The next morning, Nanny Zhou announced the selection for the external affairs nanny in front of everyone in Purple Magnolia Courtyard.
As expected, it was Wife Niu and Nanny Liu.
Nanny Wei, who had been all smiles earlier, froze in place, her expression stiffening. Everyone looked at her with surprise, though some, displeased with her arrogance from the previous day, secretly rejoiced at her misfortune.
One particularly meddlesome person even stepped forward to ask Nanny Zhou, "Wasn’t it said yesterday that Nanny Wei was chosen? Why was it suddenly changed to Nanny Liu?"
Nanny Zhou tucked her sleeves, glanced expressionlessly at the person, and replied, "Who has been spreading rumors and presuming to guess the master’s intentions? I don’t recall any master ever promising anyone a position." With that, she turned and left, leaving the crowd whispering among themselves.
Nanny Wei’s face flushed red and then paled. After watching Nanny Liu and Wife Niu being surrounded by the crowd, she snorted coldly and stormed off in a huff.
Once the excitement had died down, Nanny Zhu gave Nanny Liu a meaningful glance and headed straight back to her room. Noticing this, Nanny Liu exchanged a few more pleasantries with the others and waited until everyone had dispersed before quietly following. Once inside Nanny Zhu’s room, Nanny Liu joyfully stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Nanny Zhu, you truly are capable. I owe this entirely to your help in securing this for me."
Nanny Zhu smiled faintly and waved her hand. "Though I played a part, you also had to be presentable. You must know that the master above us is not one to be easily fooled." She then gave Nanny Liu another look. "Now that it’s settled, I wonder about that note you…" She was reminding Nanny Liu to fulfill the promise of twenty taels of silver.
Nanny Liu patted her forehead. "Look at me, I was so caught up in my joy." She reached into her sleeve pocket, pulled out a pouch, and retrieved the note Nanny Zhu had written the day before, handing it over. Nanny Zhu continued to watch her movements with a faint smile, saying nothing.
As Nanny Liu reached for the money, she hesitated briefly before smiling and pulling out two ingots weighing about five taels each, respectfully offering them.
Nanny Zhu, however, did not take them. Instead, she looked at Nanny Liu with a half-smile, remaining silent.
Nanny Liu forced a smile. "I don’t have more silver on me…"
Nanny Zhu glanced at the pouch with a thin smile and pushed Nanny Liu’s hand back. "Yesterday, I said I helped you because you seemed straightforward and reliable. But now it seems… Never mind, I won’t take this silver. However… don’t forget, the final decision on the selection won’t be made until after the New Year. Even if you plan to burn the bridge after crossing the river, isn’t it a bit too early?"
Hearing this, Nanny Liu’s heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she clapped her hands together. "Look at my memory!" She then felt around her waist and, somehow, managed to pull out several silver ingots weighing one tael each. She added these to the ten taels she had already taken out and presented them to Nanny Zhu with both hands.
"These are the calming silver I had hidden in my waistband. I completely forgot about them—exactly five taels."
Nanny Zhu smiled slightly and finally accepted them. "I knew I wasn’t wrong about you…"
Just then, there was a sudden noise by the door. Nanny Zhu frowned, quickly tucking the silver into her sleeve as she hurried over and pulled the door open to look outside, but there was nothing there."What's wrong? Is someone outside?" Nanny Liu also came over.
Nanny Zhu thought for a moment and shook her head: "Must be the wind blowing, it's nothing. You go back first."
Nanny Liu acknowledged, and before leaving, she didn't forget to smile and say, "When the time comes, if there's still a need to rely on you, elder sister, please don't forget your younger sister."
Nanny Zhu smiled reservedly and saw Nanny Liu out.
After the person left, she took out the silver she had just obtained and examined it carefully, a smile at the corner of her mouth that was both disdainful and satisfied: "Still trying to play that trick with me, huh—"
Over there, Ren Yaoqi sat in the western side room of the main chamber, leisurely sipping tea. Seeing Nanny Zhou enter, she glanced at her: "How did it go?"
Nanny Zhou stepped forward and lowered her head: "It's been arranged as you instructed, miss." After saying this, she hesitated and looked at Ren Yaoqi, "Miss, will this really work?"
Ren Yaoqi looked at Nanny Zhou and smiled, blinking playfully for once: "Nanny, why not wait and see?"
"But Concubine Fang has planted quite a few people..."
"There are advantages to having many people." After saying this, Ren Yaoqi picked up her teacup and took a sip. Though Nanny Zhou still had doubts, she didn't ask further.
By the afternoon, somehow, news that Nanny Liu had privately bribed Nanny Zhu, and the two had used some means to conspire and push Nanny Wei out, had spread like wildfire.
Although the truth of the news was uncertain, Nanny Wei was furious. That evening, while the masters had gone to Glory and Splendor Courtyard to pay their respects, she stood in the backyard courtyard with hands on hips, cursing loudly.
Nanny Liu, after all, felt somewhat guilty. Though angered by the scolding, she dared not go out to defend herself, simply staying behind closed doors.
Nanny Zhu, perhaps thick-skinned or perhaps understanding that this matter was ultimately the master's intention and she had merely taken advantage of the situation, didn't take it to heart. After all, if it came to an investigation, it wouldn't trace back to her.
Fortunately, Nanny Wei also knew her limits. Upon hearing that the masters had returned to the courtyard, she fell silent, spat on Nanny Liu's door, and left.
But that night, some troublemaker, eager to stir up trouble, secretly informed Nanny Liu about who had leaked the news.
It turned out to be her arch-rival, Nanny Guan, who had somehow found out about the matter and then exaggerated it while telling the other servants in the backyard.
Upon hearing this, Nanny Liu grew even more furious with Nanny Guan. Early the next morning, seeing Nanny Guan's gloating smile, Nanny Liu gritted her teeth, grabbed a pot of boiling water from the stove, and splashed it toward Nanny Guan.
Nanny Guan shrieked like a slaughtered pig and jumped aside. Luckily, the weather was cold, and Nanny Liu hadn't aimed well, only splashing some water onto Nanny Guan's boots.
After recovering, Nanny Guan flew into a rage, screaming as she lunged forward. The two began fighting in the small kitchen where the water was heated. The commotion grew so loud that it alarmed Madam Li, who sent Nanny Zhu to see what was happening.
Nanny Zhu sternly scolded both Nanny Liu and Nanny Guan, then reprimanded Nanny Liu alone for a long time before docking both of them half a month's wages.
The feud between Nanny Guan and Nanny Liu grew even deeper.As the twelfth lunar month arrived, every household grew increasingly busy. The various branches of the Ren Family also began bustling with the task of replacing decorations in their courtyards and inner chambers. Items like vases and ornaments in the inner rooms, which the masters had grown tired of seeing over the year, were to be packed away and stored in the warehouse, while fresh and novel pieces were brought out to take their place. In the Purple Magnolia Courtyard, the pomegranate bonsai was also requested by Third Master to be replaced with clivia and narcissus.
Thank you to sister okeeffe for the reward～^^
[bookid=2288861,bookname=《The Scheming Daughter of a Noble House》]
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