Chapter 551 Madam of Duke Xing Restrains Her Anger and Keeps Silent
“Madam, our cousin Miss is the daughter of the former Heir of Duke Xing and Infanta Qinghua. To put it bluntly, when the former Heir of Duke Xing was still alive, the current Duke Xing was just an idle childe, and you… were just an ordinary Madam of the second branch of Duke Xing’s Mansion. What’s more, even now our cousin Miss is a member of the royal family. In this respect, she is of higher status than other Misses!”
Nanny Gao said with a stern look.
Madam of Duke Xing was ashamed and angry. She was indeed an ordinary Madam of the second branch at that time, and she didn’t dare to deny Shao Wanru’s identity as a member of the royal family, which was of the supreme status around the country. So she held the teacup tightly and suppressed the anger in her heart.
“Rest assured, Nanny Gao. I’ll pick the best yard for Wanru!” She said, because she had to swallow it and did not dare to deny it.
“Thank you so much for your concern, Madam. My master will be very pleased after knowing it. Madam, please send someone to take them to the Piaoyun Courtyard for measurement. I heard that the Piaoyun Courtyard is the best empty courtyard in your mansion. It’s quite a good courtyard you prepared for our cousin Miss before, but it was burned down by someone, who intended to burn our cousin Miss to death. Since now it has been rebuilt, it should be her residence!”
Nanny Gao said amiably with a smile and wiped the water off her hands with a handkerchief.
Madam of Duke Xing turned to look at Shao Wanru with a cold look, gnashed her teeth and said, “This courtyard has not been completed yet, and many parts have not been decorated, so it is not suitable for living!”
She prepared the courtyard for her son. Although it was not decorated as well as before, she had spent more than two years rebuilding and decorating it. How could she be willing to give it away to Shao Wanru?
“It doesn’t matter if our cousin Miss can’t live there for the time being. Madam, have you forgotten that our cousin Miss still needs to stay on the mountain? Even if you begin to decorate it from now on, our cousin Miss can live there after coming out of the Yuhui Nunnery in half a year.”
Nanny Gao continued saying with a smile as if she didn’t see Madam of Duke Xing turn her head to glare at Shao Wanru.
“I’m afraid that I have to ask Old Madam about her opinion. Old Madam told me a long time ago that she wanted to keep the courtyard for some use. If I give it to Wanru rashly, I’m afraid that Old Madam will be angry. She is in such poor health that she can’t bear any anger. Why don’t we talk it over after Old Madam gets better later?”
Madam of Duke Xing turned back and said sincerely in a soft voice.
She intended to push Old Madam out and reject it, because Old Madam could do that, while she couldn’t. Moreover, Old Madam was still sick. She could evade the issue today and discuss countermeasures with Old Madam later.
“I heard that the Empress Dowager intends to investigate into the incident of our cousin Miss being set up. If Old Madam gets better, she has to cooperate on the investigation. I am afraid that she will have no time to care about a trifle like this. What’s more, the Empress Dowager and Great Elder Princess are wondering who bears such a deep grudge against our cousin Miss that she sets her mind upon ruining our cousin Miss’s future. If Great Elder Princess finds out this vicious person, Great Elder Princess will never spare her easily even if she is the legal wife of a duke.”
Nanny Gao said in an extremely gentle tone, but the meaning of her words made Madam of Duke Xing feel cold in the back. Was Rui’an Great Elder Princess determined to dig out the truth?
The plan seemed to be implemented by Old Madam, but in fact, Madam of Duke Xing had done plenty of things in secret to help her like Shao Yanru. Hearing Nanny Gao’s words and her voice, which could be considered gentle, at this moment, she suddenly felt a chill in her back.
She, who was scared, decided that she must not arouse the suspicion of Great Elder Princess at this moment.
“We do have to trouble Great Elder Princess to investigate into it, since Old Madam is seriously ill, and I don’t know much about it. Regarding the courtyard, I’ll make an arrangement for Old Madam. I think Old Madam probably keeps it for Wanru!” With numerous thoughts coming across her mind, Madam of Duke Xing immediately said with a smile.
She called over an old maid and instructed her to take the craftsmen at the door to measure the courtyard. At this moment, she could not show her grudges against Shao Wanru.
Shao Wanru raised her head slightly and glanced at Madam of Duke Xing’s amiable face with composure. Although she knew that Madam of Duke Xing was hypocritical, her face still looked amiable, as if she were sincere.
With her long eyelashes fluttering twice, she looked down at her feet, only to see Madam of Duke Xing stretch her feet under her dress from time to time. Obviously Madam of Duke Xing was so furious that she was in no mood to care about etiquette, but she had to consent to Nanny Gao’s words.
Shao Wanru slightly lifted the corners of her mouth and thought, “Good, that’s what I would like to see.”
Seeing that Madam of Duke Xing had instructed the old maid to leave, Nanny Gao showed an increasingly gentle smile. She asked about Old Madam’s health condition, said that she specially brought Great Elder Princess’s greetings and some precious medicinal materials, and asked Madam of Duke Xing to tell Old Madam to take good care of herself. When Old Madam recovered, she could work with Great Elder Princess to find out who attempted to set up Shao Wanru and smear her jewelry with honey…
Madam of Duke Xing agreed with every word of Nanny Gao’s, while feeling guilty. She was filled with hatred and annoyance, but she could do nothing about it. She was wondering secretly if Great Elder Princess was going to hold on to it and never let it go.
When they were talking, Shao Wanru kept listening to their conversation quietly. If Madam of Duke Xing occasionally glanced at her, she gave her a gentle smile, which made Madam of Duke Xing filled with hatred because she could neither swallow her anger nor vent it.
