Luyi and Hong Yu obediently went to find the steward to receive their punishment. When they returned, both their palms were so swollen it was heartbreaking to see.

The younger maids all crowded around, chattering words of comfort.

Some complained that Song Chuyi was too cruel-hearted, able to be so harsh even to the ever-loyal Hong Yu and Luyi.

In all this time at the manor, no one had ever heard of a young miss making her senior maids go to the steward matron to receive punishment. Sixth Miss’s quarters was the very first instance.

Hong Yu had always been steady and quiet by nature. Hearing this, she only silently shed tears without a word. Luyi also felt wronged in her heart and found the punishment baffling. She couldn’t help but chase everyone out, then hid under her blankets to cry in secret.

By the time they came to attend to the young miss for the night, both Luyi and Hong Yu’s eyes were swollen like walnuts. Their expressions were listless and they were quiet to an excessive degree.

Seeing Luyi sprinkle incense into the burner and about to leave, Song Chuyi called out to her: “Luyi!”

Hearing her call, Luyi quickly stopped in her tracks and stood to the side with her head bowed, her heart filled with anxiety.

Seeing both of them so frightened, Song Chuyi sighed and asked: “Are you two resenting me?”

To say they held no resentment at all would be a lie. They were Song Chuyi’s personal senior maids, always treated like deputy young misses. Moreover, they had grown up with Song Chuyi from childhood—their bond was unlike others. Yet today they had been punished over such a small matter, losing all face. Naturally they felt wronged.

The two exchanged a glance, both remaining silent.

“I know you feel wronged.” Song Chuyi put down the book in her hands, stood up, walked to Hong Yu’s side, and took her hand, saying: “But today I truly had no choice but to punish you both.”

“Miss…” Hong Yu’s eyes reddened with grievance again. She couldn’t help but sob: “I—”

Song Chuyi handed her a handkerchief and smiled: “Do you think I was making a mountain out of a molehill today?”

Hong Yu struggled for a moment, and despite Luyi constantly giving her meaningful looks, she honestly nodded.

“You two!” Song Chuyi asked them: “Where did you come from?”

Both maids were stumped by the question, not knowing how to answer for quite a while.

“You both are household-born servants of the Cui family. If not for my mother and me, you actually have no connection to this Earl’s Manor at all, isn’t that right?” Seeing the two momentarily stunned, Song Chuyi continued slowly: “And where did Huang Yao come from?”

Hong Yu was still somewhat confused, but Luyi had already caught on. She couldn’t help but cry out: “Miss!”

Luyi was somewhat different from Hong Yu—she was Nanny Xu’s youngest daughter, about the same age as Song Chuyi. One could say they had grown up drinking the same milk. Under Nanny Xu’s teaching by word and example, naturally she had always been somewhat guarded against Li Shi and people like Huang Yao.

But Song Chuyi had treated Li Shi entirely as if she were her birth mother, intimate and close with her. At first, Nanny Xu and Luyi had tried to advise her. But later, seeing their advice was utterly useless, they couldn’t help but gradually relax their guard as well.

Nanny Xu thought more deeply about things, sighing all day long, wishing she had three heads and six arms to protect Song Chuyi. She constantly gave Luyi earnest instructions.

But unfortunately, Song Chuyi couldn’t distinguish good from bad or close from distant. And Luyi was just a child. Added to the fact that Huang Yao was skilled at currying favor and acting cute, naturally they gradually let down their guard against Huang Yao and the others.

Now hearing Song Chuyi say this, Luyi couldn’t help but feel both joy and shock. The little bit of resentment remaining in her heart also vanished as she cried: “Miss, I understand now.”

Hong Yu thought it through as well and understood the reasoning behind it. She couldn’t help but feel both frightened and alarmed, looking at Song Chuyi with concern: “But Miss, on the surface Madam treats you so well…”

Surface kindness couldn’t be maintained for a lifetime. Moreover, having lived through everything once before, Song Chuyi naturally wouldn’t let Li Shi wear that compassionate mask for much longer.

She smiled and said: “Aren’t I slapping her in the face right now?”

Thinking about how Huang Yao had disappeared after dinner, Hong Yu couldn’t help but worry: “But now Huang Yao has probably gone to Madam’s quarters. If she knows you flew into such a rage just because Huang Yao entered your room, I’m afraid Madam won’t let this rest.”

Luyi also nodded, looking at Song Chuyi with some puzzlement: “How did Miss suddenly see through everything?”

How could it be sudden? It had clearly taken an entire lifetime to understand. Song Chuyi smiled helplessly and said: “Because this time I was truly frightened.”

“Think carefully—I was genuinely ill for over a month, so why did the message Third Madam received say I was pretending to be sick? When I went to pay respects to Grandmother, the Madam and Eighth Miss who could speak up for me just happened to be absent. If I had made a scene with Third Madam and Fourth Miss right then and there, and asked Madam and the others to come over, even if Madam vouched for my illness, everyone seeing how Madam usually treats me would surely think Madam was covering for me. What would I become in Grandmother’s heart after that?”

Although Hong Yu hadn’t gone to Old Madam’s quarters that day, she had heard Luyi mention it. She couldn’t help but feel a wave of fear—if even Old Madam didn’t care whether Song Chuyi lived or died, then from then on Song Chuyi would truly be left to Li Shi’s mercy, to be shaped and molded however she pleased.

Luyi was so angry her teeth hurt: “I said long ago that Huang Yao was no good. That day she even instigated you to make a scene with Fourth Miss, and always coaxed you to be close to Madam.”

“It’s good that you both understand this.” Seeing both maids had figured it out, Song Chuyi couldn’t help but take their hands sincerely: “You are both people my mother left to me. Before, I was foolish and liked hearing pleasant words, leaving you both behind in the cold. That was my fault. Now the entire West Courtyard is full of Madam’s people. Aside from Nanny Xu and you two, I can’t trust anyone else. Today I was going through the things my mother left me with Nanny Xu, which is why I strictly ordered you to guard the door and not let anyone in. Yet you let Huang Yao barge through the door. In noble households, the slightest misstep can easily become a handle for others to grab and step on you. I didn’t understand before, but after this illness I deeply fear. If Nanny Wang wanted to find fault with you today, this charge could be big or small. She might even use this excuse to drive you out—do you understand?”

Nanny Wang was also one of Li Shi’s people, in charge of managing all the servants who attended Song Chuyi.

Now Luyi and Hong Yu truly broke out in a cold sweat. They had no foundation, weren’t household-born servants of the Earl’s Manor. If someone found an excuse to drive them out, they truly would never be able to turn their lives around. Thinking of this, Hong Yu became even more worried for Song Chuyi: “But what about Madam’s side? What will Miss do? They say you can be a thief for a thousand days, but you can’t guard against thieves for a thousand days. How can we possibly defend against everything?”

Song Chuyi took two shell boxes from the table and handed them over: “This is Purple Gold Blood-Activating Elixir. Each of you take one box. Dissolve it and apply it to your wounds—the swelling will go down quickly. As for guarding against thieves or not, time reveals a person’s heart.”