The Prime Minister Seduced Me to have Babies!-Chapter 550: Dislikes Being Watched

Xing Yu saw the words "Tianxiang Workshop" engraved on the rouge box and was overjoyed. The rouge and powder from Tianxiang Workshop were the best in the Capital City, and a small box like this cost two taels of silver.

Yun Jiao then said, "I didn’t eat well for dinner; go to the kitchen and get me a bowl of almond custard. Don’t let the young maids go; I don’t trust them with this task."

Xing Yu clenched the rouge tightly in her hand and said with a bow, "I’ll go right away, my lady."

Once Xing Yu had walked away, Yun Jiao turned her head to Cai Ping, "What’s your name?"

"My name is Cai Ping."

Yun Jiao asked, "Who was it that ground these medicines today?"

Cai Ping hesitated for a moment, "It was— it was me and a few little maids, taking turns."

Yun Jiao asked again, "Did Xing Yu have a hand in it?"

Cai Ping lowered her head, "She— she also helped."

Yun Jiao said calmly, "Tell the truth."

Only then did Cai Ping admit, "Once you left, she discarded her work and went out."

Yun Jiao nodded, staring at Cai Ping, "I planned to move out and live on my own."

"However, the situation has changed. Tomorrow, Madam will probably assign me a courtyard."

"And I think she’ll let me choose some people. But I’m only familiar with a few of you. Who do you think I should take with me?"

Previously, she hadn’t planned to live in the Duke Mansion, so she didn’t really bother to win over the maids.

Now that she had to stay, she needed to quickly cultivate her own supporters.

She observed that this girl Cai Ping was honest and, though always pushed aside by Xing Yu when she came forward to serve, she never fought for favor.

She didn’t need particularly clever maids, just ones who could execute her orders accurately and were loyal to her.

However, loyalty is something that needs to be slowly nurtured; it cannot be obtained overnight.

Cai Ping wasn’t foolish.

She had seen the interactions between Jiang Youzhi and Yun Jiao, and though she didn’t know what fate awaited Yun Jiao, it was certainly better to serve a master, especially a lady master, than serve in the guest courtyard.

Serving in the guest courtyard, in case you were taken by a guest, then so be it.

Once, there was one who was taken by a guest, became pregnant, and after taking medicine to abort the baby, damaged her body and was eventually sent away to the manor.

Therefore, Cai Ping always appeared dull in the guest courtyard, never proactively serving the guests, for fear of encountering such matters.

Over time, Cai Ping became like an abacus bead, only moving when pushed.

Given the chance to leave the guest courtyard, how could Cai Ping not seize it tightly?

Immediately, she knelt down and kowtowed to Yun Jiao, saying, "I wish to follow the mistress, I wish to serve the mistress."

Yun Jiao thought to herself that this one wasn’t foolish either. She nodded, "Get up, in your opinion, which other little maids are honest and obedient? Bring a few of them along too."

Cai Ping became excited, sensing that she was about to be entrusted with important responsibilities.

Indeed, this Miss Gu didn’t have even a single maid or servant under her, so she had to use those from within the mansion.

Yun Jiao gestured for her to rise. Eager to prove her loyalty, Cai Ping spoke softly, "Last night, I saw Cui Mo from Aunt Su’s courtyard come over, calling Xing Yu out. The two of them spoke outside for quite a while before Xing Yu came back in."

Yun Jiao raised her eyebrows; she wanted just to find a slightly useful maid, but didn’t expect such a surprise.

It seemed this maid was quite perceptive.

Why was Aunt Su’s person looking for Xing Yu? To explore the affairs of the guest courtyard?

Aunt Su had been managing the household for so long, it was likely difficult to find a place within the Duke Mansion without her people infiltrating it.

This was particularly vexing. Yun Jiao disliked the idea of living in the Duke Mansion in the future, being monitored with every move.