Though she had rested late last night, Qi Yue woke precisely on time this morning, only to be surprised when the stewardesses began entering as she was about to take breakfast.

"My, my, why are there so many more people here today?" she murmured softly to A'ru while wiping her mouth.

Peeking through the soft, silken hanging curtain, she saw far more women standing in the adjacent room than on previous days. They were not huddled together gossiping in low voices as they usually did before Qi Yue appeared; instead, they stood respectfully, hands held low, awaiting her.

Quezhi entered from outside, and the stewardesses all smiled and greeted her—a treatment Quezhi had never before received. Before entering Qi Yue's courtyard, these managing mistresses wouldn't even give her a proper glance. Even after she entered Qi Yue’s service, they had only just deigned to look at her, and that was all.

To have them proactively greet her with smiles today instantly brought a flush of pleasure to Quezhi’s face. She instinctively started to bow, ready to offer a few pleasing words, but then abruptly recalled her current standing, comparing it to those past slights...

So, you finally have your day!

Quezhi lifted her chin slightly, imitating the posture of the managing mistresses from the old days, and responded with a noncommittal hum. She sauntered wordlessly into Qi Yue's room, pulling the curtain back and leaving the stewardesses behind to pout in frustration.

Seeing Quezhi’s behavior, A'ru shook her head, but Qi Yue merely laughed.

"Young Mistress, Young Mistress, going out yesterday was such a brilliant move on your part!" Quezhi abandoned her feigned haughtiness the moment she entered, rushing over with hurried, joyful steps, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

"How so? Didn't I terrify you all?" Qi Yue chuckled.

"We were terrified at first, of course! Who knew it was the Heir apparent going out with you..." Quezhi's eyes crinkled with laughter as she glanced towards the outer room. "Now, let's see how they dare gossip about the Heir showing you no favor..."

It wasn't entirely gossip; the Heir apparent truly did show me little favor...

Qi Yue smiled without commenting. However, it seemed the Heir apparent was quite effective. Just by entering a place together, her status had leaped forward significantly. What if I lived with him?

What am I thinking! Qi Yue quickly shook her head, casting off the distasteful thought.

"I need to go out again today," Qi Yue announced, rising to her feet and addressing Quezhi. "Later, there are some things I need you to handle for me."

"Go, go, Young Mistress. You enjoy your time with the Heir, and I promise to manage the household affairs flawlessly..." Quezhi replied cheerfully.

Qi Yue playfully tapped her shoulder with her fan.

"It is quite strange," she said, raising an eyebrow at Quezhi.

"What is it, maidservant?" Quezhi asked nervously under Qi Yue’s scrutinizing gaze. Despite harboring a few private ambitions, she had been working with utmost diligence these past few days.

"How is it that a clever, beautiful, and capable girl like you was never sought after before? You were just left behind, only to benefit me now," Qi Yue teased.

No master had ever spoken to a servant this way. Had it been any other maid, such as Lan’er or the other second-rank maids, they would either stare blankly, unsure how to respond, or assume Qi Yue was being sarcastic. But Quezhi instantly beamed again.

"That’s because they were blind," she declared, tossing her head so that her jade droplet earrings swung in a beautiful arc.

A'ru was momentarily stunned, then averted her gaze, truly not wanting to say a word.

Qi Yue burst into laughter.

"Exactly, that's right," she affirmed. "They were blind."

The sound of their laughter drifted out to the waiting stewardesses, whose expressions grew even more complex; only Su Mama remained as placid as ever.

A'ru and Quezhi lifted the curtain, and Qi Yue stepped out with a faint smile.

The managing mistresses hastened forward to offer their greetings.

"The Young Mistress looks exceptionally well today," one woman said, personally stepping forward to support Qi Yue and offer flattery.

Qi Yue recognized this woman; her surname was Tang, and she was the fourth sister-in-law, managing the flowers and greenery in the inner compound—the lowest rank among the logistical staff, essentially the groundskeeping supervisor.

"I must thank Sister-in-law Tang for that," Qi Yue replied smoothly, resting her hand on the woman's. "The flowers in the courtyard have been superb these past few days, and the blooms the little maids bring daily are always lovely. Waking up to such fresh, tender flowers first thing in the morning certainly lifts one's spirits."

"Oh, my dear mistress..." Tang Fourth Sister-in-law was so thoroughly complimented she felt a prickly sensation all over, unsure how to respond except to repeatedly insist it was merely her duty.

"It is your duty, yes, but there are those who perform their duties well, and those who do not," Qi Yue said, supporting the woman as she sat down.

