Chapter 10 - Kicking People Around

Shen Ziyang told Old Madam Shen how Shen Ziqiao had talked back to the Ninth Prince, adding oil to the fire. He talked about how disrespectful Shen Ziqiao was and how if she wasn’t, the Ninth Prince might’ve given him some tips for his studies.

Shen Family had a background in the military. Even though Shen Xiao was a general, he was lacking compared to literary officials in the end. The only legal grandson didn’t like to study either. Although the second son was now the prefectural magistrate, his two sons were still too young. Only Shen Ziyang could attend the children’s exam at a young age. Old Madam Shen still counted on him to score the top place in the palace examination in order to make up for the regret that Shen Zhong only got the sixteenth place.

The Ninth Prince was known in the capital of his literary talent. Countless people dreamed of getting some tips by him. Who knew that girl ruined their plans!

“She talked back to the Ninth Prince?” Old Madam Shen sneered. “Was she trying to attract the Ninth Prince’s attention?”

“That’s a stupid mehtod.” Shen Ziyang also thought it was Shen Ziqiao’s method of attracting the Ninth Prince.

Old Madam Shen asked, “What did the Ninth Prince say?”

“He couldn’t even muster words because he was angry. When had he seen such a shameless girl? She actually… used this type of unconventional method to attract his attention.” Shen Ziyang felt like he lost his face completely because of Shen Ziqiao.

“That’s not good…” Old Madam Shen said, “Your father and elder brother aren’t in the capital. Although the Ninth Prince doesn’t hold an important position, he still has a noble status. It won’t be beneficial for the Shen Family to offend him. I think we need to personally go and apologize.”

Shen Ziyang immediately said, “Grandmother, let me go. I’ll go apologize to him.”

“Whatever. That damned girl can’t leave the residence anymore. I don’t know what has gotten into her, but she has been causing trouble lately.” Old Madam Shen said angrily, hating Shen Ziqiao more and more.

“Grandmother, she did this on purpose.” Shen Ziyang responded.

Old Madam Shen said disgustingly, “If it weren’t for her, how could your father not have a proper wife yet?”

It’s best if he didn’t… Shen Ziyang thought silently inside.

“Grandmother, grandson won’t disturb your afternoon nap. I’m going back to read.” Shen Ziyang respectfully bowed and left.

Old Madam Shen nodded in satisfaction. “Go ahead.”

Before Shen Ziyang left, a maid hurried in. “Old Madam, there’s a disturbance by Third Miss’s place.”

“What is she making a fuss about this time?” Old Madam Shen asked moodily, already impatient as she listened to the maid’s report.

The maid, Cui Liu, hesitated before replying, “Third Miss and Mama Li in the kitchen are arguing. Third Miss...even had someone hit Mama Li.”

Old Madam Shen said angrily, “Is she starting a rebellion?”

Indeed, someone has rebelled. However, it was the maid by Shen Ziqiao’s side.

Speaking of, Shen Ziqiao had Cui Ping go and tell the kitchen to prepare lunch for her. Cui Ping originally served at Old Madam Shen’s side. She was unwilling to serve the crafty Third Miss who wasn’t loved by the Old Madam either. Her master has no status at home, so she had no face following her either. Don’t mention the maids and mamas who respectfully called her “lady” in the past, but they don’t even call her “sister” anymore.

However, Third Miss didn’t feel like she was being hated at all. She still continued her own ways, making the Old Madam mad every day, unlike the other two young misses. They lowered their attitudes and coaxed the Old Madam.

Cui Ping knew that she definitely won’t receive a positive response if she went to tell the cooks to start cooking by herself. She lifted the curtains and walked in. She saw two maids sitting on the steps. She knew that these were the newly chosen maids.

“Hong Ying, Hong Yu, go tell the kitchen that the Third Miss hasn’t had her lunch yet. Have the cooks steam bass, Third Miss’ favorite, and eight treasures rice.” Cui Ping pointed at a maid and ordered.

Hong Ying was a new maid and Hong Yu was her elder sister. They were third-level maids in Qiao Xin Courtyard. They didn’t even get the chance to serve by Shen Ziqiao’s side.

