Qingying had a poor appetite to begin with, so she only ate a little bit before leaving the table.
No one asked about her when she left.
Back in the dormitory, she almost fell as soon as she stepped inside, but luckily Yu Yue caught her.
She looked up, tears streaming down her face, no longer able to be held back. She was utterly panicked and terrified.
“Miss…” Yu Yue felt very sorry for her. She had been by Qingying’s side the whole time and had seen the whole thing. She felt sad and indignant, but she was just a maid and had no right to speak.
Qingying couldn't move an inch at that moment. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, "Yu Yue, I'm so scared. She's back. It seems like they can't accept me anymore..."
Yu Yue hugged her, tears streaming down her face, and choked out as she comforted her, "Miss, no, you were raised by the old lady, and there's also the eldest young master, he's always doted on you. It's just that Liu Shushu has only recently returned and has attracted their attention. How could they not tolerate someone as good as you?"
She said this, but she wasn't sure herself. She was bought and placed in the household to serve after Qingying entered the mansion. She didn't know that Madam Pan had a biological daughter, let alone that this daughter's name was Liu Shushu.
Shushu, Shushu...
It turns out that all these years, they had all been using the girl as a substitute for someone else. They all knew this, but no one told the girl the truth.
How could they treat a girl like that?
Qingying leaned on her shoulder, sobbing, and said, "I never thought of taking someone else's place, never..."
"This servant understands..."
“She’s back now. I don’t necessarily want to take her place, but… but even Ah Xu is on her side. Yu Yue, it seems like I have nothing left…”
"No, girl, everything will be alright."
Will it? Will it really get better?
"Yes..."
I think so...
Yu Yue gently embraced her.
Qingying was eventually helped to bed to rest after she had cried herself to exhaustion.
The next day.
Qingying was awakened by the noise outside. She rubbed her slightly sore eyes, lifted the curtain and looked out, but the room was empty. She called Yuyue several times but received no answer, so she got out of bed herself.
Stepping outside, she saw many people standing in the courtyard. Her maids and servants were kneeling on the ground, and in the very center stood Madam Pan and Liu Shushu.
Meanwhile, Yu Yue was being pinned to the ground and beaten with a board, while Tong Xia knelt beside her, crying and begging for mercy.
"What are you doing?!" Qingying reacted and immediately rushed over, pushing away those who were beating her with a board.
She turned to look at Madam Pan, "Mother, why did you hit Yu Yue?"
Madam Pan smoothed her hair and said with a disdainful tone, "Ying'er, this maid has been disrespectful to her superiors. I'm just giving her a little punishment."
"No, Yu Yue has always been a law-abiding citizen. How could she possibly be disrespectful?"
"Shushu just returned to the manor and doesn't have a single decent servant to serve her, so I had her come over and give you one or two to use temporarily. I originally thought that since you are sisters and you are always generous, you wouldn't mind such a small matter. But who would have thought that this little slut would dare to refuse? Since when did a lowly maidservant become the boss in this house?"
Qingying immediately knelt down and said, "Sister, please take the maid you want. It was indeed Yu Yue who overstepped her bounds. I apologize to you on Yu Yue's behalf. I hope Mother will be lenient and forgive her this time. I will definitely discipline the servants more strictly from now on."
Madam Pan did not continue to make things difficult. Instead, she turned to Liu Shushu and said gently, "Come, Shushu, take a look and see which one you want. If you find one pleasing to the eye, take it and use it for now. After a few days, I will have the steward bring in a new batch of servants. Ordinary noble ladies should have more than a dozen people serving them. You are the eldest daughter of the Liu family, so you will not lack any of the dignity you should have."
Liu Shushu smiled somewhat reservedly, "Thank you, Mother."
“You are my daughter, you don’t need to be so polite with me.”
Then, Liu Shushu glanced at the maids and servants in the courtyard, all of them kneeling obediently with their heads bowed. She suddenly frowned and said, "Have they all been serving my sister all along?"
Madam Pan explained, "Apart from Yu Yue and Tong Xia, who serve me personally, the other maids and servants have been in the household for varying lengths of time. Some have been here for three to five years, while others have only just arrived this year."
She pointed at Granny Zhang and asked, "And what about her?"
Madam Pan glanced at it and said, "Zhang Mama used to serve me."
Liu Shushu thought for a moment and said, "I used to be alone, and I'm not used to having so many people serving me all of a sudden. Besides, they all belong to my sister, so I can't just take them away. I'll just take this old nanny. She used to be my mother's person, and I trust her."
Granny Zhang had been by Qingying's side since she first entered the manor, and was practically Qingying's wet nurse. She taught Qingying manners, how to judge people and things, and how to navigate social situations. Qingying had come to regard her as family.
Madam Pan naturally understood this as well, which is why she hadn't mentioned Granny Zhang earlier. But now that Liu Shushu had personally requested it, she was hesitant.
Liu Shushu asked in confusion, "What's wrong, Mother? Can't I even keep this old nanny?"
“No, no…” Madam Pan hesitated and looked at Qingying, softening her tone as she said, “Shushu has just returned to the capital and doesn’t understand many of the rules yet. How about letting Zhang Mama serve her for a while?”
Qingying glanced at Yu Yue, who had already fainted, bit her lip, and secretly clenched her fingers under her sleeves, her nails almost digging into the flesh of her palms.
At this moment, Granny Zhang took a step forward and said respectfully, "This servant is willing to serve the Second Miss."
Qingying looked at her in surprise, but she kept her head down and didn't look at her. Qingying understood that she was giving herself a way out.
Qingying's situation in the mansion is now very awkward, and Zhang Mama doesn't want to cause her any more trouble.
She pursed her lips and nodded gently, "If Granny Zhang is willing, then go ahead."
Madam Pan smiled with satisfaction, "Ying'er, I knew you were sensible."
Then Madam Pan left with Liu Shushu and Granny Zhang.
Qingying stood up and immediately ordered people to carry Yu Yue back into the house, and instructed someone to fetch a doctor.
She then called Tongxia over to find out what had happened.
Although Tongxia had just cried, her speech was still clear: "The Second Miss suddenly came to visit, saying that Madam asked her to come and transfer a few people from your place to serve you. Sister Yuyue said that she could only make a decision after you woke up. Unexpectedly, this one sentence made the Second Miss unhappy. She said that she, the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, could not even be ordered around by a maid. She also said that Sister Yuyue was taking advantage of her because she had just returned to the mansion. Madam, who had just entered the mansion, heard this and punished Sister Yuyue without saying a word. We were polite but could not explain ourselves."
It was obvious that Madam Pan's heart was completely biased towards Liu Shushu. After searching for her daughter for so many years, she had finally brought her back to her side, and she wanted to give her all the good things in the world. Naturally, she couldn't bear to let Liu Shushu suffer even the slightest grievance.
Qingying rubbed her temples wearily.
One thing after another, one after another, weighed heavily on her, making it hard for her to breathe.
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