Chapter 459

The Schemes of a Concubine's Daughter Chapter 466: Adding Branches (Middle Part)

After seeing off the guests, the household settled into quietude.

Lady Eleven reclined against a pillow, observing Wet Nurse Gu bathe her son while Hongwen, Ah Jin, and Yumei assisted by wringing towels or fetching garments.

Nanny Wan entered carrying a bowl of medicinal decoction.

"This tonic needs to be taken for several more days," Lady Eleven said, draining the bowl in one swallow.

Nanny Wan smiled. "Once the postpartum bleeding ceases, you may stop the treatment."

Meanwhile, Nanny Gu had already swaddled the infant and brought him over.

Lady Eleven kissed her son's tiny face, tucked in the blanket corners, and placed him in her own bed. Nanny Gu hesitated, words caught in her throat.

By tradition, the child should sleep with his wet nurse. Yet these past few days, the mistress appeared oblivious to this custom—keeping the babe with her while Nanny Gu slept on a chaise longue nearby. Lady Eleven turned a blind eye.

Three days had passed since the birth, and she knew breastfeeding was impossible. As a mother, if she didn't cherish every moment with her son, his earliest memories would be steeped only in his wet nurse's scent. She feigned ignorance.

Xifang and Qiuyu, having received Amber's subtle hint, understood their mistress's intentions. One cheerfully helped Nanny Gu arrange bedding while the other reminded her, "The hour grows late. Complete your ablutions and retire."

Not daring to protest, Nanny Gu made a deferential curtsy and withdrew.

Nanny Wan, who had remained, ventured cautiously, "My lady, this arrangement wearies you. Might I speak plainly?"

Lady Eleven, never one to cause discomfort, nodded. "Speak freely, Nanny Wan."

The older woman assumed a modest expression. "With no housekeeper appointed for the Sixth Young Master's quarters, you bear all burdens. I wish to recommend a candidate." Without awaiting permission, she continued, "As the proverb says, one shouldn't hesitate to recommend kin. My third daughter-in-law, five-and-twenty years old, is fair-skinned, poised, and capable—universally praised throughout our neighborhood."

"If my lady finds her suitable, I might bring her for audience at your convenience..."

Lady Eleven was astonished.

She hadn't anticipated Nanny Wan recommending her own kin.

After brief consideration, she found merit in the idea.

Nanny Wan was aging and would retire within years. Her sons, while honest, were unremarkable. This bold recommendation suggested she was staking everything to secure her family's future.

"Very well. Bring her when you're able."

Elated, Nanny Wan offered profuse thanks before withdrawing.

Amber frowned. "Nanny Wan claims to be Elder Madam's trusted aide, yet acts so imprudently. Refusing her risks offending Elder Madam, while accepting an unsuitable candidate creates difficulties. We should decline outright now rather than dismiss her later."

"Let's not judge hastily," Lady Eleven replied. "Nanny Wan's eagerness shows her determination. Moreover, leaving this position vacant invites too many designs. If Elder Madam, the Second Lady, or Fifth Lady propose candidates later, our position becomes difficult. Nanny Wan's daughter-in-law may suffice if she follows orders properly."

Her true aim was keeping her son close. Though valued by Elder Madam, Nanny Wan's expertise lay solely in postnatal care—she held no real managerial power in the household.

Amber nodded assent.

Lady Eleven inquired about Lord Xu: "...Does His Lordship remain at Half-Moon Pond?"

For the Third-Day Bathing Ceremony and full-month celebration—events centered on female relatives—Lord Xu had withdrawn to the secluded pavilion early that morning.

"His Lordship hasn't emerged from Half-Moon Pond all day," Amber replied.

Perhaps due to childbirth exhaustion, Lady Eleven felt perpetual weariness. After instructing Amber to "tend to him properly upon his return," she settled with her child to sleep.

It was the season of crisp autumn air and chrysanthemums blooming in the garden. Lord Xu painted a picture of chrysanthemums and returned to his quarters. Seeing the dim yellow light from the side room casting a hazy yet warm glow through the window lattice onto the blue-gray stone bricks, he found himself drawn to the side room.

Xi Fang, the maid on night duty, was startled to see Lord Xu, but he signaled her to stay silent and tiptoed inside.

Gu Ma, the newly assigned nursemaid, hadn't yet figured out Eleven Miss’s disposition, and sharing the same room made it impossible for her to truly sleep. Hearing the noise, she rose anxiously and stood aside with Xi Fang. They watched as Lord Xu sat by the bed, carefully observing Eleven Miss and Jin Geer for a long while, smoothing their covers before finally rising and leaving.

Early the next morning, the Emperor and Empress sent eunuchs in succession to inquire about Jin Geer's condition. Lord Xu thought that were it not for the Emperor’s mercy in immediately summoning Imperial Physician Wu to accompany him out of the palace that day, he wouldn't have been able to leave so quickly. He decided to go to the palace to pay his respects. Upon leaving the palace gates, he encountered Prince Shun, Yu Yiqing, and Jin Hanlin. Since they hadn't seen each other for a long time, they all went to Chunxi Tower together.

Meanwhile, Wan Mama brought her third daughter-in-law over.

Just as she had said, this matron seemed shrewd and efficient.

Eleven Miss smiled and asked her, "Have you ever worked in the mansion before?"

