High-class maid

"In reply to Miss Shen, my lord wished to reminisce with you, but seeing that you had guests at home, he waited outside. Now that the guests have left, he would like to ask if it is convenient for you," the maid said respectfully.

It turned out that Zhang Yuzhu had arrived long ago, but the maid and servant she sent to knock on the door heard arguing coming from her house and left.

"I've kept you waiting, Lord Xiang. Please come in quickly, please come in quickly, sister, please go and invite him in." Shen Xing'er said with delight.

"I dare not accept such praise." The little maid curtsied to Shen Xing'er and went back to deliver the message with a smile.

Shen Xing'er went back to her room to inform her parents. When Shen Kun and Wang Shi learned that Zhang Yuzhu was coming, they hurriedly cleaned the hall. Shen Kun then went out to buy charcoal.

Just as Shen Xing'er and Madam Wang were busy, the maid who had delivered the message earlier came over and lifted the curtain. A clear, melodious tinkling sound of jade pendants wafted through the air. Then, a faint fragrance drifted in on the breeze.

Two women dressed in fine clothes walked in, supporting each other. Shen Xing'er looked closely and realized that they were Zhang Yuzhu and her mother, Madam Huang.

"Lord Xiang, Madam, you've arrived. Please have a seat." Madam Wang wiped her wet hands and pointed to the stool beside her.

"My home is simple, please don't mind." Shen Xing'er took two soft cushions from inside the house and thoughtfully placed them on the stool.

"Good girl, stop working. I didn't tell you in advance because I was afraid you'd work too hard. Sit down, sister." Huang took the broom from Wang's hand and pulled her to sit down on the stool.

"Madam, please don't call me that. I'm just a servant. You mustn't lower yourself to that level," Wang said in a panic.

Huang patted her hand to comfort her: "Everyone has a conscience. The learning of sages is to cultivate this conscience. Those who cultivate it naturally become sages, those who cultivate it reluctantly become virtuous, and those who refuse to cultivate it become fools. Before conscience, everyone is equal. You are no worse than anyone else."

Wang said embarrassedly, "I am an illiterate woman and cannot understand what you are saying."

Zhang Yuzhu chuckled and said, "My mother says you're a good person, and you deserve that title."

At this moment, Shen Xing'er came over with a cup of freshly brewed tea and said, "Madam, Lady, we don't have any good tea at home, please make do with this."

“We don’t need to be so polite. I’m honored to call you sister, so please call me sister from now on,” said Madam Huang.

“This…is somewhat inappropriate.” Madam Wang came from a high-ranking family and was very particular about the distinction between superiors and inferiors. It was rather awkward for a servant like herself to address a noblewoman as “elder sister.”

"It's alright. Xing'er, don't call her Xiangjun anymore. Just call her Zhu'er," Huang said.

"Yes." Shen Xing'er curtsied to Madam Huang. Since others had repeatedly asked her, it would be ungrateful of her to refuse again. Rather than being ungrateful, she should be generous and open.

Madam Huang looked at Shen Xing'er with satisfaction, and teased Madam Wang, "Look, look, you're not as sensible as Xing'er."

Madam Wang rolled her eyes at Shen Xing'er and said, "That girl of hers has always been a bit arrogant and ignorant."

"That's good! If she stayed in her boudoir and acted hesitantly, how could Xing'er have become Yuzhu's benefactor? Our Great Qin needs these women warriors!" Huang praised.

"Sister, stop praising her. This girl will get ungrateful again," said Madam Wang.

Just as the two were exchanging pleasantries, Shen Kun, who had gone to the market to buy charcoal, returned. He was carrying a charcoal brazier and went straight to the kitchen to heat the charcoal until it was red-hot.

"I'm so sorry to have troubled you two to wait so long in the carriage. It's too cold at home, please warm your hands," Shen Kun said, placing the charcoal brazier in front of them.

Seeing how sincerely Shen Xing'er's family treated her and her daughter, and even bought them the finest silver charcoal, Huang's smile became even more genuine. She said, "Thank you so much for coming all this way in this cold weather."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all. I'm used to running around all day on duty." Shen Kun nodded secretly when he saw that the charcoal was indeed smokeless, just as the boss had said.

"You guys have a private chat, I'm going out for a bit," Shen Kun said before leaving.

He planned to book two tables at the best restaurant on the street. The mother and daughter, in order to see them, did not put on airs and invite them into their home. Instead, they came by carriage. Seeing that they were dealing with family matters, they waited for a long time outside the alley. It felt really good to be valued.

"I don't know when you and Zhu'er arrived at the alley entrance? I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting in the cold wind for so long," Wang said apologetically.

“We arrived a while ago, but we heard arguing coming from inside the house, so we waited in the carriage for a while. We wonder what happened?” Madam Huang asked.

Zhang Yuzhu whispered to Shen Xing'er, "There are hand warmers and charcoal braziers in the carriage, so it's not cold."

Shen Xing'er replied softly, "It's good that you're not cold."

Seeing how close the two girls were, Wang felt a little embarrassed to speak, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "Don't laugh at me, sister, it's just some family matters." After saying that, she recounted what Pang had done that day.

"Are there really grandmothers in the world who don't love their grandchildren?" Zhang Yuzhu asked first.

It's no wonder she was so puzzled, because the princess had been so good to her; she found it hard to imagine a grandmother speaking of her granddaughter in such a way.

“That’s right. Perhaps it’s because Xing’er is a woman, or perhaps it’s because we are just servants, while her second son is a scholar,” Wang said dejectedly.

"What's wrong with scholars? What's wrong with servants? If he's so high and mighty, why doesn't he go and earn his own money? He relies on you on one hand, and then looks down on you and schemes against you on the other. How can someone be so fickle?" Huang had never been bullied by her mother-in-law before, so she felt indignant on her behalf.

"Sister, don't get angry over someone who's unrelated to us. We've already separated the family, so she can't drag us down anymore," Wang comforted her.

"Zhu'er and I came here today to repay you." Madam Huang hated beating around the bush, so she stated her purpose directly.

"Absolutely not! You've already given us so much silver, you don't owe us anything anymore!" Madam Wang waved her hands repeatedly in fright.

Madam Huang smiled and said, "What can cold silver do? If I had a choice, I would definitely not want this wealth and status, but rather be like you, living a simple and down-to-earth life, which is the most comforting thing for ordinary people."

Shen Xing'er thought to herself: Is this the trouble of the rich? I like cold silver, hurry up and throw it at me!

Wang did not respond, because she never felt that silver was cold.

"How about I help you get rid of your slave status?" Huang threw out a bolt from the blue.

Zhang Yuzhu looked at Shen Xing'er with sparkling eyes, as if to say: Are you satisfied with this gift?

"Release, release from slavery?" Wang was so shocked she couldn't speak.