His words, just like cold water, were directly poured to Cuipiao"s head. She stopped smiling instantly, “Your Highness, I…”

“Such things are in the charge of your mistress from now on!” As Song Yixiao just put on the last jade hairpin, Jian Xubai stood by her. He took the sh.e.l.l black pigment, saying impatiently, “You are a maid, who should be supervised by the mistress. Am I understood?”

Song Yixiao slightly turned around so that her husband could pencil her eyebrows. She couldn"t help smiling with mockery and thought to herself. How dare this maid try to turn her into a mere figurehead? How bold!

It was a pity that Jian Xubai had chosen the one to help him deal with the household affairs. Unless Song Yixiao really let him down, a maid could never get a chance to make a mess!

“Cuipiao, come to report to me after the meal.” When Jian Xubai finished penciling her eyebrows, Song Yixiao went out of the inner chamber together with him. When they walked across Cuipiao, who was frightened with a pale face, Song Yixiao said causally, “It is about my husband"s health. How can I not be careful?”

While saying so, she cast sheep"s eyes at Jian Xubai. At the moment, it happened that two servants were walking across the opposite corridor. Jian Xubai, who had been cold and indifferent, immediately put on a smile. He reached out his hand and helped roll on Song Yixiao"s cape, saying in a soft voice, “I"m okay. Don"t exhaust yourself.”

He paid no attention to the word “report” that Song Yixiao emphasized on purpose.

They had breakfast lovely. Afterwards, Jian Xubai accompanied his wife to take a walk in the yard and went to the study in the front yard to deal with his work.

As he left, Song Yixiao returned to the main hall and sat down, ordering, “Ask Cuipiao to meet me here!”

Jian Xubai had stressed that his wife was the mistress in the mansion. Cuipiao was grieved but she didn"t dare to reject her summoning.

However, after she arrived here, inevitably she appeared disgruntled somehow.

Song Yixiao stared at her with cold eyes and yet didn"t point it out but to ask, “There was something wrong with my husband"s medicine. I will not talk about your intention! Just tell me who did it!”

“Mistress, it is not like that!” Song Yixiao didn"t intend to shed all pretenses of cordiality. Unexpectedly, such a question made Cuipiao take a desperate attempt. She snorted, “On the wedding day, I told you that I had served His Highness for 12 years. I may have made some mistakes but I am working conscientiously and diligently for him. This time, something is wrong with His Highness"s medicine. Yesterday you saw how many servants there were in Duke of Yan"s mansion! It is not easy for me to find out about that. Could you please tell me how to make sure that not a single drop leaks out?”

“You are quick of wit and eloquent!” Song Yixiao put down the tea bowl and smiled gently, “It"s me who am asking. Now you become the asker?”

Cuipiao didn"t believe that this newly wedded mistress dared to do something against her, a used-to-be imperial maid who served Jian Xubai for many years.

Therefore, she rebuked recklessly, “You just blamed me for failing to serve His Highness well without rhyme. Of course I am not convinced!”

“It"s okay that you are not convinced for being questioned by me.” Song Yixiao, still looking gracious and amiable, said, “I can make you convinced by teaching you a lesson!”

Then she looked to Qiaoqin, who still persuaded Song Yixiao not to be soft-hearted. Without hesitation, she walked forward for two steps and gave Cuipiao a slap in the face!

Cuipiao even went around in half a circle in situ and then yelled unbelievably, “You… I am designated by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager…”

“You are designated by the Empress Dowager indeed. So what?” Song Yixiao lifted the tea cover, which was made of white glazed porcelain with gilded branches and chrysanthemum leaves, and blew the tea, saying with a casual air, “My marriage is granted with an imperial decree! Xubai and I got married just because of the Empress Dowager. You are only a maid. How dare you compare you with me? You shameless thing! Do you really think that I cannot teach you a lesson?”

Qiaoqin heard that and then gave Cuipiao another slap, saying with a sneer, “How dare you claim that you serve His Highness conscientiously and diligently? Just now His Highness said that maids should be supervised by the mistress. However, when the mistress asked you a question, how did you answer? Obviously, you don"t take His Highness"s words seriously. How can you say that you serve His Highness conscientiously and diligently?”

