Today's first update.

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  One night passed.

  Baihe and Lüjing didn't sleep well last night, in the dim moonlight they seemed to hear whispers, worried about Qiang Sanniang's situation, so the two of them fell into a deep sleep only when the sky was slightly gray.

  Afraid of waking them up, Mozi got up quietly. No matter who was on duty this morning, she wanted to take their place. She could understand their worries. It wasn't the kind of concern that one person's success would lead to everyone's prosperity, nor was it the idea that one person's glory would bring honor to all, but rather Baihe and Lüjing truly hoped that their good daughters could find a good husband who would cherish them for a lifetime. However, they had followed San Niangzi outside for many years, seeing and hearing things that made them no longer innocent. At least, they hadn't completely lost hope. If it were to marry the third son of Jing Wangfu, this hope would be a bit too distant.

  Mozhi walked out of the house and turned around, intending to go to Qiu Sanniang's place, but saw someone sitting on a stone chair next to the beautiful banana plant.

  Black hair scattered on apricot-colored outerwear, fair skin almost transparent in the cloud light of sunrise, hands holding cheekbones, a rare daughter's thoughts.

  Mozhi stood under the corridor, looking at Qiang Sanniang. Born into a wealthy family, what's the use? In this world, marriages are often such that the richer and more noble the woman, the less happy she is. Polygamy dictates that she can only share one man's love and affection with other women.

  She poured a pot of new tea, and Mò Zǐ carefully placed the tray on the stone table. With both hands holding the teapot, she poured out a cup of clear green tea, stood to one side, and quietly waited. It seemed that even the woman who was as free-spirited as fire had her bright eyes dimmed due to the uncertainty of marriage.

  "Mei Zi, sit down." Qiu San Niang picked up her tea cup and slowly took two sips. "It's really comfortable."

  "Miss, I've told you before, don't be influenced by what I say. What's most important is your own decision."

  "My decision?" Jiang Sanniang's voice was weak and trembling. "Do I still have a choice now? If I don't choose to marry into the Jing Wang Fu, my good mother can just find some lowly man to take me in. Even if I were to fall out with the entire Jiang family, as an old spinster who refuses to get married, I would truly be a burden to you several girls, following me and suffering a life of being looked down upon?"

  Mozi said nothing wrong. Being a married woman is better than being an unmarried girl. Marrying the third son of Jing Wang's family is better than marrying a man with unknown background. At worst, it's just about not competing for favor within the household, but competing outside. At worst, she can wait until her husband passes away and live independently. Originally, she didn't have high hopes for her future husband. Her expectations had long been abandoned.

  "I've figured it out, but..." The feeling in his heart was desolately bleak.

  "Miss, I understand." Anyway, Qiu San Niang was a woman. Women are naturally sentimental, and even coldness comes after sentimentality. "But Miss doesn't have to be too pessimistic. Whether it's Jin Si's concubine or that Third Master, or even the Jing Wang Fu, if we really compete, we don't necessarily have to lose."

  Qiu San Niang suddenly stood up, pacing back and forth in front of Mo Zi several times before bursting into a light, cheerful laughter. "Yes, yes, I was confused. The battle hasn't even started yet, how can I admit defeat first? If I did that, wouldn't I be just as weak as Liu Niang?"

  "The young lady is absolutely right." Moreover, Mozi thinks that as long as Qiu San Niang continues to have a fondness for making money, the jealousy and rivalry among the women in the back house are simply dull and not worth mentioning.

  But she didn't say that, lest Qiu San Niang become too proud and, with a relaxed mood, might come to bother her again.

  "Mauve purple, I think you should prepare the three hundred taels." Chou San Niang regained her usual sharpness, as if her weakness was just an illusion in the morning light.

  "Don't worry, Miss. Mozi will definitely keep his promise. The day you leave for the capital is when Mozi will present the betrothal gift to Ci Nian An." He said it casually, but in his heart, he was uncertain. This is called pretending to be brave while being scared, a dead duck with a hard mouth.

