Free Web NovelChapter 53: Chapter 53: Teach Her A Lesson
"It is literally just a stupid bowl. Is there really any need to make such a massive, dramatic scene out of something so petty?" Jiang Chinan asked, rolling his eyes in irritation.
The moment Jiang Lukang heard those dismissive words coming from his son’s mouth, he instantly shot him a terrifyingly cold, venomous glare.
"If one of the servants served you a bowl smeared with someone else’s saliva inside, would you still sit there and think it was not a big deal?" Jiang Lukang threw the sharp question right back at his son, his voice dripping with authority.
Hearing his father’s booming tone, Jiang Chinan immediately shut his mouth and looked away, not daring to utter another syllable.
A few tense minutes later, several kitchen servants arrived nervously in a hurried rush, led by Butler Jun. The kitchen staff lined up in a neat, trembling row right in the centre of the formal dining area. None of them dared to look up, let alone muster the courage to meet Jiang Lukang’s furious gaze.
"Who exactly prepared this specific bowl today?" Jiang Lukang asked, lifting his hand and pointing a stern finger directly at the contaminated dish on the table.
Jiang Lukang’s low, dangerous voice made the servants visibly tremble in their uniforms. But there was only silence. Everyone remained completely silent as the seconds ticked by. Not a single person spoke up to claim responsibility.
"Fine. If absolutely no one wants to step forward and admit to it, then every single person who worked in the kitchen today can pack up their belongings and leave this estate tonight. You are all fired." Jiang Lukang threatened the servants, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
The moment the servants heard that their livelihood and high-paying jobs were officially on the line, they immediately completely panicked. One of the younger, more fragile maids even burst into loud, hysterical tears.
"Master, it seriously was not me!"
"It was not me either, I swear!"
"Master, please investigate this matter properly before firing us!"
The once-elegant dining area instantly descended into absolute chaos as cries of innocence echoed through the room.
Seeing the chaotic situation spiralling completely out of control, an older, middle-aged servant finally took a deep breath and stepped forward from the trembling line.
"Master Jiang." The middle-aged servant called out, her voice shaky but determined.
Every single eye in the dining room turned toward her instantly. The woman’s face was completely pale, but she knew she couldn’t let everyone suffer for one person’s foolishness.
"I... I personally saw someone messing with Miss Qiao’s bowl before it was brought out." The middle-aged servant stated.
"Who was it?" Jiang Lukang asked immediately, narrowing his eyes.
The middle-aged servant hesitated for a tense second before she slowly raised her hand, pointing her finger directly at a young maid standing at the very end of the line. The maid who had just been pointed at instantly lost all remaining colour in her face, turning as white as a sheet.
"NO! I did not... She is lying! I did not do it!" The accused maid tried to frantically deny it, her voice cracking under the pressure.
"You did not do it?" Jiang Lukang narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits, his aura becoming incredibly suffocating.
Realising that there was no way out and that the evidence was against her, the young maid’s knees buckled, and she immediately dropped to her knees on the hard floor.
"Master! Please forgive me! I was completely wrong!" The maid cried out, kowtowing her head repeatedly against the floor.
Everyone present in the room was completely stunned. She had actually admitted to it.
Feng Lan’s expression became incredibly ugly as she stared down at the pathetic display. Having a servant pull a stunt like this right under her nose made her look completely incompetent as the mistress of the house.
"Why on earth would you ever do something so malicious and disgusting like this?" Feng Lan asked, her voice tight with embarrassment and anger.
The maid lowered her head as far as it could go, tears streaming down her face.
"I... I only wanted to teach her a little lesson." The maid stated in a small, trembling voice.
"Teach her a lesson?" Jiang Lukang repeated, his voice dangerously low.
"I heard everyone in the servants’ quarters talking about how Miss Qiao came from a poor countryside background and had no backing. I thought..." The maid’s voice grew softer and softer until it was barely a whisper. "I mistakenly thought she would be too scared and would not dare to complain to the Masters."
The maid’s resentment ran deep. She had been harbouring a grudge ever since Butler Jun harshly scolded her the previous night. Yes, she was one of the very same servants who had been publicly humiliated by the Butler after they were caught mocking Qiao Meixia, and she had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to retaliate.
The dining room became deathly, suffocatingly silent. No one dared to say anything.
Jiang Lukang’s face darkened further, his expression shifting from anger to a chilling, icy composure. How could a mere maid, who was nothing more than hired help, dare to treat the Jiang family’s true biological daughter with such blatant disrespect? It was a direct insult to his authority and the family name.
Qiao Meixia quietly watched the entire scene unfold with detached interest. She felt absolutely nothing, no triumph, no anger, no pity. To be honest, this pathetic outcome was not in the least bit surprising to her. From the very first moment she had set foot into this mansion, nearly everyone in the house had already made their hostile stance toward her perfectly clear.
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