"Yes," she replied, "I was a second-tier maid in the outer courtyard, responsible for serving tea in the flower hall."

"Do you know what is most important for a housekeeper?"

Wan Mama had repeatedly instructed her beforehand, so she answered without hesitation, "Following orders, being humble and compliant."

Eleven Miss nodded slightly, partly warning, partly hinting, "You must remember these words." Then she had Amber take the Wan family daughter-in-law to elder madam, finalizing the arrangement.

With everything going so smoothly, Wan Mama was naturally overjoyed. After receiving elder madam's approval, Eleven Miss gave the Wan family daughter-in-law five days to arrange her household affairs. The Wan women thanked her repeatedly, just as a page hurried in, "Madam, there's a letter from Yuhang."

Eleven Miss, who’d been anticipating this, smiled, "Bring it in quickly."

The Wan women took the opportunity to withdraw.

The letter was from Luo Zhenxing, stating that since Yuhang was thousands of miles away from Yanjing, the Three Letters and Six Etiquettes would take at least half a year, much less setting a wedding date. There were also some family properties to handle, so he couldn’t depart before mid-November. Upon receiving the letter, he had specially sent Luo Zhensheng and his wife, along with Sixth Concubine, to escort Twelve Miss to the capital, where she would be married from Gongxian Hutong. He asked Eleven Miss to take good care of them.

Eleven Miss calculated the dates, "That means Fourth Brother and Sixth Concubine should arrive in a couple of days."

Amber smiled, "Shall we notify Third Young Master so he can prepare Gongxian Hutong? And Lady Zhou—as the saying goes, ‘Raise your head to marry a daughter; lower it to welcome a bride.’ Once Lady Zhou gets the news, she can inform the heir to the Marquis of Zhennan to come and request the wedding date."

Back then, Twelve Miss's marriage had the heir to the Marquis of Zhennan representing the groom's side and Yu Yiqing representing the bride's side.

Seeing how thoughtful Amber was, Eleven Miss smiled, "Leave this matter to you."

When Lord Xu returned that night, it was already late.

The delicate fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the courtyard.

Not the inferior blend adulterated with agarwood, but the finest ambergris from the South Sea.

Lord Xu frowned slightly.

At this hour, Eleven Miss seldom observed Buddhist rites... He shot Lin Bo a meaningful look. Lin Bo, who had also noticed the sandalwood scent, recalled the Qin Yi affair and his expression darkened as he followed the fragrance.

"My lord," he quickly returned, "the scent is coming from the eastern courtyard."

Lord Xu thought for a moment, "Let's go take a look."

Lin Bo took the lantern from a servant, signaling them to stay behind, and accompanied Lord Xu to the eastern courtyard.

In the long alleyway, someone had set up a small incense table with an incense burner, facing west in devout worship.

It was the middle of the month, and the moonlight was bright. With their backs turned, it was hard to see who it was, but their figure was slender, and their movements were graceful, though they wore the usual blue vest of a maid... Lin Bo stepped forward and grabbed the person's wrist, demanding sternly, "Who dares to stay up so late, praying here at this hour—"

Before he could finish, the person gasped and looked up, revealing a face equally prone to pouting or smiling. Lin Bo recoiled as if burned, hastily letting go and stumbling back several steps in shock, exclaiming, "Lady Yang!"

Yang Shi was even more startled than them, trembling with fear as she lightly twisted her body and gracefully knelt before Lord Xu. "M-my lord... Ant Typing Corps first draft."

Standing against the pink wall, half of Lord Xu's face was exposed to the moonlight while the other half remained shrouded in shadow, making his expression inscrutable. "What are you doing?"

"Two days ago, I heard that the sixth young master was unwell," Yang Shi replied softly, her voice trembling slightly yet clear as a chime in the quiet moonlight. "I made a vow and set up an incense altar tonight to fulfill it." She raised her head, her gaze as gentle as water. "I didn’t mean to offend you, my lord. It was entirely my fault."

Lord Xu remained silent, watching her for a long moment before murmuring, "It’s too late. Don’t do this again."

Yang Shi hastily lowered her head in acknowledgment. When she looked up again, Lord Xu had already disappeared into the hallway, leaving only the fluttering hem of his robe in sight.

She hurriedly called a maid to clear the incense altar, only then realizing her back was soaked through with cold sweat.

Within two days, Luo Zhensheng and his party arrived in the capital, bringing along a little guest—Yingniang, just twenty-five days from turning one.

"Oh! Speaking of which, our Yingniang and Jin Geer were both born on the tenth," Fourth Madam Luo said, holding Jin Geer with immense joy. "The news probably hasn’t reached Yuhang yet, right? Had we known earlier, we could have hurried a few nights and maybe even made it in time for Jin Geer’s Third-Day Blessing!"

Eleventh Lady gently stroked Yingniang, who stood clinging to the edge of her bed. "Is everything well at home? I heard from Eldest Brother that there’s some business to wrap up, so he won’t be able to come until mid-December. What needs handling?"

Fourth Madam Luo’s smile stiffened slightly before she quickly masked it with a brighter expression. "The details... I’m not quite sure—you know how it is, your Fourth Brother and I are just free spirits!" The last sentence carried a self-deprecating tone, lightening the atmosphere in the room.