Yu Luo did not have Eldest Miss Yu’s memories and did not know the identities of the older women who followed her.
However, from the words of Ziming, Bitong, and the others, Yu Luo had already guessed seven or eight parts of the truth.
The leading old woman was Madam Fang. Back then she had been Madam Yu’s dowry maid. Now Madam Fang managed the servants of the inner residence and could be considered a steward in charge.
Madam Fang had practically watched Eldest Miss Yu grow up. Although she disliked Eldest Miss Yu’s temperament, Eldest Miss Yu was still one of her own, while Liu Yanran was from another family. If it came to favoritism, she naturally leaned more toward Eldest Miss Yu.
As for today’s incident, Madam Fang actually felt that Eldest Miss Yu had become much steadier. At the very least, she had been more composed than before and had not caused a huge uproar that left chaos everywhere.
Soon the group arrived at the kitchen. Before they even went in, they heard Madam Zheng and the others talking.
“…What does Eldest Miss even count for? Biao Xiaojie is the one who truly looks like a noble young lady. Who is like our Eldest Miss, going around whipping people all day?”
“You’re right. Last time Eldest Miss whipped a guard until he was covered in wounds. She almost caused a death.”
“Even a shrew wouldn’t be that vicious.”
“…”
Yu Luo: “…”
To be honest, everything those old women said was correct. It was all the truth.
But these old women were servants of the Yu family, weren’t they? They had sold themselves to the Yu family. Their food, clothing, housing, and livelihood were all provided by the Yu family. Yet behind their backs they spoke ill of Eldest Miss Yu, siding with an outsider instead. Even a white-eyed wolf would not have eyes this white.
Before Yu Luo could say anything, Madam Fang had already burst with fury and rushed in with the other women.
“I’ll twist the mouths off you old hags! You don’t do your work properly, yet you specialize in gossiping about your masters behind their backs!”
Madam Zheng and the others were so startled that they jumped to their feet, nearly overturning a basket of freshly shelled edamame.
They hurriedly forced smiles. “Eldest Miss gave us a hard time this morning, so we—”
Before she finished speaking, she saw Yu Luo entering from the doorway with several maids.
Madam Zheng’s face turned pale.
Ziming held Yu Luo’s arm. “Eldest Miss, please be careful. A greasy place like the kitchen might dirty your clothes.”
Yu Luo’s gaze swept across the crowd. With a half-smile she said, “When did I give you a hard time?”
The women in the kitchen knew that Madam Fang belonged to Madam Yu.
No matter when it was, even after the two young masters married wives in the future, Madam Yu would still be the highest-ranking woman in Yu Family Residence. All matters in the residence had to pass through her hands.
Now that Yu Luo had come with Madam Yu’s people, it was obvious Madam Yu was supporting her daughter.
Madam Zheng quickly begged for mercy. “Eldest Miss, we were blind and offended you. You may beat or scold us however you wish.”
Madam Fang looked at them with disgust.
At first she had thought Yu Luo might also bear some fault, but after arriving she realized what these rude women were truly like behind the scenes—actually daring to say such ugly words in secret.
Yu Luo looked toward Madam Fang. “Nanny, how do you think they should be dealt with?”
Madam Fang had not expected Yu Luo to give her this kind of face and ask her opinion on what to do.
After thinking for a moment, she said, “Logically speaking, they should be driven out. But they have been in the residence for so many years. Even if they lack great merit, they have worked hard. Driving them out might make our residence seem heartless. Moreover, their family members handle the kitchen purchasing. If they’re gone, who will do the work in the future?”
A trace of smugness flashed through Madam Zheng’s eyes as she knelt on the ground.
She knew it would be like this.
She had worked in the kitchen for so many years—it had not been for nothing. Her whole family held positions here. Could they really uproot their entire household?
So what if Yu Luo embarrassed them today? Wouldn’t Yu Luo still have to eat the food they cooked in the future?
Yu Luo smiled slightly, a hint of cunning in her eyes. “Nanny, I’d like to say a few words to you privately.”
Yu Luo was truly beautiful. When she smiled like that, even Madam Fang, who had lived for decades, found it difficult to resist.
While thinking that her Eldest Miss was truly capable of toppling kingdoms with her beauty, Madam Fang also felt that smile made her look pitiful and lovable. She could not help but lean closer to listen.
“What does Eldest Miss want to say? Just say it.”
Yu Luo whispered quietly, “Today we’ve already had friction with them. In the future we’ll still have to eat the food they cook. I’m fine—I can have the small kitchen in my courtyard prepare my meals. But Nanny, aren’t you afraid of retaliation? What if they add something filthy into the food that no one can taste?”
The moment Yu Luo said that, the hairs on Madam Fang’s body stood up.
Madam Fang said, “What does Eldest Miss want to do?”
Yu Luo looked at the group of women, her beautiful eyes sweeping across them one by one.
“All these old women should be driven out. Anyone in their families working in the residence should also be driven out. Yu Family Residence is so large—can’t we find others to work? Plenty of people want these jobs.”
Working in the kitchen was a position with plenty of benefits.
If these few old women and their purchasing relatives were gone, there would be countless others eager to take their places.
Madam Fang nodded. “Eldest Miss is absolutely right. I’ll report to Madam shortly and drive out you dogs who slander your masters behind their backs.”
This time Madam Zheng and the others panicked. Cold sweat ran down their faces.
If their entire family lost their positions in the kitchen of Yu Family Residence, how would they make a living in the future? Purchasing positions were lucrative posts full of benefits. Once they lost them, they might never find better work for the rest of their lives.
With tears streaming down her face, Madam Zheng hurried forward and tried to hug Yu Luo’s leg, hoping to beg her not to do this.
Ziming pushed her away. “Go, go! Don’t touch our Eldest Miss. Eldest Miss’s clothes are clean—how dare you dirty them?”
Yu Luo had lived under her stepmother’s control for so long that she had encountered nannies like Madam Zheng before.
She did not believe in repaying hatred with kindness.
According to Yu Luo’s life experience, if a poisonous snake had bitten her once and she let it go easily, who knew when it might bite her a second time.
Yu Luo smiled and said, “Bring me my whip.”
At a critical moment, Eldest Miss Yu’s character setting could not collapse. After doing so many clever things today, she might arouse suspicion.
When necessary, she had to bring out the signature weapon that matched her character.
Bitong quickly took out a long red whip from her sleeve.
Yu Luo was not very skilled with a whip. She weighed it in her hand a couple of times before striking Madam Zheng once.
“Begging this young lady now is too late.” After delivering the strike, Yu Luo handed the whip back to Bitong. “In the future, watch your mouth. Otherwise, every time I see you, I’ll whip you once.”
At that moment, the corner of her eye caught sight of a figure who seemed both familiar and unfamiliar.
Yu Luo: “…”
Why had Brother Xiao appeared again and again and again?
Was this big boss some kind of wandering ghost? How could he appear and disappear so unpredictably?
Seeing her whipping someone, would the big boss recall how Eldest Miss Yu had whipped him before and feel even more hatred in his heart?