“Grandmother is talking about Ah Yu?” As expected, it’s for this matter, Yu Zisu thought to herself.
Madam Lian and my little sister, they’re really hoping for me to get into trouble.
They’re even making an issue out of such a small matter.
However, does Madam Lian really think I’ll be that dumb to give them such a handle?
After she saw Old Madam Yu nod her head, she continued speaking without waiting for Madam Lian to speak, “Zisu has indeed punished Ah Yu, but there’s a reason for it.”
“But even if sister dislikes Ah Yu, you can’t punish her so ruthlessly.”
Yu Wanrou persuaded, as if it was for Yu Zisu’s own good, “How can Ah Yu continue living after how sister punished her!”
She then scrunched up her handkerchief and said, “In the future, wouldn’t everyone say that the ladies of the Chancellor’s Manor are all cruel and merciless?”
Yu Wanrou’s words were truly frightening.
Not only did she criticize Yu Zisu for being wicked and merciless but she also highlighted her own kindness and purity.
She even blackened Yu Zisu’s moral character in front of Old Madam Yu and pointed out that Yu Zisu had ruined the Chancellor’s Manor’s image!
One had to know that Old Madam Yu attached utmost importance to the family’s image.
That year, it was also because Yu Zisu’s mother was of commoner birth and would damage the family’s image that Old Madam Yu had disliked her.
Yu Wanrou’s words undoubtedly evoked Old Madam Yu’s memory of Qin Wenluo.
That little bit of favorable impression towards Yu Zisu had instantly disappeared too.
Old Madam Yu’s voice turned cold as she spoke, “That’s right, Zisu, you’re still so young, how can you be so cruel.”
Yu Zisu did not panic and said calmly, “Sister might have misunderstood me.”
“I wouldn’t say that what I did was cruel. Sister, you don’t know the whole story so don’t speak carelessly or else you would have sullied my reputation!”
Yu Zisu especially placed emphasis on the word “reputation”, as if there was a deeper meaning behind her words.
Old Madam Yu and Chancellor Yu naturally understood the hidden meaning behind Yu Zisu’s words and unconsciously glanced at Yu Wanrou.
With that one look, they just nicely saw Yu Wanrou’s panic at that moment.
Madam Lian hurriedly said, “Zisu, what do you mean? Wanrou is just concerned for you.”
“I know that sister cares about me,” Yu Zisu said indifferently.
Her expressionless face made Madam Lian speechless.
Chancellor Yu stood at the side and kept quiet but he was carefully observing Madam Lian and Yu Wanrou’s expressions.
When he saw hatred flash past Madam Lian’s eyes, he could not help but close his eyes in shock.
Yu Zisu said, “When Zisu returned to Yuxin Residence, I only saw Bi Xi come to welcome me and I thought that maybe Ah Yu was doing something else.”
Old Madam Yu nodded her head once she heard that.
Yu Zisu saw Madam Lian opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but Yu Zisu scoffed in her heart and did not give Madam Lian the chance.
She continued, “In the end, when I returned to Yuxin Residence, I saw that Ah Yu was actually still sleeping in bed!”
“Father should know that Zisu was called over by Madam Lian for a conversation once I returned home. After I returned to the Yuxin Residence, it was already afternoon.”
Yu Zisu continued, “At midday, a maidservant was still sleeping and it was not even a rest day, could this still count as a small matter?”
“Sister returned from the White Horse Temple in the morning, she only went to talk to mother for a while, how could it already be afternoon when she returned to the Yuxin Residence?” Yu Wanrou asked in a soft voice.
Yu Zisu scolded in her heart, how stupid!
Madam Lian was anxious once she heard Yu Wanrou’s words and just as she was about to help explain Yu Wanrou’s words, Yu Zisu cut her off with a faint smile.
Yu Zisu said slowly, “Sister has not gone to the Yuxin Residence before, of course you won’t know where the Yuxin Residence is and how secluded it is.”
“The Yuxin Residence is an hour’s walk away from mother’s residence!” Yu Zisu smiled faintly.
Chancellor Yu could sense sarcasm from Yu Zisu’s eyes!
A distance of an hour’s walk!
That was to say that the Yuxin Residence was one hour away from the main courtyard.
The daughter of the legal wife was actually living in such a remote area!
If something happened in the Yuxin Residence, wouldn’t there be no one able to….
Chancellor Yu could not help but feel a shiver run down his spine once he thought of such a consequence.
His dissatisfaction with Madam Lian increased even more.
Old Madam Yu recalled just where the Yuxin Residence was as she heard Yu Zisu’s words.
In fact, Old Madam Yu also knew that although Yuxin Residence was remote and quiet, it was not an auspicious place!
Back then when Old Madam Yu was not yet Old Madam Yu, the third concubine of Chancellor Yu’s father had a difficult childbirth there, and both the mother and child had died.
Concubine Ru, who Chancellor Yu had married back then, also died of illness in less than one year in the Yuxin Residence.
Over time, the Yuxin Residence became an unlucky place.
Not to mention that the Yuxin Residence was the furthest from the main courtyard and few people would even go there.
Who would have expected that as the one that took charge of the manor, Madam Lian would actually arrange for the legal wife’s daughter to live in such a place!
