The maidservants of the Golden Curtain Terrace are truly bold...

"Sorry, we're not open yet. You'll have to look elsewhere."

The servant at the door blocked Zhou Yao's guards at the entrance. She lifted the carriage curtain and glanced over—the steps before Golden Curtain Terrace were overgrown with moss from being neglected so long, and only a few sparse attendants lingered about, a far cry from its former glory.

Golden Curtain Terrace was famous for its namesake: the sheer curtains within were woven from fine threads of gold and silver, and under the sunlight they displayed the poetic beauty of "rippling light dancing on gold." Their craftsmanship rivaled even that of the imperial palace.

Formerly managed by the Bai family, Golden Curtain Terrace had been the most renowned restaurant and teahouse in all of Chang'an. Its extravagant decor and air of discretion made it a favorite among the noble clans. But after the Bai family's corruption was exposed, this prime property at the very heart of Chang'an fell into decline, and its halls gradually emptied.

Fortunately, when the authorities sealed the premises, they left everything within perfectly intact rather than confiscating it. Today, she finally had the chance to see it for herself.

Zhou Yao handed the deed box she was holding to her guards, signaling them to move forward—but the men at the door didn't budge. Instead, they shoved her guards back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the man barked in displeasure. "A fake deed and you think you can waltz in here and play master? Who do you think you are? I told you to get lost, so get lost, or I'll have you arrested!"

"Stupid country bumpkin. There's not a soul in Chang'an who doesn't know this place has been sitting empty. Keep causing trouble and I won't be polite. Now scram." He moved to slam the door shut.

She sat quietly in the carriage, her eyelids lifting slightly. Her guards took the cue and in an instant had the man pinned to the ground. The others rushed to help, but only after the doors of Golden Curtain Terrace swung open did Zhou Yao alight from the carriage, unhurried and composed.

"What's a scheming woman like you got to be so smug about?! Ow...! That hurts, hurts—ease up, ease up!" Even after Zhou Yao had walked well inside, she could still hear the servant's curses drifting in from outside.

Insulting the imperial family was a crime punishable by the most extreme sentence. But since her current identity was that of the Qi family's cousin... well.

"So much blather," Zhou Yao remarked, glancing coolly at the man now forced to his knees. She told the guard restraining him, "Eighty slaps to the mouth. If you can't handle it after that, haul him to the magistrate's office."

"Yes."

Once inside Golden Curtain Terrace, Zhou Yao took a look around. When she reached the main hall, she saw the spot where the golden curtain was once meant to hang—the very centerpiece of the establishment. Yet now, the object that should have draped there was nowhere to be found.

"Why is Brother Xiao Lin taking so long to get back?" A faint murmur of conversation drifted from behind the screen.

"Who knows? Maybe there's more business to handle outside," another voice said carelessly. "Whatever. It's not like someone's come to take the place back. It's been empty this long—surely the bigwigs have forgotten this spot entirely."

"And that suits us just fine, doesn't it? We've been looking after this place all along, so it ought to be ours. What's wrong with living here a little?"

"Exactly. We've stayed this long with no one bothering us. If only no one ever came, we'd be set for life on those silk curtains alone, plus monthly wages on top. Why would I ever go back to hard labor when I've got it this good?"

"We're living better than the imperial consorts in the palace these days!"

"Next month, let's have Brother Xiao Lin quietly take some of those pieces to the pawnshop and sell them off. Then we might even afford some fancy pastries from Fangya Studio!"

Hearing them chatter so cheerfully, Zhou Yao found a nearby chair and sat down to listen while she took in her surroundings. She kept an eye on their movements from the corner of her gaze, until a sharp crack of shattered porcelain rang out from behind the screen. Only then did Zhou Yao rise and look over.

"Oh no, we're done for! This vase was an imperial gift. Now that it's broken, what are we supposed to do? They won't drag us out and beat us to death, will they...?"

One of the women—shorter in stature—spoke with fear creeping into her voice. The other, comparatively calmer, answered, "Don't panic just yet. No one's minding Golden Curtain Terrace these days anyway, so an imperial gift here is just for show. Gather up the pieces and we'll bury them somewhere. As long as no one sees, we're fine."

That was what she said, but even Zhou Yao, from a distance, could hear the tremor in her voice. No doubt they were both scared out of their wits.

"Milady, the men outside have been dealt with," a guard suddenly reported, entering Zhou Yao's presence.

Those inside seemed badly shaken, scrambling to hide the porcelain shards in a corner.

Guilty conscience making them bold, the woman—perhaps out of fright—snapped threateningly, "Who are you people?! How dare you trespass on private property! If we report you to the authorities right now, you'll be dragged to the yamen and given twenty strokes before anything else!"

The Qi guards seemed momentarily taken aback by her bluster, frozen in place.

Seeing this, Zhou Yao rose lazily to her feet, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips. "Now, now, no need to be so hasty."

Her unhurried, unconcerned demeanor seemed to infuriate the woman who had just spoken, who snapped, "Who told you to sit down?! Where are your manners, you unruly wretch!"

