As she spoke, she told the whole story from beginning to end, ending with tears of injustice.
After listening, Sang Wan heaved a light sigh and said softly, "In that case, it seems you have indeed been wronged! However, Qiu Ju ultimately belongs to the Master of the second house, and the young master has always respected his elders. For the sake of the second Master’s dignity, let’s drop this matter! Don’t take it to heart, and in the future, just steer clear of her to avoid escalating the issue. It would make things difficult for the young master!"
"Yes, this slave dares not trouble the young master and Mistress. I will avoid her from now on!" Liu Ya said with a sense of grievance.
Mrs. Li, who was on the side, felt a surge of anger upon hearing this. It was fine for a maid like Liu Ya to suffer a bit of injustice, but causing difficulty for the young master was absolutely unacceptable!
What was Qiu Ju but a slave who could be sold at the lift of a foot? How dare she meddle with the affairs of the main family and, in front of everyone, chastise and slap someone from the young master’s house? Does she not have the young master in her eyes at all!
Earlier, as Liu Ya had calmly recounted the incident, it was clear that Qiu Ju was in the wrong, which only infuriated Mrs. Li even more: Why should they behave submissively and avoid her? The young master’s respect for his elders was one thing, but it certainly didn’t mean the slaves of the elder’s household could just trample over people’s dignity!
"Mistress!" Mrs. Li scoffed, "Even if Liu Ya was truly at fault, it’s not the place of a maid and concubine from the second house to intervene. Now with the young master and Mistress here, and the various managing matrons around, even the Second Madam Shi would not have the privilege to intervene! Qiu Ju is a mere maid with such audacity! We cannot let this matter slide! Otherwise, what would become of us in the future!"
Sang Wan’s heart was pleased with this, but she still spoke of her dilemma with seeming distress, coaxing Mrs. Li to "let this pass," "turn a big issue into a small one, and a small one into nothing," and "not to disrupt the harmony," but Mrs. Li was not willing to concede. On the contrary, she became even more enraged, insisting that such a precedent could not be set. She said, "Mistress, as you are new to the family, it is inconvenient for you to handle this. Leave it to this old servant! There’s no need for us to do anything; I will take Liu Ya now to pay respects to Second Madam Shi and to have that Miss Qiu Ju apologize!"
Having said that, she did not forget to instruct Liu Ya, "No need to wash your face or comb your hair, nor rush to apply any ointment. Let’s go now!"
Liu Ya could not ask for more, and without waiting for Sang Wan’s refusal, she immediately rushed off with Mrs. Li, accompanied by a little maid.
Sang Wan tried to dissuade them but was too late and could only let out a helpless sigh, letting them go.
Hong Ye and the others were still somewhat confused, but Xingzhi, who was sharp and clear-headed, couldn’t help but inwardly admire: What a move! What a strategy from the Mistress!
Indeed, having Mrs. Li take action was most fitting. Firstly, due to her age and special status, she demanded respect, and even the Second Madam Shi had to give in to her to some extent. Secondly, Mrs. Li being fiercely protective was well known in the estate, and while she might overlook someone offending her, she would not sell the face of the heavens for someone who offended the young master!
With her taking the lead, it was justified! Second Madam Shi and Qiu Ju could only blame their bad luck, not even daring to think about implicating the Mistress!
Where could one find a master who is benevolent at heart, has strategies and schemes, and is willing to stand up for justice for her servants?
Xingzhi fell deep into thought; for a slave, what is more important than choosing the right master?
Indeed, Second Madam Shi was in an extremely awkward position, with a maid and concubine from the second house overstepping her bounds with the main family’s young master. The issue could be deemed big or small, but with Mrs. Li already coming over in high spirits, it had to be brought into the open and resolved.
Seeing Liu Ya’s swollen cheeks and tear-stained eyes, Second Madam Shi felt both ashamed and enraged, wishing she could drag that damned maid Qiu Ju out and beat her to death!
At this time, Aunt Fang, who was "ill" and not present, had someone bring the similarly slapped and swollen-faced, tearful Qiu Ju over. The person repeatedly begged for forgiveness from Second Madam Shi and apologized to Liu Ya, conveying that Aunt Fang was very angry after learning about the incident and had already reprimanded Qiu Ju. If Mrs. Li and Liu Ya still felt it wasn’t enough, they were welcome to punish her severely. After all, a slave lacking in manners could be beaten to death without issue!
In panic, Qiu Ju immediately knelt to kowtow and beg for mercy from Second Madam Shi, apologizing to Liu Ya with ceaseless tears, promising never to dare again. Her words of contrition and soft pleas flowed unendingly, overwhelming Liu Ya immediately.
Liu Ya, having never encountered such posturing, was at a momentary loss for words and even felt a sudden, unwarranted guilt, as if she herself had become a villain, wrongly accusing and bullying a weak girl, which made her feel uncomfortable and almost cowered behind Mrs. Li, subconsciously seeking guidance from Mrs. Li’s eyes.
Accustomed to such tactics of retreating in order to advance, Mrs. Li inwardly cursed but could not be unreasonably unyielding—such actions were not befitting of her age and respectable status as a maid. Thus, she grudgingly lectured Qiu Ju for a few words and, amidst the polite send-off by the Second Madam Shi’s servants and maids, she left the second house with Liu Ya.
On the way back to Ningyuan, Mrs. Li still felt very stifled; although Qiu Ju had been punished, it was not at her hands, resulting in a feeling of throwing a punch into the air.
Mrs. Li’s expression was gloomy, and by this time, Liu Ya also came back to her senses, sharing in the feeling of suffocation.
Owing to their shared resentment, Liu Ya felt a closer bond with Mrs. Li and hurried a few steps forward to seek Mrs. Li’s clarification: "Mrs. Li, although I watched Qiu Ju being punished, why do I still feel uncomfortable and stifled?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li stopped walking and sighed, "Exactly! Aunt Fang sure knew how to seize the opportunity. She put on such a flawless show. What’s infuriating is knowing it’s an act, yet we’re obliged to accept it. It’s no wonder we feel uneasy!"