Qian Jiaoniang was silent for a long while before finally lowering her head and saying, “Just go hand out the rewards, then.”
“But… Master said if Madam doesn’t go in person, then the silver won’t be given out.”
Qian Jiaoniang looked up and glared at Ding Zhang, who grinned and bowed, trying to please her.
“Go on, it’s not easy for the servants to earn that kind of money,” Qingya said. “And it’s not like you’ll be missing a piece of flesh.”
“Miss Qingya speaks so well! Madam, this servant has never held such a large silver ingot in my life. I’ll kowtow to you in advance!”
Ding Zhang made to kneel, but Qian Jiaoniang snapped, “Don’t give me that pitiful act! If you want the silver, then go gather everyone. And another thing—if you call me ‘Madam’ one more time, I’ll dock you one tael of silver!”
“This…” Ding Zhang looked troubled, but his eyes rolled slyly. “Yes—Grandmadam!”
Qian Jiaoniang froze. This rascal changed the title again? She glared. “You’re not allowed to call me ‘Grandmadam’ either!”
Qingya burst out laughing. “Jiaoniang, don’t make things difficult for Steward Ding. In this household, the Marquis has the final say. If he tells the servants to call you that and they don’t, aren’t they just asking for a beating? If you push it any further, they’ll be calling you Ancestor next!”
Ding Zhang gave a wry smile. “Miss Qingya truly understands people—like a flower that knows how to speak. You really get the hardships of us lowly servants.”
“Enough, enough! Go already, go!” Qian Jiaoniang said, exasperated.
“Yes, yes! This servant is going now. Oh right—Madam, Young Master Tian said that the other day, Gatekeeper Zhu Zhao and Little Yangzi blocked their entry, and told this servant to get rid of them… To be fair, it was just bad timing for those two monkeys. That day the Young Master had fainted from punishment, and both you and the Marquis were worried sick. When this servant went to report it, I got scolded, so those two ended up stopping Aunt and Uncle at the gate. So about them…”
Qian Jiaoniang glanced at Qingya. “They did offend Aunt and Uncle and should be punished. But hearing what you said, it really was bad luck on their part. If we just dismiss them, that’d be too harsh. Reassign them to some inconspicuous tasks—just don’t let them appear in front of Aunt and her family again.”
“Yes, yes, this servant understands.” Ding Zhang bowed and backed away. Just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly remembered something else. “Madam, I almost forgot. Hongshang Boutique sent more clothes today. This batch was made based on your usual styles. Would you like to take a look…”
“No, no, I’ve already said—alter them and send them to Aunt and Cousin. I don’t want new clothes.” Qian Jiaoniang waved him off. New clothes and shoes were being delivered daily. The steward said it was all arranged by Xing Muzheng. She was getting annoyed. Who knew if Xing Muzheng had fallen ill again?
“Madam, just take a look. If you don’t like them, then—”
“I said no! What’s there to look at? I have clothes. If I need new ones, I can make them myself!”
Ding Zhang ran off, frightened. The Marquis was hard enough to serve—this Madam, who still sat steady in her position despite the imperial decree to set her aside, was no easier!
Meanwhile, the Tian family was in high spirits, celebrating wildly indoors. No matter how they calculated, they had never guessed that Qian Jiaoniang had been dismissed by an imperial command. Now that it was official, not even Xing Muzheng could change it. No wonder she was all smiles and flattery, not daring to make a sound in protest. She was now a discarded woman, an abandoned dog. They couldn’t understand why Xing Muzheng still let her stay in the residence—surely it wasn’t because his young son couldn’t do without his mother? Most likely Qian Jiaoniang was trying to curry favor with them so they’d speak on her behalf, letting her stay in the marquis’ estate and enjoy wealth till her old age.
In short, this cast-off woman was no threat to them anymore—they could finally sleep soundly! Tian Linwen became cheerful and called out loudly, “Servants! Bring a pot of wine! And a few more dishes!”
He was going to celebrate!
Soon, a maid named Chunxiang came in. “Old Master Tian, the kitchen is probably empty at the moment. Steward Ding told all the servants to go to Madam’s courtyard for instructions.”
Liu Ying asked, “What instructions?”
“This servant doesn’t know, Madam. But I’d better hurry over too.” Chunxiang still remembered the execution that morning all too clearly and didn’t dare dawdle. “I’ll bring the wine and side dishes when I get back!”
She hurried off with another maid who’d been sweeping in the courtyard.
Tian Bilian ran to the doorway and stretched her neck out. “What’s that Madam Qian up to? She’s already been dismissed, and yet she’s summoning the servants? And just when Cousin isn’t at home too!”
“There’s definitely something fishy. Wife, come, let’s go take a look together.”
Qian Jiaoniang had just been brought out by Ding Zhang and saw a line of household staff standing neatly in the courtyard. She scanned them briefly and asked, “Is everyone here?”
Ding Zhang held a name register and respectfully replied, “Yes, Madam, everyone is present.”
Qian Jiaoniang silently counted. “How come quite a few are missing?”
“This… Madam, I told you earlier, this morning—”
“No, not the ones from the dungeon. I’m saying it looks like even fewer than last time.” Last time, when they were rounding up the people connected to the gu poisoning, the dungeon prisoners and household staff had stood separately. The ones from Feng Yuyan’s courtyard had been grouped too. Apart from those, there had only been a few dozen left. But now there seemed to be even fewer. “No one asked for leave?”
Old Zhang, who had asked for leave last time, was staring wide-eyed from below—but without any surprise. Likely, Xing Muzheng had already found out she’d left through the south gate.
Ding Zhang hadn’t expected Qian Jiaoniang to be so meticulous. He stammered, “A few were taken away by Captain Wang. This servant doesn’t know where they went.” A few days ago, the Marquis had requested the name list. Two days later, several people were summoned by Captain Wang of the guards, saying it was on the Marquis’ orders. Ding Zhang hadn’t dared ask further.
So Xing Muzheng had suffered a loss and was now combing through all the staff? Qian Jiaoniang raised an eyebrow. Qingya wrung her handkerchief anxiously.
Liu Ying and Tian Linwen strolled in through the wide-open gate. “Oh my, what’s all this bustle about?”
Qian Jiaoniang quickly smiled and stepped forward. “Uncle, Aunt—you’ve come. Please, come in and sit.”
Now that Liu Ying knew she’d been officially dismissed, her attitude had shifted completely, and she couldn’t be bothered to fake politeness anymore. “What are you doing here?”
Qian Jiaoniang said, “The Marquis fell seriously ill recently and believes the servants cared well for him. So he told me to hand out some silver rewards. We were just about to begin. Since Aunt is here, why not host it for me? I’ve never seen much of the world. If I do it, I’m afraid I’ll make a fool of myself.”
Liu Ying was stunned for a moment. Ding Zhang quickly stepped forward and said, “Madam, Master did indeed instruct that you personally give out this silver to the servants. Besides, Uncle and Aunt have come from afar—we shouldn’t trouble them, should we?”
Ding Zhang may not have been as capable as Zhou Mu, but he had one admirable trait: once he pledged loyalty to someone, he stuck with them through thick and thin. He was someone Qian Jiaoniang had personally promoted. Without her, he wouldn’t have earned the Marquis’s trust at all. Even though her status was now unusual, Ding Zhang still deeply respected her and firmly saw her as his rightful mistress.
Liu Ying was fuming inside. This dog of a servant! Qian Jiaoniang has already been dismissed, and yet he still shamelessly flatters her?
