Chapter 10: Reaction

Su Mei was sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath as she said this.

Seeing her state, Mother Zhou and the older maids behind her all wore expressions of astonishment.

This was a heavy-handed move indeed. Given the Young Mistress’s temperament, merely making a maid kneel was already an extraordinary display of authority; to actually strike someone…

Mother Zhou couldn't help but glance toward the doorway. With such a commotion on their side, the room inside seemed to have neither seen nor heard a thing.

"Young Mistress, this old servant has come to pay her respects." After casting a glance at Su Mei, she stepped inside, lowered her head, and bowed toward the room, speaking with a smile.

"Who is it?"

A voice drifted from inside the room, and then a figure emerged, waving a small fan in her hand.

As this person stepped out, the eyes of Mother Zhou and the other women lit up.

The young woman was dressed in a lotus-root-colored, polka-dot, cross-collared shirt with a honey-colored long skirt. Her hair was swept up into a high bun, and she wore light makeup without any ornate jewelry. Yet, just the way she moved, the way she spoke, and even the casual rhythm of her fanning made her appear incredibly charming and captivating.

These high-ranking matrons naturally knew what the Young Mistress looked like, but this glimpse today was far more striking than their previous impressions.

Perhaps it was because they hadn't seen her in a long time? Mother Zhou mused, but as she looked at the Young Mistress again, she felt it wasn't just that—it was her spirit!

Yes, her spirit!

As a capable head servant for the Marquis’s wife, she was naturally familiar with this famous Young Mistress. Whether she was before the Old Mistress or confined to her courtyard, because of her background, this woman had always given off a timid, insecure vibe. Although her appearance had been shocking when she first shed her beggar’s rags and cleaned up, that shock had been fleeting; upon closer inspection, she had lacked any real substance.

But now, it was different. It felt as if a delicate silk flower had suddenly turned into a real one—the shape remained the same, but it was now full of vitality. Before, she was beautiful, but lifeless.

*She’s come alive…* Mother Zhou’s heart skipped a beat. Recalling the rumors she had heard yesterday and looking at the smile on the Young Mistress’s lips, she couldn't help but shiver in the broad daylight.

"Young Mistress, it is Old Zhou’s wife," she said, quickly lowering her eyes, not daring to look further, and speaking respectfully.

Qi Yue let out an "Oh."

"Mother Zhou, you’ve come at the right time. I was planning to make some flatbreads, but the two maids I have here are clumsy and don't know how to do anything. They can't even explain what they need to the kitchen. Could you trouble yourself to tell the steward on your way back to send me some sourdough starter? Eating those unleavened flatbreads all day long gives me such heartburn I can't even sleep." She paused, then added as if remembering something.

Mother Zhou had never expected her to say this. After a moment of stunned silence, she quickly agreed with a smile, knowing full well the subtext behind her words.

"I truly deserve a beating. It is my negligence that the Young Mistress had to speak up herself." She bowed immediately and gave herself a light slap on the cheek.

"Oh, you mustn't do that. You aren't in charge of this, are you? If you really took over, wouldn't that be overstepping your authority? You’d be slapping that other matron’s face," Qi Yue laughed.

*Look at that—this is the skill of a head servant.* Regardless of what she thought of people in her heart, she couldn't find a single fault on the surface. *You little maids, you’d better learn from this.*

Mother Zhou’s expression couldn't quite keep up. It was only after a pause that she hurriedly bowed and thanked her with a smile.

"Oh, Mother, you’re a busy woman with much to do. I won't keep you chatting. Go on with your work," Qi Yue said with a smile, waving her small fan.

Mother Zhou acknowledged this and turned to leave. Fortunately, she was bumped by the matron behind her; she had been so startled by herself—having forgotten why she even came after just a few sentences—that she nearly stumbled.

What was going on?

"…Young Mistress, I wonder about this Su Mei…" she began again.

Before she could finish, Qi Yue waved her fan and spoke.

"Oh, I’d forgotten all about it. A few little maids were bickering and it gave me a headache, so I punished them by making them kneel so I could eat my meal in peace," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Now that I’ve finished eating, you all should go."

*That’s it?*

Mother Zhou, the other matrons, and Su Mei all stared at Qi Yue in a daze.

"Is there something else, Mother?" Qi Yue asked, looking at them with a natural expression.

"Ah, no, no." This was the third time Mother Zhou had lost her composure today. "Since these maids offended the Young Mistress, they naturally deserve punishment. Just kneeling won't do; the proper rules must be followed."

Su Mei and the others grew anxious, and Su Mei reached out to grab the hem of Mother Zhou’s skirt.

