Chapter 691: Destruction
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
At this point, tears streamed down Yang Shuwan!s face again.
Yu Jianjia’s lips trembled as tears poured down her face. Listening to her mother’s every word and sentence, she felt a little regretful.
She shouldn’t have schemed against her mother’s loving motherly heart.
However, when she saw her mother’s withered appearance, she thought about how her mother was already at the end of her rope and did not have many days to live. She would treat it as her last thing to do for her before she died. In the future, when her mother pa.s.sed away, she would definitely observe mourning for her mother for three years and copy Buddhist scriptures for her every day.
Yang Shuwan held her hand and said earnestly, “Jia Jia, I can’t leave Hui
Xiang, this hidden danger, by your side. I won’t ever harm you.”
Yu Jianjia cried and called out, “Mother,” but she couldn’t say anything to object.
Yang Shuwan asked again, “Does your maidservant, Bai Ye, know about this?”
Yu Jianjia shook her head. “I’ve tested her. Bai Ye doesn’t know about this. Moreover, Bai Ye is loyal to me just like Hui Xiang.”
Yang Shuwan felt more confident and held Yu Jianjia’s hand tightly. “Treat Bai Ye better in the future.’
Yu Jianjia panicked. Only then did she vaguely realize that it would take many lives to achieve what she had expected.
sne naa no regrets at all.
Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.
Yang Shuwan continued, “Pretend that you don’t know about this. Use the excuse that you’re not feeling well to stay in the courtyard and recuperate. No matter what happens in the residence, it has nothing to do with you. Do you understand?”
Her tone suddenly became stern.
Yu Jianjia was shocked and quickly said, “I-I heard you clearly!’ The room fell silent.
After an unknown period of time, footsteps came from outside.
Nanny Li walked in from behind the four screens. When she reached the bed, she saw First Madam staring at her with wide eyes.
Nanny Li was so frightened that she took a step back.
Yang Shuwan looked at her faintly. “Where did you go just now?”
She recalled that previously, when First Madam was asleep, she had secretly left the Tranquil Heart Residence and arranged to meet her old sisters to drink a few cups of alcohol to share their complaints.
Nanny Li panicked and felt a little guilty for no reason. She quickly said, “Madam, I heard that there was a divine physician living in the residence, so I specially went out to ask around.”
First Madam was now at the end of her rope. Forget a divine physician, even a G.o.d would find it difficult to save her. However, she had served First Madam for more than ten years. When she heard that a divine physician had come to the residence, it made sense to go out and ask.
Fortunately, Yang Shuwan did not continue asking. “Nanny Li, I remember that you’ve entered the residence since you were young. In the past, you were a young maidservant who did ch.o.r.es in the north courtyard. Later, after I married into the residence, 1 chose a few agile people to serve in my courtyard.
You were one of them.’
She was the daughter of a concubine who was not valued. The maidservants around her were all from the first wife. If they had already sold themselves to the first wife, they would not be loyal to her.
After she got married, the accompanying houses were also arranged by the first wife. Although the indenture had been handed over to her, she still had relatives in the Yang Residence. Even if they did not betray her, they had to inform the Yang Residence.
She was also worried about using it.
After marrying into the Yu Residence, she personally chose some people who were easy to control to serve her. She also made excuses to send away all the people who had come with her.
Nanny Li had been with her the longest and most useful.
Nanny Li had a bad feeling and subconsciously replied, “It’s also thanks to
First Madam that I can serve Master.’
Yang Shuwan chuckled. “Your hometown is in a manor in the suburbs of the Yu Residence. As your husband pa.s.sed away early, you had two sons in the family to support. You had no choice but to entrust them to your brother and sell yourself to work in the manor. You were agile and smart, so I chose you to work in the residence.’
It was easier to control such a person, so she had chosen Nanny Li to serve her back then.
Nanny Li was also loyal to her. Anything that was inconvenient for her to step in was handed over to Nanny Li. Nanny Li’s family had received a lot of her grace.
Her two sons were already married and had children. They had been arranged to be in charge of her shop, and now they even had grandchildren.
Nanny Li t s face was ashen, and she did not even dare to breathe loudly.
Yang Shuwan said softly, ‘1 1 don’t have much life left. You’ve done a lot with me, so you’ll definitely die before me. However, don’t worry. You’ve served me loyally, so I won’t treat your family badly…”
Nanny Li knelt on the ground with a thud. “First Madam, I-I…”
Her indenture was in First Madam’s hands, and the future of her family was also in her hands. She had followed First Madam for many years and had done many atrocities. An old nanny like her had no other way out except to die for her master. This had almost become an unwritten rule for wealthy families.
Yang Shuwan asked casually, “Do you know Old Madam Lai? I heard that she used to do cleaning in Matriarch’s courtyard.”
Nanny Li looked confused. She did not know if it was because it had been too long and she did not remember this person for a moment, or if she really did not know her.
Yang Shuwan did not mind. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know her. In any case, An Shou Hall is in the north courtyard. One of you will be sweeping the inner courtyard, and the other will be doing ch.o.r.es in the outer courtyard. You won’t be far from each other.’
Nanny Li’s heart jumped.
She indeed did not have much of an impression of Old Madam Lai. The north courtyard was so big that there were more than ten small courtyards alone. Even the young maidservants had to follow the rules. They were not allowed to run around wherever they were a.s.signed.
An Shou Hall belonged to the inner courtyard. The maidservants serving in the inner courtyard were more dignified than those doing ch.o.r.es in the outer courtyard, and they did not interact much with them.
Old Madam Lai was not someone who served her master, and she was not very dignified in the inner courtyard. Even if she knew about this person, she would not have a deep impression of her.
As time pa.s.sed, who would remember?
Yang Shuwan sighed softly. “In this residence, you’re the person I trust the most. There are still a few last things I want to ask you…”
The Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and everyone in the residence was busy preparing for it.
The Yu Residence was large. Every time it was a festival, no matter how many people there were, it wasn’t enough. They had to first tidy up the important places. A side courtyard like the Tranquil Heart Residence was often ranked last.
This year, there were calamities everywhere. The Mid-Autumn Festival had to be simple, but the preparations could not be careless. The arrangements for the ceremonies had to be more meticulous. They could not be prepared early like in the past. Many things had to be redrafted. Yu Youyao led the servants in the courtyard to take inventory of the storeroom and prepare the gift list. She was even busier.
At this moment, she had finally drawn up the gift list and handed it to
Concubine Jiang to prepare. Yu Youyao could finally take a break.
Nanny Xu made white jade ginseng soup. “You’ve just recovered from a serious illness. You have to take care of your health. Try your best to leave the matters in the residence to Concubine Jiang. In any case, it’s only a matter of time..”