"Oh... for a mere servant to have such a thought, it seems like the rules in this household aren't properly managed!" A raspy but melodious voice came from behind Liu Li and it made Liu Li shiver in fear. In this household, no one dared to mess with the owner of this voice!

Liu Li turned around and saw the matriarch. She felt her legs weakened and quickly kowtowed. "Old Madam, this servant doesn't dare. This is just a misunderstanding." Liu Li gritted her teeth in anger... It seemed like she was being trapped by Yao Ling. Actually, Yao Ling did no sort of things. She just came back from 'Fu Rong' and didn't know that Liu Li would seek her out and try to find troubles for her. The matter of the matriarch coming to her courtyard, it was a pure coincidence.

This was also the first time the matriarch came to her courtyard. Yao Ling was also confused why the matriarch came to her this late at night. She welcomed the matriarch happily, but for the sake of acting, she gasped in surprise and curtsied. "Grandmother, what are you doing here this late? It's almost dinner time. If Grandmother needs something from this granddaughter, Grandmother should let someone come and call this one over. It's very cold at night."

Yao Ling smiled and intimately held the matriarch's hands. She felt that the matriarch's hands were a bit cold and said, "Ah... Grandmother's hands are very cold. Why don't Grandmother come inside? I'll let Xiao Yu go and brew tea for Grandmother?" Yao Ling sweetly offered. She deliberately said that just to spite Liu Li. She got the chance for a little sweet revenge by letting her kowtow there for a bit longer.

"Grandmother is fine," The matriarch smiled, feeling happy with the girl's thoughtfulness. She turned her gaze to Liu Li who kowtowed without batting eyelashes. "If Grandmother didn't come here, it seems like this old woman will miss a good show."

Liu Li could feel her sweating back. The matriarch was very strict when she was governing the inner courtyard and she knew that the matriarch agreed with the view of having only one wife for life. Not only that, the old woman wasn't a person that was easy to be trifled with. She would be able to discern the truth in her tricks in the blink of an eye because of her experience and Liu Li didn't dare to provoke this Big Buddha.

"Hmmm... isn't this Liu Li from Concubine Wan's courtyard? What are you doing here? If I am not mistaken, I heard something about coveting Young Master?" The matriarch asked with sharp eyes. She always hated the fact that Wang Luo Hai brought back Concubine Wan --- a lowly brothel girl and this Liu Li was brought back along with Concubine Wan. She didn't remember much about this girl, but she disliked what she had heard just now. A brothel girl would still be a brothel girl, even though she already washed away her past, but she couldn't wash away the stinky personality.

A maidservant tried to climb the master's bed was a practice had been frowned upon. It was an act of disregarding and disrespect to the female master.

Liu Li quickly answered while trembling, "Old Madam, it's just a misunderstanding. Really. This servant is just a lowly slave. How could this servant compare to Young Master? This servant just..."

Before Liu Li could continue, Yao Ling cut her off. She didn't want the matriarch to know that Yao Ying visited a hua lou. She wanted to know the whole truth from Yao Ying first and she didn't want the matriarch to meddle in this affair. "Liu Li, I know it's just a misunderstanding. I won't blame you."

Yao Ling turned to the matriarch and pleaded softly, "Grandmother, it's really just a misunderstanding...."

*pinch* Damn! No tears yet...

"Liu Li is Concubine Wan's trusted maidservant, I'm sure that as a first rank maid of a concubine, she knows her place really well."

*pinch* Where are the tears when you need it?

"I hope that Grandmother will not investigate about it further."

*pinch* Tears... tears... Come to me! A little bit is okay!

"I am really not blaming Liu Li."

*pinch three times harder* Finally... She got herself teary eyes.

The matriarch saw Yao Ling's teary eyes and felt a pang[1] in her heart. Her granddaughter looked like she was suffering a grievance. What did this maidservant do to her beloved granddaughter? She didn't believe for a bit that this Liu Li had a good intention.

She probably tried to create a misunderstanding by going to Yao Ling's courtyard. She wasn't a maidservant in this courtyard and she came here to find trouble. The matriarch didn't know whether Concubine Wan was involved or not, but an ex-brothel girl's mentality must not be a good thing. Even though she was a first rank maid of a concubine, but she knew better what kind of concubine... Concubine Wan was. She could never erase her past.

The matriarch knew Yao Ling was kind enough to let this maidservant go by not investigating it further, but she also didn't want her new granddaughter suffered a grievance. As long as she lived, she will protect this granddaughter. Besides, she hated the most women who tried to steal another woman's man.

The matriarch patted Yao Ling's hands and smiled, "Don't worry! I know that you are a kind girl, but I also need to uphold the rules in this household. If you let a wild girl go once, in the future... there will be a lot of wild girls that show up and try to take away your husband."

Yao Ling smirked inwardly. 'This is it! This is what she has been waiting for! Hah! Liu Li... look at this! Do you want to act? I will accompany you to act like a white lotus until the end!' Yao Ling was clever enough not to punish Liu Li by herself, otherwise, she would be seen as a fickle person. She would be branded as a jealous main wife while Liu Li got the benefit of being pitied by others. After all, she did nothing wrong... but instead, she only gave her information about her husband.

"But... Grandmother!"

"There's no but!" The matriarch sternly said. "This grandmother will always give you protection. So when you suffer a grievance, don't hold it inside. Just let this grandmother knows next time! Okay?"

Yao Ling felt happy and nodded. "En... This granddaughter will listen to Grandmother. Thank you, Grandmother."

With this statement from the matriarch, the servants who surrounded them knew that it was a declaration. A declaration that Yao Ling was under her protection. No matter what kind of background that she had, she was currently the beloved granddaughter of 'Wang Fu'. Who decided to go against her would also be against the matriarch.

Yao Ling smiled inwardly. She probably should thank Liu Li for this. Without her act just now, there would be no guarantee that the matriarch would give a clear declaration about her intention to protect Yao Ling. She really gains a lot today!

"Liu Li... what do you want to say? Did Concubine Wan know beforehand that you are here to wreak havoc?" The matriarch asked sternly.

Liu Li bit her lower lip indignantly. 'She is being framed!' She shouted inwardly. Even though she had the intention to seduce Young Master before, she hadn't acted on it yet! So how could they blame her and punish her for something that she hadn't done yet? Wasn't this called bullying?

"This... this servant has nothing to say, but it's really a misunderstanding. Please give this servant justice, Old Madam!" Liu Li boldly said.

"Justice?" The old matriarch laughed. "You want justice? Then, I will give you one."

The matriarch gave Zhang Mo Mo a signal to prepare herself. Zhang Mo Mo had been serving Old Madam since Old Madam was only a maiden. She already knew Old Madam's thought and behavior like the back of her hands. She nodded, showing that she understood. The matriarch wanted her to prepare ahead ---- she wanted to punish this stupid young girl.

----

[1] A pang: a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing.