Inner Demons

Shi Quanyong seemed to have already understood some of Miss Lili's meaning. But he glanced back through the window at the still-sleeping Yu Meng and said, "This... after the residence inspected the dishes, I returned to the main shop, so I really don't know. But... did you enjoy the meal?"

Lili smiled faintly and said unhurriedly, "That evening, the master was the first to try a bite at the head of the table. He said the taste was quite fresh and even praised Wood South Residence. But who would have thought someone would come to ruin things—a retainer told the master that roe deer meat is warm in nature, but since it was a white roe deer caught in winter, it had become cold. My master was worried that our young master's body couldn't handle the cold, so he had the feast removed—and bestowed it upon us senior servants for a reunion dinner."

"Although the master meant well, the weather was freezing at that time. By the time the feast was sent to us, the food was already cold, so how could we eat it? We also prefer lighter food, so we each had a few bites so as not to disrespect the master's good intentions, and then it was distributed further down."

By now, any quick-witted person would probably know what Miss Lili was about to say. Only a few simpletons were still smacking their lips in amazement—"Heavens, that's the Yu Family for you... A five-hundred-tael feast was just given away to the servants!"

Lili waited for their exclamations to die down before smiling gracefully again. "The silver and timber given to you all today to repair your houses, added up... is nothing more than the cost of a single white roe deer feast. My Yu Family does not lack this kind of money. It is only because we are all old neighbors in Weicheng, and because our young master is kind-hearted and cannot bear to turn down anyone who comes to ask for help, that he stepped forward to do this."

"If any of you shopkeepers are worried that my Yu Family has any intention of swallowing up your properties through this opportunity, you may leave now. However, since you hold such prejudice against the Yu Family, it would be best not to have any dealings in the future—to avoid hurting the harmony between us. Shopkeeper Shi—"

Shi Quanyong quickly said, "Ah... I am here."

"I'll have to trouble Shopkeeper Shi to do me a favor and act as a witness here—our young master's actions this time are purely out of goodwill, with absolutely no other intentions. If there is anyone who still doesn't know what's good for them and insists on measuring our young master's intentions with a petty heart, humph, you can help me take note of them. I, Lili, will not swallow this insult!"

Shi Quanyong was the shopkeeper of a Wood South Residence branch. If he were ordered around like this by a maid from an ordinary family, he would have long since become angry and stormed off. But this Lili was no ordinary maid. Anyone with discerning eyes knew that she and the one inside the room were the Yu Family's young master's personal maids, both with first-class looks and figures. Once the young master of the Yu Family got married, these two would no longer be maids, but concubines.