Chapter 722 - 724: Kindness Doesn’t Mean I Can be Bullied
The voice clearly belonged to a maid from the Hot Spring Mansion, but Bai Ruozhu couldn’t quite tell which one it was. Also, she had no idea what had happened, but whatever it might have been, maids should not create such a ruckus. Begging for mercy in such a loud manner only seemed more defiant, as if they wanted the guests outside to hear.
She frowned and, holding Dengdeng, entered the room.
Fang Guizhi’s icy gaze melted into a smile when she saw her. "You arrived just in time, Ruozhu," she said. "This maid has stolen pure white mysterite ointment from the manor. You deal with him."
Bai Ruozhu had hoped Guizhi would handle it and show some authority, but now that Guizhi had spoken, Bai Ruozhu could not refuse.
"Miss, I did not steal anything from the manor," the kneeling maid pleaded again. Bai Ruozhu recognized her as Luliu. "I love beauty and couldn’t resist putting some on my face, but I did not take anything outside the manor. Please understand, miss!"
"Chixin, slap her!" Bai Ruozhu ordered, her face expressionless.
"Yes." Without hesitation, Chixin gave Luliu two slaps.
Luliu was taken aback. When she finally came to her senses, she burst into tears. "Why are you hitting me, Miss? The Bai family is known for its kindness, how can you punish your servants so casually?"
Chixin slapped her twice more. "If you can’t learn your manners, I’ll have to slap some sense into you," she said coldly.
Luliu opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Chixin slapped her again. She lowered her head and began to sob, her crying now significantly quieter.
"Do you know why I hit you?" Bai Ruozhu asked coldly.
In panic, Luliu shook her head, then nodded again.
"It appears you still don’t understand. First of all, Guizhi is your owner. She says you stole something, and then you openly ask me to intervene. Aren’t you disregarding her authority? This means you no longer belong in Hot Spring Mansion. Secondly, Guizhi was talking to me, when did it become your turn to interrupt? The Bai family has a reputation for kindness, but that doesn’t mean we have no rules. It doesn’t mean a maid can disrespect her owner." The look Bai Ruozhu gave Luliu was cold. She could have simply sold Luliu off. Instead, she said all this not to awaken Luliu, but to serve as discipline for the other maids and make them respect Guizhi more.
"Furthermore, the items in the manor are to be sold to our clients. When was it permitted for you to use them casually? By your reasoning, your secret use of the precious beauty ointment doesn’t count as theft? To be frank, the Bai family cannot afford to keep maids with such unclean hands. Let’s send you back to Ge Yapo and let her find you a better path."
Upon hearing this, Luliu was petrified. A servant sold by their master would find it very difficult to make their way in the world, especially one who was denounced as having ’unclean hands’. No well-to-do household would dare hire her. In desperation, she stammeringly said, "I...I saw Guizhi using it and thought we could use a little too."
Chixin kicked her in annoyance. "Miss Guizhi is the mistress and you are nothing. How dare you compare yourself to her?"
"Miss Guizhi is my sister. I allowed her to use the ointment. If our production can keep up in the future, I might also let you maids use it, but has either of us given you permission to use it now?" asked Bai Ruozhu. She and Guizhi are perhaps too kind and unwilling to treat people differently based on their status. Yet, some people are never content and end up breaking the rules."
Many people outside the Hot Spring Mansion have their eyes on what we produce here. She was secretly using Pure White Mysterite Ointment, who knows what she was really up to? Even if she was just curious, we cannot tolerate actions that break the rules, else everyone will learn from her. How will we manage then?
"Also, Guizhi was interrogating you just now. Why were you shouting so loudly? Do you think it helps you bully Guizhi, just because she is kind-hearted?" asked Bai Ruozhu. Her glance was as sharp as a knife, with a hint of murderous intent. She would not forgive anyone who dared bully her family.
Luliu shivered, feeling as if she had been thrown into an ice cave. Why was the Mistress so terrifying?
"Chixin, hand her over to Liu Di outside. Tell him to send her to Ge Yapo," ordered Bai Ruozhu.
"Yes." As Chixin dragged Luliu out, she resisted, pleading for forgiveness on her knees. Her voice instinctively grew louder again.
Jiang Yichun, who had been impatiently waiting in the Inner Courtyard, knew the maid wasn’t going anywhere quietly. The flame of rage blazed within him. He strode into the room, kicked Luliu out, and said fiercely, "Is this a servant disrespecting her master? Get out of here! Or I’ll beat you to death!"
Bai Ruozhu was stunned. She thought to herself that this must be his version of being ’evil.’ He was indeed fierce, a very wicked big man. It looked like she would need a few more years of cultivating her temper.
Luliu nearly had the wind knocked out of her from the kick. Terrified, she couldn’t even cry. Chixin jerked her up and she quickly stumbled along, not daring to make a fuss anymore.
Guizhi too was amazed. It took her a while to find her words. "My brother-in-law is amazing..."
Bai Ruozhu covered Dengdeng’s eyes, worried if this would adversely affect the child.
Jiang Yichun, looking complacent, said, "Don’t cover our son’s eyes. When he grows up, I’ll teach him to fight, so that he only bullies others and is never bullied."
"..."
Bai Ruozhu twitched at the corner of her mouth, wondering whether he was trying to raise a privileged second-generation ancestor.
"Ruozhu, Brother-in-law, you two rest for a while. I will go to the front to serve the guests," Guizhi said. Noticing the gaze Jiang Yichun cast at Bai Ruozhu, she immediately realized that she was being a third wheel and hurriedly found an excuse to leave.
Bai Ruozhu cleared her throat awkwardly and said, "Guizhi, I’ll get a couple more maids afterwards. Have Chixin guide them. It will ease your burden, and if anyone dares to defy you or act improperly, don’t hesitate. Beat them with ten planks and sell them immediately."
"Okay, I know," replied Guizhi, sticking out her tongue before happily running off.
Jiang Yichun eyed Bai Ruozhu and said, "Still not cruel enough. Only ten planks, while other families give twenty."
"Well, I don’t know how to be cruel. Should I practice on you first?" Bai Ruozhu glared back. The next moment, she found herself lifted by Jiang Yichun as if she was a little chick. Everything around her blurred as she was moved rapidly, and before she knew it, Dengdeng was plucked away and she was thrown into the Hot Spring Pool with a splash.
"Jiang Yichun, you idiot, I haven’t undressed yet!" Bai Ruozhu almost swallowed a mouthful of spring water, crying out in anger.
Jiang Yichun, along with Dengdeng, were now doubled over with laughter. He cleared his throat and smirked at Bai Ruozhu, "Oh, so you wanted to undress, my dear? Allow me to assist..."