Zhang Pozi had initially held out hope, but upon learning of Feng Ruoyan's proposed method, she immediately began to waver.
To steal from her masters, and to steal the contract of servitude, was a capital offense. If discovered, she would be beaten to death.
"No, Eldest Miss, if I'm discovered, I'll be beaten to death. No... this won't do..."
Fear coursed through her. She had personally witnessed runaway maids beaten to death, some with their feet severed and eyes gouged out.
Feng Ruoyan casually took Zhang Pozi's hand. "What you did to them before is now coming back to you. Staying in the Feng manor, you would have died from mistreatment anyway. If you try this, perhaps you'll succeed."
Zhang Pozi lowered her gaze. Her face remained as placid as ever, but her heart churned like a stormy sea.
She had been persuaded, yet she still hesitated to take the plunge.
"Eldest Miss, this matter is not trivial. This old servant must return and consider it before making a decision."
"Of course. It concerns your very life and livelihood, so it is indeed a significant matter that requires careful thought. If you decide tomorrow, come and see me at the manor."
Feng Ruoyan slid off the bracelet from her wrist and placed it into Zhang Pozi's hand. "Whether this leads to fortune or ruin, to wealth or destitution, rests entirely on your decision."
"Yes, this old servant understands. If Eldest Miss has no further instructions, I shall take my leave."
"See Granny Zhang out," Feng Ruoyan gestured with her eyes to the maidservant beside her to escort her.
"This servant obeys."
Feng Ruoyan lightly folded her sleeves, picked up a teacup from the table, and took a sip of the clear tea, a calculating smile gracing her lips.
...
"Young Madam has returned. This servant has already prepared hot water. Perhaps Young Madam would like to bathe before resting."
Cai Qing had prepared the hot water early, intending for Feng Jin to have a comfortable bath and go to bed sooner.
"I am tired. Prepare the hot water and then you may return to your rest. I do not require your service here."
"Yes, this servant obeys."
Cai Qing and Chu Qing said in unison. Their Young Madam was truly so much better than any of their previous masters.
At night, she always allowed them to return to their own rooms to rest, never forcing them to stay up. She never berated or insulted them, and when she had anything good, she always thought of them first.
Following their Young Madam, they felt like human beings for the first time, not just servants. They finally had their own dignity.
After preparing the hot water, the two women withdrew together.
Feng Jin simply gathered her long, black hair to the back of her head, securing it with a hairpin.
She reached out to test the water temperature before shedding her clothes. Submerging her body into the hot water, all her fatigue dissipated. Feng Jin leaned back comfortably against the edge of the bathtub. How much more comfortable it would be with a cup of hot milk at this moment.
Unfortunately, the dairy cow kept in the back courtyard was pregnant and currently had no milk. She could only think about milking it again after the cow gave birth to a calf.
After soaking for a while, Feng Jin stood up. Before her hands could reach for her clothes, she heard the sound of a door opening at the entrance. She quickly grabbed her clothes and wrapped herself in them, asking with great vigilance, "Who's there?"
"It's me..."
With just two words, Feng Jin immediately recognized who it was. She slowly relaxed, tidied her clothes, and stepped out from behind the screen, her gaze fixing on the man sitting there, sipping tea.
"How did you get in? I distinctly remember locking the door. How did you open it?"
Before bathing, she had specifically gone to lock the door from the inside and checked it several times before starting her bath.
How had Ling Mohan managed to enter so brazenly without making a sound?
The man put down his teacup and raised his eyes to glance at Feng Jin. "That lock was no match for me."
Feng Jin's brow furrowed slightly. She walked to the door and saw the broken lock on the doorknob. This was the lock she had only recently replaced, and it had already met its demise so quickly.
"When you enter a room, don't you know to knock first? Entering directly after breaking a lock like this is wrong. This is trespassing, and moreover, it's a young lady's room..."
She went on a tiresome, nagging tirade. She was utterly fed up with Ling Mohan's primitive, uncivilized behavior. Counting back, the number of locks that had met their end at his hands was countless. Today, for her own sake and for those unfortunate locks, she had to seek justice.
In a short span of time, Feng Jin had formulated many arguments in her mind, preparing to have a proper discussion with Ling Mohan.
However, Ling Mohan seemed to have no awareness of Feng Jin's presence in his eyes. He didn't even reply a single word to her questioning.
Being so utterly ignored, if she were to tolerate it any longer, it would mean she had a problem with her brain. Feng Jin, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward and snatched the scroll from Ling Mohan's hand, slamming it heavily onto the table.
"What do you mean? Did you not hear me talking to you just now? Not even a single word of reply."
Ling Mohan showed no anger. His thin lips parted, and he spoke with utter calmness. "This is Ling Manor, my home. This is my room. Have you ever seen anyone knock when entering their own room?"
This was the third time Feng Jin had locked herself in her room. It had caused him to develop a whole set of lock-picking skills.
Feng Jin was instantly rendered speechless. Her mouth parted slightly, but no words came out.
After some thought, she felt Ling Mohan's words held more reason. She didn't even know how to formulate a rebuttal, yet she remained stubborn, refusing to yield. "Even so, you shouldn't have pried open the lock. Look for yourself inside this box, it's filled with all the locks you've broken..."
The box was filled with nothing but broken locks.
"Ahem... ahem..."
Ling Mohan coughed lightly, concealing a hint of awkwardness on his face. "If you hadn't insisted on locking the door, I wouldn't have resorted to such measures."
Holding onto this matter, he was determined to shift the blame onto Feng Jin. Even if he couldn't push all the responsibility off, he at least wanted Feng Jin to share half of it, so that it would be fair and just.
"I locked the door because I was bathing. If I hadn't locked it, would I leave it wide open? Besides, even if I locked the door and you couldn't get in for a while, you can't forget that you have hands. Those hands can also be used to knock. Don't always engage in lock-picking."