Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 377 Yan Family Crisis_1 (1/2)
Chapter 385: Chapter 377 Yan Family Crisis_1
Young Master Yan wore an expression heavy with concerns, his brows deeply furrowed.
Steward Yan Qi’s face was also filled with worry.
“Greetings, Master Qin!”
Young Master Yan stood up and greeted him with utmost respect.
It had not been this way when they met before.
For scions of noble families like him, no matter how much they cultivated their manners, they always carried an inherent pride.
Such arrogance was etched into their very bones.
In the past, when he met Qin Niu, a simple clasped-hand salute was all he would offer. The deep bow he performed today was unprecedented. The way he addressed Qin Niu was also quite thought-provoking.
In the past, he would call him Master Qin, but today he referred to him as Master Qin.
Taking into account the troubled expressions both master and servant wore, the Yan Family must be facing a difficult situation.
Qin Niu had been busy lately, taking his wives and concubines, along with Xiao Qing, into the mountains to cultivate, desperately trying to advance his cultivation level. Then there was also the cultivation of insects, and daily assistance with the War Bees in gathering Ice Lotus pollen to make honey—he was simply too busy.
Because of this, he hadn’t paid much attention to the outside world and current events.
However, he had heard the maids in the house discussing how the insect plagues were getting worse recently. There had also started to be a shortage of food, leading to refugees fleeing in all directions.
They were quite fortunate to have been bought by Qin Niu.
Here, they wanted for nothing. The workload was not heavy, mainly tending to the domestic needs of a family.
When they went out to do laundry, they could catch snippets of village gossip from the chatty women.
But the chatter was usually about trivial household matters from one family or the other.
“There’s no need to be so formal, Young Master Yan. Please, take a seat!”
Qin Niu gestured for Young Master Yan and Steward Yan Qi to sit down.
His two wives, on the other hand, went straight into an inner room.
Women generally did not show themselves easily.
When guests visited, they would usually stay in their rooms to avoid them.
Some particular ladies of stature and married women even ate and washed within their rooms. Seeing them could be difficult even for the household servants.
“Bring the tea!”
Qin Niu signaled to the maid.
The three maids in the house weren’t there just to eat for free—of course, they had to work.
Beyond cooking and cleaning, the basic domestic chores, when guests arrived, serving tea, assisting the master in dressing and undressing, handling shoes, and such were all part of their duties.
A diligent maid would get the master dressed after they woke, dispose of the chamber pot, and clean it. She would then bring hot water for the master to wash his face and rinse his mouth, while another maid served ready-made tonic soup and breakfast to feed the master.
This was why large households had dozens of maids.
Because there were many people to serve.
Besides the male head of the family, there were the mistress, the young masters, the grandfather, and the grandmother—all needing their service.
Since serving the master meant entering their private quarters, male servants were rarely used for this purpose.
Unless someone wanted their head to bloom green.
Probably no landlord would willingly let a male slave enter the inner courtyard and serve his wife or concubines, helping them dress or feeding them.
It’s worth mentioning that the status of a personal attendant is higher than that of a maid.
Personal attendants could be of humble or noble birth. They were often the confidantes of their masters, attending not just to their daily needs but also assisting with various matters, offering advice, and receiving guests on their behalf.
They were somewhat similar to modern-day secretaries.
But personal attendants were much more loyal than secretaries.