Chapter : 08
Good Heavens, The Young Master Is Actually with Old Nurse Liu
Over on the other side, Lady Meng appeared somewhat restless, pacing ceaselessly about the room.
Old Nurse Li came over and said, “My Lady, surely you trust Old Nurse Liu’s ability to handle matters?”
Lady Meng replied, “My right eye won’t stop twitching. It’s truly because that girl Chu Yun has too many tricks up her sleeve.”
Old Nurse Li chuckled, “No matter how many tricks she has, once she drinks that medicine, she’ll have no choice but to disrobe.”
Lady Meng pondered this carefully, then suddenly asked, “And Liu Sisi?”
“She’s still locked in the small Buddhist hall,” said Old Nurse Li.
Lady Meng instructed, “Go and keep a close watch on her. She is not to appear before Zhuo’er.”
Old Nurse Li obeyed and went to the small Buddhist hall, where she happened to see Liu Sisi, dressed in gaudy finery, tiptoeing stealthily, about to slip out.
Old Nurse Li darkened her face. “And where might Concubine Liu be off to?”
Liu Sisi’s expression shifted. “I… I’m not feeling well. I want to go out for some air.”
Old Nurse Li gave a cold snort. “I don’t think you’re unwell. I think you caught wind that the young master has arrived, and that restless itch of yours is acting up again!”
Liu Sisi flushed red. “Even if my background is lowly, I am still the young master’s concubine. You are nothing but a servantâhow dare you humiliate me so?”
Old Nurse Li was not intimidated in the least. “If you dare disrupt the young master’s time with the young mistress, you’d best watch your skin!”
With that, Old Nurse Li shoved Liu Sisi back inside and locked the door from the outside.
Liu Sisi gnashed her teeth in fury. “You old hag! Just you wait until the young master takes me backâI’ll show you what I’m made of!”
—
Old Nurse Liu crept quietly toward the greenhouse, intending to listen in on the sounds within. But from inside, not a single noise could be heard.
Old Nurse Liu thought something was amiss and was just about to peer through the crack in the door when someone gently tapped her on the shoulder.
Old Nurse Liu snapped in a low voice, “Go away!”
The person whispered back, “What are you looking at?”
Old Nurse Liu thought the voice sounded familiar. She turned around and was startled to seeâXie Zhaoshen!
Old Nurse Liu gasped, “Young Mistress! How did you get out! I clearly…”
She hurriedly grabbed the lock on the door, but it wouldn’t budge.
Xie Zhaoshen said matter-of-factly, “I came out through the window.”
Xie Zhaoshen leaned to the side, and Old Nurse Liu saw that the greenhouse window was wide open. She cursed herself inwardly for the miscalculation.
But no matter how much she schemed, she could never have predicted that this proper young lady of a noble house would actually climb out of a window!
Seeing Xie Zhaoshen looking perfectly composed, Old Nurse Liu instantly panicked. If the young mistress had drunk the tea and was fine, then what about the young master?
Trembling, Old Nurse Liu fumbled for the key and unlocked the door. But the moment the door swung open, Xie Zhaoshen kicked her straight through it.
With a loud “Ouch!” Old Nurse Liu stumbled and crashed into a large flowerpot, knocking herself unconscious.
—
Lady Meng watched the hourglass in the room. When the time came, she led a large procession of servants toward the greenhouse.
Zhaixing followed behind, feeling that something was wrong, but as a mere maidservant, she had no place to interject.
But as they reached the greenhouse door, a man’s rough panting could be heard from inside.
Zhaixing’s face changed drastically, and she whipped her head toward Lady Meng.
Lady Meng pretended not to know. “What is that sound?”
Old Nurse Li insinuated, “How strangeâin broad daylight, it sounds like someone’s up to no good.”
With that, Lady Meng prepared to lead the group inside.
Zhaixing quickly blocked the greenhouse door. “You cannot enter!”
Lady Meng let out a cold laugh. “This is mutiny! You lowly servant, daring to block your mistress’s path!”
