Madam Xiao Qin suddenly stood up, startling the Old Madam. "Take it easy. What if you hurt the baby with such a big movement?"
"It's not a trivial matter? For disaster relief, isn't it always the mistress of the household who handles such affairs? Do you mean I'm no longer the mistress of the Marquis Manor?" Madam Xiao Qin asked agitatedly.
"What are you thinking? How did it come to you not being the mistress of the Marquis Manor?" The Old Madam was a bit confused.
"Don't I manage the manor's storerooms? I didn't even know, and the items inside were already misappropriated!" Madam Xiao Qin's voice was sharp. Da Feng Novel Network.
It was utterly nonsensical. The Old Madam took a deep breath. For the sake of her pregnancy, she tried her best to suppress her anger and patiently explained, "You manage the storerooms, but you are pregnant now and should not be overly fatigued."
"But you should have at least informed me," Madam Xiao Qin insisted. "Was it difficult to send someone to tell me?"
"It wasn't difficult, but what if I didn't want to tell you?" Qi Tianming walked in with a frown. "You are pregnant, so don't worry about things you shouldn't. I ordered this matter to be handled. Why are you here to question your mother? Your mother is old, and instead of showing filial piety, you're causing trouble. Is this the good upbringing from the Prince of Commandery's manor? It's such a small matter, is it worth you being so persistent? Does everything I, the Marquis, do require your report? Are you the one in charge of this Marquis Manor?"
Qi Tianming was in a good mood and had specifically come to share with the Old Madam. Unexpectedly, he ran into Madam Xiao Qin causing a scene, which soured his mood. Furthermore, Prince Qin had made some veiled remarks to him earlier, and he was already resentful of the Prince of Commandery's manor. Since Madam Xiao Qin came from the Prince's manor, he naturally couldn't show her a good face.
Upon seeing Qi Tianming, Madam Xiao Qin restrained herself somewhat, and her voice was not as sharp as before. "Marquis, I didn't mean that. I just feel that as the mistress of the Marquis Manor, I should be aware of all major and minor affairs in the household. Although I am pregnant, Madam Qin is always by my side managing the household's affairs, and she can handle many matters on my behalf."
Qi Tianming raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying I'm not even as capable as a wet nurse?"
Madam Xiao Qin's heart skipped a beat. She didn't understand how Qi Tianming had brought up the topic of her being less capable than a wet nurse. If she continued this line of discussion, she feared the wet nurse would get entangled.
"Marquis, you've misunderstood. Your concubine didn't mean that. After all, Zhenzhen is just an unmarried young lady. Although she has learned household management for a few days, her handling of affairs is naturally not as experienced as a seasoned wet nurse. If something goes wrong, what will outsiders say about our Marquis Manor?" Madam Xiao Qin, in her anxiety, brought up Qi Zhenzhen. Her anger was hard to quell, and she was unable to accept that a concubine's daughter had such great status and could make decisions on such important matters.
Qi Tianming looked disappointed, shaking his head. "Zhenzhen calls you mother, so she is your child. If your child is outstanding, shouldn't you, as a mother, be happy for her? Regarding the matter of disaster relief, Zhenzhen did an excellent job. Not only do I think so, but even His Majesty has praised her. By saying such things now, are you suggesting that His Majesty and I have misjudged someone?"
"I..." Madam Xiao Qin was momentarily speechless. She hadn't expected that even His Majesty had praised Qi Zhenzhen.
Madam Qin, at this moment, could no longer afford to observe propriety. Under Qi Tianming's mocking gaze, she spoke, "Marquis, please do not blame the Madam. She is pregnant, and it's natural for her to overthink things."
Qi Tianming snorted coldly. "When one is pregnant, one should know their place and take good care of their health. Giving birth safely is what she should be doing. You, as a capable person by the Madam's side, are you helping her in this way? Or, are you instigating her by the Madam's side, causing her to act like this?"
Madam Qin was greatly alarmed and felt very uncomfortable under Qi Tianming's sharp gaze.
Seeing Qi Tianming reprimanding Madam Qin, Madam Xiao Qin instinctively wanted to defend her. Before she could speak, she saw Madam Qin kneel before Qi Tianming. "It is this old servant's fault for not properly advising the Madam. The fault lies entirely with this old servant. I beg the Marquis, for the Madam's pregnancy, not to hold it against her. Old Madam, the Marquis may not know, but you should. A woman's temperament can be difficult to control during pregnancy. This old servant guarantees that the Madam has always been devoted to the Marquis Manor, the Marquis, and the Old Madam."
"Are you implying that because she is devoted to us, she can do as she pleases?" Qi Tianming was clearly not easy to appease.
"No, Marquis, the Madam has never done as she pleased," Madam Qin hurriedly defended. "It was, it was this old servant who kept mentioning to the Madam that the second young lady is merely a concubine's daughter, and it is inappropriate for her to interfere too much in household affairs. The Madam was incited by this old servant."
"Guards, Madam Qin has committed insubordination. Twenty slaps to the face," Qi Tianming said coldly.
Madam Xiao Qin was stunned, then cried out, "Marquis, you cannot do this! Madam Qin is old, how can she endure it? You will kill her this way!"
"It's just twenty slaps. If I don't teach her a lesson, what if she instigates you to be restless again? At that time, I won't be so lenient; I might even take her life. She is just a servant, why is Madam so worried?" Qi Tianming said slowly. "Madam, I am doing this for your own good."
Madam Xiao Qin almost bit through her teeth. She understood Qi Tianming's meaning perfectly; this was clearly a warning. If she was restless, he wouldn't touch her, but it didn't mean he would let go of those around her.
Madam Xiao Qin watched as Madam Qin received her punishment. She wanted to beg Qi Tianming, but he looked indifferent. The Old Madam also turned her face away, pretending not to see.
Fortunately, the person carrying out the punishment considered Madam Qin's age, and Qi Tianming had not instructed them to be overly harsh. Although the blows looked forceful, the strength used was not great. Even so, Madam Qin's cheeks were swollen beyond recognition.
"This Marquis will spare you this time. If there is a next time, it won't be like this," Qi Tianming said. "Later, have the manor physician prescribe some ointment. Madam will likely be unaccustomed to being served without Madam Qin."
Madam Qin thanked him incoherently and helped Madam Xiao Qin, whose facial features were contorted with rage, leave Chaohui Hall.
"She is still pregnant. Is your punishment a bit too much? Madam Qin is to her as Madam Fang is to me," the Old Madam frowned.
"She went too far, coming here to question you. As a daughter-in-law, she lacks the most basic filial piety. If she weren't pregnant, on the grounds of filial impiety alone, I could have sent her back to the Prince of Commandery's manor. Furthermore, her outburst today is greatly related to the attitude of the Prince of Commandery's manor. Today, my father-in-law questioned me why I didn't inform him about the disaster situation immediately so that the Prince of Commandery's manor could also devise a response. In front of so many colleagues, he reprimanded me like a child," Qi Tianming said angrily.