Chapter 2: Punishing the Overbearing Slave

  Zhang Yunfa spoke up, and Bai Zhi's anger grew even stronger. Without standing up, she loudly wailed on the spot: "Auntie, save my life! Someone wants to beat me to death!"

  "Is this really happening?" Zhang Yunyi exclaimed, looking around but avoiding Pei Yuange's gaze. His face was filled with anger as he continued, "Not to mention the reputation of our Pei Manor, let alone Bai Zhi, who has been serving Fourth Miss since childhood with utmost loyalty and dedication. Even if there were any mistakes, proper guidance would have sufficed; how could you be so ruthless as to beat her to death? Isn't this a slap in the face for Fourth Miss?"

  "Miss Fourth ordered it," said Gui's mother as she stepped forward.

  The original plan was for Pei Yuange to only let Bai Zhi slap herself twenty times, but after Bai Zhi's tearful plea and Zhang Yiniang's angry outburst, followed by Gui Yatou's report, the situation suddenly turned upside down, confirming the accusation that Pei Yuange wanted to beat Bai Zhi to death. Not only did this ruin the good reputation of the Pei family, but also, Bai Zhi was someone who had served her since childhood and was deeply trusted. If this matter were to spread, anyone would think that Pei Yuange was ungrateful and cruelly heartless.

  Everyone's eyes suddenly focused on Pei Yuange.

  Under the pink and blue curtain, Pei Yuange leaned against the shallow purple embroidered pillow, her face pale and her expression haggard due to illness, looking pitiful. As if she hadn't heard the previous words, she weakly smiled and softly said: "Thank you, Aunt Zhang, for coming to visit me. This illness of mine has caused you trouble." She then scolded the little maid: "What are you standing there for? Don't serve tea to Aunt yet?"

  The maids finally reacted and someone quickly brought over tea, first handing it to Xiyan, the senior maid standing next to Zhang Yun, who then handed it to Zhang Yun.

  Zhang Yun was taken aback, normally at this moment Pei Yuange should have apologized in a low voice and let the matter pass. But now, she seemed to be ignoring him as if she hadn't heard anything... She had been in charge of the Pei manor for nearly ten years, everything about Pei Yuange was under her control, every move he made she could accurately predict his reaction, suddenly encountering a situation that she couldn't predict, it was inevitable that she would be worried.

  Due to absent-mindedness, when receiving the tea, I didn't hold it properly, and the white porcelain blue-and-white teacup fell to the ground with a loud crash, shattering into powder. The crisp sound, in the silent room due to confrontation, sounded particularly clear.

  Pei Yuange's eyebrows rose, and he immediately said: "You can't even hold a teacup properly, what use is there in keeping you around? Take her away and give her twenty slaps!"

  Zhang Yun's smile froze, her eyes flashing with anger. She held the power of the housekeeper and was also a half-elder, but this Pei Yuange actually bypassed her and directly scolded her maid. Was she being ridiculed? No! This was a slap in the face! A sharp glint flashed in her eyes as she said coldly: "Fourth Miss has such great authority! Xi Yan is my Fourth De Yuan's maid, it's not up to Fourth Miss to discipline!"

  "Miss Zhang is right, the maids of the Fourth Virtue Courtyard are not for me to manage, I have overstepped my bounds." Pei Yuange said with a hint of apology. Just as everyone thought she had already backed down, Pei Yuange suddenly changed her tone, her expression stern and unyielding, "Similarly, managing the maids of my Jingxian Courtyard is also not for Miss Zhang to interfere with! Not to mention just slapping them twenty times, even if I wanted to beat one of them to death, it would be a matter within this courtyard!"

  Zhang Yun only then realized that she had fallen into Pei Yuange's trap, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. After a while, she forced herself to say: "Fourth Miss, you scold when you open your mouth and kill with your silence. If this gets out, people will think you're cruel and heartless. I originally had good intentions, but Fourth Miss is being so confrontational, it's as if you're not punishing Bai Ju, but rather targeting me."

  "Auntie came in and didn't even ask about the situation, but first scolded me for not teaching my own maid a lesson. It's as if Auntie knew more about what happened in Qingyu Cottage than anyone else!""Pei Yuange wouldn't back down, countering sharply, "Auntie has control over household affairs, but I'd like to ask, how could Bai Zhi, as a maid, steal the dishes that were supposed to be mine and serve me such a meal instead? Such a deceitful servant, shouldn't I teach her a lesson?"

