Chapter 6 A Maid’s Disrespect

Mo Xuetong sat in the horse carriage, leaning against the seat deep in thought. Mother Xu and the other maids assumed she was ill and did not dare to startle her. The carriage was silent, leaving only the clopping of horse hooves.

She had intentionally revealed the incident with Lord Qin’s concubine. It was impossible to hide it from Madam Yu after Mo Yunshu had been beaten to death.

The two incidents had happened one after another. Old Madam Qin would definitely start to be suspicious Madam Yu! This time there was concrete evidence that someone wanted to harm Auntie Li's child. Madam Qin would surely see that Madam Yu was a vicious person! If Madam Qin started suspecting Madam Yu, it would be far easier to deal with Madam Yu in the future. Lord Qin was said to be a filial son who obeys his mother, so he would be swayed as well.

Before she returned to the capital, she had to calm down and think about how to deal with that deceptive pair!

Just as Mo Xuetong expected, Mdm Yu was kicked out after Auntie Li caught Yunshu. Her rights as the matriarch had been taken away. Madam Qin took control over the inner courtyard herself. After Mo Xuetong had nearly been drowned, Madam Qin was even more careful to make sure she would not be harmed in her own home.

Without all the scheming and plotting, she was left to sit and wait for word from the capital. She counted the days, but she didn’t have to wait long. Someone would come in the next few days. Mo Xuetong had already asked her maids to secretly pack up her luggage. She had to leave this time, no matter what!

A few days later, in Qingwei Garden:

"Miss! Miss come quick. Old Madam Qin asked you to visit her. It seems like someone from home has arrived."

The door curtains were lifted and Mo He rushed in anxiously. She did not have time to wipe away her sweat, repeating her message with energetic gestures. A few of her closer maids at Qingwei Garden already knew that she was preparing to leave and had been waiting with her. They were all happy to hear the news.

"Miss, they are really here to fetch you. There are already horse carriages prepared outside." Mo He looked at her mistress with glittering eyes filled with admiration. All her mistress' predictions had really come true.

"Mo Lan, help me dress up. Mo He, ask the people outside to wait."

Mo Xuetong straightened up from the couch and smiled softly. With the help of Mo He, she slowly sat up.

The carriage was still at the entrance, not yet through the gates, but Madam Qin had already sent someone to get her. She was asking Mo Xuetong, the mistress, to wait for her servants. It was evident how the Qins and Mos thought of her. Neither of them held any love for her!

She was the noble lady of the Mo family. There was no need for her to hurry out to meet servants!

There was a cold smirk on her lips. This time, she would show these people she was a true daughter of the Mo family. She turned and gave her orders to Mo He.

"Yes! Miss!" Mo He looked as Mo Quetong’s words were a medicine for her anxiety. She turned around energetically and left to give orders.

After Mo Xuetong cleaned up and dressed, she went to Shouan Garden. Madam Qin was speaking politely with two older maids.

The door curtains lifted, and Mo Xuetong appeared at the entrance wearing a white dress. Because she was still in the mourning period, her dressing was very plain. Her face, which still looked sickly and thin, made her look pitiful. It was as if she did not know there were outsiders present. Mo Xuetong's tired face appeared slightly shocked when she saw the two maids. Then, she lowered her head and walked up to Madam Qin to greet her.

Madam Qin was pleased to see Mo Xuetong’s obedience. She gestured for Mo Xuetong affectionately to sit by her side. A maid had already had tea waiting for her. Mo Xuetong took the tea and held it in her hands for warmth.

"This is our Third Miss then,” said the woman on the left. “Madam had long said that Third Miss is the most filial. It seems true. She's much more well behaved than the other misses at home. She's more like Eldest Miss. In the capital, Eldest Miss is known as a well behaved and talented girl. Third Miss is more like her. Old Madam, you must have worked hard for her to turn out such a beautiful flower of a girl. She looks so much like our Madam.”

The woman was in her mid-forties. She stood and examined Mo Xuetong with a smile, praising her and wringing her handkerchief, but she couldn’t hide the arrogance in her eyes.

Mo Xuetong repressed a cold laugh. She was here to show her who the boss was. The madam they were talking about was probably Auntie Fang.

"Mo He! Slap her!" The nanny had just spoken when Mo Xuetong smashed the teacup in her hand against the table.

Mo He was furious the old lady dared to mention "madam" in front of her mistress. At Mo Xuetong’s order, she stepped up and viciously slapped the nanny twice. The nanny backed away and almost fell down. Madam Qin, who sat to the side, was shocked. Her eyes darkened, but she lifted her teacup and took a sip, not saying anything.

"You did not even greet me when you saw me. Are you not a servant of the Mo family? Or did Auntie Fang teach you so well that you only recognize her and not your other masters? Mother is dead, so who is your Madam? Or has my father forgotten the vow he made in front of my mother's grave to never take another wife? Nanny, please think carefully before you speak." Mo Xuetong was no longer the gentle child people expected. She looked at the nanny and enunciated each word sharply. "And where did you find the nerve to compare the daughter of my father’s wife to his concubine?"