That maidservant didn't rush to defend herself. She simply said, "How could a mere maid like me be allowed to damage an imperial gift? If I report this to the court, I'm afraid every last person in Golden Curtain Terrace today will lose their head." I'd rather drag a few more souls down with me and die together, she thought—but the words were cut short as Zhou Yao's palm cracked across her face.

"You—how dare you strike me?!" The woman clutched her cheek, lunging furiously toward Zhou Yao, only to be intercepted by the guards after two steps.

"A senseless thing." Zhou Yao regarded her coldly. "Don't be so hasty. Rushing about is never a good look."

With a lift of her chin, she signaled for her servants to present the deed. She opened the jade box and drew out the thin piece of paper, letting it flutter in the breeze between her fingers.

"Golden Curtain Terrace is now in my hands, so you—slaves bound by death contracts—naturally belong to me as well." Zhou Yao looked at the still-defiant maidservant and said slowly, "To kill or spare, that decision is mine alone to make."

She was waiting—waiting for every soul in Golden Curtain Terrace to be summoned before her.

"Is everyone here?" Zhou Yao asked languidly, tracing the intricate carvings on the armrest.

"Yes, Your Highness. All present."

Zhou Yao nodded, forcing a gentle smile as she said softly, "I heard every word the two of you said just now. Damaging an imperial gift—that's crime number one. Discussing your master behind their back—crime number two. Speaking of the imperial family—crime number three. Selling off your master's property—crime number four." She enumerated their offenses one by one.

She turned her gaze to the woman who had first rushed out. The woman was dressed in fine brocade, nothing like a common servant, and wore a silver hairpin shaped like a pair of wings in her hair.

At first glance, one might have mistaken her for one of the Qi family's favored concubines.

"Oh, quite bold, aren't we?" Zhou Yao mocked, though her expression was icy. "A common maidservant daring to wear a double-winged silver pin? It seems even the ladies of the palace are not as honored as you."

The maidservant stared at her in shock, barely registering the words before Zhou Yao parted her lips again. "Rising above your station and overstepping the law—that's crime number five."

"And that is punishable by death..."

The woman's arrogance evaporated in an instant. Her strength gave way, and she collapsed to her knees. A moment later, she was scrambling forward in supplication. "Milady! Milady, please, spare us—ahh!"

Zhou Yao couldn't be bothered to look at her. She simply ordered her guards, "Drag her out and beat her to death. If word of this gets out, His Majesty will surely take offense."

"Milady, milady, please! Have mercy! Spare our lives!" Tears streamed down both their faces as their earlier boldness vanished without a trace.

"Your Highness, it might not be auspicious to carry out executions inside Golden Curtain Terrace today," one guard whispered in caution. "Bad for the feng shui..."

Since the incident with Ling Long stealing her dowry ornaments, Zhou Yao had developed a deep distaste for servants who put on airs, spoke with forked tongues, and betrayed their masters.

But feng shui was a serious matter—get it wrong and it could interfere with making money!

She lowered her gaze in thought for a moment. "Since today isn't convenient, then take them outside. And have a few men report to the yamen—execute the whole clan. You love stealing, do you? Fine, I'll grant you that. Take them away now."

Her people worked quickly, and before long, the matter was handled. Though the scene was out of sight, those in the inner hall could clearly hear the screams from outside. The remaining servants were badly shaken—some of the weaker-hearted fainted outright.

Zhou Yao thought: This little display of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys should be enough to keep them in line.

She swept a cold gaze over them in warning. "If anything like this happens again, your fate will be far worse than hers. If any of you still think you can defy me, the light punishment is being sold off; the heavy one is blood spilled right here."

"Golden Curtain Terrace is under my management now. Everything from here on follows my orders. Do well, and you'll be rewarded handsomely." Zhou Yao waved a hand, signaling for the items she'd brought to be distributed.

Exquisite glass ornaments shimmered with a soft, pearlescent glow; even the wooden tabletops seemed dusted with fragments of light where they were set.

The servants had never seen such things. They stared dumbfounded, exchanging glances as if wanting to speak but daring not to in Zhou Yao's presence.

"These are colored glass—tribute from the Western Regions, the only ones of their kind in the world." A rare trace of a smile touched her lips. "You are all household slaves under death contracts for the Qi family, so I won't treat you poorly. Rise. Should any of you prove loyal and capable, you can expect such gifts as well."

Zhou Yao idly picked up a piece of glass to admire it, while keeping watch on the expressions below through her peripheral vision.

"Starting today, I will rebuild Golden Curtain Terrace. In a moment, each of you will register your skills and strengths in the ledger so I can assign your duties. And if anyone still thinks that because the master's away, they can overstep their bounds—well, you'd best think carefully about how much longer you wish to live."

After placing the glass pieces in the main hall, Zhou Yao realized she truly couldn't do without a trusted confidante by her side. The servants here were anything but obedient, and without one, every move she made would be hampered.

As she turned, she caught sight of a figure hiding behind a pillar...

TL Note:

killing the chicken to scare the monkeys (杀鸡儆猴) = punishing one person as a warning to others.