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墨書 Inktalez
In front of the crowd, without hesitation, Zheng Moru executed Steward, wiping the blood from his hands while maintaining an expressionless demeanor to stabilize his emotions. Just as he managed to regain some composure, he realized a critical issue.
Oh no, he was still standing!
Dayu had been carefree for years, and his sense of crisis had diminished. Most of the servants in the manor were watching; too many eyes had witnessed this, making it difficult to handle.
However, there were still some of his confidants in the manor.
Zheng Moru turned his head and noticed that someone had already sensed something was amiss, their gaze fixated on his leg.
Zheng Moru displayed an exceptionally refined and calm smile, waving at the onlookers to come closer. Many were reluctant to approach, yet some were nudged forward unintentionally.
"I have always been clear about rewards and punishments. The chief steward was suspected of embezzlement and has been confirmed guilty. Taking advantage of this chaos, I executed him to prevent anyone in the Court from accusing me of poor management."
"Among you, there are certainly those who have made mistakes. However, minor errors are human nature; I do not hold them against you. So do not be afraid. As long as you work diligently in the future, the Loyalty and Righteousness Marquisate will not treat you unfairly."
"Are you all staring at my leg? There’s no need to hide it; it’s a celebration after all—feel free to look boldly."
"You all know that I have been rehabilitating my leg for years now, enduring wind and rain without fail. You’ve all seen it with your own eyes. I never held out much hope but unexpectedly received a pleasant surprise."
"But with joy comes worry."
"First, I can only barely stand now; taking a few steps is already my limit. Complete recovery is impossible since my injuries were severe at the time. Moreover, I am older now and lack energy; I cannot be certain how much I will recover in the future. It will definitely take a long time."
"Second, the Loyalty and Righteousness Marquisate is currently under scrutiny. The Court has just conferred a title upon me, and if news spreads that my leg is healing well, people may outwardly congratulate me but could secretly stir trouble in the Court, claiming that I am deliberately concealing my intentions."
"So it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble; let them think that my leg is still lame."
The servants felt that what the Marquis said made sense and nodded in agreement.
Zheng Moru continued, "I also know that everyone has worked hard during this time. There aren’t many servants in the Marquisate; with my sudden rise in favor from the Court, your workload has increased several times over."
"I don’t trust hiring temporary help; I can only rely on everyone to give their all. Fortunately, it’s the end of the year—the last month of salary will be doubled!"
"If I cut back on your pay, you might think I'm stingy. So instead, I'll give everyone an entire year's worth of extra pay."
With money to be earned—so much money—the servants no longer cared about their fears and cheered joyfully.
Zheng Moru cleared his throat. "Recently, some matters have arisen in the manor; please hold on for one more day at most. Tomorrow at the latest, the Taoist priest I invited will arrive at the manor, and things should be resolved then. Today, I must ask everyone to try to stay together."
Zheng Moru summoned the steward again and casually arranged a few matters. The servants became even more motivated. He specifically kept one of his confidants behind and instructed him to buy more meat to improve everyone's meals.
"Marquis," he said cautiously, "with so many people around talking too much over time, it might be hard to keep your secret safe."
Zheng Moru took out several paper packets and handed them over while continuing to discuss meal improvements. "These are spices I brought; use them when cooking meat—they enhance flavor remarkably."
In the evening, several large platters of meat were brought out. It was a feast unlike anything they usually had, and their appetites drove them to compete for the food. Zheng Moru stood by, watching with a cheerful smile.
As people began to drool over the dishes, his laughter grew even louder. He couldn't help but ask, "Have the young masters and ladies been served their meals yet?"
Once he received a positive answer, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. However, as he pondered the situation, an uneasy feeling lingered in his heart. It was better to remain cautious.
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