On the way back home, looking at Jian Xubai leaning against the carriage with his eyes closed, Song Yixiao pondered for a while and couldn"t help saying, “Actually, I do like the Stewed Perch.”

“I know.” Jian Xubai answered casually without even opening his eyes, “You looked to the dish even before it was placed on the table. I didn"t see you appear so anxious in front of other dishes!”

Song Yixiao was speechless.

“So after I took it away, I felt very good!” Jian Xubai added delightedly, “Particularly, I like it too!”

Song Yixiao didn"t know how to react.

She was wrong! It was not that the man was not stingy. Obviously, in his eyes, revenge of a gentleman was a dish best served cold.

Last night he held back his anger quietly but now as a chance came, he just took it to avenge on her!

And he even did it in the guise of thinking for her!

No!

There was something wrong!

He even grabbed the dish like a baby! Worse still, he even said it to her!

This was not the revenge of a gentleman at all! It was even worse! It was the revenge of a villain!

Song Yixiao felt so disgruntled and changed the topic ponderously, “At the tea ceremony just now, Sister said that Ping"an got a cold. Shall we show care for him by sending him something?”

“Yeah, just pick something.” Speaking of this nephew, Jian Xubai frowned and opened his eyes. He found that only Jinxun and Qiaoqin were serving in the carriage. When he pa.s.sed out in Prince of Hengshan"s mansion last time, these two maids were also aware. Obviously, they were close subordinates of Song Yixiao. Then he added, “He is fine. My sister just didn"t want to take him out so she made up an excuse!”

Song Yixiao also knew that it was an excuse made up by Commandery Princess Qingjiang, but she couldn"t disclose it. After all, the gifts were not from her dowry and she could be reputed to care for her nephew.

She was about to nod when she thought of what she heard of in the Palace of Mingren for the first time. Then she asked, “Well, he doesn"t have a cold. Is his injury that he got a few months ago fully recovered?”

It was said that Zhuo Ping"an fell from height accidentally and got so seriously injured that the Empress Dowager and Jinguo Grand Princess even sent for imperial doctors to check on him. And Doctor Han, who was designated by Emperor Xianjia to serve Commandery Princess Qingjiang all the year round, was actually good at physical conditioning, so they had to send for other imperial doctors from the Imperial Academy of Medicine.

Unexpectedly, Jian Xubai heard this and said casually, “A few months ago he beat others to death. How could he get injured?”

Song Yixiao was surprised.

Jian Xubai was angry with her but these traditional codes of conduct would be handed over to her. He didn"t want her to disgrace himself due to ignorance. “When Doctor Han was taking his pulse, he suddenly had a seizure and beat the doctor. Doctor Han is an old man. How could he be able to stand his beating? With his head broken and bleeding, he fell into a coma! Sister was afraid that Doctor Han might die, so she hastily sent for other doctors from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. Meanwhile, she was worried that it might cause a bad reputation on Ping"an so she proclaimed that the doctors were sent for Ping"an!”

“Oh, I see!” Song Yixiao puckered her lips and said nothing more. She gave him a complicated glimpse. If Jian Xubai didn"t give the okra yellow jade pendant to her and Commandery Princess Qingjiang had insisted on forcing her to marry Zhuo Ping"an, she couldn"t imagine what she would be like now.

Jian Xubai didn"t respond to her glimpse and said causally, “Among the gifts that Uncle grants, there are white jade ginsengs. We don"t need them anyway so we can keep only one or two and give the rest to Mother and Uncle Limiao.”

Song Yixiao was about to say yes when Jian Xubai realized that he had made a mistake. Hence, he added, “By the way, don"t forget about your mother!”

“If my mother knows that it is you who bring this up, she will be very happy.” Song Yixiao replied with a smile. Although she was telling the truth, she didn"t feel happy. She was stressed instead. Jian Xubai"s straightforward expression of his love for his wife and the care for his mother-in-law was not to make a sheer good husband and a good son-in-law but to enable her to solve the future worries for him!

If she couldn"t make it within the given time by Jian Xubai, maybe Jian Xubai would make her pay for all the unhappiness and grievance that she brought on him!

“Jian Xubai will interrogate Cuipiao himself when we back home.” Song Yixiao suddenly thought of this, “I am really curious what move the maid will take next and how Jian Xubai will react.”

Then they remained silent.

After arriving at the Duke of Yan"s mansion, Song Yixiao returned to the inner chamber for a rest. Then she washed her face, got changed and went back to the main hall to call in all the servants of the mansion.

As to the servants, one third of them were not young. Song Yixiao couldn"t help feeling speechless, “I knew it! Jian Xubai wouldn"t worry about the servant problem unless he has to. If these people are all left after his grandfather got retired, there are too many of them!”

By estimate, there were at least 300 or 500 hundred servants to pay her regards.

Those who were too low-cla.s.s to meet her and couldn"t stay away from their posts were even not included. Surprised by the personnel redundancy, she felt quite shocked, “Since Xubai"s grandfather pa.s.sed his t.i.tle to Jian Xubai across his son, he must love this grandson very much. Yet, why did he leave such a Duke of Yan"s mansion behind?”

It was when Jian Xubai was five years old that Jian Pingyu got retired and pa.s.sed down the t.i.tle. In the same year, Jian Xubai was taken into the imperial palace by the Empress Dowager.

Back then, Jian Pingyu"s daughter was already married. His eldest son and his family would go back to the hometown with him; his second son became the prince consort and lived in the grand princess"s mansion; his youngest son lost his wife, who would not live in the duke"s mansion alone regardless in terms of his ident.i.ty.

Therefore, as Jian Pingyu left, Duke of Yan"s mansion got empty.

Under this circ.u.mstance, why did Jian Pingyu leave so many servants here?

