“Lisu! We caught Dao!” Xiao Yue calls out from the parlor. I quickly set down my work and hurry outside. Xiao Yue holds a furious Dao, struggling in rope bonds. Chang Ying is there too, arguing with Qingtu.

Chang Ying sees me and turns around. “What is the matter? Why have you captured Dao?”

I give her a gloating smile, which she deserves because she is a jerk. “Well, Dao was caught sneaking out of the sitting room window when I ordered everyone to be in the kitchen helping make flaky pastries.”

“That’s because I needed to get the lotus paste from outside!” Dao spits. 

I give her a condescending smile. “Really? All the lotus paste was already brought inside. You would know that if you were in the kitchen with the others.”

“Well-it-it doesn’t even matter! Why can’t I go outside?”

“Why would you go outside which means disobeying an order from your superior?”

“I am a senior servant! I should not be held to the same standards as the younger servants.”

I look down at her. “If you really wanted to go outside with honorable intentions, why don’t you go through the front door? Why climb through a window, especially one that’s directly adjacent to Chang Ying’s rooms? I’m sure, as you’ve said, that you’re too old to be doing something so strenuous.”

Dao splutters, but cannot come up with an answer. “But there were people guarding the front door! I really needed to go outside… for my family, and I didn’t want you to punish me!”

“Oh really?” I reply. “All of the servants save for Xiao Yue and Qingtu were in the kitchen. Shall I call them for their testimony?”

“But you said-”

“No but’s,” I cut in sharply. “You have disobeyed my orders and snuck out, likely to report my work to Chang Ying. I cannot have such disloyalty in my house, and therefore I must fire you.”

Chang Ying smiles placably, but her eyes are furious. “Lisu, I think you’re being too harsh. Give Dao another chance. You’ve barely had her.”

“I don’t think I will. Maybe you tolerate disobedience from your servants, but I do not. Dao will return to your household if you wish. This discussion is over.”

After saying this, I turn heel and stride back to the house. Chang Ying can complain all she wants, but Dao really was disobeying orders and so I have cause to fire her. Xiao Yue and Qingtu hurry after me.

“That was amazing! Miss Lisu’s strategic skills are top-notch!” Xiao Yue gushes.

“Thank you,” I say humbly. “Really, it was only a bit of on-the-spur planning, nothing much. Anyways, now that Dao is gone, I can rest easy again. Luo might prove some trouble but we’ll deal with that later. For now, I need to get ready for Master Xia’s visit.”

“That’s right,” Qingtu remembers. “You’re training in cultivation with Master Xia now.”

They follow me into the house, where I have a simple hanfu laid out for training. Standing in front of my mirror, I spread my arms wide out and look back at my reflection.

“Chang Ying and Liling may try all they want to stop me, but I will always succeed. For I am Ma Lisu, the greatest girl ever!”

—

Chang Ying stalks into her room, furiously sweeping a vase off the table.

“How dare that insolent girl do such a thing!” she seethes. Her servant and closest confidant, Peizhi, lays a calming hand on her shoulder.

“Chang, you’ll break the furniture like that. We’ll have opportunities in the future, and Luo is still in there, isn’t she?”

Chang Ying breathes heavily, but slowly realizes the point. “That’s right. Luo can sabotage that wretched girl.”

Peizhi smiles. “Liling will marry the best boys in town.”

This makes Chang Ying snap again, causing her to tear at her hair in frustration. “Best boys in town? What boys? What town? My dimwit of a husband ruined our chances at Yucheng and got us sent to this good-for-nothing town. No boys of good breeding can be found around here!”

Peizhi calms Chang Ying down again. “Remember, there’s still the three boys training under Master Xia. Lin Hu is the son of the former Emperor’s Sword, and Huang Qiao and Zeng Zhiqiang are the sons of high-ranking court officials. Liling just needs to marry one of them, and one day she can return with them to Yucheng.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Once Liling marries one of Xia’s boys she’ll be able to laugh in the face of everyone.”

Chang Ying collapses into a fit of maniacal laughter. “Just you wait, Ma Lisu. I destroyed your mother and I’ll destroy you too!”