Lu Ruoyun stormed into the courtyard like a madwoman, furious that Su Qingyue, that wretched woman, dared to flaunt her superiority. How could she? She was the Second Prince Consort.
Lu Ruoyun's frantic demeanor stunned the old women, who were caught off guard and unable to react as she barged in.
Xiang Zhu protected Su Qingyue, while Feng Yin delivered a swift kick.
Although Feng Yin specialized in light footwork, dealing with a noble lady like Lu Ruoyun was well within her capabilities.
Without much effort, Feng Yin kicked Lu Ruoyun out of the courtyard, sending her crashing to the ground in a sorry state.
"Mothers, Xiang Zhu, you must bear witness for me. I did not provoke the Prince Consort; it was the Prince Consort who intended to harm Madam, and I had no choice but to use my foot to block her," Feng Yin stated earnestly.
Xiang Zhu's lips twitched. Blocking with her foot, how dare she say such a thing.
The gatekeepers nodded frantically. If Feng Yin hadn't stopped the Prince Consort, and she had managed to injure Madam, their entire families would have no chance of survival.
"What are you dawdling for? Hurry and help the Prince Consort back to rest. If something truly happens, how many heads do we have to spare? If you don't want to live, we do!" the gatekeeping mother scolded Lu Ruoyun's attendants unceremoniously.
These words were incredibly grating to Lu Ruoyun's ears.
Seeing Su Qingyue gaining the upper hand, these two old women immediately fawned over her. She was the Prince Consort. How dare a few servants act so brazenly?
"Are you blind?" Lu Ruoyun shrieked with a contorted face. "Drag these two old women away and kill them."
No one moved.
"Prince Consort, please stop causing trouble. They have served you for many years; can you bear to send them to their deaths? You must remember, this is the Prince's mansion, not the Duke of Chengen's estate. Although they are part of your dowry, Prince Consort, don't forget that you belong to the Second Prince. If your people anger the Second Prince, he has every right to deal with them," the gatekeeping mother said earnestly.
Everyone opposing her only fueled Lu Ruoyun's rage.
"Although my Lu family is currently in crisis, your indentures are still held by the Lu family. You must think carefully: will you listen to me, or to a few old women?" Lu Ruoyun gritted her teeth, looking at the people beside her. "I don't mind banishing you all!"
Lu Ruoyun emphasized the word "banish" heavily.
The maids trembled. Ordinary sale might offer a way out.
But they had served Lu Ruoyun since childhood, and they knew exactly what she meant by banishment.
If they were truly sent to the pleasure quarters, what hope would they have? A painful death from torment would be preferable to being dealt with by the Second Prince, a quick end.
With this thought, the maids took a few steps forward.
"Your indentures are no longer with the Lu family," the Second Prince's voice preceded his arrival, and in his hand was a stack of indentures. "The Lu family was raided, and I have retrieved all your indentures."
The maids looked at the Second Prince with surprise and joy, then knelt down, begging him to show mercy and help them bring back their parents, siblings, and other relatives.
"It took considerable effort for this Prince to retrieve your indentures," the Second Prince said. "However, once they are all made into government slaves, this Prince can still find ways. Of course, this Prince does not do good deeds for free. You must behave yourselves from now on and not cause trouble for this Prince."
The maids wept with joy. Becoming government slaves was better than dying.
As long as they were alive, they would always have a chance to see their parents and relatives.