Chapter 131 – A Zhu? No, from now on it’s Nong Qin
This maidservant was none other than Jiang Pengji, the initial keeper of justice at the Liu Residence, the one who had been coerced by the house servant.
However, she recalled that she had already instructed the steward to transfer her from the heavily burdened kitchen to the pleasantly relaxed guest room.
The maidservant looked up, the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat, unsure of how to start.
The more she struggled to express herself, the more anxious she became, and the more anxious she was, the less she could control her mouth.
She expected to see the Young Master furious, feeling toyed with, but surprisingly, he gazed at her warmly, his eyes filled with gentle colors as he reassured her.
Jiang Pengji scanned her from head to toe, “Don’t be anxious, take your time and speak.”
Liu Residence’s rules weren’t overly strict, but everyone had their own work, and their range of activities was set.
Her hem and socks were caked in dry mud, fine as dust, while the garden was tended by the gardener, with wet earth that was clumpier and stickier. So, it was implied that the dust on her garments must have come from cleaning the guest room.
Currently, in the guest room of Liu Residence, only Meng Liang and his servant were present; the clothes the maidservant held were also Meng Liang’s…
Her attire was neat, her hair tidy with no signs of having been washed or disheveled, indicating she had fixed her hair in the morning and hadn’t touched it since. Though she showed signs of fluster, there was no hint of despair or shame. So, she wasn’t bullied by Meng Liang and his servant—then why was she here?
Jiang Pengji furrowed her brow slightly; thus, the only explanation left was that she had accidentally overheard the nonsensical chatter of that master and servant.
In just a moment, she had formed her judgment, and her voice softened even more.
“Take your time to think, say everything you have to say; I’m here to listen.”
The maidservant took a little time to calm down her inner tension and fear before she stammered out the gist of what she had heard.
Jiang Pengji listened, her expression maintained the same unchanging arc, as if the maidservant’s story were all within her expectations.
In fact… it was pretty much so; how could sweet words come from a dog’s mouth?
Similarly, how could scum like Meng Liang say anything good?
What could have scared this maidservant so much couldn’t be all that shocking.
After she finished, Jiang Pengji calmly nodded, “You can stay here tonight.”
The maidservant’s face paled suddenly, as if recalling something embarrassing.
Jiang Pengji understood she was misinterpreting and quickly added, “That master and servant, I will sort them out myself. They are not good people; if you continue to clean over in the guest room, you might be at a loss. I’ll speak to the steward tomorrow and have him transfer you to my courtyard. Your message was very timely; had you not warned me in advance, I wouldn’t have known they could be so utterly despicable.”
Naturally, the maidservant wouldn’t oppose this arrangement and felt a bit relieved in her heart.
Perhaps having been hurt before, she became more sensitive to the emotions of others—the master and servant were absolutely not good people. If she stayed there another day, she would be a nervous wreck. Moving to the Second Young Master’s courtyard was like a promotion; her treatment would surely be much better.
“Thank you, Young Master.”
Jiang Pengji asked, “What’s your name?”
“I… my humble name is A Zhu,” the maidservant answered respectfully.
As a rough servant in Liu Residence, the monthly wages varied significantly depending on one’s duties.
Overall, the treatment in the Second Young Master’s courtyard was the best; the wages for rough servant roles here were more than twice what she used to earn.
With that monthly silver, after sending some back home, she could still save a few copper coins as her own stash.
“A Zhu?” Jiang Pengji pondered then asked, “Is there any special meaning to it? Who gave you that name?”
The maidservant shook her head seriously, “Before entering the residence, I had no name; it was a kitchen matron who, seeing my plight, named me.”
“Since that’s the case, let’s change it.” Jiang Pengji thought for a moment, considering she already had Ta Xue and Xun Mei around, then added, “Nong Qin.”
The maidservant couldn’t read and didn’t know what characters made up ‘Nong Qin,’ but she could tell it sounded much nicer than A Zhu, especially since it was named by the Young Master himself.
Jiang Pengji wasn’t sleepy either, so she casually started chatting with Nong Qin.
“Do you often do hard work at home?”
“I have quite a bit of strength.” Despite her slightly frail appearance, her strength was indeed more than that of ordinary women; otherwise, she couldn’t have batted that house servant down with a red-painted wooden stick. However, with great strength, she also had a bigger appetite.
Jiang Pengji chuckled at her answer, complimenting her, “Having strength is a good thing.”
Nong Qin blushed slightly at the praise; she’d often been scolded by her parents for being such a big eater, while her grandmother viewed her as a bad omen, ultimately, some neighbor’s Tooth Matron sold her off; that not only got her selling prices but also monthly wages.
As for what kind of life Nong Qin would have in the future, her family never cared.
Jiang Pengji said to Nong Qin, “Do you want to learn martial arts with me?”
She intended to change this world one step at a time, starting from her side.
Who said women are less than men?
As long as she didn’t let her down, that would be enough.
Though starting martial arts at this age might be a bit late, what she wanted were not fears of death but strength; all other conditions could come later.
Nong Qin was astonished but nodded seriously.
Her life had been saved by the Young Master; it belonged to him.
“I want to!”
Jiang Pengji smiled, “Very good.”
Nong Qin had no idea why the Young Master was suddenly so cheerful, but seeing him happy made her feel joyful as well.
Even though it was just about elevating a rough maidservant, concerning the changes within Liu Residence’s staff, she still needed to inform the steward.
The next day, upon hearing the news, Ta Xue was left wide-eyed in surprise.
“The Young Master wants to personally teach her martial arts?”
“Not exactly personal instruction; just occasional guidance,” Jiang Pengji replied with a smile, “She’s just a silly girl.”
Thus, even if Jiang Pengji set up training that could be life-threatening, she would accomplish it, which was one of the major reasons for choosing her.
Ta Xue didn’t understand but saw her Young Master smirking with a hint of cunning, so she understood that he admired that maidservant.
Xun Mei, sitting nearby and doing some needlework, shot a glance that carried some discontent, “What’s a good young lady doing practicing martial arts and wielding weapons for? After marrying, how is she supposed to serve her in-laws? How can she manage a husband and raise children? If she can’t find a husband later, isn’t that your fault, Young Master?”
Jiang Pengji replied indifferently, “Why should she serve her in-laws or manage a husband and raise children?”
Xun Mei was about to deliver a solid argument but suddenly recalled the Young Master’s gender, her heart skipped a beat, realizing she had stirred up trouble.
“When did I not know that being filial has become synonymous with serving? A good young lady, cherished at home, once married has to behave like a servant for others? Why demean oneself?” Jiang Pengji scoffed, her previously uplifted mood darkening once more.
