The Noblewoman

"Brother, time for work!" someone called from outside before long.

The man was Zhao Datou's son, Tie Niu. He also worked in the cowshed. Meng Yuan liked his honest, simple nature and took especially good care of him, sometimes even sharing a sheep testicle with him. Their relationship was quite good, and Tie Niu called on Meng Yuan to go to work together every day.

Meng Yuan left the house and headed for the cowshed with Tie Niu.

There was not much work in winter. They only needed to shovel out the accumulated manure, provide water and add fodder; there were few other odd jobs. Winter was the slack season, after all, and the fields needed no tending.

But Manor Head Li truly did not treat people as human. He could not bear to let anyone rest for even a moment. Seeing that Meng Yuan was capable, he piled work onto him without restraint. Other than castrating sheep and cattle, there was shoveling manure, chopping grass, leveling ground, and sweeping snow. The only thing left was for Meng Yuan to sleep with his wife in his place.

Even Old Man Jiang, the sole veterinarian in the manor, was not allowed any leisure. Whenever there was nothing to do in the manor, he was sent to nearby villages for private work, with his second son following along. Whatever money they earned all went to his second son.

Even a child like Jiang Tang had to weave just as many straw ropes and bamboo baskets as the manor women, and everything she made was handed over to Li Dabiao, Manor Head Li's eldest son, to sell.

There was never a trace of meat in their three daily meals, and their food was often withheld. He even resold the manor's manure fertilizer and peddled chicks and piglets outside. He was both miserly and greedy.

The manor folk had no way around it. Manor Head Li was an old servant who had come as part of the Princess Consort's dowry, and he had also currried favor with Steward Liu of the Prince's Manor. Father and son truly covered the sky with one hand in the manor.

After working for more than an hour, everyone washed up briefly before heading to the dining hall for breakfast.

Jiang Tang was already waiting. She fished out two dried dates to give Meng Yuan, but Meng Yuan glared them back at her.

After breakfast, Meng Yuan was explaining castration techniques to Tie Niu when urgent bronze-gong beats rang out from outside, summoning the manor folk.

When everyone arrived before the manor's Great Hall, they saw a carriage, along with two mounted guards.

Two young maidservants stepped down from the carriage first. Only then did the principal figure emerge.

She wore a light-colored cloak, its hood trimmed with a ring of white fox fur. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves. She was beautiful, around twenty years old, standing straight as she swept her gaze over the crowd.

"Miss Xun Mei, what brings you here? Wasn't it always Steward Liu in previous years?" Manor Head Li, usually so overbearing and loud, bent at the waist as he hurried forward to ingratiate himself.

Meng Yuan had heard of this woman. She was a trusted maid by the Princess Consort's side and deeply favored by her.

Yet judging from her bearing, she did not look like a maid at all. Rather, she looked like a proper mistress.

"The year-end festival is approaching. The Princess Consort ordered me to come take a look." Xun Mei's voice was tranquil as snow plum blossoms as she walked toward the Great Hall.

Manor Head Li hurried after her inside. The other manor folk had no idea what to do and simply stood outside foolishly.

Meng Yuan saw it clearly. Miss Xun Mei had most likely come to inspect the year-end accounts.

Sure enough, after waiting a while, Manor Head Li came out of the Great Hall and called people in for questioning, though he himself did not go back inside. Those who came out after being questioned were all beaming with delight, while Manor Head Li and his son's expressions grew increasingly ugly.

After waiting less than half an hour, Meng Yuan, Old Man Jiang, and Jiang Tang were also given a chance to enter.

Miss Xun Mei had removed her cloak and was examining account books before a low table, working an abacus with her other hand.

"Are you the new veterinarians?" Xun Mei did not even raise her head, asking while flicking the abacus beads.

"Yes, noble lady," Meng Yuan answered.

"Have you suffered any bullying or harsh treatment in the manor?" Xun Mei asked again.

"The Princess Consort treats us generously. No one has bullied us." Meng Yuan had long wanted to overturn Manor Head Li and his son, but he did not make accusations lightly.

In Meng Yuan's view, Manor Head Li had likely already smoothed over the accounts. And even if he accused him, reselling manure fertilizer, chicks, and piglets was only a minor matter. Given Manor Head Li's status as a dowry servant, today would probably end in a false alarm.

"How much monthly allowance does the manor give you?"

"Noble lady, we have only been at the manor for one month and have not yet received any."

"Do you know whether the livestock manor has oppressed nearby villagers under the Prince's Manor's name?"

"We are newly arrived and have not heard of such things."

"You answer cleverly. Have you studied?" Xun Mei raised her head and looked at Meng Yuan. Though his clothes were ragged, they could not conceal his handsome, spirited air. She looked at him twice more before lowering her head again to calculate the accounts.

"I studied before and recognize a few characters," Meng Yuan said.

"Can you do accounts? Use an abacus?" Xun Mei asked again.

"I have skimmed a few books on arithmetic," Meng Yuan replied.

