“Young Mistress, just you wait! When she enters the family, she’ll only be a concubine! Young Mistress, display your authority as a wife and seize what you want to seize; arrange it however you deem! Let’s see what else she’ll dare to say!” In Ning Garden1Ning GardenSang Wan & Shi Fengju's place of residence, Nanny Li spoke in high morale.
Upon hearing the news that Gu Fangzi would soon enter the family, Nanny Li was startled and furious. Yet, once her feelings had eased, she grew confident, and like the dust which settled, she became calm.
As of now, only Old Mistress was backing Miss Gu. But once she became a concubine, no one would be able to protect her!
Realizing this, Nanny Li could only wish for Gu Fangzi to be married in as soon as possible. Then, Sang Wan could use her authority to turn the girl honest and prevent her from abusing any affectation ever again!
Nanny Li’s ideas were well understood. As for the injustice she received in this matter, Sang Wan neither uttered a single complaint to Nanny Li nor even asked for her aid to conceal this matter.
Largely because she knew that Nanny Li would not only disagree but also feel disgusted if she tried.
No matter her dislike for Gu Fangzi, as long as Shi Fengju liked the girl, Nanny Li would not object the marriage. In fact, the only thing she disliked about Gu Fangzi was how disobedient she was and how she did not treat Shi Fengju like the sky and serve him!
All Nanny Li wanted was to help her teach Gu Fangzi a lesson and make her more honest, nothing more.
Sang Wan sighed to herself. Nanny Li underestimated Gu Fangzi’s position in Shi Fengju’s heart! Besides, what qualification does she have to remediate Gu Fangzi? Shi Fengju would not agree to it.
In the main courtyard, Wang Shi reminded Gu Fangzi to patiently wait for the appointed day to come, to bring more silvers with her, to bring along a maidservant close to her, to not go head to head with her father, and to do much more. Gu Fangzi nodded from time to time as she was being carefully reminded. However, she was reluctant to part.
“Aunt Wang, I’m really unwilling to leave you! When I’m not around, you’ve got to take care of your body! After today, the days ahead will get warmer and warmer, but you must still be careful not catch a cold. You should take less of those cooling food! In the afternoon when the sun is high in the sky, don’t leave the house, but don’t just shut yourself inside your chamber too. In the morning or evening, go out and have a stroll; it’ll be good for your body…”
Wang Shi could not help but feel an unwillingness to part as well, so she held Gu Fangzi’s hand, “Good, good. Aunt Wang understands! Keke, really, only you are the closest to Aunt! Go home and rest well. You can rest assured that Aunt Wang won’t let you down!” With that said, she added with a smile, “The next time we meet, it will be when you call me Mother!”
At the corner, Nanny Jiang raised an eyelid and yawned silently.
Gu Fangzi’s eyes, however, glistened, and she nodded bashfully, “En, Fangzi also looks forward to that day too!” With that done, she gave a pleasant smile to Wang Shi before taking her leave.
Returning to Peony Park2Peony ParkGu Fangzi's place of residence, she discovered two to three maidservants from the household department already waiting for her. Seeing her, they quickly greeted her before some reported of various matters while others exchanged tabs with items.
Gu Fangzi cheered herself up and settled the maidservants one by one.
The maidservants fawned over the future concubine, and good words kept flowing like river’s waters. If it were the past, Gu Fangzi would surely be beaming and every pore on her skin would feel comfortable.
However, now that she was about to hand over her power, those words sounded particularly harsh to her ears! Imagining the faces these maidservants would have towards her once she lost the power to manage the household, Gu Fangzi felt a chill run down her spine.
No! She would not leave so easily!
Gu Fangzi used one excuse after another and delayed for another four to five days. Nevertheless, Sang Wan did not wish to inconvenience herself by revealing how impatient she was, so she went to have a few words with Nanny Li, telling her that if Gu Fangzi did not hand over the power, there would be no way to complete the arrangements set for the marriage. If something were to go wrong, then she would have to deal with it herself!
Gu Fangzi refused to accept it and was furious; however, she knew Sang Wan was speaking the truth. The matter had already been handed over by Wang Shi to Sang Wan, and so, only Sang Wan could make the arrangements. She herself could not be the one to order the Shi servants around to prepare her own wedding; it would be an utter joke!
Helpless, Gu Fangzi could only organize various other small matters and informed Sang Wan that she would hand over the power within two days at the most. Sang Wan got the word and pursued the matter no further.
It just so happened that a servant at the Second Gate came to report that the Young Mistress’s brother had arrived!
Gu Fangzi was still hateful of Sang Wan, and hearing that a Sang member had arrived, she asked irritably, “What now? Did he ask for something?”
The female servant laughed and replied, “He was just passing by and would like to see Young Mistress!”
“That sounds nice and all, but I’m sure he’s just here to seek some financial help! Young Mistress is busy. Nanny, give a few silvers to him from the account!” Lan Xiang spoke for her master and sneered.
“Keep your mouth shut! Is the Young Mistress’s brother someone you can speak of!” Gu Fangzi glared at Lan Xiang. Lan Xiang quickly smiled and sought forgiveness.
The servant dared not speak and could only nervously smile with them.
“Oh, why are you still here! Waiting for the Missy to give you tea?” Lan Xiang saw the woman still standing there and scolded.
The woman, secretly contemptuous, respectfully replied,”This old servant is not yet distinguished enough for Missy to notice!”
Gu Fangzi glared at her impatiently. “Do you not have ears? Did you not hear what Lan Xiang said? Move along with it; I’m busy! How do I have the time to deal with a mess like you!”
