The ninth day after Li Chun is the first day of the first month. The servants in the Bo Mansion had already begun to prepare for the New Year early on.

  Last years lanterns were taken out to be dusted and washed, and could only be hung up on the 30th of the lunar month. The bedding was also taken out to be washed and dried in the sun. All the pots, bowls, tables and chairs had to be brought out, so everyone was extremely busy.

  Song Chuyi sat on the kang staring blankly at a pile of things in front of her.

  That was what Mrs. Xue handed over to her, the first thing was a small wooden box with gold trim, inside which was a whole box of black pearls, each one round and plump, just looking at them you could tell they were very valuable.

  Behind it was a red lacquer wooden box, which opened to reveal a neatly stacked box of silk fabrics and several large bundles of thread. Further back, blocked by the boxes, was a huangli wood box, inside which were arranged rows of books and classics, said to be some recipes for pastries and medicines that had been brought as part of Cuis dowry, as well as some rare classics.

  At the very top are Cuis handwritten Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra. When opened, every word and sentence is written with great care and elegance, showing that Cui was very dedicated at the time.

  Song Chuyi gazed and gazed until she couldnt help but hold back a pool of tears, just as she was about to look again, the curtain was lifted.

  The wind whizzed along the curtain and poured in, making Song Chuyi shiver involuntarily.

  Xus mother hastily blocked the pile of things in front, her face stern as she scolded Huang Yao who was smiling: "I just told you not to come in, are you deaf?!"

  Everyone says that Song Yis new wife, Li, is very good, kind-hearted and compassionate. She treats the children left behind by his first wife even better than her own biological daughter. However, Xu Mama, who has been immersed in the Cui family for half a lifetime, does not buy into this act of Lis at all.

  She was brought by Cuis family, her eyes were brighter than anyone elses, and many things were naturally clearer to her than to anyone else.

  In this world, apart from in plays and novels, I have never heard of any stepmother having a kind heart towards her stepchildren. Although she has been watching Li Shi treat Song Chuyi extremely well over the past few years, she still regards them as outsiders at heart. The reason is not that she really saw anything wrong with Li Shis intentions, but rather because she finds it strange that Li Shi treats Song Chuyi too well, to the point of being excessive.

  When things go against the norm, there must be a ghost. The better Li treated Song Chu-yi, the more frightened and apprehensive she became. She was also very much on her guard against Huang Yao and Qing Tao whom Li later sent to wait upon her.

  This time she listened to Song Chuyis words and handed over the things left by Cui Shi to her for sorting, and had already ordered several big girls to guard outside, not to rush in arbitrarily. Unexpectedly, Huang Yao still rushed in without a head or brain, and couldnt help but feel a few points of anger.

  Huang Yao didnt feel annoyed after being scolded by Xus mother, instead she curiously looked around her back and asked with a cute expression: "Auntie, what good thing are you hiding?"

  How dare you snoop on a girls private things with such impertinence, its simply disrespect!

  Xus mother got even angrier, seeing Huang Yao had already come over to pull her arm towards Song Chuyis kang, she couldnt help but swing her hand, causing Huang Yao to almost lose his balance and fall onto the table.

  "Ah!" Huang Yao didnt expect Xus mother to be so unreasonable, her face turned purple with rage, and her eyes were red: "You..."

  "Alright!" Song Chuyi got down from the kang, put on her shoes, lifted the pearl curtain with one hand and didnt even glance at Huang Yao. She called out to others: "Hongyu, Lüyi!"

  Hongyu and Lüv pulled back the curtain and entered, seeing that Mrs. Xues face was not pleasant, Huang Yao stood beside her, sobbing uncontrollably, they couldnt help but exchange glances with each other.

  Song Chuyi silently glanced at Huang Yao, who was crying pitifully, and coldly smiled: "Where were you two just now?"

  "In the corridor embroidering flowers."

  "It was in the corridor just now, I had instructed that no one is allowed to enter, how did you still let Huang Yao in?!" Song ChuYis face turned cold, and she sneered: "I thought that since Ive been ill for a while, none of you would take me seriously anymore."

  These words were heart-piercing, and Green Clothes and Red Jade Knee Cover immediately knelt to the ground with a soft thud, hanging their heads and repeatedly saying they didnt dare.

  Song Chuyi knew that these two maids were loyal, but loyalty was not enough, far from enough. In her previous life, Hongyu was casually found an excuse and sold far away, while Lvyi was excluded from the beginning to the end, it can be seen that the two womens minds are simple and do not know how to guard against others.

  Now she can only trust Xus mother and Lü Yùrú, so she must cultivate them well.

  Huang Yao saw Song Chuyi first arrange the noisy green clothes and red jade, and she was also startled. She was angry and anxious in her heart, angry that Xus mother and Song Chuyi both treated her as air, giving her no face, and anxious about what Song Chuyi wanted to do.

  "Youre not even daring, how can you still disobey my orders and let people in privately?!" Song Chuyi spoke hastily and severely, extremely angry, saying: "This times matter doesnt need me to say it, you all know where you went wrong yourselves, go find Liu Shu yourself to receive twenty slaps on the hand, next time if you offend again, youll all leave my place and go find another job elsewhere!"

  Song Chuyi was indeed not a good master, but she had never spoken to Ya Tou in such a harsh tone before. She had always been extremely tolerant of her personal maids and had never put on any airs as a mistress. This time, she suddenly lost her temper so badly that Lu Yi and Hong Yu were frightened out of their wits, and even Huang Yao was shocked, staring blankly with her mouth agape, her heart racing with fear.

  Before Huang Yao could react, Song Chuyi had already turned around and looked at her, saying in a low voice: "Just now I also instructed you with the same words, do you remember?"

  Song Chuyis face showed no expression, and her words were much softer than what she had said to Hong Yurou. However, Huang Yao felt even more terrified, and she suddenly knelt down on the ground with a thud, crying: "Slave... slave only because I heard the news that Second Master has already taken Fourth Young Master to Cangzhou, thats why I momentarily lost my composure..."

  Its all set, Song Yi had set off some time ago to go to Jinzhong to pick up Song Yan who was staying at her maternal grandparents home for a short while. Calculating the days, she should be back around these two days, just in time before New Years Eve.

  "No matter what the reason is, you shouldnt barge in here without permission." Song Chuyi said with a sudden smile: "It cant be that in the future when you have some news from Grandmothers place, youll also rush in without regard for anything, right?"

  Huang Yao saw her say this, and became even more afraid, hastily kowtowing repeatedly. She understood very well in her heart that not only was Li Shi still holding the title of benevolent mother, but she would definitely grant any request from Song Chu-yi, even if it meant going against the masters orders and secretly entering the bedroom, this crime alone would be enough to bring her bad luck.

  After all, he is just an 8 or 9-year-old child and has not become cunning and grown up yet.

  Xus mother stared at Huang Yao, then looked back at the things piled up behind her, and suddenly felt a sense of unease in her heart. If it were Qing Tao who had burst in this time, she would still be able to feel somewhat at ease. After all, although Qing Tao was also brought in by Lis family, she was quiet and taciturn, and over the years, she seemed not to have a lot of evil intentions...