival."

Yao Ru came over at this moment.

She was hardly dressed up, without any ornaments.

After all, she had to take care of the child, it was inconvenient.

Her eyes were deep and somber.

"Sorry for letting the General’s wife watch a joke."

Yu Tingwan’s smile became genuine: "Just call me by my name, we are all family, no need for formalities."

Yao Ru didn’t understand how they became family.

But Yu Tingwan’s sincerity was not offensive.

Yao Ru didn’t have any rule about not airing family scandals.

After all... she never considered the Second Prince Mansion her home.

"I’m aware of the situation, you can rise."

"But you must know, I won’t break ties with the Seventh Princess for you. It’s not in my interest, and it won’t grant you justice either."

The old woman turned pale.

Yao Ru was thinking of returning the mother and daughter’s contracts and giving them some money to leave Shangjing, to live peacefully.

Yu Tingwan: "What if? I give it a try?"

Yao Ru: ?

Ying Fuyan asked Yu Tingwan to come and drive away the troublesome Seventh Princess, to spare Yao Ru daily distress.

Yu Tingwan initially refused.

She didn’t want to get involved.

But Ying Fuyan said it was a very difficult task.

Yu Tingwan felt disdain, wanting to challenge herself.

She looked at the cook, her voice soft and unhurried like a breeze, calming one’s heart.

"Though a servant, you sold yourself to the Second Prince Mansion not to commit petty theft but to stand tall and honorably between heaven and earth. If you serve with dedication, fulfilling your tasks faithfully, hold your head high, why should you become an ox or a horse?"

"What does it mean to be an ox or a horse? That is to be livestock."

Yu Tingwan knew, the more prestigious the family, the more rules they have.

They appeared kind and noble, yet few had clean hands.

The master was the sky, the servant was the mud on the ground. If the sky were to rage, it could trample the servants as it pleased.

Yu Tingwan: "It doesn’t matter if others look down on you, but if you look down on yourself, losing hope in life, that’s truly fatal."

As her words trailed off, beside her Tan Jiang moved slightly, his toe lightly tapping the ground, in the next moment bringing someone from a distant corner, throwing them to the ground.

The caught person flashed a look of panic.

Tan Jiang pointed his sword at her neck: "Where did you come from! Sneaking around like a scoundrel."

"Let me go, I... I’m someone from the Seventh Princess’s side."

Now things got interesting.

Yu Tingwan understood: "The Seventh Princess sent you to spy on the Second Princess Consort?"

The person’s face turned pale.

But who would dare to admit?

"No... no."

"I was just passing by."

Xun Zhu jumped out, hands on hips in anger: "Nonsense, the Seventh Princess’s courtyard is far from the main courtyard, how could you just pass by!"

"You’ve been caught, yet you still dare to lie!"

Yao Ru didn’t react much.

She had known all along.

Just didn’t care, couldn’t be bothered.

Yu Tingwan found it amusing.

Yet somewhat comforting.

After all, the person could only sneak around outside. That showed Yao Ru’s courtyard wasn’t a place anyone could just enter.

No wonder Ying Fuyan, who was stingy with his choices, was attracted to this woman.

Yao Ru: "Blame me, as the Imperial Sister-in-law, for not letting her have her way."

"Unable to bribe anyone in my courtyard, she resorts to petty, disgusting tricks."

Yu Tingwan was curious: "What tricks?"

Yao Ru frowned, unwilling to speak.

Xun Zhu leapt out again, holding back disgust.

"General’s wife, you don’t know, she throws bird droppings at our courtyard entrance every day!"

This was slander.

The person’s voice rose, quite assertive: "I didn’t do it!"

"If not you, then who!"

"The droppings stunk intolerably, who knows where you got them from."

Yu Tingwan: ...

Bird droppings?

It seems... the crow has had an upset stomach these days.

Yu Tingwan didn’t feel guilty.

Because the crow wasn’t under her care lately!

Yu Tingwan: "Tan Jiang, let her go."

As Tan Jiang released her, the maid bolted away.

Tan Jiang: ?!

"Should I chase her?"

"Chase what?"

Yu Tingwan: "Let her go back to complain."

After Yu Tingwan finished speaking, she addressed Yao Ru.

"I came specifically to see you."

"I have a prescription here, specifically for women’s ailments. If you trust me, try it."

On the way here, she thought visiting empty-handed wasn’t proper.

So.

She even brought the medicine.

Yu Tingwan took it from Tan Jiang and handed it to Yao Ru.

"This..."

Yao Ru was slightly stunned.

Didn’t take it seriously.

Healing is about diagnosis through sight, smell, questioning, and touch, how else to treat accurately?

Yu Tingwan sending medicine seemed quite inexplicable.

But in the end, it was a kind gesture.

She had to accept it, whether she took it was another matter.

She was just about to take it.

Yu Tingwan spoke casually.

"I quite like your courtyard, just find it a bit small."

How could the Second Prince Mansion’s mistress’s courtyard be small?

Yu Tingwan came up with: "I’m quite knowledgeable in Feng Shui."

Tan Jiang: ...

She pointed: "That wall isn’t good."

"Neighbors should mingle, visit each other."

Yu Tingwan intended to be helpful to the end: "Shall I open it up for you?"