"Madam."
Cuiliu, holding the child, walked beside Xu Yuan. Noticing the steward following them, she spoke up to alert her mistress.
Xu Yuan’s expression remained unchanged as she said to Cuiliu, "Keep walking. Pay him no mind."
The steward was trailing them for no other reason than to goad her into asking about the matter of funds. In the past, she had never asked because she held trust in the Marquis's Estate, but these people had truly begun to treat her like a fool.
By the time they reached the back garden, the steward realized Xu Yuan had no intention of acknowledging him. Growing anxious, he stepped forward, placing himself directly in her line of sight.
Xu Yuan looked at him with feigned surprise. "Is there something else you need, Steward?"
Faced with her blank expression, the steward maintained the same smile he had worn before. "Madam, regarding the money... I was wondering if you might be able to provide it..."
"How much do you need?" Xu Yuan asked slowly, seeing that the time was right.
"Five hundred taels."
"How much? Five hundred taels!" Cuiliu could no longer contain herself, shouting at the steward in anger. "What kind of medicinal herbs cost five hundred taels? Steward, do you truly take my mistress's purse for your own private treasury?"
Having his intentions laid bare, the steward felt a flash of embarrassment. Fearing that Xu Yuan might take those words to heart, he quickly retorted, "Miss Cuiliu, that is an unfair thing to say. These funds are for the Old Madame’s medicine; the way you put it makes it sound as if I am embezzling from the estate."
"Are you not?"
Before Cuiliu could speak again, it was Xu Yuan who posed the question.
The steward’s body stiffened. At that question, he felt an ominous premonition, and his eyes began to dart about. Could it be that she had discovered something? He thought it over and concluded it couldn't be—the Madam had always ignored such matters, especially since becoming pregnant. With that realization, his resolve hardened. "Of course not, Madam. Wherever would you get such an idea?"
Xu Yuan chuckled softly. "If I recall correctly, you have been in charge of the estate’s ledgers for the past year. Why is it that you have come to me for money today?"
The steward froze, clearly not having expected such a reply.
"Madam, it is true that I manage the ledgers, but are you not the true head of the household?" The steward sensed something shifting and began to lose his patience. "The physician said the Old Madame’s condition is different this time. We must secure the herbs and prepare the medicinal meals at once; for the sake of the Old Madame’s recovery, we cannot afford any delay."
His every word was intended to pressure Xu Yuan, deliberately inflating the severity of the situation. In the past, she might have been moved by such talk and dipped into her dowry to cover the costs.
But now... the coldness in Xu Yuan’s eyes deepened. There was no way she would be coerced into backing down.
"Since I have not touched the ledgers for a year, where would I have the money? Steward, what exactly is your goal in coming to me today? Are you asking me to use my own dowry to fill this gap?"
The steward’s expression shifted. He had made such suggestions in the past, but only as hints; he never expected Xu Yuan to ask it so directly. Seeing that she was unwilling to yield, his smile faded. He raised his voice, hoping to draw the attention of those nearby. "Are you saying, Madam, that you would rather see the Old Madame’s condition worsen than part with the money?"
"How dare you! How dare you speak to the Madam like that!" Cuiliu scolded. If she were not currently holding the young master, she would have stepped forward to give the steward a piece of her mind.
"Guards, seize him!"
At Xu Yuan’s command, the guards nearby, who had been watching the commotion, hurried over, stunned by the order. When they hesitated, Xu Yuan’s face darkened. "What? Has my word already lost its authority?"
Seeing that Xu Yuan was truly incensed, the guards dared not delay further.
With his arms restrained, the steward looked at Xu Yuan in disbelief. "Madam, what is the meaning of this? I only came to request funds for the Old Madame’s medicine. If you won't give it, so be it—how could you turn on me? Are you not afraid of what the Old Madame and the Marquis will say when they return?"
The maids and servants in the vicinity, hearing the steward’s cries, gathered around, eager to see what was happening.
"Give him twenty lashes," Xu Yuan ordered coldly.
Trying to use Shen Yunan and her mother-in-law to pressure her? It was truly laughable. As for today’s events, she was not afraid of them knowing; in fact, she wanted them to know.
Seeing that Xu Yuan was not joking, the steward panicked and struggled to break free. The guards, wary of the mistress's status but aware of the steward’s long-standing influence in the estate, intentionally let their grip loosen.
Xu Yuan saw through their hesitation. As their hold faltered, she said calmly, "If the steward escapes, none of you need bother staying at the Marquis's Estate. You will all be sold off together."
Hearing this, the others were shocked, but any lingering thoughts of disobedience vanished. They tightened their grip, and the steward’s hope of escape was extinguished. He never imagined Xu Yuan would go this far, and his eyes filled with resentment.
"Madam, if you are going to punish me, there must be a reason! I won't accept this!" he bellowed, trying to ensure the commotion reached the Old Madame’s quarters.
Unfortunately for him, Xu Yuan had chosen this spot in the back garden precisely because it was the farthest point from the Old Madame’s residence. Even if someone were sent to report it, it would be far too late by the time they arrived.
"Disrespecting the mistress of the house—is that not reason enough?" Xu Yuan said in a measured tone, her words sending a chill down the onlookers' spines. "I never thought that someone as senior as you would commit such a grave error."
"What are you waiting for? Do as the Madam ordered!" Cuiliu urged impatiently. If Chuner relied on the Old Madame to flaunt her power, the steward relied on deception—outwardly respectful while backstabbing the mistress in the shadows. The old Madam would have brushed it aside for the sake of peace, but now!
Cuiliu felt a surge of joy. Her mistress had finally seen through them and was taking action. With this punishment, let’s see who would dare ignore her words again!
Many maids stood by, watching. While they were surprised by the severity of the punishment, none dared to intervene. Not only out of fear of being implicated, but for another reason: they, too, had been bullied by the steward countless times. Because of his position and the Old Madame’s blind trust, even when a few had dared to speak up in the past, nothing had ever changed.