Everyone was momentarily stunned when they saw that Ouyang Nuan had also arrived.  The head steward, Sun He, being perceptive, quickly stepped forward and bowed. “Greetings, Eldest Miss.”

Seeing his actions, the others followed suit and saluted. “Greetings, Eldest Miss.”

Ouyang Nuan watched the servants behind Sun He. After adjusting her attire, she calmly spoke as they bowed before her, “No need for such formalities. Today, it is Concubine Li who wishes to see you all. I am merely accompanying her. You need not pay attention to me, just speak with her directly.”

After saying that, Ouyang Nuan glanced at Sun He and asked slowly, “Are you all aware of Grandmother’s instructions?”

Sun He bowed deeply. “In response to Eldest Miss, we are already informed.”

Ouyang Nuan nodded. “That’s good. Concubine Li has just arrived at our manor and is unfamiliar with many matters. With all of you here, she should have no difficulty managing the household. Isn’t that right, Steward Sun?”

Sun He and the other stewards immediately bowed. “Eldest Miss, rest assured. We will certainly do our utmost.”

Having said her piece, Ouyang Nuan fell silent. She accepted the tea offered by a maid and sipped lightly.

The gathered servants observed the Ouyang family’s eldest miss sitting gracefully at the head seat. Her speech was slow and refined, her demeanor elegant and warm. Yet, there was an undeniable air of nobility about her that made no one dare to underestimate her.

Li Yue’e stood in the hall, smiling at the group. “There is nothing urgent today. I simply wished to meet everyone and get acquainted. There will be many times in the future when I will need your assistance, so I hope you will all do your best to help me.”

Hearing Li Yue’e speak, the servants visibly relaxed. A new mistress usually applies strict measures to establish their authority, but this concubine seemed no different from the others. She hardly seemed worth taking seriously.

A maid brought over a chair for Li Yue’e, but she instead sat just below Ouyang Nuan before continuing, “Who among you will explain your respective duties to me?”

A short, round-faced middle-aged woman hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and raising her voice, “Concubine Li, you have not considered this thoroughly. How could such matters be explained in such a short time? Moreover, if an outsider were entering the household, it would be necessary to question them carefully. But we who stand here are all longtime servants of the Ouyang family. Why must we go through such formalities? If there is anything you do not understand, you may ask the old madam or the madam.”

Li Yue’e was momentarily stunned. She had assumed that with Ouyang Nuan present, these people would at least maintain appearances. She hadn’t expected them to be so bold as to disregard the eldest miss entirely. She opened her mouth to respond but realized she didn’t even know the woman’s name.

“Nanny Qian.” Ouyang Nuan’s voice rang out, crisp and clear as the lid of her tea cup gently clinking against the rim. She withdrew her smile and gazed at the woman who had just spoken, her eyes cold and sharp, carrying an unmistakable chill.

Sweat slowly formed on Nanny Qian’s forehead. She couldn’t understand how a girl of barely twelve years could exude such an imposing presence.

The hall fell into complete silence as everyone waited to see what would happen next.

“In Nanny Qian’s opinion, how should Concubine Li proceed?” Ouyang Nuan asked softly, her tone devoid of anger.

Nanny Qian let out a breath and raised her chin. “When the madam managed the household, there was never such trouble. We only need to follow the established rules. These rules were set by the madam herself, so how could they be wrong? Concubine Li may be new, but there is no need to overcomplicate things. Everyone has their duties. Why add unnecessary burdens?”

Ouyang Nuan glanced at Nanny Qian and immediately understood that she must be one of Lin Wanru’s people. It was obvious that an ordinary servant would never dare to speak so boldly, let alone openly challenge her.

Nanny Qian saw the faint smile on Ouyang Nuan’s lips and felt a wave of unease. Why was she smiling? Even if Ouyang Nuan was adept at hiding her anger, she shouldn’t be smiling at a time like this. But that was precisely what Nanny Qian wanted— to provoke Ouyang Nuan. If she could anger the Ouyang Nuan enough to have her dragged out and beaten, she could claim she was being punished for upholding the madam’s rules. No matter the reason behind it, once word spread, it wouldn’t reflect well on Ouyang Nuan.

