After a brief standoff, You Tong finally said, "In your eyes, my words as the young mistress have no weight, do you?"
This is using one's status to intimidate others.
Su Ruolan's ankles were numb from standing. Seeing You Tong bossing her around and making her stand there for so long under everyone's gaze, she felt utterly humiliated. She was both angry and annoyed, and the anger that had been building up for more than two months surged up like boiling water. The thought that she, the old lady's favored head maid, was being sent to clean the dusty storeroom only fueled her resentment and anger.
He then sneered, "Hmph, what are you pretending for if the narcissus isn't blooming! Does the young mistress think her virtue is worthy of her status?"
Upon hearing this, all the maids and servants in the courtyard gasped in shock.
You Tong's expression remained unchanged as she slowly said, "Tell me, where have I behaved improperly since I came to the Fu family?"
The sharp and confrontational words instantly froze the atmosphere in the courtyard into the dead of winter.
Everyone fell silent, not daring to speak. Outside the fence, Fu Lanyin was even more dumbfounded upon hearing this exchange.
...
Ever since she tasted radish cakes and crab meat dumplings at the South Tower that day, Fu Lanyin often came here looking for food. You Tong always treated her with care, and occasionally, when they met at Shou'an Hall, she would ask her what she wanted to eat and prepare a dish for her to try. After spending time together several times, she could clearly see that her second sister-in-law was kind and gentle, and quite considerate and approachable to Aunt Zhou and the maids.
She quite enjoyed the lively atmosphere of cooking in the South Building, and over time, she would unconsciously come to stroll around.
Because Fu Yu had recently returned, she was worried that You Tong would be reluctant to cook because of her second brother's cold and stern nature. She was originally a little disappointed, but when she strolled over during the hot midday, she could smell the fragrance from afar.
The source of this fragrance is self-evident.
Fu Lanyin was overjoyed and headed straight for the South Building.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving here, they heard You Tong and Su Ruolan arguing, and saw a stalemate through the haphazard fence.
Born into a prestigious family in Qizhou, she was privileged from a young age and pampered. In her eyes, maids and servants were naturally obedient and dutiful. Although she didn't fully understand You Tong's background, after spending time with her, she had a fairly good grasp of the situation. She also knew Su Ruolan's backer—the matriarch of Shou'an Hall. As someone close to an elder, she usually gave her some leeway. On her previous visits to Nanlou, seeing Su Ruolan's lazy and dismissive attitude, she hadn't said anything.
However, there is a distinction between master and servant, and Su Ruolan's actions were tantamount to a slave deceiving her master, which was extremely despicable.
If word gets out, people will only say that the Fu family has not disciplined its servants properly and has reversed the order of rank, making them a laughing stock!
Fu Lanyin didn't want to get involved in this matter, so after thinking about it, she went to the Two Books Pavilion herself to find Fu Yu.
Fu Yu had a relatively free day. After handling two miscellaneous matters, he found two volumes of landscape records in his study to browse through. Seeing that his younger sister had come all the way to invite him, he felt it was troublesome, but he still moved his golden feet and went to the South Tower.
The Two Books Pavilion wasn't too far from the South Building. When he arrived, You Tong and Su Ruolan were still locked in a stalemate.
The dishes were being prepared in the kitchen, filling the courtyard with their enticing aroma, yet no one dared to taste them. Each stood quietly in a secluded spot, holding their breath. Under the Banana Pavilion, You Tong leaned against a pillar, her face veiled in anger. Beside her, Yanbo Chuncao looked furious, while Su Ruolan stood there with her back straight, exuding an air of arrogance.
Among the people in the courtyard, You Tong, who was staring longingly at the door, was the first to notice him and slowly stood up.
"Husband," she called out, her face showing displeasure.
Of course she should be unhappy. Although You Tong has a bad reputation in the capital, she has never made a mistake since marrying into the Fu family. This marriage is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Although she needs to be careful with her words and actions, she is not here to be bullied.
As soon as You Tong spoke, Su Ruolan realized what was happening.
