Four Seasons Brocade – CH 120

Chapter 120 ☆、

Although Ah Wu had been tricked by Chu Mao today, she felt she only had herself to blame. Her weakness had been exploited, and Chu Mao had used it to lure her in. Even knowing it was bait with a hidden trap, she still wanted to take it. Furthermore, Ah Wu learned from her experience that next time something like this happened, she would be more specific and would never use vague terms like “just a stroll.”

Ah Wu returned to Yulan Hall for lunch and a short nap. Then, Nanny Gong arrived with the roster.

Ah Wu quickly pulled her legs back, sat up straight on the couch, adjusted her hairpin, and then asked someone to invite her in. Not only were the maids afraid of Nanny Gong, but even Ah Wu, seeing her perpetually stern face, dared not be disrespectful. Nanny Gong would give her a look that seemed to say, “This is against the rules,” until she changed to “following the rules.”

“Your Highness, this is the maid roster you asked me to draft earlier.” Nanny Gong, after sitting down, handed the roster to Ah Wu without further ado.

Ah Wu took it and glanced at it. Nanny Gong had designated the two Zi and two Tong maids as first-class maids, the four Cui maids as second-class, and Chi-Jin as an exception because Ah Wu had specially brought her back from Jiangnan; she possessed some martial arts skills and therefore was not considered a maid. Ah Wu had always paid Chi-Jin’s monthly allowance separately.

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Ah Wu scanned the roster and said to Nanny Gong, “Nanny, temporarily designate Cui-Ling and the others as third-class, and promote Gong-Yun and Sang-Ye to second-class.” Gong-Yun and Sang-Ye were the maids who served Nanny Gong and the current Nanny Sang, respectively.

“I would not dare,” Nanny Gong objected. It was unacceptable for a hired maid to be served by second-class maids. “It’s against the rules.”

Ah Wu knew Nanny Gong would say this. “Nanny, you know that although you have not been taking care of me since I was a child, over the years I’ve come to regard you as an elder in this household. You’ve always been devoted to me, doing your utmost and never shirking your responsibilities.” Managing servants was not easy. But seeing that her emotional appeals had not moved Nanny Gong, Ah Wu had to resort to her trump card, “Besides, in this household, the Prince is most respectful of elders and the virtuous…”

Before Ah Wu could finish, Nanny Gong nodded.

“Then how should the other two second-class maid positions be allocated?” Nanny Gong inquired.

“Let’s leave them for now. Although Nanny Hao arranged for my maids to be on par with the Prince, I cannot overstep my bounds,” Ah Wu said.

Nanny Gong nodded again.

Ah Wu then continued reading. In just a few days, Nanny Gong had seemingly uncovered the origins, backgrounds, and relationships of all the maids and servants in Yulan Hall. For example, Qing-Zhu, a lowly maid, had an older sister who was married to the eldest son of Li Gonghai, a servant of Lady He. This made Qing-Zhu’s backing clear; even if Qing-Zhu herself was innocent, it was still necessary to be wary.

Of course, there were also those whose origins and backgrounds were perfectly clear, but whose allies remained uncertain. Since a few days were not enough to determine their identities, Nanny Gong marked them with ink, indicating they would be investigated later.

Ah Wu carefully examined the clues Nanny Gong had compiled. It was truly unexpected. Not only had the two concubines planted people in Yulan Hall, but even the three chambermaids were no pushovers. As for Hongyao Villa, Ah Wu counted, and in just a few days, she had found three people connected to them.

After a long while, Ah Wu finished reading and looked up at Nanny Gong, saying, “Nanny, your arrangements are excellent. You’ve worked very hard these past few days.”

“This old servant dares not take credit. Many of the things recorded here were investigated by the maids, especially Zi-Shan, who serves the Princess. She’s truly remarkable.” Nanny Gong rarely praised anyone.

Zi-Shan was overjoyed. Ah Wu glanced at her and smiled, “Yes, if she were a man, she could serve as a scout in battle.”

“What does the Princess intend to do with these people?” Nanny Gong looked at the names she had marked in vermilion ink on the register.

“Many lice do not bother us; many debts do not itch us. Let’s keep them for now.” Ah Wu and Nanny Gong exchanged a glance. They both understood that sometimes these spies might come in very useful. Besides, now that they were on guard, they would not cause too much trouble.

Nanny Gong nodded, her admiration for this young yet incredibly thoughtful mistress growing ever stronger. It was precisely because of this that she was willing to rely on her for the rest of her life.

“Nanny, just one thing,” she said, “please keep a close eye on the newly set-up kitchen. Do not let anyone other than our own people interfere.” Ah Wu had to be careful with the food; so many unsavory things happened there.

“This old servant understands,” she replied.

Finally, Ah Wu added, “After you’ve revised the roster, please send a copy to Hongyao Villa as well. Also, please return the extra two allowances for the second-class maids. I heard that Lady Xiangsi there is a very disciplined person.” With just one sentence, she made it clear to Nanny Gong that although Nanny Hao was currently in charge, it was Lady Xiangsi who made most of the decisions.

Nanny Gong nodded, looking hesitant. As an old-fashioned and strictly disciplined woman, she naturally disapproved of the current state of the Prince Qi’s mansion, where the master was not truly a master, and the servants were not truly servants, with an outsider woman running the household behind the scenes. This was not a good sign for the family’s prosperity. Nanny Gong had repeatedly wanted to advise Ah Wu, but she knew that Ah Wu had only recently entered the mansion, had not yet established herself, and had no real connection with the Prince. Ah Wu’s situation was not easy either.