"There are chickens and rabbits in one cage. Above are eight heads; below are twenty-six legs. How many chickens and rabbits are there?" Xun Mei directly gave him a question.

He did not even need to count on his fingers. Meng Yuan had the answer at once, but he put on a thoughtful expression and paused for several breaths before saying, "Could it be five rabbits and three chickens?"

Miss Xun Mei smiled slightly, with a hint of appreciation in her eyes. "The Princess Consort is kind and will not let her servants go hungry or cold. You are newly arrived strangers. Work diligently here, and one day you will rise above your station."

Meng Yuan understood. She was saying that because he could read and calculate, he was already a prospective "higher-ranking servant." But because his status was still too new, he would have to wait a while longer.

"Thank you, noble lady." Meng Yuan hurriedly thanked her, though he did not know when he would receive such promotion.

"I am no noble lady. You and I are alike; we merely work for the Princess Consort." Xun Mei seemed to have formed a good impression of Meng Yuan. She took out a small porcelain bottle. "Labor is hard, but there will always be a day when you pick up books again. I happened to bring a bottle of frostbite ointment. Treat the frostbite on your hands."

"Thank you, Mei-jie." Meng Yuan stepped forward to accept it, already changing how he addressed her. He truly knew how to climb a pole once it was offered.

Xun Mei waved a hand, and the little maid beside her took out three pieces of broken silver and distributed them among Meng Yuan's group of three.

With a light weigh in his hand, Meng Yuan estimated it to be around one tael. No wonder those questioned earlier had come out beaming; they had received reward money.

"The year-end festival is approaching. The Princess Consort ordered this, and everyone will receive some. But you are newly arrived, so I gave you a little more. Do not spread the word." Xun Mei smiled. Only when she saw that the three of them were so moved they were nearly shedding tears and snot did she let them leave.

Meng Yuan had no chance to show off his flattery, and he could not help feeling disappointed.

Outside the Great Hall, Manor Head Li and his son stood with dark faces, glaring fiercely at Meng Yuan and Old Man Jiang.

Old Man Jiang's heart gave a jolt, and he whispered, "We didn't say anything."

Manor Head Li impatiently waved his hand.

Meng Yuan said nothing either, but he had his own conclusions.

Xun Mei had personally handed out the year-end reward silver, clearly to prevent anyone from intercepting or taking a cut. This showed that the Princess Consort was not only kind, but also knew how to handle matters.

It was clear that the people above were good; it was all because Manor Head Li and his son below were greedy and cunning, ruining the execution of things.

Secondly, Xun Mei had separated Manor Head Li and his son, then questioned the manor folk about its affairs. She was carefully investigating whether the livestock manor had been deceiving those above while concealing matters below. Clearly, the Princess Consort knew what sort of people served beneath her, and this was to nip trouble in the bud and give them a slight warning.

Sure enough, after checking the accounts, Miss Xun Mei visited several more livestock pens, then sternly ordered Manor Head Li not to mistreat the manor folk, withhold food, or cause trouble in the Prince's Manor's name.

Manor Head Li and his son scarcely dared breathe and eagerly agreed. Yet the moment Xun Mei left, they burst into loud laughter without caring who heard.

Meng Yuan watched coldly, guessing that Manor Head Li and his son had committed far more than these petty offenses. That was why, the moment they passed the inspection, they could not resist becoming so smug.

But Meng Yuan had not caught any evidence, so it was difficult to bring them down.

After a busy day, work ended, and he returned to his quarters.

After washing up a little, Meng Yuan was pulled by Jiang Tang into her small thatched hut.

With a single lamp burning like a bean, the two sat side by side on a long bench. Meng Yuan wet his finger and wrote Jiang Tang's name on the battered table.

Jiang Tang was not very focused on learning. After tracing it twice, she whispered, "Mei-jie was really pretty today."

"You'll be even prettier than her someday." Meng Yuan was simply stating the facts. The girl had good foundations, though she was somewhat thin and weak. If she were properly cared for, she would likely bloom into a flower in a few years.

At his words, Jiang Tang lowered her head. Even in the faint lamplight, the flush on her cheeks was still visible.

The shyness of a little yellow-haired girl was certainly innocent and adorable, but it truly gave rise to not the slightest urge to tease her.

"Brother, how do you use this?" Jiang Tang took out a small porcelain bottle. It was the frostbite ointment Xun Mei had given Meng Yuan, which he had casually tossed to Jiang Tang.

It was only frostbite ointment. How else could it be used? This girl was so young, yet already full of little schemes!

Meng Yuan took the porcelain bottle, and Jiang Tang quickly held out her hand.

She wove straw ropes and bamboo baskets every day. Her delicate palms were covered in tiny cracks from the cold, and the sight made Meng Yuan's heart ache.

He applied the ointment to the frost-cracked places on her hands and gently rubbed it in. "Next year, I won't let you get frostbite again."

Jiang Tang nodded happily, then applied ointment to Meng Yuan's hands as well, softly humming an off-key Shepherd's Song.