Chapter 92: Settling Down

Lin Si Yao's train of thought was simple. As long as it benefited Su Shuilian, he would agree to anything.

Liang-momo was right. After her labor, she had to convalesce during her puerperium. She surely needed people to take care of her. At first, he had thought that he would ask Auntie Lao to help. But now, they had trained nannies and maids who were ready to take care of Shuilian in any minute. How could he deny them?

Moreover, it would be better to have people living in the empty house he had built for Si Tuo and the other two than to leave it vacant.

No matter what, it was a big house situating over four acres of land. Since they had planted trees, gra.s.s, and bamboo around to the house to decorate, those plants would need a regular maintenance. He had purchased the furniture, and they just needed to clean them to use. Otherwise, he didn't know when Si Tuo's team could have time to move in. If left untaken care of, they may walk into a dust filled house with dying garden.

And, even when Si Tuo and the others moved in, they would need a cook and a gardener. Or else, with their characteristics, they would come to his house to eat every meal. Lin Si Yao would never admit that he kept Liang-momo's group just to prevent Si Tuo and the other two from disturbing his happy little family of two with Shuilian. Ah, no, next year, it would actually become a family of four.

Around shen-s.h.i.+ (3pm to 5pm), Aunt Lao and Aunt Tian came and knocked the door. As soon as they walked into the main room, they saw a proper-dressed woman who stood by Su Shuilian dutifully reporting the arrangement of the big, four-acre house.

Then, they cautiously sat far away from them. They shot a look to Su Shuilian, signaling that she didn't need to care about them.

"Ma'ams, please enjoy your tea!" The maid who stood silently aside saw Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian. She swiftly poured them the top-quality, fragrant tea they had brought from Prince Jing's mansion.

"Err… This… Thank you!"

Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian had never been treated like this before. Let alone being well-treated, they had never seen such a polite and respectful scene before.

The two clumsily received their cups of tea. Carefully, they placed it on the small table next to them. Then, they calmed down and sat upright on their chairs.

They exchanged looks and their presumptions. Indeed, this Shuilian girl was actually a young lady from a rich and n.o.ble family.  

Previously, they didn't believe in various rumors people had spread out around the village. Thus, they came to ask. And now, it seems the rumors were true! They wondered why this girl didn't want to be a lady of the rich family, but come to this rural, mountainous village to become an embroiderer? Was it true that she had run away with A Yao? However, Lin Si Yao didn't look like an ordinary farmer either! Let alone his excellent kungfu, he also got an imposing aura. Tsk tsk! If he weren't married, he would be constantly pursued by many unwed maidens, right? And so, this couple had the two poniang* whom were both mothers and grandmothers so confused; they couldn't figure it out, even if they had to scratch their scalp.

(婆娘/poniang- a married peasant woman)

"Miss, Guye said that as he's here, we didn't need to send the guards to this house. Thus, I've arranged them to stay in the three yards in the Bamboo Garden*. There will be a maid and servant stationed in each room. Chun Lan and this servant will stay here to serve you."

(竹園/ Bamboo Garden- if I'm not wrong, this is the name of the 4 acre house)

Liang-momo reported in detail how she had arranged the people in the four-acre house to Shuilian.

Originally, she wanted to let the bodyguards to be on duty by the gate to protect Young Lady. However, unexpectedly, Guye said they didn't need the bodyguards as long as he was there. She didn't get it at first. The Elder w.a.n.gye and w.a.n.gfei had chosen the eight imperial bodyguards with the best martial arts of Prince Jing's mansion. Moreover, the Chief guard was sent here, too. All was because that they were worried for the young lady's safety since she lived in a rural area that she would suffer injustice. But, right before they got here, their Guye had deprived the sword in the Chief Guard's hand right in the Bamboo Garden with  one strike. Moreover, after a sway, he disappeared. And now, not only her and the maids who didn't know Kungfu, but also the group of guards, especially the Chief Guard idolize their Guye. He was actually the legendary expert in the world of martial arts! He had made the guards who just knew to use their sword to kill people admire him much. If Guye taught them some moves, their fighting value would increase significantly. Then, when they returned and partic.i.p.ated the Gold Imperial Guard Champions.h.i.+p (that happens every three years), they would win easily!

"… Miss, for the time being, we will stay in Bamboo Garden. I'm afraid we can't stand by all night to serve you. This servent…"

Liang-momo sounded apologetic. They were sent here to serve their Young Lady, but now they were arranged to stay in a new house far away from her. It didn't look like they came to serve. It looked like they came to take a vacation!

Except for her and Chun Lan, the other maids and servants just needed to clean the houses in the Bamboo Garden. Guye had already denied their request to come and greet him and the Young Lady daily. He said it wasn't necessary.

About night time serving, this house didn't have extra rooms. And Guye didn't allow Chun Lan and her to stay on duty in the main house. Might be… Liang-momo could guess his intentions. Her old face slightly blushed.

"Liang-momo, A Yao told me already. Your arrangement is alright. You don't need to feel sorry. And, to the maids, Momo should teach them what to do and what they shouldn't do." Su Shuilian lightly replied to Liang-momo, asking her not to think much.

After her afternoon nap, A Yao had told her all of these arrangements. And of course, she agreed with him. No matter what, their current house couldn't host so many maids and servants. And at night… recalling their intimate images, her ears and neck blushed uncontrollably.

