Well done, Xu Yuqing, daring to be the aggressor and turn the tables!
Many servants downstairs showed looks of disdain, while Ying'er was both angry and anxious, shaking her head at Concubine Zheng, "Old Madam, I didn't, I..."
"I know, don't rush, don't worry. You did very well this time. When Yue'er returns, I will have her reward you." Concubine Zheng looked at Ying'er, suppressed her anger, and revealed a smile of appreciation.
Ying'er breathed a sigh of relief, glad the Old Madam didn't believe the second young madam.
Xu Yuqing frowned. This wretched old woman actually praised the lowly maid Ying'er for doing well and even wanted Huangfu Yue to reward her. How hateful!
"Grandmother..."
"Silence!" As soon as Xu Yuqing opened her mouth to express her displeasure, she was interrupted by Concubine Zheng.
"If you still want that golden inlaid jade with embedded treasures, the 'Myriad Immortals Celebrate Longevity Hairpin', you'd better behave. Take Ying'er and your maidservants back to your room immediately, stay there, and obediently wait for Yue'er to return," Concubine Zheng said with a cold face.
She no longer wanted to hear Xu Yuqing speak; her patience with Xu Yuqing was at its limit. If it weren't for the need to maintain appearances, and considering Ying'er had already been carried upstairs by Fang'er, just a few steps away, she truly wished she could slap Xu Yuqing twice.
Xu Yuqing pouted, her face showing a wronged expression again. She really wanted to speak up in protest, but thinking of the golden inlaid jade hairpin, she held back.
She was determined to obtain the golden inlaid jade hairpin, so she would endure for now.
She wondered when this wretched old woman would give her the golden inlaid jade hairpin.
"Yes." Xu Yuqing pretended to agree respectfully, then asked, "Grandmother, when will you give me the golden inlaid jade hairpin?"
"It depends on your performance," Concubine Zheng snorted coldly. "With your current behavior, I certainly won't give it to you... If you want to get the golden inlaid jade hairpin, you must be obedient, good, and well-behaved."
If it weren't for Ying'er, she would have given Xu Yuqing the golden inlaid jade hairpin and taken her life.
Wretched old woman! Xu Yuqing cursed Concubine Zheng fiercely in her heart, but on her face, she displayed a docile expression, promising, "I will be very obedient, very good, and definitely well-behaved. Grandmother, please rest assured."
"Then why are you still standing here? Didn't you hear what I said earlier? Hurry and take Ying'er and your maidservants back to your room," Concubine Zheng waved her hand, dismissing them.
Xu Yuqing nodded, and unwillingly led her two maids and daughter back to their room. As she left, she secretly glanced at the main door downstairs, a deep reluctance flashing in her eyes.
Concubine Zheng watched Xu Yuqing's retreating figure closely until she saw her return to her room before she let out a relieved sigh and looked downstairs.
Looking at the crowd of people downstairs, Concubine Zheng sighed inwardly. How embarrassing!
This Xu Yuqing truly had no sense of shame, repeatedly disgracing herself in front of so many servants, not only shaming her but also the Dai King's mansion.
Sighing inwardly again, Concubine Zheng's gaze shifted to Ying'er, "Ying'er, don't go back upstairs. Wait for your mistress to return downstairs, and keep an eye on the downstairs. If anything happens, report it to me immediately."
Her granddaughter's judgment was good in choosing Ying'er as her personal maid.
From how Ying'er had stopped Xu Yuqing just now, it was evident she was reliable!
"Yes," Ying'er quickly curtsied and agreed.
"Guard Feng!" Concubine Zheng shifted her gaze to Feng Maoyuan.
"Your subordinate is here. Does the Old Madam have any instructions?" Feng Maoyuan quickly stood up and bowed to Concubine Zheng.
"You send two people to guard the main entrance. Don't let anyone leave," Concubine Zheng ordered.
She hadn't anticipated Xu Yuqing's audacity, to treat Yue'er's and her words as mere suggestions, and to attempt to slip out as soon as they left the first floor.
In case Xu Yuqing didn't behave after returning to her room and still planned to leave, she had to ask Feng Maoyuan to have people guard the main entrance.
"Yes," Feng Maoyuan immediately agreed, then looked at his subordinates, "Lu Danian, Dong Qin, you two go guard the main entrance. Don't let even a fly get through."
Lu Danian and Dong Qin immediately accepted the order, got up, and went to the main entrance to guard.
Concubine Zheng was relieved, turned, and returned to her room with Yun Niang and Qian'er, who had come out after hearing Ying'er's cry.
After Concubine Zheng left, the crowd downstairs immediately relaxed.
Some looked at Ying'er and said, "Fortunately, the Old Madam came out in time, otherwise Ying'er would have been in a terrible state. Seeing how angry she made the second young madam, she would have been beaten severely."
"Ying'er, you are truly lucky!" said a young servant.
"Ying'er, you have such courage, daring to stop the second young madam and making her so angry... The second young madam has the worst temper among all the young madams. She hits her servants, and hits them hard. The other young madams don't, but she does...
Back in the mansion, the servants never dared to anger her. You are truly brave!" said a servant familiar with Ying'er.
"Ying'er, aren't you afraid of angering the second young madam? She'll remember you and deal with you later. Although the Old Madam appeared in time to stop her from hitting you, with her personality, she will definitely hold a grudge against you and find an opportunity to teach you a lesson later," another servant familiar with Ying'er said with a worried expression.
"I'm not afraid," Ying'er shook her head, looking fearless, but she was actually scared. She knew that with Xu Yuqing's personality, she would definitely harbor resentment and find an opportunity to deal with her later.
But she didn't regret stopping Xu Yuqing from leaving and calling out Concubine Zheng.
Although the County Princess had not instructed her to watch Xu Yuqing, the County Princess had been so good to her, she had to repay her and do something for her.
Both the County Princess and Concubine Zheng clearly did not want Xu Yuqing to leave, so she absolutely could not let Xu Yuqing leave.
"Boss, I suddenly have a stomachache and need to go to the privy," one of Feng Maoyuan's subordinates suddenly approached him and said in a low voice.
Feng Maoyuan glanced at the other person, "Jiang Shangyun, how is it that your stomach hurts right after eating? You want to go to the privy? You're truly unlucky to have such a quick digestive system."
Feng Maoyuan's voice was a bit loud, and everyone immediately looked at Jiang Shangyun. Jiang Shangyun showed an embarrassed expression and chuckled dryly. "Boss, I'm going."
"Go! Go!" Feng Maoyuan waved his hand.
Jiang Shangyun got up and left. No one knew that after leaving the hall, he didn't go to the privy but to an unexpected place.
Jiang Shangyun looked around, confirmed no one was there, then lightly stomped his foot and flew up. Using his qinggong, he flew to the window at the end of the second-floor corridor. Pushing the window open from the outside, he saw that the corridor was empty, and immediately jumped inside, heading towards Xu Yuqing's room a few meters away...