After Xueying left, the steward pointed at the old woman and said to the people around him, "What are you looking at? Hurry up and carry her away."

Their commotion alerted the head steward, who arrived just in time to see the old woman being carried out. He asked, "What happened?"

The head cook, wanting to cover it up, replied, "There's nothing wrong with me, it's just that the old woman suddenly had chest pains, so I had someone carry her out to find a doctor."

Having served in the palace for many years and seen countless people, the head steward naturally noticed something amiss. He looked at the head of the kitchen and said, "You're trying to hide this from me!"

The head steward looked serious, which frightened the head of the kitchen so much that he knelt down and said, "Head steward, spare my life! I'll talk, I'll talk. It was just that the concubine's personal maid came to the kitchen to get the food and was beaten by this old woman. When she got back, the maid complained to the concubine, and the concubine came to demand an explanation. So I taught that old woman a lesson to appease the concubine."

The head steward was shocked and said, "How could you be the head of the kitchen? How could such a thing happen! This time, I'll deduct three months' wages as punishment. If it happens again, you'll be kicked out of the manor. As for that old woman, there's no need to find a doctor. Just kick her out. Such an unruly servant cannot stay in the Prince's manor."

The steward hurriedly nodded and agreed, without uttering a single word of disagreement.

The executive continued, "The Prince will be back soon, quickly prepare the meal."

"Yes," the head cook quickly begged for forgiveness.

The kitchen staff quickly got to work, and the head steward watched for a while, then left when he saw that nothing had gone wrong.

When Hongli returned to the mansion, he had just arrived at the main gate when the family steward, Gao Jia, was about to report to him, "Your Highness, this servant has something to report."

Hongli was puzzled. "What urgent matter is it? Can't we wait until I get to the study to talk about it?"

The head steward said, "Your Highness, today the concubine's maid, Zuying, got into a fight with an old woman in the kitchen. Afterwards, the concubine even went to the kitchen to fetch food herself. I think it's best to report this to Your Highness."

"Why are you fighting?" Hongli asked.

"According to this servant, it was a few unskilled old women from the kitchen who were idly gossiping about the concubine. Zuying, the concubine's maid, overheard them. Seeing them discussing their mistress, Zuying started a fight without warning," said Head Steward Gao.

"That old woman who fought with the concubine's maid should be sold off. All the others involved in gossiping should have three months' wages deducted. If they do it again, they'll all be sold off," Hongli said, frowning. Although he himself could choose not to favor Ulanara, he would never tolerate his servants talking about their master.

The head of the household quickly agreed. He was a little puzzled, wondering what the prince really thought of that concubine.

Hongli stood at the gate, lost in thought for a moment, recalling Ulanara Xueying, the woman who had once stirred his heart. Her beauty had indeed captivated him, but unfortunately, she was from the Ulanara family, the Empress's niece. He didn't want to marry her, but his mother commanded him to obey. Now, she had been in the palace for almost a month, and he still hadn't consummated their marriage. She hadn't even come to see him. Today, her personal maid was beaten; if it were any other woman, she would have come to her crying long ago.

This Ulanara Xueying is really unlike an ordinary woman. Hongli stood there for a while longer before heading towards the east courtyard.