What a Daughter-in-Law, So Devoted to the Family

"But Mother is very good to me now. She even said she likes Hongwen." His wounded voice alone was enough to conjure his tearful face.

Nanny Feng's voice turned stern, edged with displeasure. "She's only doing that to win over the master, the madam, and you, young master. If you truly believe her, she may hurt you so badly you won't know what to do."

"Trust me. I would never lie to you."

The rest was too faint and muffled to make out.

Shen Lantang's expression cooled. She turned and retraced her steps.

By evening, Lan Xin and Baozhu had returned. As soon as they entered, they saw Shen Lantang reclining on the daybed, doing needlework on a handkerchief. Baozhu went pale with shock and hurried over.

"Miss! Miss, what's wrong with you?!"

What had happened to make her take up embroidery?!

"Nothing to do, so I thought I'd embroider a handkerchief," Shen Lantang said quietly.

Baozhu blurted out, "But your embroidery doesn't look very good, miss."

"..." Did she have to say it like that?

"Then you embroider it!" Shen Lantang held out the handkerchief, ready to throw it to her.

Baozhu looked troubled. "Miss, have you forgotten? Lan Xin and I never learned embroidery either."

As her two most trusted aides, Lan Xin and Baozhu had learned business from Shen Lantang. Failing that, they had learned things like cooking. After all, food could be poisoned; knowing her way around the kitchen could be a matter of life and death. What was needlework by comparison? Was she afraid rough stitching might scratch her?

Lan Xin nudged Baozhu aside and thoughtfully offered her a cup of water. "Is something troubling you, miss?"

Shen Lantang put down her needlework and took the cup. "You could say that. But I only started sewing because I remembered it's time to make autumn clothes."

Lan Xin calmly ignored the second half of that answer. "What's troubling you?"

"Nanny Feng spoke ill of me."

Shen Lantang blinked and said plaintively, "Nanny Feng said I'm a wicked woman, an evil stepmother who tricks children into trusting her."

Baozhu and Lan Xin had different temperaments, but both were clever. They understood at once.

Baozhu's expression cooled. "What will you do, miss?"

"What will I do?"

Shen Lantang appeared to ponder it. After a moment, a strange light flickered in her eyes.

"I can't let someone slander me for nothing. If she thinks I'm a wicked woman, then I might as well be one."

What a Daughter-in-Law, So Devoted to the Family

!

Nanny Feng's husband had once been a servant in her mistress Madam Zheng's household. Later, he had left to run a small shop of his own. After he died two years ago, their two children had set up separate households. Every five or six days, Nanny Feng went out for half a day to visit them and buy treats for the younger children. Today was one of those days.

She had left in the morning and returned after lunch. If she was early enough, she could get home before Xie Hongwen woke from his nap.

That day, she arrived home as usual, only to find the bedroom empty. Normally, even if Xie Hongwen was awake by now, he would be playing indoors because of the heat.

Alarm shot through her. "Yingcao? Zhiyuan?!"

The two maids hurried out of the side room.

"Nanny." They bowed.

"Where's the young master?!"

"The young master..." The two exchanged a glance before Yingcao said, "The young madam took him away this morning..."

"What?!" Nanny Feng's face changed. "How could you let her take the young master?"

The two maids stammered. She was the young madam. What could they have done?

"How long have they been gone?"

Yingcao gathered her courage. "Since this morning. More than four hours."

"More than four hours?" Nanny Feng grew dizzy. He had been out all that time—who knew what might have happened!

Her unease deepened. She paced a few steps, her face tight with worry, then gritted her teeth.

"I'm going to see First Madam!"

As Xie Hongwen's wet nurse and a longtime servant brought over by Madam Zheng, Nanny Feng held considerable standing in the household. She was soon admitted to see Xie Madam.

"Nanny, what's got you in such a rush?"

Nanny Feng hurried forward two steps and dropped to her knees.

"First Madam, the young madam has taken the young master away!"

Startled more by Nanny Feng's manner than her news, Xie Madam stepped forward to help her up. "Please rise first, Nanny."

Helped to her feet by two maids, Nanny Feng spoke through tears.

"Madam, the young madam has had the young master away for nearly six hours. He's frail, and it's the height of summer. The young madam is young and doesn't know how to care for a child. This old servant is worried he might be suffering."

"I understand your concern, but Lan Tang isn't reckless. I'm sure she has her reasons..."

Nanny Feng kept weeping. "If the young madam had taken the two girls along, it wouldn't be so bad. At least they're used to caring for him and know when he's too hot or cold. But he's surrounded by young women who've never raised a child. This old servant is truly worried..."

Watching her fret like the boy's own mother gave Xie Madam a headache. The old nurse kept Xie Hongwen so close she might as well have tied him to her waist.

Still, the more Nanny Feng talked, the more worried Xie Madam became. Shen Lantang had never raised a child. Where had she taken him for nearly six hours in this heat?

"Go and look for her. Where could she have gone at midday..."

Xie Madam was still instructing her attendants when a voice came from outside.

"Were you looking for me, Mother?"

Along with her voice came the rattle of a pellet drum.

"Young master!" Nanny Feng's eyes lit up, and she rushed toward the child.

Holding Xie Hongwen, Shen Lantang walked slowly in from outside. She turned aside to avoid Nanny Feng, then smiled at Xie Madam. "Good day, Mother. I'm holding the child, so please excuse me for not bowing."

Rankings

|

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Only One in My Heart

Jiang Ciyu

Mind Reading

Laid-Back Life