Seeing that no one paid him any mind, Gou Han shouted at Lady Liu once more.
"Madam! You were the one who told us to go to Minglan Courtyard yesterday to sleep with those two little sluts; I was only doing as you ordered! You cannot treat me like this!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the complexions of the surrounding servants changed in unison, and they all lowered their heads, pretending they had heard nothing at all.
Lady Liu’s face turned ashen instantly, and the murderous intent in her eyes was fully exposed.
"Spouting madness and slandering the Mistress of the House—drag him away, beat him to death, and sell him off!"
She was determined to cut the weeds and dig up the roots.
Cuihuan hurriedly took out a handkerchief, balled it up, and stuffed it into Gou Han’s mouth.
Together with a few rough laborers, she dragged Gou Han away.
Lady Liu hated Minglan Courtyard to the core.
Not only had these two sluts knocked her down from the position of Principal Wife the moment they returned.
But now, they had also caused her to lose three capable assistants in a row.
Regardless of why Nanny Liu died.
Lady Liu had already pinned this debt on Shen Qingyuan and her mother.
"Let’s go, let’s go see Minglan Courtyard."
Lady Liu led a group of people and marched imposingly toward Minglan Courtyard.
✦✦✦
The main gate of Minglan Courtyard was tightly shut.
Shen Qingyuan had not yet woken up, and Gu Minglan knew that living in this manor would not be peaceful.
Fearing that these people outside would disturb her daughter’s rest, Gu Minglan had naturally locked the door.
Lady Liu arrived only to be met with a closed door, and the anger in her heart burned even brighter.
"We are in the manor; what face do you have to lock the door, you slut? Someone, smash this broken door open for me!"
The servants following behind looked at each other, not daring to move.
The gossip from last night’s dinner had already spread throughout the servants' circle.
It seemed that the person living in this Minglan Courtyard was the Master’s original wife.
Since the Master had not divorced her, even if Lady Liu managed the household, she was at most an Equal Wife.
An Equal Wife was still just a concubine.
A concubine was leading them to kick down the door of the Mistress of the House.
What if the Mistress of the House regained the Power of Household Management in the future and remembered today’s events?
If she decided to sell them all off, what would they do?
Seeing that no one behind her moved, Lady Liu raised her hand and slapped the nearest maid.
"What is this? Can you not hear what I am saying?"
The servants hesitated for a moment before slowly walking forward.
Whether the lady inside could regain the Power of Household Management and whether she would sell them off in the future remained to be seen.
But if they defied the one in front of them, they would be sold off immediately.
Since they would be sold either way, they could tell the difference between being sold sooner or later.
At least if they were sold later, they would have time to prepare.
They could transfer their assets or perhaps find a good new employer.
Just as the servants had steeled their nerves and were about to kick the door,
the door opened from the inside.
The servant who was about to kick the door couldn't stop his momentum and fell face-first, eating dirt.
Shen Qingyuan, dressed in a moon-white ru skirt, stood a step away from him and laughed softly.
"Oh my, it’s not even the New Year yet, why offer such a grand kowtow?"
Shen Qingyuan had changed her clothes today.
Although it wasn't made of brocade, it was still a decent fabric.
It immediately distinguished her from the servants.
This was something Gu Minglan had made for Shen Qingyuan back when they were in the countryside.
Her mother had said that it wasn't that the family couldn't afford better, but in this remote, impoverished place, one had to know how to hide their light.
One shouldn't appear too much better than others, or it would invite resentment.
Therefore, most of Shen Qingyuan’s clothes were just simple, well-fitting cloth garments.
She only had a couple of dresses like this one.
Seeing that Shen Qingyuan had changed her attire today,
and that she looked even more charming than Yao'er, whom she had raised with such care, Lady Liu’s anger flared up again.
This little slut had splashed tea all over her Yao'er the moment she returned.
Her Yao'er had been pampered and spoiled in the Capital City since she was a child; when had she ever suffered such indignity?