Yu Wanrou also understood that she had fallen into Yu Zisu’s trap.
She unconsciously squeezed the handkerchief in her hands violently but she did not speak anymore.
“Continue speaking, Zisu!” Old Madam Yu said in a deep voice.
Yu Zisu raised her head and continued, “Zisu thought that if Ah Yu could admit her mistake and guarantee that she would not make such a mistake again, I would allow this matter pass.”
“Who would have expected that Ah Yu would say that she was not wrong and even said Nanny Mo had allowed her to sleep!”
Although Ah Yu did not say the second half, only Bi Xi and her were present in the beginning so no one else knew.
This was also a test Yu Zisu gave Bi Xi to see if Bi Xi was really loyal to her.
Of course, even if Bi Xi were to say the truth, Yu Zisu also had her ways to respond although it would be more troublesome.
Bi Xi did not let down Yu Zisu as she did not say anything, only supporting her and standing quietly at the side.
“Zisu could only let a servant invite Nanny Mo over, but…” Yu Zisu hesitated as she glanced at Madam Lian.
Old Madam Lian’s expression darkened and asked, “Zisu, are you thinking of hiding something?”
“No, grandmother, Zisu…”
Yu Zisu looked extremely conflicted as she lowered her head.
She gritted her teeth and said, “Nanny Mo said that she would let me punish Ah Yu.”
“Grandmother, you know that Zisu is too soft so how would Zisu know how to punish the servants? So Zisu just followed Madam Lian’s method of punishing Zisu to punish Ah Yu and made her kneel the whole afternoon.”
Yu Zisu looked like she was wronged as she spoke, “Originally Ah Yu was unwilling, but Nanny Mo said that if Ah Yu was unwilling, then she would chase her out of the manor. After that, Ah Yu agreed!”
“Grandmother, Zisu did not anyhow punish others! In the past, Zisu would be punished to kneel for a whole day if I did anything wrong, but Zisu only punished Ah Yu to kneel for one afternoon.”
Madam Lian wanted to interrupt Yu Zisu when she mentioned Nanny Mo, but Madam Lian did not find the chance to do so.
Afterward, when she heard Yu Zisu mention the punishment, her face turned pale.
Looking at how Yu Zisu had a serious expression, Old Madam Yu knew that Yu Zisu did not lie.
Old Madam Yu’s face darkened even more, she knew that she had been used by Madam Lian so she was even more enraged.
Yu Wanrou stood at the side and did not even dare to take deep breaths.
She could sense grandmother’s gaze of anger.
Chancellor Yu was also outraged.
He had never expected that Zisu had actually lived such a life in the manor, she was even punished to kneel before!
What was laughable was that he did not know anything.
He even thought that she could live a good life in the manor that was under Madam Lian’s control!
No wonder he felt as if Zisu was getting more distant and disobedient.
Just look at what kind of life she was living in this manor as the legal wife’s daughter!
Chancellor Yu could not help but look at Yu Zisu’s clothes.
It was made out of white fabric and was not gorgeous at all, instead, it looked extremely old and there were no accessories in her hair.
Meanwhile, his other daughter was also here, standing beside her mother and glowing with health.
She was wearing white jade hair accessories that were popular amongst the ladies and there were exquisite hairpins on her.
Her clothes were made from the top-grade Cloud Water Brocade and there was a tasseled sash made of golden thread hanging on her waist.
The difference was like heaven and earth!
Old Madam Yu had also seen the disparity.
She had never expected the daughter Qin Wenluo had left behind to actually live such a life.
Madam Lian would come to greet her every day to say how well the First Young Miss was, but today, it seemed as if the truth was different from what Madam Lian had said.
Yu Zisu naturally sensed the changes in Old Madam Yu’s expression and the guilt on Chancellor Yu’s face.
However, she did not have any hope for Old Madam Yu to punish Madam Lian.
The only thing she could do now was to let Old Madam Yu’s impression of Madam Lian become worse and worse bit by bit.
Yu Zisu guessed that it would most likely be Nanny Mo who would bear the blame for Madam Lian.
Indeed, it was within Yu Zisu’s expectations.
“Lian, so this is how you manage the matters in the manor?” Old Madam Yu bellowed, “Nanny Mo has aged and does not know how to punish servants, but do you not know either? You’ve actually dared to punish the Young Miss of our Chancellor Manor, you’re really too impertinent!”
Madam Lian could not be rashly punished so Old Madam Yu could only dispose of her subordinate, Nanny Mo, to give her a warning!
Madam Lian hurriedly said, “Mother, I beg for your forgiveness! Please forgive my mistake!”
Madam Lian heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that Old Madam Yu did not plan to punish her.
Since Old Madam Yu had given her face, she would need to go along with the show.
However, if so, she would need to apologize to Nanny Mo. Having said that, she still wanted to protect Nanny Mo since Nanny Mo had already served her for so many years.
If she were to just give up on Nanny Mo, then her other servants would be bitterly disappointed.
Madam Lian then persuaded, “Mother, Nanny Mo has gotten old so it’s inevitable that she might make mistakes. I’ll definitely discipline her properly and make her aware of her mistakes.”
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