Although Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen had only looked at a few houses, they felt exhausted, their arms and legs sore.

They had planned to visit a jewelry shop afterward but had no energy left.

After finalizing the lease with Mei Ningxiang, they headed straight back to the Marquis’s residence.

However, as soon as they entered the residence, someone stopped them.

“Oh, you two are finally back. Look at you, so at ease, even more than proper young ladies!” It was Xin Rong, the head maid of the Rongkang Courtyard, who usually didn’t get along with them and was always blunt.

“If you have something to say, just say it instead of being sarcastic!” Zhen Zhen retorted, irritated by Xin Rong’s attitude.

Xin Rong gave Zhen Zhen a disdainful look and said arrogantly, “The Young Master’s wife has summoned you. Please go to the Rong Kang Courtyard.”

The Young Mistress wanted to see them? Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen exchanged glances, feeling uneasy.

The last time they were summoned by Wang Yilan, Rong Rong almost lost her life. Now, being called again, they wondered what trouble awaited them.

“Come on! Can’t you even be called by the Young Mistress?”

Rong Rong asked, “Do you know why the Young Mistress is looking for us? We were just about to return to the study to work.”

“You’ll find out when you get there.”

With Xin Rong’s unfriendly gaze, Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen suppressed their unease and followed her to the Rong Kang Courtyard.

In the Rong Kang Courtyard, Wang Shi was having tea after a nap.

While most noblewomen preferred fruit tea, she liked pine needle tea, which, despite its pleasant aroma, tasted quite bitter.

Xin Rong left them at the courtyard entrance and went inside to report, not coming back out.

Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen had to wait at the door.

Fortunately, they were dressed warmly and didn’t feel too cold in the wind.

After waiting for about a stick of incense’s worth of time, Xin Rong came out and said with a smile, “The Young Mistress wants to see you two in the courtyard.”

Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen entered the courtyard and stood with their heads bowed as servants brought out a yellow pear wood lounge chair and laid a cushion on it.

After a while, Wang Shi came to the porch and sat on the chair.

Wang Yilan was three years older than Rong Rong and Zhen Zhen, still in her prime, but she preferred simplicity.

The large courtyard felt lifeless.

“Why is there no one in the study today?” Wang Shi asked in an indifferent tone.

Zhen Zhen knew Wang Shi was going to find fault and responded honestly, “The Young Master went out today and will only return after the evening banquet. We were given permission to take half a day off.”

“Do you understand the rules of the household?”

Zhenzhen did not respond, but Rongrong firmly replied, “Yes, we know. The senior maid in the courtyard cannot take leave simultaneously.”

“You know the rules and yet deliberately broke them,” Wang Yilan sneered. “Since you knew the rules, why did you still ask the Young Master for special permission? Are you trying to force him to break the rules of the household?”

“We wouldn’t dare,” Zhenzhen and Rongrong said, lowering their heads even further.

Wang Yilan glanced at them. “Without rules, there can be no order. If everyone took advantage of the master’s leniency and asked him to make exceptions, wouldn’t the rules of this household be ruined?”

Zhenzhen squeezed Rongrong’s hand tightly, and Rongrong felt helpless.

Wang Yilan’s words clearly indicated that she intended to punish them.

Since Young Master Xie was not in the house today, Wang Yilan had a valid reason for her actions, and even if Xie Yuanchu returned in the evening, he would likely not question her.

“Kneel,” Wang Yilan ordered.

Rongrong and Zhenzhen obeyed and knelt in the middle of the courtyard.

The courtyard was paved with large, smooth bluestone slabs, making it very hard.

Even though they wore thick winter clothes, their knees were still painfully bruised.

Zhenzhen felt the cold seeping through her clothes as she knelt, and seeing Rongrong’s lips turn slightly white, she couldn’t help but say, “Madam, we have no complaints about your punishment, but Rongrong has just recovered from a serious illness. If she kneels in the snow for half a day again, she won’t be able to withstand it.”

Xinrong scolded, “How can a mere maid be so troublesome?”

“Fine, set up a stove for them to keep warm. We wouldn’t want them to fall ill again,” Wang Yilan said.

Last time, Rongrong had fallen ill after being punished by her, which displeased Xie Yuanchu.

If she became ill again today, it would likely cause trouble for her.

Yet, she couldn’t suppress her anger.

She had opposed the seductive maid, Luomei, being placed in the study.

Now these two maids had managed to get Luomei into the study in various ways, seemingly going against her wishes.

If she didn’t impose some punishment, how would anyone in the household respect her as the madam?

Would all the maids and servants in the Houfu start trying to please these two troublesome girls?

Xinrong huffed, “If these two were in our Wang family, their legs would be broken. The madam is being kind by providing them with a stove.”

“The Houfu is not the Wang family. Speak less of such things in the future.”

“Yes.”

The Young Mistress’s orders were quickly acted upon, and a charcoal brazier was brought over and placed in front of Rong Rong.

Although the brazier warmed the area, the smoke was too close to Rong Rong’s face, causing her to cough repeatedly from the irritation.

“She really is delicate, isn’t she? Young Mistress, you should go inside. Watching her suffer like this is quite unpleasant,” Wang Yilan said, looking at Rong Rong who was being smoked and heated.

Wang Yilan glanced at Rong Rong and nodded slightly, “Is the bird’s nest soup for Mother ready?”

“It’s ready.”

“Let’s go then, to greet Mother.”

“No need to go; I’ve already arrived.” With that, Madam Zhai, the Marquis’s wife, entered the courtyard, supported by two maids.

Wang Yilan was surprised and quickly got up from her chair.

She hurried to the entrance to help Madam Zhai inside. “I’ve been preparing a pot of bird’s nest soup with snow pears and lotus seeds for three hours this morning, ready to be sent to Mother. Why did you come here?”

“It was getting stuffy sitting inside, so I thought I’d take a walk. It’s quite lively here!” Madam Zhai said, glancing at Zhen Zhen and Rong Rong, who were kneeling and red-faced from the smoke.

She took Wang Yilan’s arm and headed towards the main room. “This room is too plain. You should add some elegant decorations.”

Wang Yilan lowered her head, “I’ve always lived simply at home, so I’m used to it being plain.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhai stopped and didn’t proceed into the room.

Wang Yilan had to guide Madam Zhai to sit in the chair she had just vacated.

“What have these two girls done to be punished like this?” Madam Zhai asked slowly.

“They are senior maids in the Young Master’s study, and they both took leave at the same time. With no one available in the study, I punished them to set an example for others.”

“You did well,” Madam Zhai nodded, agreeing with Wang Yilan. “Without rules, everything falls apart. A large residence like ours needs proper discipline to maintain order.”

Wang Yilan breathed a sigh of relief, about to say something, when Madam Zhai continued, “However, it’s somewhat inappropriate to make people kneel in such a busy courtyard.” Without waiting for Wang Yilan to respond, Madam Zhai said, “Let them stand up.”