"Because they deserve it! Because I like them!" Bai Sheng suddenly raised her voice and said sternly, "What, you have an opinion? Do you, a nobody, have a right to an opinion?"
Qian Zhaodi cried, "We are both servants, why... why don't I deserve it? Why... why am I not worthy?"
Bai Sheng took a deep breath, closed her eyelids, and said righteously, "Because your heart is dark, your intentions are wicked, and your actions are improper!"
Qian Zhaodi's body stiffened. The hands supporting her on the ground turned white at the knuckles, trembling uncontrollably.
Bai Sheng continued, "Qian Zhaodi, you are right, I truly don't like you. But it's not about ostracizing or targeting you. I don't have the time to ostracize or target anyone. You think too highly of yourself.
Don't you know what kind of person you are?
Barely a month after coming to my house, you often stole food from the kitchen and framed my younger brother, Lu Yu. Yu is young and often took food from the kitchen, so Sister Guihua didn't think much of it. You thought you were being clever, but you forgot that my family's Lightning is very human-like.
When the literacy class was first held at Hongshu Slope, I was indeed considering making you Hua Hua's assistant teacher because you seemed quite bright. However, to make Ge Mei appear stupid, you privately taught her the wrong characters. Ge Mei was still foolishly unaware of this, and Hua Hua discovered it and told me.
Ge Mei asked you not to tell anyone about the name I gave her, but you betrayed her in return.
When you watched the shop, you would steal two wen every time.
You deliberately wore low-cut clothes in front of my husband and even attempted to seduce His Highness the Imperial Prince.
The despicable things you've done are too numerous to count. What? Have you forgotten all of them?
Normally, I can't be bothered with you, but you don't think I'm completely unaware, do you? Hmph, the one who treats others as fools is the real idiot.
All the indentured servants who sold themselves to my family, except for you, have been dutiful, pure-hearted, and loyal. Tell me, if I don't treat them well, should I treat you well instead?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Bai Sheng's servants were all astonished to hear about these deeds of Qian Zhaodi. They never expected Qian Zhaodi to be so base.
Especially Granny Zhong, who was filled with regret. She thought Qian Zhaodi was a good person and almost introduced her to Yang Ming. Fortunately, Qian Zhaodi didn't fancy Yang Ming, and Yang Ming wasn't looking to get married yet, otherwise, she would have harmed this child, Yang Ming!
Granny Zhong patted her chest with lingering fear.
Bai Sheng continued, "My tolerance for you until now is merely because I pity your background and have given you a meal. I didn't expect you to have such wicked intentions and be so arrogant. Qian Zhaodi, please open your eyes and see your place clearly. Leave my house, and you are nothing!"
Qian Zhaodi suddenly lunged at Bai Sheng, kneeling before her and kowtowing repeatedly, begging for mercy. "Mistress, I was wrong. Please, spare me. From now on, I will be loyal to you and Master, and I will never covet what I shouldn't have. I... I was too poor as a child and was bullied relentlessly, so I... I particularly wanted to climb higher."
Bai Sheng sneered, "Many people were poor and suffered hardships in their childhood, but not everyone is like you, losing their basic conscience."
Granny Zhong said, "Speaking of poverty and suffering, what I, an old woman, have experienced is far more tragic than yours, Qian Zhaodi. Yet, in my life, I have never taken even a needle or a thread from someone else's home. If we are poor, we should still be proud in our poverty!"
"Mistress, please, spare me this once. I dare not do it again!" Qian Zhaodi hugged Bai Sheng's leg, sobbing.
Bai Sheng kicked her away, "Spare you? So you can regain your strength and bite me back? I always believe in one thing: remember the evil done to you by others, and don't be soft-hearted just because of a few gentle words, because deep-seated wickedness is incurable."
Du Min stepped forward, looking at Qian Zhaodi with disgust. "Mistress, how should we deal with her?"
Bai Sheng said sternly, "Return her indenture contract, and from now on, she is no longer part of my household—"
"We can't let this lowly woman go, Mistress, we should slit her throat! Her heart is so malicious!" Before Bai Sheng could finish speaking, Tian Guihua said urgently.
Seeing Guihua's anxious expression, Bai Sheng smiled. "Sister Guihua, don't be impatient. I am indeed returning her indenture contract, but I want her to leave the way she came to my house.
I don't like killing. Killing too much will dirty my hands. Besides, killing is not as effective as crushing the spirit. I want to see her unable to live and unable to die. I want her to watch all of us eat well, drink heartily, and live the best life, to make her envious and covetous, and to torment her day by day with regret and hatred!"
Tian Guihua and Madam Yang and the others were finally relieved, their faces showing satisfaction.
Bai Sheng looked at Du Min. "Sister Du, search her thoroughly, take all her valuables, and find a ragged old cloth for her to change into. I remember when she first came to my house, she was dressed extremely shabbily!"
A young girl standing nearby, dressed in rags, her eyes immediately lit up. She stepped forward and asked, "Owner, would it be okay to exchange my clothes for hers?"
Bai Sheng smiled gently. "Naturally!"
Du Min, along with Tian Guihua, Madam Liu, Madam Yang, and that girl, dragged Qian Zhaodi into the workshop, stripped her of her new clothes, and exchanged them with the girl in rags.
That girl had never worn such nice clothes. There wasn't a single patch on them, and the fabric was soft and very comfortable to wear. She gently caressed the fabric with her fingers, her eyes full of fondness.
Qian Zhaodi struggled intensely. Tian Guihua slapped her face several times, directly subduing her.
They dragged Qian Zhaodi outside again. Everyone saw that the once radiant Qian Zhaodi had become dirty and disheveled. It truly holds true that clothes make the person.
"This woman is truly troublesome. She had a good life, but she had to court death!"
"Isn't that the truth? They saved her, and she bit them back, betraying friends and loyalty. Such a person cannot be kept."
"Exactly. If it were me, I would tear her mouth apart and send her to the border red tents to be tortured to death!"
Bai Sheng looked at Yang Ming and ordered sternly, "Xiao Ming, break one of her legs, then throw her out of Hongshu Village!"
"Yes! Mistress!" Yang Ming responded, turned around, and beckoned Wang Xiaoma and Wang Zhugan to approach Qian Zhaodi.
Tian Guihua immediately shouted to everyone, "When this lowly woman first entered our home, she broke one of her legs herself. Originally, she planned to frame our Mistress with her parents. But Mistress took pity on her and took her in. Yet, she repaid kindness with enmity and was insatiably greedy! Now that our Mistress is breaking one of her legs, she's not at a loss!"
Tian Guihua's words caused the onlookers to sigh again.