Granny Sun remained calm, certain that Song Ruotang wouldn't dare to do anything to her.
Indeed, Song Ruotang had no intention of dealing with her. She simply shifted her gaze to the old woman behind Granny Sun. "All three rooms in the east wing are to be cleaned by Xiaoxi. It's obvious this old woman isn't slow - paced."
"She's an old servant in the mansion. She asked for leave from me a few days ago, saying she wasn't feeling well. I suppose she asked Xiaoxi to help her with the cleaning." Granny Sun said calmly. Then she smiled at Xiaoxi. "I told you, child, you can't even finish your own tasks, yet you agreed to help her. No wonder the mistress got the wrong idea."
With just a few words, Granny Sun shifted the blame onto Xiaoxi, implying that she was slow and took on extra jobs.
But Song Ruotang wasn't swayed. She let out a soft laugh. "What's your current position, Granny Sun?"
Granny Sun slightly lowered her eyes, feigning humility. "The first mistress asked me to oversee the rules of the servants and ensure they don't act out of line."
Song Ruotang nodded. "If so, when did the servants start needing to report their leave to you in advance?" She took a few steps forward, getting closer to Granny Sun. "An outsider might think you've already taken on the job of a steward."
Granny Sun's face changed. She took a step back to hide her uneasiness. Only then did she start to take the woman in front of her seriously. If it were someone else, knowing that she came from the first mistress's natal family and had served the princess, they would never dare to treat her like this.
"Mistress, I served the princess when I was young. Since the princess doted on her daughter, she sent me to the Pei Mansion to take care of her. This time, the first mistress sent me to discipline these servants." Granny Sun recounted her background, her tone carrying a warning.
Song Ruotang let out a soft laugh. "Why are you telling me all this, Granny? Since you're in charge of discipline, how come there's still bullying among the servants in the mansion?"
Granny Sun was stunned. She finally understood that Song Ruotang didn't plan to deal with her directly, but if she didn't cooperate, she would end up with a crime on her own head.
It wasn't worth sacrificing herself for an irrelevant old woman.
Granny Sun gathered her thoughts, adjusted her facial expression, and put on an apologetic smile. "There are so many servants in the mansion. It's inevitable that there are some oversights. Please don't blame me, Third Mistress."
"Now this old woman is not only disrespectful but also bullies the younger ones and is so lazy. Granny Sun, you're the one who knows the rules best. What should be done in this situation?" Song Ruotang walked over to a stone bench and sat down, her tone calm.
Granny Sun glanced sideways at the old woman, ignoring the pleading in her eyes. She said calmly, "Give her ten slaps on the face and deduct fifty cash from her monthly salary."
But Song Ruotang let out a soft laugh. "Is that the punishment for this time, Granny Sun?"
Granny Sun paused for a moment and instantly understood what Song Ruotang meant. She pursed her lips. Then she heard Song Ruotang say with a soft laugh, "Since this old woman is already old, send her out of the mansion. Find a nimble - footed servant to clean the east wing."
Hearing this, the old woman's face instantly turned pale. She knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed to Song Ruotang. "Third Mistress, this servant knows her mistake. I'll definitely do my job well. Please don't drive me out, mistress..."
Tears streaked her wrinkled face. She had completely lost the overbearing attitude she had when beating Xiaoxi. She pleaded with Song Ruotang, "Please have mercy on me, Third Mistress. I know I was wrong. I won't dare to do it again. Please don't drive me out of the mansion..."
A maid driven out of a wealthy family would never have the chance to enter another one. And she was too proud to work in a small household after getting used to the big mansion.
After all, the treatment in a big mansion was much better than in a small household. Not to mention the food and monthly salary, there were also far fewer chores.
That's why the old woman was so agitated. But Song Ruotang wouldn't show any mercy. Seeing that Song Ruotang remained unmoved, she had to find another way. She shifted her gaze to Granny Sun, crawled a few steps on her knees, and grabbed the corner of her dress. "Granny, Granny, save this servant. I can't leave the Pei Mansion..."
Granny Sun looked a bit embarrassed. She glanced at Song Ruotang warily but didn't want to be suppressed by her. So she still spoke up. "Third Mistress, this old servant has been in the mansion for a long time. If we send her out now, it won't look good for our mansion."
But Song Ruotang raised her eyebrows. "Are you saying, Granny Sun, that as long as someone is an old servant in this mansion, no matter whether they make mistakes or not, the mansion has to support them?"
Granny Sun's face froze. "This servant doesn't mean that..."
"Or are you saying that the Pei Mansion can't send out a servant who has made a mistake, otherwise it will damage the mansion's reputation?" Song Ruotang pressed on step by step. Granny Sun looked a bit ugly. She pinched the corner of her dress and replied stiffly, "No..."
"Since that's the case, do as I said just now." Song Ruotang's tone was calm, showing no signs of anger or joy. Granny Sun glanced at the old woman behind her. She wanted to say something else, but Granny Sun shouted sharply, "Shut up! Stupid thing! Do you think you can get away with your mistake? There's no such good thing!"
Granny Sun called the servants outside and calmly ordered, "Strip this old servant of the Pei Mansion's servant clothes and take her to the outer courtyard. Someone will come to pick her up in the evening."
"Granny... Granny! Third Mistress! Mistress, this servant knows her mistake..."
The old woman was dragged out crying. She naturally knew where she was going. The person who would come to pick her up in the evening wasn't a family member but a human trafficker. She was just going from one family to be sold to another.
Song Ruotang didn't move as she listened to the old woman's cries fade away. Only then did Granny Sun speak up. "Third Mistress, the old woman has been dealt with. What do you think..."
"Granny Sun, I'm sure you know that it's unreasonable for Xiaoxi to have so many tasks, right?" Song Ruotang said softly. Granny Sun pursed her lips and didn't say a word.
She frowned slightly. After waiting for a long time and not hearing Song Ruotang say anything else, she added, "It was indeed this servant's negligence. I didn't take good care of her..."
Song Ruotang sneered inwardly. It was more likely that she had taken too much care.
"Our master is the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He's the most just and strict. I'm sure you know that, Granny Sun." Song Ruotang said slowly. Granny Sun didn't respond, but Song Ruotang didn't care. She just continued, "If there's bullying in our own mansion and it reaches the master's ears, it won't look good for anyone, right?"
Granny Sun's heart sank. Song Ruotang was using Pei Zhiyan to suppress her. If Pei Zhiyan found out about this, he would surely trace it back to her. And if she was investigated, wouldn't it be the same as investigating Lin Yun?
"The mistress is right. This servant was stupid. I'll severely punish all the servants who bullied Xiaoxi one by one. The master is busy with official business, so there's no need for him to get involved." Granny Sun lowered her head, looking even more humble. She had lost her previous arrogance.
Song Ruotang nodded. "That's good."