“That does sound somewhat reasonable,” said Jin Yudian.
The stewardess immediately seized the chance, wiping her tears, half‑kneeling on the ground and complaining pitifully: “The young lady doesn’t know, that’s fine. But when a new official takes office, they always light three fires. I dare not say anything.”
Dou Zhuyin frowned, displeased. She completely forgot the warning Third Madam had given her before leaving — not to act too boldly.
“These words make no sense. Even I, even Second Madam, upon first seeing your account book would have doubts. To ask you a couple of questions, and you put on such a show — for whom? Who is the mistress here? Why not let you run the household instead!”
Nanny Zhang did not take her seriously. After all, she was only a concubine‑born daughter, from the declining third branch. “How could this servant dare? It’s just that in the past, there was never a rule that a mistress could scold servants without first clarifying matters.”
As she spoke, she suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself — but the force was no more than a scratch.
“My mouth is rotten again. Today, the young lady has decided to use someone as a scapegoat to cut down and establish authority. It’s my misfortune, I accept my fate.”
Dou Xueci watched her performance, her eyes filled with a smile that carried deeper meaning.
In this household, the tricks never changed across generations. This routine she had seen in her previous life — only then it came a year later, when they schemed against her. At that time, when she returned to the capital, she still cherished family ties and did not use her power to suppress others. It was only after a year of maneuvering that she finally obtained household authority. And then, they used this very trick to disgust her.
Madam Zou loved camellias. Listening to Nanny Zhang, Dou Xueci bought flowers accordingly, but at Madam Zou’s birthday banquet, they turned out shameful. The blossoms were either pitifully small buds or wilted and drooping.
The guests were all noble ladies and madams of the capital. Hearing that Dou Xueci had prepared the banquet, their cold words and mocking laughter nearly drowned her. Later, she was left with a reputation for being greedy over trifles and unfilial.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Wanqing was praised at the birthday banquet for preparing, with her own hands, a quilt embroidered stitch by stitch with the characters for “Ten Thousand Blessings and Longevity.” Moreover, the maids revealed that she had knelt step by step all the way up to Fahua Temple, where she asked a high monk to consecrate the quilt. There was another hidden detail: years earlier, Madam Zou herself had once knelt at Fahua Temple, praying to the Buddha for Dou Xueci’s protection. Now that Zhuang Wanqing had imitated this, they were seen as sharing a spiritual bond — destined mother and daughter. And Dou Xueci, once again, became the laughingstock of the entire capital.
“Since you want to accept your fate, I’ll grant it. Xuelu, tie her up and throw her into the woodshed.”
Xuelu had just stepped forward when Jin Yudian suddenly spoke: “This isn’t right. Even if Sister Xueci wants to establish authority, she cannot punish someone without reason.”
Nanny Zhang quickly kowtowed. “If this servant must die, at least let it be clear. If the young lady handles matters like this, what path is left for us servants?”
With that one sentence, Dou Xueci was placed in direct opposition to all the household staff.
Dou Xueci set down her hand warmer, calmly lifted the hot tea beside her, and took a slow sip.
“You want to die with clarity? I’ll grant you that too. When I was in Yongzhou, I heard such jokes: in some households, the stewards, greedy for bargains or taking bribes, would buy cheap flowers to replace the expensive ones. They claimed it was the same thing, even better. But when it came to the banquet, without exception, it was a humiliation. They failed to understand that in this world, you get what you pay for — especially with rare flowers carefully cultivated. Even if they fall short by just a little, they are no longer the same.”
“You’re using this to fool me — either you think I’m soft and easy to bully, or you’ve taken bribes from outside. If you want to die with clarity, so be it. Yuxuan, come here.”
Yuxuan stepped forward. “At your command, Young Lady.”
“Go investigate where this flower merchant Nanny Zhang mentioned is, and personally examine those flowers. See if they are truly as fine as she claims. If not, come back and give her thirty strokes. I’ll use her as an example, fulfilling her wish to serve as my stepping stone.”
Yuxuan accepted the order and swept out like the wind.
Hearing the maid’s name also contained the character *Yu*, Jin Yudian felt particularly uncomfortable, recalling earlier matters. But since this was the main branch, she had no reason to demand a name change, so she suppressed the feeling.
Nanny Zhang, meanwhile, was already so terrified she collapsed to the ground, her face full of panic. Even Jin Yudian was momentarily startled by Dou Xueci’s decisive, straightforward methods. If Nanny Zhang truly had a problem, such a sudden investigation might well uncover it.
Jin Yudian bore resentment and wanted to make things difficult for Dou Xueci, yes — but she was no fool. Nanny Zhang clearly had issues, so at this moment, she dared not intervene.
Next, Dou Xueci ordered Nanny Zhang bound and set aside, while the rest continued with their business.
With such a living target present, none of the others dared to stir up trouble.
As for outside matters, Dou Xueci had no fear of mistakes. The flower merchant surely had problems, but even if they tried to cover it up with good blossoms, she was not worried.
With Yuxuan there, even if the flowers were fine, once they reached her, they would be deemed unworthy.
She had resolved that in this life she would subdue these filthy, rotten‑hearted creatures with thunderous means. She would not be lenient, nor leave them any room. In her past life, she had played the fool, blundering through the household, schemed against until she lost her life.
Now, she had returned to claim lives — not to play house with them.
Dou Xueci should have realized long ago: she was the Duke’s only bloodline, and with the Emperor’s decree, this Duke’s household was hers by right!
Those people were nothing but parasites living off her breath. In the past, she had been too sentimental about family ties, giving them the chance to degrade her.
Before long, Yuxuan indeed dragged in a man whose eye was swollen shut from a beating, tossing him to the ground like a chick and giving him a vicious kick.
“Young Lady, this is the swindler! I went to see for myself — in this freezing weather, the flowers weren’t even kept warm by stoves, the caretakers were careless, and many were already infested with insects!”
The first to grow furious was Nanny Zhang. Bound tightly, wriggling like a fat caterpillar, she turned on the kneeling flower merchant and cursed him viciously: “You black‑hearted, short‑lived bastard! I’ll kill you! To dare deceive our Duke’s household — you’ll die a miserable death, fall into the eighteenth level of hell!”
She truly looked as though she had been duped.
Dou Xueci had no patience for the madwoman’s ranting. She immediately ordered her mouth gagged and had her dragged out for punishment.
Thirty strokes in total — the sound of flesh splitting made everyone tremble with fear.
She then commanded that Nanny Zhang’s quarters be searched — who she was close to, which courtyard she frequented — not a single detail was to be overlooked.
Jin Yudian’s face grew uneasy, because she actually recognized the connection. Nanny Zhang’s husband was an outer steward under her mother‑in‑law. Earlier, she had spoken up for Nanny Zhang precisely because she recognized her. Now, with an investigation underway, if it implicated her mother‑in‑law, it would be most embarrassing.
“In my view, why go so far? She was caught off guard, tricked by outsiders. A lesson would suffice.”
Dou Xueci did not answer; instead, she turned to Dou Zhuyin and asked whether she thought the same.
Jin Yudian quickly signaled to Dou Zhuyin, urging her to speak in support. But when she did speak, it was not in their favor.
“Second Sister‑in‑law, that’s not right. Today, Sister Xueci’s sharp eyes prevented her from being deceived. If it had gone through, and later at Eldest Madam’s birthday banquet, there was a scandal, the shame would not just be yours or mine — the entire Duke’s household would be dragged down with it!”