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Madam Xia returned to the West Courtyard and slammed her hand on the table.
"Su Li!!"
Her eyes were filled with an unyielding malice.
Just then, a maid hurried in.
Madam Xia asked coldly, "What is it?"
"Auntie, this was secretly handed to your servant by Old Zhang's family when they left the manor in the chaos." Saying this, she handed over a note.
Madam Xia took the note, unfolded it, and her already gloomy face grew several shades colder.
Old Woman Wei, who was beside Madam Xia, stepped forward and whispered, "Auntie?"
Madam Xia handed the note to Old Woman Wei and said, "Wet Nurse, you know what to do?"
The old woman took the note and looked at it, immediately dissatisfied. "Old Zhang's family is truly despicable. If it weren't for Auntie's help back then, who knows what would have become of her son. Now, she dares to threaten you just for doing some trivial thing for Auntie! She's courting death! Don't worry, this old servant will handle it."
Madam Xia's expression softened a little, and she turned to Old Woman Wei, whispering, "Wet Nurse, it's good to have you."
When Madam Xia entered the manor, she only brought this wet nurse and one other maid.
This Old Woman Wei could be said to be closer to her than her own parents; of course, she knew Madam Xia's affairs best.
Many of Madam Xia's matters were handled by Old Woman Wei.
Old Woman Wei looked at Madam Xia with a loving expression and said, "This old woman has no children. If I may be so bold, I truly cherish you as my own daughter."
Madam Xia looked touched and said, "Then please arrange for someone to handle this as quickly as possible. You know who can keep a secret, Wet Nurse."
"This old servant understands."
Old Zhang's family never imagined that their momentary greed would cost them their lives.
The main courtyard also learned of what had happened in the front.
The maids were vividly recounting the eldest young miss's heroic feat of debating the treacherous servants.
Madam Su listened, frowning at one moment, worrying at another, and finally was both surprised and delighted.
She was surprised that so many of the servants she saw every day harbored ill intentions.
Her joy, of course, was for her daughter's exceptional qualities.
Madam Su looked in the direction of the West Courtyard, her eyes filled with disgust.
So, all these years, she had been plotting, and she herself had been too foolish.
She had been a neglectful mother, even letting her daughter stand in front of her.
"From today onward, everything in the West Courtyard will be simplified. It will just be enough, everything will follow the standards for an auntie."
"Yes, Madam."
The servants all understood that the tide of the manor was about to turn.
Su Li cleaned up the affairs of the manor, dismissing those who should be dismissed and promoting those who should be promoted.
Rewards and punishments were clear, letting everyone know that as long as they didn't have ulterior motives and did their jobs well, the Su Manor would not treat them unfairly.
"Steward Xu, find a matchmaker as soon as possible to buy some servants with clean backgrounds."
At this moment, the steward was completely obedient to his young miss, second only to Master Su.
"Young Miss, rest assured, this old servant will arrange it immediately."
Su Li then said, "Let's do this tomorrow. There is something more urgent now that I need Steward Xu to handle personally."
"Young Miss, please instruct."
Su Li said, "Steward Xu, do you remember what the gardener said, that today's flower market only had Lingxue flowers? Don't you find that strange?"
"It is very strange. How could such a large flower market only have one type of flower? If Wang Tong didn't lie, then there's something wrong with the flower market owner."
Su Li nodded and said, "Exactly. So, Steward Xu, I need you to send someone to secretly investigate who that owner met today."
The news of Mother's pregnancy only spread last night. No matter how fast they were, they could only have set up the trap today.
"This old servant will go now."
As the steward of the Minister's Manor, he was naturally no ordinary person.
Su Li took her maid back to the main courtyard.
When Madam Su saw her daughter approach, she pulled her daughter's hand and carefully scrutinized her.
Su Li chuckled, "Mother, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just feel useless, making you do these things."
Although many noble families would allow unmarried daughters to learn how to manage household affairs, such matters, which could easily lead to gossip, were best handled by the mistress of the house to avoid criticism.
"Mother, you are pregnant now. Your most important task is to protect yourself and safely give birth to my younger brother. Daddy and I have been looking forward to this for a long time."
Seeing her daughter so sensible, Madam Su felt both comforted and sorrowful.
After accompanying her mother for lunch, Su Li returned to her own courtyard only after Madam Su had digested her meal and taken a nap.
Not long after returning to her courtyard, the steward arrived.
"Young Miss, we found out! There really was something fishy going on!" At this moment, the steward only felt admiration for his eldest young miss.
"What happened?" Su Li asked.
"Before dawn today, someone saw Auntie Xia's brother go to the flower market owner. Our people then learned from the flower market owner's servants that the owner had received fifty thousand taels of silver, and was subsequently instructed to put away all other flowers except for Lingxue flowers."
"Xia Jiang?"
The steward nodded and said, "Yes, it was Xia Jiang!"
Su Li nodded and said, "Understood. Then spare the gardener's life and just expel him from the manor."
Although he was unintentional, he almost caused a major disaster.
"Yes, Young Miss."
The steward was about to leave, but suddenly turned around and said, "Young Miss, as for Xia Jiang, should this old servant…?"
Su Li said, "No need. I have my own plans for this, and there's no need to tell Daddy for now. You may go down first."
