Chapter 20

In the evening, Xu Hao was hunched over his desk in the study, sketching out plans. He intended to improve his living conditions, and due to his lack of relevant experience, he decided to treat this as a trial run to accumulate experience for the future.

Sanitation facilities were undoubtedly the top priority; he did not want to squat in a smelly outhouse or have outsiders clean his toilet after each use. He drew a simple and structurally straightforward toilet, planning to have craftsmen produce it according to the design. He then drew a shower, but after some thought, changed it to a small bathtub. There were several hot springs near the Xu family's residence, and he could find a way to channel the water over, which had been done in ancient times and should not be too difficult.

While pondering how to tile and lay the drainage pipes, he wondered if it was possible to make ceramic pipes in this era. He felt that with the Ming Dynasty's craftsmanship, it should not be too difficult, but the joints between the pipes would need a solution from the craftsmen.

To avoid thermal expansion and contraction, he could use woven grass mats to wrap the pipes layer by layer, or simply build a brick or stone drainage channel. Yes, he would also need to construct a closed septic tank.

As he was making adjustments, Qiuxiang seemed unhappy as she walked in and said, "The other two girls have arrived."

"Are they pretty?" Xu Hao didn't even look up.

"Very pretty, hmpf!" Qiuxiang immediately pouted in dissatisfaction.

"Ha! It seems that no mother wants the maids in her household to be too beautiful." Xu Hao smiled and said, "Let them in."

Qiuxiang made a face at him and reluctantly turned to say, "You two, come in."

Light footsteps approached, and Xu Hao continued drawing without paying attention. After about half an hour, he put down his brush and slowly raised his head.

He saw two pretty girls standing with their hands hanging by their sides, looking somewhat uneasy. One had a slender face, arched eyebrows, large, watery eyes, and a small cherry mouth. Her features were delicate and her skin was fair, with a graceful and gentle demeanor.

The other had a round face, clear and distinct features, and a pair of phoenix eyes. She had thin lips and was almost as tall as Xu Hao, appearing tall and slender. To put it nicely, she had the bold and free spirit of a northern girl; to put it less nicely, her face was hard and she had a sharp and unyielding look.

As expected, Xu Hao smiled. He had not immediately chosen the maids but had the housekeeper lead them to the third room. The two girls in front of him had left a deep impression on him.

A girl with a gentle and watery disposition was the type that the head of the household would be most wary of, especially if she was beautiful, as she could easily arouse a man's desires and seduce him into bed.

The other, with a strong and unyielding personality, would likely cause conflicts with others, disrupting the household's peace. Moreover, her beauty added to her arrogance, making her prone to anger and causing trouble. Therefore, it was reasonable that these two, despite being the most outstanding among the maids, were sent back.

Xu Hao, feeling a bit mischievous, said, "I need to give you names as maids, as is the custom. One will be called Mushue, and the other will be called Qingwen. You must be tired from the journey, so Qiuxiang, take them to have a meal and rest."

"Thank you, young master," the girl with a gentle face said in a soft voice, not daring to raise her head, and then turned away.

The other nodded indifferently, curiously looking at her future master. She seemed satisfied with Xu Hao, smiled, and followed Qiuxiang.

After a while, Xu Hao sighed and muttered to himself, "The most troublesome thing is living together day and night. It's better to buy a smile, where both parties are willing, and after a night of passion, they part ways without any entanglements."

That night, the two maids moved into the room next to Xu Hao's. Additionally, six more girls were added to the courtyard. The ones selected by Xiao Shi were plain-looking and seemingly underdeveloped, and were sent to the kitchen.

The four maids serving the two young ladies were all pretty and had a clean and fresh appearance. They were named Siquin, Guanqi, Shishu, and Muhua, and became second-class maids, receiving half the monthly pay of the four main maids, Chun, Xia, Qiu, and Dong.

The next morning, Xu Hao woke up to see Qiuxiang already dressed and yawning as she stood by the bed, occasionally opening her mouth to yawn.

Usually, Qiuxiang woke up a bit later than Xu Hao, so this was the first time. Xu Hao secretly smiled, thinking that she must have a sense of crisis, and indeed, competition brings motivation.

"Ah, you're awake. I'll go get water right away."

