Neither conspicuous nor through the side door, these words harshly pricked at Gu Fangzi’s nerves, almost driving her to the brink of madness with rage and unwilling frustration!
How could she swallow such stifling indignation?
"You have no right to talk back to me! On account of today’s celebration, I can’t be bothered to argue with you! Go back to the mansion and relay my message exactly as I said it, what are you standing there for! Hurry up and go!" Gu Fangzi, her face dark as frost, pointed at Aunt Wu and barked the orders.
Aunt Wu, after all, was a daughter-in-law born and bred in the Shi family, with her man overseeing three manors of the Shi family, a significant manager in his own right. Having served the Shi family for many years, even Sang Wan would smile politely and call her "Aunt Wu" when asking after her. Publicly berated by Gu Fangzi, Aunt Wu’s face turned pale with anger, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word for a long time.
"Still standing there? Why haven’t you left yet!" Gu Fangzi repeated sharply.
"Yes, your servant will go now!" Aunt Wu dared not offend the Master, grimly swallowing her anger. Inside, she cursed freely, thinking Fangzi to be such an upstart who hasn’t even entered the Shi Mansion’s gates yet but was already so arrogant! She’s not even worthy to carry shoes for Mrs. Wang, let alone act like a Master! Rushing to enter the mansion out of some desperate filial piety, she’s nothing but an undesired good!
"Lan Xiang is the dear maid of the young lady, it’s better that she stays to serve the young lady. Your servant and the two elder sisters can go back and report on this matter!" Aunt Wu added with a smile trying to appease the situation.
Gu Fangzi thought about it and realized it made sense. Taking Lan Xiang with her would seem like she was sending someone to tattle, it was better to let them go by themselves.
Therefore, Gu Fangzi’s expression softened a little as she glanced at Aunt Wu, "When you get back and see Mrs. Wang, you know what to say without me teaching you, right?"
Aunt Wu hurriedly replied with a smile, "Your servant understands! It was all my own suggestion, I came back specially to ask for permission because I care about the reputation of the Shi family, it has nothing to do with the young lady."
Gu Fangzi nodded in satisfaction, "Then you’d better go and come back quickly! Do well and there will be a generous reward! If you dare to play tricks on me, hmm, you’d better hope I don’t find out!"
Aunt Wu was startled and hurriedly bowed her head, "Your servant wouldn’t dare, your servant wouldn’t dare!" Initially harboring the intention to complain, Aunt Wu immediately retracted her thoughts after Gu Fangzi’s intimidation. After all, there is a distinction between master and servant, and it would be easy for Gu Fangzi to find out if she investigated. If Gu Fangzi found an excuse to punish her later, how could she possibly avoid it?
Not daring to incite in front of the Master doesn’t mean she can’t be passively negligent. Aunt Wu had to vent the anger in her gut and so took her people into the city without much haste, generously spending money along the way to treat everyone to tea and pastries. Accepting someone’s kindness makes it hard to refuse them; everyone was happy to enjoy the treats and steal a moment of leisure, naturally not inclined to tattle. They had a merry time chatting and laughing in the teahouse for nearly an hour before slowly making their way back to the mansion.
Back at the mansion, Aunt Wu sought an audience with Mrs. Wang and repeated what Gu Fangzi had instructed, naturally not mentioning it was Gu Fangzi’s idea and claiming it as her own.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang was immediately infuriated, "Meddlesome! Who told you to take matters into your own hands! You were sent to pick someone up and you left the young lady behind, carrying an empty sedan chair back. What sort of behavior is this!"
Feeling aggrieved, Aunt Wu lightly slapped her own mouth and said with an apologetic smile, "This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die! But I did it all considering the reputation of the Shi Mansion, Mrs. Wang!"
"Nonsense!" Mrs. Wang frowned and then said, "Is there something wrong with that sedan chair?"
"Not at all!" Aunt Wu quickly shook her head, even with Gu Fangzi’s backup, she wasn’t daring enough to accuse Mrs. Li of negligence, "It’s just, this servant felt it was too plain, so—"
"Oh, so that’s why you took it upon yourself to carry an empty sedan chair back?" Mrs. Li snorted through her nose as she leisurely walked in from outside, greeted Mrs. Wang, and turned to Aunt Wu, "An empty sedan coming out and going back in is surely an ill omen! Aunt Wu, you are not young anymore, how could you handle affairs so carelessly? Or have you really become muddled with age!"
"Your servant—" Aunt Wu’s face paled as she chastised herself, "I was hot-headed for a moment, please forgive me, Mrs. Wang! I will turn back right away, I will turn back right now!"
"Hold on!" said Mrs. Li calmly, "Never mind whether you are muddled or not, my own age is also getting up there, and I might be the one who’s confused. Let’s have that sedan chair brought in for Mrs. Wang to see with her own eyes, see if I have done anything wrong that would tarnish the reputation of the Shi Mansion!"