The Female Lead Decides to Act Wickedly

Chapter 712 - 288 This Time It’s Swindler Again (4)_2

As a qualified servant, Lai Sheng knew all too well the ways of the world.

He made no claims to his own achievements but instead attributed the credit to his immediate master, Jia Zhen.

"Brother Zhen is indeed capable; otherwise, I wouldn’t have felt at ease entrusting the household to him!"

He Tiantian had to maintain the facade of her original character and was forced to speak against her will.

"That’s fine, as long as the herbs are ready, you can go back now. Don’t let your worldly presence offend the Immortal!"

He Tiantian waved her hand impatiently, beginning to shoo people out.

To "Jia Jing," the living ancestor’s capriciousness, Lai Sheng and other servants were already well accustomed.

Indeed, it wasn’t just them; even Jia Zhen, the master of Ningguo’s Mansion, had to act with utmost respect and obedience in Jia Jing’s presence.

The son’s fear of his father was an "excellent tradition" of the Jia family!

"Yes, Grand Master! Your servants will descend the mountain immediately."

Lai Sheng hurriedly got up, ready to leave.

Just then, He Tiantian seemed to have thought of something and said in a melancholic tone, "Well, although I’m not lacking folks to attend to me, I do need someone to run errands."

Lai Sheng quickly knelt down again and ventured to ask, "Grand Master, should I go back and pick out a few clever lads to send to you?"

He Tiantian didn’t take up Lai Sheng’s offer but continued on her own, "I recall there are a few old servants in the house, aren’t there? That Jiao Da, he’s most faithful. Yes, send him and his few little brats over to me!"

"Jiao Da?" Lai Sheng hesitated for a moment.

Jiao Da was a veteran in Ningguo’s Mansion, who in earlier days had even followed the Jia family ancestor into battle and carried his master out of a pile of dead bodies.

However, after Jia Jing succeeded to the title, he turned to scholarly pursuits with complete devotion and seemed not to value the old servant like Jiao Da.

Jia Jing, the father, had slighted the loyal servant, and Jia Zhen only intensified this disrespect.

Thus, Jiao Da, an old loyal servant who once saved the Jia family’s life, ended up with the demeaning fate of getting his mouth stuffed with horse dung for simply crying out his grievances.

The original story didn’t mention what became of Jiao Da.

But, having gone to war with the ancestor, he must have been of a considerable age, at least older than Jia Jing.

And since Jia Jing was already over fifty, Jiao Da must have been in his early sixties.

At such an age, to have suffered public humiliation by having his mouth stuffed with horse dung, his shame and anger must have been indescribable.

Moreover, with the Jia family’s inclination to flatter the higher-ups and trample on the lower, Jiao Da, despite his seniority, had nothing coming to him but further bullying.

He Tiantian reckoned that if she didn’t take him in, this old servant might actually lose his life.

"Right, that old fellow does have a bit of a temper, but he’s still somewhat faithful!"

"Mainly, he’s tough-skinned and can take a beating, perfect for running the errands I have in mind!"

He Tiantian remarked offhandedly.

The more she said this, the more doubts Lai Sheng had—what errands could there possibly be in the Taoist Temple that required an old, tough-skinned, faithful servant?

But though he was puzzled, Lai Sheng dared not delay the Grand Master’s instructions.

After all, keeping Jiao Da in the mansion was nothing but a nuisance, and sending him to Xuanzhen Temple was no problem.

This trivial matter didn’t require consulting Jia Zhen, as Lai Sheng could decide on his own.

He quickly promised, "Yes! I will shortly send Jiao Da and his sons to you!"

Having said this, Lai Sheng watched He Tiantian’s expression cautiously.

To his observation, their Grand Master had once again closed her eyes, and her mouth was opening and closing, continuing to recite the scriptures.

Seeing this, Lai Sheng didn’t dare to interrupt, quietly got to his feet, and on tiptoes, slipped away with a few servants in tow.

Although Jiao Da’s case didn’t require reporting back to Jia Zhen, Lai Sheng, as an exemplary housekeeper, still took a moment to inform him.

Jia Zhen, busy with Qin Keqing’s funeral, was already run off his feet, and it was fortunate the neighboring Second Lady Lian agreed to help manage the internal affairs of the house; otherwise, he’d have been overwhelmed.

Even then, Jia Zhen looked significantly aged and haggard, using a cane for support and wobbling as he walked.

When suddenly hearing that his father wanted an old servant from the house, Jia Zhen didn’t take it seriously at all and casually waved it off as a trivial matter.

Neither Jia Zhen nor Lai Sheng saw it as significant, while Jiao Da, who had been indignantly lying at home nursing his wounds, perked up at the news that the Grand Master finally remembered him and wanted to assign him tasks, leaping off the bed in an instant.

"Grand Master! This old servant always knew you wouldn’t forget me!"

Jiao Da’s outburst that day was not only out of a sense of injustice but also in hopes of catching the master’s attention.