Chapter 12: The Weight Of The Bow
Madam Liu narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked at Shen Taotao once more.
After so many years of dealing with people from all walks of life, she rarely found herself unable to understand someone’s intentions. Yet the young woman standing before her seemed unusually difficult to read.
Every answer sounded sincere. So sincere that Madam Liu could not decide whether Shen Taotao was genuinely simple-minded or far more skilled at hiding her thoughts than anyone had expected.
Just as she was about to probe further, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from the corridor.
"Second Miss!"
The familiar voice immediately interrupted the atmosphere between them.
A young maid quickly entered the courtyard before slowing her pace the moment she noticed Madam Liu’s presence.
She lowered her head respectfully and greeted the older woman, yet instead of remaining where she was, she walked directly toward Shen Taotao’s side.
To anyone paying attention, it looked very much as though the maid was deliberately placing herself between the two women.
Madam Liu’s gaze briefly lingered on the girl before shifting away.
"Second Miss," the maid said softly. "This servant has just received word that the Young Master may return to the courtyard shortly."
"Second Miss?" Madam Liu’s gaze immediately settled on the young maid.
The girl stiffened.
Although Madam Liu’s voice remained calm, the pressure behind those two words was enough to make several servants lower their heads.
"Has no one taught you the rules of the Xie residence?"
The maid’s face immediately paled. "This servant..."
Madam Liu did not wait for her explanation, "The person standing before you is no longer the second daughter of the Shen family."
Her eyes briefly swept toward Shen Taotao, "She is the Young Madam of the Xie residence."
The courtyard instantly became quiet and the maid’s face already turned pale.
Realizing her mistake, she immediately lowered her head even further before dropping to her knees.
"This servant knows her mistake."
Madam Liu’s expression remained calm, "A servant who fails to observe proper etiquette should naturally be punished according to the household rules."
The maid’s shoulders trembled slightly. However, she did not attempt to defend herself but instead she lowered her head even further, "This servant is willing to accept punishment."
The atmosphere immediately became tense. Several servants quietly exchanged glances. Everyone understood that Madam Liu was no longer speaking to the maid. She was speaking to Shen Taotao.
More precisely, she was waiting to see how the newly arrived Young Madam would handle the matter.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege blinked in confusion. Her gaze settled on the kneeling maid, clearly puzzled by the fact that the girl was apologizing so earnestly.
Then she looked toward Madam Liu, as if trying to understand what exactly the maid had done wrong, "Apologizing?"
Wang Gege looked at the trembling girl kneeling before her. For several moments, she remained silent as though carefully considering the matter.
Only after calming her thoughts did she step forward slightly, "I apologize on behalf of my maid, Madam Liu."
The words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Wang Gege folded her hands neatly in front of her and continued, "She has followed me for many years and is probably not yet accustomed to my new title."
Her voice remained gentle, "I ask Madam Liu to forgive this mistake."
With that, Wang Gege lowered her head. The simple gesture instantly sent a chill through the surrounding servants.
Several people widened their eyes in disbelief. Even the kneeling maid looked stunned. No one had expected the Young Madam to lower herself on behalf of a servant.
For a moment, the entire courtyard became so quiet that even the sound of falling petals could be heard.
Madam Liu’s gaze remained fixed on the young woman standing before her as she silently reconsidered everything that had happened since entering the courtyard.
Originally, she had come with the intention of testing Shen Taotao. The rumors surrounding the second daughter of the Shen family had never been favorable, and after speaking with her for some time, Madam Liu had almost convinced herself that those rumors were true.
Yet now, she was no longer certain. The apology itself was not the problem. Rather, it was the timing.
The maid had made a mistake. Madam Liu had pointed out the mistake. The servant had already accepted responsibility and was prepared to be punished.
Under normal circumstances, the matter should have ended there.
Instead, Shen Taotao had stepped forward. Not to argue or challenge her authority. She had simply accepted responsibility on behalf of her servant and offered an apology herself.
To an outsider, it might appear to be nothing more than an act of kindness. However, the more Madam Liu thought about it, the more uncomfortable she became.
After all, once the Young Madam personally intervened, the matter was no longer about disciplining a servant.
If she insisted on pursuing the issue, then she would effectively be rejecting the Young Madam’s apology in front of everyone present.
At that point, the person losing face would no longer be the servant. It would be Shen Taotao.
Madam Liu slowly narrowed her eyes, ’Was this girl really... that calculating?’
At first glance, she appeared harmless enough, yet with a few simple words she had quietly shifted the entire situation.
The more Madam Liu thought about it, the more she felt that this Shen family’s daughter was far more slippery than she looked. This might be the first time she found herself unable to reach a conclusion.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege remained completely unaware of the complicated thoughts running through the other woman’s mind.
She simply felt relieved that she had managed to say something before the poor maid was punished because of a habit that had only become a mistake yesterday.
The silence lingered for several moments before Madam Liu finally smiled, "It seems I was too hasty."
As she spoke, she inclined her head slightly toward Wang Gege, "I came today out of concern for the household and ended up speaking more than was appropriate. If my words were excessive, I hope Young Madam will not take offense."
The servants exchanged subtle glances. Although the gesture was small, everyone present understood what it meant... Madam Liu was yielding.
Not openly, of course. A woman of her standing would never directly admit fault over such a minor matter. Yet by acknowledging that she had spoken beyond her place, she had already taken a step back.
The atmosphere that had been quietly tense moments earlier eased considerably.
Wang Gege hurriedly returned the courtesy, "Madam Liu is thinking of the household. How could I blame you for that?"
Madam Liu smiled, "Young Madam is truly considerate."
This time, the praise sounded far more sincere than before.
As for Wang Gege, she merely smiled back politely, unaware that the image Madam Liu had built of her throughout the entire conversation had just been overturned once again.