Yun Shi nodded with satisfaction, realizing this maid was not entirely foolish.
Hong Dou nodded slightly, "You must remember your words and also your identity. You are a maid by the Madam's side, and you are one with the Madam. Only when the Madam is well can you be well, and if the Madam is not well, you will not gain anything. After all, which is more valued by the master, a loyal maid or a disloyal one, you know. Your parents are old and not filial. In the Marquis's manor, they can live out their years in peace. Away from the manor, it would be difficult to find a good place for them. The Madam manages the household affairs, and you can weigh the importance of things yourself."
Her words were a mix of kindness and authority, making the maid's heart flutter. At the same time, she seriously considered how she should act.
The Marchioness was currently under house arrest, and the eldest young lady had gone to the Prince's manor to become a concubine. It seemed unlikely she would rise again.
Although Madam Yun was not the main wife, her status in the manor was now equivalent to that of the main wife. Most importantly, she had a good daughter who was now the heir's wife of the Protector Duke's manor. She also had a son whom the Marquis favored. Although there was another young master in the manor, he could not even walk yet, and Concubine Ruyan was completely obedient to Madam Yun.
"Madam, please rest assured, Young Lady, please rest assured. This servant has thought it through. I know what to say and what to do. I only beg the Madam and the Young Lady to give this servant another chance. I promise that from now on, I will be absolutely loyal to the Madam."
"From now on, you will stay by my side," Hong Dou said lightly.
Madam Yun also nodded, "You do need a few people arranged around you. If you find her useful, let her stay. Later, Mother will arrange a few more for you."
"We worked together before, so we are familiar with each other."
The maid's heart skipped a beat, knowing that if she wanted to stay well in the Marquis's manor, she could only be loyal to Madam Yun, her adopted daughter, from now on. Moreover, judging by Madam Yun's tone, she clearly favored this Hong Dou. Looking at the heir's wife, Madam Yun's own daughter, whether it was an act or genuine happiness, she appeared very supportive of Madam Yun adopting a daughter. Not only that, but she had also brought several new sets of clothes for Hong Dou to change into early in the morning.
"Your name clashes with your young lady's. You need to change it. Hong Dou, my dear sister, what do you think about changing it?" Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile.
"How about Coral?" Hong Dou thought for a moment.
She had no intention of changing her name, considering it a remembrance of that poor little girl from childhood.
"Coral is a nice name," Madam Yun said, affectionately taking Hong Dou's hand. "We can do these things slowly later. Let's eat first. You look so thin, you need to nourish yourself well."
Coral quickly stepped forward to serve dishes to Madam Yun and Hong Dou, her movements nimble. She picked out the dishes Madam Yun usually favored. It was known that she couldn't serve Madam Yun closely before, which showed she had put in effort.
After the meal, Qi Zhenzhen personally escorted Hong Dou back to her room to rest. This was another signal to Coral.
The second young lady was very fond of this Hong Dou. The second young lady was already married and could not often return to the Marquis's manor. This Miss Hong Dou was capable and could protect Madam Yun. Was this using the status of a young lady of the Marquis's manor to gain a bodyguard? Coral felt a bit puzzled, but she didn't need to figure it out. As long as she obediently followed her masters' orders from now on, she could protect her parents.
Qi Zhenzhen spoke to Hong Dou at length, including her experiences as a mercenary in her previous life, which quickly brought them closer.
"I never expected that my sister and I would have such a connection," Hong Dou said with a playful smile. Her experiences over the past few years were not unlike Qi Zhenzhen's experiences in her previous life.