Hearing Li Yaoqin's congratulations, Suo Xin was naturally very pleased. Now, she was the only one in the manor favored by the Master. The Eldest Miss was not to be feared at all.
It was not in vain that she had gone to such lengths to orchestrate this. To reach this point, she thanked no one but herself for her unremitting efforts.
"This concubine thanks the Eldest Miss for her congratulations!" Suo Xin said faintly.
"You're welcome. Reaching this point is your own doing; I merely provided you with a ladder," Li Yaoqin replied.
Suo Xin smiled, "Then this concubine must also thank the Eldest Miss for bringing me before the Master. Otherwise, I would still be a maidservant."
"Everyone's pursuits are different. Suo Xin, you cannot generalize everyone like that," Li Yaoqin said.
Suo Xin retorted sarcastically, "Indeed. But perhaps the Eldest Miss and I are of the same kind, both seeking to rise above others."
Upon hearing this, Li Yaoqin raised her eyes and said faintly, "No, I am not the same kind of person as you."
Suo Xin sneered, "How so? After all, the Eldest Miss also sets her sights on a goal and stops at nothing, doesn't she?"
Li Yaoqin's gaze grew cold. "Aunt Xin, if you are here to listen to the story, please sit down. If you don't wish to listen, please return to the manor."
"I am naturally here to listen to the story, but is the Eldest Miss angered by embarrassment?" Suo Xin asked with a smile.
"Aunt Xin, mind your attitude," Lian Xin, standing beside Li Yaoqin, stepped forward and said coldly.
"Who do you think you are to question me?" Suo Xin sneered, looking at Lian Xin.
Lian Xin's face flushed, and she stammered, "You... you can't speak to the Eldest Miss like that."
"I am the master now. What right do you, a mere maid, have to speak to me?" Suo Xin sneered, raising her eyebrows at Lian Xin.
Li Yaoqin chuckled softly. "You were both maidservants before, just like her. Neither of you is nobler than the other."
"You..." Suo Xin was enraged.
"What about me? Am I wrong?" Li Yaoqin asked Suo Xin calmly, meeting her gaze.
Suo Xin laughed mockingly, "Yes, perhaps I was a lowly maidservant like Lian Xin before. But I am not now. I am the Master's esteemed concubine."
"What is the difference between a concubine and a maidservant?" someone from downstairs chimed in.
Suo Xin turned to look at the speaker. It was a woman. Suo Xin pointed at the woman and exploded, "Who do you think you are to question me? Qing'er, slap her."
Upon hearing this, Qing'er stepped forward and slapped the woman, causing her to stagger back several steps. Clutching her face, the woman angrily demanded, "You... How dare you hit someone?"
Qing'er smirked, "My mistress is a concubine of the Ministry of Personnel's manor. Who do you think you are to question my mistress?"
Hearing this, the woman's eyes flickered with apprehension, and she retreated a few steps, not daring to say anything further.
Qing'er stood there proudly. The onlookers shook their heads; who would dare offend the Ministry of Personnel's manor? It would be akin to seeking death.
Especially since the Minister of Personnel was the head of all ministers, no one dared to question him.
"Mistress, the Master has arrived," Rong'er hurried in from outside.
Suo Xin's heart leaped with joy. She quickly stepped forward and saw a figure alight from the carriage. It was Li Sinian.
Li Sinian had just emerged from the palace when Rong'er from the manor intercepted him, claiming that Suo Xin was being bullied at the Tea Fude building.
He knew about the Tea Fude building. He assumed Suo Xin was upset by something she had heard from the storyteller. Honestly, he had been very angry upon hearing those words himself. How could matters of his manor be recounted so vividly by outsiders?
Therefore, without a second thought, he had rushed to the Tea Fude building.
Suo Xin ran tearfully to Li Sinian's side, sobbing heartbrokenly, "Master, this concubine has been wronged. You must seek justice for me."
Li Sinian reached out and stroked Suo Xin's head. "Don't be afraid. I am here."
Suo Xin nodded, choking back sobs. "This concubine should not have called for the Master. The Master is busy with state affairs and cannot be concerned with such a trivial matter for this concubine. This concubine is filled with trepidation."
"Don't be afraid. Anyone who dares to bully someone from our Ministry of Personnel's manor, I will certainly seek justice for you," Li Sinian said coldly.
Suo Xin hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself. Seeing this, Li Sinian asked, "What is it? Is there something else?"
"The Eldest Miss is also here," Suo Xin said, glancing at Li Sinian secretly and speaking with caution.
Li Sinian paused. "Yao'er is also here?"
Suo Xin nodded. "Yes, she was here from the beginning."
Suo Xin did not elaborate further, but Li Sinian understood the underlying implication. Li Yaoqin had done nothing while Suo Xin was being bullied.
Li Sinian was becoming annoyed. He didn't care about the internal affairs of the manor, as the domestic matters were always a muddle. However, in public, how could Li Yaoqin tolerate someone bullying a member of the Ministry of Personnel's manor?
"Yao'er stood by and watched?" Li Sinian asked.
Qing'er, standing nearby, said, "The Eldest Miss has been mocking Aunt Xin, and even said that Aunt Xin..."
"Silence," Suo Xin suddenly interrupted Qing'er.
Li Sinian looked at Suo Xin. Suo Xin said, "Master, don't listen to the servants' nonsense. The Eldest Miss did not mean that."
"How could she not? Comparing Aunt Xin with Lian Xin..." Qing'er grumbled discontentedly.
Li Sinian heard this and walked in with a darkened expression.
Suo Xin watched Li Sinian's retreating back, a slight, sinister smile playing on her lips.
Rong'er, standing to the right, couldn't help but shiver.
"Father," Li Yaoqin rose and approached Li Sinian upon seeing him.
The waiter saw that the newcomer was clearly of noble birth and, looking at the insignia on the carriage outside, knew this was undoubtedly the Minister.
He quickly and efficiently ushered everyone else out. The crowd did not dare to linger, fearing that offending the Minister by mistake would be more trouble than it was worth.
"You have disappointed me," Li Sinian's first words were exactly this, causing Li Yaoqin to freeze in surprise.
"Master, it has nothing to do with the Eldest Miss," Suo Xin said, rushing in and quickly interjecting.
Li Sinian patted Suo Xin's hand. "Don't be afraid, I will stand up for you."
Hearing her father speak like this to Suo Xin, Li Yaoqin chuckled softly, "Stand up for her? Father, without knowing the full story, you want to stand up for Aunt Xin without reason or rhyme. Then what am I in your eyes?"
"Li Yaoqin, you are a member of the Ministry of Personnel's manor. You should always present a united front to the outside world," Li Sinian said coldly.
"Father, to present a united front without distinguishing right from wrong? You are merely the Minister," Li Yaoqin shook her head, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Master, please don't be angry. The Eldest Miss absolutely did not mean that. She... she just..."
"Suo Xin, you don't need to speak for her. I am perfectly aware of her character."
"Character? What character? I have?" Li Yaoqin was disappointed. She never thought her father would be an unreasonable person.
Now, it seemed she had underestimated him, underestimated men.
"Master, let's discuss this when we return to the manor. There are outsiders here," Suo Xin whispered, pulling on Li Sinian's sleeve.
"Outsiders? Clear the premises immediately," Li Sinian said angrily.
"Father, you are abusing your authority," Li Yaoqin exclaimed in shock.
Li Sinian's gaze turned cold, fixing on Li Yaoqin with a gaze as frosty as ice.