On the Difficulties of Escape in Ancient Times

Chapter 368 Return to Home 3
Xiao Xiao guessed correctly.

Madam Li asked someone to come and not only buy people, but also sell a lot of people.

She also liked to punish people collectively. If someone in her family committed a crime, she would sell out the entire family.

Otherwise, who knows if the family members will hold a grudge and do something secretly.

After all, their food, clothing, housing and transportation all depend on the care of maids and old women. It is too easy for them to do anything about it.

Even if the poison doesn't kill you, it will make you sick to death.

However, she only chose to attack five servants out of more than twenty people.

Two of them are the housekeepers of the inner courtyard. Together with their husbands and children, there are thirteen of them.

The other two women were widows and widows, whom she specially selected. Right there in the yard, she ordered them to be taken to the front yard and beaten half to death before being sold.

This will serve as a warning to the elderly who are left behind, as well as the newly bought maids, old women and servants.

After dragging the two half-dead old women out, Madam Li said that everyone had been living in fear these days and it had not been easy, so she would make two sets of winter clothes for each of them and add a meat dish to every meal.

This made all the servants in the mansion feel relieved. Among them, there were also some dishonest people, but when the general returned to the mansion earlier, they immediately and quietly put back all the stolen ornaments, calligraphy and paintings.

But I am also afraid of being held accountable later, and even more afraid of being wrongly accused of taking too much.

Now that the madam has said that she will not pursue the matter, it feels like they have been saved.

Even if something like this happens again next time, I guess they won’t dare to steal again.

However, Xiao Xiao did learn from Mrs. Li's way of managing people.

No rules, no standards.

She is not a particularly smart person, does not have great courage, and does not have much ability. She does not have the ability to overthrow the current system, so she can only integrate into it.

It was impossible for her to treat the maids as her own sisters. Xiao Xiu and Xiao Lian were her sisters.

There are no demon spirits or demon Erling here, but there is the supremacy of imperial power.

When she moves into a separate residence in the future, she will also have to manage the inner house, so she must learn some things now.

Xiao Xiao ate dinner alone first.

Anyway, Li Yan told me not to wait for him.

Xiao Xiao always keeps in mind anything that is beneficial to her.

She can definitely be lenient to herself and strict to others.

After she had eaten her fill, she took a nice bath, leaning against the incense burner and letting the maids wipe her hair with a towel.

Bathing in winter is indeed time-consuming and laborious. No wonder myself and the people I know rarely bathe in winter.

My hair is long, so it is difficult to wash it. My winter clothes are mostly stuffed with cotton, so they become very heavy when they come into contact with water. It is really tiring to wash them.

And if the weather is bad, the clothes can only be dried in a fumigation cage, which not only wastes charcoal, but also requires someone to watch over them, otherwise they might be ruined by the fumigation.

Anyway, at this moment, Xiao Xiao was particularly grateful that she had married Li Yan, so that she could live such a good life with everything provided for her.

Therefore, when Li Yan came back under the moonlight, Xiao Xiao was particularly concerned and asked about his well-being: "Husband, you are finally back. It must be very cold outside. I asked them to prepare noodles and chicken soup. Would you like to have some to warm yourself up?"

It happened that she felt a little hot sitting next to the incense burner, so she stood up and poured him a cup of red date and longan tea: "Husband, have a cup of tea first."

Although they didn't have a small kitchen in their yard, there were several charcoal stoves for making tea, heating water, cooking noodles, and stewing soup.

The charcoal that was distributed to the public was not much, and they had to buy it separately. This time, no matter whether it was the rebels or the "traitors" behind them, they looked down on the charcoal in Xiao Xiao's yard, so it was enough for Xiao Xiao to use for a while.

Li Yan took the fruit tea she handed to him, and his heart couldn't help but be moved when he touched her warm and smooth hands.

When he goes home, he can see his wife and hear her words of concern for him, which makes him understand why some people say that their dream in life is to have a wife, children and a warm bed.

Li Yan drank the fruit tea in one gulp: "Then can you give me a bowl of chicken noodle soup?"

The maid Meng Hui was just outside the room. When she heard what he said, she said "yes" and walked out.

The dough has been kneaded long ago, it has been cut here, and the chicken soup over there is about to boil.

By the time Li Yan took off his cloak, washed his face, changed into casual clothes, he came out and had the hot noodles.

The chicken soup was what Xiao Xiao had left over from dinner. There were also a few pieces of chicken and a boiled egg, making it a full bowl.

Li Yan ate all the soup and praised, "This chicken noodle soup tastes good."

"You are so thoughtful that you asked someone to make chicken soup."

This is Xiao Xiao's concern for him, and his young wife is thinking about him.

Xiao Xiao didn't have the heart to tell him the truth about the chicken soup, so she shamelessly agreed: "You're working hard outside, how can I not miss you?"

Then he talked about Madam Li's instructions: "Mother asked me to ask you today, is there any news about my second brother?"

Yan's mother came to clean up the dishes, Menghui served tea, and then they both left and closed the door.

Li Yan drank two more sips of fruit tea before speaking, "Father sent someone to look for the second young master early in the morning, but unfortunately he still hasn't been found."

Afraid that such a reply would make her stepmother unhappy with Xiao Xiao, she gave her another suggestion: "If she asks you again, just say that your father sent his trusted confidant to look for the second young master."

In this way, even if Li Yuan's whereabouts are unknown, the blame can be put on the general, which will make Lady Li happy.

It made her feel that her husband still cared about her son.

It's not that he wanted to shirk his responsibility, but he was too busy right now. It was impossible for him to leave his job and go looking for Li Yuan.

Besides, he felt that Li Yuan shouldn't have taken people to look for them in the first place.

If something happened to them, Li Yuan wouldn't be able to save them, and the only option was to save one more life.

Xiao Xiao also thought this was a good idea: "Thank you, husband, for coming up with a good excuse for me."

She also chatted with him about what happened in the mansion today, and said with admiration: "I used to think that mother was a serious person, but today I know that mother is also very serious in managing the household affairs."

Li Yan reached out and rubbed her hair.

At this moment, her long hair was loose, and it seemed to be shiny under the candlelight, making his hands out of control.

The soft touch of her hair was so good that he couldn't help but rub it a few more times: "I believe you can manage it better than her."

Xiao Xiao slapped his claws away and said angrily, "Don't rub it into a bird's nest."

She is very self-aware: "Then I still have a lot to learn."

She glanced at him sideways and snorted coquettishly: "And don't cause trouble for me, don't bring those naughty people back."

Li Yan thought that her jealous look was particularly charming and cute, which made him like her so much that he couldn't help but hug her in his arms: "Don't worry, I've said it before, I want to be with you forever."

"Loosen up!" What Xiao Xiao was most dissatisfied with was that his grip was too strong and he almost broke her waist.

Li Yan immediately let go of her hand: "Yes, yes, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I'll be gentler next time."