  Bai Ji cried out: "Fourth Miss has wronged me like this, what makes you say I stole your sample dishes? Did you see it with your own eyes?"

  "Haven't you heard the saying? When stealing food, remember to wipe your mouth. Look at the stains on your own clothes and the grease on your lips in the mirror! I don't know when our household's servant girls' meals became better than the young mistress'!" Pei Yuange said sternly, "If it weren't for coveting my meal, how would they serve me such a dish? Are you saying that the people in the main kitchen deliberately delayed serving me and gave me this kind of food on purpose?"

  Bai Zhi didn't dare argue again and looked at Zhang Yun with a pleading expression.

  She naturally knew that they had stolen the sample dishes, and she hadn't scolded them severely. But now Pei Yuange mentioned the main kitchen... Zhang Poben, who was in charge of the main kitchen, was one of Madam Zhang's confidantes. If she continued to argue, it would involve the main kitchen, and the nature of the matter would become that Madam Zhang had been treating her legitimate daughter harshly. Madam Zhang had always loved her reputation and would never admit to such a crime. She finally became afraid, repeatedly kowtowing and saying: "Fourth Miss, please forgive me!"

  It's obvious that you've given up.

  Pei Yuange glared at Zhang Yun: "Zhang Yiniang, as the housekeeper, I ask you, if someone steals food from the master's table, how should they be punished?"

  Zhang Yun wanted to sweep away Pei Yuange's dignity, but she knew the weight of things and didn't want to lose big because of a small matter. She could only grit her teeth and say: "Twenty strokes of the rod, half a year's worth of silver will be deducted."

  "Just now in front of everyone, she was full of 'me, me, me', this is a crime of disrespect, how should it be punished?"

  "Ten strokes of the cane."

  "Alas, I originally intended to sentence him to twenty lashes as a warning, but since you've spoken up, Chapter Mistress, I have no choice but to carry out the punishment." Pei Yuange let out a light sigh and gave a calm order: "Didn't you hear Chapter Mistress's orders? Take him away and give him thirty lashes, deduct half a year's worth of silver as a warning to others."

  This time, Pei Yuange had the upper hand and penalized Bai Zhi. This already made Zhang Yun extremely resentful. Now hearing her tone, it seemed as if she was the one who ordered the punishment, while Pei Yuange was being merciful and originally wanted to let him off lightly, but couldn't get his way with her. Listening to her, he almost spat out blood and could no longer sit still, directly returning to her Four Virtues Courtyard.

  As soon as she entered the courtyard, her wet nurse Wang came up to greet her, saying with a smile: "Auntie, Uncle Shu just sent word that Master has been summoned back to the capital and will arrive in three or four days." The Uncle Shu she spoke of was none other than Zhang Yun's own elder brother, Zhang Xian. According to custom, Zhang Yun was merely a concubine, and the Zhang family and the Pei estate were not considered relatives, but since Zhang Yun had been managing the household for so long, her authority within the estate was considerable, and everyone had grown accustomed to addressing her in this way.

  Zhang Yun was shocked: "It was just last month that a letter arrived saying the war situation was tense, how did he suddenly return?"

  "Aren't you waiting for Master to come back every day?" Wang's nanny was puzzled.

  "Of course, I'm looking forward to the old master's return, but it's not the right time now." She pointed in the direction of Jingyu Zhai and said, "The marriage has just been called off over there, and that girl is ill again. If the old master returns, how can I explain? If he finds out anything... Originally, she thought that Pei Zhoucheng would not return for a year or two, and by then this matter would have settled, but unexpectedly... Moreover, today's strange behavior of Pei Yuange also made her uneasy.

  The queen woke up and became anxious, suddenly her heart moved, she whispered: "In my opinion, the fourth lady's illness is just in time, it's very good. If it were a bit more serious, that would be even better." Seeing Zhang Yun looking at her intently, a bright light flashed in her cloudy eyes, and she said slowly: "If she didn't get seriously ill, how could others know that you have a kind heart towards her? As long as the old master thinks you are a kind mother to the fourth lady, why would he suspect you?"