The doorkeeper led the way, panting heavily; the two officers were also out of breath. Only Serena Feng showed nothing but a faint flush on her cheeks.
The moment she entered, Serena Feng understood—the Hsieh clan intended to humiliate her.
She'd never eaten pork, but she'd seen pigs walk.
In a mansion that sprawls over thousands of acres, everyone inside uses carriages. Otherwise, those living deepest within would never get anything done—it would take all day just to walk out the front gate.
The Hsieh servants assumed a noble girl with bound feet couldn't walk far and expected her to beg for mercy. But they didn't know Serena Feng, motherless since childhood, never had her feet bound at all.
With her natural feet and recent training, Serena Feng could walk for three quarters of an hour—or even a full hour—without breaking a sweat or losing her color.
Seriously, a surgeon can't afford to be weak. If you had to perform a thirty or forty hour surgery, you'd be dead on your feet.
If you fainted on the operating table then, it wouldn't just be embarrassing—it would be fatal!
Their clever scheme had backfired.
Huff, huff, huff...
"Miss Feng, are you alright?" The two officers were so exhausted they could only fan themselves with their hands.
Exhausted and parched.
This Hsieh Manor is just too much.
"I'm fine. If you two officers are tired, feel free to rest; with this doorkeeper leading the way, I won't get lost." Serena Feng replied breezily, leaving the officers envious, while the sweat-soaked doorkeeper gritted his teeth in frustration.
Is she even a woman? Is she really a woman?
She could outwalk all three men?
Huff, huff, huff... They'd rushed the whole way, and he was too exhausted to even curse. Luckily, they were nearly at the second branch's quarters.
After another incense stick's time of walking, the doorkeeper and officers were drenched in sweat but dared not complain.
Just then, Ethan Hsieh's voice rang out in the courtyard, furious and impatient.
Go, send someone to check—why isn't Serena Feng here yet? She's got guts, daring to ignore the Hsieh clan. Does she think she's immortal? Go see if she's dead yet!
The doorkeeper froze in place, legs trembling. His face, already pale from exhaustion, now looked ashen—like death itself.
Serena Feng showed not a hint of sympathy. She walked past the doorkeeper and said, "No need. I'm here."
Serena Feng pushed open the door and entered, her face cold as frost.
Her gaze swept the room, taking in everything at a glance. The corner of her mouth curled into a mocking smile.
"Serena greets Magistrate Wei and the two young masters." She spoke the words but didn't move at all—not even a hint of a bow.
As for everyone else, Serena Feng simply ignored them.
"Serena Feng, what an entrance. We've all been waiting nearly half an hour." Clearly, Ethan Hsieh's temper was short—he opened with a scolding.
This time, Serena Feng wasn't about to let it slide. Her expression cold, she replied, "So I've disappointed you, Third Young Master? It's not that I demand grand treatment—it's that your Hsieh Manor is simply too big. From the front gate to here took me three quarters of an hour. If my mother hadn't died early, leaving me with unbound feet, then forget helping you with your troubles—I'd be lucky just to walk out of here alive."
"What happened?" Ethan Hsieh snapped, turning to his page for answers.
"I'll go check right away," the page answered smartly, darting out of the room.
"No need. Without orders from the master, no servant would dare act out. Since it's been done, why bother pretending otherwise? It's disgusting."
Serena Feng knew this wasn't Ethan Hsieh's doing, but she was happy to pin the blame on him—just because she could.
"So that's how Hsieh Manor teaches its servants." Caleb Wang chimed in. He wasn't defending Serena—he just wanted to put Ethan down.
Ethan Hsieh was fuming, ready to lash out, when a middle-aged man in brown brocade stepped forward, politely but perfunctorily cupping his hands to Serena Feng.
"Miss Feng, you've been wronged. It's our Hsieh Manor's fault for poor discipline. We'll send a generous gift later to help you recover from the shock."
His words sounded nice, but were full of contempt. His eyes held undisguised disdain.
"Great! The Hsieh clan is a famous noble house—I'm curious to see what kind of 'generous gift' you'll give." Serena Feng played along, not only unfazed by humiliation but taking the chance to extort them.
Uh... The middle-aged man was stunned.
How could a woman be so shameless? Didn't she realize those were mocking words?
Snap—Caleb Wang flipped open his folding fan, hiding his smile. When he looked back at Serena Feng, his gaze had changed.
Too bad she's a woman. If Serena Feng had been born male, even without entering officialdom, she'd have the talent of a prime minister in white robes.
That quick wit was something to admire.
Cough, cough...
The atmosphere was awkward. Magistrate Wei, dressed in official robes, stepped forward from the back of the crowd.
In front of the Wang and Hsieh heirs, Magistrate Wei didn't dare put on airs. But with Serena Feng, he was all bureaucracy, chin lifted, ordering her around: "Miss Feng, we've been waiting quite some time. You may begin your work now."
"Begin? Begin what?" Serena Feng looked clueless, arms folded, half leaning on the doorpost. A crooked smile played at her lips, her eyes full of innocence and mischief.
That posture would be rude even for a man, let alone a woman. Yet Serena Feng acted as though it was perfectly natural, her quiet arrogance showing through.
Contradictory, but damn if it wasn't captivating.
Ethan Hsieh and Caleb Wang both felt their hearts skip a beat. They'd never seen a woman so bold, so utterly indifferent to rules and appearances.
Just by standing there, Serena Feng had leveled the playing field.
"Outrageous. Absolutely outrageous." The middle-aged man jabbed a trembling finger at Serena Feng, nearly shaking with anger.
The Wang and Hsieh clans were strict about upbringing. Even the maids wouldn't dare act like this, let alone the young ladies.
"Etiquette? What's that supposed to mean? Third Young Master personally invited me, and after all this walking, not even a cup of tea or a seat. What, now I'm not allowed to lean against a pillar either? Is this how Hsieh Manor treats its guests? Seems even my fallen Feng house does better than this."
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Serena Feng didn't move at all, completely unfazed by their contempt.
She was used to those looks.
She'd seen even more poisonous stares before—and still, Serena Feng was alive and well.
Lying low, I don't need anyone's approval. As long as I respect myself, that's enough.
When I rise, I won't need flattery either. As long as I know my own worth, that's enough.
Hmph...
"You—such a troublemaker!" Magistrate Wei was furious at Serena Feng, his eyebrows twisted like caterpillars.
How dare she make him lose face in front of the Wang and Hsieh heirs? Did Serena Feng have a death wish?
"Troublemaker? Magistrate, I haven't beaten the grievance drum or blocked any sedan chair—how am I a troublemaker? If I recall correctly, I didn't come to Hsieh Manor by choice. That word really wounds me."
Serena Feng's words were vicious.
Yes, those who beat the drum or block sedan chairs are troublemakers—but it's officials who force citizens to act out when they refuse to do their jobs.
"Serena Feng, you've got some nerve! Guards—" Magistrate Wei was shaking with rage, waving his hand.
Ethan Hsieh stepped forward immediately: "Magistrate Wei, please calm down. Serena Feng is, after all, General Feng's daughter. It's true that our Hsieh Manor failed in our hospitality first."
Hsieh Manor wasn't afraid of antagonizing Magistrate Wei, but there was no need to make trouble.
Besides, if things blew up today, both sides would lose face.
If word got out that Hsieh Manor caused a scene on the day General Warren Yu returned in triumph, they'd be utterly disgraced.
Ethan Hsieh shot Serena Feng a hard look, signaling her to know when to stop. If she kept pushing, she'd be the one to suffer.