Rebirth of the Female Antagonist: XUANRONG

7-8

7.Little Girl

YuYing entered the room & curtsied. "XiaoJie, all the servants are already waiting for you at the center hall."
XuanRong, who was looking at her own reflection in the mirror, smiled and sat in front of the dresser. She stared at her reflection and was satisfied to see her younger self full of vitality and life.
"Let them wait. YuYing, help me comb my hair. I want it styled in a double bun with loose ends."
YuYing felt delighted. Ever since her XiaoJie fell, she never allowed them to serve her personally. She would bath on her own and dress on her own, making them feel useless.
"Yes, this servant is happy to serve XiaoJie." YuYing immediately picked the eight-pearl comb and brushed XuanRong's hair.
"YuLi." XuanRong called her other servant. Being the Eldest Di Daughter of a prestigious family, she should have four first rank maids as her personal servants but due to her 'beloved' Er Niang's suggestion when she was seven years old, she dismissed the two servants who were given by her maternal family on her third birthday, only allowing YuYing and YuLi who were both raised inside the XuanFu[1] to remain by her side and act as her personal servants.
YuLi curtsied.

"This servant is here."

"Tell Zou mama to inform Housekeeper w.a.n.g that I want to see him later. Accompany the servants at the center hall, tell them that I will immediately come after I'm done."

"This servant understands." YuLi saluted and left the room. When YuYing heard her XiaoJie's words, she hurriedly combed XuanRong's hair, trying to hasten her pace but XuanRong stopped her.

"No need to hurry."

"But XiaoJie, the servants are waiting for you."

"So? Let them wait." XuanRong raised her left eyebrow but sighed afterwards. Thinking of the past, she wondered how YuYing remained pure and softhearted after following an arrogant Mistress like her previous self. Seemed like there were people who were good by nature and had a heart of Guanyin [2].

"YuYing, remember the lesson that I will teach you right now. In this society which emphasizes hierarchy, one must show their authority to avoid being bullied by others.
Even if one's status is above others, if one's courage is weak, they would definitely be oppressed by other people.

In order to restrain the servant's unclean thoughts, I, as their master, must establish my authority first. Even if they experience injustice, they can't do anything about it because at the end of the day, they are the servants & I am the master."
YuYing nodded. "Indeed, XiaoJie is very intelligent. Whatever XiaoJie says is always correct!"
YuYing liked the current XuanRong which had a very good temperament unlike her previous arrogant attitude. After 2 sichen [3], XuanRong arrived at the center hall.
"Da XiaoJie has arrived."
After YuLi announced XuanRong's arrival, she immediately curtsied. Even if they didn't want to, all the servants, including Zou mama & Housekeeper wang, paid respect simultaneously.
XuanRong saw that the servants were looking at her with contempt for making them wait for hours. Instead of retracting her gaze, she looked at them indifferently, like she was not bothered by the resentment reflecting in their eyes.

She sat on the chair at the end of the hall and ordered YuLi to get refreshments.
"Da XiaoJie, this old servant is glad that you came. This old servant thought that Da XiaoJie couldn't find the way to the center hall and almost ordered someone to bring you here."
Housekeeper w.a.n.g's words were full of worry but XuanRong could hear the hidden insults.
'Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Housekeeper wang ah, you are still the same. After rebirth, do you really think that I'm still the same XuanRong who could only grit her teeth & suffer in silence? After what you did to me in my previous life, do you really think that you can escape my claws? Heh... let's see if you can still talk like that later. Seems like you already forgotten that you are just a servant brought by Xiao Lou to manage this manor.'