ebookland Chapter 248 Xiaoman Becomes an Official
Chapter 248 Xiaoman Becomes an Official
As dusk fell, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the courtyard where Sujia Village was located.
Shanzi and the others had just returned from outside the city. As they walked down the street, they saw Cai Yao'er and Xiao Die waiting anxiously at the gate of the courtyard.
The two people standing at the gate saw them return.
Xiao Die called out to Cai Yao'er beside her, "Miss, look! Brother Shanzi and the others are back!"
Upon seeing Cai Yao'er and the other person, Shanzi unconsciously quickened his pace.
The younger children beside him covered their mouths and chuckled secretly.
Shanzi quickly approached the two of them, and Cai Yao'er's cheeks instantly flushed red. She softly called out, "Brother Shanzi!"
Xiaodie chimed in with a smile, "Brother Shanzi, Miss has been waiting for you here for quite a while, almost half an incense stick's time!"
At this moment, Shui'er, Xiao He, and Shi Zi also came over.
Shui'er teased playfully, "Sister Yao'er misses Brother Shanzi, don't you miss him too, Sister Xiaodie?"
When Xiaodie heard Shui'er say such blunt words, her face flushed red instantly.
Xiao Die was not only Cai Yao'er's maid.
According to custom, a personal maid will accompany her mistress to her husband's home as part of her dowry.
In the husband's family, the duties of the dowry maids are not only numerous but also meticulous.
Not only do they need to take care of the young lady and her husband's daily life, but they also need to take care of their food and daily routines.
They also had to warm the bed and blankets every night so that the young lady and her husband could sleep peacefully through the night.
Or they can help manage the household's trivial private accounts, ensuring that the family's income and expenditure are clear and orderly.
If the young lady is pregnant, has difficulty moving around, or is feeling unwell, the maidservant who accompanies her in marriage is required to take her place and accompany the young master to consummate the marriage.
This was not simply about consummating the marriage; it was more about preventing the son-in-law and wife from having extramarital affairs during their special time.
This consolidates the wife's position in her husband's family and maintains the harmony and stability of the family.
In some wealthy families, maids would even be sent to the husband's home to "test the waters" before the actual marriage.
Although Xiaodie had not experienced this herself, she knew the reason behind this practice.
Trial marriage is to confirm the groom's physical condition and character, so as to prevent the bride from experiencing an unhappy life after marriage.
Of course, if a maidservant, through her intelligence and diligence, wins the favor of the young lady and her husband, she may be taken as a concubine.
However, this situation is rare in reality, as it requires the convergence of many factors.
But for the maids who accompanied their mistresses, being able to stay by their mistress's side and witness her happiness was the greatest mission of their lives.
Although Xiaodie was Cai Yao'er's maid, her fate was already closely intertwined with that of her mistress to some extent.
During the Cai family's heyday, she realized that she could no longer control her own life.
Fortunately, the lady who had served her since childhood had always treated her like a sister.
Moreover, the two of them were also saved by Shanzi.
The two women accepted from the bottom of their hearts that Shanzi would be their future husband.
However, Cai Yao'er is not yet married.
When Shui'er so bluntly pointed it out, Xiao Die was afraid that Cai Yao'er would mind, and she was also embarrassed.
She pretended to be angry and said, "You stinky girl, Miss and Young Master aren't even married yet, how dare I, a mere maid..."
Xiao He chuckled upon hearing this, reached out and grabbed Xiao Die's waist, teasingly saying, "You dare say you don't miss Brother Shanzi!"
Xiao Die burst into laughter at Xiao He's sudden "sneak attack" and quickly turned to Cai Yao'er beside her for help.
"Miss, please save Xiaodie!"
Cai Yao'er, both amused and exasperated, advised, "Xiao He, stop for a moment. Don't tease Xiao Die. Look how anxious she is."
But Xiao He was having so much fun that she wouldn't listen to Cai Yao'er and kept teasing Xiao Die relentlessly.
Cai Yao'er was quite helpless about this.
Just then, Da Ya couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up to stop them, saying, "Alright, stop fooling around!"
As soon as Daya spoke up, Xiaohe obediently stopped.
Among these younger children, besides Yun Dan, the one they feared most was their eldest sister, Da Ya.
Yun Dan is relatively more gentle than her older sister.
Yun Dan rarely punished them.
They hadn't finished the homework that Master Xia had assigned in the village back then, but Yun Dan let them do it.
After all, in Yun Dan's mind, they were just a bunch of little kids, a time for playing around.
When Teacher Xia checked the homework, Da Ya discovered that none of them had done it, and those little brats were in trouble.
Da Ya was the one who had the final say with them, so the younger ones all held her in awe.
After Da Ya stopped them, everyone laughed and joked for a while, and then Cai Yao'er took Da Ya's hand and walked into the courtyard together.
About ten people walked into the hall.
Since the people of Sujia Village fled, the remaining people have been eating together.
Later, there were three people: Cai Yao'er, her maid Xiao Die, and her steward Cai Wen.
The arrival of siblings Li Ling'er and Li Honglin also meant they lived together in Sujia Village.
The group filed into the hall.
Upon seeing the elders in the hall, everyone respectfully greeted them.
Yuan'er, Li Ling'er, and Li Honglin, the three little ones, saw their older brothers and sisters return.
The three people's eyes lit up immediately, and like a few cheerful little birds, they ran to them and called out to each of them in a crisp voice.
Li Ling'er and her brother walked directly towards Da Tou, while Yuan'er went to Shi Zi's side.
Ever since Shizi found Yuan'er in Sujia Village, Yuan'er has developed a deep dependence on Shizi.
Yuan'er has lost all her family members and is now all alone.
Shi Zi always treated her like a younger sister, loving and caring for her.
Especially the very first year.
Shi Zi was always worried that the changes in the village would frighten Yuan'er, so he took extra care of her and loved her dearly.
On the other side, Shui'er and Xiaohe each went to their aunts and chatted intimately with them.
The conversation naturally turned to the matter of being summoned to the palace by the Spirit King today.
Su Songqing is the same Uncle Qing who suffered from a persistent high fever due to injuries sustained during his escape.
When he heard Xiaohe say that Xiaoman had become an official, a flash of excitement instantly appeared in his eyes.
He asked anxiously, "Is this true? Has Xiaoman really become a high-ranking official?"
Xiaohe replied confidently, "Uncle Qing, of course it's true! This was personally conferred by the King of Ling. Xiaoman is now a sixth-rank deputy imperial physician!"
Su Songqing's eyes reddened, tears welled up, and her voice trembled with excitement as she repeatedly said, "Good, good, good, being an official is good, being an official is good!"
If Maoshun and his wife (Xiaoman's parents) knew their child had become a high-ranking official, they could rest in peace even in the afterlife!