Yuan Mama paused, having never been to the Dingxi Marquis’s residence before; this was her first time, and besides the Marchioness, she didn’t recognize anyone else.
The woman before her was truly a stunning beauty.
It was rumored that the Marquis of Dingxi was lecherous, and all the concubines and maids he took were exceptionally beautiful.
Was this woman one of the Marquis of Dingxi’s beauties?
Chang Chunlan also heard the playful laughter. Her eyes, still blurry with tears, focused on the woman’s smiling face. For some inexplicable reason, her mind raced, and her heart skipped a beat. “This one…” Yuan Mama, after a moment of stunned silence, regained her composure and looked over with a hint of a smile. “I am from the Liu family, the husband of the Eldest Miss…”
Her words were cut short.
“Steward,” Qi Yue called out suddenly and loudly.
The steward, who had been hiding somewhere, rushed out instantly.
“Are all the people in our household dead?” Qi Yue looked at him, her expression grim.
The steward shuddered. A shrewd man like him immediately understood the implication.
“Young Mistress, this is what the Marquis commanded…” He hesitated, then whispered an explanation.
He didn't finish before a sound of disgust met him.
“Quezhi.” She stopped looking at the steward and called out.
Quezhi responded and walked towards Yuan Mama with a slight smile.
“This elder sister, you are the Young Mistress then…” Yuan Mama, having heard the steward use that title, was full of surprise—surprised that this Young Mistress was such a beauty. Then, her expression instantly soured into disdain. Ah, so this was the beggar Young Mistress who was despised by the entire household…
Just as the hint of scorn lifted on her face, she saw the delicate maid approaching raise her hand.
Smack! A sharp sound echoed.
Everyone present froze, and the only sound besides the crying of Chang Chunlan and Yan’er was silence.
Then followed two more sharp smacks.
Yuan Mama finally snapped back to reality, clutching her face and letting out a cry.
The young girls didn't possess much strength, but the three slaps instantly left Yuan Mama’s face bruised and purple.
“You’re lucky,” Quezhi said, looking at her hand. Her long fingernails, usually cultivated, had been cut short because she was studying medicine. Otherwise, these three slaps would surely have drawn blood.
If striking someone doesn't draw blood, how can one claim to be a proper maid?
“You little vixen!” Yuan Mama shrieked, a mix of shock, anger, shame, and pain. “You little vixen! I—”
She lunged toward Quezhi, raising her hand to strike.
Quezhi quickly retreated towards Qi Yue.
“Steward,” Qi Yue called out coldly, “Take a breath and let me see.”
This Young Mistress certainly spoke… interestingly. She truly possessed the demeanor of our frivolous Young Master of the house….
The steward swallowed hard.
“Someone!” he shouted, waving his hand dismissively.
Immediately, answering calls rose, and seven or eight young servants rushed out.
Qi Yue found it strange how these people seemed to appear suddenly from the ground. Where had they been hiding? Unseen, yet ready to be summoned at any moment—truly resourceful.
“Insolent servants, daring to offend our Young Mistress, seize her and throw her out!” the steward commanded with authority.
The servants responded in unison and rushed toward Yuan Mama and her group with fierce looks.
Weren't they saying this beggar daughter-in-law was treated worse than a servant in the mansion?
How could she be treated worse than a servant? She clearly held more sway than the Marquis!
“Young Mistress, Young Mistress,” another wet nurse rushed forward, bowing hastily. “We are from the Eldest Miss’s marital home. We were specifically sent to bring the Eldest Miss back. We already informed the Marquis.”
The other serving women hurried to chime in their agreement.
Qi Yue, wrapped in her cloak, maintained the same posture, her expression mild and smiling.
“Is that so?” she said. “The family of my Eldest Brother-in-law?”
Her gaze settled on Yuan Mama, who was clutching her face, looking indignant.
“I thought we had kidnappers or thieves breaking into the household,” Qi Yue laughed, looking at the maids and the steward on either side. “But then I realized, that’s not right either; even kidnappers and thieves aren't this brazen, acting as if everyone in our household is dead.”
