Chapter 8 ROTNDOAHRF

 FlamingoBees 

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

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Rebirth of the Noble Daughter of a High Ranking Family 

 Chapter 8: 

Stirring Up a Pot of Porridge 

 

Old Madam Li quickly led everyone inside. She sat down and, from time to time, Qingfeng served tea or snacks. Xin Mama, who was always trusted, stood awkwardly by the side, smiling apologetically. Upon being asked, she promptly detailed the situation in the courtyard. 

Madam Lin felt a sudden sweat as she listened. Ouyang Jue was just a child, and Ouyang Nuan had always trusted her. 

Now, most of the staff in the Songzhu Courtyard were her people, arranged deliberately by herself. This was more than just about laziness; it was a matter of insubordination. Usually, the Old Madam stayed secluded in her own quarters, unaware of these issues. If it weren't for Ouyang Nuan's meddling today...

Old Madam Li's expression changed unexpectedly, she slammed the tea cup heavily onto the table and said in a deep voice, "Where have all the maidservants in the courtyard gone? Get a servant here to serve the tea!"

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The courtyard was indeed in a mess. Xin Mama was originally left by the former Madam for her son and was loyal, but with old age and deliberate suppression by Madam Lin, she had become disheartened. 

Eldest Miss Ouyang was soft-hearted and trusted her stepmother, while Young Master Ouyang was unruly. Unable to control the servants alone, Xin Mama had grown indifferent and often turned a blind eye to the chaos in the Songzhu Yuan. 

The maidservants followed suit, either going out to play or visiting other courtyards. Seeing the Old Madam getting angry, Xin Mama hurriedly shouted outside, "Liu'er, Cui'er, why haven't you come up to serve yet?"

At this moment, the girl who had just recited poetry timidly approached, taking hesitant steps. Following behind her was the arrogant-looking maid. She hadn't expected that the person she had treated disdainfully was the Mama of the Old Madam. Realizing the severity of the situation, she turned pale with fear.

Upon seeing these two excessively beautiful maids who seemed more than just ordinary servants, Old Madam Li's anger flared up instantly. "Alright, Madam Lin, I always thought you were kind and generous. I was negligent and didn't pay attention to you. How dare you send these two seductive vixens to my grandson's side! What were you thinking?"

Madam Lin received the Old Madam's piercing gaze like a dagger, and in her heart, she harbored a deep hatred towards Ouyang Nuan.

"Xin Mama, how do you manage things? You're just causing trouble for Old Madam for no reason." Ouyang Nuan knew very well that Madam Lin harbored resentment towards her at this moment, so she decided to put down her teacup and speak gently.

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Xin Mama usually couldn't stand these seductive types, but she had been holding back her anger. At this moment, she didn't dare to speak up and could only bow her head, unable to say a word. Old Madam Li, furious, slammed the teacup down and commanded, "Go and fetch the Master!"

Madam Lin and Ouyang Ke exchanged a glance, and Ouyang Ke immediately got up and ran to Old Madam Li's side, saying, "Grandmother, the servants are ignorant and deserve to be reprimanded, but there's no need to get so angry. It's not worth harming your health over this!"

Old Madam Li was still angry, she pushed away Ouyang Ke's hand and turned to instruct the servants, "Hurry up!" Ouyang Nuan glanced at the pale-faced Ouyang Ke and subtly smirked.

Ouyáng Zhì had just seen off some guests in the front hall when he was urgently summoned by Lǎotàitai Li. Hurrying to the Songzhu Yuan, he entered to find the Old Madam with a stern expression. He immediately approached cautiously and asked, "What's the matter, Grandmother? Who dared to upset you?" He spoke with a hint of reproach as he glanced at his wife and daughters standing nearby.

Old Madam Li pointed at the two maids kneeling in the hall, displeased. "Ask your good wife what she's been up to. This Songzhu Yuan is almost turned upside down by those unruly things. What kind of mistress of the house is she if she can't even manage things properly?"

Ouyang Zhi was surprised. "What's going on? Wanru, what's happening?"

Madam Lin immediately began covering her face with a handkerchief, appearing sorrowful, remorseful, and genuinely apologetic. "Master, it's all my fault. I've been neglecting Jue'er recently because I've been busy with Nuan's illness. As a result, the servants in the courtyard have become more and more unruly, offending the Old Madam."

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Old Madam Li was angry before Ouyang Nuan even had a chance to speak. "Are you implying that Nuan shouldn't have saved Jue'er? Or that you, as the stepmother, are incapable of managing the inner courtyard?"

Zhang Mama, seeing Old Madam Li's face turn pale with anger, quickly interjected, "Master, it's understandable that Old Madam is upset. Today, she came here to enjoy the scenery, but her mood was ruined by these troublemakers. Xin Mama, why don't you speak up?"

Madam Zhang, who already detested these maids and servants, couldn't escape her own responsibility, so she decided to expose them all, adding fuel to the fire, "Master, these maids and servants usually dare not do any work. They just play around in the garden, neglecting their duties to tend to the house. They're incapable of handling even minor matters, yet they find the time to gossip and stir up trouble. I reprimanded them, but they all just talk back!"

Ouyang Zhi glanced suspiciously at Madam Lin, while Ouyang Nuan smiled and said, "Xin Mama, don't talk nonsense. Mother must have chosen the best servants to take care of my brother. Their current behavior is all because you haven't managed them properly."

Xin Mama also started to wipe her tears and said, "Miss, I'm not making things up. The servants in this courtyard are used to idleness. The young master is still young and doesn't know better. Those two maidservants, with eyes as high as the sky, dare to disrespect the master! Especially that Liu'er, she even said when she first came in that she would become the young master's concubine in the future, feeling even more noble..."

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Li was so furious that her eyes turned red, and she almost fainted on the spot, exclaiming, "What audacity! How could they even think of such things at Jue's age!"

"Is this really happening?!" Ouyang Zhi exclaimed in astonishment.

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Madam Lin glared fiercely at Xin Mama, wishing she could strangle her on the spot. However, in this situation, saying anything more would only make matters worse. She couldn't help but grip the armrest of her chair tightly, as if trying to dig a hole through it.

As Ouyang Ke felt anxious, she forced a smile and said, "Father, there's no need to worry. It's just some small matters. We'll deal with those unruly maids later. Why get angry? And as for Xin Mama, she's in charge here. If she wants to discipline the maids, they won't dare to disobey. Perhaps you've been too lenient with them, allowing the maids to take advantage of the situation?"

With just a few casual remarks, she intended to brush aside the matter. Ouyang Nuan, however, smirked coldly beside her. She had clearly miscalculated; trying to flatter her grandmother, who only had one grandson, was like patting a horse's leg and hitting a rock. How could her grandmother, who doted on her grandson so much, allow some unruly maids to harbor such ambitions, especially when her brother was only ten years old? It was like giving her grandmother a slap in the face in public. There was no way she would let it go so easily!

Old Madam Li was indeed furious, slamming her hand heavily on the table and raising her voice: "What kind of talk is this? What do you mean by 'minor matter'? Servants bullying their masters? Has the reputation of the Ouyang family sunk so low?!"

Ouyang Zhi immediately frowned and questioned Madam Lin, "How did you oversee this? With all the commotion in Jue'er's room, you didn't even bother to inquire?" 

Madam Lin replied with a sense of grievance, "I thought he was old enough, I can't interfere in everything..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Ouyang Zhi interrupted sharply, "Old enough? How old is Jue'er? You didn't even help control the servants, just stood by and watched?!" 

While he was angry, Ouyang Nuan remained calm and silent.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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