Chapter 494 - 488_1
Even though she felt uncomfortable, Lin Yue still thought of Zhang Qiusheng’s diligent and loyal services, and most importantly, his exquisite craftsmanship, which produced work that met her expectations. Therefore, she didn’t plan to make a big issue of it. Moreover, Lin Yue believed that as long as Zhao Erhu didn’t harbor those intentions, ****** would not succeed.
"Madam, I know you are kind and magnanimous, and the master is devoted to you without any other thoughts. So you don’t take the likes of ****** seriously. But you can’t be too careful with these things. Even if ****** seems no threat now, no one can predict the future, and someone might take advantage when you least expect it. Haven’t there been such examples before? There’s a saying, ’nip in the bud,’ which is exactly the point," Xu’s insistence showed that she had taken Lin Yue as her master and was wholeheartedly looking out for her best interests.
"Mom, I know you speak out of concern for me, and even though I don’t like ******, after all, she hasn’t done something too outrageous. She hasn’t acted on her thoughts yet. Not to mention it seems unreasonable to target her without cause, but there is also Zhang Qiusheng’s exceptional woodworking and his diligent work. I can’t bear to lose such a talent over this trifle. Do you understand?" Lin Yue was not ungrateful. Although she didn’t plan to adopt Xu Mom’s advice, she still explained her reasons, so Xu Mom wouldn’t overthink and believe Lin Yue didn’t trust her.
Seeing that Lin Yue didn’t agree but had listened to her and explained her reasoning, Xu Mom felt happy and became even more determined to use her skills to advise and strategize for Lin Yue, to not disappoint her master’s trust.
"This old servant understands. Nevertheless, madam, even though you would not act against ****** for the sake of Master Zhang, it doesn’t prevent you from being cautious. In my opinion, some of the rules in the estate are too lax and need tightening. Just take today’s incident with ******, though Master Zhang was working for you, Madam, ****** is neither a servant of the household nor did she have your permission. How could she just run off to the carpentry workshop without anyone stopping her? This is a lapse in the rules."
"Mom, what you’re saying makes sense. How do you think the rules should be set?" Lin Yue asked with a smile. Having a mom who came from the palace was wonderful. Although Xu Mom could sometimes be long-winded, she had talent. Not only was she adept at medicine, helping Lin Yue with her health, but she was also a savvy manager and housekeeper. In some areas, Lin Yue even felt inferior to her.
"This is easy to handle. For one, people can be assigned to guard the gate in rotation. Anyone entering or leaving must have a token, and all outings and their purposes must be clearly recorded. As for the likes of Master Zhang, though he is helping you, Madam, he is only contracted and not bonded by sale, and his family does not work on the estate. We could assign them housing outside the estate and let them live there. If there’s a need to contact someone for work, we would have the gatekeeper come in to convey the message and meet outside. This way, there is less chance of mistakes happening. As for the rest, this old servant will need to go back and carefully consider if there are any oversights and will report back to you, Madam."