Qiuxiang knew that Xu Hao liked to dress himself, so she turned to the door and suddenly said to the outside, "Why are you two up? Right, you're Qingwen. Go away, you're not allowed to enter the room to serve when the young master is here."

Xu Hao, hearing this, laughed and said loudly, "Let them in."

Qiuxiang's body stiffened, and she reluctantly moved aside. The two girls, one carrying a basin of clear water and the other struggling with a steaming copper pot, walked in.

Xu Hao, lying half in bed, watched as they were clearly uneasy and nervous, carefully placing the basin on the washstand and working together to pour hot water from the pot, the steam quickly filling the air.

"Qiuxiang, don't be so petty. We'll be living together, and we need to take care of and understand each other."

Xu Hao first spoke softly, then his tone turned stern, "I don't want to see any hidden conflicts among you. Remember your place, or you'll be sent back where you came from. Remember, Qiuxiang has been with me since childhood, and I trust her the most. You must follow her lead."

Qiuxiang, hearing that the young master trusted her the most, smiled in relief, and her small dissatisfaction disappeared. The two maids listened carefully and said they would remember.

Xu Hao got dressed, not expecting his words to have any real effect, just a show of attitude. "We'll see how things go."

He got out of bed and walked over, scaring the two maids into stepping aside. In the morning, a man is most vigorous, and with the hot weather, Xu Hao casually glanced at their thin clothing, noticing the development of their feminine features.

Xu Hao was used to washing his hair every day. Qiuxiang, seeing the two maids' confusion, scolded them and skillfully tested the water temperature, frowning and saying, "It's too hot. Go get some cool water."

"Okay," Mushue quickly responded and turned to go outside, but her foot caught on the threshold, and she fell to the ground.

Fortunately, the floor was covered with a soft carpet, so she should be fine. The little girl, lying on the ground, blushed in embarrassment and hurriedly got up.

Qingwen, concerned, said, "Are you hurt? Forget it, you stay here, I'll go."

"No, no," Mushue said, fumbling to straighten her clothes and heading outside again. Xu Hao called out, "Take your time, watch your step, don't fall again."

Before he finished speaking, there was a thud, and Qingwen rushed over. Xu Hao and Qiuxiang quickly followed, seeing Qingwen helping the disheveled Mushue up. Mushue's right hand was bleeding, and her beautiful face was dirty. She was in pain, embarrassed, and tears streamed down her face.

Xu Hao walked over and gently took her hand. Mushue instinctively tried to pull back but didn't dare to struggle, her face turning even redder.

Xu Hao carefully examined her injured hand and said, "Don't be nervous, treat it like you're at home. Being hasty only makes things worse. Qiuxiang, take her to bandage it up properly, and don't let her touch water for a few days."

Mushue, feeling ashamed, didn't even dare to thank him, and let the silent Qiuxiang lead her away, who gave Qingwen a warning look before leaving.

Qingwen didn't react, walked to the well, and filled a wooden ladle with water from the bucket. She walked back steadily.

Xu Hao habitually reached out his hand and said, "Give it to me."

But Qingwen shook her head slightly, bit her lip, and walked into the room. Xu Hao thought, "She's indeed a stubborn one," and smiled, following her back into the bedroom.

Qingwen, being a girl, was not unfamiliar with how to serve her master in washing his hair. Although her movements were somewhat awkward and she tried to avoid direct physical contact, she completed the task very well.

Like Qiuxiang before, Qingwen had to run back and forth to serve him alone. Despite her good physical condition, she was panting from the effort.

Xu Hao handed her a clean towel and said, "Here, wipe the sweat from your face. If you feel uncomfortable, have the kitchen send hot water for a bath and change into dry clothes."

Seemingly thinking of something, Xu Hao added, "I'll have some new clothes made for you in the next few days. You'll get seasonal clothes every year. If you want to give your old clothes to your sisters or send something home, remember to ask me first to avoid any trouble.

In the morning, take a break. After lunch, clean the room, then you can take a nap. In the afternoon, if I'm not around, you can use your free time as you wish. Of course, if you want to do something, you can wash clothes, change bed sheets, water the plants, feed the canaries, and tend to the tea stove. These tasks will be arranged by Qiuxiang. Being my maid isn't tiring, I just hope you can do it with heart."

"Thank you," Qingwen, surprised, slowly extended her hand to take the silk handkerchief, looked into Xu Hao's eyes, and nodded firmly.