Chapter 52 I'm Really Reluctant
Songhe Garden
"It's my fault. I haven't been feeling well lately, so Sister Qi hasn't paid much attention to me." Wang stepped forward and apologized to Song.
"You are not a sage, and there are always times when you make mistakes." Song said slowly, turning the bodhi bracelet in her hand, "A few days ago you said you wanted to hire a foster mother for Sister Qi, and I hesitated because I didn't want Sister Qi to be restrained so early. It seems that you are still thinking long-term. The other day, the Princess of the County didn't look very happy. Alas, after all, we spoiled Sister Qi too much. This time we must be ruthless."
The old lady pressed her temples with her hands. Wang wanted to get up and massage her, but the old lady waved her hand to signal her not to do so.
"Sister Qi was raised by my side since she was little, and she shares my birthday, so it's inevitable that she's spoiled. Now it seems that I was wrong. Her temper really makes me worry about what she'll do when she gets married, especially to such a complicated family. So now while you're asking her foster mother to teach her, you also have to worry about the maid she'll marry into in the future. Especially for the personal servant, you need to find someone who's steady and reliable, and who has served for many years and knows Sister Qi's temper."
"Yes, my daughter-in-law has started to make arrangements these days. It is precisely because of this reason that the maids below have begun to think of biting each other. Such a thing has happened, and it makes mother worried." Wang stood up and said.
Song looked at Wang, who had a pale face, and sighed in her heart. Compared with Liu, she liked Wang more as her daughter-in-law. She came from a famous family and was well-educated. But she was too gentle. Especially after Wang's family angered the emperor and left the court a few years ago, Meng Yuan became more and more displeased with Wang.
Because Meng Shao insisted on marrying Jiang, the relationship between mother and son became strained, and Jiang was not close to her after she entered the family. In the past two years, Wang had almost no power except for the power she held tightly in her own hands. A while ago, she simply handed it over and quietly took care of everything.
Thinking about what Master Fang Zhi said to her when she was treating the Marquis, that this eldest daughter-in-law would not live long, Song sighed again and said gently to the eldest daughter-in-law whom she had favored and taken great pains to marry, "It's nothing, you don't have to take it to heart. You can't watch the maids below being jealous of each other one by one."
Song gestured for Wang to sit down and continued, "After the investigation, Guangsheng came to Wenxiu and asked for help. Wenxiu couldn't refuse and told me about it. I couldn't refuse Wenxiu, so I couldn't sell that girl called Chun. It would be better to transfer her out of Qijie's yard and do some rough work in the big kitchen or the laundry room. Do you think it's feasible?"
Wenxiu is Wu’s mother’s name.
"Yes, my daughter-in-law thought so too. This matter is also my daughter-in-law's fault. If the vacancies in Sister Qi's yard had been decided earlier, Ruchun wouldn't have had such wild thoughts."
Song nodded, "Also, if this matter is according to Liu Yongjia's statement, then this girl named Su Qing has been wronged. I have met this girl twice in the West House, and I have heard her tell stories to Sister Qi. Although she was bought from outside, she is not petty, speaks fluently, and I heard that she can read. I think she can be trained. You can take a look later. If you think it's okay, why not let her serve Sister Qi."
Wang had never met Su Qing. "Yes, if that's the case, don't let her go to Brother Yue'er's place anymore. Let her learn the rules and concentrate on serving Sister Qi. I'm just worried about Sister Qi's temper. Although it wasn't this girl's intention, it made Sister Qi lose face. I'm afraid Sister Qi will be unhappy to let this girl go to her side."
"I also calculated that Sister Qi would be unhappy, so I asked Su Qing to serve her. Sister Qi's temper is too domineering, we can't just go along with her in everything. When choosing a maid for her, don't be soft-hearted and don't follow her temper. Just pick the best one."
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"Sister Wanxiang, you have to keep your word." Ruchun followed Wanxiang with his bag in his hand and his head down.
"When have I ever lied to you? Even this time, I was just helping you analyze the situation. Who knew you would be so impatient and actually do it? You even dared to steal Mother Liu's medicine. Also, you didn't tell me when your sister came. If you had told me even a little bit, we wouldn't have ended up like this."
Ruchun had been anxious since she heard Wanxiang say that the Crown Prince's wife was going to choose a maid for the Fourth Young Miss. She hadn't even made it to the third rank, so if she was chosen at this time, what would she have to do?
I also heard from Wanxiang that the first person the Crown Prince's wife liked was Su Qing, because she said Su Qing could tell stories, make the fourth young lady happy, and was also literate.
Wanxiang said at the time, "The three of us all came from the West House. It's rare for one of us to serve the Fourth Young Lady. Now that Su Qing is being promoted, you won't have any chance at all."
"Why?"
"Think about it. If you also get third place, what will those people in the East Palace who have been waiting think? There are many people who are more capable than us. So, don't even think about the other people's places. That's Su Qing. If she gets third place, there will be no place for you."
Ruchun thought about it and it made sense. It seemed that she and Su Qing were in a situation where it was either you or me.
A day later, Wanxiang told her that Mama Liu had difficulty using the toilet and had taken medicine. She not only kept running to the toilet but also made loud empty bowel movements. Wanxiang smiled and said, "Fortunately, it was Mama Liu who took the medicine. If this happened when Su Qing was telling stories to the Fourth Miss, she would have lost her dignity and the Fourth Miss would have kicked her out of Qin Garden."
Then he seemed to say unintentionally that after taking one dose, Mother Liu didn't dare to take more and put it in the box beside her bed.
After hearing this, Ruchun couldn't sleep when she returned home, thinking about how to take advantage of this matter.
Coincidentally, because the mansion was going to hold an autumn banquet, some vegetables and fish were sent from the West Mansion, and the younger sister followed her father to the East Mansion. So Ruchun came up with this idea, and took advantage of the fact that there were many people that day to let the younger sister pretend to be a servant in the mansion and bring the jar of water with ingredients to Su Qing.
She thought it was just a small matter, and she was waiting happily for Su Qing to be kicked out. Unexpectedly, things did not go the way she thought. Mother Liu did not believe that Su Qing had a stomachache, and began to investigate carefully in the yard. She was terrified. In fact, after Wanxiang denied what she said to Su Qing when she was gloating over Su Qing's misfortune that day, she hesitated whether she should tell Wanxiang what she had told her if she was really asked.
Later, Wanxiang came to her.
Wanxiang analyzed the current situation with her and decided that the best thing for her was to turn herself in. Her aunt would then plead for her and she would not be sold out or sent back to the West House. And if she said that this information was given by Wanxiang, Wanxiang's words at the time were:
"If you say that I told you this, where is the evidence? And what I said is all true. I just told you one thing, and you made the connection with the others. I don't know about all your plans, and I didn't participate in them. If you insist on dragging me into this, there can only be two results."
Wan Xiang held up two fingers to herself. "One is that I don't admit it, and Mother Liu will punish you. The other is that I admit what I said to you, and Mother Liu will still punish you. As for me, the worst that can happen is that I will be scolded for gossiping. Of course, there is a third option."
"What's the third one?" Ruchun asked nervously.
"Take care of everything yourself, and don't mention me. Your aunt will definitely find a way for you. I will continue to stay with the Fourth Miss, and when the Fourth Miss's anger has subsided, I will find a way to mention you. Think about it, with me in there and your aunt outside, it's only a matter of time before you return to Qin Garden. If even I can't stay in Qin Garden, do you think your aunt will be the first to know some news and things?"
Ruchun thought about it and actually felt that what Wanxiang said made sense. After being coaxed by her, she knelt in front of Mother Liu the next day.