Chapter 70
While Shu Huan was immersed in her thoughts, the maid that dragged her out was already scolding another little maid who came with a tray, "I told you to go bring some sour plum soup and you vanished. Why did you still return? Why didn’t you continue to go play?"
The little maid said terrified, "Big sister Peiyu, I didn’t go play. The cook had used all the ice. I was waiting for the housekeeper to open the icehouse. This is why..."
That Peiyu interrupted her impatiently, "Alright, you don’t have to say more. Put the tray down and go call nanny Guan. If you’re late again, wait to be beaten!"
The little maid looked once timidly at Shu Huan, "Then...if nanny Guan ask what the matter is, what do I say?"
Peiyu stomped her feet from impatience, "Say that there is an urgent matter and let her bring two guards. Go quickly."
The little maid put the tray on the flat ground and walked away slowly. Shu Huan didn’t know if she was originally slow like this or that she was deliberately going against Peiyu, but that slow appearance made Peiyu furious. She shouted at her, "Run"!
"Oh," That little maid began to slowly run.
Peiyu looked at her back and gritted her teeth for quite a while. Then, she turned and swept once over Shu Huan. She threw the handkerchief that she had twisted into a ball at Shu Huan and coldly said, "Block your mouth yourself. If you let a word out about what had happened just now, my miss will let you die even more miserably!"
When the handkerchief flew over, it brought a strong fragrant wind. Shu Huan didn’t know how many aromas was used on it, but it made her sneeze twice. She didn’t take joy in self-abuse; how could she do as the maid say? She only looked ridiculously at the handkerchief in her hand and said, "The embroidery is very delicate, but I think you have misunderstood. I didn’t peek at your miss taking a bath because I am also a..."
The word "girl" hasn’t been said yet when Peiyu’s willow-leaf shaped eyebrows rose. She took the handkerchief back. and fiercely interrupted her, "A filthy servant with other thoughts. Don’t you know what kind of place here is? After doing such a shameless thing, you still dare to say that it is a misunderstanding?! Could it be that when your second young mistress is at home, you would also walk in openly like this?"
Looking at her overbearing appearance, those who didn’t know would think that she was the master and not the servant!
Shu Huan got a bit impatient, raised an eyebrow and said, "Of course! I am..."
She is Gu household’s second young mistress!
Wasn’t walking openly into the hot spring a very normal thing? However, it seemed that Peiyu had the habit of only listening to half of what others had to say and she also liked to interrupt people. She (P) didn’t wait for her to finish when she (P) spit on her and said, "I didn’t think that your Gu household hid dirt and accept wrongdoings like this!"
"..."
What was she (P) thinking about?
Shu Huan felt that it was laughable. She couldn’t help but straighten her face and said, "Are such words something you should say?"
There was reproach in her tone and she was cool and collected which startled Peiyu. Then, she answered with an even colder voice, "What if I had said them?"
Shu Huan raised her eyes. With the help of the light of the lanterns hung on the trees, she saw that the girl who was soaking in the hot spring just now had walked out dressed neatly. Her face was cold like ice and she had an arrogant aura. She glanced scornfully at Shu Huan and reprimanded Peiyu, "Why are you still here? Why didn’t you slap his mouth? Are you still waiting for me to argue with this dirty slave?"
Shu Huan was dressed like a servant and looked very young. Her body was thin and didn’t look like someone who could counterattack. Hence, Peiyu went forward and raised her hand. A slap went to Shu Huan’s face.
If she had wanted to explain before, but now, Shu Huan was already angry from being entangled. She had never seen such a master and servant who liked to rebuke people and would beat someone without having made the matter clear. Therefore, when she saw Peiyu’s slap come at her, she dodged and then reached out her foot under Peiyu’s foot. This maid stumbled and almost fell.
Shu Huan took a deep breath. It seemed that she didn’t stay for nothing on the mountain these past few days. She had learned some Kungfu from Du Qiu to defend herself. Although, it was without much substance, but the effect was remarkable when being used at this moment.
It wasn’t easy for Peiyu to stabilize her body. She turned her head and glared angrily at her, "You..."
This time, it was Shu Huan’s turn to interrupt her, "What you? Before you hit people, you should wait till you have understood the matter!"
While talking, she took off the hat on her head. Hair fell down. She put the hair behind her ears and revealed her earlobe. She pointed at the hole on it and said, "Every time, when I wanted to explain, I was interrupted by you. Did you see now? I am a girl! Just now, I didn’t know that there was someone inside. That was why I went in. I didn’t mean to offend. If you are angry, I can apologize. I’m sorry. Please, forgive my unintentional behavior."
After she apologize, she saw that the master and servant were staring blankly at her. She said, "If there is nothing else, can I leave now?"
After the girl heard that, she was astounded. Then, she was greatly relieved. However, that neither servile nor overbearing attitude of Shu Huan made her very uncomfortable. Hence, she said with a cold face, "Why does Gu household have such an unruly thing like you?! Sneaked in while I was bathing and hit my maid. Is an apologize enough?"
When would this be over?
Shu Huan pressed down her anger and said frowningly, "Then, what do you want?"
That girl said arrogantly, "Kneel and kowtow three times at me. And then, go to you housekeeper to receive forty beatings!"
Shu Huan looked silently at her. In fact, she had already guessed it. To be able to act so arrogantly here, see herself as the master of this resort and could punish servants randomly, aside from the legitimate daughter of Zhang family that Gu Xihe mentioned, Gu Xiran’s little cousin sister, who else could it be? However, she didn’t expect that after the matter was explained, the other party was still unwilling to forgive.
It was impossible for her to kneel and kowtow. If she revealed her identity of Gu household second young mistress now, it would undoubtedly be a slap in Zhang Hanfang’s face, sweep her prestige completely and let her have no way out of this embarrassment. It would be difficult to say what kind of reaction she would have by then. Perhaps, she would make the matter even bigger...
Shu Huan was still hesitating when Zhang Hanfang couldn’t wait anymore and yelled, "Kneel!"
"Why should I!?" Shu Huan raised her head and swept tauntingly at Peiyu. "If you want to punish me, why don’t you first punish your maid? If it wasn’t because she didn’t keep watch outside, how would I know that there was someone inside and entered? Moreover, it was she who first wanted to slap me. I only dodged. I didn’t hurt her at all!"
Originally, Peiyu was secretly rejoicing that this person wasn’t a man. Otherwise, she wouldn’t escape the crime of being negligent afterwards. What was more was that knowing that their miss’s body had seen by a man was a big crime. It would be strange if she wasn’t made mute and sold or secretly killed. Hence, she was rejoicing relaxed at other people misfortune. She didn’t expect that Shu Huan would put the fire on her body. When she saw that the gaze that Zhang Hanfang swept at her was with resentment, she couldn’t help but quiver from fear.
However, no one knew the master better than the servant. She knew that Zhang Hanfang was someone who liked to have face. She must let her get some face back first and to vent her anger. Then, she (P) could handle her (ZHF) easier later. Hence, she braced herself and said, "Whether to punish me or not is my miss’s matter. You have no right to meddle. First, kneel before our miss before we continue to talk!"