"What nonsense are you talking about!" Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but laugh at his remark, then turned to Sang Wan and said, "Enough is enough. Hurry along now! Go and properly apologize to your Third Aunt, and besides, this matter requires an explanation for her. Those three maids who stood by enjoying the spectacle, I want you to discipline them well for me. Servants who lack respect for their Master should never be tolerated!"
"Yes, Mother!" Sang Wan promptly responded, relieved, and quickly turned to leave.
Not far from the main courtyard, she saw Mrs. Li with two maids waiting in a wind-sheltered corridor, and as soon as they saw her, they hurried over, each maid holding a gift box in her hands.
Sang Wan inquired and learned that it was Shi Fengju who had ordered them to wait here, just so they could accompany her to the Third Madam Shi’s place. Sang Wan felt a warmth in her heart, and her emotions were suddenly mixed.
"Mrs. Shi, let’s go now!" Mrs. Li glanced at Sang Wan and suggested. Seeing that Sang Wan’s complexion was not terribly upset, Mrs. Li quietly sighed in relief. A wife being scolded by her mother-in-law is only natural; Mrs. Li didn’t think Sang Wan didn’t deserve the lecture. If Sang Wan felt overly wronged by this, Mrs. Li would actually look down on her.
"Mm," Sang Wan nodded and asked as they walked, "What are the gifts?"
Mrs. Li quickly stepped closer, smiling as she replied, "One box contains two cans of premium tea leaves, and the other box contains twenty exquisite purses filled with gold and silver pastries, all for rewarding people on behalf of Third Madam!"
Sang Wan nodded silently, sighing inwardly; servants indeed cared about power and favor. If Third Madam had been giving rewards, those maids would not have just stood there as onlookers! However, it’s unlikely that Third Madam would think of it herself—at least not anytime soon. Who among the servants would willingly invite trouble upon themselves?
Upon seeing Sang Wan, Third Madam Shi smiled faintly and nodded, "Oh, Miss Wan is here, come have a seat quickly! Mrs. Gui, please prepare the tea!"
Her tone was indifferent, and she didn’t even move to rise from her seat, clearly still harboring some anger.
"I’ve come to see Third Aunt!" Sang Wan quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, signaling for Mrs. Li and the others to also present their gifts and pay their respects, saying with a smile, "It’s all my fault for the negligence. I’ve cause such an upset for Third Aunt! I beg your forgiveness on the account of my youth and ignorance. I am here to offer my apologies!"
As Mrs. Gui brought out the tea, she couldn’t help but interject, "It’s a good thing our lady wasn’t seriously hurt this time, quite fortunate indeed. But if there’s a next time, who knows what might happen!"
Sang Wan hastily replied, "There will never be a next time! Please rest assured, Third Aunt and Mrs. Gui! Even though naive, having learned my lesson, I would never dare to commit the same mistake again!"
Third Madam Shi hurriedly stopped Mrs. Gui, smiling at Sang Wan and saying, "Let’s consider the matter closed this time. I’m not so petty as to hold grudges like that! Truly, you also have it tough. Our return was so unexpected yesterday, and you’ve been managing everything high and low. It’s inevitable to overlook a thing or two. The servants are accustomed to currying favor with the powerful and kicking the downtrodden, so it’s not entirely your fault! You should stop blaming yourself . Come, take a seat!"
Seeing that Sang Wan was taking full responsibility without the slightest attempt to push the blame on "the ignorant and unruly servants at home," Third Madam Shi’s anger dissipated significantly, and she couldn’t help but feel more sympathetic towards her! If Sang Wan had stubbornly shirked responsibility, Third Madam might have felt even angrier.
After all, she was the wife of an official, well-versed in the customary excuses made in social circles—she was too familiar with and most disgusted by such tactics. If Sang Wan had tried to play games, she certainly wouldn’t have been fooled!
However, her forgiveness of Sang Wan did not mean that the incident would just be forgotten. Otherwise, how could the servants still see her as their Master? Not just her, but all the servants of the third house would be looked down upon! And unfortunately, her husband had resigned from his government post, regardless of the real reasons behind it. In the eyes of the servants, resignation equaled dismissal, synonymous with "losing one’s office," indicating a loss of power. In everyone’s eyes, that meant she had lost her value! If she was too kind-hearted, how would she get through these next few years?
Sang Wan, detecting the implications in her words, shuddered inwardly, thinking to herself that of the three sisters-in-law, including the mother-in-law, no one was a match for the sharp and veiled criticism of Third Aunt!
Sang Wan earnestly said, "Please rest assured, Third Aunt, I will definitely provide an explanation for this matter! By rights, the servants in this house should have been disciplined long ago. It’s just that Mother has been enjoying some peace lately, and I did not bear to trouble her with these trivial matters! But being young, and not having been in the house long, I often felt it improper to intervene, preferring to turn a blind eye. Who knew it would only encourage their increasingly arrogant and presumptuous behavior to the point where they no longer see their Master in their eyes! Just now, Mother questioned my foolishness, saying I shouldn’t have been so lax; otherwise, such an incident wouldn’t have occurred! This time, I will ensure they are strictly punished according to the rules! It’s not only about giving Third Aunt an explanation but also a great opportunity to purge the house of untoward customs!"