Fierce Consort

Chapter 138

That night, the old madam made trouble again.
The chicken soup Matron Zhao brought her was spilled all over her clothes and blankets.

Matron Zhao knew this was the old madam being unwilling to drink chicken soup. Ever since they moved out of the Weiyuan Marquis Estate, the old madam's food quality had dropped a large level.

Although it wasn't like she had endless ginseng in the past, she still had swallow's nest and other nourishing items every day. Now, the only nourishment the old madam had was was chicken soup, chicken stewed with Chinese Angelica, red dates and other similar things. No matter how they changed it up, it was still chicken and the taste was the same.

The old madam rarely ate chicken in the past. Even when she did, she would be very picky. For example, ten chickens would be slaughtered so she could eat a plate of simmer-fried chicken wings. She would stew several chickens into soup just so she could eat a bowl of shredded chicken noodles. How could the old madam be satisfied with chicken?

Therefore, Xiao Miao who didn't understand would often say the old madam is feeling peckish and wants to eat something more substantial.

Matron Zhao didn't have time to manage her so she let her say as she pleased. Actually Xiao Miao wasn't being mouthy. There were just many undercurrents amongst the servants. They all understood that serving the old madam was bitter work. Only fools would volunteer for it. Therefore, this ended up being left to Xiao Miao, the little lass who had been purchased outside. Some servants loved to shirk work while still mocking others. Every time they saw Xiao Miao scrubbing the blankets in the large wooden basin, someone would ask her what was up this time.

Xiao Miao was young and didn't understand much. She couldn't understand why such good chicken soup would be disliked by the old madam so. She could only say the old madam wanted to eat something more substantial. She was also kindheartedly letting Chen-shi know about this and have her switch things up for the old madam. Unfortunately, Chen-shi always turned a blind eye to it.

Matron Zhao supported things from the front, having Xiao Miao help the old madam change. Xiao Miao went up to undo her clothing while listening to the old madam's incoherent shouting and cursing.

At first Xiao Miao had been quite afraid of these noises. As time passed, she wasn't scared anymore as long as she wasn't too close. However, she was afraid of looking too closely at the old madam's face. That face made her think of the old hag in the stories her mom used to tell her as a child.

Xiao Miao wasn't a servant from the Weiyuan Marquis Estate. She had been purchased after they moved to the Hengshui Alley, since they really didn't have anyone to serve the old madam.

After this round of hard work, Matron Zhao and Xiao Miao were covered in sweat. They rested for a while before Xiao Miao went to the kitchen and brought over the food that was being kept warm on the stove. Matron Zhao had her go eat first while she sat by the bed and soothed the old madam.

Xiao Miao was very impressed with Matron Zhao. This was because she had heard the old madam speak before and she couldn't understand a word. She naturally didn't know that this was a skill Matron Zhao developed over the decades she had served the old madam. Matron Zhao knew what she meant with just a glance.

Xiao Miao crouched in the outer room and scarfed down her food. The servants naturally didn't eat as well as the masters. They only got a few pieces of fatty meat and some leafy greens. However, this was something Xiao Miao had never dared imagine eating in the past. She was from a small village not far from the capital. During the previous year's famine, her family couldn't raise her anymore and sold her off. At the time she was only eigth years old, and she was only ten now.