Chapter 678: Chapter 678: Gnashing Teeth Chapter 678: Chapter 678: Gnashing Teeth At this very moment, Lady Tang had no concern for Xiao Ting; all her thoughts were solely focused on finding a wealthy suitor for Situtu Qinger.
“You all make the decisions; I have no time at the moment,” Lady Tang said impatiently, waving her hand dismissively. After all, Xiao Ting was nothing but a servant, hardly comparable to her daughter’s splendid future.
The maids looked at Lady Tang in astonishment, sensing a drastic change in her demeanor, as if she had become a different person. Just moments ago, she cared deeply for Sister Xiao Ting, yet now she showed only impatience.
Without meaning to, Lady Tang looked up and saw the maid still standing before her, and waved her away impatiently, “Go, go, don’t hinder me from my thoughts.”
“Yes!” The maid curtsied reluctantly and left the room, feeling immense pity for Xiao Ting, who had nearly lost her life for the madam, yet the madam was indifferent to her life or death.
After their complaint to Situ Yongjie, their standard of living had substantially improved in all aspects.
Furthermore, several new maids had arrived to help manage affairs at the Qingyou Pavilion.
These maids were not like the previous ones.
Previously, they were Lady Tang’s spies, but this batch was specially bought by Situ Yongjie from a human trafficker.
Only after careful selection were they sent to serve at Qingyou Pavilion.
Situ Yongjie had also given several indentures to Xuexue, instructing her to keep them safe. With these indentures, he assured, she needn’t fear the servants’ disobedience.
It was true–under the current laws, indentured servants had no freedom; their masters could beat or kill them at will. If a servant disobeyed, the master had the right to punish them severely, even to death, without breaking any laws.
Thus, servants bound by such contracts were very obedient to their masters. After all, with their lives hanging in their master’s hands, how could they dare to disobey?
That day, Xuexue once again prepared to ride the great tiger for a stroll.
Riding the great tiger around the General’s Mansion had become her routine these past few days.
Mainly because the General’s Mansion was so vast, a slow ride around it on the great tiger took half a shichen.
Now, Xuexue had become known as the number one Female Demon of the General’s Mansion, causing the servants to flee at her sight, as though they had seen a ghost, keeping as much distance as possible.
Indeed, to ride a fierce tiger–an animal often feared by many–was bound to make anyone’s legs tremble with fear.
Just as Xuexue stepped out of the courtyard on the tiger, several old maids burst in.
“Eldest Miss, we come by madam’s order to take your measurements for some new clothes. Please get down quickly,” the old maids said, eying the splendid tiger warily and wishing they could flee, yet they were bound to carry out the madam’s command.
“Clothes? What clothes? I have plenty of them; no need to make more,” Xuexue said.
“In a few days, it will be the Empress Dowager’s birthday feast, and The Emperor has invited you to the Imperial Palace. The General has specifically instructed us; we are merely following orders, so please don’t make things difficult for us servants,” the old maids explained as they edged backward.
Situtu Xuexue suddenly realized–yes, in her previous life around this same time, it was the Empress Dowager’s birthday feast. Back then, Lady Tang had begged her to bring Situtu Qinger along to the Imperial Palace.
In a moment of weakness, she had agreed.
That led to her adulterous affair with Zhang Ruixuan, who deceived her while using her status as the General Mansion’s Eldest Legitimate Daughter to help him ascend to the position of Crown Prince, leading to her miserable life.
Past events felt as though they had occurred only yesterday. Remembering them filled Situtu Xuexue with a bitter hatred that gnashed at her teeth.
She jumped off the tiger’s back and patted its buttocks, “Qi Miao, go play. I’m not going for a stroll today.”
The great tiger nodded and turned back towards the house. Ever since it had become a great tiger, Chuner no longer liked to play with it.
She only took a liking to its name, offering it food from time to time.