“Oh?” Ouyang Nuan’s voice was light as she asked, “Did I ever say I wanted to change the rules Mother set? Concubine Li, did you say you intended to alter the household regulations?”

Li Yue’e quickly answered, “Of course not, Eldest Miss. I only wished to familiarize myself with the household affairs to manage them better.”

Typically, when a new mistress took over, she would establish new rules to assert her authority. That was likely Li Yue’e’s true intention, yet she had not explicitly said so. Nanny Qian faltered. “This servant merely assumed—”

“Oh…… so the servants in this manor have grown clever enough to assume what their mistress are thinking? Or are you suggesting you should be the one instructing me on how to manage affairs?” Ouyang Nuan’s voice, though calm, carried an icy edge.

Nanny Qian’s forehead was now damp with sweat. The eldest miss’s words had taken an unexpected turn. If things continued like this, wouldn’t she become the one at fault? But she had nothing to fear. The madam had promised to back her up. Straightening her spine, Nanny Qian braced herself and said, “Eldest Miss, you misunderstand. This old servant was merely reminding you, so you wouldn’t be reprimanded by the madam should a mistake occur……”

Ouyang Nuan’s gaze bore into Nanny Qian, her voice warm yet chilling, “So I should thank you for teaching me how to do my job? It seems that I, the eldest miss of the Ouyang family, am less capable than a mere housekeeper and must rely on your guidance. In that case, I shall inform Grandmother that, starting tomorrow, you shall manage the Ouyang household. Everyone will take orders from you. How does that sound?”

Nanny Qian instantly broke out into a cold sweat. The eldest miss’s words were far too sharp that she had completely trapped Nanny Qian! She immediately fell to her knees and stammered, “This servant dares not! I never meant such a thing!”

Ouyang Nuan’s tone remained icy, “I thought you were here to assist Concubine Li and me. But from what I see, you believe yourself to be above us.”

Nanny Qian’s back was drenched in sweat. “This servant dares not, I dare not!”

Seeing the situation, Sun He quickly intervened with a forced laugh. “Nanny Qian is old and misspoke. Please, Eldest Miss, do not take it to heart.”

Ouyang Nuan remained composed, her tone casual, “Just yesterday, Grandmother mentioned that there are too many idle, gossiping servants in the manor who contribute nothing. Perhaps it is time for some to retire. Since Nanny Qian is getting on in years, she should go home and rest.”

Nanny Qian shuddered and quickly bowed. “Eldest Miss is right! This servant was momentarily foolish and will never dare to overstep again. From now on, I will follow all of Eldest Miss’s orders!”

Ouyang Nuan smiled, dimples appearing faintly. “I hope you remember your words and do not forget them the moment you turn away.”

“I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare!” Nanny Qian kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead turning blue. Ouyang Nuan waved a hand dismissively, and Nanny Qian scrambled back, drenched in sweat.

Leaning into the high-backed chair, Ouyang Nuan sipped her tea. “Anyone unable to remember this lesson will find that this manor has no place for them.”

At first, everyone assumed that Ouyang Nuan, with her delicate and frail appearance, was nothing more than a half-grown child who would be easy to deal with. Who would have thought that with just a faint smile and a few light words, and without even raising her temper or saying much, she would effortlessly take control of the situation? With that, who would still dare to utter a single unnecessary word?

Seeing the utter silence below, Li Yue’e experienced, for the first time, the feeling of being truly revered by others. A surge of pride welled up within her, as if that respect also belonged to her in some way.

Noticing the slight upward curve of Li Yue’e’s lips, Ouyang Nuan sneered inwardly. If you think Lin Wanru’s schemes amount to nothing more than this, then you are far too naive. This is merely the beginning.