I Picked Up a High-Maintenance Mistress for Famine-Fleeing and Farming 46

Chapter 46: Too Many Madams

The City Lord’s estate was named “Cloud-Embracing Terrace.” It was located in the very center of Wanliu City, at the highest point, from which one could take in the most prosperous parts of the city at a glance.

Adjacent to the Cloud-Embracing Terrace were three circles of blue-bricked, tiled houses. The innermost circle housed a group of the City Lord’s advisors and local officials. However, these were all meritorious old generals who had conquered the world with the old City Lord. Most were advanced in age, and the remaining younger generation had gradually grown lax, excelling only at leading the City Lord to eat, drink, and be merry.

The next circle consisted of wealthy merchants and great households, the relatively prosperous families who controlled the city’s commercial operations and had trade dealings with the outside world. However, all business had to be reported to the City Lord. The various mechanisms had been established by the old City Lord in his youth. Since taking on the burden, Wan Liufang had only to maintain the established order, and there were generally no major troubles.

The outermost circle consisted of the servants who maintained the basic needs of these people. But Wanliu City was sparsely populated. In the beginning, those who had followed the City Lord to open up this land were either clansmen or relatives. Even after settling in Wanliu City, there were very few true servants.

Later, as this place became more and more prosperous, many people gradually came to seek refuge, such as Feng Qing’s family, and also refugees who could not feed themselves. Gradually, the outermost circle of servants was formed. They mainly followed the arrangements of Wanliu City, doing hard labor in the city and serving the nobles and masters.

Beyond the three circles was the fertile black land, which was controlled by the original clansmen, who had gradually formed several major landlord families. They only had to pay a fixed amount of grain to the City Lord each year. When they were short of hands, they would recruit long-term laborers. Everything seemed to be stable.

…

In the Cloud-Embracing Terrace lived three Madams, all beauties sent from various factions. Ever since it was discovered that Wan Liufang only favored women, the advisors and clansmen had been disheartened and had come to a tacit understanding. If any Madam won the City Lord’s favor, they would have their own descendants adopted to inherit the Cloud-Embracing Terrace and become the new City Lord. As a result, no one urged Wan Liufang to find a man anymore. They all hoped that their own daughters would be more promising, win the City Lord’s favor, and make her hand over Wanliu City.

But Wan Liufang was probably a profligate who didn’t play by the rules. When she was unhappy, she would throw things around and had even made her cousin go and shovel manure. She really made everyone helpless.

But she was not entirely useless. When it came to maintaining the operation of Wanliu City and dealing with the social affairs outside the city, she showed some intelligence. For now, there was no better candidate than her who could make everyone live in harmony and treat everyone equally.

…

Inside the Cloud-Embracing Terrace.

The three Madams, seeing the returning Jiang Xirou, immediately threw down the melon seeds in their hands, stood up, and walked over to her, surrounding her.

“Oh, little sister seems to be in a good mood. There’s even a smile on that tender little face,” the First Madam said, looking at Jiang Xirou’s outfit with gritted teeth, mad with jealousy.

She was the City Lord’s cousin, and she had never been given a set to wear, yet this bitch had gotten the advantage.

“First Madam is joking. I see that all you sisters are also very happy, cracking melon seeds in the courtyard in this harsh winter. Is it that the bare tree trunks are so interesting to look at? Or can you not get enough of this snow scene?” Jiang Xirou didn’t even think much of Wan Liufang, let alone her group of Madams.

“Aiyo, this little sister’s mouth is quite sharp. You look so gentle and weak, but you’re a tough one. How did you shamelessly seduce the City Lord? Tell us and teach us sisters,” the Second Madam said. Her family was the richest in Wanliu City. She had not come here to live a good life, but had simply taken a liking to that embroidered pillow’s appearance.

“Watch your mouth. If you want to seduce her, go and do it yourself. If you can’t, then you’re not capable. Do you think she’s some rare treasure?” Jiang Xirou’s defenses were finally broken. This group of people was too vulgar, even worse than the old women in the countryside.

