diskusbooks Chapter 454 Troublesome Things at the Estate
Chapter 454 Troublesome Things at the Estate
Dongfang Jin was getting a headache from their noise; it seemed there was no need to keep this courtyard any longer.
She decided to demolish and rebuild, imitating the style of Mingyue Villa, as this place was too small and the houses were too short.
"Yu Ying, go and call over the child that Steward Qi and the others were talking about."
If there's a contract of servitude, send that old woman to the authorities and accuse her of fraud.
"If there's no indenture, send that kid away. The estate doesn't keep people without indentures."
If such a person exists in Zhuangzi, there will certainly be no peace in the future.
She also wanted to build a fruit-picking garden on the estate, but if guests came and encountered people like this again, it would damage the estate's reputation.
She wouldn't leave such a hidden danger unresolved and cause herself trouble.
Yu Ying nodded and stood up. In a flash, she disappeared from the spot.
Watching Yu Ying disappear, Yueying felt envious, as Yu Ying was one of the earliest people to follow her master.
"Sister Yuying's martial arts skills have improved again."
Dongfang Jin hummed in agreement, her hands continuing their work. She had heard Long Er say before that the Martial Grandmaster realm was the highest level of martial arts on this continent.
Now, thanks to her, many grandmasters have been created.
Ruyi then said, "Above the Grandmaster level are the Vajra Realm, Saint Realm, Celestial Realm, Pseudo-Land Immortal Realm, Land Immortal Realm, and Immortal Realm, which also have four levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Peak."
"Didn't you say that?" Dongfang Jin rubbed his forehead in exasperation. Was this guy no longer upset?
Upon seeing her master, Yueying hummed in response and wisely stopped pursuing the topic.
"Judging by the days, Sister Qingying and Xialan should be back by now, right?"
"Yes, they should be back soon. Dai An and the others took over those matters with ease, and they'll be back in a day or two," Dongfang Jin replied with a smile.
After saying that, she glanced at Yueying and shook her head helplessly. She knew exactly what Yueying was thinking: "Once all the residual poison in you, Qingying, and Lüying is cleared from your bodies, you will be just like Yuying."
These royal guards were given an antidote every month from a young age, after which they were given poison.
Since following her, Ruyi made them sign a life-or-death contract.
If any of them harbored any thoughts of betrayal, they would die bleeding from all seven orifices.
Therefore, we should detoxify them and let them live normal lives.
"Yes, yes, thank you, Master," Yueying said excitedly. She was truly glad that she had chosen to follow her master.
The two old women were still arguing, and Dongfang Jin was losing patience. She glanced to the south.
Butler Qi led Gu Chenglin to the large estate at the foot of the mountain, which was the newest, largest, and most luxurious of the three estates.
Gu Chenglin went to pack in advance, planning that his family would live there from now on.
Coincidentally, there was an indoor hot spring pool behind that house. I heard that my father-in-law built that hot spring pool specifically for my stepmother-in-law.
However, her stepmother-in-law never came, so the door over there was never opened.
Occasionally, his father-in-law's bodyguards would come to clean.
Song Cuicui, the daughter-in-law of Steward Qi, had just entered the courtyard when she heard Dongfang Jin's displeased words.
Ignoring her mother-in-law, she strode over and gave a perfunctory bow: "Second Young Madam, this old woman from the Lin family is a scoundrel."
Back then, my father-in-law took pity on that child and did it out of kindness, so…
Dongfang Jin raised his hand to interrupt her. This woman had no awareness of being a servant.
He looked up and asked coldly, "Did they sign indenture contracts when they bought and sold people?"
When Song Cuicui saw her ask this question, she seemed a little dazed, but then she rolled her eyes around.
He forced a smile through gritted teeth: "There was a contract of servitude back then, but that contract was fake..."
This second young mistress doesn't look very old. I heard from my father-in-law that she is the second young master's second wife.
Judging from her appearance, she's probably a vixen.
Thinking of this, he straightened up and pursed his lips.
Dongfang Jin tossed the skewers onto the rack and looked up at Song Cuicui: "So, that person didn't have a contract of servitude?"
Upon receiving Dongfang Jin's gaze, Song Cuicui took a step back in fright and subconsciously said, "Reporting to Second Young Madam, yes... but last time she came to cause trouble, Father-in-law signed a long-term labor contract for her..."