“Don"t slap in her face only.” Holding the tea bowl, Song Yixiao stared at Cuipiao"s red and swollen cheeks and said amicably, “A young girl"s face is very important, especially before she gets married. So it is with a maid.”

She ordered in a casual voice, “Now that her face looks like this, I"m afraid that she cannot go out for some time. Therefore, you may as well break her leg so that she can rest for recuperation!”

Instantly, not a sound could be heard in the room!

Even Qiaoqin couldn"t help wondering whether it went too far to take such a harsh move.

She hedged and ventured a question, “This maid looks too fragile to stand a gust of wind. If she pa.s.ses out after her leg is broken, will it hinder you from questioning her?”

Song Yixiao still remained composed and yet felt happy with Qiaoqin"s quick wit. Of course she only wanted to intimidate Cuipiao by claiming to break her leg. Jinxun was still too young and inexperienced to take the hint and react. Without Qiaoqin mediating, Song Yixiao could have no way to back down!

“Look at her unruly behavior. She will not answer me after all.” She put down the tea bowl on the table and snorted, “Why do I waste the time? Xubai will come back and have lunch me later. By then I can tell him about this maid"s arrogance!”

Cuipiao was so furious with her hands trembling nonstop. She made up her mind to say nothing! However, in light of Song Yixiao"s words, she would be beaten to a coma so that Song Yixiao could complain to Jian Xubai about her?

Now Jian Xubai pointed it out in front of Cuipiao that he “doted” on his wife by claiming that all the household affairs should be in the charge of Song Yixiao. Cuipiao was thinking that if she was not at present by then, Song Yixiao would talk nonsense and attribute all the faults to her?

Therefore, she couldn"t let others break her legs. If she really pa.s.sed out, in light of Song Yixiao"s cruelty, she might not be able to meet Jian Xubai anymore in the guise of recuperation!

In thinking so, she held back her anger to lower her head and started to confess about the Yewu Paste being subst.i.tuted…

Because Jian Xubai"s being poisoned couldn"t be known by others, he also avoided being known when he took the cure.

Of course, it was his trusted subordinates who kept the cure for him.

Generally, the Yewu Paste could never be stealthily subst.i.tuted.

Yet, his trusted subordinates were occupied with preparing for the wedding ceremony in Duke of Yan"s mansion the day before yesterday. It was not very cold that day, so he didn"t wear too many clothes. Hence, he had to put the cure into his study temporarily rather than take it with him.

“That night, the Chief House Steward and the Second House Steward went to the study.” Cuipiao lowered her head to cover the fierceness in her eyes, “But they didn"t have any special reason to go into the study.”

Song Yixiao asked aloofly, “Have you found out what the fake Yewu Paste that Xubai ate at first was made of? Does it do harm to his health?”

“Eunuch Ji investigated into it that night. It was harmless.” Cuipiao answered through clenched teeth.

“It seems that the ringleader had a sense of propriety!” Song Yixiao took a glance at her with disdain, “However, since he dared to do something about Xubai"s medicine, he must hold a malicious intention! In the end, the medicine turns out to be harmless to Xubai. It is quite weird, right?”

This must be plotted by Cuipiao, which was known by not only Song Yixiao but also Jian Xubai. Otherwise, on the night of the wedding ceremony, when Song Yixiao asked him whether he was fine for taking the fake Yewu Paste, why did he say that he was fine since Cuipiao didn"t send for a doctor?

The maid was bold enough to believe that she could offset the fault of disturbing her master"s wedding night by dragging two house stewards into this?

Cuipiao didn"t respond but to keep silent with her head lowered.

Song Yixiao thought for a while and then ordered the maids, “Take her away! Let her rest well and stay indoors!”

Qiaoqin took the order and went out to call for more people. Cuipiao was surprised to hear that and said consciously, “Why don"t you summon the two house stewards to confront me?”

Jian Xubai"s att.i.tude of hating the old servants was very clear. Cuipiao was sure that Song Yixiao must have known that. Otherwise, she wouldn"t put on this show. In her eyes, Song Yixiao could push the boat with the current and summon the two house stewards to confront her so as to harvest the fruits. Why did Song Yixiao let her leave?

“His Highness hands over the household affairs to you and you are even afraid of two servants?” Cuipiao thought back and forth and could only think of this reason why she was asked to leave! Out of fear, anger and resentment, she yelled, “You…”

“What are you waiting for?” While appreciating her nail polish, Song Yixiao reproached. Qiaoqin shouted instantly, “Keep her mouth shut now! How can such noise be allowed in the mansion?”

