The next day when I saw Liu, half of her face was still swollen.
Chu Miaomiao sat beside her with red eyes, feeling sorry for her mother and complaining about her father.
Chu Zhiyi glanced at her face and said only one sentence, “Oh, Mother got slapped!”
Liu almost bit her teeth to pieces.
Sister…
I’m not your sister! You should call me Eldest Miss.
Chu Miaomiao dug into her palm fiercely, Eldest Miss doesn’t comfort Mother when she sees her, why are her words so harsh?
Chu Zhiyi sighed, I grew up in the countryside and don’t have much education, so I can’t speak in a refined way. But I still feel sorry for her. If I were a son, I would definitely have the courage to stand up for my mother, but unfortunately, I am a daughter and don’t have any older or younger brothers. Mother has suffered this loss and there is no one to help her seek justice, alas!
Liu’s heart skipped a beat, and the words Chu Zheng said to her during their quarrel last night were still in her ears.
Son…
He, Chu Zheng, wanted a son.
She couldn’t give birth, but there were plenty of women outside who could.
He had a persona of not being interested in women, but she knew best whether he loved women or not. He would take a second look at any slightly attractive maid who was bought into the house, and she would immediately get rid of them once she found out.
But she could guard against thieves in the house, but she couldn’t guard against those outside!
Chu Miaomiao also noticed the change in Liu’s face, and she suddenly remembered that the deposed Crown Prince had been reinstated and Chu Zheng’s official position had risen.
Although she was locked up by that pervert Lan Huaiyu, she could still hear about things outside.
She was not Chu Zheng’s biological daughter, but she needed a strong maternal family, so she had to support Chu Zheng and let him have a smooth career and be willing to work for her.
Liu was just a housewife in the inner courtyard and couldn’t help her much. It was more important to win over Chu Zheng.
He wanted to have a son, so she had to stand on his side and let him know that she was wholeheartedly with him.
The two of them had their own thoughts, and the corners of Chu Zhiyi’s lips curved up.
Because of the disturbance last night, Liu had found the key point in Chu Zheng’s words. Indeed, neither side could be offended. If the Chu family treated one side unfairly in the matter of dowry, they would probably be resented.
She had already calculated in her heart that she would kill Chu Zhiyi once she was married off, and it was a pity for those dowries.
But compared to money, solving her was the most important thing.
So she prepared the same dowry for both of them impartially.
Seeing Chu Zhiyi holding the list upside down, Chu Miaomiao secretly sneered, but said softly, Eldest Miss doesn’t know how to read, would Miaomiao like to read it to you?
No need. Mother, are there any literate people among the dowry servants prepared for me?
Two upper-class maids and two rough maids and an old woman were prepared. As for literacy… the two upper-class maids know some.
She frowned unhappily, then got up and took the list out.
She met a servant when she walked out of the courtyard and asked if they knew how to read? How many words do they know?
Finally, she asked a twelve-year-old boy, and he read the entire dowry list completely.
Chu Zhiyi nodded, It’s you.
She took the person to Liu and said that she would add a servant to her dowry.
Liu was a little embarrassed, because she knew that this servant was assigned to Xiaomei’s younger brother, Xiaoshun, who was a rough maid assigned to Chu Zhiyi. It was originally a backup plan, but if she took him away…
Mother doesn’t agree? I’ve asked, the most literate person among the Chu family’s servants is the chief steward. If you don’t agree with me taking this servant, then I’ll kidnap the chief steward.
…
If Xiaomei’s move was ruined, then so be it. The four maids and one old woman she arranged were all her people, and they were very clear about their tasks.
Liu nodded in agreement.
Chu Zhiyi immediately reached out, Give me their contracts. From now on, I am their master. Once they disobey, it is in accordance with the rules for me to crush their contracts and kill them.
She didn’t expect her to be so demanding.
Liu didn’t want to give it, and used various reasons to finally reveal that their contracts were all with the chief steward.
Without saying a word, Chu Zhiyi went to rob the chief steward.
Liu quickly told people to notify the chief steward not to give the contract to Chu Zhiyi no matter what, but where was the chief steward, who was over half a century old, a match for her?
He was kicked in the butt and lay on the ground for a long time without getting up, and the bandit had already found the contract.
The literate boy Xiaoshun always followed her, accurately finding the contracts of the dowry personnel.
Then they swaggered away.
Xiaomei was very happy to know that her younger brother Xiaoshun was also going to be a dowry, they were sold to the Chu family at a young age, she worked as a rough maid and he did odd jobs in the master’s study.
It was because of this opportunity that he became literate, and no one deliberately taught him, but relied entirely on his clever mind.
Looking at the laughter of the siblings, a stone in Chu Zhiyi’s heart also fell to the ground.
She couldn’t let this boy die in vain in this life, it was safer to keep him by her side.
Because Chu Zhiyi took away the contracts of the dowry personnel, Chu Miaomiao also had an idea.
She also had to hold the contracts of her dowry in her own hands.
So she euphemistically asked Liu for it.
Liu’s face also changed slightly, looking at her beautiful and gentle daughter who she had raised for sixteen years, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have raised an ingrate.
Mother, you also know that the First Prince’s mansion must have a complex staff. If the people I bring over don’t wholeheartedly work for me and think that there is still a way out if something happens, wouldn’t my situation be very dangerous? I have to hold their lifelines so that they can be loyal, don’t you think?
What she said made sense, but how could Liu not see through her little thoughts.
She agreed with a faint expression and told her to go to the chief steward to get it herself.
Watching Chu Miaomiao leave, Liu’s face completely sank, Call Chen Mama here.
Chen Mama, the old woman who had been serving Liu for a long time, came over.
Keep an eye on her, and report everything to me. Be my eyes and ears and executioner. If you do well, your little grandson will have a wealthy future. Otherwise, a child won’t grow up with only money, and he won’t be able to enjoy it.
Chen Mama’s face changed drastically and she kowtowed, Madam, don’t worry, this old servant will always be loyal to Madam and will never have any disloyal intentions. This old servant will not hesitate to do whatever Madam wants me to do.
Liu smiled, Good.
One or two girls really think that they can turn people into their own by holding their contracts, but they don’t know that she controls their lifelines.
Chu Miaomiao successfully got the contracts, but she couldn’t help but snort coldly when she thought of Liu’s fading expression.
After all, she wasn’t her own mother, and there were thousands of mountains between them.
When the Crown Prince is reinstated and her status is elevated, let’s see if Liu still has the guts to give her attitude.
But it also strengthened her idea that she should show goodwill to Chu Zheng and firmly win him over. As long as the official father is always there, the stepmother can be replaced at will!