Chapter 31: Waiting for You to Jump

 

In the evening, when Ren Yaoqi came out of the main room, née Li ordered her personal maid, Xi’er, to personally light up the lamp for Ren Yaoqi and send her back.

Xi’er has often been to Ren Yaoqi’s west wing recently, and the maids in the room have been taught a lesson by her, so they are all afraid of her.

This day, she sent away all the maids in the room around, helped Ren Yaoqi back to the inner room, and waited for her to change into common clothes.

When the maids, Qing Mei and Xue Li, came in with copper basins in their hands, Xi’er was whispering something in Ren Yaoqi’s ear. Seeing the two maids coming in, Xi’er stood up straight as if nothing had happened, frowned, and reprimanded: “Shouldn't you make a sound before you come in? What will you do if you disturb the master so recklessly?”

Xue Li lowered her head and obediently replied yes, Qing Mei was still a little dissatisfied at first, but she managed to hold back her words in the end.

At this time, Ren Yaoqi had withdrawn her original expression of surprise, and coughed lightly: “I’m sleepy, it's time to wash up.”

Xi’er beckoned the two maidservants to come forward, personally served Ren Yaoqi to wash up, and then bowed and retreated.

The two maids, Qing Mei and Xue Li, also left. Not long after, Momo Zhu came in.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi leaning on the bedside, flipping through a book with a candlestick on the bedside table, Momo Zhu had a loving smile on her face and walked forward to salute: “Young Lady, it’s getting late at night. Why are you still reading? Be careful with your eyes.”

Ren Yaoqi looked up at Momo Zhu, covered her mouth with her right hand, and yawned a little, but did not put down the book in her hand. She said lazily, “Daddy asked me an allusion today, and I didn’t answer it for a while. I vaguely remember that it was something in this book, [The Record of Qionglin].”

”Oh—Young Lady, you want to become the champion of the imperial examinations ah!”

After Momo Zhu finished speaking, she covered her mouth and laughed. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was in low spirits and ignored her, she went up to her again and said, “Want to know why out of the three young ladies of our courtyard, you are the only one who won the favor of Third Master, others don’t know, it's very clear for this slave who has been serving for several years already. Young Lady, you have done a lot of hard work in the middle of the night! Even Sixth Young Master can’t compare to you in this regard.”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned when she heard the words, she actually expected that Momo Zhu would come, so she just took a book and waited for her, she almost forgot that when she was a child, she seemed to have done this kind of reading and writing in the middle of the night many times.

In order to win her father’s favor and compete with her older sister, she strived hard when she was a child. Ren Yaoqi uncontrollably laughed and shook her head.

”Young Lady, is what this slave said wrong?” Momo Zhu thought that Ren Yaoqi did not agree with her words, and said carefully.

Ren Yaoqi looked up at her, and smiled slightly: “Well, Momo is right, it’s getting late and I should take a rest, otherwise I will wake up late tomorrow, and I will be the last one to greet my grandfather and grandmother again.”

Momo Zhu took the book she handed over, and said with an apologetic smile, “Should this slave serve for you to rest?”

Seeing Ren Yaoqi nodding, Momo Zhu hurriedly put the book in her hand aside first and went to undress Ren Yaoqi herself.

”Did Xi’er from Madam's room send Young Lady back?” Momo Zhu asked with a smile.

”Hmm.” Ren Yaoqi nodded casually.

”It can be seen that Madam loves Young Lady too. Xi’er is almost becoming your personal maid.” Momo Zhu helped Ren Yaoqi loosen her clothes, gently helped her to lie down, and said with a smile.

”Young Lady, do you want this slave to chat with you?” Momo Zhu helped her tuck up the quilt, bowed, and stood on the head of the bed.

Ren Yaoqi closed her eyes and nodded: “That’s fine, Momo sit down and talk to me, I will fall asleep while talking.” Children like to be accompanied when they sleep, and Ren Yaoqi also had this problem when she was a child.

”Mm!” Momo Zhu responded readily and sat down beside Ren Yaoqi’s bed.

