Chapter 14: Training

 Chapter 14: Training 

"Not bad, not bad!" Chu Qianchen smiled in satisfaction, praising Hu Po with a cheerful tone, "Your hands are truly skillful."

"Thank you for your praise, young miss." Hu Po smiled and, while still beaming, brought over a basin of clean water to help Chu Qianchen wash her hands.

Chu Qianchen then said, "Hu Po, from now on, don’t let anyone come into this room."

"Understood," Hu Po replied, catching on immediately. "Young miss, just now, Jī mama came to pass on a message saying that there is no need to greet the Old Madam and Madam today."

Chu Qianchen nodded. It was likely that her legitimate mother and the Old Madam were with Fourth Master at the moment.

"Young miss, may I have someone fetch the evening meal early?" Hu Po asked before retreating.

Fetching meals was not a task that required Hu Po, the senior maid, to handle, but as she stepped out, the hall and courtyard were eerily silent. All the younger maids were absent, and no one knew where they had gone.

Hu Po understood immediately—Liu Li was scheming against the young miss.

She didn’t get angry, however. She quickly went to the kitchen herself, brought back the evening meal, and served it to Chu Qianchen.

Chu Qianchen looked at her with a faint smile, and that look made Hu Po’s heart race. She suddenly realized that the young miss seemed to know everything.

As Hu Po opened the meal box and laid out the dishes, Chu Qianchen’s soft voice drifted into her ears. "Hu Po, from now on, you’ll be in charge of this courtyard. If anyone is of no use, there’s no need to keep them. This courtyard is mine alone; I don’t need so many people serving me."

Hu Po’s heart skipped a beat. She raised her eyes to look at Chu Qianchen, meeting her dark, penetrating gaze.

If anyone in the household seemed inconspicuous and without standing, it would undoubtedly be her young miss.

But now, for some unknown reason, the young miss seemed to have changed.

Thinking back, it seemed that ever since the young miss woke up after falling into the water a few days ago, there had been a subtle shift in her. It was as if she had been reborn, or like a pearl covered in dust finally shining through, revealing her brilliance.

After dinner, Chu Qianchen went alone to the small study. She did not ask Hu Po to attend to her writing and sent her away instead.

She had made her intentions clear. Now it depended on whether Hu Po could manage the Wan Yan Courtyard. If she couldn’t, there was no need to force it, and Chu Qianchen planned to ask her legitimate mother to assign a proper stewardess.

She had too many things to do and didn’t want to waste energy on power struggles with the servants.

Hu Po directly returned to the rear chamber where she shared a room with Liu Li. From a distance, she saw the oil lamp in the room still burning, and as she approached, she overheard the chatter of the younger maids inside:

"Sister Liu Li, are you really leaving?" 

"How can the young miss just send sister Liu Li away like that?"

"Exactly, exactly."

Liu Li, hearing this, smiled faintly. While packing her belongings, she said, "Ah, since the young miss wants to send me away, why should I cling to staying?"

A young maid in blue hurriedly grabbed Liu Li's hand. "sister Liu Li, if you leave, we’ll have no one to rely on."

"Yes, this courtyard is like the cold palace in those plays; there’s no hope for us here." Another young maid in green echoed.

"Don’t say it like that," Liu Li chuckled lightly. "Today, the second young miss saved Fourth Young Master and made quite a splash in front of the madam."

The younger maids didn’t seem impressed and chattered away, "So what if she did? The second young miss isn’t from the madam’s womb."

"Even if the second young miss flatters the madam, she’s just a concubine’s daughter."

"It’s better to rely on Concubine Jiang’s favor..."

The young maids all knew that Liu Li had been given to the young miss by Concubine Jiang, and she was trusted by her. For them, following a neglected concubine’s daughter had no future. Even the usual rewards they received were far fewer compared to other courtyards, let alone anything else.

Liu Li smiled and continued, "It’s not difficult, you all..."

Liu Li deliberately spoke in such a way. Since Chu Qianchen was sending her away, she wanted to see if the young miss could manage once she was gone.

With a creak, the door was pushed open from the outside.

Hu Po walked in, her eyes scanning Liu Li and the others without expression.

She said nothing, but the maids' hearts sank. They immediately realized that everything they had just said had been overheard by her.

The maids exchanged uneasy glances, worried.

In the past, the second young miss trusted Liu Li, so they all followed her lead. Now that Liu Li was leaving, it meant that Hu Po, the senior maid, would have control over the Wan Yan Courtyard. They wondered if she would hold a grudge and bring up old issues.

"Ah, it’s Hu Po," Liu Li sneered coldly, mocking, "You’re not attending to the young miss, so why are you here? Did the young miss think you were useless?"

"I’m leaving, just saying goodbye to the others. Hu Po, you wouldn’t go tell the young miss, would you?"

