Yu Youyao walked around the warm bed and nodded in satisfaction. “Cousin, are your legs better today? Did you soak your feet before you go to bed last night? Did Chang An massage your acupoints with medicinal oil?”
Zhou Linghuai’s expression paused for a moment. “It’s much better.”
Now, Chang An had also improved.
Last night, when he had brought the medicinal oil over to massage him, he had yet to speak when…
Chang An used the young lady to defend himself. “Young Miss has repeatedly instructed this. If Young Master doesn’t cooperate, I’ll tell her tomorrow and see if she’s angry.”
For a moment, Zhou Linghuai had the urge to replace Chang An.
Although the little girl also had some strength, after being massaged for a while, it was inevitable that her strength would be a little weak and uneven. Chang An was a martial artist, so he had strength in his body and could grasp the severity of the acupoints more accurately.
After finishing the entire massage, Zhou Linghuai was covered in sweat. After soaking in the medicinal bath that the little girl had brought, his body felt refreshed. It was rare for him to sleep for four hours at night, and it was already late at night when he felt his legs hurt. Chang An rubbed the medicinal oil for him and changed his leg warmers before sleeping for a while.
In the past, Zhou Linghuai had also used some medicinal oil that Uncle Sun had made himself. How could the effect be bad? However, it did not have such an effect.
Anything that came from Yu Youyao seemed to be more effective than anything else.
The little girl kept saying that this was a prescription from the palace, and the effect was different.
However, these words were only used to fool inexperienced people.
Ever since he was young, he had also been blessed with good fortune. He had used many things in the palace, and the effect was indeed different from others, but it was not as good as this.
There were probably some other hidden tricks.
However, since the little girl did not deliberately hide it from him, he naturally would not probe further.
This was the tacit understanding between them. It was also this indescribable tacit understanding that made him feel closer to the little girl than anyone else could.
Zhou Linghuai’s lips curled up slightly.
The little girl stared at the carved wood on the table and smiled brightly. Even without the sun, she felt that the room was very bright.
“Cousin, the materials are ready so quickly.” Yu Youyao ran up to her cousin, her voice very cheerful.
Zhou Linghuai’s dark brows relaxed. “It just so happened that we were at the right time.”
Yu Youyao was puzzled. “There are many requirements for making zither wood?”
Zhou Linghuai explained, “It’s much more important than cutting the wood. It needs to be dry on a clear day, wet on a rainy day, and alternated between dry and wet. Then, the sound produced will be clear.”
After the wood was dry, it rained, and the moisture entered the wood. It was a success. The wood that was made in this way was not only clear, but also a little heavier and richer. Even the materials used for many famous zithers were not as good as the one he had made.
When the sky cleared up and the weather became warmer, the people in the residence had changed into new spring clothes. The young misses had also grown into young ladies.
The trees in the jade courtyard had new leaves. The tender green leaves grew on the tall branches and swayed in the wind. It was a pleasing sight.
“Eldest Miss, the broker has led the Zhou family’s old servants into the residence and is waiting in the courtyard.” As soon as Chun Xiao entered the incense room, she smelled a pungent smell and opened all the windows in the room to disperse the smell.
After packing the medicinal oil, Yu Youyao stood up. “I smell too bad. I’ll wash up and change before going over to take a look.”
Chun Xiao went to arrange for Yu Youyao to take a bath.
Yu Youyao washed up briefly, changed into dry clothes, and went to Windfall Courtyard.
Other than some family servants, most of the servants in the residence were chosen from the brokerage house. The brokerage house had taught them some rules and investigated the origins of these people, so they felt more at ease.
Even if they arranged for an old servant from the Zhou family to serve him, they could not directly bring him into the residence.
Tongzhou was not far from the capital, and the carriage was only a day’s journey away. Yu Youyao arranged for a few old servants from the Zhou family to enter the capital and send them to the brokerage house. She paid a sum of money and asked the brokerage house to vouch for them. Then, she asked the brokerage house to train them for another three to five days to carefully investigate their origins.
The broker had his own background and methods. He was better at investigating people than others.
Yu Youyao had told her grandmother about the old servant of the Zhou family. No one else knew either.
Now that she was in charge of the household, she had to put in enough effort so that she could be recognized. She did not want to be called out and cause trouble.
“According to Eldest Miss’s request, we’ve been training them for a few days. These people are all old servants and have good understanding of the rules. They’ll definitely be useful to you.”
The middle-aged woman was in her forties and had a round face. As she spoke, her smiling eyes secretly glanced at the young miss, who was only about half her size but had a rare aura.
For a moment, she couldn’t help but gasp.
Her job in the brokerage business was to teach people, and she was also knowledgeable. At such a young age, this Eldest Miss had the aura of a noblewoman. Her every move was more refined than others.
She was even more outstanding than the young misses she had visited previously.
She was also very organized and meticulous in her actions. Previously, she had seen that the servants in the residence were also very respectful to her. She was really capable.
Yu Youyao nodded. “Thank you.”
With that, she sized up the four old servants in front of her. Two men and two women were all old.
The oldest was an old nanny with gray hair. She was wearing a set of white clothes that had been washed and patched. Clearly, her life in the manor was not easy.
She stood obediently, head lowered, hands clasped in front of her stomach, and her back straight.
Yu Youyao recalled the first time she had seen Nanny Xu in her grandmother’s room and couldn’t help but take a few more glances.
The granny noticed her expression and quickly took out a small book. “This is Nanny Lu. She used to learn the rules from the old nanny in the palace, so she is more disciplined. Eldest Miss, take a look at this book. You know where she came from. She used to be very capable in the main family and has never done anything wrong. I guarantee that there won’t be any mistakes.”
Yu Youyao nodded and flipped through the book. It recorded Nanny Lu’s life.
She was a little shocked when she saw it.
Nanny Lu was from You Prefecture. Her father and brother had both entered the army and had died in battle years ago. Nanny Lu had received the favor of her grandaunt, Old Madam Zhou, and had entered the residence to serve her. No one could find fault with her.
In addition, there were also some things that Nanny Lu was good at, including some medical skills.
Yu Youyao’s eyes flickered as she tested Nanny Lu on pharmacology.
Nanny Lu answered all of them clearly.
It was obvious that she was really capable.
This was probably not a small matter. It was even comparable to Nanny Xu’s skills. Yu Youyao’s eyes darkened. It was best for such a person to take care of her cousin’s daily needs.
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