”Young Lady and Miss Xi’er have a good relationship?” Momo Zhu continued.

”It’s okay. Sister Xi’er is very nice.” Ren Yaoqi rolled over, turned her face toward the outside of the bed, and replied with her eyes closed.

”Then did she tell you anything?” Momo Zhu asked a little closer.

Ren Yaoqi lazily raised her eyes to look at Momo Zhu, then closed them again.

With a smile on her face, Momo Zhu carefully said: “Young Lady, this old slave is just asking casually. After all, the maids serving in the main room know much more than we do. This slave is just a little curious.”

Ren Yaoqi yawned again, and muttered, “What are you curious about. It’s just the matter of foreign affairs momo, it’s boring.”

However, Momo Zhu’s heart moved, and the smile on her face became more kind, regardless of whether Ren Yaoqi, who had her eyes closed, could see: “That’s really boring. Isn't the candidate already been decided? Either Momo Wei or Mrs. Niu!”

Ren Yaoqi twitched her lips: “That may not be true.”

Momo Zhu leaned forward again: “Young Lady, what do you mean, there has been a new candidate for Madam?”

Ren Yaoqi frowned, and simply opened her eyes: “So what? It’s none of our business anyway.”

Mother Zhu hurriedly said, “Why is it not our business? In the future, we will inevitably have to deal with the foreign affairs momo, so knowing about it earlier will make us prepared.”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a while: “Xi’er said that she heard from Mother. Although she told me, she didn’t let me say anything.”

”This slave will not speak out!” Momo Zhu hurriedly assured her.

Ren Yaoqi seemed to be a little annoyed by her: “I heard that because of the busy new year, there will be temporarily arranged two momos in our courtyard. After the Spring Festival, they'll see who is more suitable and then formally take over. After discussing with Father, Mother settled on Mrs. Niu and Momo Liu who is in charge of the hot water in the small kitchen in the backyard.”

Momo Zhu was stunned: “Isn’t it Momo Wei? Why did it become Momo Liu again?”

Ren Yaoqi said impatiently: “How do I know? They must think that Momo Liu is more suitable.”

Momo Zhu thought for a while, and asked cautiously, “Young Lady, is your news reliable?”

Ren Yaoqi glared at Momo Zhu: “Xi’er heard this from my mother! The news will probably be announced tomorrow morning. If you don’t believe me, why are you asking me?”

At this time, Momo Zhu believed it, and while apologizing with a smile on her face, she was thinking about how to get some benefits for herself.

Ren Yaoqi turned over again, facing the inside: “This Momo Liu is really lucky. It had already been settled on Momo Wei, but she was killed halfway. When the time comes, people will think she has some kind of backdoor¹ ah.“

- Using connections to achieve a purpose

Momo Zhu’s heart was moved when she heard the words, and peeked into the bed: “Why was Momo Liu dismissed?”

Ren Yaoqi spoke impatiently: “Dismissed? When Mother and Daddy were discussing, Daddy called it randomly, and everyone didn’t know. Does she still have the ability to contradict Daddy's dismissal?”

Momo Zhu suddenly realized that Third Master did many things like this, and the reasons for his decisions were also varied and difficult to understand, for example, the name was nice, the fingernails were beautiful… and so on.

Moreover, Ren Yaoqi’s words also reminded her that maybe she could really take this opportunity to make a fortune.

”Young Lady, I don’t want to disturb your rest, this slave will call Qing Mei in to guard.” Momo Zhu stated and couldn’t wait to get up, she had to finish this matter before tomorrow.

Ren Yaoqi seemed to be sleepy, and waved her hand indifferently: “Go out, let Qing Mei wait outside, there is no need to come in.”

Momo Zhu impatiently retreated.

Ren Yaoqi heard her footsteps disappear from the room, although her eyes were not opened, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up.

If you want others to follow the path you set, you must first know what that person is thinking and what they want.

She has carefully observed Momo Zhu these days and knows that she loves money like her life, and will not let go of any opportunity to make money.

Always thinking of getting benefits from her, but should also have the virtue to pay some price.

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