After saying that, he lowered his head. The woman's eyes were terrifying; she had just…
"You mean this person has come to ask for money more than once?" Dongfang Jin raised an eyebrow, but her eyes were cold.
If they can't even handle this small matter, she wouldn't mind replacing the people on the estate with her own.
She would send all these people to her father-in-law; she couldn't afford to keep them.
To be honest, she didn't want these people in the first place, but she was just trying to save face.
Song Cuicui frowned, feeling a chill in her heart. This second young mistress was indeed as difficult to deal with as the rumors suggested.
However? She wasn't afraid of her, since her father-in-law and mother-in-law were both old members of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.
but?
It wouldn't be bad to get rid of that old woman from the Lin family through her, and it would be even better to drive those disobedient brats out of the village as well.
"Yes, he comes every few days, always bringing up filial piety, and always asking Xiaobing for money because of it."
But... we can't stop other people's children from fulfilling their filial duties..."
Dongfang Jin ignored her after hearing this.
Two old women were still arguing at the door, while several children gathered together, eating, drinking, and watching the commotion.
Dongfang Jin watched all this with a heavy heart. A happy reunion had been ruined by such a troubling matter.
Yueying watched all this with a furrowed brow, thinking that even such a small matter couldn't be handled properly by Steward Qi.
Moreover, watching the two old women arguing so fiercely, spitting as they spoke, she had an urge to kill them.
To be fair, the Qi family, being servants of the Rongguo Duke's mansion, were of impeccable character.
But now... looking at her daughter-in-law, she seems a bit petty.
"Master, what do you think of these people?"
Dongfang Jin stared at the food on the grill: "We'll talk about it later."
At this moment, Yu Ying appeared: "Master—"
Behind her followed Gu Chenglin with a gloomy face, Steward Qi, who was running and sweating profusely, as well as Lin Xiaobing and several other servants who came running up behind them.
"Xiao Jin—" Gu Chenglin saw his wife's dark face and the way she was grilling meat seemed to be venting her anger.
"Butler Qi, what's going on—"
Butler Qi wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked over at his wife, who was still arguing with the old woman from the Lin family.
He was at his wit's end.
Then he recounted the whole story of the Lin family.
The Lin family are villagers from Linjia Village at the foot of the Royal Temple Mountain.
Lin Xiaobing has three older sisters, because the Lin family strongly favored sons over daughters.
His three older sisters were sold by his grandmother one after another, and Xiaobing's mother was injured during childbirth.
When Xiaobing was five months old, he could no longer hold on and passed away.
This woman is Lin Xiaobing's stepmother, and also Lin Xiaobing's grandmother's niece.
Because her husband was bedridden due to illness, she not only refused to take care of him, but also frequently abused him.
When her in-laws found out, they kicked her out because she had nowhere to go.
This old woman brought her eight-year-old son with her when she married into her cousin's family in Linjia Village.
However, after marrying Lin Mao, she was very favored by the old lady of the Lin family because of her sweet words.
Lin Mao was the third child in his family. He was honest and kind, and also very filial, always listening to his mother.
You could say that his mother's words were like an imperial edict.
In order to gain a foothold in the Lin family, this old woman spread rumors in Linjia Village, saying that Lin Xiaobing was a jinx who would bring misfortune to his mother.
His mother died because he was considered a jinx.
Gradually, Lin Xiaobing's status at home declined.
It can be said that he was frequently abused by his stepmother and her son in the Lin family.
Finally, because her eldest son from her ex-husband's previous marriage came to ask her for money for his wedding, this stepmother sold Lin Xiaobing without hesitation.
However, when Granny Lin brought the soldiers to the manor, she was carrying a contract of indenture.
Qi Zhong was too soft-hearted for a moment, and bought it in order to save Lin Xiaobing's life.
But Dongfang Jin didn't believe that Qi Zhong meant well; there must be something else going on.
Two years later, Granny Lin suddenly came to Lin Xiaobing's door, bringing with her many people from Linjia Village.
They said that Lin Xiaobing's grandmother had passed away, and instead of going back to fulfill his filial duties, the boy was enjoying himself on the farm. They scolded him for being unfilial and an ingrate.
Qi Zhong took out the indenture that Lin Xiaobing had given him from Granny Lin and came out to explain.
To everyone's surprise, Granny Lin said that the indenture was fake, and Qi Zhong then realized that he had been tricked.