Chapter 377 Internal Struggle

Chen Afu was looking forward to the golden swallow even more eagerly. It had been out for ten days. I wonder if it has found the tricolor ball.

Chu Lingxuan saw Chen Afu's worried look and comforted him, "Don't worry, there will always be a way. You can rest assured to take care of the baby. We men will worry about those things." He was about to go to the front yard to discuss countermeasures with the old man.

Chen Afu stopped him and asked him to write a letter to tell Mr. Chu San to be careful in everything.

Chen Afu suppressed his thoughts and looked at Chu Hanyan and Xiao Lixuan who were still with the animal house in the corridor. He thought of Alu and asked someone to invite him.

Not long after, Alu came.

Chen Afu was relieved to see that he was fine.

Except for the day he came back from the capital, Chen Afu had not lived in the general's mansion, so he was usually busy. He had to sort out the affairs in the mansion and worry about the business of Fuyunlai Trading Company.

Fu Yunlai Zeng, the shopkeeper, Yang, the general manager of the General's Mansion, Luo Ma, the internal manager, and some managers in important positions were called to the main courtyard to report in turn.

Fu Yunlai Business can be said to be doing very well, basically nothing happened, and now the branch has been opened in the capital.

The water in the General's Mansion is deeper. Although Chu Lingxuan has cleaned it several times, there are no people from Rong Zhao and Mrs. Chu, but there are still several forces inside, who are unwilling to accept each other and suppress each other.

This is no wonder. Since the establishment of the General's Mansion, there has been no mistress, and Chu Lingxuan is busy with military affairs. Basically, he does not live in the mansion most of the time. Even if he lives in the mansion, he doesn't care much about many things in the mansion.

In the General's Mansion, the servants are basically composed of three forces.

When the mansion was first opened and the government was built, some servants from the Marquis' Mansion in the capital were asked for, and some people were bought. Later, it was found that the people of the Marquis' Mansion in the capital had Rong Zhao and Mrs. Chu's people mixed in, and a group of them were killed and sold, and some people from the Luo Mansion in the provincial capital were asked for. This has led to the current situation, with three powers, restraining each other and excluding each other.

Especially the servants from the Marquis' Mansion and the Luo Mansion in the capital, who are close to their families and have deep backgrounds.

Chen Afu had a headache after hearing this. If it was in the past, when the master of the mansion was often away, this situation might be the best. But now it can't continue like this. How can they take care of the master if they fight each other?

It's true that where there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and the struggles between servants are also fierce.

The person Chen Afu trusts most is Luo Guanshi. His second son Luo Fang is a small steward in the mansion, but Luo Fang's words cannot be fully trusted because he represents the power of the Luo family.

Yang Zongguan is still trustworthy and is the confidant of the old marquis. But he was the leader of the group in the Marquis' Mansion in the capital. When Chen Afu wanted to use him, he had to make him realize that things were not the same as before. He was not allowed to form cliques. All the servants were slaves of the General's Mansion. Their only task was to serve the master well...

Some people still had very professional ethics. They knew that Chen Afu was the mistress and the master loved her very much, so they were willing to submit to her completely. But some people didn't care much and thought that Chen Afu was just a country woman with limited knowledge. Although they thought so, they didn't dare to say it openly. They just hoped that after Chen Afu left, they could continue to make money and live a relaxed and comfortable life...

Zhang and Wu came to invite Chen Afu to their house, saying that she and her eldest sister would go to play first during the day, and then let Chu Lingxuan, who was working in the yamen, and Dabao and Alu, who were in school, go to dinner in the evening.

Chen Afu didn't agree, saying that she would sort out things in a few days and then go to have fun.

In the busyness, the days slipped to July 19th. During lunch, the servants brought a note from General Liu's family, inviting them to visit Liu's mansion.

Dabao, Chu Hanyan, and Li Xuan were also very happy to receive a note from Liu Wang, the eldest son of the Liu family. Especially Dabao, since he studied in Tangyuan, he has very few friends. He finally has a social circle, and he plays very well with Liu Wang, Liu Ao, and Qin Jin, who are of the same age. Although Qin Mu is older and Fu Lushen is younger, they get along well, so he smiled as soon as he received the note.

He looked at A Lu, who was eating with his head down, and asked Chen A Fu in confusion, "Mother, the note even includes Qi Qi and Hui Hui, as well as Zhui Feng, Sa Sa, Chang Chang, and Duan Duan, why didn't it say to invite my uncle?"

Indeed, A Lu's name was not there.

Chen Afu smiled and said, "The last time they came to visit us, my uncle didn't come, so they didn't know him. Bring my uncle tomorrow, and they will become friends after they get to know him." He also said to Alu, "Qin Mu is the same age as you, and he is generous. You two will definitely get along well."

Alu said, "Sister, I don't want to go to Liu's house tomorrow. I have already agreed with Atang and my younger brother that I will go to my third uncle's house to play."

Chen Afu suggested, "Atang and my younger brother can meet at any time. You should go to Liu's house tomorrow. It will be good for you to have a wider circle of friends."

Alu, who is usually very obedient, was very determined this time. If he didn't go to Liu's house, he would go to Chen Shi's house. Dabao and Yan'er persuaded him, but he shook his head.

Chen Afu had no choice but to agree. He also asked someone to tell the steward of the Foreign Affairs Office that when the cousin left the house, he should prepare a gift for him and send a carriage to pick him up. He also told Alu to send someone to get the gift and ask for a carriage before leaving.

On the morning of the tenth day, Dabao got up at daybreak and ran to the main courtyard with the animal home.

Chen Afu was both angry and amused, saying, "No matter how early you come, you have to wait for Yan'er and Xuan'er to get up. Besides, how can you go to visit so early?"

When it was Si time, the Chu family left the house with the animal home.

Chen A-lu also packed his things. He put a purse containing ten taels of silver, two small silver coins, and dozens of copper coins into his arms, and packed two ink sticks and two pens prepared for Atang and his younger brother in the purse.

The monthly salary was paid on the 15th day of the month in the General's Mansion, and Chen A-fu also paid A-lu the monthly salary. Like Chu Hanyan and Dabao, he also received ten taels of silver per month. Before he came, Wang also gave him ten taels of silver and a dozen silver coins, as well as some big money.

In addition to asking Sanquan to go to the street to buy him some snacks with some money, he also rewarded his servants. There were only two small silver coins left, and he wanted to go out and change the ten taels of silver.

Lancao looked at it and said, "Uncle, didn't the grandmother ask the Foreign Affairs Office to prepare a gift? If you secretly take your writing materials to give away, and someone finds out something is missing, I won't be able to explain it."

A Lu blushed with shame and stammered, "I'll save some money so no one will find out. Don't take the gift prepared by the Foreign Affairs Office, or those people will say I..."

Lancao said angrily, "Uncle, you are too honest. The gift was prepared by the grandmother. If anyone dares to gossip, tell the grandmother and have them rip their mouths off."

PS: There is an error in the previous chapter, and the monthly silver of Dabao and Chu Hanyan was adjusted to ten taels.