When MeiMei came to village she was stunned to see busy people gathering literally in middle of the village together.
Whole group of people were commenting what filling should pillows have to be soft, other group were already cutting silk in various colors and group of women rushed to start embroidery right away.
This was important for family name and only the best in village had opportunity to be invited to help in clan name.
This was honor as even elders family had no one chosen then people with best skills, including Su Fei.
Su Yue just stood by her side to aid her by giving her various threads.
When MeiMei came, she went to greet elders that just pointed at Su Fei.
Her heart was beating hard. This cousin of hers had no ethereal beauty. She met beautiful women and her cousin was at best cute, but she had strange strong aura and that wassking her get close to her.
"Sister...I'm sorry for past time ." She truly regretted it. "I don't know why I act sometimes like that."
Su Fei didn't even raise her head and spoke loudly. "Because you are spoiled cat. It's not bad thing though. But some people have help us hearts as they can never have such support from clan like you do and exaggerated your actions. Last time, you truly acted like you are three years old brat. Seriously. Now sit down, we can talk tonight. You are staying with me. And once I close gates, no one in clan will help you. I swear by deities, I will repair your bad habits soon."
While some just shook their heads, elders could see she truly meant it and looked at her grandfather that just nodded.
Su Quan went to him. "Can you spare room for me? Once your granddaughter comes in, I don't want to be close as my daughter is different than other girls. Trust me, she will need those ten days to clean up many bad habits your own granddaughter have. But it's for her own good."
"I know. You are definitely welcome."
The two liked each other from start and Su Quan wanted to gather few more families in Su clan that could protect the two girls once he was gone.
Next ten days MeiMei would learn how to speak, walk, sit, behave and many things she didn't know she did wrong were cured.
Including her aggressive behavior where Su Fei just flipped her over and bat her behind with a stick.
She was crying loudly but no one came to help her. Su Yue stood aside and hid and later came with special wound cream to help her apply.
"This is nothing. Once my eldest brother that is now thirty hit his wife and my sister jumped at him and almost stabbed him to death. You think you are aggressive? You have no idea how strong my sister is. She just controls her emotions well. Sister, even I was beaten up by her few times. Being cute and spoiled is fine, but inside house. Outside we have to keep face as we live in such world as sister said. Once world starts changing we can follow up. But right now, we can act polite outside and playful inside."
Playful and bratty is different.
MeiMei saw Su Fei entering with cold face and winced.
Su Fei could only sigh. "Think please logically. Amongst many you have good eyes and amazing perception. I know that. Tell me, if you acted like you usually do in front of royals, what would have happened?"
Su MeiMei thought of stories she heard and started speaking loudly about it, stunning herself. She never spoke out loud her inner thoughts.
Maybe because it's Su Fei. Even if Su Fei beat her up, strangely she trusted her somehow.
"At best we would be flogged twenty times. This is lowest punishment. At worst we would get killed and whole clan would have been implicated." Su MeiMei's skin filled with goosebumps.
"I heard..." Su Fei started talking and made both girls listen carefully. "..royals don't just stab to death those that disrespect them. No. They literally openly in front of everyone cut people limbs, cut their eyes and tongue and let hungry dogs eat living person while still alive."
Both girls paled and started shaking.
"I acted a bit cheeky outside as they expected from small girl like me, but inside I was scared to death. We are commoners. Some of Su clan have scholars in family, but my family was for generations farmers. Yours as well. We maybe have live better life than other like us as we have good families backing us up, but that will never make us the same as those that have scholars, officials, nobles or royals. We have to bow politely and hope to be seen as less annoying so we don't get killed at will. The good thing was that royals often don't do anything bad as they need to keep face in front of the Emperor. But, royal is royal. Us small girls can't even get their servants. Selling my work to royals could give me boost and I might get to sell my work to more people in future. This is what good name does. Why us your mother respected in simple family? Because she grew up like you in village filled with people that doted on her, but she few up as respectful person. Being cheeky, spiled and cutest is fine. But you started texting bossy, like this place belonged to you. It doesn't. One day, we might get married. I already chose who I want to marry to escape elders choosing for me. The new rule applies as well. We can as well chose to stay alone and no one will be commenting on that. But life is long. Who knows where it will take us."
That night Su Fei explained yet many things she heard in city about her behavior and the more she heard the more Su MeiMei realized how bad her name was.
So from then one she acted like spiled cat in front of her close family but outside she became completely cold and calm.
That made those that were jealous to grit their teeth as they had nothing to say but they waited for her to again act like before to make it even bigger.
Too bad for them, Su Fei started investigation about who spread those big rumors and everyone silently helped.
Those that were involved actually were as well in Su clan and Qian village that finally got punished by clan by getting kicked out.
This was vicious punishment as this world has wicked people that just wait for those abandoned ones to get and sell as slaves...