Was he too softhearted to dismiss them or take them away?

Song Yixiao felt that Jian Pingyu, who used to be officials for two emperors and hold great power, should have never been that stupidly softhearted.

Did he do this on purpose?

It was very likely but since he made it difficult for his grandson, why did he pa.s.s down the t.i.tle to him?

“Something must have happened to the Jian Family, or why is the mansion so strange?” She heaved a sigh in secret. She was a member of the Jian Family now. However, as Jian Xubai didn"t tell her such kind of family private affairs, it was not appropriate for her to pry after she was just married to Jian Xubai.

“Only two of us live here but there are so many servants. Why do we need so many people to serve us?” After these people were done with greeting, it was at dusk. Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao returned to the back yard and had supper roughly. Having taken a bath, they were both back to their bedroom. Song Yixiao proposed, “I think we should reduce the staff in the mansion!”

Jian Xubai said, “I feel the same way. I raised this when I just came back. The old rats showed strong disagreement back then. I was too occupied with the court affairs so I couldn"t spare any time to badger with them. Then I just laid it aside. I"m afraid that they would take it as a victory. Now if you raise it again, they must react very strongly.”

Sensing the mockery in his words, Song Yixiao stayed silent for a while and then asked, “How many of them were left by your grandfather, who I must show respect for somehow?”

“Servants are servants.” Jian Xubai said casually, “You don"t need to mind whom they used to work for or show respect for anyone. As long as they are not obedient or get in our way, you just dispose of them as it should be. It"s fine if you expel them. We can buy some more if we have to. After all, we are not afraid of having no servants.”

It seemed that those old rats had irritated him greatly.

Song Yixiao speculated about his voice and mood and had a feeling that he didn"t respect Jian Pingyu either. Inevitably, she felt even more confused about what had happened the three generations of the Jian Family.

“I must find a good reason.” She pondered for a while and said carefully, “The personnel must be reduced, but putting aside the seniors, if I send away the servants without rhyme or reason, people will gossip. By then, the seniors will worry about us! Hence, I must find a good reason.”

Speaking of this, she saw Jian Xubai nod his head and then continued, “It"s not that I want to be particular about Cuipiao. Yet, what she did last night is not forgivable. Others don"t know that she was worried about your health. In their eyes, what she did was against the rules!”

“I told you that I would punish her.” Jian Xubai answered in a calm voice.

“As per what you said, quite some servants in the mansion want to bully their masters in light of their working seniority.” Song Yixiao didn"t respond to his words. Punishing the maid perfunctorily without convicting her of the fault could never rip them all out, root and stem. Instead, it would easily make her be reproached for jealousy. Was she that stupid?

Then she spoke of her aim, “Therefore, before dealing with them, we had better use our close maids as leverage to set an example.”

If their close maids made a mistake, they must be severely punished so as to convince the majority!

Having sensed what she really meant, Jian Xubai frowned and said, “What are you going to do?”

“Didn"t you say that you would ask her yourself?” Song Yixiao smiled and yet threw the question back, “I only want to give you a reminder. As to how to do it, I must discuss with you after you finish asking. Maybe she has some unspeakable or forgivable reasons?”

Jian Xubai gave a complacent smile and then asked, “If she gives a forgivable reason and you fail to set a good example, what will you do?”

“If someone is guilty, you can always name a charge.” Song Yixiao rolled her bracelet with a casual air, “Moreover, the servants in the mansion are so arrogant that even you find them tough to handle. Why can"t I find their faults? However, I am new here and barely know the way out of the yard. It is not an easy job to expel these sly servants!”

Jian Xubai took a look at the water clock and thought for a while. He didn"t show his att.i.tude and only said, “It"s too late. Let"s go to bed first.”

This man was vengeful indeed. He was rejected by Song Yixiao last night. Today after they went into the bed net, they both took off the outer garments. Wearing the underwear, he was staring at Song Yixiao"s exposed skin in an extremely peaceful way. Apparently, he was determined to complete the consummation temporarily!

He put on a haughty and aloof look. Although Song Yixiao had complex feelings, she was not that shameless to seek for s.e.xual intercourse from her husband. Hence, she didn"t mention it either. After putting out the light, they slept together on the bed, not even touching each other"s arms.

“I must make up an excuse to frame Qiaoqin and Jinxun tomorrow!” Song Yixiao thought secretly, “Otherwise, if Mother knows about it, she will criticize me for being willful!”

However, the next morning, after they got up, Cuipiao served Jian Xubai first and then looked at Song Yixiao who was still selecting the hair pins. She suddenly reported, “Your Highness, the one who exchanged the Yewu Paste when you and Her Highness were at the wedding ceremony was found out. How to deal with him then?”

She was humble and soft, but she gave a complacent smile when she lowered her head. Jian Xubai didn"t like managing the servants. She had been serving him since she was a child. Of course she knew him well. The reason why he married Song Yixiao was merely that he felt that this woman of plain birth could deal with these people.

However, Song Yixiao was just married to him so she couldn"t be able to recognize all the people in the mansion while Cuipiao found a breakthrough point!

Then even if the rest was handed over to Song Yixiao, the primary credit would be attributed to her!

“Song Yixiao, you are only a stepdaughter! If His Highness didn"t need a sensible wife, you could never marry him!” Cuipiao thought with disdain. “In terms of solving difficulties for His Highness, you are no match for me! Apart from being his wife, you should not covet anything else!”

She was waiting anxiously for Jian Xubai"s order. However, Song Yixiao was staring at the shadow in the mirror nearby and smiled.

Jian Xubai stayed silent for a while and then said in a cold voice, “Now that this family has a mistress. What do you ask for my opinion about the household affairs?”