Chapter 74: offense is the best defense 5

The Duke's mansion 

Su Liya let out a breath of relief when Madam Lu was called out by a servant. She wanted to kiss that steward for putting her out of her misery. Madam Lu was talented at scolding, she somehow made you feel like crying and sleeping at the same time. 

Madam Lu's words were hurtful and went on forever that, once you got over the pain the prolonged talk made one exhausted. When she was dismissed with a much appreciated "leave me", Su Liya happily returned to her rooms. Thanks to the ever-helpful mother of hers, she was forced to receive a rather hurtful redress from Madam Lu.

Her room was located in the smaller Courtyard of Mingxi pavilion, which was Lu Yaozhu's Courtyard. Lu Yaozhu stayed in the bigger pavilion that comprised of five rooms, a living room, a study, a bedroom, a small kitchen and a dining room. While her pavilion contained four rooms, her bedroom, her living room, her dining room and a nursery.

The servants lived in the small quarters by the side. Her rooms gave off a really strong feminine aura. There were beautiful paintings and calligraphy hung on the wall. Flower vases were placed around the room which gave off sweet floral scents. The living room wasn't as massive as madam Lu's but was also quite wide.

There was a wide honorary chair at the centre of the room, while three slimmer chairs lined either side of the room with small square tables separating each seat. The Dining room was clearly for a small family with a large square table occupying a majority of the room, surrounded by four small stools.

The dining room wasn't usually used since Lu Yaozhu and Su Liya usually ate at the small table in the living room. Her bedroom was the biggest room in the pavilion. There was a wide dressing table, with a brass mirror opposite a window.

There were a few wooden shelves and boxes for her clothes and jewellery. At one side of the room, next to the wall was a big wooden bed with beautiful sheer bed curtains. The curtains were usually raised during the day and let down at night.

Su Liya rushed into her bedroom and fell on her bed, waving her hands back and forth on the bed she said "ahh finally, I get some peace". She rolled to the side and back a few times before seating up, she looked to the two high ranked maids standing at the side of the bed.

"I feel a little thirsty. Rong Rong, is there still any cold fruits?" She asked the younger maid with her hair tied into a double bun.

"Yes madam, the kitchen sent over an icebox and see me frozen fruits. I will go get a bowl for you", Rong Rong replied.

"Okay, thanks," Su Liya said. It was a reflex action from years of learning proper manners from the director of the orphanage. Baozhai and Rong Rong were already used to hearing her thank them. The first time she did that, they were so shocked. It was like their eyes would fall out of their sockets. 

Baozhai the sticker for proprietary tried multiple times to correct her before finally giving up. Her two maids had very conflicting behaviours, Baozhai was calmer and a little strict, which might be because she was from the palace. 

The rule in the palace was very strict, she had only stayed a few days in the palace but that was all she needed to know how tough things were in the palace. She was thankful that she wasn't stuck in the palace as s maid.

While Baozhai was serious and a little stiff, Rong Rong was more relaxed. She felt more comfortable in Rong Rong's presence, Baozhai was a little scary. Her face always had a disapproving stare, Su Liya had never seen her smile.

After a few days together, Baozhai and Rong Rong had developed a reliable system of doing things. Baozhai oversaw everything concerning the servants in the courtyard while Rong Rong took care of Su Liya's daily necessities. Since Baozhai was the oldest, it was no surprise that she took charge of everything.

Su Liya didn't have any problems with Baozhai taking charge of things, as far as it wasn't her. She wasn't a control freak, she liked slacking off and playing as opposed to being all serious. She was a Sagittarius for a reason, the house management was better left to that Scorpio Baozhai. 

Baozhai looked at her sweaty madam and said "Let me help you out of your gown, Madam. They are a little too layered, once you get into lighter clothes you will feel better".

"Alright," Su Liya replied as she tod and began to untie her belt. After a few minutes, she had changed out of the wide-sleeved gown, cleaned up and put on a simple gown. She sat at the dressing table while Baozhai removed the pearl hairpins from her hair and carefully brushed her long black locks. 

Rong Rong rushed in as Baozhai packed her hair into a high bun. "Madam, madam! I just saw our second young master and Yu Tao on my way here. They were heading here, madam", Rong Rong said placing the tray of cold watermelons on the small round table in the room and ran to Su Liya's side.

Rong Rong began searching for a few simple pieces of jewellery and hairpins for her madam. The young master hasn't visited them in two days, this was a good opportunity for her madam to win some good points. While Rong Rong had a minor freak out, Su Liya the madam in question was worried about something else entirely.

"Ahhh why is he coming here" she held Baozhai's hand and looked up with a big eye "it can't be that he is here to scold me, he must have heard about the big mess at Yuan mansion and is her to continue from where mother stopped and scold me. This is bad".

Baozhai and Rong Rong shared a look that said what is wrong with her then looked down at her. Rong Rong dropped the hairpins she held in her hands and said "madam, I don't think young master is here to scold you. Yu Tao was carrying a tray behind him, I think height just be getting you a treat".

Rong Rong had seen a tray but Su Liya was too far gone in her imagination to believe her. She looked up at Rong Rong and blinked twice "Rong Rong is your brain fried? Why would Lu Yaozhu bring me a treat, is he giving rewarding me for causing a huge mess?"

Su Liya glared at Baozhai when she heard her whisper "well at least you know your mistake".

"You know Baozhai, I don't understand you, whose side are you on exactly!. Can't you speak nicely" 

Baozhai's eyes widened and she tried to console her young madam "no-no madam, there is no need to worry. Our Young master has a very good temper, I don't think he is here to scold you".

"If he isn't here to Scold me why is he here. Rong Rong quick go inform him that I am asleep or something. I don't want him to scold me!!"

Before Baozhai and Rong Rong could calm down their worried madam, they heard a calm male voice say

"I am not here to scold you, my dear wife".

They both looked up and found Lu Yaozhu carrying a tray and standing by the door.

*******

Lu Yaozhu stopped the servants from greeting him, as he walked in, he collected the tray of sweets from Yu Tao and walked into the bedroom. As he walked in, he heard Su Liya say to her maid 

"If he isn't here to Scold me why is he here. Rong Rong hurry up and go tell him that I am asleep or something. I don't want him to scold me!!"

Lu Yaozhu smiled when he heard that, he didn't bother knocking and just walked in. Su Liya was seated at the dressing table, pouting as she held onto both of her maids' hands. She looked a little cute when she pouted, he smiled and said

"Don't worry Dear wife, I am not here to scold you?" he said walking forward and placing the tray on the round table.

The two maids snapped out of their daze and curtsied "young master".

Lu Yaozhu smiled and nodded "you two have both worked hard. I send over some cold drinks for the servants, go out and receive yours. I will keep your mistress company"

"Yes," Baozhai and Rong Rong chorused and walked out of the room. Su Liya held on to their skirt to get them to stay back but the little traitorous maids left anyway. 

She smiled sheepishly when he caught her little actions. Lu Yaozhu sat on the stool and opened the plate "don't keep seating there, come and have some sweet".

A bulb went off on her head when she heard "sweet". She walked to the table and looked down at the plate, there were three sugared treats on the plate. She pointed at the treat and asked "is this for me?"

Lu Yaozhu looked at her coldly, Su Liya laughed softly "hehe no need to answer that" she said on the stool next to him at picked up one of the treats.