The Battle of the Noble Ladies

Chapter 7 - Preparation (Part 1)

Luyi and Hongyu obediently went to the steward to receive their punishment. When they returned, their palms were swollen, visibly painful. 

The younger maids gathered around, trying to comfort them with sympathetic words. Some complained that Song Chuyi was too harsh, punishing Luyi and Hongyu despite their loyalty. 

No one in the house had ever heard of Miss Song sending her close maids to the steward for punishment—this was a first for the Sixth Miss.

Hongyu, usually quiet and composed, just silently shed tears, while Luyi, feeling both aggrieved and confused by the sudden punishment, sent everyone away and buried herself under the covers, crying in secret.

By the time evening came, both Luyi and Hongyu's eyes were swollen like walnuts, and their subdued behavior seemed out of the ordinary. As Luyi was about to leave after adding incense to the burner, Song Chuyi called her back, "Luyi!"

Luyi immediately stopped in her tracks, bowing her head with apprehension.

Seeing their fear, Song Chuyi sighed and asked, "Are you upset with me?"

To say they weren't upset would be a lie. They were Song Chuyi's personal maids, treated almost like junior mistresses. Having grown up with her, their relationship was deep. Yet, they had been publicly punished for such a trivial matter, which left them feeling humiliated and wronged.

The two exchanged a glance but remained silent.

"I know you feel wronged." Song Chuyi set down the book she had been reading, walked over, and took Hongyu's hand, saying gently, "But I couldn't avoid punishing you today."

"Miss..." Hongyu's eyes reddened again with grievance, her voice trembling, "I..."

Song Chuyi handed her a handkerchief and smiled. "Do you think I was making a big deal out of a small matter today?"

After some hesitation, Hongyu, despite Luyi signaling her to keep quiet, nodded honestly.

"You two!" Song Chuyi asked them, "Where do you come from?"

The question left them both confused, unable to answer for a while.

"You two are from the Cui family, house-born servants. If it weren't for my mother and me, you would have nothing to do with the residence, right?" Song Chuyi continued, speaking slowly as she saw their puzzled expressions. "And where did Huangyao come from?"

Hongyu still looked lost, but Luyi suddenly realized and gasped, "Miss!"

Luyi was different from Hongyu. She was Nanny Xu's youngest daughter and had grown up alongside Song Chuyi, practically like sisters. With Nanny Xu's guidance, she had always been cautious about Lady Li and her people. 

However, Song Chuyi treated Lady Li like her own mother, sharing a close bond. Nanny Xu and Luyi had tried to advise her, but when their advice failed, they too became complacent over time.

Nanny Xu had been fretful, wishing she had more hands to protect Song Chuyi, constantly reminding Luyi to stay vigilant. But with Song Chuyi unaware of the true situation, Luyi, still a child at heart, had let her guard down around people like Huangyao, who knew how to flatter and play nice.

Now, hearing Song Chuyi speak this way, Luyi felt both relief and astonishment, her resentment melting away. She cried, "Miss, I understand now."

Hongyu, too, after some thought, realized the underlying issues. She felt a mix of fear and concern for Song Chuyi. "But Miss, Lady Li has always treated you so kindly..."

"A show of kindness won't last forever," Song Chuyi replied with a smile. "And now, haven't I already slapped her in the face?"

Thinking about how Huangyao had disappeared after dinner, Hongyu grew worried. "But Huangyao must have gone to Lady Li's quarters by now. If Lady Li finds out that you punished her because she entered your room, she won't let it go easily."

Luyi nodded, looking at Song Chuyi with confusion. "Miss, how did you figure all this out so suddenly?"

"It wasn't sudden," Song Chuyi smiled wryly. "It took a lifetime to realize."

Seeing their puzzled faces, she explained, "Think about it carefully. I was genuinely ill for over a month, so why did the Third Lady hear that I was pretending to be sick? When I went to pay respects to Grandmother, both Lady Li and Eighth Miss, who could speak for me, were conveniently absent. If I had quarreled with Third Lady and Fourth Miss then and called Lady Li and others over, even if she supported my claim of being ill, everyone would think she was covering for me. What kind of person would I become in Grandmother's eyes then?"

Hongyu, who hadn't been present at the time, had heard the story from Luyi and now felt a deep sense of fear. If even the Old Lady stopped caring for Song Chuyi, she truly would be at the mercy of Lady Li, with no one to rely on.

Luyi clenched her teeth in frustration. "I knew Huangyao was no good. That day, she tried to provoke you into arguing with Fourth Miss and kept urging you to get closer to Lady Li."

"It's good that you both understand now," Song Chuyi said, sincerely taking their hands. "You were both entrusted to me by my mother. In the past, I was foolish and only listened to flattering words, neglecting you two. That was my mistake. Now, the entire West Wing is filled with Lady Li's people. Besides Nanny Xu, you two are the only ones I can trust. Today, I was reviewing my mother's belongings with Nanny Xu, which is why I was so strict about guarding the room. Letting Huangyao in could have led to a huge problem. In these high-ranking families, even the smallest misstep can give others something to use against you. If the wrong people had gotten involved today, it could have been used as an excuse to send you both away. Do you understand?"

Wiping cold sweat from their foreheads, Luyi and Hongyu finally realized the gravity of the situation. As non-houseborn servants, they had no solid footing in the Bo residence. If they were driven out, there would be no way for them to return. The thought filled Hongyu with fear for Song Chuyi's safety. "But what about Lady Li? How can we handle her? We can't guard against her forever."

Song Chuyi handed them two small boxes of ointment. "These are purple gold blood-circulation pills. Apply them to your hands, and the swelling will go down quickly. As for Lady Li, time will tell."