Volume One, Chapter Five: A Man of Value-Falsa Filha Jura Não Ser Escrava, Reencarna Para Vencer a Mansão do Marquês(A Pequena Flor do Novo Céu Claro)

Tao’er and Li’er both lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.

Xing’er, standing at the very edge, lifted her head slightly, a glimmer of longing in her eyes.

"Miss, I am willing to try, but..."

"You lowly wench, do you know whose person I am..." Chunyan barked angrily.

"Slap!"

Jiang Rui raised her hand again and struck Chunyan across the face, cutting her off, before turning a calm gaze toward Xing’er.

"See clearly. Thirty slaps, and every single one must have this much force. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Xing’er nodded, gathered her courage, and knelt before Jiang Rui.

"Miss, I dare not covet the position of a first-rank maid. My mother is ill at home; I beg you to grant me ten taels of silver so I can buy medicine to save her life."

Jiang Rui could not help but think more highly of Xing’er. Filial piety was a good thing; those who have people they cherish are the ones who will fight the hardest. She was just in need of someone reliable.

In her previous life, she had no impression of Xing’er, only remembering that this little maid was thin and small, having been sold into the household by her family. After Jiang Yao entered the mansion, Xing’er seemed to have left Qifang Courtyard, reassigned to sweeping the outer grounds.

Jiang Rui promised, "As long as your slaps satisfy me, the position of first-rank maid is yours, and the ten taels of silver are yours as well."

"Thank you, Miss!"

Xing’er’s eyes lit up. She kowtowed to Jiang Rui and then stood up, walking toward Chunyan with grim determination.

Everyone in Qifang Courtyard knew that Chunyan was someone sent by the Madam. Xing’er was certainly afraid that punishing Chunyan would incur the Madam's grudge, but with her mother seriously ill and her life depending on the money, she had no other choice but to stake everything on this gamble.

"Xing’er, how dare you—"

"Slap!"

Xing’er’s palm shattered Chunyan’s words. She looked at Jiang Rui with hesitation.

"Is... is this enough?"

"Not enough force," Jiang Rui evaluated calmly.

The viciousness Chunyan had displayed when hitting Jiang Rui in her previous life was far greater than what Xing’er was showing. Having already been struck twice by Jiang Rui, Chunyan was filled with humiliation. Now, to be slapped thirty times by a little maid she looked down upon—how could she endure it? She turned, preparing to bolt out the door.

"Catch her!" Jiang Rui ordered.

Xing’er was startled and hurriedly lunged forward, grabbing Chunyan’s legs. Tao’er and Li’er stood by like spectators, not even taking a single step.

Jiang Rui threw off her quilt and quickly got out of bed. The moment Chunyan kicked Xing’er away, Jiang Rui grabbed the porcelain pillow from the head of the bed and smashed it straight into Chunyan’s back.

"Ah—!"

Chunyan was struck by the porcelain pillow and tumbled to the floor. Xing’er immediately pounced on her back, the pressure drawing another cry of pain from Chunyan.

Jiang Rui scolded the stunned Tao’er and Li’er, "The two of you, go over and pin her down! Otherwise, I will have you both sold off tomorrow!"

Mercy to an enemy is cruelty to oneself. Jiang Rui knew very well that she had no need for two-faced servants.

Hesitantly, Tao’er and Li’er walked over. Under Jiang Rui’s command, each pinned down one of Chunyan’s arms, making it impossible for her to struggle. Xing’er rose from Chunyan’s back and stood by Jiang Rui’s side. Once Chunyan was pulled up from the floor and forced to kneel before Jiang Rui, Xing’er struck her face with great force without hesitation.

"Slap!"

...

The sound of slapping echoed incessantly. Jiang Rui stared at Chunyan’s face, watching it gradually turn red and swollen. She suddenly recalled her previous life, when she had asked Chunyan why she would humiliate and abuse her when she had treated her so well.

Chunyan had sneered at her back then:

"You plucked pheasant, do you really think you’re a phoenix? Just thinking about how I served you for so long makes me feel cheated. So what if I hit you? Even if I beat you to death, the Eldest Miss would still reward me for my merit!"

The sound of the slaps finally ceased. Xing’er rubbed her numb hands and reported to Jiang Rui, "Miss, thirty slaps, all completed."

"Hmm, not bad."

