Zhao Luoming temporarily found a small courtyard and settled down the Second Lady Zhao there.
The Second Lady Zhao was still complaining about everything. Zhao Luoming gave a few instructions to the serving maids and left in a hurry without bothering about her.
At the Zhao Mansion.
As soon as the Second Lady Zhao left, the numerous maids and servants in her courtyard suddenly lost their backbone and all came to the First Lady Zhao.
The First Lady Zhao simply distanced herself with one sentence, "I haven't been in charge of the household for many years. You'd better go to the master for a decision."
Master Zhao was also very troubled. In the end, he simply cut down on expenses and dismissed all of them together.
When she heard that she was going to be dismissed, Nanny Cheng, who had previously reported the Second Lady Zhao, got a bit panicked.
She quickly knelt down and pleaded for mercy.
"Master, Mistress, I have old and young to support. Please don't drive me away."
It would have been better if she hadn't pleaded. Once Master Zhao thought of what she had done, he got even more annoyed.
The First Lady Zhao, standing beside him, of course knew that Nanny Cheng was urging her to fulfill her promise.
She said, "Master, if our mansion is not short of hands, how about sending Nanny Cheng to Luojing's place?"
So far, it was quite normal.
The First Lady Zhao even added another sentence.
"Nanny Cheng has rendered meritorious service by reporting. We can't let our loyal servant down, right?"
As soon as he heard the word "loyal servant", Master Zhao flew into a rage.
"Such a vicious servant is called a loyal one? She knew that the Second Lady was harming the young miss but didn't report it and even protected the real culprit! Now she is even betraying her master for personal gain. How could you be so relieved to put such a vicious servant beside Luojing!"
Nanny Cheng, who had been happily daydreaming about becoming the head nanny, was completely stunned when she saw the furious Master Zhao.
Master Zhao summoned the servants and ordered,
"Send this vicious servant to the government!"
Nanny Cheng panicked when she heard this.
After all, Nanny Cheng was an old servant in the mansion. She knew Master Zhao's temper. When he got stubborn, he would even beat his favorite concubine, let alone a disfavored nanny like her.
She didn't plead with Master Zhao anymore. Instead, she quickly grabbed the First Lady Zhao's leg.
"Mistress, please save me."
The First Lady Zhao looked very embarrassed and continued to persuade on the side.
"Master, look... if you really don't like her, just let her go to Luojing's place. Anyway, you won't have to see her."
Each time the First Lady Zhao mentioned Zhao Luojing, Master Zhao's anger flared up even more.
He kicked Nanny Cheng away and shouted,
"Where are the people? Are they all dead?! Why don't you drag this vicious servant away!"
Seeing this, Nanny Cheng panicked. While the servants hadn't come up yet, she quickly grabbed the First Lady Zhao's leg and refused to let go.
The First Lady Zhao looked very embarrassed. As soon as she opened her mouth and mentioned "Luojing", Nanny Cheng, who had already seen the clue, quickly stopped her.
"Mistress, please don't say anymore. I know your kindness, but I know I'm not qualified to go to the Second Young Master's place. Please ask the master to let me go."
Seeing that her goal had been achieved, the First Lady Zhao secretly let out a sigh of relief.
She asked, "Is this really what you think in your heart?"
"Yes, yes. Please, master, please, mistress, let me go."
If she really carried the bad reputation of "betraying her master for personal gain", it would be difficult for her to find another job.
Then her whole family would really be left with nothing to eat.
Master Zhao still wanted to insist, but the First Lady Zhao stepped forward and held his hand.
"Master, you know, we should forgive when we can. Anyway, I'll listen to you and won't let her go to Luojing's place. After all, her reporting was indeed meritorious."
Master Zhao looked at the First Lady Zhao, his face full of shock.
"This vicious servant and the Second Lady have persecuted you so much. How can you bear it?"
The First Lady Zhao lowered her face while holding a handkerchief.
"I've endured for so many years. Moreover, there's a reason for them to act like this."
Master Zhao was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to respond when he heard this.
Indeed, there was a reason.
The reason was him.
Thinking of this, Master Zhao didn't feel good about standing on the moral high ground to blame Nanny Cheng anymore. He waved his hand and said, "Do as you like. I don't want to care anymore."
After Master Zhao waved his hand and left, the First Lady Zhao helped Nanny Cheng up from the ground.
"About Luojing's place..."
As soon as the First Lady Zhao opened her mouth, Nanny Cheng kept refusing.
"Mistress, I really don't deserve such a chance. Please, don't torture me anymore."
It was a joke. If she really went to serve in Zhao Luojing's courtyard, and if Master Zhao was in a bad mood one day and took it out on her, wouldn't she suffer a great loss?
Even if Master Zhao really let this matter go, she wouldn't be able to serve in peace. It would be like a knife hanging over her head.
The First Lady Zhao patted Nanny Cheng's hand and took out a heavy silver bag from her sleeve.
"This money is just a little compensation from me. I didn't expect this to happen. I'm really sorry for you."
Nanny Cheng weighed the money bag in her hand, and her face instantly brightened up.
With this money, why would she still need to work?
Although it wasn't as much as what the head nanny in Zhao Luojing's mansion could earn, this large sum of money was enough for her to live a worry - free life for two or three years.
The First Lady Zhao advised, "I didn't expect the master to be so resistant to the people around the Second Lady. For your own safety, you'd better go far away. You know the master's temper."
Nanny Cheng nodded like a pounding garlic. The First Lady Zhao was right.
As long as she was in Huangcheng, Master Zhao could come and settle accounts with her at any time.
Anyway, now that she had money, it wouldn't be difficult for her to start a new life in another place. Moreover, with her years of experience serving in the Zhao Mansion, it wouldn't be difficult for her to find a job in any mansion.
Thinking like this, Nanny Cheng felt relieved. She happily took the silver, thanked the First Lady Zhao repeatedly, and then left.
After Nanny Cheng left, Zhao Luoning stepped forward and supported her mother.
"Mother, giving her so much money is a waste."
"Leave some leeway for others. We may meet again in the future. Don't push such people too hard."
Zhao Luoning wasn't a fool. As soon as she came back and found out the situation in the mansion, and combined with her mother's attitude before and after, she knew whose doing it was.
After all, they were mother and daughter. Some things didn't need to be said to be guessed.
To be honest, Zhao Luoning was quite amazed.
She knew that her mother had some tricks, but she didn't expect her to be so powerful.
Zhao Luoning felt that she couldn't match her mother's ability to defuse a crisis with ease.
Supported by Zhao Luoning, the First Lady Zhao looked back at the huge Zhao Mansion, her eyes calm.
With no outsiders around, she called Zhao Luoning by her name directly.
"Ning'er, did something happen between you and your husband?"
Zhao Luoning was stunned for a moment.
This feeling of being completely seen through by her mother.
She tried hard to explain.
"No, he just asked me to come back first."
The First Lady Zhao smiled and didn't expose her.
"Alas, your father and I have lived like this all our lives. As you can see, I've really failed in this aspect."
"Mother..." Zhao Luoning felt a bit guilty.
"You are my daughter. I only hope that you don't compromise for the sake of others. Just be happy."
Would she be happy?
Would she be happy if she left Ji Shisu?
Zhao Luoning thought seriously.
She wasn't sure about the answer.
But the fact that Ji Shisu had lied to her was really unacceptable to her.