Quezhi personally brought tea and then positioned herself beside Qi Yue. A'ru, who had started to approach, halted her steps upon seeing this.

Hearing Qi Yue’s statement, the assembled matrons looked up at her in astonishment.

"Young Mistress, the task I have today is simple. Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and for good fortune, we should distribute this month's stipends early. I intended to handle the payments today..." Su Mama seemed not to have heard Qi Yue’s words, instead beginning the customary daily report with a smile.

"Young Mistress, our storeroom needs to dispose of some damaged tables and chairs; we must prepare the furniture required for the Mid-Autumn Festival..."

"Young Mistress, the livestock and fresh fruits procured by our kitchen arrived today..."

As soon as Su Mama spoke, the other managing mistresses began chiming in with their own reports.

Qi Yue remained silent, sipping her tea and listening until the very last stewardess finished her update. Only then did she slowly set down her teacup.

"Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here," she remarked with a smile. "It’s coming so quickly."

Half the women in the room responded with enthusiastic agreements, while the other half stood frozen like wooden stakes, though this was markedly better than the complete silence of yesterday.

"Regarding the stipends, we'll wait a moment," Qi Yue said, smiling toward Su Mama.

Su Mama paused, taken aback.

"Young Mistress, this is customary. If we delay, people might become unsettled... especially right before the festival..." she explained.

"It's fine. Tomorrow at the latest," Qi Yue insisted with a smile.

Su Mama's expression tightened. "Whatever the Young Mistress says will be done," she conceded, falling silent.

The atmosphere grew somewhat strained, and the stewardesses exchanged glances while keeping their heads bowed.

"I am going out with the Heir apparent again today," Qi Yue announced, standing up. "I've heard quite enough about the tasks you are supposed to be managing these past few days. Today, Quezhi, you will stand in for me and observe how well they perform. Those who do well—like Sister-in-law Tang here..."

She smiled warmly at Tang Fourth Sister-in-law, who quickly bowed in a practiced manner.

"The stipends will be paid on time, and they will each receive an extra red packet," Qi Yue continued. "As for those who have not performed well..."

She paused here, looking over the group with a knowing, half-smile.

"Then I apologize; we must maintain clear rewards and punishments, mustn't we?" she concluded.

This responsibility was unexpectedly weighty. Quezhi hesitated, surprised that this task fell to her.

Before she could speak, one of the stewardesses broke the silence.

"This has never been done before..." the woman chuckled nervously. "We don't know how to define 'done well' or 'not done well'... we are all rather dull..."

"Oh? Haven't you?" Qi Yue smiled and beckoned to a small maid standing forgotten in the corner. "Xiao Die."

Only then did everyone notice the small maid holding a brush and a notebook.

"Young Mistress," she said, stepping forward and bowing.

"She has recorded everything you said you needed to report on each day, and how well you did it," Qi Yue explained to Quezhi. "Quezhi, you take this notebook to check. These are the ladies' own words, so no one can accuse you of judging arbitrarily."

What? The stewardesses were instantly alarmed, staring at the little maid.

She had actually recorded what they said! No wonder the Young Mistress always seemed distracted during these meetings; they thought she was just going through the motions, but in reality, she hadn't forgotten anything—she had written it all down.

What kind of game was this? They had spoken those things so casually, forgetting them almost immediately, yet she had documented every word.

A wave of panic washed over them, and they instinctively looked toward Su Mama. Su Mama, after her initial shock, had regained her composure.

"This makes things much simpler. I don't understand these matters and might misjudge. Since we have this record, it's perfect. I will judge based on exactly what the elder madams said," Quezhi declared, instantly relaxing. She happily took the notebook from Xiao Die, noticing that while the characters were crooked, they were undeniably legible. "My goodness, you can actually write? I never expected that."

After studying the girl for a moment, Quezhi recognized her—she was a native servant, born into the household. The girl's father had been a bookkeeper but had long since retired due to illness; her mother had also passed away. The girl herself was frail and frequently sickly, and she and her father were barely tolerated in the estate, scraping by. When they were selecting maids that day, this girl had also been passed over, designated as one of the duller, slower ones. Since the Young Mistress had said anyone with hands and feet who could run errands and speak would suffice, Quezhi had simply chosen her, never imagining such a use for her.

Quezhi felt a surge of pride on her behalf.

"You will follow me today and read these entries aloud to me," she commanded immediately.

The little maid did not answer directly but looked toward Qi Yue.

Qi Yue smiled and nodded, feigning astonishment. How precocious these ancient children are. Such a young girl, yet she already understands the need to wait for the direct supervisor's permission.