“Sisters, she’s dressed so flamboyantly. Could it be that she went out to meet a lover in secret?” the Third Madam asked. Her father happened to be Wan Liufang’s number one advisor. She loved neither people nor money, but was just a tool sent by her family to occupy a place.

“Third Sister, the City Lord knows that you’re so good at slander, doesn’t she?” Jiang Xirou was definitely not calling them ‘sister’ out of respect, but just to imply that they were older than her.

“What are you talking to this little bitch for? Hurry up and scratch her face,” the First Madam said, having lost her patience and just wanting to deal with Jiang Xirou.

Jiang Xirou had never expected that this shrew would dare to make a move, and to come and tear at her clothes directly. For a moment, she didn’t react and was slapped hard by her. The gentleness in her eyes instantly disappeared, and she looked at the First Madam with a venomous gaze.

“Miss,” her little maid, Hehua, seeing her mistress being hit, immediately tried to stand in front of her, but was blocked by the Second Madam and could not get close.

Only then did Jiang Xirou remember that Liu Yunhe had been gentle. They had fought for so many years, and her temperament had never been moved to violence. It must have been difficult for her. But then again, how could this woman be considered her opponent? She covered her face and thought to herself, If I don’t drive her out within two months, my surname is not Jiang.

“Sisters, let’s not fight anymore. It would be too impolite if the City Lord came back and saw,” the Third Madam said, covering her smiling lips with her sleeve, as if the excitement was not enough.

Jiang Xirou had always been one to put on airs and was naturally no match for the shrewish First Madam. In a short while, even her hair was pulled apart, and her hairpins fell all over the ground.

“Yaozhi, what’s wrong inside?” Wan Liufang heard the commotion in the courtyard and thought it was her cousin fighting with the other two again, and was too lazy to go over.

“Reporting to the City Lord, it’s the new lady. Today… she… um…!” Yaozhi stuttered, unable to complete her sentence.

“What’s wrong with her?” The maid’s words made her a little impatient.

“The new lady dressed up and went out today. The First Madam and the others said that Lady Jiang went to meet a lover in secret and was indecent,” Yaozhi said, spilling everything she had heard in a rush, frightened.

The originally slightly anxious footsteps immediately slowed down after hearing the words “meet a lover in secret.”

Wan Liufang’s expression visibly darkened, but she walked into the courtyard unhurriedly.

Seeing her walk in, the few Madams left Jiang Xirou and ran to Wan Liufang’s side, chattering endlessly.

“City Lord, you’re finally back! This little bitch, she went out behind your back to meet who knows what shameless person,” the First Madam said, twisting her not-so-slender figure and gripping Wan Liufang’s wrist hard, which made her face turn even darker.

She lifted her eyes and swept them lightly over Jiang Xirou. Messy hair, two buttons undone on her clothes, the fox fur on her body also pulled to the ground, and a red handprint on her fair face. She should have looked miserable, but the person had tears in her eyes, her head held high, not letting the tears fall.

She calmly straightened her clothes, not even looking at the City Lord, as if she were not the protagonist of the First Madam’s complaint. The slightly curved corners of her lips seemed to be mocking the few people opposite her.

Seeing her arrogant face, Wan Liufang wanted to tear off that mask. To still be putting on the airs of a noble lady in such a state.

“Yaozhi, go and help Lady Jiang to her bath. After that, have her wait for me in my courtyard. I have a score to settle with her,” Wan Liufang said, looking at Jiang Xirou with a grim face.

Hearing that she was to go to Wan Liufang’s courtyard after her bath, the tears that were about to fall from Jiang Xirou’s eyes froze on the spot. What a beast. She was already like this, and she was still thinking of that kind of thing. She was simply not human.

Jiang Xirou’s face flushed red with anger.

“Hey, hey? Cousin, you’re leaving already?” the First Madam asked, looking at the City Lord’s back with an expectant look in her eyes.

“Cousin, I still have things to do. I’ll come and see you another day,” Wan Liufang said, turning back. Her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Jiang Xirou, who was still squatting on the ground, and she quickly left the backyard.

“Why did the City Lord just leave? She didn’t even say she would stay and talk with us,” the Second Madam said, looking at the person’s back, a little lost.

