83 Golden Bell

"XiaoJie!!"

Looking at YuYing who was pouting her lips while both of her hands were on her hips, XuanRong could not help but smile cheekily. After more than five years, YuYing's dull and stiff character slowly changed into a cherry but pampered little lass. Among her three maidservants, YuYing was the only one who was not afraid to scold her but she would act spoiled whenever she teased her. YuShen was a mature lady and the most level headed among the three since she was the oldest. She was also the one who managed the entire courtyard and XuanRong's other businesses. On the other hand, YuShang was the loudest and the most hotheaded among them. She was not afraid to speak what was on her mind since she was always treated as the youngest. Being the youngest had its own advantage.

"What?"

XuanRong was currently sitting on a couch while holding a chrysanthemum tea in her hand.

"XiaoJie! What 'what'? You clearly know this servant's meaning, but you are acting like you don't know anything."

"Hahaha! What are you saying ah? I'm not sure what you are trying to imply but I really don't understand anything ah!"

XuanRong could not help but tease YuYing. Looking at her read cheeks, XuanRong had the urge to stretch her hand and pinch it hard.

"XiaoJie, please stop bullying YuYing." YuShen sighed and looked at YuYing who was being bullied by XuanRong mercilessly.

"Fine… Hahaha…"

XuanRong laughed and decided to be serious. She placed the tea cup on the table and reached for the pastries. Picking the flower shaped rice cake, XuanRong opened her mouth and spoke.

"I know you are asking why I acted like that in front of Xiao Lou."

Placing the rice cake on her mouth, XuanRong bit the food gracefully. Every move she did was exuding with elegance, even when she yawned, her aura did not diminish even a little, making YuYing and the rest momentarily forgot to respond.

"Ah."

YuYing subconsciously exhaled loudly which made her escape from being entranced with XuanRong's beauty. Looking at her XiaoJie who was very different from before, YuYing could not help but inwardly shook her head. She had almost forgotten to ask the reason why XuanRong acted like a weak noble lady who cried endlessly in front of that witch, Xiao Lou. YuYing coughed a couple of times to clear her throat.

"XiaoJie ah.. please don't make this servant wait. This servant was very concerned with XiaoJie. How could XiaoJie act and cry like that in front of Second Furen? If others saw you, they would think that you do not know how to act properly! If you show that you are weak, the servants in the Fu would definitely bully you like what happened in Lu Shan when Housekeeper Wang was trying to make your life miserable."

Listening to YuYing, XuanRong shook her head and smiled at YuYing.

"My dear YuYing, you are still unable to understand everything. This is the capital, not Lu Shan. Although I hold no authority here in XiangFu and the servants would sometimes refuse to follow my orders, it would not mean that they could bully us whenever they want to. The walls have ears. What do you think was the reason why the entire capital knew that I was an arrogant and brainless young lady? Hah. Those infiltrators would try to stay away from trouble, hiding in the shadows while gathering information and placing themselves as mere spectators. The rest of the servants were either Xiao Lou's loyal dogs or those who were only working neutrally. Those who were working neutrally would never try to offend their masters and those who were Xiao Lou's dogs could not bully me openly since they were afraid of my maternal family. One wrong move and it could lead to their death. Besides, I was known for being arrogant and I have whipped countless of servants when I was young. One would be an idiot if they would still try to mess with me."

"But XiaoJie, since you already know about it, why did you still act like that? This servant almost thought that you were being possessed by a pitiful spirit, screaming 'justice' ah while crying!"

Before answering, XuanRong once again reached for the pastries and ate another one.

"Mmm… This taste good! Who made this?"

XuanRong could not help but eat those pastries with relish, forgetting to answer YuYing's question.

"If XiaoJie likes it, this servant will order YuMi to make these pastries often."

"Oh? YuMi made these?"

XuanRong's hand stopped moving when she heard YuMi's name. YuMi was the young girl who was sold by her father. She bought YuMi and gave her a new identity. The reason why she gave the 'Yu' surname was because XuanRong wanted to cultivate her and be YuLi's successor, occupying her title as XuanRong's fourth first rank servant. Ever since that day, XuanRong had been paying attention to her. It took years before she was able to verify that YuMi was not planted by someone and their meeting was really just a coincidence. Since then, she had been grooming YuMi like a little bud. Now that the bud was starting to bloom, it was now the time to pluck it out.

While XuanRong was in deep thoughts, both YuYing and YuShen waited for her response. They were already accustomed to their XiaoJie who would sometimes fell into a daze without snapping back for a couple of minutes.

"…..YuShen.."

"Yes, XiaoJie? This servant is here."

"How's YuMi? Was she able to pass with your assessment?"

Being asked suddenly, YuShen could not help but fell silent. It took a couple to minutes for her to answer XuanRong's question.

"Answering XiaoJie, YuMi was able to pass my assessment. Among those servants whom I have chosen, she was at the top. It would not be a problem if XiaoJie would give YuMi a hairpin with a golden bell[1]."

"Mmm… if you say so. After the full moon, I will rise YuMi's rank as one of my first rank maidservants. Make sure you teach her well."

"Yes, this servant understands."

"Mmm.." XuanRong nodded and grabbed the tea cup on the table, smelling the fragrant aroma of the tea.

YuYing who was quietly listening to YuShen and XuanRong's conversation was not able to hold back anymore. She called XuanRong and blinked her eyes like a poor little puppy.

"XiaoJie… You haven't answered my question yet."

"Ah!"

XuanRong laughed and returned the tea cup on the table.

"You want to know the reason why I bawled like a child in front of Xiao Lou without caring for my image?"

"Yes ah!"

YuYing nodded. Even YuShen also wanted to know the reason why XuanRong behaved weirdly and shamefully in front of Xiao Lou but she was able to suppress her curiosity unlike YuYing.

"Why ah? Simple. Because I want to know who between us was more proficient in acting, me or her."

XuanRong answered while laughing. Looking at the dumbfounded expression of her maidservants, XuanRong almost roll on the ground while clutching her stomach that was aching due to laughing nonstop. After having a good laugh, XuanRong continued.

"It was because she wanted to hold me, and I cried in panic."

After saying those words, XuanRong once again laughed out loud.

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[1]. The ranking system among female servants were: first rank servants- golden bell, second rank servants- silver bell and lowest rank servants- bronze bell.

[Unedited Chapter]