The steward and the servants felt a burning heat on their faces from the slaps and dared not look up.
The women from the Liu family finally reacted. Their expressions also showed surprise—what? Did it sound like she intended to stand up for someone?
“Young Mistress, you have misunderstood. It was the Marquis himself who ordered the Eldest Miss to be beaten…” Yuan Mama couldn't hold back, letting out a cold laugh before stepping forward.
“Misunderstood your head!” Qi Yue’s voice suddenly rose, and the smile vanished from her face. She shook her cloak open and pointed a finger at Yuan Mama. “What right do you have! To dare strike your own mistress?”
This sudden change in demeanor from the beauty stunned everyone into silence.
Chang Chunlan stopped crying, watching Qi Yue in disbelief.
What… what did she just say?
“Striking someone? If you hide and hit her, and we suffer in silence, that’s one thing, but to strike someone openly in front of people in our house! You’re bullying too much! Your reason? Misunderstanding? Spare me the nonsense! Our young lady, no matter how flawed, is for us to discipline; when did it become your place, a mere servant, to lay hands on her? Never mind a servant woman, even if the Old Master of your Liu family were here, I’d like to see him dare touch half a finger of our young lady! This is intolerable! This is a direct slap in the face!” Qi Yue reached up and patted her own cheek, then looked at the steward. “Having people strike you to your face like this, and you’re just standing there? Waiting for someone to kick you next? Are you men or not?”
The steward and others snapped back to attention. The young servants ferociously grabbed the serving women, one by one, and hurled them out the door, each vying to prove they were indeed men.
“Young Mistress, Young Mistress, you can’t do this!”
“Young Mistress, we were sent by the Old Master to fetch the young lady. If you act this way, do you not want the young lady to return?”
Yuan Mama was shoved to the ground by a young servant eager to prove himself. She had never been so disgraced in her life, leaping up in fury and shouting.
“Find seven or eight people and escort these individuals back. While you’re at it, ask the Liu family if this is their way of having wicked servants bully their masters, or if they mean something else. If our young lady is blameless, and she endures such humiliation for no reason, we cannot, in good conscience, let her return. If there is some fault on her part, please point it out so we may properly guide her and prevent her from disgracing the Marquis’s residence in her marital home,” Qi Yue ignored their pleas and turned to instruct the steward.
“Young Mistress, rest assured, I will go to the Liu family to inquire personally,” the steward declared loudly.
Qi Yue looked at him, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Oh my, Steward Lord, you are quite bold; you’ve frightened me,” she said.
That turn of phrase was sharp! The steward’s face flushed hot, and he lowered his head, daring not utter a word, watching Qi Yue walk past.
“Hurry up and prepare the horses!” the Steward Lord roared, projecting his manly authority as he straightened his fur-lined coat.
Wonderful. Even if the Heir was away, the household now had a man to uphold their standing….
The steward thought with satisfaction.
Qi Yue walked over and pulled up Chang Chunlan, then reached for Yan’er.
Before Chang Chunlan could speak, Yan’er threw herself into Qi Yue’s arms. Startled, Qi Yue quickly tried to pull the child away.
“Oh, my precious, look, you’re scared, aren’t you,” Qi Yue immediately crouched down, meeting Yan’er’s eyes, her face full of tenderness. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, Auntie is here. If someone hits you, Auntie will hit them back.”
After the commotion, Yan’er’s face covering had fallen off. Chang Chunlan watched her daughter, scorned by everyone, being held in the embrace of the brightly dressed Young Mistress. Her own nose and tears smeared her sleeve, but she didn't notice, smiling as she called her darling, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her daughter’s face—that terrifying face….
Darling. She never dreamed her daughter could ever be addressed this way. Even if she died now, her life would not have been lived in vain….
Chang Chunlan covered her face and began to weep.
Hearing that the Liu family’s people were thrown out, and that Chang Chunlan and Yan’er were protected, the news quickly spread throughout the residence. Except for the shock of the principal members like Madam Xie, others barely reacted, as they had already been stunned into numbness by the Young Mistress’s conduct too many times.
