Chapter 85 Encountering a Tough Thing
"Clang clang!"
A clear, loud gong suddenly rang out, startling everyone in the flower hall and abruptly silencing the noisy discussions.
Everyone looked up in the direction of the sound.
Li Nanke was wearing a pink cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with delicate lotus-root-colored embroidery on the cuffs and hem.
She carried a gong in one hand and a small drumstick in the other, smiling sweetly and adorably.
Seeing everyone looking over, she took a step back and sat down next to Song Yi.
“Mother, look, although these mothers’ eyesight is not good, their hearing is very good. They can hear the gong as soon as it sounds.”
A group of stewardesses...
The young woman was indirectly criticizing them.
Song Yi smiled and playfully pinched Li Nanke's nose, whispering, "You little rascal."
Li Nanke grinned and made a funny face.
Song Yi chuckled and instructed Song's mother, who was standing beside her.
"It's finally quiet down, Tao Mama, we can begin now."
Madam Tao stepped forward, her sharp gaze sweeping over the group of stewardesses in the flower hall.
He said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself first. My surname is Tao, and I am the head housekeeper of the Crown Prince's wife."
From this day forward, I will assist the Crown Prince's wife in managing the household. Please feel free to come to me anytime if you need anything.
The group of stewardesses looked at each other, then subconsciously glanced at the woman standing at the front.
The old woman was in her early forties, with a long face and slightly sunken triangular eyes. She was the wet nurse of the second young mistress, Madam Sun, and also the head steward of the inner courtyard, Mama Zheng.
Upon hearing this, Zheng's mother lifted her eyelids and looked Tao's mother up and down with disdain in her eyes.
"I've long heard that Qian Mama is a traitor who betrayed the young master's wife. Where did the young master's wife find this stewardess?"
Not that I'm being nosy, but the young master's wife's judgment of people is far inferior to that of our second young mistress.
"Why not send this person to the second young mistress and ask her to help the young master's wife assess him? She might not be another traitor."
As soon as he finished speaking, all the stewardesses burst into laughter.
His gaze toward Song Yi held a hint of disdain.
The Crown Prince's wife was not strict in managing her subordinates and was deceived by her own steward for more than ten years, almost swindling her out of all the shops that were part of her dowry. This matter spread throughout the Marquis's mansion.
The servants often gossiped behind Song Yi's back, saying she had poor judgment in people.
Amidst the laughter of the crowd, Song Yi's face flushed red, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Although both Tao's mother and Ke'er had anticipated today's situation, she still felt her scalp tingle and couldn't sit still in the face of the steward's disdainful gaze.
My hand was gently held, and a warm sensation spread from my palm all the way up.
She turned her head and met Li Nanke's bright eyes.
Li Nanke clenched her little fist and shook it, "Mommy is the best, Mommy is the most amazing."
A warmth filled her heart, and she instinctively straightened her back, trying to force back her tears.
She glared coldly at Madam Zheng, "Making unfounded accusations against your master, is this the discipline the Second Young Mistress taught you? Madam Tao, slap her."
Tao's mother strode over, raised her arm swiftly, and slapped Zheng's mother hard across the face.
With a sharp "snap," the nearby stewardess shrank back and instinctively took two steps back.
Zheng's mother staggered backward after being hit, a bright red handprint appearing on her face, the outline of her five fingers clearly visible, as if it had been branded hard with a hot iron.
Zheng's mother was in so much pain that her face was contorted, and the anger in her eyes could almost burst out.
"You lowly servant, how dare you hit me! I'll fight you to the death!"
She jumped up menacingly and started scratching Tao's mother.
Although Tao's mother was thin, she was a full head taller than Zheng's mother, who was short and fat.
Before Zheng's mother could even touch her face, Tao's mother grabbed her hair and pulled her back.
He raised his foot and kicked her hard behind the knee.
"ah!"
Zheng's mother screamed and knelt down with a thud, her face turning a deep purplish-red.
