The master and servant finally left the east courtyard after much dawdling, and walked towards the shade of the trees. If the scorching sun were to shine on a person, they would probably get sunburned.

When the two arrived at the back garden, they saw that the flowers, plants, and trees provided ample shade, making it much cooler than the house.

"Princess, the pavilion is just ahead, let's hurry up and go!" A'Luo was sweating profusely from the heat, and the clothes she had just changed into were already soaked with sweat.

The two quickened their pace and headed towards the pavilion. Just as they were about to pass through, they heard a laugh.

"Tell me, isn't Ulanara Xueying so hot right now that she has nowhere to hide?" Gao's smug voice reached Xueying and A'luo's ears.

"Yes, thanks to the princess's good idea, it seems we can finally give the concubine a good dressing down again," replied Gao's personal maid.

A Luo's anger was ignited. Not only did Madam Gao call her own princess by her given name, but she also had the nerve to be so smug in front of everyone. It was because the young lady was too tolerant that these people became even more brazen.

Just as A'Luo was about to leave, Xueying grabbed her hand. Xueying knew A'Luo had a fiery temper and knew she wouldn't be able to hold back her anger if she had been wronged. However, Madam Gao now controlled most of the affairs in the manor, and if A'Luo said anything excessive, Xueying feared she wouldn't be able to protect her. Why suffer a loss now!

A'Luo turned around and looked at Xueying with a puzzled expression. Xueying simply shook her head at her, signaling her not to be impulsive, and then walked ahead, letting A'Luo follow behind her.

"I saw you here from afar, little sister. What are you chatting about?" Xueying asked as she emerged from behind the bushes.

Hearing the voices and seeing that it was Xueying, Gao turned pale with fright. She wondered if anyone had heard what she had just said. Although she was now the principal wife, she did not want to openly fall out with Ulanara Xueying.

"Greetings... to Consort Xueying!" Madam Gao quickly stood up and bowed. Although she was now in charge of most of the affairs in the mansion, she was still a concubine and had no choice but to bow her head to Xueying.

"Sister, you haven't answered me yet!" Xueying's tone was ruthless. Although she had a good temper and didn't compete with these people for fame and fortune, she had to do something now that she had heard these words with her own ears. Otherwise, they would think she was a pushover and it would be even more difficult to deal with her.

Lady Gao was startled by Xueying's sudden change in demeanor, realizing that she must have been overheard. She stammered, "Replying to... Consort, I was just telling the maid that the scenery here is quite nice..."

The maidservant beside her quickly smoothed things over, "Your Highness, the lady was just telling me that the scenery here is quite nice."

Xueying glanced at the maid and said, "Didn't your mistress teach you that servants shouldn't interrupt when your mistress is speaking?" As she spoke, her eyes were glancing at Madam Gao.

The maidservant immediately knelt down, trembling all over, "Consort, I was wrong, please forgive me!"

Lady Gao, who was standing to the side, had not expected Xueying to act like this. She could only say, "Consort, it is my fault for not disciplining her properly. Please forgive her!" Lady Gao had always thought that Xueying was a weak person, but she never expected to see such a thing today.

Xueying thought it was about time, so she told Gao and the maid to get up. Gao's resentment towards Xueying intensified, thinking that she would bring down Ulanara Xueying one day and make her kneel at her feet and beg for mercy.