“The Young Mistress threw out the Liu family’s serving women.”
“Oh, did she?”
The servants exchanged these questions and answers in flat tones. Perhaps, for them, it would have been shocking if the Young Mistress hadn't done so.
“Do you have any idea what you are doing?”
In Madam Xie’s room, Madam Xie was furious, glaring at Qi Yue as she shouted.
The Marquis of Dingxi sat nearby, sipping tea.
“Keep your voice down, Yueniang doesn’t know the situation,” he hurriedly interjected.
A display of poor manners, Madam Xie shot the Marquis a resentful look.
“A married daughter is like spilled water. She left without permission and has overstayed her welcome; her husband’s family has the right to divorce her!” Madam Xie took a deep breath and continued to glare fiercely at Qi Yue. “What are your intentions? Do you think this is for your Eldest Sister’s good? You are ruining her! Are you desperate for attention?”
“But they hit her. Even a servant dared to treat Eldest Sister that way. What kind of life must Eldest Sister be living at home daily?” Qi Yue replied, her expression one of sheer disbelief.
“Whatever life she was living, it was her own business. It is not for you to manage. Now look what you’ve done—you chased them away. What if the Liu family divorces her?” Madam Xie hissed angrily.
“Divorce?” Qi Yue laughed softly. “Heavens above, they still have the nerve to talk about divorce? If they don't give us an explanation, they can forget about taking Eldest Sister back. Divorce? It is they who should be facing divorce!”
Madam Xie burst into laughter, laced with deep mockery.
“Marquis, look what she is saying. I will not involve myself in this matter. You two figure out how to speak to the Liu family,” she said with a cold sneer.
The Marquis of Dingxi set down his teacup with an air of helplessness.
“Yueniang, you shouldn’t have gotten involved in this,” he said, shaking his head. But fearing Qi Yue might get angry, he quickly added, “It’s fine, don’t be afraid. I will send someone to return Chunlan right away and smooth things over with a few kind words. We’ll pretend this never happened.”
“Marquis, I have already sent the steward to the Liu family. I told him if they do not provide an explanation, they shouldn't expect to take Eldest Sister back,” Qi Yue stated.
At these words, even the Marquis of Dingxi was dumbfounded.
“When did this little brat leave? Why didn’t she tell me?” he couldn't help but exclaim.
“Qi Yueniang, do you still respect your elders? Is this household run by you now?” Madam Xie exclaimed in shocked anger.
The Marquis paced back and forth in agitation, muttering, “This is bad, this is very bad…”
“That old man from the Liu family has been looking for an excuse to cause trouble, and now we’ve delivered it right to his door…” he mumbled.
Madam Xie snatched her teacup and hurled it over.
Qi Yue frowned and dodged it.
“What are you doing?” she asked Madam Xie.
Madam Xie was choked with anger at the question.
“You ask me what I’m doing? What have you done?” she stood up and demanded.
“I know what I have done,” Qi Yue looked at her calmly and said. “She is the wife of the Liu family; she is a married daughter. But she is not spilled water. As long as she bears the Chang surname, she is a member of the Chang family of the Dingxi Marquis’s residence. Since she is a member of the Chang family, we are family. What does being family mean?”
She looked at Madam Xie and then at the Marquis.
“Being family means that when you see a relative being bullied, regardless of the reason, the cause, or the right or wrong, you stand up immediately to protect them.”
The three young ladies standing on the veranda outside all heard this. Upon hearing the words, the tears that had not stopped flowing from Chang Chunlan poured down even harder.
Family….
Could she truly be family too…?
The Second Miss stood frozen in place, feeling a thunderous roar in her mind.
Family….
In her daze, she heard the crying beside her grow louder. She turned to see the Third Miss also weeping.
“Why are you crying?” she couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
The Third Miss shook her head, haphazardly wiping her tears with her handkerchief.
“I don’t know, I don’t know either, I just feel like crying…” she choked out.
So this is what she was like….
For more novels, visit storyread.net.