Nanny Li was taken aback by Mo Xuetong's questioning. She opened her mouth but could not answer.

She was the most respected servant. She by Auntie Fang's side and had always looked down on Mo Xuetong. She had referred to Auntie Fang as ‘Madam’ on purpose. If Third Miss was too afraid to object, she as good as recognized Auntie Fang as her father’s wife. She would be able to tell Sir Qin that Eldest Miss was willing to accept Auntie Fang, and that he should marry her to help secure the future of his son and eldest daughter. Nanny Li had gone for her chance confidently, sure this would make Auntie Fang prize her about any other servant.

She had not expected that the young lady to be so acute, or that she would ask her maid to slap her. The long list of questions had left her speechless. Around her, people looked on with mock or pity, indifference at best. Her temper began to boil

Beside Auntie Fang, she had always been respected. She’d never been so embarrassed. She had never been slapped by a maid several decades younger than her. She drew up to her full height.

"Third Miss, what right do you have to hit me? I'm a servant of Auntie Fang. Even if you strike a dog, you must be ready to face the owner. How will you face your aunt when you return to the capital?”

"Kneel down!" Mo Xuetong's expression was cold.

Everyone looked at Mo Xuetong in shock. They’d never seen her so angry before.

Nanny Li trembled. Somehow, Mo Xuetong seemed so powerful and imposing that she could barely breath. Her heart beat wildly and she immediately seemed to lose all her imposing manner. Her legs buckled and she knelt down.

Nanny Shen of the main house was relieved to see Mo Xuetong so angry and stepped up to Nanny Li.

"Auntie Fang is just a concubine. Yet she dares to call herself Madam? Her servants also dare to belittle Mo Huawen’s true daughter. When did the Mo family lose its decency? When I return to the capital, Old Madam should ask Father when he made that woman the madam of the family. How dare he let a concubine shame the daughter of his wife?"

Nanny Li understood what was happening then. She did not dare to reply. She gritted her teeth and accepting defeat. She took two ragged breaths and then remained kneeling on the ground, greeting Mo Xuetong again.

"Isn't this Nanny Li, the servant of Auntie Fang? Isn't Auntie Fang someone with strong principles? When did the people by her side become so unruly that they cannot tell the difference between Madam of the family and a concubine?" Mo Lan said coolly.

Nanny Li knelt on the ground and was not asked to get up. She wanted to lash out at Mo Lan, but she was only a servant here. Without the support of Auntie Fang, she dared not do anything. She could only grit her teeth and swallow her anger. Her face was red with rage, but she could not say anything.

Nanny Li could only lower her head. When she saw that Mo Xuetong's expression was still frigid, she knew that was not a enough. She gritted her teeth and kowtowed several times. Her head hit the tiled floor, making loud cracking sounds. The old woman grimaced in pain.

"Nanny Li, you are indeed foolish if you can’t differentiate the concubine from the madam. How about when I return to the capital, I tell father to help Auntie Fang pick a few more servants so she can pick ones with enough sense to remember who the true wife is," Mo Xuetong said. Nanny Li's forehead was bruised and swollen, but Mo Xuetong looked indifferent as she spoke, smoothing out the wrinkles on her sleeves.

Nanny Li's breath hitched. She was careful not to reply, afraid that she might anger the miss if she were not careful.

Mo Xuetong ignored the kneeling Nanny Li. She turned to Nanny Shen.

"Are you Nanny Shen? How is Grandmother doing?" she asked politely.

"The Old Madam is doing well. She misses you and hopes that you can return soon. She was so happy when she saw your letter that she ate an extra half bowl of rice. She was worried about you, so she sent me to escort you back to the capital," Nanny Shen said with a laugh.

The girl’s priority had been to ask after her grandmother. She was happy for the Old Madam.

She had not expected this seemingly weak and gentle young woman would to be able to handle Nanny Li so deftly and immediately. Nanny Shen was secretly impressed. The young miss was not as weak and useless as rumored. Nanny Shen could not help but be more polite in her speech.

The two talked about family matters and intentionally ignored Nanny Li, still knelt beside them.

Some moments later, Mo Xuetong seemed to realize that Nanny Li was still kneeling on the ground. She said coldly,

"Nanny Li, get up,” she said coldly. “I was so agitated, I forgot that you were still kneeling here. I was so focused on Nanny Shen. I reprimanded you for your memory, but it seems mine is no better."

It was a complete slap to Nanny Li's face and she wanted nothing more than to stand up and slap Mo Xuetong, but she didn’t dare.

"How can Third Miss say that?” she said with a dry smile. “It is this old servant who did not pay attention first. I was so happy to see Third Miss that I forgot to greet you. I was wrong and have embarrassed myself in front of Third Miss."

Mo Xuetong's expression was still frigid. She glanced again at Nanny Li’s disheveled state, then resumed ignoring her.