Chapter 12 Slap Madam and Feed the Chickens with Your Charcoal Brazier

When Aunt Sun heard this, she looked at Tongfu, who was bruised and half-dead, and tried hard to suppress the twitching of her lips, and clenched her hands into fists in her sleeves.

Who was it that took advantage of the darkness and beat Tongfu half to death?

This girl acted so cruelly, causing trouble for half the night, and then turned the tables on me. Should I pretend to be a good person in front of her and ask her to show mercy?

The entire Wenchang Marquis's Mansion knew that Tongfu was her servant in Wanxiangyuan.

The people in Wanxiangyuan did something wrong. If she didn't punish them severely tonight in front of these servants who had no control over their words, not only would she get a reputation as a fool, but tomorrow she would really become a sinister and jealous concubine who persecuted the others the next day after the legitimate daughter returned home!

It’s just that my daughter acted immaturely. If she wanted to please Xie Yao, she could just bribe a girl from the outer courtyard, but she actually sent someone from her own courtyard.

The servants were all around, and if they continued to argue, they might alarm the uncle and the old lady. Aunt Sun could only say, "Since the second young lady has pleaded for mercy, I will give her twenty sticks, but I can't tolerate such a person. It's better to sell her off."

Tongfu kowtowed to Xie Yao with tears in his eyes.

Although he was beaten by the Second Young Lady, he deserved it. He knew that his life was saved by the Second Young Lady.

Before being taken away, he looked at Aunt Sun with hatred in his eyes, which Xie Yao saw.

The servant who had recognized Tongfu earlier said, "Thank you, Second Miss, for your plea. You are truly kind-hearted. I thank you on behalf of Tongfu."

Xie Yao nodded and said gently, "You're welcome. Come, help me return the charcoal basin to the ancestral hall."

This pot of charcoal fire was prepared for her by her mother, and she would not throw it away in the back garden.

The servant picked up the charcoal brazier and stood respectfully beside her.

Aunt Sun was furious when she saw the servants looking at her with fear in their eyes and Tongfu actually thanking Xie Yao.

She had been working hard in the Bo's Mansion for many years, but Xie Yao won people's hearts with just a plea.

Aunt Sun could only comfort herself that no matter how kind-hearted Xie Yao was, she was still a girl who would eventually get married.

Seeing that Xie Yao was finally sent away, before she could breathe a sigh of relief, the former suddenly walked up to her.

Xie Yao smiled with her eyebrows curved and reminded: "Then I will be in the ancestral hall, waiting for Auntie to bring me the silver frost charcoal."

Aunt Sun almost vomited blood and nodded stiffly.

After Xie Yao had completely left, she called to Aunt Liu, "Go and tell Zhizhi not to act rashly again, and go get a basin of silver frost charcoal."

Madam Liu: "I saved some, but... there isn't much Silver Frost charcoal in your room. Some must be saved for the New Year. The eldest lady has quite a bit in her room. The old lady gave her some as a reward last month."

"Then take it from Zhizhi. I will personally deliver it to the ancestral hall tomorrow morning."

Nanny Liu agreed.

After returning to the ancestral hall, Xie Yao instructed Rendong to deliver some medicine to Tongfu who was beaten with a stick, and to keep an eye on his whereabouts.

Even though she could come and go freely in the mansion, her mother could not. When she married into the palace in the future, her mother would have to be left alone.

Moreover, there are some things that she still needs people to investigate and handle.

The servant who was helping to carry the charcoal brazier was about to leave when Xie Yao called him.

"What is your relationship with Tongfu?"

The servant knelt down in fear and trepidation: "I was bought to the Bo's Mansion together with Tongfu a few years ago. I have no contact with him normally."

Xie Yao smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. I just want to ask, Tongfu said he has a bedridden mother. Is that true? Where does his mother live?"

The servant immediately told everything he knew.

Xie Zhi was still awake at this time. She was waiting for Tongfu to come back and report.

It was so cold outside, and she couldn't help but curl up her red lips when she thought of Xie Yao kneeling in the ancestral hall all night.

However, she did not wait for Tongfu, but waited for Aunt Liu instead.

"I was the one who sent her to steal Xie Yao's charcoal brazier, so what? I just wanted to make her suffer! Who would have thought that idiot couldn't even handle such a small task? She's really useless."

After hearing the whole story, Xie Zhi became angry.

During the day, she was seen by outsiders as a well-behaved and sensible young lady from the Bo family, and a talented woman in the capital, but in front of her mother, she did not need to suppress her temper.

Aunt Liu cautiously advised: "Young Miss, you are confused. Tongfu is from our Wanxiang Courtyard. He was caught red-handed by the Second Young Miss. The aunt can only punish him severely. The aunt also said..."

Xie Zhi heard the hidden meaning in her words and was so angry that he trembled all over: "What else did you say?"

"He said he wanted the silver frost charcoal in your room and would give it to the second young lady tomorrow."

"Silver Frost charcoal is extremely precious. It's my charcoal, how could mother give it to Xie Yao?"