"It’s good that you are literate. Quezhi, you should ask Xiao Die to teach you when you have free time," she suggested.

This was approval.

"I don't have that sharp wit; a blockhead like me can't learn," Quezhi laughed.

"This servant dares not refuse. If there is anything, please command this sister," Xiao Die finally replied.

Upon hearing this exchange, the managing mistresses realized the situation was irreversible. They had seen all sorts of storms; after the initial panic subsided, they settled down, though they made no effort to hide their rising displeasure.

Fine. You want to use our mistakes against us? You don't even weigh your own worth. Let's see then, and we’ll show you what it means to hit an iron plate.

After issuing these instructions, Qi Yue did not wait for the stewardesses to speak or pay attention to their expressions.

"You may all disperse," she said, rising and walking toward the exit first. "I should leave now, too."

Su Mama and the others paused, bowed, and only followed her out after she had gone ahead.

A'ru had already packed their things and waited under the eaves. She followed as Qi Yue emerged. As they reached the courtyard, two other maids were seen entering.

These two maids looked utterly unfamiliar to Qi Yue and A'ru, but the managing mistresses started, and Su Mama looked even more startled.

"Young Mistress, the Heir's people sent word to ask if you are leaving yet?" said one maid, dressed in a fitted jacket and skirt, bowing formally.

As she spoke, she couldn't hide her surprise, seeming almost disbelieving that she was tasked with delivering this message.

Qi Yue pursed her lips into a slight smile and suddenly turned around, fixing her gaze upon the assembled stewardesses.

The managing mistresses were already stunned by the appearance of maids from the Heir's compound. Seeing Qi Yue’s smile then made them shiver in the broad daylight.

"Oh, right, Su Mama, delaying the stipends until tomorrow is acceptable. But there is one matter that must be dealt with today," she said with a laugh, simultaneously calling out, "Xiao Die!"

Xiao Die stepped forward.

"The list you compiled of those who never attend the daily briefings—is it ready?" Qi Yue inquired.

Xiao Die nodded, flipped through a few pages of her notebook, and presented it.

"Give this to Su Mama," Qi Yue instructed, not taking it herself.

Su Mama watched the approaching Xiao Die, a distinct sense of foreboding settling in her heart.

"These individuals," Qi Yue continued with a smile, "are the ones who, since the rule was established for daily reports, have either failed to attend at all, or only showed up two or three times. I presume if they don't attend the briefing, they naturally have nothing to report..."

"That’s not entirely true; some were genuinely too busy to leave..." Su Mama interjected, already guessing what Qi Yue intended.

Qi Yue stopped speaking and simply stared at her. The smile that usually graced her face vanished.

Under her steady gaze, Su Mama’s voice trailed off, and she slowly lowered her head.

"Busy?" Qi Yue finally spoke, her tone chilling. "Are the others idle? If other managing mistresses can complete their duties and attend the meeting, why can only these few be too busy to spare half a day? Busy? Or perhaps they simply cannot handle their assigned duties? If everyone else can manage, but they cannot—then replace them!"

Seeing the cold expression Qi Yue wore for the first time in many days sent a jolt through the stewardesses. So this is where she was waiting; she was waiting to kill the chicken to frighten the monkeys.

But will this 'chicken' willingly stretch out its neck to be slaughtered?

They kept their heads down, their expressions shifting uncertainly, but no one dared speak.

"What? Su Mama, have you not understood what I said?" Qi Yue pressed.

"Young Mistress, these few managing mistresses are long-serving veterans. Wouldn't this be too rash...?" Su Mama inquired hesitantly, forcing a smile.

Qi Yue, who had been about to turn away, stopped.

"Too rash?" she looked at Su Mama. "Very well, then we shall discuss this slowly today."

She then turned to the two maids from the Heir’s compound, who were already completely dumbfounded.

"You two, tell the Heir that I must handle household matters today and cannot leave," she instructed them.

This statement caused everyone in the courtyard to change color.

"Young Mistress?" the maid stammered, utterly speechless.

Is this blackmail?

Su Mama and the other stewardesses stared at Qi Yue in astonishment. She actually... dared? The Heir inviting you was a gesture of respect; how could she...?

"Are you not going?" Qi Yue demanded, not looking at anyone’s face, turning, and lifting her foot toward the room.

The two maids exchanged panicked glances, seeing that Qi Yue was clearly serious. They gritted their teeth and turned to leave.

"Young Mistress, this cannot be delayed," Su Mama finally spoke, quickly calling out to stop the two maids.