Chu Huan panicked, pointing at the servants and cursing: “Don’t listen to her! She is driving a wedge between us! The Old Madam won’t let you off!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than someone emerged from the crowd.
The man was in his twenties, sturdy and broad-shouldered—it was Tong Meng, one of the estate’s security guards.
He walked up to Wen Lingrao, cupped his hands, and asked, “Does the Heir’s wife keep her word?”
Wen Lingrao looked at him and nodded: “Naturally.”
Without a second thought, Tong Meng turned and strode toward Chu Huan.
Chu Huan backed away in terror: “Tong Meng! You dare! I am—”
Before he could finish, Tong Meng grabbed him by the collar, lifted him up as easily as if he were a chick, and marched toward the courtyard gate.
Chu Huan struggled desperately, kicking and flailing, but his strength was nothing compared to Tong Meng’s.
With a bang, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Tong Meng threw him aside casually. Chu Huan flew out, crashing heavily onto the ground outside.
After rolling a few times, he lay there, groaning and unable to get up.
Tong Meng clapped his hands, walked back, and saluted Wen Lingrao: “Heir’s wife, the person has been thrown out.”
Wen Lingrao smiled and said to Banxia: “Give one hundred taels of silver to Guard Tong.”
Banxia picked up four silver ingots from the ground and handed them to Tong Meng. Tong Meng took them, weighed them in his hand, and grinned: “Thank you for the reward, Heir’s wife!”
With this, the courtyard completely exploded in chaos!
That was real gold and silver! A solid hundred taels!
The remaining servants and maids had eyes burning with envy, wishing they had been the ones to rush out.
A few quick-witted ones already ran out of the courtyard, hoping to pick up a bargain.
Although Chu Huan had been thrown out, he still had a few cronies with him!
Sure enough, a commotion erupted outside.
Chu Huan’s cronies were just trying to help him up when they were surrounded by the servants who had rushed out.
The leader was a man named Wang Hu, who usually kept close to Chu Huan, but this time he was the first to rush up and punch Chu Huan, knocking him back to the ground.
“You dog, you usually throw your weight around relying on your status as steward—I’ve hated your guts for a long time!”
Once someone took the lead, the rest swarmed in, fists and feet flying.
Chu Huan curled into a ball, shielding his head, shrieking like a slaughtered pig. His cronies tried to run but were blocked and beaten as well.
In the midst of the chaos, a young maid suddenly squeezed out from the crowd and ran to Wen Lingrao, falling to her knees with a thud.
Wen Lingrao looked down; it was a young girl of fifteen or sixteen, with delicate features and bright, observant eyes—she looked clever.
“Heir’s wife, this servant is Hongying! I beg you to take me in!” The young girl kowtowed and looked up with a smile: “I wanted to hit Steward Chu just now, but I couldn’t squeeze in. However, I did slap his face!”
As she said this, she extended her right hand, palms open to show Wen Lingrao. Her palm was red, looking very much like she had indeed struck someone.
Wen Lingrao raised an eyebrow: “You hit him?”
Hongying nodded earnestly: “I squeezed through the chaos and slapped him right across the face. It made such a loud sound!”
The maids nearby couldn’t help but laugh.
Wen Lingrao laughed too.
She sized up the young girl, feeling a spark of interest. In such a chaotic situation, the fact that this girl could think of slapping Chu Huan and then specifically run over to tell her about it—that showed guts.
“What is your name? Where do you work?”
Hongying quickly replied: “My name is Hongying. I previously worked in the embroidery room, responsible for sewing clothes for the masters of the estate. I have been here for three years, I am diligent, and I never slack off.”
Wen Lingrao nodded and asked: “You hit Chu Huan, are you not afraid that he will find trouble for you later?”
Hongying blinked: “The Heir’s wife just said that those who took the silver could come and work in your courtyard. I don’t want the silver; I just want to serve in your courtyard. No matter how powerful Chu Huan is, he wouldn’t dare come to your courtyard to cause trouble, right?”
Wen Lingrao laughed genuinely this time.
This girl was not only bold but also smart.
She said to Banxia: “Take her down and arrange a place for her. From now on, she will work in my courtyard.”
Hongying was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly: “Thank you, Heir’s wife! Thank you, Heir’s wife!”
Over there, the farce outside the courtyard was also coming to an end. Chu Huan was beaten black and blue, supported by his few cronies, and limped away.
The rest of the crowd returned, unsatisfied, staring longingly at the silver on the ground.
Wen Lingrao did not hesitate and had Banxia distribute the silver by head count. Everyone who had laid a hand on him was rewarded with ten taels.
Before long, a significant portion of the chest of silver was gone. Those who had received the silver were all beaming with joy, unable to close their mouths.
“Alright, disperse,” Wen Lingrao waved her hand. “Go back and keep your mouths shut. Know what should be said and what shouldn’t.”
The crowd responded in unison, happily scattering.
Wen Lingrao went into the room and sat on the kang. Just as she picked up her tea, the system’s voice echoed in her mind.
【Ding—Task completed. Initiating rating settlement.】
Wen Lingrao paused her movements, pricking up her ears to listen.
【The Host has successfully defused the crisis of the husband’s family seizing the dowry, disintegrated the siege by the steward Chu Huan, and subjugated some servants to establish an initial power base. Based on a comprehensive system assessment, the task rating is: B-Level.】
Wen Lingrao frowned: “B-Level?”
【Yes, Host. The B-Level reward is a temporary 1-hour ‘Primary Mind-Reading’ skill, effective immediately.】
Wen Lingrao felt something move lightly in her brain, as if a small window had been opened.
She tried looking to the side; Banxia was standing there, thinking to herself, “The Heir’s wife was truly amazing just now; that silver was worth spending.”
Wen Lingrao raised an eyebrow and looked at another maid. She was thinking, “The silver ingots on the ground haven’t been picked up; I need to get someone to collect them.”
It really was mind-reading.
But she couldn’t be bothered to be happy about it; her mind was full of that B-level rating.
“Why is it only a B-level?” she asked the system inwardly. “I spent so much silver and handled things perfectly—how is it only a B?”
【The system’s criteria include multiple dimensions: task difficulty, completion degree, Host’s personal involvement, influence, etc. In this task, the Host mainly relied on financial offensive and the force of others to solve problems; your direct personal involvement was low, hence the rating was affected.】
Wen Lingrao understood.
So, it was complaining that she hadn’t gotten her own hands dirty?
She recalled the process just now. Aside from that one kick, she really hadn’t done much.
Tong Meng had thrown the man; Hongying had slapped the face; the group of housekeepers had done the beating.
She had just been the one throwing money.
“Fine, I’ll remember that,” Wen Lingrao nodded inwardly. “Next time, I’ll have to do it myself; I can’t just let others do the work.”
【The Host having such an epiphany is highly gratifying to the system. It is recommended that the Host keep up the good work and strive for a higher rating to obtain richer rewards.】
Wen Lingrao smiled, put down her teacup, stood up, and walked out.
Banxia asked hurriedly: “Heir’s wife, where are you going?”
Wen Lingrao said: “Going out for some fresh air.”
She exited the room and walked into the courtyard. The silver ingots on the ground had mostly been picked up, and a few young maids were sweeping with brooms.
Seeing her come out, they all saluted in a hurry.
Wen Lingrao waved her hand and glanced toward the courtyard gate.
The gate was half-open, and faint groaning sounds could be heard from outside.