When Yan Yan returned to the Ningxiang Chambers with the servants, Mei Xiang and Mei Xue both hugged her and cried.
Although the two knew that their third miss had gone back to the Zhenguo Duke Estate and was definitely fine, they were still worried.
Yan Yan comforted the two of them and introduced the servants she had brought over. When Mei Xiang and Mei Xue heard that these people were sent by the Zhenguo Duke Estate, they immediately acted as though they were meeting their ancestors and were extremely passionate.
Actually the two of them, as well as Ying'er and Yan'er who were by Yan Mo's side, were the youngest maids who had come along with Shen Yi Yao as part of her dowry. They were all born within the Zhenguo Duke Estate and their families all worked there. As for this batch, their status was similar and their elders all knew each other. There was naturally no unfamiliarity.
The Ningxiang Chambers wasn't large, but it wasn't small either.
The main residence had one windowed room and two dark ones. The middle room was the reception and the eastern room was the bedroom. The western room was Yan Yan's study as well as living room. There were two auxiliary buildings on either side, each with a western and eastern wing. There was even a porch in the back.
Yan Yan was allocated two first-grade senior senior maids, four junior maids and a number of manual labor maids and grannies. Now that she had so many people from the Zhenguo Duke Estate, she naturally had to remove some of them.
The servants working in the courtyard were all a little bewildered. Although the third miss didn't let them serve her personally, working in the Ningxiang Chambers was still extremely good. First of all, the third miss never bothered with them and Mei Xiang and Mei Xue weren't able to manage them. The servants were naturally leisurely every day. Although they weren't so exaggerated as to skip work, they still had an extremely easy time.
Seeing so many servants come and hearing that they were sent over by the Zhenguo Duke Estate for the third miss, some of the servants turned pale.
Yan Yan didn't beat around the bush and called everyone over. She had Mei Xiang and Mei Xue pick and choose. Those who hadn't been complying with etiquette were all removed.
Where were they moved to? She didn't have to worry about that. Those people had all been assigned by others. They can go find whoever that was!
The courtyard was filled with crying. According to the estate rules, these people weren't qualified to serve the miss. However, someone had bent the rules. Furthermore, these people had sucked up to Concubine Pei's grannies and maids, and were finally arranged into the Ningxiang Chambers. Concubine Pei merely wanted all of Yan Yan's servants to have been arranged by her. They just had to report to her every once in a while. She didn't care whether their etiquette was good or whether they were qualified.
Now that those people were sent out, it meant they were back to square one. They were naturally extremely unwilling. There were even some with thick skin who rolled around crying in the courtyard, and were unwilling to leave even after being pulled. Some who weren't willing to leave saw this scene and also refused to move.
The granny in charge who had come to take the people away was a capable one, but she acted like she was out of her depth at this moment. She stood there spinning in circles, seemingly helpless against those people. It would be even more realistic if she sweated a little.
The courtyard became chaotic.
Yan Yan was inside her room, her brows twitching. Her temper had never been good, and her mood naturally wouldn't be good at this moment.
Of course, she knew this wasn't the time to make a fuss. She merely had someone tell the granny in charge to take the people away, and if they still made a fuss to directly throw them out.
Unfortunately, her actions weren't quick enough and she didn't have as many subordinates as others. Someone had notified Concubine Pei and Shen Yi Yao. Concubine Pei had "accompanied" Shen Yi Yao over.
"What is going on here?" Concubine Pei frowned and said.
She stood to the left and slightly behind Shen Yi Yao, playing the part of a concubine and assistant very well.
That managing granny said in embarrassment: "Reporting to concubine, the third miss wants to have these people leave, but...."
One of the grannies rolling on the floor already started crying, "It's not that this granny isn't willing to leave. But I've served the third miss al this time and she wants this servant to leave without saying a single word. This servant is still part of the Weiyuan Marquis Estate after all. Are the servants from the Zhenguo Duke Estate more precious than us? They're kicking us out the moment they show up...."
