Chapter 34: Paying Back Debts

Pan Yueqing placed a big accusation on Nanny Mei and angrily pointed at her, shouting, "Tie her up, gag her mouth, and drag her outside! Beat her severely!"

Nanny Mei instinctively tried to run away, but she didn't expect that Luo Shui beside Pan Yueqing was actually a skilled fighter. Luo Shui took two or three steps forward, subdued Nanny Mei, and forced her to kneel on the ground, unable to move.

Realizing that she couldn't escape, Nanny Mei sat on the ground like a shrew and started shouting loudly. "When the Miss was handed over to me, she was as small as a kitten. Over the years, even if I don't have any credit, I have put in a lot of effort! There are so many people coming and going in the small kitchen. Anyone could have tampered with the food! Even if the Miss dislikes this old woman, she shouldn't accuse me of such a heartless crime!"

After saying that, she actually managed to force out some tears and cried, "The Madam trusted me so much back then. Who would have thought that after the Miss was away from me for a while, she would want to get rid of this old woman!"

"Pah!" Luo Shui couldn't stand it anymore and spat on Nanny Mei's face. "If you were really that loyal, you should have gone to the countryside with the Miss. Why were you only focused on the happy events in your own family? Have you forgotten how your family turned things around? What credit or effort do you have? You nursed our Miss, and you were given four taels of silver as your monthly allowance every month. Was there ever a shortage?"

Nanny Mei wailed and complained several times. Eventually, she woke up Gu Pan and Wan'er, who had taken calming medicine in the side room. The two of them supported each other and came out of the room. From a distance, they saw Nanny Liu, who was close to the Old Madam Pan, coming with a group of maids. Wan'er, who had an injury on her leg and couldn't run for the moment, nudged Gu Pan and told her to quickly inform the Miss.

In front of the main courtyard, Gu Pan's face was pale. She leaned on the door frame and curtsied slightly to Pan Yueqing, her voice hoarse. "Miss, Nanny Liu beside the Old Madam is here."

They're here to make trouble. Pan Yueqing stood up and personally helped Gu Pan, soothing her softly. "I know. Go and rest quickly." Gu Pan nodded slightly. After going through so many things, she had great confidence in the Miss's abilities.

"Oh dear, what's all this commotion?" Nanny Liu's voice suddenly came from the door. She was originally the Old Madam's dowry maid. Presumably, the maids in the courtyard heard the commotion inside and informed the Old Madam. She was coming through the moon-shaped gate, representing the Old Madam and surrounded by a group of maids.

Nanny Liu was originally highly respected in the inner courtyard. On weekdays, the young ladies also treated her with respect as someone close to the Old Madam and greeted her accordingly. Now, she glanced slightly at Pan Yueqing, who was sitting on the stool and had no intention of getting up to greet her. Although she was unhappy in her heart, she still put on a kind smile on her face. "Second Miss, what did this old thing do to make you unhappy? You should respect yourself and don't have to argue with such people."

"Nanny Liu makes it sound so easy," Pan Yueqing didn't have a good expression either. There had just been a commotion in the front courtyard, and it hadn't quieted down much. Now, another troublesome person had come! She sneered. "It's disrespectful for me to deal with the people in my own courtyard. Then I'll take her to Father and let him judge what's right and what's wrong!" After saying that, she told Luo Shui to tie the person up with a thick rope.

"Second Miss!" Nanny Liu grabbed Pan Yueqing and smiled apologetically. "That's not what I meant, Madam. It's not too much to beat a servant who angers the master to death. However..."

Before Nanny Liu could finish, Pan Yueqing glared at the maids behind Nanny Liu. "Did you hear that? Nanny Liu said it's okay to beat her to death. Why haven't you dragged her out yet?!" Seeing that no one moved, she sneered. "What? Can't I even order the people beside the Old Madam?"

The maids in the courtyard looked at each other. In the end, no one took a step forward. After a long while, a maid named Xia Yang, who had helped Pan Yueqing keep the plum blossom morning dew, bravely stepped forward and bent down. "This maid, Xia Yang, is willing to follow the Miss's orders."

Pan Yueqing looked deeply at this girl named Xia Yang and nodded with satisfaction.

Seeing Pan Yueqing's tough attitude, Nanny Liu put on a stern face and said sinisterly, "Miss, Nanny Mei is your wet nurse. Even the current Emperor respects his wet nurse very much. In a family like ours, we can't let out any rumors about mistreating servants!"

It's as if no one had died in Liu Yingwei's Han Dan Courtyard. Pan Yueqing didn't care at all and pursed her lips. She no longer had any good expression for Nanny Liu. She simply sat down on the chair, picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and raised her eyes to see the new person in charge of the Pan Mansion's inner courtyard outside the moon-shaped gate - Concubine Li, Li Rou.

Li Rou was naturally delicate and gentle. She wasn't as ostentatious as Liu Yingwei had been. She was very strict in observing the rules of a concubine. She only had two personal maids by her side.

As soon as Li Rou entered the door, she nodded slightly to Pan Yueqing. After receiving Pan Yueqing's invitation to have tea, she sat on the chair. Her gaze calmly fell on Nanny Mei, who was kneeling on the ground, and her tone was also very calm. "I heard that the wet nurse beside Second Miss offended the Miss. Since I've just taken charge of the household, I thought I couldn't not come and take a look, so I came on my own initiative."

"You're being too polite, Concubine Li. Now that you're in charge of the inner courtyard, it's only natural for you to come and have a look," Pan Yueqing stirred the tea cup and smiled calmly. She had a relatively good impression of Li Rou. At least when she was in a difficult situation, Li Rou had secretly helped her. Even on the carriage when she was sent to Pinglong Nunnery, Li Rou had secretly asked someone to give her some silver.

Li Rou smiled slightly and greeted Nanny Liu. "Nanny Liu." Her attitude was clear. She obviously didn't want to get involved in this matter and was just there to be a witness.

Nanny Liu glanced at Li Rou. She had originally looked down on this Concubine Li the most, but now Li Rou held real power. She glanced at Pan Yueqing and hid the sinister look on her face. "I'm just advising Second Miss to consider the family's reputation a bit. In a family like ours, how can we let out rumors of mistreating servants? Moreover, this Nanny Mei is Second Miss's wet nurse. Second Miss is smart since childhood and will surely understand."

"I can't," Pan Yueqing interrupted. Her gaze was firm as she looked at Li Rou. "This old hag tried to take my life. She pretended to care and made soup, but she put poison in it. Now that Concubine Li is in charge of the household affairs, you should be fair in rewarding and punishing. If you don't believe me, look at the silver chopsticks." Pan Yueqing presented the silver chopsticks, whose tips had turned completely black.

Li Rou picked up the chopsticks with her fingers. Looking at the completely black tips, she lowered her eyes to hide all her emotions and just silently looked at Nanny Liu.

Li Rou raised her eyes and looked at Nanny Liu. "Nanny Liu was reckless today. Even if she's the Miss's wet nurse, after all, she's a servant. A servant who tries to harm the master can be killed without being too much."

She twirled the silver chopsticks in her jade-like hand and handed them to Xia Yang behind her. She slightly raised her chin and looked at Nanny Mei, who was kneeling on the ground. "I don't want her life either. Over the years, she stole my things. I want her to tell me one by one how she turned those things into silver and sent them out. She has to give them all back to me bit by bit!"