"This Wan Yan Courtyard is as cold as that place in the plays. You’d better think carefully. If everyone’s driven out, no one will want to serve here."

Hearing this, the younger maids sighed in relief. They thought, She’s only here to say goodbye to Liu Li. Hu Po can’t possibly kick us all out for a few words.

Liu Li lifted her chin arrogantly, looking at Hu Po. She believed that by putting Hu Po in her place now, even after she left, Hu Po would struggle to establish any authority in the courtyard.

In the future, those maids would still be eager to tell her anything she wanted to know, even if she wasn’t in the courtyard. After all, she would still have Concubine Jiang’s backing.

Hu Po ignored Liu Li’s provocation and maintained her calm, indifferent demeanor. "It’s getting late. Liu Li, you should leave now."

Liu Li was left speechless, a lump stuck in her throat.

Hu Po glanced at the maids. "And you all, if you’re unwilling to stay, you can leave with Liu Li."

"Liu Li may have climbed high, but let’s see if she can bring you with her."

These words plunged the room into dead silence. The maids’ faces drained of color.

Liu Li strode toward Hu Po, locking eyes with her. "You’re just a maid. What right do you have to drive them away?"

"Based on what you just said," Hu Po responded indifferently, "There are many children born into noble families who can’t even enter the household to work, and many rough maids who wish to serve the masters but lack the opportunity. Since you’re of no use, the young miss can always choose someone else who is useful."

Hu Po casually adjusted her sleeves, "You all may leave now."

The maids were now completely panicked.

They weren’t like Liu Li. Even if Liu Li couldn’t stay, she could return to Concubine Jiang’s side. As for them, if they were kicked out, they would have nowhere to go but back home or to serve as rough maids.

They all looked at Liu Li, as if she were their only support.

"You dare!" Liu Li spat, puffing her chest up in defiance.

"Why wouldn’t I dare?" Hu Po smirked, "This Wan Yan Courtyard is not for a maid who was sent away by the young miss to control."

Liu Li’s face turned pale with fury, her eyes burning with rage as she snapped, "Even if I can’t, Concubine Jiang can!"

Concubine Jiang could certainly make decisions, right?!

"Go ahead and report it!" Hu Po taunted, curling her lips. "Our young miss is Concubine Jiang’s own flesh and blood. Do you really think Concubine Jiang would risk humiliating the young miss over a mere maid?"

The maids were shocked by the scene unfolding before them.

In the past, Liu Li always seemed to have the upper hand over Hu Po, but now everything had changed!

The maids quickly realized that despite Liu Li’s earlier bravado, she too was just a maid. Liu Li couldn’t protect them anymore.

As Hu Po had said, even if the second young miss wasn’t favored, managing the Wan Yan Courtyard was a position that many of the household’s children would fight to get.

"Miss Hu Po," one round-faced maid spoke up first, lowering her head in submission. "I was wrong. I won’t speak carelessly in front of outsiders again."

She stressed the word "outsiders," making it clear she was pledging allegiance to Hu Po.

The other maids quickly followed suit, saying, "Miss Hu Po, we were wrong."

"Please forgive us this time."

"We won’t do it again."

Liu Li clenched her teeth, glaring at the scene. Her face darkened, and without a word, she picked up her bundle and left, not looking back.

"Wait!" Hu Po called out, stopping her. "What’s in your bundle?"

"It’s my stuff!" Liu Li snapped irritably.

Ignoring her, Hu Po instructed the maids who had just pledged their loyalty to check the contents of Liu Li’s bundle.

"You dare!" Liu Li hissed.

The maids hesitated for a moment, but they understood that Hu Po was forcing them to prove their loyalty.

The round-faced maid was the first to act. Since she had already offended Liu Li, she might as well go all the way.

With a forced smile, she said, "Liu Li, please open your bundle and let us have a look."

Her actions were far from polite, as she forcefully tried to take Liu Li’s bundle. The other maids quickly joined in, and together they pried open the bundle to examine its contents.

An hour later, Liu Li left, her face dark as ever, walking away without a single glance back.

Once she was gone, the maids all turned to Hu Po, their eyes filled with a hint of pleading.

"Miss Hu Po," they said in unison.

Hu Po responded indifferently, "This time, I’ll only deduct a month’s salary from you. If it happens again..."

The maids shivered, quickly responding, "Yes!"

Hu Po waved her hand. "Go back to work."

The maids lowered their heads and left, fully aware that today they had officially drawn a line between themselves and Liu Li. From now on, their only choice was to serve quietly in Wan Yan Courtyard.

On the bright side, the second young miss wasn’t bad. She had a good temperament and didn’t hit them casually.

After leaving the rear chamber, Hu Po went to Chu Qianchen’s small study, presenting her with a jade bracelet she had found in Liu Li’s bundle.

"Young miss, this is a jade bracelet I found in Liu Li’s bundle. She said it was a gift from Concubine Jiang." 

End of Chapter