"Under such circumstances, Auntie can only do this."

"That's too much!"

After a while, there was a "crackling" sound of something smashing in the room.

Xie Zhi smashed things for half the night and was exhausted before he could finally fall asleep.

Early in the morning, Aunt Sun came to Xie Zhi's place. Aunt Liu said, "The eldest lady is really angry this time."

Aunt Sun walked into the inner room, stepped on the torn calligraphy and paintings on the floor, and tucked in the brocade quilt for Xie Zhi.

"I am angry too. Zhizhi likes elegance. Silver frost charcoal is smokeless and looks like silver frost. She loves to use it the most. But now she wants to give it to that girl..." She said with hatred in her tone and took off her smiling mask.

Nanny Liu was the nanny who came with her as a dowry from her natal family. She was also in a relationship with the steward Wang from the Bo's Mansion. She was someone she could trust.

"Yes, our eldest lady has never suffered such injustice."

"It's all because I'm the uncle's concubine, so you can only be a concubine. But... Zhizhi, just bear with it for a while, and everything will be fine in the future."

Aunt Sun muttered a few words and then said, "Go, use that engraved silver charcoal basin and fill it with silver frost charcoal."

Aunt Liu said, "Auntie, that engraved silver charcoal basin is very valuable, and it's your favorite. Why are you giving it to the Second Miss? If you give it to her, won't she be even more proud?"

Aunt Sun: "The higher you climb, the harder you fall. I just want her to be proud and forget everything. She wants to ruin my good reputation for many years to help her and her mother, but I want her to know that I, Sun Xinlan, am the mistress of the Xie family's backyard."

A moment later, Aunt Sun brought people to the ancestral hall.

He appears to be submissive, but in fact he is showing an attitude of almsgiving.

Even the servants and nannies beside her looked at Xie Yao with disdain.

Aunt Liu said in a pretentious tone, "Second Miss, this is the charcoal basin my master gave you. Please keep it."

She is just an abandoned girl who is going to be married to a disabled prince by her uncle.

Xie Yao had a good sleep last night and finished practicing swordsmanship in the early morning, feeling full of energy.

When Aunt Sun came, she had just finished the breakfast brought by Sang Ruo.

Sang Ruo was quick and swift, quickly putting the dishes and chopsticks into the food box and standing respectfully beside them.

Xie Yao seemed not to notice the sarcasm in Liu Ma's tone. She smiled as she stroked the cool silver charcoal basin with delicate engravings.

"My aunt's things are really nice. Even the charcoal basin is made of silver."

As she spoke, she unceremoniously asked Ren Dong to accept it: "It turns out that the charcoal in the charcoal basin has burned out. Ren Dong, replace it with the silver frost charcoal in here."

Aunt Sun asked, "Second Miss, don't you want me to send you off?"

Xie Yao waved her hand and said, "Yes, of course. My father asked me to raise Xie Yan's chicken, and I'm in need of a chicken trough. This size is just right."

Matron Liu angrily cried, "How dare you! This is Auntie's favorite silver charcoal basin, and you're actually using it to feed the chickens? How disrespectful!"

Xie Yao turned around and looked at Sang Ruo: "I grew up in the border area and don't know the rules in the capital. It turns out that servants in the capital can casually say that their masters are presumptuous."

Sang Ruo stepped forward, slapped Madam Liu in the face, and spat, "You are so ignorant! How dare you interrupt the master when he is speaking!"

Nanny Liu followed Aunt Sun and was used to being domineering in the Earl's Mansion. She had never been humiliated in public, let alone slapped in the face.

For a moment, her face was burning with pain and she even forgot to resist.

When Madam Liu reacted and was about to pounce on Sang Ruo, she was stopped by Aunt Sun.

Aunt Sun stared at Sang Ruo, her eyes flickering. "Second Miss is right. It was Madam Liu who was disrespectful. You wicked servant, why don't you quickly apologize to Second Miss?"

Madam Liu was both ashamed and angry, but she still didn't dare to refute: "It was I who spoke too much. Second Young Lady, please be magnanimous and forgive me this time!"

Xie Yao continued, "I heard that Auntie is in charge of the household and has managed the Bo Mansion in perfect order. However, I never expected that someone close to Auntie would steal charcoal yesterday, and today the nanny is so presumptuous. If an apology is effective, everyone will follow suit. Will there be any rules and regulations in the mansion?"

Aunt Sun's face froze: "What does the Second Miss want?"

Xie Yao smiled: "It's nothing, I just said it and Auntie listened."

Aunt Sun thought of something and her face turned pale.

Although she was a concubine, she came from an extraordinary family and was in charge of the household. She could not follow the brothel lifestyle of ordinary concubines and had to maintain her dignity.

Moreover, now she has...

Aunt Sun valued her reputation above all else. Finally, she suppressed her anger and said, "Madame Liu has behaved unruly in front of the Second Young Miss. I will fine her six months' salary as a warning to others. If she does it again, I will punish her severely."