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“This person is shameless! If she dares to tarnish our Madam’s reputation, I won’t let her off easily!” Xiao Xi said indignantly, raising her voice in anger.

From her room, Su Wenyue heard the conversation between Grandma Chen and Xiao Xi: “Grandma Chen, come in.”

Hearing Su Wenyue calling her, Xiao Xi knew she had inadvertently disturbed her master with her loud voice and felt somewhat chagrined. Grandma Chen gave Xiao Xi a helpless glance. Although the little girl had moderated her impetuous temper a great deal, she still became anxious and short-tempered when it came to Madam’s affairs—she still needed more discipline.

“Grandma Chen, what brings you here?” Su Wenyue knew that Han Yu had given instructions that minor matters should be handled by the servants without worrying her; as Grandma Chen had come, it must be something difficult or insoluble.

“To reply to Madam, Madam He came again today, wanting to borrow food from our mansion. And this time, she wants to borrow quite a lot. I could not make a decision and had to come to ask for your guidance, Madam,” Grandma Chen explained.

“Madam He came again, huh.” Su Wenyue wasn’t really surprised. Given Madam He’s character, if she could come once or twice, naturally there would be a third time. When a person abandons all shame, what can’t they do?

“Yes, and Madam He keeps insisting on seeing you, Madam, claiming that if she can’t see you, it’s a sign of disrespect. She also said—well, she said…” Grandma Chen hesitated to continue, fearing that it might anger her mistress, but if she didn’t inform her mistress of Madam He’s behavior, encountering her might cause even more anger.

“What else did she say, Grandma Chen? Just speak your mind. I know exactly what kind of person Madam He is and won’t be provoked by her. I am, however, somewhat curious to hear what indecorous words she’s come up with this time,” Su Wenyue said, still quite composed.

“Madam He said that you were only a Deputy Lieutenant’s wife initially, and she didn’t look down upon you. Although Master has been promoted, it is just luck, nothing to be proud of. She questioned why you would look down upon her, saying you are ungrateful and are putting on airs like the wife of an official,” Grandma Chen recounted.

Despite being mentally prepared, Su Wenyue couldn’t help but spit out her water in disbelief, finding Madam He’s words far too audacious. Could it be that she wasn’t afraid of offending people? The logic was astoundingly strange. Madam He hadn’t looked down upon her before, so now she claimed Su Wenyue couldn’t look down upon Madam He? Ungrateful? Where did that even come from? There had been no more than a cursory relationship between them, almost never even exchanging pleasantries. As for ungratefulness, when had Madam He ever shown her any favors? Her statement was baffling.

“Madam, perhaps it’s best if you don’t meet her. I will send Madam He away. If she dares to slander you in public, we can inform the Master and let him deal with her.” If it had been anyone else, Grandma Chen would not dare to suggest this; but with Han Yu, she was confident in the Master’s means to handle Madam He.

Su Wenyue had initially planned to meet and dismiss Madam He, but hearing Grandma Chen’s suggestion, she thought it wiser not to endure such a risk. After all, Madam He was so unpredictable—who knew what ‘outrageous’ statements she might utter next? It was better not to meet her and risk upsetting the child in her stomach.

However, Su Wenyue’s words came too late. Madam He had not obediently waited in the living room. Seeing that Su Wenyue had not arrived, she brazenly pushed past the servants and found her way to her.

“Madam Han, Madam Han, you can’t be like this. When you were just the wife of an eighth-rank officer, I didn’t disdain or look down upon you, and I never showed you a cold face. Now that Lord Han has been promoted, are you really going to lord it over me? I only wanted to borrow some food, and you actually hide away refusing to see me. Are you not afraid that such ingratitude will destroy your reputation?” Madam He said as she approached Su Wenyue, disregarding the resistance.

“Madam He, what are you talking about? I’m simply pregnant and not feeling well, unsuited to receiving guests. How could such a thing turn into a distortion in Madam He’s mouth? Are you intentionally trying to tarnish my reputation?! I fail to understand what sort of relationship we previously held that warrants this behavior, considering we’ve scarcely exchanged more than a few words in the past. You’ve come to my mansion to borrow food twice, and I’ve obliged each time. Where does this accusation of ungratefulness come from? It seems more like some people are insatiably greedy and can’t tell good from bad. Besides, even if I truly refused to see you, what of it? Do you really take yourself so seriously? You should take a look in the mirror. If I offer you face, you should accept it—with grace; if I don’t, you’d better leave swiftly and quietly!”

Su Wenyue spoke quite coarsely, for dealing with someone like Madam He demanded such directness, with no need for politeness. Otherwise, she would surely become overbearing. Su Wenyue had previously been unaware of Madam He’s full measure and had treated her with courtesy, mistakenly believing she was reasonable. Alas, in what state has the world come to? Kindness doesn’t work; instead, forcefulness is the answer.

Both Grandma Chen and Xiao Xi were taken aback by Su Wenyue’s words, having not expected their mistress to speak so bluntly. After their initial shock faded, they found it rather satisfying—especially Grandma Chen, who had been made to feel uncomfortable by Madam He. As a servant, Grandma Chen could never speak in such a manner; sarcastic comments, maybe, but outright coarseness? For Xiao Xi, admiration for Su Wenyue surged in the aftermath of surprise; her mistress’s words were truly domineering.

Madam He herself had not expected such a drastic change in Su Wenyue’s demeanor. She had based her strategy on Su Wenyue’s previously gentle nature, but was now taken aback by her sudden assertiveness, staring at Su Wenyue to ensure she was indeed the same person.

“Madam Han, why do you speak so coarsely?” complained Madam He, as if she was dissatisfied. Coming from a Wealthy Family, weren’t you supposed to care about such breeding? She had heard that breeding was most important to those of a Wealthy Family background, and just earlier, Grandma Chen had been unable to retort with such vulgarity.

“Madam He, your remarks are amusing. Why shouldn’t I use coarse language? Surely it’s not your exclusive right, allowing you to use it but not me?” said Su Wenyue, her face etched with sarcasm.

“But, but…” Madam He was rendered speechless by Su Wenyue’s sharp retort, having clearly planned out the encounter carefully. Unfortunately, the situation had shifted too rapidly for her to keep up.

“If you have nothing else to say, Madam He, please leave. The child my Madam is carrying are twins who need proper rest. Our Master has instructed that my Madam see no idle visitors. Your rash intrusion here has already disturbed our Madam. Should anything happen to the child my Madam is carrying, Madam He, you simply cannot afford the consequences!” Xiao Xi was also quite unreserved.

Having not achieved her goal, Madam He was unwilling to leave. Seeing that both Su Wenyue and Xiao Xi were insisting on her departure, she regained her combative spirit.

“Madam Han, I am at the end of my rope. Your servants blocked me from seeing you, and that’s why I had to barge in. I really just want to borrow a little food. With the means at your disposal, Madam Han, surely you are not so petty as to refuse my small request?”