"Ah? Twenty strokes of the cane? Miss, will Master be angry if you do this?" Lu Zhu was worried her mistress would be blamed by her father.
Gu Qianying finished washing her hands and wiped them with a clean cloth. She leaned back on the chaise lounge and said in a faint tone, "What if he's angry? Does my good father really want to break my leg?"
Gu Qianying's words were double-edged, and Lu Zhu couldn't grasp the sarcasm.
"Ah, break a leg? No way." Lu Zhu popped a small bun into her mouth.
Gu Qianying let her finish eating before saying, "After you're done, go and do your tasks. Your mistress is still busy here."
"Oh, okay, understood, Miss."
Lu Zhu accepted the order and went out.
Outside, the two concubines who had been waiting for a long time, Madam Bai and Madam Sun, were displeased when they saw that the maid who had gone in to deliver the message was still the same one.
"What does your mistress mean? She's not seeing guests? Isn't that looking down on us too much? After all, we are her elders." Madam Sun said indignantly.
Lu Zhu put her hands on her hips, tilted her chin up, and said, "My mistress said that with the status of you two concubines, my mistress doesn't need to pay attention to you. If you two concubines want my mistress to pay attention to you, then you must be worthy of being paid attention to by my mistress. Oh my, do you two concubines want to be my mistress's ancestors? Oh my, you two concubines are so bold!"
Madam Sun trembled all over with anger at Lu Zhu's words, "You vile servant, how dare you insult this concubine by saying she's not a thing! You are too presumptuous!"
"Ah, Concubine, you're not a thing? Then what are you? A beast?" Lu Zhu asked foolishly.
"You..."
Madam Sun was so angry she was speechless.
Madam Bai, Bai Qiangwei, who was beside her, looked at Madam Sun, who was about to explode with anger. Her brows were tightly furrowed, and she naturally disliked people like Madam Sun.
Being rendered speechless by a maid was also a sign of uselessness.
She intended to leave Madam Sun behind and go in alone, but before she could move her feet, she suddenly noticed a figure approaching from a distance.
A purple outer robe, and although there was a scar on his face, it did not detract from his handsome appearance.
He walked slowly, holding a string of candied hawthorn in his hand.
Madam Bai was extremely excited but didn't know how to face the person she longed for.
When the figure in the purple robe brushed past her without even looking at her, she fiercely clutched her handkerchief, her unwillingness evident in her eyes.
"Little sister, look what I brought you?"
Gu Yefeng gave Gu Qianying the candied hawthorn he bought from the street. As he had other matters to attend to, he only spoke a few words to Gu Qianying before leaving.
As he left, just as he had arrived, he did not notice Madam Bai and Madam Sun waiting outside the house.
His demeanor caused the sliver of hope in Madam Bai's heart to turn into bubbles.
The words Madam Sun had said to her echoed in her ears.
Indeed, he only had eyes for the eldest daughter of the Gu family.
Watching Gu Yefeng's receding back.
Madam Bai's handkerchief twisted like a rope.
She withdrew her gaze and turned to look at the maid standing in front of her.
She heard that this maid was named Lu Zhu and was the most capable maid by the eldest daughter of the Gu family.
Such an arrogant and overbearing maid must have a master who was as detestable as she was.
"Slap!"
"Bold slave, how dare you be so presumptuous in front of this concubine! You truly have the courage of a bear and the heart of a leopard!"
Madam Bai raised her hand and slapped Lu Zhu.
A slap mark quickly appeared on Lu Zhu's cute, bun-like face.
She was stunned by the blow.
Madam Sun was also taken aback.
"Oh, Concubine Bai has quite the authority, daring to discipline my maid here in my presence?"
Gu Qianying walked out of the room.
She was dressed in a red robe, her black hair cascading down. Wearing red for the first time, she appeared exceptionally cold, enchanting, and demonic.
Seeing Gu Qianying like this, both Madam Bai and Madam Sun were stunned.
What a beautiful woman!
Madam Sun thought to herself that with such a beautiful daughter, it was a pity not to utilize her, and instead, they wanted to get rid of her. She wondered what Master Gu was thinking.
Seeing such a beautiful Gu Qianying, Madam Bai's jealousy and unwillingness intensified.
As expected, a shameless, seductive vixen!
"Eldest Miss, your words are mistaken. Your maid was arrogant and insulted the concubines of the manor first. This is a grave offense if it were to reach Master. This concubine's action of discipline is not to show off her authority but to resolve trouble for Eldest Miss. If the maid is at fault, it is also the master's failure to discipline. If this matter were to reach Master, Eldest Miss would inevitably be punished again."
"So, I should thank you?" Gu Qianying sneered.
"Eldest Miss, there's no need to be polite. We are all in the same manor, so helping each other is only right."
"Heh!"
Gu Qianying looked at Madam Bai.
What a glib tongue.
It was a waste of talent for her good father to promote Madam Bai to a concubine!
"Since that's the case, then as today, you two concubines did not first pay your respects to the Grand Madam but came to me first. Disrespecting the Grand Madam is also a grave offense, and if it were to reach Grandfather, you would also be punished. Since Concubine Bai believes in helping each other, then this Miss will help you two concubines."
With that said, Gu Qianying looked around the courtyard and called out, "Hu Biao, come here."
Hu Biao walked over, "Miss."
"Go and help these two concubines. If the punishment is received here, there will be no need to embarrass yourselves in front of Grandfather. In this way, this Miss is also helping you two concubines save face. You two concubines don't need to thank me."
After speaking, Gu Qianying had someone move a chair and bring a cup of tea.
She picked up the teacup and sat down, saying leisurely, "Lu Zhu, it seems twenty strokes of the cane are not enough. If Grandfather knew I had punished them lightly, he would surely speak ill of you two concubines. In that case, let's add ten slaps to the face."
Gu Qianying spoke lightly, returning the favor in kind.
"Yes, Miss."
Lu Zhu accepted the order, called two servants, and brought a long bench.
Madam Bai and Madam Sun's expressions changed slightly.
"Eldest Miss, this concubine does not need your help. This concubine has other matters to attend to, so I will leave now."
Madam Sun turned to leave.
Hu Biao blocked her.
Hu Biao's fierce expression frightened Madam Sun into taking a few steps back.
Madam Bai glared at Gu Qianying, "Eldest Miss, even if this concubine has made a mistake, it should be Master who punishes me personally. Doing this, Eldest Miss, is not putting Master in your eyes at all!"
"Concubine Bai, your words are almost making this Miss out to be an unfilial daughter! Didn't Concubine Bai say we should help each other? So, Concubine Bai, you don't need to thank me too much."
After speaking, Gu Qianying ordered Hu Biao, "What are you still standing there for? Begin!"
Hu Biao grabbed Madam Sun's hair, lifted his leg, and kicked her onto the long bench, pinning her down.
Here, a servant holding a wooden stick stepped forward.
A scream echoed.
This time, it truly frightened Madam Bai, who was standing nearby.
"Eldest Miss, with your savage and overbearing behavior, are you not afraid of damaging your reputation?" Madam Bai pretended to be calm.
"My reputation has always been poor, why should I be afraid?" Gu Qianying said lazily.
After Madam Sun was punished, Hu Biao dragged Madam Bai over.
A moment later.
Both Madam Sun and Madam Bai were carried out of the garden pavilion.
When they left, their faces were severely swollen.