When the two heard Cui Ping’s order, they immediately ran towards the kitchen.

The person in charge of the kitchen was Old Madam Shen’s personal mama, Mama Li. Because she had Old Madam Shen’s support, she never placed Shen Ziqiao in her eyes. Even more, she normally reduced her meals. In the past, Shen Ziqiao was simple-minded, so she never thought that the servants had secretly bullied her behind her back.

“You want us to cook at this time? Someone already brought the Third Miss’ lunch over earlier on. Why does she want steam fish and eight treasures rice now? These are dishes that require a lot of effort. It can’t be cooked right now.” When Mama Li heard Hong Yu’s words, she replied with a dark face and sat down. She had the cooks preparing to cook stop as well.

Hong Yu tried to kiss up and say, “Mama Li, Third Miss just came back. She hasn’t eaten yet.”

“Then just cook some noodles. It’s still food.” Mama Li pursed her lips.

“But… Mama Li, Third Miss wants to eat steam fish and eight treasures rice.” Hong Yu said in a small voice, “Just steam fish for Third Miss.”

Mama Li glanced at Hong Yu and said, “Go back and tell Third Miss that the cooking hours are over. Either we’ll cook some noodles for her or she can wait until dinner to eat steam fish.”

There are another four hours before dinner… Wouldn’t Third Miss starve to death by then?

“Are you the master or is Third Miss the master? When is it your turn to fuss about what the master eats? Since when is there a rule saying when the masters should have lunch?” However, Hong Ying had a strong sense of personality. When she heard Mama Li disrespecting her master, she didn’t care that she was Old Madam Shen’s trusted aide. She immediately interrogated her.

Mama Li had been in the Shen Family for such a long time, but never reprimanded by anyone. Even a proper young miss didn’t dare to talk to her loudly. Yet, a maid dared to question her in front of everyone. “Whoa, look at you. Who are you to point fingers at me? You’re just a cheap servant. You really think that you have authority?”

“If I’m a cheap servant, what are you then?” Hong Ying didn’t care for Hong Yu who was tugging on her sleeves. She retorted in a clear voice.

“Presumptuous!” Mama Li flew into a rage. “Seize this lowly maid for me. I’ll teach her a lesson and let her know that even maids have their statuses.”

Hong Yu begged for mercy. “Mama Li, Hong Ying just came to Qiao Xin Courtyard. She doesn’t understand anything. Please don’t mind her impoliteness and hold a grudge against her.”

Mama Li sneered, “Since Third Miss doesn’t know how to discipline the servants, I’ll teach you guys on behalf of Third Miss.”

“Sister, I didn’t say anything wrong. They were the ones that kicked us around and refused to cook lunch for Third Miss.” Hong Ying said loudly and fearlessly.

“You think that Third Miss will support you just because you serve her? Don’t you know who the person in charge of the Shen Family is?” After Mama Li said that, she slapped Hong Ying’s delicate face.

Hong Ying’s face was swollen from the slap. She cried and struggled. “I’m Third Miss’ maid. Who gave you the right to hit me?”

“Then see if I can hit you or not.” Mama Li slapped her again.

“Mama Li, please don’t hit my sister…” Hong Yu cried and kneeled down, begging for mercy. “My sister has collided into you. Please don’t get angry.”

“What happened?” Cui Ping who had dismissed the two sisters to come to the kitchen heard that something happened, so she came over. Who knew that she saw this scene.

The moment Hong Yu saw Cui Ping, she looked as if she had seen a savior. She cried as she explained the process.

Cui Ping sighed in her heart. Thankfully, she wasn’t the one that came to the kitchen to order Mama Li to cook lunch. She wore a straight face as she said, “Really? Since Mama Li said she can’t steam fish right now, then wait until dinner. You guys know no manners!”

Hong Yu and Hong Ying didn’t expect that Cui Ping wouldn’t stand up for them either. They couldn’t help but feel despair.

“Mama Li, thank you for disciplining Third Miss’ good-for-nothing maids.” Cui Ping smiled and said to Mama Li.

Mama Li wanted to say something when she heard a voice rang. “I want to see who dares to discipline my people!”