“If she’s gone, she’s gone. Anyway, she’s just going out to have fun. She won’t stay with us for long. I think we should all disperse,” the Third Madam said with a wave of her hand, unconcerned.

“Hmph, we’ll see how the City Lord deals with you later. Let’s go,” the First Madam said, pointing at Jiang Xirou, and then led the other two back to her own courtyard.

Jiang Xirou looked at the First Madam’s back as if she were looking at a fool. Was this really Wan Liufang’s First Madam? Why did she seem a little retarded?

“Aiyo,” the place where she had been hit was a little uncomfortable. Jiang Xirou gently covered her cheek with her hand, secretly remembering this slap.

“Lady Jiang, the City Lord has ordered this servant to accompany you to your bath,” Yaozhi said, standing on the side, her tone cool, looking down at Jiang Xirou.

“What? Are you happy that I was beaten?” Jiang Xirou asked, looking up, her tone cold.

“This servant wouldn’t dare,” Yaozhi quickly denied, and hurried to help Jiang Xirou up.

…

In the Haitang Courtyard, Wan Liufang had not yet returned. Jiang Xirou had changed her clothes and had been sent over.

She sat there for about an hour and fell asleep on the bed.

When Wan Liufang returned to the courtyard, it was already time to light the lamps. The room was lit with candles, and a person was half-lying on the bed, her legs still hanging on the ground.

The beauty was lying on the side of the bed, with a cloud-like topknot and hairpins, and a large and a small pearl on her forehead as decoration, which made her little face look pure and holy.

Her honey-colored brocade robe was embroidered with albizia flowers, and the gold thread flashed in the candlelight. Her rose-purple cotton skirt was spread out, hanging down from the bed like a large fan, which had a different kind of charm.

Wan Liufang held a candle and looked up. The girl was slender and delicate, her waist so thin it could be encircled by a single hand, like a pear blossom just beginning to bloom after the rain, exuding a sense of clean freshness.

The sight made Wan Liufang’s eyes burn and her hands itch. She placed the candle to the side, took off her cloak, and knelt down to remove the beauty’s shoes.

But the moment she moved, Jiang Xirou opened her eyes.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her watery, almond-like eyes staring at the figure before her. Seeing her foot held in Wan Liufang’s hand, she was startled and quickly pulled it back.

“What else could I be doing? Have you forgotten your place? And who did you go out to see today?” she asked, her long, pale hand pinching Jiang Xirou’s chin.

“No one,” Jiang Xirou replied, her chin held high, her eyelids lowered.

“No one? Really?” Wan Liufang’s fingers slowly slid down from her small chin, and two of them deftly undid the frog buttons.

“Don’t… City Lord!” Jiang Xirou dodged.

“Since you were sent here, you should know your duty. If you please me, your father will also have an easier time,” Wan Liufang whispered in her ear, reaching out and pulling the hairpins from the beauty’s hair, throwing them to the ground.

In the hazy lamplight, she watched as her dark hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She ran her fingers through the smooth, long hair, slowly grooming it for her.

Jiang Xirou closed her eyes tightly, her brows furrowed, enduring the chill that seeped through her clothes.

The red candlelight flickered, and the melted wax dripped down, forming a begonia-like shape at the base of the candlestick.

On the screen opposite the large bed, the reflection of the two figures was entangled like vines.

“Come up a little,” Wan Liufang said. Her snow-white satin inner robe was open at the collar, and with her long, narrow fox-like eyes and seductive voice, she was like a soul-sucking demon in the dark night.

Jiang Xirou forgot to resist and, as if possessed, did as she was told.

When she came to her senses, she turned her head to look at the screen not far away, her pretty face flushing a deep, burning red. She couldn’t help but cry out.

The person beneath her buried her face in the soft flesh. On the reflection on the screen, one could even see her chin moving slightly.

Jiang Xirou panted lightly, so ashamed she covered her eyes with her hands, trying to deceive herself.

It was another whole night of entanglement. Jiang Xirou’s body was limp, and she had no temper left, only hoping for the rooster to crow so she could get some sleep.