While serving the dishes, Wan Tang was extremely cautious, keeping her eyes and ears open in all directions, afraid that another foot might secretly trip her. Indeed, there were attempts, but Wan Tang managed to avoid them all.
Halfway through the family banquet, she was already sweating profusely from the tension.
Madam Zhang and Song Zhiyun both seemed to be “accidentally” bumping into Wan Tang with their elbows whenever they had the chance. Wan Tang couldn’t guard against everything and made two small mistakes while serving—just as she picked up the food from the plate, it fell onto the table.
When it happened the second time, Laofuren gave her a stern look.
Sweating heavily, Wan Tang gripped her chopsticks tightly as she continued serving.
But there was always the unexpected that couldn’t be guarded against.
A maid somehow slipped and, along with the tray in her hands, lunged toward Wan Tang’s back. On the tray was a bowl of bubbling, steaming wild delicacy soup, which tipped over and spilled entirely onto Wan Tang’s back.
Wan Tang, unable to see behind her, was pushed forward by the impact and collided with Madam Zhang.
Although Madam Zhang wasn’t scalded, she knocked over the soups and dishes in front of her, drenching herself.
Bowls and plates crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces with a clatter.
Chaos erupted with startled exclamations.
Wan Tang felt a burning pain on her back, as if her clothes had turned into hot iron, searing her skin. But she dared not cry out in pain and quickly knelt down to apologize, “This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death!”
No matter how wise a master might be, they wouldn’t immediately defend her. It was she who had bumped into Madam Zhang, she who had caused Madam Zhang to lose face, so she couldn’t avoid being scolded.
As Wan Tang knelt, she happened to land on the broken shards, the pain piercing her heart.
Madam Zhang looked down at her new padded skirt, now stained with soup, and gritted her teeth as she shot a meaningful glance at her maid. Understanding the hint, the maid immediately slapped Wan Tang across the face.
Wan Tang neither dodged nor avoided it, enduring the blow directly. “This servant deserves death, it’s all this servant’s fault.”
Since it was a maid from the Wu’an Marquisate who had caused the trouble, Laofuren’s face turned pale with anger. “What are you all standing around for? Take her away to change her clothes.”
Song Zhiyun obediently comforted Madam Zhang and personally escorted her away.
Everyone’s attention returned to Wan Tang.
Laofuren let out a heavy, cold snort.
Before she could speak, a series of firm footsteps echoed from behind the screen, and a tall figure walked over to Wan Tang’s side. “I thought today was a joyous occasion, and someone was putting on a performance to entertain Mother.”
“Laofuren, this servant…” Wan Tang tried to seize the moment to apologize.
“Marquis, listen to this. This maid from your household truly lacks manners. How could she address the Dowager as Laofuren?” Another granddaughter-in-law from the main branch shot Wan Tang a displeased glare.
Wan Tang was stunned. The servants of the Wu’an Marquisate had always addressed her this way, and she hadn’t realized anything was amiss.
After Xiao Zhi inherited the title, according to custom, Laofuren should have been addressed as Dowager. However, since Xiao Zhi had not yet married, Laofuren had not allowed anyone to change the form of address.
But at this moment, no one spoke up for Wan Tang, and the maids and attendants by Laofuren’s side remained silent.
It was Xiao Zhi who finally broke the silence. “Everyone in the Houfu addresses Mother this way. What, if Mother has no objection and I have no objection, do you have one?”
As the saying goes, even when beating a dog, one must consider its master. Xiao Zhi’s retort to the granddaughter-in-law of the main branch naturally displeased the Dowager of the main branch.
Xiao Zhi, however, paid no mind and lowered his gaze to look at Wan Tang.
She kept her head bowed, her crabapple-red jacket soaked through, her body trembling with fear. A small patch of skin exposed at her neck was suspiciously red. Looking around her, shards of porcelain littered the floor, clearly having fallen from her knees as well.
