Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

Chapter 296 Bloodline

Xiao Jiang didn't know how Cui Bianxu lived when he was a bachelor in this place, but her future mother-in-law was really particular about her way of doing things. Even the water for washing hands was different. She originally thought that using chrysanthemums and bath beans was very elegant.

Unexpectedly, the Cui family used a drop of flower dew in the water. The floral fragrance spread along with the warm water basin. After washing your hands, you only need to apply a layer of the same flower hand cream. Every move you make will have the fragrance, just like the flower fairy descending to the earth.

Jiang Shangxian found that her nose had become more stable recently. As long as the smell was not too disgusting, she could tolerate it, and she could also distinguish what was in the fragrance.

Zhao Yue touched up her makeup again before sitting down again. She waved her hand to dismiss the waiters and took out her cheat sheet, ready to begin her lecture. As she opened it, she saw Jiang Shangxian, who was sitting below her, move the small table next to him and pull out a few sheets of paper and something wrapped in cloth from the small cloth bag on his back. "What the hell are you doing?"

Zhao Yue felt a headache before the class started.

Jiang Shangxian happily showed off the charcoal pencils he had made from his blackened hands. "Madam, I've just started learning to read, and my handwriting isn't very good, and it's slow. This thing is made of charcoal, so I can write down everything you say later. If there's anything I can't remember, I can recite it over and over again when I get home."

Oh! It’s a cheat sheet!

Zhao Yue was very experienced with this, but she still looked at the charcoal pencil with disdain: "I'd better practice my calligraphy sooner rather than later. This thing is not good after all."

"Yes, ma'am, don't worry. My master praised me for my intelligence today and said that I learn faster than others!" Jiang Shangxian responded crisply, without any exaggeration.

Zhang Yingxue praised her today, saying that it was a pity for her. If she had learned to read and write since she was young, she would be much better than her now.

"Well...."

Zhao Yueting wanted to say, "Don't take this polite talk to heart. Mr. Zhang is teaching students for the first time. What kind of people are studying with him? He's just the tallest one among the short ones."

But after thinking about it, I decided to forget it. This child seems a bit stubborn, and it would save her from arguing with me for a long time about whether she is smart or not.

"Then I'll start. You better remember it well."

Zhao Yue took a sip of cold tea to moisten her throat, glanced at her notes, and then began, "The first thing a housekeeper should do is manage people. Whether it's the maids who serve you personally, the maids who take turns sleeping in, the maids who cook, the maids who sweep the floor, the embroiderers, the gatekeepers, the housekeepers, the people who manage the collection and distribution of grain, the wine and fruit, the cloth, and even the night patrols, the reception of guests, the personal attendants on duty, the collection of rent and debts, etc., the people assigned to these positions must be handled properly and in good order."

Jiang Shangxian's pen was scribbling away, almost taking flight. Seeing she hadn't finished, Zhao Yue paused for a moment, then continued, "As the mistress of the household, you must be fully aware of the servants' situation. Only then can you command them with unwavering confidence, ensuring a respectful atmosphere within and without, and ensuring everything is in place."

After Xiao Jiang, a good student, wrote down everything, she was given time to ask questions. She habitually placed her right elbow on the back of her left hand and raised her hand like a primary school student: "Madam, I have a question."

Zhao Yue stared at her strange posture and pursed her lips: "Put your hands down, don't do anything weird!"

Xiao Jiang, who hadn't done anything strange but had been scolded for a long time, silently withdrew his hand: "Madam, how can I know the whole story about them?"

Human beings are the most complex creatures in the world. Every person, whether a baby or a dying old man, has thousands of unknown thoughts in his heart. For example, she likes to complain in her heart.

She hid these words very well. As long as she didn't say them out loud, others would just think she was a very good-tempered and amiable lady based on her daily behavior.

Who would have thought that she was secretly cursing in her heart every day and secretly cursing other people's ancestors?

Judging others by himself, Jiang Shangxian has more evil thoughts.

Zhao Yue had some opinions on this: "If you want to understand a person's character, you have to observe him over a long period of time, see how he behaves and what other servants say about him. But as a mistress, how can we have the leisure time to understand the personalities of our servants? To begin with, we just need to look at his background."

"Look at their background?" Jiang Shangxian blinked. Could it be that the Cui family was so outrageous that they even divided their slaves by bloodline?

Sometimes she really couldn't understand why so many people from ancient times to the present attached great importance to bloodline and origin.

Just like today's clans, after thousands of years of racial discrimination, what have the imperial families, who lived a simple life, become in order to maintain their bloodline? Even those Russians are divided into the contempt chain of big Mao, second Mao, and third Mao.

In her mind, only pets matter about the purity of their bloodline.

Zhao Yue raised her chin slightly and made a 'yeah' gesture with her hand. Her expression vaguely resembled Cui Bianxu's. "Of course, there are only two kinds of servants in the Cui family."

call....

Xiao Jiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She thought her future mother-in-law also wore it and even knew to make a "yeah" sign. Turns out she was stupid!

"Which two?" She picked up a pen and quickly drew a picture: slave, two lines.

"The largest number are naturally the children born into the Cui family through generations of generations. The second largest group...are the companions brought by the wives who married into the Cui family."

"I see!"

Jiang Shangxian wrote after the two lines: a son born at home and a daughter-in-law living with him.

Then he asked, "Aren't officials in our dynasty also provided with two slaves?"

She didn't remember the details, but she did know that the welfare system for officials in the Tang Dynasty was unprecedented and unparalleled. It took care of everything from work and life to vacation and retirement. Some officials could even live in houses for free, which they would return to the court upon retirement or death.

If a minister is particularly favored by the emperor, the emperor will directly grant him a house.

Zhao Yue nodded: "That's true, but the Cui family never wanted this kind of official slave. They just returned him. Yi'er doesn't have one anymore."

"Yes, I've got that. Madam is really amazing." Xiao Jiang immediately gave her a little flattery.

"kindness."

Although she only made nasal sounds, Zhao Yue felt a little satisfied when she saw that she was very serious. She was originally worried that she would not be able to teach her well, but now she has become more confident - this girl knows nothing and is easy to fool.

"When I was at my parents' house, I only learned the basics. These are all things I figured out bit by bit on my own after I married into the Cui family." Zhao Yue emphasized her own exploration.