Tenfold Repayment

Mei Xiaofang's expression froze at the words, and the silk cloth in her hand was immediately snatched away by a male servant.

"Ah!"

Caught off guard, Mei Xiaofang stumbled forward due to the servant's excessive force, directly towards a female servant. However, the latter sneered and moved aside without hesitation.

Just as Mei Xiaofang was about to fall, a strong arm caught her. It was Sikong Jing.

He then handed his mother-in-law to Su Yuexi behind him, glared at the surrounding servants, clenched his fists, and said to the male servant with a furious gaze, "Hand it back."

His voice was cold and domineering, and the male servant felt as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast, instinctively taking a step back.

But the female servant was not afraid, and she shouted, "On what grounds? Mei Xiaofang owes us half a month's wages, why should we return it?"

With her shout, the male servant also gained confidence and said, "That's right, you owe money and you still have the nerve to talk back?"

Several servants behind them also spoke up one after another.

"The Su Clan's First Madam is starving us to death, what's wrong with taking a little something from her?"

"This is rightfully ours."

As each of them spoke, the servants felt emboldened by their numbers and no longer feared Sikong Jing's dominance.

At this moment, Mei Xiaofang's voice rang out from behind Sikong Jing, "It was wrong of me to owe you wages, but is there any reason to rob me? And it's only been half a month!"

Supported by Su Yuexi, Mei Xiaofang walked out with a pale face.

"Half a month isn't long enough?" The male servant rubbed the silk cloth in his hand and said with a cold laugh, "And given your current situation, even one day's delay is unacceptable. Who knows how long you'll live?"

The female servant also spoke harshly, "You, Mei Xiaofang, are a shrew, a deadbeat who doesn't pay her debts."

Mei Xiaofang's eyes immediately turned red. As the First Madam of the Su Clan, when had she ever been insulted like this?

And to call her a deadbeat, she had never owed wages before; this was only the first time.

Su Yuexi couldn't help but anxiously say, "Aunt Li, my mother has always treated you well, is there any need to speak so harshly?"

These servants had all followed her father when he was in his prime.

Even after they fell on hard times, her mother had never mistreated them. Twenty whole years had earned her the title of shrew and deadbeat.

Especially the female servant, Aunt Li, who was her mother's dowry maid.

But Su Yuexi's words were met with cold laughter from all the servants. Aunt Li narrowed her eyes and said fiercely, "I don't care, but the wages owed to us must be paid, and paid immediately."

Su Yuexi opened her mouth. Owing money meant they were in the wrong, and she didn't know what to do.

At this moment, Mei Xiaofang gave a tragic smile, "I understand. When the Su Mansion's allowance comes down tomorrow, I will pay you all."

Her heart trembled. Her mother must have been deeply hurt. Aunt Li and the others were too heartless.

Alas, the allowance from the Su Mansion was already meager.

It had decreased year by year. The reason wages couldn't be paid was because the allowance for the past two months had been halved again.

Her mother had intended to delay it for a while, and after distributing red envelopes at Grandpa's birthday banquet in ten days, she would settle the wages with the servants. Her mother had always believed that the servants would understand their difficulties.

But in just half a month, they were pressuring her and even trying to rob her.

"The Su Mansion's allowance? Mei Xiaofang, are you dreaming? Do you still have any allowance to receive?" Aunt Li sneered repeatedly.

Stunned, Mei Xiaofang asked blankly, "What do you mean?"

Although the allowance was small, and she was not favored by that old geezer Su Xuefeng, there was still some.

"Oh, it seems you don't know yet?"

"Old Master Su has already issued an order to cut off all financial supplies to your family. Not a single copper coin."

Buzz!

As Aunt Li's words fell, Mei Xiaofang's mind roared. With the allowance cut off, what would they eat in the future?

"How could this happen? Did Zhenglong's efforts in leading the Su Clan to become one of the four great families of Yunye City not even compare to a few small copper coins?" Mei Xiaofang let out a mournful cry.

Twenty years ago, the Su Clan was merely a second-rate family in Yunye City. It was Su Zhenglong who had built it up with his own hands.

Cutting off the allowance was equivalent to taking Su Zhenglong's life, as he still needed to buy medicine to prolong his life.

"In short, pay the money, or don't blame us for emptying your house."

Aunt Li shouted with a distorted face. All the servants took a step forward, looking eager to try.

Mei Xiaofang said tragically again, "I've given you quite a few gifts in the past, aren't they worth more than half a month's wages?"

They were worth more than enough, enough to cover ten years.

But Aunt Li was relentless and said with a cold laugh, "You gave them willingly, I didn't beg you."

Slap!

Suddenly, a crisp sound echoed from Aunt Li's face.

At the same time, Sikong Jing stepped forward and domineeringly repeated, "Hand it back."

Aunt Li covered her face, a mixture of shock and anger.

But in the next instant, she let out a scream, "Someone's hitting me! The Su family's First Madam owes money and doesn't pay, and now she's hitting people! Is there any justice? We've dedicated our lives to the Su Mansion!"

Following her scream, footsteps echoed from all around, and figures dressed as servants appeared at the courtyard entrance.

Su Yuexi had mentioned that this was the old Su residence, and the surrounding area was inhabited by servants of the Su Mansion.

"Ali, what happened?" someone asked.

Aunt Li pointed angrily at Mei Xiaofang and cried, "We knelt and begged for the wages they owed us, and then this shrew Mei Xiaofang called her criminal son-in-law to beat me! I've wasted so many years serving her, wuwuwuwu..."

Such a blatant distortion of the truth nearly made Mei Xiaofang faint from rage.

It was never a kneeling plea; it was clearly coercion and robbery.

Even Sikong Jing was left momentarily stunned.

With fury surging in his heart, he stepped forward and slapped Aunt Li across the face once more.

This time, everyone saw it clearly; the watching servants retreated a step, then began pointing and whispering.

"How inhumane! They owe money and still hit people; they'll be struck by heaven's wrath."

"We're just servants; in their eyes, I suppose we don't even count as human."

"Go to the Su Clan Enforcement Hall and report this to Second Master Su..."

Amidst the cacophony of voices, dozens of servants launched a verbal assault against Mei Xiaofang and Su Yuexi.

Sikong Jing, unable to endure any longer, took another heavy step forward.

"Criminal, you stop right there!"

Mei Xiaofang suddenly screamed, "You can't hit her anymore! Are you trying to roast me over a fire?"

She was driven mad with rage and wanted nothing more than to beat Aunt Li to death herself, but she couldn't...

Otherwise, her family would be drowned by the public's spit.

Given Aunt Li's talent for twisting the truth, if he kept hitting her, their family would become the public enemy of the Su Mansion, leaving them with no way to survive.

However, Sikong Jing paused for only a moment before rushing forward, grabbing Aunt Li by the collar, and declaring, "The first slap was for your ingratitude and bullying your masters. The second slap was for twisting the truth. The third slap is for kicking us while we're down."

Smack!

The third slap sent Aunt Li flying. Sikong Jing then said coldly, "We never said we wouldn't pay the half-month's wages we owe you. Come find me in three days to collect your money—I will pay you back tenfold."

"Now, all of you, get out, or die!" Sikong Jing's glare swept across them, his killing intent soaring.