However, since Nanny Gong had decided on Ah Wu, she was wholeheartedly devoted to her well-being. She knew that honest advice was hard to swallow, but she had to speak up—that was the mark of a loyal servant. “This old servant would like to say a few more words. If Your Highness does not like what I’ve said, I will not bring it up again after this.”

Nanny Gong was usually a woman of few words, but her serious tone made Ah Wu take it even more seriously. “Please teach me, Nanny.”

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“Since Lady Xiangsi is a very proper person, she should know that her current steward’s behavior is extremely unruly.”

Ah Wu inwardly applauded. Nanny Gong had immediately sided with her, breaking down her defenses. Indeed, those who spoke little were the most powerful. Compared to Nanny Sang’s incessant nagging, Ah Wu had to admit that Nanny Gong was much more eloquent, even though the content was essentially the same.

“Everyone has their own duties. For example, besides managing the inner court affairs, the Princess Consort also has the responsibility of advising her husband. Even though the Prince is a prince, he is still the Princess Consort’s husband. If her husband acts improperly, the Princess Consort should disregard personal gain and remonstrate with him.” Nanny Gong’s words were a bit harsh, clearly pointing out that Ah Wu was concerned about “personal gain.”

And Ah Wu was indeed concerned; she was unwilling to offend Chu Mao and his respected wet nurse for the sake of a mere steward’s position.

“Husband and wife are one. A marriage like that of the Prince and Princess is one of shared glory and shared loss.”

Indeed, other families might have the concept of divorce or severing ties, but the royal family did not, and there was no such thing as divorce.

“The Princess’s actions, to put it presumptuously, show she has no genuine intention of living with the Prince. A wife should be virtuous; a virtuous woman can offer advice and guidance. Blindly obeying is sycophancy.”

At this point, Ah Wu felt that Nanny Gong’s eyes were incredibly sharp. No wonder she had uncovered so many spies in just a few days. Ah Wu thought she was genuinely living with Chu Mao, but in reality, she had never truly considered Chu Mao’s feelings. She was now like that old woman, agreeing with whatever her master said, regardless of right or wrong, never uttering a word more than necessary. Ah Wu disliked and would not use such a sycophant, yet she herself had become that kind of person—it was truly ironic. And she had thought herself clever.

Thinking this, Ah Wu suddenly shivered. She certainly did not think Chu Mao was stupid. So, in Chu Mao’s eyes, would her compliance in this matter make her just like Nanny Lu? How could such a person truly gain his favor and be employed?

Nanny Gong’s words were like a wake-up call, enlightening Ah Wu.

Ah Wu immediately stood up, bowed to Nanny Gong, and, imitating a man, clasped her hands in a gesture of respect, saying, “Thank you for teaching me, Nanny.”

Nanny Gong also stood up. “Your Highness is naturally intelligent and virtuous; there’s no need for this old servant to speak out. I only hope Your Highness will not think this old servant is taking advantage of her age.”

Ah Wu smiled. “In the future, please come and talk to me more often when you have free time, Nanny.”

After Nanny Gong left, Ah Wu had a sudden realization. Officials often had advisors and clerks; who would have thought that women in the inner quarters also needed such an outsider advisor? Ah Wu had once been smug about her ability to recognize and utilize talent, yet she had such a valuable asset as Nanny Gong by her side, only allowing her to manage the servants—a truly shameful act.

However, Nanny Gong’s words came a little too late; the die was cast. For Ah Wu to now offer “advice” to Chu Mao on this matter would make her appear like a fickle and despicable person. However, Ah Wu did not think she was wrong in this matter. After all, she had just entered the mansion, and if she immediately opposed Chu Mao, even if she was acting in his best interests, he might not appreciate it.

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For example, Nanny Gong was speaking now because of their years of friendship. Ah Wu knew Nanny Gong’s character, which was why she listened to her advice and did not perceive it as an arrogant lecture based on seniority. Now, however, her relationship with Chu Mao was still superficial, so she dared not speak too deeply.

But Nanny Gong’s words truly enlightened Ah Wu. It was because she had overlooked one thing: a truly intelligent person could see through any ulterior motive. The only way to get close to them was to disregard personal gain and offer genuine sincerity. She had previously displayed her cleverness, which was why Chu Mao would not allow her to approach Shuangjian Tower, let alone make any further, more unreasonable requests of hers.

Ah Wu believed that Shuangjian Tower’s doors would one day open to her.

After Nanny Gong left, Ah Wu sat alone, pondering for a while. As evening approached, she heard Zi-Shan report, “Your Highness, Sister Mei-Ying has arrived. She says the Prince will not be returning to Yulan Hall for dinner tonight.”

Ah Wu nodded. Seeing that Zi-Shan had changed her address and added “sister” to Mei-Ying’s title, it seemed she had been scolded by Nanny Gong earlier. Ah Wu nodded inwardly. Nanny Gong had been farsighted; she could not afford to let anyone find fault with her side first. She was still too young.

After saying this, Zi-Shan remained standing, which piqued Ah Wu’s curiosity. “Did she have anything else to say?”

Zi-Shan continued, “Sister Mei-Ying also said that the Prince ordered his everyday clothes and belongings from the Bingxue Forest to be packed up and sent to Yulan Hall later. Please advise, Your Highness, on where they should be stored.”

Ah Wu’s already large eyes widened even further.