Yesterday, after her clothes were soaked in front of the servants, revealing her bodice, she was still hiding in her room crying.
"You little slut, why did you kill Nanny Liu?"
Lady Liu intended to pin Nanny Liu’s death on Shen Qingyuan.
She would make sure that before she was even married, she would be known throughout the Capital City for her cruelty!
Shen Qingyuan raised an eyebrow.
Oh, Nanny Liu died quite quickly; she had thought those little ghosts would torment her for a while longer.
Although she was the one who extinguished Nanny Liu’s Shoulder Lamp, she wasn't the one who killed her.
Shen Qingyuan pulled her hands back from the doorframe and folded them idly across her chest.
"Oh, Concubine Liu, your nanny is dead, so why aren't you reporting it to the authorities instead of coming to me? Do you think I’m a detective?"
Lady Liu was so choked by the word 'concubine' that her blood pressure surged.
Before she could speak, she heard Shen Qingyuan say something even more infuriating.
"What did you just call me? If I heard correctly, it sounded like you insulted me.
If I recall correctly, a concubine insulting a legitimate daughter should be punished with ten slaps to the mouth?"
The servants nearby stepped back a few paces upon hearing this.
They were terrified that the Eldest Young Miss would point at them and order them to slap Lady Liu.
These two looked like the type who would seek revenge for the slightest grievance.
They couldn't afford to offend them; they couldn't afford to offend either of them.
Lady Liu was so furious that she didn't notice the servants behind her retreating.
She pointed at Shen Qingyuan and cursed.
"You dare slap my mouth? I am the Master’s wife, and my Yao'er is the true, legitimate daughter.
You two are nothing but bastards the Master threw away in the countryside!"
Gu Minglan came out at this moment.
Her eyes narrowed; Lady Liu had relied on her maiden family and the Master’s favor.
It was one thing for her to bully her over the past few years.
But now, she actually dared to curse her Yuan'er.
Seeing that the servants didn't dare to move, Gu Minglan didn't bother calling for anyone.
She walked up directly and slapped Lady Liu across the face.
"Liu Ruyan, keep your mouth clean."
Lady Liu clutched her face in disbelief.
She never imagined that anyone would dare to hit her in the manor.
And because she hadn't expected to be hit, she hadn't even tried to dodge.
She took Gu Minglan’s slap squarely.
Lady Liu turned her head.
"What are you all standing there for? Grab these two sluts and beat them to death for me!"
The servants were stunned and retreated another two steps.
Setting aside the issue of a concubine beating a principal wife.
If they really listened to Lady Liu, it would be servants beating their masters, which was a capital offense.
Who would dare to do that?
Once they laid a hand on them, the outcome wouldn't just be being sold off.
They would be sent to prison and beaten to death.
The whole group of servants, not daring to take the lead, all retreated.
Lady Liu was stunned and instinctively shouted.
"Nanny Liu, Cuihuan, give me..."
Halfway through her frantic shouting, Lady Liu finally realized.
Nanny Liu was dead, and Cuihuan had gone to deal with that loose-lipped servant.
Lady Liu felt a jolt of fear, and a chill ran through her heart.
Her confidants were not by her side, and these servants behind her were all fair-weather friends.
If she were beaten to death here by Shen Qingyuan and her mother today.
Afterward.
These servants might all help Lady Gu by telling lies to the Master to cover it up.
Lady Liu finally felt a sense of fear, yet she did not want to bow her head.
She had worked so hard to obtain everything she had now.
She had finally transformed from that despised, overlooked concubine-born daughter.
Into the high and mighty lady who managed the household.
If she bowed her head and accepted punishment from Lady Gu and her daughter now.
Then how would she be any different from the lowly concubine-born daughter she used to be?
Wouldn't all the effort she had put in be for nothing?
No, she could not bow her head; she absolutely could not admit defeat.
Just as Lady Liu was caught in a dilemma.
✦✦✦