The steward was startled.
"Steward Xu, I will handle this small matter. Daddy is already working hard enough, let's not add to his troubles."
"Yes, this old servant takes his leave."
Xia Jiang?
Very good, it seems Xia Jiang is already planning to team up with Madam Xia to avenge his son.
Siqin stepped forward and said, "Young Miss, why not tell Master about this? Since Auntie Xia dared to lay hands on Madam, Master certainly won't let her off."
"No need. If Daddy knew, at most Madam Xia would be unlucky, but I want more than just Madam Xia to be unlucky."
Su Yue and the Xia family, not a single one will escape!
In the evening, Master Su returned from work and heard that nearly half of the servants in the manor had left. After clarifying the reasons, he immediately gathered the remaining servants for a stern lecture and warning.
He made sure all the servants knew that only Madam Su and the Eldest Young Miss were truly in charge of the manor.
At this time in the West Courtyard, Su Yue returned as usual for dinner.
"Mother, why isn't dinner ready yet? I'm so hungry!"
Su Yue, who had been out for half a day, was famished, expecting to eat as soon as she returned, but after waiting and waiting, no servants brought any dishes.
Madam Xia said to her maid, "Go see what the Small Kitchen is doing? Why are they so slow?"
"Yes."
The maid quickly returned and reported, "Auntie, Second Young Miss, all the cooks in the Small Kitchen have been dismissed. This servant asked the steward, who said that if Auntie wants to cook in the West Courtyard in the future,
she must pay for her own cooks and buy ingredients with her monthly allowance. If she doesn't want the trouble, she can simply have meals sent from the Main Kitchen."
Su Yue's face immediately darkened with dissatisfaction. "Can the food from the Main Kitchen even be eaten? What exactly is going on?"
The Main Kitchen prepared meals according to the portions for aunties and illegitimate daughters. It certainly wouldn't be as good as cooking one's own meals, where all sorts of good things could be made freely, indistinguishable from the mistress and legitimate daughter.
The maid lowered her head and replied, "Madam ordered that from now on… all special privileges are canceled. Everything will be as it should be."
The first to be dissatisfied was certainly Su Yue.
She knew that there was a world of difference between a legitimate and an illegitimate child. In the past, whatever Su Li had, she also had.
Clothes, jewelry, monthly allowances—they were all the same. Now, if everything had to follow the rules, that would certainly not do!
There's a saying, 'It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality.'
Su Yue immediately stood up and said, "I'm going to find Daddy!"
Madam Xia quickly stopped her, "Don't go."
"Why? They're being so excessive, I don't believe Daddy would let me be bullied!"
Madam Xia knew that all these privileges were originally due to Madam Su's generosity. Now that she had been caught with a handle, Madam Su was taking back these favors, and she couldn't say anything.
"Yue'er, trust your mother. You will have all these things someday, and you won't need others to bestow them upon you!"
Su Yue wouldn't listen, and she got up and rushed out.
Madam Xia quickly said, "Stop the Second Young Miss!"
The servants immediately blocked her.
Su Yue angrily turned around and shouted, "What are you doing? If you don't dare to go, I will! I'm not afraid of that mother and daughter!"
"It's no use going. Do you think your father will stand up for you? He won't! His heart is only with that mother and daughter!" Madam Xia looked at her stubborn daughter, utterly exhausted.
"No! Daddy loves me! Su Li's face is disfigured; Daddy will only be able to rely on me in the future!" Su Yue yelled loudly.
Madam Xia sneered, "Your father returned today and immediately sided with that mother and daughter, saying that only they are the true masters of this manor! What are you? What am I?"
Su Yue looked at Old Woman Wei in disbelief, "Wet Nurse?"
Old Woman Wei stepped forward and said, "Second Young Miss, it's true. You'd only get a scolding if you went. It's better to listen to Auntie and plan for the long term."
Su Yue slumped down, murmuring, "How could this happen? How could Daddy suddenly become so biased?"
Seeing her daughter like this, Madam Xia couldn't bear to say any more harsh words and ordered someone to fetch food from the Main Kitchen.
Then she walked over and sat beside her daughter, saying, "Ever since Su Li fell ill and woke up, she's been like a different person. She never used to be close to your father, but now look, she has him wrapped around her little finger."
"She suddenly became close to the Duke Weiguo Manor as well, yet she despises us greatly. How can one person change so much?"
Su Yue thought about it and said, "Mother, now that you mention it, I also find it incredible. Not only has her attitude towards people changed, but she can also audit accounts, write poetry, and play the zither. It's as if she's a completely different person!"
"If I weren't so familiar with her, I would have thought she was an imposter."
At this moment, Old Woman Wei's eyes lit up, and she stepped forward, saying, "Auntie, do you think the Eldest Young Miss might have been tainted by something evil?"
Madam Xia looked at Old Woman Wei and said, "Wet Nurse, what do you mean by that?"
Su Yue said, "No matter how much a person changes, they can't suddenly gain skills they never had before. That can only mean her core has changed!"
Old Woman Wei nodded and said, "Second Young Miss is clever. We can invite a Daoist priest to take a look."
Madam Xia considered it and thought the plan was feasible.
She said coldly, "Yes, even if she isn't an evil creature, I'll make her one!"