Jiang Rui looked at Chunyan, whose mouth was bleeding and face was swollen, and nodded approvingly at Xing’er.

"From now on, you are my first-rank maid. This is what you deserve."

She took a ten-tael silver ingot from her purse and placed it in Xing’er’s palm, the sight drawing envious looks from Tao’er and Li’er. A second-rank maid in the Marquis's household received only five hundred coins a month; ten taels was roughly equivalent to two years of their wages.

Just then, Cui Liu finally returned, out of breath, after gathering information.

"Miss, I asked the gatekeepers and the door-matrons at every entrance, but no one saw Nanny Liu leave. I even checked the places she frequents, and I didn't see her anywhere."

Jiang Rui’s heart skipped a beat. A full-grown woman had simply vanished into thin air within the mansion? Could Jiang Yao have captured her to rehearse their stories for the recognition ceremony tomorrow? Being unable to find Nanny Liu at this moment put Jiang Rui at a significant disadvantage.

"I told you I hadn't seen Nanny Liu, didn't I? Yet you beat me over it! I’m going to report this to the Madam!" Chunyan raised her swollen face defiantly, glaring at Jiang Rui with hatred.

Jiang Rui found it laughable. Having already offended the Madam, Lady Shen, today, why would she fear Chunyan’s complaints? Jiang Rui was currently isolated and lacked the strength to take revenge on the Marquis of Anle and Lady Shen, but she certainly had ways to deal with a small maid like Chunyan.

"Xing’er, go and invite Steward Zhao."

Xing’er went to carry out the order. Chunyan stared at Jiang Rui vigilantly, "What are you planning to do?"

"Didn't you want to complain? I’m giving you the chance."

Jiang Rui put on her outer robe and ordered Tao’er and Li’er to bind Chunyan with rope, then had her escorted from the bedroom to the main hall.

Before long, Steward Zhao arrived in a hurry, following behind Xing’er. The sight of the interrogation-like scene left him momentarily stunned. Upon seeing him, Chunyan tried to lunge toward him as if seeking salvation.

"Steward Zhao, I am wronged! I merely didn't know where Nanny Liu had gone, and the Miss beat me thirty times without a word. Regardless of anything else, I was sent by the Madam to take care of the Miss; she cannot humiliate me like this!"

Steward Zhao looked at Chunyan with a probing gaze, then turned to bow respectfully to Jiang Rui.

"Eldest Miss, what is the meaning of this?"

Jiang Rui sat in the seat of honor, her expression languid, appearing dizzy and unwell. She gave Cui Liu a look, and Cui Liu explained on her behalf:

"Steward Zhao, our Miss was already feeling unwell today, and the Marquis ordered her to rest properly. Yet, Chunyan acted with insubordination, using her words to provoke the Miss and make her condition worse. Not only that, Chunyan has been stealing the Miss’s jewelry and money. It is hidden right in her room; Steward Zhao will know for sure if he searches it."

"That’s not true! I didn't!" Chunyan tried to argue, but her panicked eyes betrayed her.

Supported by Cui Liu, Jiang Rui stood up and led Steward Zhao toward the servants' quarters. "Steward Zhao, I waited for you to come so we could catch the thief with the stolen goods, to avoid being accused of framing her."

Steward Zhao summoned two manservants to search Chunyan’s room. They quickly found three hundred taels in banknotes and two expensive red-gemstone gold hairpins hidden at the head of her bed. These were not sums of wealth that a mere maid could possess.

"I cannot keep a maid with sticky fingers, even if she is a person of the Madam," Jiang Rui said firmly. "I must trouble Steward Zhao to take her away."

Steward Zhao was the Marquis of Anle’s man. Since Chunyan had embezzled such a large amount, the matter would certainly reach the Marquis's ears. The Marquis, who was already arguing with Lady Shen over money, would likely be even more furious.

"Rest assured, Eldest Miss. I will take Chunyan away and lock her up, awaiting the Marquis's judgment."

Steward Zhao had his men gag Chunyan and drag her away. He then turned to Jiang Rui and asked politely, "Does the Eldest Miss have any further instructions?"

"There is indeed a strange matter."

Jiang Rui lowered her voice, a look of terror appearing on her pale face.

"Nanny Liu from my courtyard has vanished into thin air within the mansion! No one saw her leave the gates, and she cannot be found anywhere inside. I suspect... the mansion is no longer at peace."