When Cuipiao was dragged away, the other servants also retreated outdoors. Qiaoqin and Jinxun looked each other in the eye. Then Qiaoqin poured a pot of new tea for Song Yixiao and asked in a low voice, “Your Ladyship, why don"t you summon the two house stewards? Make Cuipiao confront them so that you can have less trouble. Most importantly, I"m afraid that the two house stewards may think that you fear them!”

“If a mistress wants to teach a maid a good lesson, there are a lot of ways.” Holding the tea bowl, Song Yixiao shook her head slowly, “Is the maid"s way the only method to open up a new prospect? I questioned Cuipiao just now only to vent my anger. I have my own way of dealing with the servants in the mansion. No need to worry!”

Qiaoqin was not in a mood to ask her what she proposed, because she had the more important question to ask, “Just now Cuipiao said that on the night of your wedding ceremony, she…” Meanwhile she fixed her eyes on the position of Shougong Sand.

“As you know, he has to take the cure for a long time.” Song Yixiao supposed that they didn"t dare to confront Jian Xubai so she said casually, “Therefore, it is not suitable to have s.e.xual intercourse. Of course, it cannot be disclosed to the public!”

Qiaoqin was half dubious about her explanation but she couldn"t get to the root of her mistress"s private affairs. She made up her mind to report this to the Princess Consort.

It was time for Song Yixiao together with her husband to return to her mother"s home the next day. They went back to Prince of Hengshan"s mansion with gifts.

Wei Mengying"s belly was very big now. Three days ago, she was busy preparing for Song Yixiao"s wedding ceremony. For the sake of safety, she was still in bed, so she didn"t advance to meet them. Instead, she asked Prince of Hengshan to help receive her son-in-law and she summoned her daughter to have a chat by her bed.

After closing the door and asking the irrelevant people to leave, of course she asked her daughter whether she was fine over the past three days.

Hearing about what Cuipiao had done, she said with a calm look, “You"ve married into the purple. Inevitably, even the ordinary maids in Duke of Yan"s mansion are surely grieved, let alone the used-to-be maids of the Empress Dowager. You"ve done a good job. Regardless of their background, maids are maids! Since you are the mistress in the mansion, you must have such an imposing manner! Otherwise, how can you oversee the household affairs?”

She didn"t intend to teach her daughter how to manage the household affairs. After all, if her daughter was too capable and didn"t need her help, how could she manifest her value as a mother?

Then she asked about Song Yixiao"s private affairs, “Is he satisfied with you?”

Qiaoqin hadn"t got a chance to report to her so Wei Mengying didn"t know about it yet.

Song Yixiao puckered her mouth and then talked of the reason that she told Qiaoqin. Then she put on a bashful and disappointed look to muddle through.

Unexpectedly, after hearing out, Wei Mengying took a sip of the rose syrup calmly and said, “When I learnt about him being poisoned, I bribed the Commissioner of the Imperial Academy of Medicine with a big price.” She hedged, “The Commissioner is the one who took his pulse when he returned to court.”

Having said so, she stared at her daughter with mockery.

Song Yixiao had no other choice but to confess with fear, “I"m sorry! As you are about to give birth, I just don"t want to make you angry!”

“My nice girl!” Wei Mengying smiled, “I"m just talking. So you were lying indeed?”

Song Yixiao was awed that her mother was so scheming.

This day, Song Yixiao was seriously criticized by her mother and couldn"t go back until the dusk. After the carriage left the mansion, she wiped the sweat off her forehead with lingering fear.

Jian Xubai was still in the same carriage with her. Upon catching sight of Song Yixiao"s facial expression, he couldn"t help smiling possibly out of schadenfreude or sheer intention of smiling. At the moment, a horseman rushed towards them on a horse, reporting in a low voice via the curtain, “Your Highness, the house steward of the Pei Family asks to meet you for a report!”

“The Pei Family?” Jian Xubai looked Song Yixiao in the eye and both got confused, “Why does the Pei Family want to meet us?”

And they were so anxious that they had to rush towards the entrance of Prince of Hengshan"s mansion rather than wait in Duke of Yan"s mansion?