★ Chapter 36: Favored Servants Are Sick 2
“Tao Yu!” The young lord’s eyes instantly turned red, and the next second, tears fell like they cost nothing.
Tao Yu’s head was about to explode. “Let me explain…”
“I won’t listen, I won’t listen, you actually spent so much silver for him…” The young lord cried pitifully.
Facing such a melodramatic line, Tao Yu took a deep breath and frowned, “Shut up, stop crying!”
The young lord immediately closed his mouth, looking at her with tearful eyes, as if she had committed some great betrayal… Well, this matter could be considered somewhat unfair to him.
Tao Yu looked him up and down, thought for a moment, and said, “Now that you have come to the Tao family, you are a member of the Tao family. I have no intention of taking you as a personal servant. Are you willing to do some cleaning work?”
Yue Linze glanced at her, silently nodded. Tao Yu smiled and looked at the steward, “Have someone arrange him in the outer courtyard, and try to avoid him meeting A Ying in the future.”
“Yes.” The steward happily agreed and then called Yue Linze to leave.
Tao Yu sat alone in the central hall, knowing that the steward would return to report to her after arranging everything.
Sure enough, the steward soon returned, bowing slightly when he saw her, “Madam, everything is arranged. I noticed that Young Master Yue is quite thin. He’s already sixteen or seventeen but not as heavy as a thirteen-year-old child from the kitchen. I took the liberty of arranging him in the gatehouse, where he only needs to watch the main gate.”
“You seem quite concerned about him,” Tao Yu looked at him with a half-smile, contemplating whether she should find another confidant, as this one might betray her at any moment.
The steward didn’t notice her small calculations and, feeling embarrassed, said, “I suppose I find him likable. If we’re talking about kindness, it’s still Madam who is kind, spending so much silver to buy him.”
“Does he have anything to say about being a gatekeeper?” Tao Yu asked.
The steward laughed, “Young Master Yue is a good child. He has no objection to living in the servants’ quarters and says he will work hard and repay Madam.”
This satisfaction with the job was within her expectations. Given his pride, anything was better than being a personal servant. But would he really work hard to repay her? This didn’t sound like the Yue Linze she knew. Was the steward deliberately speaking well of him?
Thinking about the expression Yue Linze might have when saying this, Tao Yu shuddered, clicking her tongue in disgust. Seeing the steward was about to say more good things about Yue Linze, she coldly interrupted, “Enough. I’m tired. We’ll discuss anything else another day.”
“Oh, please go rest,” the steward hurried to say.
Tao Yu felt the steward had become increasingly attentive since Yue Linze’s arrival. She glanced at him and turned to walk to her room.
When she entered this world, her plans were prepared for a troublemaker. She wanted to first go with the flow, then gradually let him experience the outside world, slowly dissolving his inner hostility. Although the current Yue Linze was not as she imagined, it didn’t prevent her from implementing her plan.
The first thing to do was to avoid appearing before him, allowing him to gradually relax and trust the environment.
Tao Yu made up her mind and deliberately avoided passing through the front gate, wanting to make him feel at ease. She also specifically instructed the steward not to let Yue Linze enter the inner courtyard, solely because of the spoiled Young Master Ying.
Tao Yu had made her plan, preparing for a long-term strategy. She would keep Yue Linze in the gatehouse for a few months, and once he believed she meant him no harm, she would send him to the academy to study Confucian teachings and dissolve his inner hostility.
With a clear direction, Tao Yu no longer felt anxious, leaving Yue Linze aside and enjoying her wealthy life.
Unfortunately, her deliberate avoidance of Yue Linze to build trust was interpreted differently by others.
Young Master Ying, upon hearing that Yue Linze was arranged in the gatehouse, thought for two consecutive days that Tao Yu was doing it deliberately to show him. Although dissatisfied, he found it somewhat satisfying.
However, as time passed and he realized Tao Yu truly had no intention of keeping Yue Linze as a personal servant, he became extremely pleased. He put on his most luxurious robe and strode confidently towards the gatehouse.
From their previous encounter, he already knew this slave had considerable strength. Had he not broken the vase last time, he might have suffered at Yue Linze’s hands. So this time, Young Master Ying deliberately brought several servants to ensure he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.
Yue Linze was sweeping fallen leaves in front of the gate, having just gathered them into a pile and turning to fetch a burlap sack when a sound came from behind him.
His eyes darkened momentarily, but he turned around as if nothing had happened, lowering his head coldly when he saw Young Master Ying and continuing his work.
Young Master Ying was immediately enraged. “What kind of attitude is this?”
“Go away,” Yue Linze said coldly, his foot unconsciously stepping on the pile of leaves.
Young Master Ying was startled by his gaze, stepping back. Realizing he’d been intimidated by a servant, he laughed angrily, “Oh, are you still angry about what I said that day? I’m the most favored servant before the Madam. What are you to tell me to go away?”
A hint of mockery flashed in Yue Linze’s eyes as he silently began to crush the leaves.
Young Master Ying, who hated being ignored, walked forward and stomped on Yue Linze’s fingers.
Though usually delicate, he was a real man and used full force, twisting his foot. When he lifted his foot, Yue Linze’s hand was covered in dirt, with broken skin at the joints.
Yue Linze’s face turned pale, and sweat formed on his forehead, but he didn’t cry out, continuing to clean the ground as if the dirty wound wasn’t on his hand.
Young Master Ying, having never seen such a person, felt uneasy but sneered, “You’re good at playing pitiful, but the Madam doesn’t fancy you. No matter how well you act, no one will look at you.”
His servants began to laugh mockingly.
Yue Linze silently cleaned the ground and tied the burlap sack. Young Master Ying, seeing his skilled movements, scoffed, “You’re truly born to be a servant. You’re so good at such rough work. I should tell the Madam to give you more tasks.”
Yue Linze ignored him, continuing his work. Young Master Ying frowned, increasingly displeased, and angrily stepped forward to teach him a lesson.
Yue Linze was placing a burlap sack on the ground when he noticed the young master’s movements. Without changing his expression, he took out a short piece of iron from his sleeve. When the young master walked up to him, he suddenly pulled him close while no one was paying attention and pressed the iron against his face.
Yue Linze’s move was swift and ruthless. Before the servants could react, the young master was already trapped in his arms. The young master was about to struggle, but feeling the cold object on his face, he immediately let out a sharp cry and stopped moving.
“Shut up!” Yue Linze glared at him fiercely, and the young master immediately fell silent, his previously arrogant face now turning red with suppressed anger.
Yue Linze looked at him with disdain, leaving a red mark on his face with the iron piece. “If I were to scar your face, would you still be this arrogant in the Tao household?”
The young master’s legs went weak. Seeing someone approaching in the distance, he glared, and that person, seeing the situation, quickly turned and left.