Xiao Zhi’s fingers, clasped behind his back, curled slightly. He said in a low voice, “Go change your clothes.”
“The Marquis is truly protective of his own. Even a granddaughter-in-law of the main branch is treated worse than a maid. I take my leave!” The Eldest Mistress seized the opportunity to make a scene, rising to her feet in displeasure. She wanted to diminish his authority and gain some face and benefits for the main branch.
Wan Tang knew that what followed would be internal strife within the Xiao family. Silently, she stood up and withdrew.
“Cai Lian has already gone back to fetch clothes for you. Come with me!” Not far away, Ziyan had been waiting quietly. She grabbed Wan Tang and led her away from the banquet hall…
Thus, the family banquet ended on a sour note. Song Zhiyun, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain, approached Laofuren to apologize. “It’s all my fault for failing to manage the maids under my charge properly.”
“The Eldest Mistress certainly hasn’t managed well. A perfectly good family banquet has been ruined. Wan Tang is usually quite efficient. Why did she make repeated mistakes today?” Nanny Zhuang spoke up, carefully observing the situation.
“She… she probably relies on her looks and is always a bit more arrogant than the other maids. Recently, she’s been serving Laofuren and the Marquis, so she doesn’t listen to my discipline very well. Sometimes, I can’t even persuade her,” Song Zhiyun said with a bitter expression, full of grievance.
Laofuren spoke unhappily, “Are you going to let a maid ride roughshod over you?”
Song Zhiyun hesitated, as if wanting to say more but holding back, then shed two large tears.
Seeing the unspoken grievance hidden in her expression, Laofuren glanced at Nanny Zhuang. Understanding the hint, Nanny Zhuang bowed and withdrew.
Once outside the room, she asked where Wan Tang was and, with a stern face, went to find her.
Meanwhile, after Ziyan brought Wan Tang into an empty room, Cai Lian arrived with dry clothes.
Wan Tang looked at them suspiciously, feeling that something was amiss. “I’ll change by myself. Thank you for your trouble, sisters.”
Ziyan and Cai Lian exchanged a glance, showing no intention of leaving.
Cai Lian said anxiously, “Your back is badly scalded. You can’t apply the medicine yourself, so why are you being so stubborn? We all serve in Jinxiu Garden. Would we ever harm you?”
“I don’t want to trouble you. I can manage on my own,” Wan Tang stubbornly refused to let them stay.
Today, she had been wronged so much that she was now more wary than anyone.
As they were at an impasse, Nanny Zhuang arrived. Seeing that Wan Tang hadn’t changed her clothes yet, she urged her to hurry.
Reluctantly, Wan Tang stepped behind a screen to change quickly.
Unable to see the wound on her back and hearing Nanny Zhuang coughing impatiently outside, she had no choice but to ask the eager Cai Lian to help apply the burn ointment. Fortunately, Ziyan and Cai Lian made no other moves. Wan Tang breathed a sigh of relief, quickly changed her clothes, and went out to see Nanny Zhuang.
Nanny Zhuang looked at her expressionlessly. “Lift your head and let me see.”
Wan Tang dared not disobey and slowly raised her head.
Her small face was now deathly pale, her lightly furrowed brow clouded with worry, and her fox-like eyes trembled uneasily. Nanny Zhuang was secretly startled.
Before, Wan Tang had always kept her head bowed properly. Although Nanny Zhuang could tell she was pretty, this was the first time she had observed her face so closely.
For a mere maid, she was far too beautiful!
Even the steady Nanny Zhuang couldn’t help but think: What a fox-like, seductive face!
Just then, Ziyan came out holding the clothes Wan Tang had changed out of, curiously pinching a spot and muttering, “Huh? What’s hidden in your clothes?”
Wan Tang’s heart skipped a beat. Before she could snatch back her clothes, she saw Ziyan pull a few items from the sleeve pocket of the discarded garment.
Wan Tang took a closer look and stumbled back a few steps.