Some of the maids on the side agreed.
"That's right, that's right...."
"Begging madam and concubine to mediate for us...."
Shen Yi Yao looked hesitant. Concubine Pei signaled with her eyes and that granny started crying even harder.
"This is the Weiyuan Marquis Estate. How can outsiders come and bully our own people....."
The servants from the Zhenguo Duke Estate were well aware that this was clearly them not being welcomed. However, they were well trained after all and merely stood there without making a sound. Two grannies stood inside the house secretly glancing at Yan Yan's expression.
Yan Yan definitely wouldn't believe there wasn't a mastermind behind this performance. Perhaps Old Madam Yan or Concubine Pei weren't happy at seeing the Zhenguo Duke Estate upstaging them, and came up with this plan to force the servants to go back. Once they returned, they would only say that the servants weren't well trained and had made a fuss, so the third miss coulnd't keep them.
Those two loved using such methods. Didn't they ever get tired?
Whether those two were tired or not, Yan Yan had still hit the nail on the head. Old Madam Yan had truly been dissatisfied over this matter. However, she couldn't say anything in front of the Zhenguo Duke Estate's people, and secretly instructed Concubine Pei to put on this performance. The people in the Ningxiang Chambers also didn't want to leave. Their goals happened to perfectly align!
Without waiting for anyone to come report, Yan Yan stood up with a swish and walked outside. She didn't look at Shen Yi Yao or Concubine Pei, and merely walked in front of the granny making a scene.
"You don't want to leave, right?"
That granny froze and started kowtowing, seeming extremely pitiful. "Begging the third miss for mercy, don't send this servant away...."
Yan Yan ignored her and pointed her whip at the group of people making a fuss.
"You all don't want to leave either, right?"
The dark brown whip twisted and coiled within Yan Yan's grasp. The handle was made of sandalwood and carved into the shape of a snake's head. Its mouth was opened wide, its eyes made of two extremely vivid rubies. It was extremely eye-catching, making her slender hands seem white as jade.
But no one dared ignore those slender hands. Many people didn't see the third miss whipping people with their own eyes that time, but they had heard a lot about it. Especially since some people wanted to cause a mess and purposefully spread the rumors. Everyone knew the third miss's frightening reputation.
Therefore, although Yan Yan didn't realize it, her casual movement had already scared quite a few people. They thought the normally violent-tempered third miss was about to start hitting people again.
Furthermore, those who were hit wouldn't be compensated. It must be said that although the third miss was punished last time, she had made a huge fuss. Afterwards, none of those people had a good ending. The third miss was taken to the Zhenguo Duke Estate while all those servants got taken care of.
A few more people thudded to their knees. The rest all fell to their knees as well. They were initially yelling with all their might, but now they spoke with trembling voices, "Begging third miss not to drive us servants away. We servants will definitely serve the third miss with all our hearts in the future."
Yan Yan sneered coldly, "Oh? So you all also know that you don't normally serve wholeheartedly? Why didn't you do so earlier?"
The person who spoke turned rigid looked down. Countless people cursed that person for giving her the verbal advantage.
"All a bunch of crafty slackers. You gossip while working, sneak alcohol and sneak off to play. This miss was just too lazy to bother with you. Did you really think I was unaware?"
Yan Yan slowly spoke, her sharp gaze circling over their heads. That gaze was too sharp, her manner too imposing, making them involuntarily lower themselves further.
"There's also those with loose lips who spread the Ningxiang Chambers' matters outside. This miss is also clear about that. Now--don't make me say it again. Scram out of the Ningxiang Chambers. Those who are slow about it, don't blame this miss for not giving you face!"
As her voice fell, those maids and grannies no longer dared to remain. They rolled and crawled as they rushed outside, as though they had seen severe floods and fierce beasts.
Seeing this, even Concubine Pei was frozen, let alone Shen Yi Yao.