She never expected Fu Yu to come at this moment. Her expression changed drastically, and she immediately turned around and bowed respectfully. Before she could even utter the word "General," Fu Yu coldly rebuked her, "Kneel down!"
The voice was not loud, but it was solemn and cold, full of pressure.
Su Ruolan looked up in shock and saw Fu Yu's face was dark and emotionless, with only his cold and angry eyes that were awe-inspiring.
Fu Yu was in charge of military law, and was cold-blooded and ruthless. He never showed mercy when he struck, and even the toughest men in the army were wary of him. Whenever he was stern and angry, not a single servant in the entire mansion dared to meet his gaze.
Upon seeing this, Su Ruolan felt a chill run down her spine, her knees went weak, and she immediately knelt down.
The servants and maids throughout the courtyard seemed to be stunned by this angry rebuke, and hurriedly bowed. Some of the timid maids were even so frightened that they knelt down and lowered their heads.
Fu Yu walked in, his gaze falling on her like heavy swords.
Fu Lanyin had already briefly explained the situation at the South Tower. Fu Yu was unaware of the reason and details. Upon learning that it was a stalemate between master and servant, he first reprimanded the presumptuous Su Ruolan after entering the room, and then looked at You Tong.
Before the marriage, the Fu family investigated You Tong's background. Although some of the rumors and slanders were true, it was not untrue that Wei You Tong was arrogant and liked to nitpick. Fu Yu didn't know if today's events were a relapse of her old illness, but he was very unhappy to be disturbed by women's troubles for no reason.
He frowned, his expression imposing, and, taking advantage of his height, stared at You Tong with a condescending questioning tone.
"What happened?" he asked.
You Tong stood gracefully under the pavilion, meeting his gaze without flinching, and calmly said, "Discipline the maid."
Author's Note: You Tong's inner thoughts: Even though you're the savior my sister-in-law brought in, your maid doesn't follow the rules, and you still have the nerve to ask me? =.=
Chapter 12 Support
The early winter sun was warm, but the wind still carried a chill when it passed through the courtyard.
You Tong wore a thin, soft, gold-plated fur coat, its pale gold hue varying in depth, spreading like ripples and clouds. The coat was trimmed with embroidered floral patterns, and the hood had snow-white fur trim, which accentuated her delicate and fair skin and graceful neck. Her dark blue hair was styled in an updo, her hairpins swaying slightly, and her almond-shaped eyes held a gentle, limpid beauty. She was neither humble nor arrogant, neither hasty nor impatient.
—As if completely oblivious to his anger, she made such a commotion and acted with righteous indignation.
Fu Yu frowned even more deeply, his gaze like two sharp swords, and said in a deep voice, "Why discipline me?"
"Spreading rumors and gossiping." You Tong glanced at Su Ruolan and then casually added, "Not listening to instructions."
Why did things escalate to the point of being so tense over such a trivial matter?
Over the years, Fu Yu had dealt with mostly men in the military who had broken the rules, and hearing about this trivial matter gave him a real headache.
Marrying a woman is really troublesome!
He snorted lightly and said to the trembling Su Ruolan beside him, "Is that really true?"
"General, this servant wouldn't dare!" Su Ruolan quickly denied. Having lived in the Fu family for many years, she knew Fu Yu's temperament. This man was ambitious and disliked these trivial matters of the inner quarters, so she couldn't be bothered with them. In addition, the Fu family had strict rules, and the children and grandchildren all respected the old lady, secretly looking down on the infamous You Tong. That's why she dared to bully You Tong with impunity, hoping to suppress her arrogance while You Tong was still establishing herself. She planned to wait for the old lady to give her face, and then they could be evenly matched.
Who would have thought that Wei Youtong, seemingly gentle but actually cunning, would invite Fu Yu over for such a trivial matter?
Just now, Fu Yu's angry and imposing gaze swept over her like a blade, sending chills down her spine and leaving her speechless.
She knelt on the ground, the cold, hard stone bricks of winter chilling her to the bone. The cold seeped into her bones and spread all the way to the top of her head, making her mind a little clearer.