"It’s no big deal, nothing so serious. Go on now," Qi Yue laughed. "A-Ru, see Mother Zhou out for me."

Su Mei, who had prepared a long speech of grievances and explanations, never got the chance to speak.

"Why aren't you thanking the Young Mistress yet?" Mother Zhou scolded, shaking off Su Mei’s hand and giving her a warning look.

Su Mei sobbed as she prostrated herself on the ground.

"Thank you, Young Mistress." Saying those words, she felt like dying, but there was nothing she could do. The other party had clearly stated it was just a squabble between maids, hiding nothing and not even complaining about their faults to the visitors. It left her with no way to voice her grievances. What kind of day was this!

"Mother Zhou, please." A-Ru had already walked over. Without even glancing at Su Mei, she smiled at Mother Zhou.

"I wouldn't dare trouble you, Miss. Please, stay," Mother Zhou said with a smile, then turned to leave.

A-Ru saw them to the door. Because they had been kneeling for so long, Su Mei and the others walked with a limp, their heads bowed and looking utterly dejected. They had come today to vent their anger, but instead, they were left with a lump in their throats, unable to swallow or spit it out. Su Mei, in particular, couldn't stop her tears. She looked back at A-Ru with a venomous gaze.

A-Ru merely gave her a faint look before turning back inside and closing the door.

"Young Mistress, are we just going to let it go like that?" Inside, A-Hao asked Qi Yue with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"That’s right. I never intended to do anything else anyway," Qi Yue laughed, looking at the fan in her hand with great pleasure. "Besides, what could I really do to them? Making her kneel for a bit to let her suffer some, as long as we didn't lose out, that’s enough."

"It’s too easy on her. If she dared to treat the First Mistress like this—let alone the First Mistress, even the concubines—she’d be skinned alive if not killed," A-Hao said indignantly.

"The key is that she wouldn't dare treat those people like this," Qi Yue laughed. "She’s not a fool. She knows which persimmons are soft enough to squeeze and which ones aren't. So, don't blame the person squeezing the persimmon; who told you to be a soft one?"

She laughed and tapped A-Hao’s forehead with her fan, then walked into the inner room, curiously flipping through "her" various ornaments and trinkets.

A-Ru listened quietly, her gaze toward Qi Yue complex. She then pulled A-Hao, who still looked puzzled, and they quietly stepped out.

As for Su Mei, once she left Qiutong Courtyard, she grabbed Mother Zhou and began to cry.

"Mother, you must get justice for us. They were the ones who hit us first, and now they’re acting like they’re doing us a favor…" she sobbed.

"That’s because you gave them the chance to act like they were doing you a favor," Mother Zhou said. Her usually kind face showed a hint of impatience and even more distraction. "Good or bad, why did you go and provoke that place?"

Su Mei was rebuffed, and in front of so many people, she felt she had lost all the face she would ever have in her life. She covered her face and sobbed as if she were dying.

"Alright, stop crying. I know what you’re thinking—you were once beneath others and now you want to gain some favor. Girl, listen to me: stand firm first, then talk about other things." Seeing her crying so hard and thinking of the potential future this girl might have, Mother Zhou had to be a bit more patient. After saying this, she didn't care whether Su Mei heard her or not, as she was preoccupied with other matters and hurried away.

It was unknown what Su Mei was told when she returned or how she was instructed, but she quieted down and never came to seek "justice" again. As for Qiutong Courtyard, they received the supplies the kitchen had finally sent according to the rules, and happily closed their doors, disappearing from everyone’s sight just as they had before.

This small storm was extinguished before it even began, as if it had never happened in this grand Marquis’s mansion.

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I have never dared to ask for votes or tips, nor have I dared to ask for piracy to be delayed. I smile bitterly because nowadays, if a writer criticizes piracy, they are the ones who get criticized instead. "If you write well, people will support you; if you write well, people will naturally spend money to buy your book. Why are you nagging about this and that..."

Yes, actually, I have always felt that if people don't come to read your book or vote for you, there is only one reason: you didn't write well enough to make them want to read or support you. That is why I have never promoted my book. I always think that as long as I write well, there will be people reading, there will be popularity, and the results will be good. Otherwise, it means I didn't write well. Black is black, white is white, nothing more.

But perhaps sometimes one needs to shout a little. There is nothing to say, and I am truly not good at saying these things. Strangely, every time I do, I feel guilty and uneasy. Anyway, I’ve always been criticized, so I don't have much confidence…

So, let me shout a little. I just hope to get more motivation to keep writing. Please click, collect, and give recommendation votes.

Thank you all for following along. Xi Xing knows she has many shortcomings and will strive to improve. I only hope you are satisfied, and that I can earn some pocket money through my writing.

(End of chapter)