Concubine Pei was cursing those servants for being useless while still having to maintain a calm expression. Her smile was a little rigid. Shen Yi Yao was angry to begin with, feeling that Yan Yan wasn't obedient and even instigated her dad, mom and sister-in-law to reprimand her. At this time, she was a little discouraged by this daughter of hers and couldn't be bothered to manage her. Thus she merely watched and didn't speak.
Yan Yan gave Shen Yi Yao a glance before turning to Concubine Pei.
"Concubine Pei--" These words were very quiet and gentle.
"Third miss." Concubine Pei lowered her head and responded.
"You are grandmother's niece and dad's cousin. But since you've married into my Weiyuan Marquis Estate's doors, your previous relationships are no longer valid. You are now a concubine serving my dad. Concubines have to abide by their role. I respect you as an elder and my mom also trusts you to manage the household. Since the household matters are all left to you, you should manage things properly. When stuffing people in the Ningxiang Chambers in the future, I'll trouble you to screen them a little first. Don't just give me a bunch of scrap. If it happens again, don't blame me for not giving you face."
After speaking, she walked to that managing granny without looking at Concubine Pei's expression.
"You are from the Qiao family? You're responsible for managing the transfer of maids and workers in the estate?"
That granny was very stout and robust. Hearing these words, she froze and then was all smiles, "That's right, third miss."
Yan Yan used the whip's handle to knock on her sturdy arm a few times and said: "You, are incompetent!"
The one from the Qiao family's expression turned rigid. "Third miss, where did these words come from?"
"As a managing granny, you weren't able to keep your subordinates in line. You let them make a fuss in my Ningxiang Chambers in broad daylight. What? I'm calling you incompetent. You don't agree?!"
The one from the Qiao family continuously cried out in grievance, "Third miss, it's not appropriate to say so. There's only one of this servant and so many of them. How could they be controlled...."
"That's why I called you incompetent. Would well trained servants dare start rioting in a master's courtyard?!"
After speaking, she turned once again to the rigid-faced Concubine Pei and said: "Get rid of this incompetent person. She can't even train her subordinates properly, what use is she?!"
Concubine Pei glanced at Shen Yi Yao's obscure expression and then looked at the overbearing Yan Yan. She put on her usual show of weakness and put on an appearance of suffering in silence as she said: "Yes, third miss."
She was waiting for Shen Yi Yao to reprimand Yan Yan and she would then fan the flames. After the third miss gets reprimanded, she could downplay this matter. This was something she had always been good at. Unexpectedly, Shen Yi Yao merely glanced at Yan Yan and said "you've grown up" ambiguously, before leaving.
You've grown up....
Concubine Pei couldn't understand these words, but that didn't mean Yan Yan didn't understand.
She had grown up, so her mom won't bother with her anymore.
This was also good. At least it spared her from pent up anger and annoyance. She didn't plan on lowering herself after coming back this time. The person she wished would understand didn't understand, so why would she care about what others thought. Before coming back, she had already prepared herself to "rebel" against her mom.
Her tensed nerves finally relaxed as she felt relieved from a burden.
It had to be said, this felt truly refreshing.
"....the mid-level method is using status to oppress others. As long as the Zhenguo Duke supports you, there won't be any problems...."
She wanted to use the high-level method and also the mid-level method. She didn't believe the current Weiyuan Marquis Estate that still needed the Zhenguo Duke Estate's help would dare do anything to her. Especially since she didn't do anything wrong. She merely switched out some disobedient servants.
That person from the Qiao family was Concubine Pei's capable aide. How did it feel to have that arm broken off?
Now that she had no expectations, hopes or misgivings, what new methods would they come up with to muzzle her? She truly looked forward to it!
Yan Yan gave Concubine Pei an obscure glance before going back inside.
Concubine Pei stood there, and seeing no one pay her any attention, gripped her handkerchief tightly and left with a twisted expression.