Knowing she was in the wrong, Su Ruolan dared not admit to spreading rumors. Instead, she downplayed the issue, saying, "I was entrusted by the old lady to serve the general here. I always keep in mind the rules taught in Shou'an Hall, so how could I dare to be presumptuous? Today, the young mistress ordered me to tidy up the storeroom, but I was rushing to finish the old lady's needlework and was afraid of delaying, so I had no choice but to decline."
As she spoke, two lines of tears rolled down her cheeks. She was as delicate as a pear blossom in the rain. She bowed to Fu Yu and said, "It was only because I was afraid of delaying things that I misunderstood. Who knew that such a small matter would alarm the general? I deserve to die."
His words made no mention of the previous incident, yet he managed to accuse You Tong of making a mountain out of a molehill.
Fu Yu never inquired about matters of the inner quarters, nor did he bother to ask in detail, but he knew that Su Ruolan was someone his grandmother had taught.
He had initially thought it was something serious, that Fu Lanyin would come looking for him so anxiously, but it turned out to be just a trivial matter. With tens of thousands of soldiers under his command, how could he have time to discuss such trivial matters? If Wei Youtong couldn't quell the disturbance, the rules of the manor would take care of it, and he didn't need to bother. So he frowned and said, "In that case, Aunt Zhou—go and ask Granny Zhu, who serves Grandmother, to handle it."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone before settling on You Tong.
"Such trivial matters can be reported to Shou'an Hall in the future; there is no need to make a scene."
Upon hearing this, You Tong raised the corners of her lips with interest.
...
After two months of patiently waiting and playing hard to get, You Tong's painstaking efforts were not only to teach Su Ruolan a lesson, but also to test Fu Yu's attitude.
Now it seems her earlier worries were justified. Fu Yu, a man of exceptional talent and ambition, is meticulous in military affairs but too lazy to concern himself with matters of the inner quarters. Such indifference makes him easily deceived by those with ulterior motives. With Shou'an Hall as her backer, Su Ruolan enjoys all the advantages. If Fu Yu is also too lazy to investigate further, she will find it difficult to even maintain a peaceful existence in her secluded corner. She will likely have to keep a low profile and swallow her anger.
She then tucked her sleeves behind her ear, raised her eyebrows slightly, and glanced at Fu Yu. Her bright eyes, though seemingly gentle, held a sharp edge and carried a hint of provocation.
Fu Yu was puzzled as to why she had such an expression.
Then You Tong said, "Aunt Zhou, you know everything that's going on inside and outside the South Tower. You've also seen how Sister Su has been acting lately. Since you've troubled your husband to come all this way, you can't leave empty-handed. Please tell him why I've made such a big fuss and insisted on disciplining her."
Aunt Zhou stood by the passageway and bowed in response.
She used to be a servant of Madam Tian, not a confidante but still highly regarded. After Madam Tian passed away, she was transferred to the South Building. When the Fu family held their wedding, Fu Deqing specifically asked her to go and give him some instructions, saying that regardless of the Wei family daughter's character, once she married into the family, she would be the young mistress of the Fu family. Fu Yu was busy and had no time for trivial matters, so he asked her to take good care of her.
Aunt Zhou was always upright and impartial. She had kept quiet before because of Shou'an Hall, but now she told the truth.
From Su Ruolan's initial disrespect, to her slander of You Tong behind his back, to her spreading rumors and slander everywhere, to her usual disobedience and arbitrariness, every single incident was recounted in a slow and gentle manner, without embellishment or concealment.
Finally, she curtsied to Fu Yu and said, "Young Madam respects her elders and originally wanted to let the matter rest. However, Miss Ruolan is too spoiled. If left unchecked, others might follow suit and break the rules. If this were to happen in front of the elders, it would damage the reputation of Shou'an Hall. That is why I am here to teach her a lesson."
After saying this, he bowed again and took half a step back.
The courtyard was completely silent. Su Ruolan knelt on the ground, her knees were ice cold, but fine beads of sweat had appeared on her forehead and body.
Fu Yu stood there, his face ashen, like a statue, his expression unreadable.
He originally thought that today's matter was insignificant, just a quarrel between women, so he was too lazy to bother to investigate it further.
