A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

The carriage stopped in front of the Jinxiu Cloth Shop. Chen Wanxing led Yunzhu into the shop, where they saw the shop assistants busy, but Manager Liu was nowhere to be seen.

A young shop assistant approached, smiling before speaking: "Young lady, what kind of fabric would you like to see? We've just received a new batch of soft silk from Jiangnan, with the latest and most fashionable patterns."

"Young man, I'm not here to choose materials. I've come to visit Manager Liu. I wonder if he's in the shop right now?"

Chen Wanxing looked at him and smiled slightly: "My surname is Chen. I just returned from the capital. I used to know Steward Liu from the capital. I came here to pay him a visit since I was passing through this place. If he comes, please ask the waiter to inform him."

The shop assistant noticed her exquisite attire. As someone who worked in the fabric shop, he had a keen eye and immediately recognized the fabric Chen Wanxing was wearing. He knew it was probably brocade, a rare and precious material.

He dared not delay, and after serving the tea, he hurried to the back room to announce the arrival.

A moment later, hurried footsteps came from outside the shop, and the curtain was lifted with a "whoosh".

Manager Liu, slightly out of breath, strode in with a perfectly balanced look of surprise and apology on his face.

His gaze landed precisely on Chen Wanxing, who was sitting upright drinking tea, and he laughed loudly:

"Oh dear, my buddy came running in a hurry to tell me that a young lady surnamed Chen is looking for me. I was wondering which distinguished guest she was."

"So it's Miss Linglong! What a pleasure to have you in my humble abode!"

His warm words perfectly conveyed the surprise and welcome of someone who had just met an old friend, especially one from the capital.

Chen Wanxing put down his teacup, smiled, stood up, and curtsied: "Uncle Liu, it's been a long time. I apologize for disturbing you."

She spoke gently and humbly, giving the other person ample face.

"Not at all, please sit down, please sit down." Manager Liu led her to sit down again, and instructed the waiter to bring her better tea. Only then did he carefully examine her, his eyes filled with genuine inquiry.

"Why have you come to Kaifeng, young lady? Is there any business for you at the manor?"

Manager Liu asked tentatively, guessing that Chen Wanxing's sudden appearance here might be because the master or madam had some instructions.

"Uncle Liu, thank you for your concern. It was not sent by the manor. It was the lady who took pity on me because I had been away from home for many years and had not seen my relatives for many years. So she graciously returned me to my slave status and allowed me to go home and marry at my own discretion."

"I see. Madam is kind, and young lady is very fortunate." Steward Liu immediately cupped his hands in greeting, his tone still flattering, regardless of what he was really thinking.

"Yes," Chen Wanxing chimed in, letting out a soft sigh.

"Speaking of which, Amber was also brought back with me this time. As soon as she arrived in Kaifeng, she went back to the house of her uncles who served her in the old house."

We were exhausted from the long journey back, and Amber fell ill on the spot. We grew up together and have a special bond, but I always think about her.

"But since I came back, I haven't seen her come out at all. Uncle Liu, you have many connections and are well-informed, have you heard how she's been lately, is everything alright? I'm feeling a little uneasy."

Manager Liu put down his teacup, looked up at her, and his eyes held a genuine sense of bewilderment:

"Miss Amber? Forgive my ignorance, but the name sounds unfamiliar. Is she also a maid in the madam's quarters?"

Chen Wanxing immediately realized her rudeness and calmly explained:

"It's normal that Uncle Liu doesn't recognize her. Sister Amber was originally from the Madam's courtyard, but in the last few years she was transferred to serve the young master personally, and she rarely sees outsiders."

Speaking of which, the ones who have taken our places by Madam's side now are Qiuyue and Mingyue, whom I chose to serve her back then. They are reliable and Madam relies on them greatly. You've met Qiuyue before; she's the girl who used to be by my side.

At this point, Chen Wanxing gestured for Yunzhu to present the gift, and said naturally:

"This is a fan and a sheep-hair brush that the young master gave me before I left the capital. I'm just a young lady and I don't need them, so I'm just passing them on. Uncle Liu, please don't find them too bad."

She spoke casually, but Manager Liu, being a shrewd man, immediately understood the hidden meaning in her words.

They weren't expelled for committing a crime; they left the manor with dignity, still carrying gifts from their master. Especially considering the specific point Chen Wanxing made later.

Serving the young master "personally" and rarely seeing outsiders—the implications of this are quite profound.

His expression immediately became more serious, and he looked at Chen Wanxing with greater concern.

"Madam and Young Master are truly kind-hearted," he remarked, before steer the conversation back to Amber. "You mentioned Miss Amber earlier. Do you know which family in the old manor her relatives belong to?"

"It's the Zhou family, who work in the stables of the old house," Chen Wanxing replied.

"The Zhou family? The Zhou family of the stables?" Manager Liu's eyebrows twitched, and a look of understanding appeared on his face.

After learning about the value and background of amber, his feelings about the gossip he had heard were completely different.

He tapped his knuckles on the table and pondered, "Now that you mention it, I've remembered some rumors. I heard that a niece from the Zhou family recently returned from the capital, and it seems they had a rather unpleasant argument over money."

Lately, there have been even more rumors circulating. Is this niece who returned from the capital really Miss Amber?

Everyone says that Zhou Laosan is so desperate for that managerial position that he's practically obsessed with it, and he's probably going to set his sights on his own niece.

He wasn't clear about the specifics of the plan before, thinking that even if it was his niece who had returned from the capital, they were just ordinary people and wouldn't have much money. But now he could guess the details pretty accurately.

Although he didn't know much about the amber, he could guess something from Linglong's appearance, since he had dealt with her directly before.

A favored head maidservant in a noble family in Kyoto is more respectable than some proper daughters of minor officials.

Besides, that amber was the one who served the young master, so even if we ignore everything else, its color must be quite good.

Those of them who frequently dealt with the old house all knew that the Third Master of the East Courtyard was a womanizer.

However, the Zhou family's actions seem rather unwise.

After thinking for a moment about how to say it, Manager Liu lowered his voice and said:

"Their eldest son has been working in the stables of the old house for more than ten years, and now he is racking his brains to get the position of purchasing manager next to the third master in the east courtyard."

That's a very lucrative position; their family has been running around trying to secure it lately, and they've spent a lot of money on it.

Chen Wanxing understood immediately, but after thinking for a moment, she frowned and said, "That girl Amber is a bit arrogant, but she should still have some savings. If it's just for money, then it's not a big problem."

Manager Liu's smile faded slightly. He slowly put down his teacup, looked up at her, and his gaze held a subtle, unspoken meaning. In the end, he still offered another word of advice.

"The Third Master of the East Courtyard is most fond of beautiful women; he has already welcomed six concubines in his courtyard."