"I know there are many of you who greatly admired the Four Martial Families. Therefore many of you would love to meet them or even just get to see them. However, let me first inform you. Over these past eight years, the Four Martial Families had an extremely tough time. Hundreds of youths and children of the Four Martial Families escaped. Sadly only five have returned. Minister Peng and Elder Chen hunted them down one by one and almost annihilated them."Liu Tián Qǔ said with a sadness that she sincerely felt.
Curses lit the air in the meeting hall as the servants curse Elder Chen and Minister Peng.
Cutting into the cursing, Liu Tián Qǔ said, "Now is not the time to try to meet them."
The gathered servants quiet down as Liu Tián Qǔ continued to speak, "Right now, what they probably crave most is a little peace. I want us all to work together to protect the returning Four Martial Families and give them that peace." Liu Tián Qǔ declared in an authoritative manner.
"I want everyone to respect the privacy of the returning families. We don't want to smother them, annoy them, or make them feel uncomfortable here. I want that when they leave, they have only good things to say of the servants of Liu Residence." Liu Tián Qǔ expressed her wishes in a firm voice and a serious face. Then she asked, "Is that understood?"
Liu Tián Qǔ took a moment to look into the eyes of many of the servants as they voiced their understanding. Liu Tián Qǔ wanted to make sure she got her message across.
"Many of you once work in the houses of other nobles, officials, and ministers. Those of you that have. You already know the first thing that will happen when those officials, nobles, and ministers hear about the return of the Four Martial Families." The majority of the servants gathered in the Meeting Hall nodded in understanding. Several murmured their understand and knowledge of what will happen.
"For those that don't know, the first thing those families will do is find out where the Four Martial Families are staying. When they find out that the four Families are staying here. They will all descend on our home like a bunch of vultures and begin harassing the four families with their so-called gifts. They will do anything and everything to try to curry favor with them. However, we now have our House Guards. The House Guards will block them and chase them away." Liu Tián Qǔ said with a voice and a face full of scorn.
"I will now repeat the strictest and harshest rules of my residence once more." Liu Tián Qǔ in a severely stern voice. "I want to be sure everyone understands these rules."
"The first rule is, no one is to discuss anything concerning my residence outside of the residence. Not among yourself and not with outsiders. If you feel the need to gossip or discuss anything concerning the residence among yourselves. It must be done in residence, not outside of it. Anyone caught breaking this rule will be harshly beaten. If you survive the beating, if you are a slave, you will be sold immediately. If you are a free person, you will be driven from my residence." Liu Tián Qǔ allowed a ruthless expression to form on her face.
Although many of the servants were getting used to this strange new Young Lord of theirs. The servants still found it very disconcerting and unnerving for such a ruthless look to appear on the face of one so young. It made it all the more frightening.
"Now that we will be hosting special guests. People will come forward to bribe you for information, and many other things." Liu Tián Qǔ said, looking at the hundreds of servants gathered before her.
After a brief, thoughtful moment of silence, Liu Tián Qǔ said with a thoughtful look on her face, "For those of you who decide to become shameless and accept bribes. I want you to be protected just in case the person who bribed you try to accuse you of something for not carrying out your end of the bribe. Therefore all who accept bribes make sure you take a moment out of your day to report your bribe to Butler Zhou." Liu Tián Qǔ said. Of course, she didn't just say it out of concern for the servants. She had an ulterior motive for creating this new rule.
Looking over to the Butler. Liu Tián Qǔ said, "Butler Zhou, I want you to create a bribe ledger."
Once again, looking at the gathered servants, Liu Tián Qǔ said, "Everyone must report their bribes so in the event that something happened. We have the proof to protect our servants" The poor naive servants felt such gratitude that their new Young Lord would go through such lengths to protect them.
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"Yes, Young Master, " Butler Zhou bowed in acknowledgment.
Liu Tián Qǔ's gaze flickered over the gathered servants. When Liu Tián Qǔ's gaze happened to land on the doctor and Jiang Mín Yuè, the wife of Commander Jiang. Liu Tián Qǔ saw knowing glints in their eyes.
Grinning inwardly, Liu Tián Qǔ refocused on the servants once again, "Although bribes in the Tolling Lands are frowned upon. They are not illegal as long as the one bribing and receiving the bride is not a minister or official of the Imperial court. I don't want anyone to try to harm or plot against any of our servants who accept bribes. Especially since you won't be carrying out what you are being bribed for." Liu Tián Qǔ said.