Who knew so much was hidden behind this?
Spreading rumors, slander, deceiving one's master, breaking rules... Su Ruolan committed every imaginable vice. He had almost been deceived by her, thinking Wei Youtong was simply making a fuss over a relapse of her old illness, too lazy to question her further. He looked at Youtong with a cold, stern face and saw her composed expression, seemingly unconcerned, yet the hint of provocation lingered in her eyes.
In an instant, the embarrassment of being wrongly accused and the anger of being deceived surged forth.
The Fu family all laughed at the Wei family for their poor upbringing of their daughter, despising them and some even harboring contempt for them. Even he himself initially held a degree of disdain. But how strict were the rules within his dignified military governor's mansion, which commanded tens of thousands of troops with strict discipline?
Fu Yu looked at You Tong, his eyes swirling with a dark undercurrent, looking somewhat disheveled and filled with resentment.
After a moment, he turned his gaze to Su Ruolan.
It was like dark clouds gathering and pressing down on the city, so gloomy that people dared not even breathe.
Su Ruolan was terrified, feeling as if a heavy weight was pressing on her chest, almost suffocating her. Knowing she couldn't hide it any longer, she quickly lowered her head and pleaded, "General..." Her hands reached for the ground, and in her panic, she accidentally touched the hem of his black robe with deep purple cloud patterns.
Fu Yu lowered his eyes, assuming she was about to touch his leg. His brows furrowed instantly, and he instinctively lifted his leg to dodge.
With that movement, the pent-up anger within her burst forth like a floodgate bursting, the force of his leg causing Su Ruolan to groan and fall to the ground. Scattered withered branches lay beside the path, and her rarely used hands, sparsely covered them, leaving shallow cuts. She dared not even cry out in pain or plead, biting her lip tightly, daring not to utter another word.
The courtyard was deathly silent, with maids and servants scattered all over the place, not daring to utter a sound.
The air seemed to freeze, but You Tong broke the silence by picking up the books lying nearby and saying to Aunt Zhou, "Just do as my husband says, tell Granny Zhu the truth, and ask her to decide what to do."
Aunt Zhou respectfully agreed.
Fu Yu glanced at her, his gloomy eyes sweeping over the crowd, and said in a deep voice, "Wei is the lawfully wedded young mistress of Nanlou. Anyone who reverses the proper order of things and speaks ill of others will be severely punished! This person—" He pointed at Su Ruolan, "is not allowed to enter Nanlou again."
After saying that, he looked at You Tong with a hint of embarrassment and apology, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go inside."
The couple entered the room side by side, and only after the curtains were drawn did the oppressive and gloomy atmosphere ease.
The maids and servants, who were on tenterhooks, didn't dare to breathe loudly. When You Tong ordered them to bring the newly prepared dishes from the kitchen, they hurriedly obeyed and went to do so.
Su Ruolan was left slumped by the corridor. Her initial fear had subsided, but when she looked up and saw the stares from those around her, her face burned with embarrassment. She came from Shou'an Hall and was personally chosen by the Old Madam to serve her; everyone knew this and held her in high regard. In the past two months, she had also taken advantage of this, becoming increasingly arrogant and domineering, slandering and neglecting You Tong, displaying the airs of a soon-to-be concubine.
Who would have thought that I would suffer such a huge setback today!
If Fu Yu's stern rebuke of "Kneel down" when he entered the room was a merciless exposure of her lowly status, then his final angry kick was like a heavy slap to her face, shattering all her previous fantasies and smugness.
After a long period of self-satisfaction, she finally realized that in Fu Yu's eyes, she was still just a lowly maid, not even allowed to touch the hem of his robe. Fu Yu's act of reversing the hierarchy and accompanying Wei Shi into the household was clearly an attempt to support Wei Shi and make everyone in the courtyard recognize their respective statuses. The surrounding maids and servants had all witnessed the situation clearly, and while they felt awe, they could only imagine the mockery and ridicule they were secretly harboring towards her.
Su Ruolan's face burned, as if she were being roasted on a fire or thrown into an ice cellar; she felt extremely embarrassed.