After Wang Shi heard her, she was delighted and joked with Gu Fangzi, “You little devil, how smart of you. I think you miss it more than me even though you’re trying to act benevolent!”
This caused all the servants to laugh. Gu Fangzi also laughed before calling for everyone to stop, “Aunt Wang has wronged me! I know you like it a lot, which is why I suggested it! I’m sure Aunt Wang’s palate has been piqued, so why don’t I take the initiative to be filial?” Without waiting for Wang Shi to reply, she called Lan Xiang and told her to inform the kitchen.
Lan Xiang accepted and left. She was already briefed by Gu Fangzi on what to do, so she naturally knew what to say. When she entered the kitchen, she did not mention Wang Shi at all. She simply said that her missy wished to have some cone puffs and she would return to collect them once they were made. As for the cost, Lan Xiang told the kitchen staff to put it on her missy’s account.
How would the kitchen staff know that they would be for the Old Mistress to enjoy? When she heard that the request came from Gu Fangzi, she became somewhat lazy. When she saw how Lan Xiang was ordering her about instead of asking politely, she felt even more unhappy, and said in an unfriendly tone, “Lan Xiang, cone puffs are very troublesome to make and I’m not free either. Tell her to wait and ask a few days later!”
Who knew that before she could finish, Lan Xiang had already ran off. No one knew if she had actually heard them.
The kitchen staff did not think much about it and quickly put it to the back of her mind and began doing something else.
After Gu Fangzi went into a mourning period, she was treated very coldly and Shi Fengju did not visit her even once. Instead, he was always around Sang Wan who was now in-charge of managing the household. Which servant’s heart was not clear and would put the instructions of an insignificant concubine to heart?
The outcome after that was as expected, with Wang Shi infuriated. She was the old mistress, yet she could not even have a dessert that was a little harder to make! She immediately called over the kitchen staff that was on duty and scolded her. At one side stood Gu Fangzi, who apologized profusely but continued to fan the flames of anger. That only made Wang Shi angrier.
When the kitchen servant realized that it was Wang Shi who wanted to eat the cone puffs, she could not help but scold Lan Xiang in her heart. However, she did not dare to push the blame onto Lan Xiang who did not explain clearly. If she did, who knew if there would be a greater punishment waiting for her! Without a choice, she kowtowed and begged for mercy, and could only insist that she was busy and forgot. She quickly reassured Wang Shi that the cone puffs would be made the next day before begging her for mercy again.
This incident shocked Sang Wan too and she quickly went to inquire about it.
Wang Shi was furious and had nowhere to vent. Upon seeing Sang Wan, she laughed coldly and snorted, “Well done, you’ve done a good job in managing the household. Everyone knows their house rules very well. I have to wait until this kitchen staff is free before I can enjoy my dessert! I see that you have taught them well!”
Sang Wan was so shocked that she immediately kneeled. She raised her head and exclaimed, “Mother, please don’t say that! I’ve always done my best to serve you and have never been careless. Mother, please check again! Maybe Auntie Xu had heard wrong. Mother, please don’t be angry anymore. I’ll have her make your favorite dessert immediately tomorrow!”
“No need!” Wang Shi laughed coldly, “I don’t have the desire to eat it anymore! Isn’t it just dessert? I’m fine not eating it. After all, I don’t wish to delay the more important matters that others have to do!”
When Auntie Xu heard Wang Shi, her heart pounded even faster and she kowtowed repeatedly to ask for mercy.
“What is Mother saying? I’m the one who did not do a good job in disciplining them which caused something like this to happen! Before Lord left, he reminded me to serve you well, and to let you live a comfortable and carefree life. Who knew that this would happen just a few days after he left! I am ashamed! Mother, if you say anymore, I will be too ashamed to show my face anymore! You are the Old Mistress of the household, who would dare to disrespect you unless they do not cherish their lives! I’m sure there must be some misunderstanding somewhere. Mother, if you get angry because of a misunderstanding, not only will you feel very upset, even I will feel unhappy! So Mother, please don’t be angry anymore, please?” Sang Wan begged desperately again.
Wang Shi finally came to a realization and thought: That’s right, Sang Wan has always been filial. And as the Old Mistress in the household, other than the ancestors placed in the altar, who holds a higher position than me? If that’s the case, then which servant would dare to be insolent towards me? There must be some misunderstanding indeed.
Nanny Li noticed the change in Wang Shi’s expression and she quickly went forward with a smile, “Yes, Old Mistress, Young Mistress isn’t wrong! The kitchen staff might have overlooked the request since the person passing it on wasn’t someone serving you but Lan Xiang, so this incident cannot completely be the kitchen’s fault! Who knew how Lan Xiang passed the request, and whether she made it clear!”
Right after Nanny Li finished, Auntie Xu seemed to have found her hope and she quickly added, “Lan Xiang only told me to make the cone puffs quickly and did not mention Old Mistress at all! At that time, this old servant still had matters to finish, so I said that I would do it the next day. Who knew…”
Auntie Xu was a quick-witted person. In a split moment, she had changed what was originally ‘a few days later’ to ‘the next day’. Lan Xiang could only suppress her anger at one side as she glared at Auntie Xu. However, it would not do her good to refute. After all, she ran off after she had passed down the request and told Wang Shi and Gu Fangzi that she had done as tasked. Wang Shi would naturally assume that the instructions passed down would be clear and the cone pastries would be made. Who knew that Auntie Xu would say that? After matching the confessions, it was now Lan Xiang’s fault for not relaying information properly. If she had relayed the message properly to Wang Shi that the kitchen would make the pastry tomorrow, Wang Shi would not have become so furious.