"If you are willing to become a shameless person, then I don't care if you accept a bribe. However, if anyone dares to fulfill the request, you are being bribed for and sell out my residence. You will immediately be beaten to death. If you are suspected of selling out my residence, but there is no proof. If you are a slave, you will immediately be sold. If you are a free person, you will immediately be driven from my residence. I will not have people in my residence that I do not trust. So I warn everyone now. Be careful with your conduct and actions so you will not be wrongly accused or mistaken for something you didn't do." Liu Tián Qǔ once more allowed a ruthless look to show on her face.
Liu Tián Qǔ also allowed a hint of cruelty to show her face. She filled her voice with cold, sharp grim merciless authority as she said, "On these two rules, I will have no mercy. So if you are caught, don't bother begging for mercy because there will be none. That's why I have warned everyone more than once."
Almost everyone gathered in the meeting hall felt their hearts shake. The ruthless and cruelty that presented itself on the face of the Young Lord sent chills down the spines of many. This just didn't belong on the face of one so young. Everyone truly felt that to cross this Young Lord would be a mistake. They all felt this Young Lord really would have no mercy on anyone who crossed him.
"Beginning today, these rules will be stringently enforced. We will be hosting special guests that will be arriving shortly. I will not have it said that there is no order in Liu Residence, and servants are allowed to run rampant. I will not have it." Liu Tián Qǔ enunciated each of the five last words slowly and clearly in a hard cold, grim voice of authority.
Many servants broke out in a cold sweat under the intense dominate force of will and adamant immovable heartlessness that the Young Lord was projecting. Many who thought the Young Lord, who be easy, quickly started giving a second thought to things. Everyone standing in the meeting hall immediately knew that for anyone who broke the rules, there would be no mercy.
"That brings me to an additional rule that I will be adding. If any servant of Liu Residence is caught seducing or attempting to seduce any of our arriving guests. That person will be punished according to the strict rules of the Imperial Palace. If you don't know what that rule is, then allow me to enlighten you," Liu Tián Qǔ said, maintaining the ruthless look with a hint of cruelty on her face.
Other than Liu Tián Qǔ's voice. No other sound could be heard in the Meeting Hall. Many stared in shock as the Young Lord turned into this scary existence, threatening the life of anyone who broke the house rules.
"Any servant caught seducing or attempting to seduce their master or betters is to be immediately beaten to death. Any servant accused without evidence but proven suspicious is to be driven out if you are a free person, and sold if you are a slave." Liu Tián Qǔ made sure to meet the gaze of many of the new pretty young female servants.
The young women all quickly looked away from the Young Lord in fear. They had absolutely no doubt in their mind that the Young Lord would fulfill his word on anyone caught breaking the house rules. Many that had started getting ideas and ambitious quickly snuffed out their ambitions and vowed to say far away from the guests.
"There is much I will allow in my residence. I don't care if you wish to gossip as long as your work is completed in a timely manner. I don't care if you wish to accept bribes as long as you are willing to become shameless. I will allow every person in my residence the opportunity to learn how to read, write, and do sums. I will allow every slave the opportunity to buy their freedom. I will even give days off where everyone can return home to visit family or enjoy a day of rest. I want every living soul in my residence to enjoy a happy and healthy life. Because I am willing to do so much for my slaves and servants, I will hold you to a higher standard. I don't think it's unreasonable for me to do so." Liu Tián Qǔ reasoned.
Many of the servants gathered in front of Liu Tián Qǔ nodded and murmured their agreement.
"By now, every department and section in Lui Residence should have a supervisor. Supervisors are to supervise and manage the servants of your department or section well. During this period of time, all makeup and jewelry are to be put away, and all servants are to be mindful of their deportment and conduct. Supervisors are to manage this well, or you will have to give an account." Liu Tián Qǔ said in a firm, authoritative voice.
"Now, when saying that, let me make it clear that I will not tolerate overbearing supervisors who bully, disrespect, or overwork my servants. I want everyone to be treated fairly with dignity and respect in my residence. Supervisors are to manage and supervise all the servants under you, not to bully, disrespect, or belittle them. I will not tolerate it. So supervisors keep that in mind. I will also be holding a supervisor's meeting soon to explain my expectations of my resident supervisors," Liu Tián Qǔ said with authority.
"Now, I have two pieces of good news before I dismiss everyone." Liu Tián Qǔ said allowing a smile to develop on her face.