Since the second young mistress took over the household affairs and Zheng Mama became the head steward of the inner courtyard, she has been lording it over the Marquis's mansion for five or six years. When has she ever suffered such humiliation?
Enraged, she burst into a tirade, "You bitch, how dare you humiliate me like this! The Second Young Mistress will never forgive you... Ah..."
Before she could finish speaking, Tao's mother grabbed her hair and yanked it hard, causing her to scream in pain.
"It hurts! Let go of me!"
Tao's mother held her hair in one hand and wrapped it around her hand several times, stopping only when she reached the back of her head.
Madam Tao sneered, "A mere servant dares to question her master's judgment? Based on that alone, even if I beat you into a pig's head today, the second young mistress won't be able to utter a single word of objection."
“Apologize to the Crown Prince's wife immediately.”
With a slight pull, Tao's mother caused Zheng's mother to be pulled backward, her face turning pale with pain.
Zheng's mother had intended to give Song Yi a hard time, but she didn't expect to run into Tao's mother, who was a tough nut to crack. She secretly regretted that she had spoken too quickly.
He could only grit his teeth and honestly apologize to Song Yi.
"This servant knows her mistake. This servant should not have spoken ill of her master. I beg the young mistress to forgive this servant for the sake of the second young mistress."
"This servant will certainly not dare to do it again and will obediently follow the orders of the young master's wife."
As he spoke, he secretly winked at several of the stewardesses he was on good terms with.
Several stewardesses stepped forward and pleaded for leniency.
“Mother Zheng has assisted the Second Young Mistress in managing the household for many years. She has worked hard even if she has not made any great contributions. Please forgive her this time, Madam.”
"There are many things to do in the manor, and many things cannot be done without Mama Zheng."
"If the Crown Prince's wife punishes people as soon as she takes over the management of the household, people will think she is heartless."
The old women all chimed in, urging Song Yi to let Zheng Mama go.
Song Yi clasped her hands together, took a deep breath, and looked at Zheng's mother.
"Let me ask you, what is the proper way to deal with a servant who speaks ill of his master? Mother Zheng has been in charge of the household for many years, so don't pretend you don't know."
Mrs. Zheng's eyes darted away, and after stammering for a moment, she finally said, "Ten slaps to the face."
Song Yi nodded, her gaze sweeping over everyone, her voice gentle yet firm.
"I have just taken over the management of the household. Although there are many things I don't understand, I know that as the head of the household, I should reward those who have made contributions and punish those who have made mistakes."
"Mother Zheng has spoken ill of her master, which is disrespectful. If I do not punish her, how will I be able to command respect in the future?"
"Aunt Tao, slap her ten times."
"Yes, ma'am."
As soon as she finished speaking, Tao's mother grabbed Zheng's mother's hair with one hand, pulled her face towards herself, and raised her other hand.
With palms wielding wind, he draws his bow with both hands.
For a moment, the only sounds in the flower hall were the crisp "slap slap" of slaps, mixed with Zheng's mother's wailing.
The women in charge shrank back, none of them daring to say another word.
After the ten slaps, Tao's mother let go, and Zheng's mother collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud.
His cheeks were swollen high, as if he had been stung by a bee, and his face, which was red and purple, was covered with more than ten whitish finger marks, which looked like a spider web and were quite frightening.
Tao's mother clapped her hands lightly and walked back to Song Yi's side.
Song Yiqing cleared her throat and said, "Alright, that's all for now. If you have anything to say, come up one by one and speak."
What needs to be done, what is required, and what the previous precedents were—all of this has been clearly explained.
The women in charge obediently stepped forward to answer.
The first person to come up was the head cook from the kitchen. "The household has been eating vegetarian food for seven or eight days in a row. May I ask if the young master's wife would like to change the menu? Will we continue to eat vegetarian food?"
Instantly, everyone's eyes were focused on Song Yi.
Song Yi's eyes lit up.
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