Chapter 11: This Brainless Woman

Chapter 11: This Brainless Woman

Ruo Xi watched the farce and felt quite satisfied.

"Mama is no longer timid, and Nanny Jin is truly great. From now on, I have someone to rely on. Good, very good!"

Ruo Xi kicked her little legs excitedly.

Hearing her daughter's thoughts, Xiaoyue buried her face in the baby's swaddling clothes and took a deep breath.

She would protect her daughter and son from now on.

A few days later.

As soon as Ruo Xi woke up, she heard voices outside.

"Has the princess not woken up yet? I had the kitchen prepare some bird's nest soup for Her Highness to try!" Xu Ruzhen, who hadn't been seen for several days, was back again.

Ruo Xi's eyes instantly lit up.

"Looks like the slap last time wasn't enough; she's come back for more!"

"Nanny Jin will convey Second Lady's intentions to the princess, but the princess is resting. Second Lady should go back," Nanny Jin's voice came from outside.

"Nanny Jin, you don't know that the princess and I were once like sisters," Xu Ruzhen said.

"Hmph, what a bold claim!" Nanny Jin sneered, "Comparing yourself to a royal princess—how shameless of you!"

"I, I..." Xu Ruzhen, still bruised, shrank back and took two steps backward.

"Nanny!" Xiaoyue called out from inside.

"Princess!" Nanny Jin immediately turned around and entered the room.

"Let her in; I have something to ask her," Xiaoyue said.

Ruo Xi, hearing her mother's words, was so excited she stopped feeding.

Before entering, Xu Ruzhen was hit with a willow branch by Nanny Jin.

"Second Lady, don't bring any bad luck into the room. The princess and the young lady are precious," Nanny Jin said.

"This is just to ward off evil spirits!" Xu Ruzhen muttered under her breath but didn't dare resist and allowed Nanny Jin to hit her several times before being let in. As soon as she entered, she approached with a fawning smile, "Princess, look, I personally supervised the preparation of this bird's nest soup!"

"Hmm, thoughtful. Put it down," Xiaoyue nodded.

"Eat it while it's hot; it'll be good for you!" Xu Ruzhen said.

"Put it down!" Xiaoyue said coldly.

"Okay, okay!" Xu Ruzhen replied awkwardly.

Ever since Nanny Jin arrived, all of Xiaoyue's food and drinks were prepared in the small kitchen within her courtyard. She no longer went to the main kitchen, leaving Xu Ruzhen and others only to smell the fragrances without knowing what she ate.

The servants sent by Hu's family were assigned to work in the outer courtyard, following the rules that they couldn't even cross the inner courtyard's corridor. Thus, Hu and Xu Ruzhen knew nothing about the situation inside.

Xu Ruzhen walked to the bed and looked at the baby covered in a brocade blanket. "I haven't held her yet. Let me hold my niece now!"

"Xiao Xi'er is sleeping; don't disturb her." Xiaoyue looked at Xu Ruzhen and said, "A few days ago, I told the matriarch about the keys to the storeroom and the ledgers. Have you sorted them out? If so, hand them over soon!"

"What? Mother didn't tell me!" Xu Ruzhen's face paled, and she stammered, "Princess, you're still recuperating. Why worry about these matters? Rest assured, everything is well-organized, and the storeroom is securely locked!"

"The keys must be with the matriarch. Tell her the accounts are ready, and after my confinement period, I'll take the ledgers and keys," Xiaoyue said calmly.

"Good job, Mama!" Ruo Xi thought happily, "The gold and jewels belong to Mama. How can they squander them? They really don't know their place!"

Ruo Xi was glad her mother had awakened in time.

"How did you know the keys are with Mother?" Xu Ruzhen's tongue stumbled, but she asked softly.

She was supposed to manage household affairs, but the storeroom keys remained with the matriarch.

Of course, the matriarch occasionally took some jewelry from the storeroom to forge new pieces.

Thinking of this, Xu Ruzhen uncomfortably touched the bracelet on her wrist, which was made from a pair of golden hairpins from Xiaoyue's dowry.

"No matter who manages it, you have twenty days to sort out the accounts!" Xiaoyue said calmly.

"I'll talk to Mother!" Xu Ruzhen glanced at Nanny Jin standing nearby and dared not say "no."

Pushing everything onto the matriarch, Xu Ruzhen felt clever.

Xiaoyue looked at Xu Ruzhen, who seemed restless but wouldn't leave.

"Princess is tired; Second Lady should go back," Nanny Jin said.

"I came to see Xiao Xi'er. Is the little girl still asleep?" Xu Ruzhen stood up, bent over, and looked at the baby, smiling awkwardly.

"Xiao Xi'er is awake!" Xiaoyue turned around, shielding Xu Ruzhen with her arm and gently patting the child.

"Awake and not crying or fussing? This child..." Xu Ruzhen raised an eyebrow.

Ruo Xi looked at the woman in front of her and smiled faintly.

"This woman probably thinks I can't speak like my brother. Hmph, looks like they not only poisoned him after birth but also tampered with Mama's food!"

Xiaoyue's hand paused slightly, and her face turned icy cold.

"Xu Ruzhen, what do you want to say?" Xiaoyue lifted her eyes and asked coldly.

"I, I didn't say anything. I just said this child looks really beautiful, even more beautiful than my little Bao!" Xu Ruzhen was so frightened by Xiaoyue's gaze that her scalp tingled and her tongue stumbled.

"My child will naturally be fine. Xu Ruzhen, you should go back to organizing the accounts now. All the dowry items I brought have been recorded by the royal family, and if anything goes missing without reason, it won't be acceptable!" Xiaoyue said calmly.

"Ho, how could anything go missing? The keys have always been with me. It won't happen, it won't happen!" Xu Ruzhen immediately replied.

"You may leave now!" Xiaoyue said.

"Y-yes, of course!" Although Xu Ruzhen wanted to linger, she knew she had no choice but to leave. She got up slowly and walked out.

"Hmph, this brainless woman must be waiting for Grand Physician Wen!" Baby Ruo Xi found this boring, turned over, and continued sleeping.