  "I've said it before, you handle things and I'm always at ease." Chou San Niang to Mo Zi, relying heavily on his ability and intelligence and daring to use him.

  Qiu San Niang also kept a tight grip on her purple silk pouch, because if she were to change places with someone else, she might have run away with some private silver. Otherwise, why would she never think of letting Bai He Lü Ju's small clothes pad three hundred taels?

  Qiu Sanniang took the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Mozi, her wrist hanging elegantly.

  Mozi gazed at Qiu Sanniang as she pushed the cup over, not underestimating this action in the slightest. Although Qiu Sanniang might not need the maids to attend to her in trivial matters like dressing and bathing, it didn't mean she would proactively pour tea for them. It wasn't about grand concerns like marriage, but rather about showing consideration in small ways, giving people a sense of equality. This was where Qiu Sanniang differed from ordinary young misses. As long as she put her mind to it, she could make the simple-minded maids go to great lengths for her.

  Who has seen a young lady serve tea to her maid? Such a small thing, yet it requires someone who is normally noble to lower their posture. Qiu San Niang can do it because her experiences traveling the world have taught her the skills of winning people's hearts.

  Mozhi has been working for Qiu San Niang with a worker's mentality from the very beginning, but it is precisely because she is such a master that she can establish herself and settle down on both sides, gradually giving up her idea of directly escaping and instead seeking a more suitable way to survive.

  Mozi said a word of thanks, her slender fingers steadily grasping the teacup, and she drank calmly without any hint of humility or unease.

  Qiu San Niang watched with a smile and also picked up her tea to drink.

  "Miss... it's early." A flustered and anxious voice came from under the corridor, and Green Chrysanthemum hastily ran out.

  "Mozi, why didn't you call us?" Baihe was rarely flustered, serving as a maid to Qiu San Niang for all these years, this was the first time she overslept.

  "The girls were worried and didn't sleep all night, so I'll take their place this time." Mozi knew when to joke and when to be serious.

  "Stop worrying!" scolded Qiu Sanniang, her eyes flashing with a hint of annoyance, no longer tolerating any underestimation. "Baihe, go to the kitchen in the cottage and help out, make some fresh and colorful vegetarian dishes for the guests from above to taste your skills. Lüjù, help me comb my hair, I'm going to meet Wei Shenniang. Mozi, after you finish breakfast, bring me the account book from Wangqiulou, come back before dinner is fine. Xiaoyi——"

  Everyone thought Xiao Yi was not in the yard, but when Qiu San Niang called out her name, Xiao Yi jumped down from the rooftop and landed right in front of Lu Ju, scaring her into shouting "Ma!"

  "Xiao Yi, you go back to the mansion and investigate." Qiu San Niang waved her hand.

  At the sound of the order, everyone took their orders and left. It was indeed a case of one head leading three, and it was also the good fortune of Qiu San Niang.

  At sunset, Mozi changed into women's clothes and returned, seeing Baihe cutting bamboo leaves in the courtyard.

  "What's so good about this idle mood?" She walked over and took a look, the leaves had turned into flowers. "Is the young lady inside?" After saying that, she was about to head inside the house.

  Bai He grabbed her arm and said, "Don't go now, miss is having a sulk."

  "What's wrong?" Mozi naturally thought of Wei Shi, "Did that concubine say something?"

  "This morning, when we were having breakfast together, she was still chatting and laughing with our girl. After finishing breakfast, she accompanied her for a walk, but after saying a few words, she suddenly fell silent. Our girl tried to open the conversation several times, but Madame Wei was strangely cold. Seeing that it was no fun to follow, our girl returned early." Bai He has been sighing and worrying about this for two days, "It's making me feel anxious and I don't know how to advise her."

  "What did the girl and Wei's wife say?" That was probably a problem with what they were talking about.

  "Just talking about what happened at home in the past half year, I think it's fine." Bai He didn't see anything wrong with that.

  But why?