EBE Chapter 541 Sir, Please Stay (3)
Chapter 541 Sir, Please Stay (3)
"Your servant greets the Madam." A petite but tall girl bowed respectfully to Madam Deng.
Mrs. Deng looked at the modest little girl with great interest, and was secretly surprised. Generally speaking, children who were sold would either cry and make a fuss or be extremely frightened, but this little girl was so calm and composed.
Mrs. Deng couldn't help but ask curiously, "Your mother sold you, but you're fine. Aren't you sad?"
The little girl raised her head slightly, and answered with clear and firm eyes: "Madam, my parents were unfortunately killed by thieves half a year ago. Since then, I have been taken care of by my uncle, but my uncle's family is not well off. This time, my aunt sent me here, and I believe she must have thought it over carefully and thought that this place would allow me to live a better life, so I have no complaints at all."
After hearing this, Mrs. Deng's eyes flashed with admiration, and she smiled and said, "You are a good talker, and you are so calm at such a young age. I think you must be a sensible and well-behaved person.
No wonder my dear sister fell in love with you. I thought you were from some rich family! It turns out that your aunt sent you here. Get up quickly."
Gu Yuxi stood up and thanked Madam Deng again: "Thank you for the compliment, it is my honor to serve the young lady."
Mrs. Deng nodded and continued, "Well, you are a child who knows how to repay kindness. By the way, I don't know your name yet? What talents and skills do you have?"
Gu Yuxi replied softly, "My name is Gu Yuxi. I am a bit skilled in housework. I have learned some medical skills from a country doctor and I also know how to cook. In addition, I know a few words and have learned some simple accounting methods."
Madam Deng nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll call you Xiaoxi from now on. This name is smooth and easy to remember. Come on, sit down first. Since you said you have these skills, I'll have to test you carefully."
Gu Yuxi sat down slowly as instructed and responded, "Yes, Madam, please ask the question."
After all, her daughter was only six years old, so she had to have a maid, otherwise Nanny Cui would not be able to take care of her alone. A few days ago, she was ridiculed by some people from the second house for not having the money to buy a maid for her daughter.
It’s not that she has no money, but her husband has just passed the imperial examination, and she needs to spend money to use her connections.
Gu Yuxi carefully took the abacus and saw a pretty maid, about twenty years old, standing next to him.
The maidservant said softly, "You come and calculate the price of these things. There are two pieces of purple silk, one inch and three inches, and each inch is sold for fifty coins; there is one piece of elegant silk, four inches and two inches, and each inch is sold for sixty coins; and there is also an inkstone, which costs four taels and five cents of silver... Calculate how much money is needed in total?"
Gu Yuxi flexibly fiddled with the abacus beads with both hands, and the sound of clacking continued. As soon as the maid finished speaking, she quickly and accurately answered: "The total is 86 taels, 756 coins."
Mrs. Deng, who was sitting next to him, saw this and a hint of appreciation flashed in her eyes. She couldn't help but nod slightly. Then, she picked up the account book herself and continued to ask: "The big red paper is five feet and seven inches long, and the price is thirty coins per foot; two nanmu pillows, each for three taels of silver; and ten rolls of silk thread, each for seventy coins..."
Gu Yuxi listened carefully to the account given by Mrs. Deng, and calculated quickly in her mind. Before Mrs. Deng finished speaking, she had already come up with the answer: "Madam, the total is 37 taels, 503 coins..."
When Mrs. Deng heard this, she burst into laughter and praised, "You are really smart! You can calculate so many accounts so accurately. Maybe I will really let you manage the money of the eldest lady in the future, so you must remember these accounts well."
Gu Yuxi responded respectfully: "Yes."
Mrs. Deng nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Since you can read, read the words on this page to me. It's okay if you come across words you don't know."
Gu Yuxi picked up the book on women's virtues and read it pretending not to know more than a dozen words. The maids beside the lady looked at her enviously.
"What did your mother do?"
"My mother is an embroiderer, a good worker, and my father is a barefoot doctor, who knows a little bit of medical skills."
The maid next to her reminded: "Madam, do you want to continue the test?"
"Please identify these medicines. From now on, the young lady's diet and daily life must not be wrong, and the maid will naturally be indispensable."
Mrs. Deng just wanted her daughter to have a maid who could manage things by her side, so that when she got married, she would not suffer like those girls in the big courtyards: their bodies were ruined by drugs, just like the girl in the second room.
The more she looked at the little girl, the more satisfied she was. She was still worried about maids who were nine or ten years old, but if she didn't arrange a maid for her daughter, she was worried that she would not have a loyal and useful helper around her in the future.
"Just embroider a pattern, make it simple."
"Yes."
Gu Yuxi picked up the embroidery needle and thought, is the maid industry so competitive now? There are so many exam items, if it doesn't work, she can just sweep the floor and serve things.
Mrs. Deng sat down, crushed the dried herbs and began to prepare the incense. The room became quiet for a moment.
"Mother, I need your help."
A well-dressed young man about fourteen years old walked in quickly, holding a wounded little red fox in his arms. The servants who accompanied him put pheasants and rabbits on the ground at the door.
"Wenjie, what are you doing?"
"Mother, I went hunting today and caught a lot of good things. I gave grandfather a deer and these are all for you."
"Mingzhu, take these things away."
"Mother, your cook's food is delicious."
"Look at how sweaty you are. Go change."
"The child will be back soon."
Gu Yuxi was signaled to continue embroidering. She sat down and finished embroidering the ink bamboo that she had not finished yet.
After a while, she handed over the piece of cloth, and the familiar voice came again: "Mother, this is beautiful, do you want to make a new purse for me?"
Madam Deng looked at the maid Xiaoxi next to her and explained, "I'm not making a purse for you. Mother found a personal maid for your sister today and is testing her workmanship."
"There's no need to test her. I think she's qualified. Why not just test her cooking skills?"
Deng Wenjie looked at the little girl next to him, took the embroidery and said, "Raise your head. My sister doesn't like maids who are too ugly."
"This is our eldest son." Nanny Cui reminded.
Gu Yuxi bowed and said, "I greet you, Master."
The maid looked up, she looked a little thin, her face was sallow, but her almond-shaped eyes were shining brightly. Deng Wenjie looked at her a few more times unconsciously, and then said, "Hmm."
Seeing that everyone had seen it, Madam Deng told Aunt Cui: "You go down first."
"promise."