“Auntie Xu, you don’t have to say anymore,” Gu Fangzi lightly cut Auntie Xu off and nodded her head gently as she apologized, “This was all my fault. I did not think it thoroughly enough! I should’ve known that I’m only a guest and my words carry no weight. In that case, I should have told Lan Xiang to pass the request and make it clear that they’re for Aunt Wang. That way, there wouldn’t have been such a misunderstanding!”
This implied that the kitchen staff did not respect her.
Auntie Xu’s expression changed slightly. Before she could refute, Nanny Li answered calmly, “Miss Gu is right that if Lan Xiang had relayed the message well, then there would not be this misunderstanding! The kitchen was really busy yesterday, which I hope Miss Gu did not forget. The kitchen had to prepare the offerings for the ancestors, as well as for your father, yesterday. They were as busy as bees so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the fact that Sister Xu can only make the pastry tomorrow.”
Wang Shi almost became furious again after hearing Gu Fangzi’’s words, but after hearing Nanny Li’s words, her anger dissipated again. Whenever Shi Fengju travelled somewhere far, the household would prepare offerings for their ancestors and gods to bless Shi Fengju with a safe and smooth travel. This was a tradition that Wang Shi had personally started many years ago.
Her son’s safety was naturally more important than satisfying her cravings. After all, how could they neglect the divine beings?
Without a choice, Lan Xiang quickly kneeled with her head lowered, “This maidservant, this maidservant was in a rush to report back to Old Mistress and Missy, and did not hear what Auntie Xu said later on…”
“Then this is just a misunderstanding, Old Mistress! Tomorrow, Sister Xu will make the pastry for you to have. It isn’t worth getting angry over this!” Nanny Li smiled and said.
Auntie Xu kowtowed a few times in response.
Wang Shi waved her hand and said with eyebrows slightly creased, “Forget it, forget it! I’ve already lost my desire to have it so you don’t have to make it tomorrow. Stand up now. Sang Wan, you get up too! Next time, all of you have to do your work more carefully! Don’t do things so haphazardly and create so much trouble!”
Everyone quickly acknowledged it. Nanny Li then went forward to help Sang Wan up.
Gu Fangzi stepped forward as well to help Sang Wan up together with Nanny Li. She smiled apologetically, “This is all my fault. Because Lan Xiang, that lass, was disorganized, she caused Sister Sang Wan to suffer! When I go back, I will definitely teach her a lesson! Sister Sang Wan is in-charge of many things in the household, it isn’t a surprise if you were to overlook a thing or two. Really, Sister Sang Wan, you’ve worked hard! Yet I’ve only ended up giving more trouble to you, and I feel really bad about it. I hope you’ll extend your generosity and forgive me this time. I hereby apologize to you!”
After she finished, she took two steps back and bowed.
Sang Wan could not help but to feel a surge of anger rising within her, but she smiled faintly, “Sister Fangzi, you are being too formal. What’s there to feel wronged by over a small misunderstanding! Instead, it implicated Mother and spoilt her mood. That itself is due to my negligence!” Sang Wan looked towards Wang Shi and smiled, “Mother, thank you for being a benevolent person. Please forgive your daughter-in-law this time!”
Wang Shi could not help but smile with a sigh, “Enough, enough, let’s not talk about this anymore! It is true that you would have overlooked some things given the large amount of work in the household. Mother only said those words because I was angry at that moment, so don’t take it to heart! Next time, you should be stricter towards the servants to prevent them from becoming careless when they become too comfortable! Furthermore, Fangzi is also one of the masters in this household, her words also carry weight. If anyone dares to take her lightly, I will not be happy if I knew about it!”
Wang Shi initially wanted to suggest letting Gu Fangzi share some of the burden Sang Wan carried in the household, but she suddenly recalled what her son had said to her before he left home. He was clearly unwilling to let Gu Fangzi be involved in the household matters. When the words were at her mouth, she quickly swallowed them back.
Sang Wan and Nanny Li secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Sang Wan responded respectfully and left with Nanny Li, bringing Auntie Xu along with her.
If Wang Shi took away some of her power and gave it to Gu Fangzi under this circumstance, who knew how others might think of the household. Still, even if she did not give Gu Fangzi any power, her last sentence had granted her protection.
Gu Fangzi quickly returned to coaxing Wang Shi and made her laugh to turn her mood for the better. However, Gu Fangzi was secretly very unhappy. Her initial plan was to sway Wang Shi with her words to let her be involved in managing the household. While Shi Fengju wasn’t around, there would be no one else who knew the household better than she did. When that happened, she would be able to meddle covertly and make Sang Wan suffer in silence. When she ended up losing Wang Shi’s affection, even if Shi Fengju were back, the outcome would be set!
Who would’ve known that Wang Shi would hold in her words and not say what she wanted. She had spent so much effort to obtain such an opportunity, but it seemed that her effort had gone to waste again.
Luckily, Wang Shi was still backing her and had granted her protection. From now on, no one would dare to disrespect her, which was better than nothing.
After staying at Wang Shi’s place for four days, Gu Fangzi finally returned to Peony Park2Peony ParkGu Fangzi's place of residence. In order to express her gratitude to Nanny Li for her hard work, she intentionally asked Lan Xiang to reward Nanny Li with some quality fabric and money. Nanny Li was taken aback and thought that the sun had risen from the west!
