Before long, Zhao Momo and Zhang Momo led the way, bringing Liu Rumei and her two children to the main hall.
As soon as they entered the main hall, Zhang Momo—whose face was bruised and swollen, with bandages still wrapped around her hands and feet—suddenly dropped to her knees with a loud thud. She began wailing and sobbing dramatically to Qin Shi, pouring out her grievances.
In her account, she slandered the second young miss, Ji Yunsu, accusing her of being merciless and cruel.
Liu Rumei had not expected Zhang Momo to pull such a stunt.
On the way there, Liu Rumei had been worried that Zhang Momo might secretly cause trouble and harm her Su’er.
But later, when Zhang Momo did not act as arrogantly as before, Liu Rumei let her guard down, thinking that the matter of her daughter injuring Zhang Momo had been put to rest.
She never imagined that Zhang Momo would choose this very moment to strike!
Watching Zhang Momo spew lies with her red lips and white teeth, twisting the truth and heaping one false accusation after another onto her daughter, Liu Rumei—already weary from the journey—grew anxious.
Instinctively, she wanted to speak up and defend her daughter.
However, Ji Yunsu gently pressed Liu Rumei’s arm and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Mother, don’t be hasty. Let’s wait and see.”
Hearing this, ripples of emotion stirred in Liu Rumei’s gentle eyes as she looked at her daughter.
Though their family of three had just arrived at the Grand Tutor Manor, with no foundation or support, and were entirely at the mercy of others, Liu Rumei felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance at her daughter’s calm words.
“Madam, you are discerning and fair—please uphold justice for this old servant!”
“This old servant only tugged at Liu Yiniang a few times to hurry and bring her and her two children back to the manor.”
“Yet the second young miss, without even asking for an explanation, beat me into this state. I have been wronged so unjustly!”
The resentment Zhang Momo had bottled up throughout the journey now poured out in full force.
Playing up her status as a senior servant in the manor and her connection to Madam Qin Yurong, she alternated between weeping and wailing.
She put on a pitiful act, pretending to be a victim of severe persecution by the second young miss, Ji Yunsu.
As soon as she struck this pose, everyone present formed an extremely negative impression of the second young miss, Ji Yunsu.
In no time, the servants in the room began whispering among themselves.
“This second young miss is utterly unreasonable! Zhang Momo is a senior servant in the manor, and she dares to beat her just like that—she clearly has no respect for Madam!”
“Exactly! Look at her figure—she doesn’t resemble the painting of Liu Yiniang and her family in the master’s study at all. She’s nothing but a plump village girl who doesn’t belong in polite society!”
“And this second young miss keeps wearing her weimao—doesn’t she know to take it off? A mere concubine-born daughter like her should kneel and pay respects to the mistress of the house as soon as she sees her. She has no manners whatsoever!”
“…”
The servants’ harsh words drifted softly through the hall.
At this moment, Ji Yunsu’s swollen face, hidden beneath the weimao, revealed no emotion.
She paid no mind to the slander directed at her.
Instead, her mother and younger brother were infuriated by the servants’ disparaging remarks.
Seeing that her younger brother was losing his composure and about to stand up for his older sister.
Ji Yunsu was the first to speak up, addressing Qin Shi who had been sitting calmly at the head of the room, allowing the servants to stir up gossip. Her voice was clear and crisp.
“I say, you up there, why go through all this trouble to put on such a show?”
After saying this, Ji Yunsu couldn’t even be bothered to spare Qin Shi another glance. She simply took Liu Rumei and Ji Wenbo by the hand and said, “Mother, Younger Brother, let’s go.”
With that, Ji Yunsu pulled her mother and brother along and strode decisively out of the main hall.
Seeing this, Qin Shi’s dignified face, which had been brimming with self-assured confidence that she had everything under control, showed a faint crack.
It was only then that her gaze fell upon Ji Yunsu.
A lowly illegitimate daughter who had grown up in the countryside, raised by a village woman—how could she remain so composed and unruffled in such a situation!
This illegitimate daughter was no simple character!
From the very beginning, Qin Shi had allowed Zhang Momo to spout nonsense in the hall and freely attack Liu Shi and her two children, all in an attempt to subtly intimidate them.
She had assumed that Concubine Liu would be overflowing with gratitude and excitement at the prospect of bringing her illegitimate children into the Grand Tutor Manor.
But who would have thought that the three of them would simply walk away without a second thought?
Was it a ploy of playing hard to get, retreating to advance?
Could it be that they knew about the Master being impeached by the Censorate and that their presence in the manor was needed to silence the gossiping masses?
And so, feeling emboldened, they dared to act so insolently in front of her, the legitimate wife?
Her thoughts shifting slightly, Qin Shi’s elegant and noble face finally revealed a noticeable change in expression.
Adopting the magnanimous demeanor of the legitimate wife, Qin Shi issued a stern order with a feigned smile.
“Attendants, Concubine Liu, the Second Young Lady, and the Second Young Master have had a long and tiring journey. Escort them back to their courtyard to rest properly.”
“As for Zhang Momo, for her insolence and disrespect toward Concubine Liu and her children, deduct one month’s wages as a warning to others.”
At these words, the servants present were all stunned.
Especially Zhang Momo, who had tried to scheme but ended up worse off—not only had she failed to bring down the lowly illegitimate daughter Ji Yunsu, but she had also lost a month’s wages.
Her bruised and swollen old face lost all composure.
Zhang Momo looked at her mistress in disbelief, opening her mouth to wail.
However, Qin Shi preemptively ordered someone to gag Zhang Momo and drag her away.
The entire operation was executed with swift decisiveness, without the slightest hesitation.
Soon, Ji Yunsu and her family of three were surrounded by servants—or more accurately, closely guarded to prevent them from leaving the manor—and escorted to their quarters.
The once noisy hall returned to silence.
Concubine Su, who had been waiting for an opportunity to deal with Liu Rumei and her two children, couldn’t help but shrilly ask,
“Madam, wasn’t Zhang Momo publicly accusing that lowly illegitimate daughter Ji Yunsu just now the perfect chance to intimidate Concubine Liu and her children?”
“Why didn’t you seize the opportunity to teach them the rules of the Grand Tutor Manor?”
A glint of calculation flashed in Qin Yurong’s eyes as she feigned distress and said, “The circumstances are stronger than us now. The Master’s official reputation still relies on Concubine Liu and her children to salvage it.”
“As the legitimate wife, I cannot treat them harshly. From now on, Concubine Su, if you suffer any grievances, you must exercise a bit more patience. You can no longer act as willfully as before in front of the Master.”
“I can tolerate you, but others may not.”
At this point, Qin Yurong deliberately fell silent, knowing that some words only needed to be hinted at.
Just then, the meticulously adorned, charming face of Concubine Su abruptly shifted in expression.
It was clear that from Qin Shi’s words, she had detected Liu Rumei’s threat to her own favored concubine position.
Almost as a reflex, Su Lihua darkened her expression and declared, “Madam, you are magnanimous and do not hold grudges against Concubine Liu and her two children, but I have never been one to tolerate any offense!”
With these words, Concubine Su, radiating hostility, stormed off toward Cuiyue Courtyard—Liu Shi’s residence!
Damn country woman! How dare you compete for favor with me? I will make sure you learn your lesson, hmph!
“Concubine Su, where are you going?”
“Granny Wang, quickly take some people to keep an eye on her! Make sure Concubine Su doesn’t cause any trouble!”
Qin Yurong maintained a dignified and noble demeanor, her words urgent—yet only in words.
On her well-maintained, graceful face, a cold, sinister smile gradually surfaced…