The maidservant, cursing her luck and fearing of being punished later on, quickly replied, “Then this old servant shall take ten silvers from the account ——” Seeing Gu Fangzi glaring coldly at her, she hurriedly correctly her words, “Uh, five silvers to Second Young Master Sang then I won’t trouble Mistress anymore?”
“Go, go!” Gu Fangzi waved impatiently.
The maidservant turned and left.
But who knew she would run into Hong Ye, and she easily revealed that Sang Wan’s second brother had come. Immediately after hearing the news, Hong Ye ran anxiously to Ning Garden and reported to Sang Wan.
Sang Wan pondered to herself, before speaking, “If something had really happened, big brother wouldn’t come all the way here. Liu Ya, head there and take a look quickly; I’ll follow from behind!”
Liu Ya accepted before laughing, “Young Mistress, you’ve heard wrong. It isn’t First Young Master Sang but Second Young Master Sang!”
“What!” Sang Wan’s expression changed, and she almost jumped in shock. Her eyes focused on Hong Ye, and she asked, “Are you sure you heard right? It is Second Young Master Sang?”
Hong Ye was in a daze before hurriedly nodding. “Yes, Nanny Liu said Second Young Master Sang! I’m sure!”
“Quickly! Move quickly!” Sang Wan, without caring for her attire, anxiously ordered Liu Ya, “Head there quickly! Don’t just walk, run! Second Young Master Sang must not leave! If he has left, get a servant to chase after him! Quickly!”
Liu Ya had never seen Sang Wan so alarmed before and immediately began panicking too. “Ai!” With a sound, she lifted her legs and sprinted out!
“We must hurry too!” Sang Wan ignored Hong Ye, Zhide, and the rest of the maidservants’ startled faces, forcing them to hurry behind her.
It was her second brother; it was her second brother who came!
To have forgotten! How could she have forgotten!
In her previous life, her second brother had been on the way to Hangzhou to participate in an examination held in a village. When he passed by Qingzhou, he had gone to look for her before leaving. But who would have known Gu Fangzi and the Shi household’s people would be so cynical towards him? Angered, he left. But as a result, bad news arrived the next day, reporting that the ship he had taken met with an accident in the middle of a canal and that he had drowned!
In this lifetime, a tragedy like that must never repeat!
Now, Sang Yufei had been waiting for some time in the waiting area, and it was only after a while before a servant appeared whom he quickly went forward in order to ask for his younger sister’s whereabouts.
Without even thinking, Nanny Liu took a glimpse at him before pushing two pieces of broken silvers into his hand and said, “Second Young Master Sang, just take this and hurry on with your journey! Our Young Mistress has no time to meet with you!”
Sang Yufei immediately froze.
“Did my younger sister really say that?” Sang Yufei asked. He could not believe a single word that he had heard. The woman did not have a good vibe about her. Moreover, how would he not be clear about what his own younger sister’s character was like!
“Second Young Master Sang, what’s the meaning of those words?”
Gu Fangzi had already demanded the servant to report directly to her if the Sang family members ever visited. Nanny Liu had gleefully gone to report with the expectation that she would be rewarded, but who knew she would receive criticism instead! Nanny Liu, at this moment, held a belly full of anger. Snorting coldly, she scowled. “Is Second Young Master Sang implying that I am lying? Our Shi household has its own rules to follow, and I do not have the guts!” Before she whispered softly, “Which guest doesn’t show their visiting card first? Me notifying the person-in-charge is already a gain for you… foolish village people who don’t understand the rules…”
Sang Yufei, no matter what, was a scholar, and all scholars had a certain arrogance, a confidence that accompanied the profession. His face flushed red with both anger and embarrassment, and he secretly scolded, “The Shi family really were sc*mbags!”
His face could not allow him to make a ruckus with a servant, so he sneered and firmly placed the two broken pieces of silver back into her hands before leaving.
Nanny Liu stood startled. “Xie!” she blurted out after a moment and contentedly placed the broken silvers into her pocket, “Forget it, if you don’t want, I want! Not like the silvers can bite!”
Liu Ya was already gasping for air when she ran over. But Sang Yufei had already left.
“Aiyo, Missy! What, what’s wrong!” Seeing Liu Ya glancing around breathlessly, Nanny Liu could not help but be curious.
Without waiting to catch her breath, she grabbed Nanny Liu’s arm and asked, “Second Young Master Sang! Where’s Second Young Master Sang? Where did Second Young Master Sang go!”
Nanny Liu sensed that something was amiss, she suddenly wished she could slap her own mouth! Everything would have been fine if she had remained quiet!
She quickly tried to steer clear of the crucial subject, “Second Young Master Sang? What Second Young Master Sang? I don’t know!”
Liu Ya was not the same as before. Seeing the weird expression Nanny Liu had, she knew something was off and shouted, “Enough with your rubbish! I’m talking about Second Young Master Sang from Young Mistress’s family! Where is he? Has he left?”
Nanny Liu was not afraid of Liu Ya, but she was afraid of Liu Ya’s godmother. Not daring to lie, she stammered, “He le-eft already! Second Young Master Sang only passed by to give a greeting before leaving!”
“How long ago did he leave?” Sang Wan had already rushed over, and with a cold face, she asked Nanny Liu.
Nanny Liu could not help but be mad. What is with these people approaching one after another and making me angry? Taking advantage of the fact that Sang Wan was not the one taking charge of the household, she spoke with a half-hearted attitude, “Left a while ago!”
Sang Wan glared at her before ordering Liu Ya, “You go and find him. I don’t care how you do it, but bring Second Young Master Sang back! Quickly!”
“Yes, Young Mistress!” Liu Ya rolled her eyes at the nanny before leaving with a hurried anxiety.
Sang Wan’s face was extremely gloomy. Throwing her handkerchief aside, she coldly instructed Hong Ye, “Bring Management Wu over!”