From behind the door came another man’s ragged breath, and Lady Meng’s expression grew more excited. Once that door was forced open, let’s see how Chu Yun could maintain that haughty, self-righteous air of hers!
Zhaixing stared at Lady Meng, her eyes burning red with hatred. “You are the young lady’s own aunt!”
At Zhaixing’s tearful accusation, Lady Meng faltered for a moment.
She had truly doted on that niece once.
But…
Lady Meng thought of the impending arrival of Xie Zhaoshen and Eunuch Cai, and that useless father-and-son pair. In the end, she hardened her heart. “Push the door open!”
Zhaixing was overpoweredâtoo weak against the crowd of servants, she was pinned to the ground. Helpless, she watched as the group was about to break in. At that critical moment, a teasing voice came from behind:
“Oh? What’s all this commotion?”
Zhaixing looked up and saw her young lady, the one who had caused her such anguish, standing there intact and unharmed.
A sob escaped her throat. Taking advantage of the few old maids’ momentary distraction, she broke free and threw herself at Xie Zhaoshen’s feet, clutching her leg and weeping. “Wuwuwu, young lady! You scared me to death! I thoughtâ”
“You thought what?” Though Xie Zhaoshen addressed Zhaixing, her eyes were fixed on Lady Meng, whose face had turned ashen.
Xie Zhaoshen nudged Zhaixing aside and walked over slowly. “Mother-in-law, if you came to see me, why bring such a crowd?”
Lady Meng took a deep breath, knowing her scheme had been seen through. There was no point in staying any longer.
She was about to lead her people away when a sharp, piercing shriek erupted from the greenhouse.
Lady Meng suddenly realizedâOld Nurse Liu had gone to deliver the tea and had never returned.
“Oh my, what was that sound? How terrifying.”
Xie Zhaoshen’s exaggerated voice rang out. She clutched her chest, putting on a look of fright, yet her eyes were practically bursting with barely concealed gossipy glee.
Xie Zhaoshen glanced at Zhaixing, who instantly understood. The girl who had been weeping in despair moments before straightened her back with renewed vigor, eager to stir up more trouble, and went to open the door.
Lady Meng screamed, “Stop her!”
A swarm of servant women surged forward, yanking Zhaixing back.
But Xie Zhaoshen loved chaos. Lifting her skirts, she strode over to open the door herself.
The servant women were too focused on Zhaixing and missed Xie Zhaoshen. Seeing this, Lady Meng abandoned all pretense of dignity and rushed forward to grab Xie Zhaoshen. In the scuffle, Xie Zhaoshen shoved her hard, nearly causing her to fall.
Lady Meng shrieked, “No one is to enter!”
The servant women snapped back to attention and came to pull Xie Zhaoshen away.
But Xie Zhaoshen was not one to be trifled with. In the chaos, she threw punches and kicks in secret, sending the servant women howling in pain.
The scene descended into utter bedlam.
Just then, the door that had been tightly shut swung open from the inside.
Everyone saw Old Nurse Liu emerge, her face flushed crimson, her clothes disheveled. Her steps were unsteady, and after only a few paces, she collapsed to the ground, crying out, “Help! My Lady, save this old servant!”
And behind her, another disheveled, red-faced man stumbled outâwho else could it be but Meng Zhuo?
“Good heavens! The young master is actually with Old Nurse Liuâ”
From the crowd, some servant gasped.
“Since when did the young master’s tastes become so… unique?”
“Old Nurse Liu may be advanced in years, but she’s been well cared for by Lady Meng’s side. If you look closely, one might even say she still has the charm of a middle-aged beauty.”
“Silence! All of you, silence!”
Lady Meng, hearing these remarks, felt a sharp pain in her chest.
Before she could make sense of what had happened, she saw Meng Zhuo, clearly not in his right mind, equally disheveled and with hair askew, stagger out of the room. As soon as he saw a womanâyoung or oldâhe lunged, causing yet another bout of chaos.