Madam of Duke Xing didn’t believe that this mean girl didn’t know anything. As soon as Shao Wanru came over from Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s Mansion, Great Elder Princess sent Nanny Gao to ask for the best yard for her. It was Madam of Duke Xing’s favorite yard, which she prepared for her eldest son’s wedding. It made her almost spit out blood in rage that the courtyard, in which she had invested painstaking efforts, was ruined. At the thought that she had to give away the courtyard she had spent more than two years in rebuilding, she bore deeper hatred.
Shao Wanru calmly looked at Madam of Duke Xing, who bore irrepressible resentment, turned her face and smiled like a blooming flower.
She had always been incompatible with Madam of Duke Xing, so she didn’t need to please her. No matter how hard she tried to please Madam of Duke Xing, Madam of Duke Xing would never be soft-hearted when it was necessary to kill her.
In this case, it was unnecessary to force herself to please Madam of Duke Xing.
She intended to return aggressively and show everyone that although Old Madam and Madam of Duke Xing were displeased with her, no one could look down upon her because of her status.
The craftsmen came back after a long time and showed a sketch to Nanny Gao. After looking at it, Nanny Gao nodded and stood up to make her farewells.
Shao Wanru and Nanny Sheng took her to the gate to see her off on behalf of Madam of Duke Xing.
“Cousin Miss, you can go back now. I’m going back to report on completion of my task!” Nanny Gao said with a smile at the gate.
“The sketch is good, but I’m wondering if it is accurate?” Shao Wanru said softly, “It will be more accurate if someone in our mansion could have a look at it and sign on it!”
Nanny Gao, who was a smart person, immediately realized what Shao Wanru meant and secretly applauded for her cousin Miss. Compared with her cousin Miss, who was so clever, she seemed to be a little negligent.
She turned to look at Nanny Sheng and said with a smile, “Nanny Sheng, could you please sign on it? Otherwise, I am afraid that Great Elder Princess will consider it not convincing enough.”
This meant that Nanny Gao was not as respectable as she expected in front of Great Elder Princess, since Nanny Gao could only convince Great Elder Princess with a signature.
Nanny Sheng disdained Nanny Gao in her heart. Both of them were servants. Although she was the henchman of Madam of Duke Xing, she was still a lot inferior to the henchman of Great Elder Princess. She was both jealous and envious of Nanny Gao, who could put pressure on Madam of Duke Xing. However, based on Nanny Gao’s words, she could tell that Nanny Gao did not seem to be regarded as highly as she expected, so she could not help feeling a little complacent.
She instructed someone to fetch the writing brush and paper, signed on behalf of Duke Xing’s Mansion on the spot and signed the dates Nanny Gao requested.
After thanking Nanny Sheng politely, Nanny Gao led the servants of Great Elder Princess’s Mansion to get in the carriage and left.
Seeing that the carriage had left at the gate, Shao Wanru turned around and went back with Nanny Sheng.
When she returned to the parlor, she found there were a few more people. Not only Shao Hua’an, the First Young Master of Duke Xing’s Mansion, but also Prince Xin was there. Seeing Shao Wanru come in, Prince Xin gave a brighter smile. After Shao Wanru bowed to him, he immediately said amiably, “Cousin, did you go to send the servants from Great Elder Princess’s Mansion off just now? Nanny Gao went too fast. I intended to ask her to deliver a message to great-aunt. Unexpectedly I was late!”
Shao Hua’an glanced at Prince Xin calmly.
Prince Xin came suddenly today. After having a chat with him for a while in the study, Shao Hua’an mentioned that Shao Wanru was in the mansion and Great Elder Princess’s Mansion coincidentally sent some servants here. On hearing this, Prince Xin hurriedly said that he had a message for Great Elder Princess, so Shao Hua’an had to bring him here.
Judging from the current situation, could it be possible that Prince Xin took a fancy to Wanru?
Prince Xin, who was relatively unrestrained and younger than Shao Hua’an, hadn’t been Shao Hua’an’s playmate and been close to him since his childhood. However, he tried to be close to Shao Hua’an for some unknown reason this time, which made Shao Hua’an think over his intention.
Madam of Duke Xing, who was watching Prince Xin’s reaction, could tell that Prince Xin obviously took a fancy to her niece. She secretly curled her lip. Among the several princes, Prince Xin was the least likely to inherit the throne, because no one would notice him in view of his character and usual deeds.
Nevertheless, it seemed that Prince Xin’s mother did not think so. She had been thinking of picking a wife from a powerful and noble family for her son in order to make her son more competitive.
Shao Wanru? Madam of Duke Xing sneered. If Prince Xin really took a fancy to Shao Wanru and wanted to marry her, Consort Ming would definitely tear her apart.
Prince Xin could be considered a good help for Madam of Duke Xing.
“Your Highness, if you have a message for my maternal grandma, you can directly send someone to Great Elder Princess’s Mansion. You don’t have to ask a servant to deliver a message by the way,” Shao Wanru said, and then bowed deeply to Madam of Duke Xing, “Second Aunt, I’m going to see grandma. I’m still worried about her health condition! I have to go back to the Yuhui Nunnery later and won’t be able to see grandma for a period of time!”
“Okay, go ahead!” Madam of Duke Xing didn’t want to see her, so she waved her hand and said. She was afraid that if she stayed with Shao Wanru longer, she would lose control of herself and vent her anger on Shao Wanru.
Shao Wanru turned around and said goodbye to Prince Xin and Shao Hua’an, and then left slowly with her maid, leaving Prince Xin watching her back reluctantly. He just wanted to talk with her…