All Hail Cousin Brother

159 Handing Over the Right to Manage the House

However, she did not know that when her laziness acted up, she would work hard and learn wholeheartedly. If she learned well and learned quickly, wouldn’t she have time to hide and play?

Yu Youyao squatted in front of her cousin and tugged at his sleeve. “Cousin, do you still have anyone capable in the Zhou family? Lend me a few. Once the new rules are implemented, there will be roles available.”

Zhou Linghuai was stunned when he heard this. Then, he understood.

The young lady had seen that Nanny Lu and the others were in dire straits and were not doing well in the manor, but it was not appropriate for her to arrange for all the old servants of the Zhou family to be sent to the residence. She wanted to arrange for them to be sent to her mother’s dowry business as it would be justifiable.

Yu Youyao pouted. “The people in Cousin’s family are much more capable than the people in the residence. Nanny Lu has just entered the residence, but I think the Green House is different. It would be a pity not to have such capable people.”

Even though he knew that the little girl was pure and young, Zhou Linghuai’s heart still trembled. “Alright, I’ll send a letter tomorrow and get a few capable people to come over. You can look after them.”

He indeed had many capable people under him. Since the little girl wanted to use them, he would naturally let her use them.

With the help of these people, the young lady was also in charge of her mother’s dowry but she wasn’t too tired.

Old Madam did not want to encourage the young lady’s delicate and lazy personality.

However, she did not want the little girl to work too hard.

Yang Shuwan took the household manager’s key and returned to the main courtyard. She called over a person she used in the past and put on a show.

After that, she invited Nanny Li over to do the handover and summoned the servants to the main courtyard.

Not long after, everyone knew that Eldest Madam had recovered and was about to take charge of the household again.

As Yang Shuwan took the list of servants, she put on the airs of a mistress of the household. “I was sick for a few days previously, and Eldest Miss was the one in charge of the household. Eldest Miss is young and inexperienced. She hasn’t been in charge of the household in the past. Fortunately, everything in the household is the same as before. You guys have done your best, and the residence has been stable recently.”

Nanny Liu, who was sitting at the side with a smile, had a glint in her eyes.

These words were really interesting. There was a clear meaning behind them—

Eldest Miss had been managing the house for more than half a month and she had to rely on past practices to manage the servants and the house well.

Eldest Madam had been in charge of the family for many years, and many of the customs only existed after she had taken charge of the family. It was also because she had managed the family well in the past, and the servants were capable and hardworking that this family was stable.

She was just short of saying that it was all her own effort for managing the household well. It had nothing to do with Eldest Miss.

Wasn’t it embarrassing?

The servants looked down and stood obediently, making Yang Shuwan very satisfied. As for what they were thinking, only they knew.

Yang Shuwan was proud of her authority and aura as the mistress of the household. She felt that she had been in charge of the household for many years and had accumulated authority in the family. Even if Yu Youyao was the household manager for the time being, she could not surpass her.

Hence, she changed the topic and said, “Yao Yao is still young. She has to learn the rules from the nannies and go to school to help manage the household. Now that I’ve recovered from my illness, I can’t continue to slack off. It’s been hard on Yao Yao. Old Madam has the same intention and the butler’s key was handed back to me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a few people immediately smiled and said, “Yes!”

With someone taking the lead, the others naturally replied obediently, “Yes!”

Yang Shuwan was very satisfied. The few people in the lead were the ones she had seen just now. “Since I’m in charge of the family again, all the rules in the family should be done according to my previous arrangements. New rules…”

There was an uproar below.

During this period of time, they had indeed felt the benefits of the new rules.

The stewards did not make things difficult for them. Everyone did their best, and no one slacked off. Things were also easier than before. The new rules also clearly stated that the best servants in the residence would be selected every month to receive rewards.

Everyone was also working hard.

However, now that First Madam was in charge, they had to return to the original state? What should they do?

Immediately, someone questioned her.

“Wasn’t the new rule implemented with Old Madam’s approval? Why is it being reverted?”

“I think the new rules are quite good. During this period of time, there have been no mistakes in the residence, and everyone has been working more diligently than before…”

“That’s right. In the past, the rules of the residence were all decided by the stewards. The work was also arranged by the stewards. There were always some people who cheated and used money to bribe the stewards. The stewards would distribute the light work to them. If it was dirty and tiring, it would all be our work. Ever since the new rules of the residence came out, there were some who liked to cheat and play tricks. However, they were reported to Nanny Liu. She investigated carefully and those people were punished with a cut in pay and a beating. They no longer dared to slack off.”

Everyone was discussing how good Yu Youyao’s new rules were. In that case, wouldn’t it mean that her management was inferior to Yu Youyao?

Yang Shuwan didn’t really want to abolish the new rules in the residence. How could she change the rules so easily? She just wanted to use this as an excuse to lay out her own rules so that the residence wouldn’t follow Yu Youyao’s new rules. How could she, the mistress of the household, follow what Yu Youyao newly implemented?

What would that say about her authority?

Nanny Liu sat and said nothing.

“All of you, shut up.” Yang Shuwan’s face was ashen. She couldn’t help but slam the table. “Master didn’t ask you to open your mouths. Who are you to speak?”

The scene suddenly fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop.

Yang Shuwan said coldly, “You guys are so unruly. It’s obvious that Eldest Miss is kind and benevolent. You have no respect for your superiors and don’t respect your masters by still following Eldest Miss’s rules. What have you become?”

As soon as she said this, an old woman was unhappy. “Eldest Madam, what are you saying? Eldest Miss is kind and generous, but she also rewards and punishes clearly. The stewards have never made a mistake during this period. I, an old woman, have been serving this household since my grandfather’s generation, but I won’t submit to anyone except Eldest Miss.”

These words were really a slap to Yang Shuwan’s face. She was clearly saying that she was not as good as a half-grown child like Yu Youyao as a household manager. Yang Shuwan was so angry that she wanted to call someone over and slap her thirty times.

However, she endured it.

She recognized this old woman.

It was an old maidservant who had been guarding the back door for three generations. Old Madam trusted her, so she had handed over the important and light task of guarding the back door to her.

Old Madam Ma clicked her tongue. “The new rules have been approved by Old Madam, and the announcement in the residence has been written clearly. It has even been stamped with the residence’s seal, and even Master has no objections. How can it be changed so easily? Where will the dignity of the residence go? Eldest Miss is young and inexperienced, but she is a child of the family and is loyal to the main family. I can’t let the dignity of the residence be ignored because of Madam’s wishes.”