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Mrs. Niu fell face down.
The high threshold caused her to trip and fall hard, with her chin hitting the ground first.
She heard a faint “crack,” followed by a sharp pain in her mouth, accompanied by the taste of blood spreading inside.
Spit!
Mrs. Niu instinctively spat, feeling a mixture of blood and something else splatter on the ground. Upon closer inspection, she saw two teeth lying on the ground, covered in dirt, looking dirty and unrecognizable at first glance.
Tentatively touching her teeth with her tongue, Mrs. Niu realized that there was now a gap where her front teeth used to be.
Two front teeth! What a disaster.
How would she speak properly from now on?
How would she face others now?
That cursed threshold!
Fuming with anger, Mrs. Niu aimed to kick it.
But a doorframe is still a doorframe, and a foot is just a foot.
With forceful exertion, as she kicked, Mrs. Niu felt like her foot was no longer her own.
The pain was excruciating!
It hurt more than losing two front teeth!
Shaking with pain, Mrs. Niu hopped in place.
“Mrs. Niu.”
Upon hearing someone call her, Mrs. Niu abruptly stopped, pretending as if nothing had happened.
After all, Zhang Yaosheng was a scholar, perhaps even favored by the county magistrate, studying at the prestigious Wende Academy. His future prospects included becoming a government official.
She was currently the wife of a scholar and would soon be the wife of an official. Zhang Yaosheng had instructed her to maintain her image in all situations, and Mrs. Niu remembered this clearly. So, despite the pain, she walked out to see.
Upon seeing Song Jingyun, Mrs. Niu was first surprised, then pleased.
Was he still concerned about Mrs. Jiang’s behavior at home? Would he inquire further about how she behaved at home?
Before Mrs. Niu could speak, Song Jingyun’s expression turned serious. “I’ve thought carefully about what Mrs. Niu said.”
And then?
Mrs. Niu’s face was filled with anticipation.
“After much consideration, I feel that perhaps you, Mrs. Niu, are pointing out my wife’s extravagance because your own household lives a bit frugally. It seems like you believe my wife is wasting money and not valuing it.”
“However, my family is not lacking in finances, and my wife doesn’t need to worry excessively about our expenses. On the other hand, you, Mrs. Niu, seem to be facing difficulties in your household, and perhaps you should reflect on the reasons for that.”
“You are in good health, and Zhang Yaosheng is well-educated. Regardless of your endeavors, while not expecting great wealth, your life shouldn’t be as tight as it seems.”
“It seems to me, Mrs. Niu, that you shouldn’t idle away your time at home, merely wearing out the soles of your shoes. You should find a proper occupation to engage in. Furthermore, encourage Zhang Yaosheng to transcribe books and write poetry to earn some extra income for the household.”
“All of this advice is given with your and Zhang Yaosheng’s best interests at heart. I hope you will carefully consider these suggestions. I shall take my leave now.”
With that, Song Jingyun bowed and departed slowly.
Mrs. Niu stood stunned for a moment. When she snapped out of it, she almost felt like she would vomit blood.
What was going on?
It was clear that Mrs. Jiang didn’t know how to be a virtuous wife. Mrs. Niu had kindly offered advice for the long-term well-being of Mrs. Jiang and Song Jingyun, so why was Song Jingyun now lecturing her? Suggesting she find work and have Zhang Yaosheng transcribe books for extra income?
She was the wife of a scholar. How could she lower herself to menial work for others?
Furthermore, whether her life was difficult or not was her family’s concern. Who did Song Jingyun think he was, stretching his hand so far, meddling so much in her affairs?
Mrs. Niu couldn’t contain her anger any longer. Ready to hurl verbal insults in Song Jingyun’s direction, she momentarily forgot about her missing front teeth. As she opened her mouth to speak, blood trickled down from her lips…
Upon arriving home, Jiang Mixia hesitated about whether to reheat the food.
Considering the cold weather and the fact that the food had traveled from the restaurant, enduring some gossip along the way, it had slightly cooled by the time she reached home.
Song Jingyun had been working hard studying and she couldn’t serve him cold food.
As she lifted the plates, she saw Song Jingyun entering the courtyard. Jiang Mixia walked towards the kitchen, saying, “You’re back a bit later today than usual.”
“The master was engaged in a discussion for a bit longer today, so I returned a little later. Just as I got back, I ran into Mrs. Niu nearby, and she had a few things to say,” Song Jingyun said as he added a log to the fire in the stove.
The fire roared, quickly warming the water in the pot, sending up tendrils of steam.
Mrs. Niu chatted with Song Jingyun.
Jiang Mixia narrowed her eyes.
Mrs. Niu was the woman among the group who had the loudest voice.
Now, she was likely trying to hold back Song Jingyun, unable to articulate much.
“What did she say?” Jiang Mixia’s eyebrows raised slightly.
“She reminded me that you work hard every day to buy food, which can be tiring. I thought Mrs. Niu had good intentions, so I immediately agreed to get a few servants to help alleviate your burdens,” Song Jingyun explained. “Since Mrs. Niu was thinking of us, I suggested she should also find some work for herself to improve their situation, showing consideration for their family as well.”
Jiang Mixia remained silent.
Her young husband had learned how to twist the knife in the heart.
After twisting, a pinch of salt was even added.
He’s growing up!
Seeing Jiang Mixia’s face filled with gratification, Song Jingyun chuckled, “Tomorrow, since the master will be resting, we don’t need to go to the academy. How about we visit the real estate agency?”
Buying the servants needed to be settled early.
The sooner they were bought, the less toil for his wife.
“That sounds good,” Jiang Mixia nodded.
Getting a few more to serve his parents at home.
With the decision made, the next morning, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun left the house together.
They naturally had breakfast outside, enjoying hot pan-fried buns and tofu pudding. The warm, aromatic dishes were perfect for the chilly morning.
Jiang Mixia ended up eating one and a half plates of pan-fried buns.
Song Jingyun had two and a half plates and even ordered an extra fried bread pocket.
After satisfying their hunger and thirst, as the agency opened, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun walked in.
Due to their previous purchases of houses and land, the assistants at the office naturally recognized the couple and greeted them, asking, “What would the master and madam like to buy this time?”
“We are looking to purchase three or four servants. They should have a clean background, be stable, reliable, and capable. Appearance doesn’t matter much, and they shouldn’t be too old. If they come as a family, that would be ideal.”
Individuals with a clean background were often those sold off by their own relatives.
Reaching this point usually stemmed from either the elders being unworthy or due to dire circumstances.
If it was the former, they might continue to exploit and demand money in various ways out of insatiable greed.