Su Shuilian stopped the junk thoughts in her head. She paused before turning to talk to Liang-momo. "Anyway, that Bamboo Garden was built for A Yao's three sworn brothers. We don't know when they will move in. But until that time, the maids and servants need to obey the rules. They can't cross the line." She didn't want those maids and servants to forget their roles and responsibility as they were so free over there. They must take their roles seriously. Otherwise, they would provoke Si Tuo and co's flames of anger. No matter what, those three were the real a.s.sa.s.sins!

"Miss, be a.s.sured! I've taught them right when we've moved in the Bamboo Garden. They will absolutely not forget their ident.i.ty," Liang-momo answered seriously.

The maids and servants from Prince Jing's mansion, although they might be not as excellent as the servants from the other high n.o.ble families, they were aware of their status and duty. They wouldn't be worse than the others in this aspect.

Moreover, the elder w.a.n.gye and w.a.n.gfei had worried about this. They were afraid that the maids and servants they sent to serve the young lady would become greedy. Thus, they intended to a.s.sign the momo with the highest echelon by the elder w.a.n.gfei - Ximomo to carefully choose the maids with her. The maids and servant they had brought here were honest looking and nimble. Most importantly, they had previously served the elder w.a.n.gfei together with Momo Xia. They knew their lot and they were absolutely reliable.

"It's good then," Su Shuilian nodded, "Momo, I want to talk to the aunties. Since we've moved here, they've been helping us a lot."

"Then this servant shall retire first," Liang-momo gave Su Shuilian a curtsy. Then, she turned to smile at Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian. "Thank you, Madams, for taking care of our Young Lady. We've prepared you thank-you gifts. When you're leaving, Chun Lan will see you off with them."

"It… How could we accept that?! No! No!" Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian waved their hands to deny. In the countryside, you help me and I help you. They had never thought about giving thank-you gifts.  

"Madams, don't be polite. Before we left, the Elder w.a.n.gfei had asked us to give the thank-you gifts to anyone who have helped Young Lady. And to whoever that hurt our Lady, we will never let them go." Liang-momo smiled, telling what the Elder w.a.n.gfei had told her. She also took the chance to remind these two women and hoped that it would make the villagers open their eyes wider. No one was allowed to bully her Young Miss. Humph! How could they let anyone bully their right-and-proper Fourth Young Lady.

"Momo, it's not as serious as you said. They honestly treat me well. No one has ever hurt me," Su Shuilian didn't know whether she should laugh or cry.

"Miss, this servant does not expect to see anyone hurting you. Just consider it as a slipped of this serpent's tongue. Allow this servant to leave. Madams, enjoy your talk with Young Lady. Later, Chun Lan will see you off." Liang-momo smiled and comforted Su Shuilian. Then, she waved at Chun Lan to ask her to go out and prepare the thank-you gifts.

"Phew, girl…" After Liang-momo and Chun Lan had left the room, Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian finally exhaled in relief. Although Liang-momo was just a mamma, she got a threatening pressure. Sigh, the mammas and maids of the n.o.ble families wore better than their daughters and their every movement were very imposing.

"Auntie Lao, Auntie Tian, I…" Su Shuilian smiled with guilt when she saw the women's reaction. Although it wasn't her wish, this body's ident.i.ty made her feel like she had cheated those simple and nice farmers.

"Oh my, we're just curious so we came to see. It's nothing, actually. Anyway, girl are you really… really…." Auntie Lao stuttled. She wanted to ask about what made them skeptical, but she didn't dare to open her mouth. She though the word "Prince's Mansion" was too far away from them.

"A Young Lady from a Prince's Mansion?" Auntie Tian frankly continued. Although she couldn't believe it, a question wouldn't cost a bit of meat from her.

"Oh, yeah, it is true. But A Yao and I will still live here. It's our home."

Fan Hua Town was the first small town she had ever been after she came to this world. This place had verdant hills and limpid water. It was always calm and peaceful. She would never leave here to move to anywhere else. Even when the kids grew up, she and A Yao would take them to travel everywhere to see the world out there. However, they would never forget this place. It was their home, their origin in Da Hui Empire.

"Mhm, of course, we do hope you would stay here. However, girl, we're just farmers in a rural area. We can't fulfil complicated etiquettes. Please don't blame us." Auntie Tian talked, laughing. It was her half-joking, half-sincere explanation.

"Auntie Tian, how could you say such a thing? Until now, you've been treating me as your daughter. I haven't thanked you enough. If you become distant because of my status, I don't want it." Su Shuilian smiled, pulling Auntie Lao's and Auntie Tian's arms, talking like a spoiled child.

"You silly girl. As long as you don't mind and continue our relations.h.i.+p, how could we bare be distant to you?" Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian felt their worries vanish after listening to Su Shuilian. Right, it doesn't matter that she's the Young Lady of a Prince's mansion. They'd known each other for almost a year. How could they not know Su Shuilian's personality!?

And with that thought, Auntie Lao and Auntie Tian exchanged smiles. They chatted some daily stories and asked Su Shuilian about her body's situation.

Only until the sun set, did they rushed home to cook dinner.

Chun Lan was waiting for them outside. She carried two brocade boxes, following them to their houses.