Nanny Liu

Biodata

Background

Nanny Liu looked after Lu Jingsi for a short time when he was young, although the Grand Princess personally cared for him most of the time. After Lu Jingsi was granted the title of Prince Cheng’an, Liu and Eunuch Fulin followed him from the Grand Princess’s residence to his new household. For a long time, Liu was its only female servant 4.

Before Su Luoqian married into the household, Liu secretly replaced its vegetable vendor with her husband and son, giving her family the supply business 8 42.

Personality

Liu resented Su Luoqian’s authority and considered her unworthy of Lu Jingsi because she came from a merchant family. Despite repeated warnings from Fulin, Lu Jingsi and the Grand Princess’s household, she continued trying to discredit the princess consort 4 15 35 41.

She could change her manner when it suited her: after scolding Yinzhu for a collision, she offered medicine for the maid’s scraped hand and used the encounter to approach someone close to Su Luoqian 35.

Story Role

Conflict with Su Luoqian

Liu criticized Su Luoqian for speaking Lu Jingsi’s name and for sleeping late. Su Luoqian ordered her to kneel in the courtyard for an hour, and Fulin enforced the punishment. When Liu later sought Lu Jingsi’s support, he directed her to the princess consort for inner-household matters 3 4 8.

Liu complained again after Lu Jingsi left Su Luoqian’s room one night. He warned her to know her place or leave the residence 14 15. Later, Liu overheard Su Luoqian discussing a young Su clan scholar with Nanny Cheng and wrongly concluded that the consort was pining for him 17.

Plot against the princess consort

Liu tried to take her suspicions to the Grand Princess, but Nanny Li relayed the Grand Princess’s praise of Su Luoqian and warned Liu not to overstep. Liu then approached Yinzhu, one of Su Luoqian’s maids. On Su Luoqian’s instructions, Yinzhu pretended to cooperate and learned Liu’s plan 35 38 39.

Liu brought a street crook into Su Luoqian’s bedroom, intending to frame the consort for an improper encounter. She told the man that the woman inside was a maid and was willing for him to assault her. Instead, he found Lu Jingsi waiting in the bed; Su Luoqian and her servants then confronted Liu 40 41.

Punishment and expulsion

Lu Jingsi gave Su Luoqian authority to decide Liu’s punishment. Su Luoqian sentenced her to fifty strokes and expulsion, and ordered the household’s vegetable supplier replaced. When Liu lunged at her, Yinzhu pushed Liu into a screen 42.

Liu survived the beating and was thrown out of the residence with her belongings. Her family took her home. Lu Jingsi ordered that any servant who helped her would also be expelled 43.

Relationships

• Lu Jingsi — Liu had briefly cared for him as a child and claimed loyalty to him, but he repeatedly rejected her interference and condemned her plot against his wife 4 15 41 42.
• Su Luoqian — Liu resented the princess consort and tried to have her discredited and removed from the residence 3 35 41.
• Fulin — A fellow longtime servant who warned Liu to respect Su Luoqian’s position and later supervised her punishment 4 42.
• Yinzhu — A maid Liu tried to recruit; Yinzhu instead reported to Su Luoqian and helped expose the scheme 35 39 41.
• Husband and son — Supplied vegetables to the prince’s residence until Su Luoqian ordered their business replaced 8 42.