"I'm not, I'm just worried about Langle, nothing else. If... if you think it's fine, then it's fine. I won't mention it again," Madam Xu panicked, unconsciously reaching for her husband's sleeve.
Zhu Changning moved away, standing up and saying, "I've been negligent. I should take care of you. With Anan being unwell and fussy, it's indeed too much for Lady Qin to manage everything inside and out by herself. I'll speak with mother to arrange another person to attend to you closely, and Lady Qin can help you handle the external affairs."
Madam Xu's face changed dramatically. "My lord!"
"Rest well. I'm heading to the dock."
Zhu Changning walked out of the room, not even glancing at Lady Qin who was kneeling outside as he strode away.
Madam Xu followed to the door, wanting to call out but not daring to. Tears fell steadily from her eyes. She was truly frightened - since their marriage, her husband had never looked at her with such eyes.
Lady Qin helped her back inside and closed the door. Before she could ask, Madam Xu grabbed her hands and said, "He... he wants to add someone to the household."
Lady Qin was startled, "How could that be? You're still in confinement after childbirth. He's endured for so long, why would he now..."
"No, no," Madam Xu shook her head repeatedly. "He said having just you serving isn't enough. He wants to add someone for close attendance, letting you manage the external affairs."
Having heard everything from outside, Lady Qin knew it wasn't about bringing in another wife, so she relaxed considerably. "Adding servants isn't a problem. No matter how many are added, they're all here to serve you. How could they override your authority? Don't lose your composure."
"Adding a servant isn't scary. What I fear is whether he's starting to doubt me? Whether he's becoming distant? If someone has ulterior motives, would he... would he..."
"It hasn't reached that point, it hasn't. Don't frighten yourself."
Lady Qin patted her back, and feeling increasingly guilty, suddenly slapped herself and knelt at Madam Xu's feet, saying, "It's all my fault. I was too impulsive."
"Why are you hitting yourself? If you hurt yourself, won't I just worry more?" Madam Xu quickly grabbed her hand, both anxious and angry. She couldn't help feeling wronged and tears fell again. "We're thousands of miles from the Capital City, you're all I can rely on. I only have you."
Master and servant looked at each other with tearful eyes. Lady Qin sniffled and said, "You don't just have me. You have the young master. As long as you take good care of young master Anan, who could possibly override him in the future?"
Keeping her voice low while listening for movement outside, Lady Qin whispered, "That person seems unlikely to ever have children."
Yes, that's right, Madam Xu wiped away her tears. That's what her mother had said when the marriage was arranged.
"You're right. As long as I take good care of Anan, I'll be in an unassailable position. Besides, I'm still young and can certainly have more children."
"It's wonderful that you can think this way. Later, you should apologize to the second young master and find a chance to explain. Put everything on me - say I was thoughtless and said things I shouldn't have, meddled in affairs I shouldn't have. Say whatever you need to, but make sure to distance yourself from it."
"What if he uses this to punish you further?"
"He won't. I came with you from your maiden home - they'll maintain some face on that account." Lady Qin said softly, "I can see that the fourth young miss is truly favored at home. Not just by those who already dote on her, but even the second young master who always speaks of rules can't bear to hear a single bad word about her. Even when she's wrong, she must be made right. You should avoid her in the future."
Madam Xu twisted her handkerchief into a rope. She truly couldn't understand, "The Zhu Family is famous for their strict family rules, how could they indulge someone who has no regard for propriety? Among all the people in the Capital City, I've never seen anyone more lacking in manners than her. Even young ladies from families with the worst reputations are more proper than her. Is it just because she studies martial arts that she can behave this way?"
"She must have been this way for a long time. But in all your years in the Capital City, besides hearing jokes about how the fourth young miss of the Zhu family doesn't stay properly in the inner chambers and learns martial arts, have you heard any other improprieties about her? I haven't heard a single thing, which shows just how tightly the Zhu family protects her - from top to bottom, including the servants."
The more she spoke, the clearer things became to Lady Qin, who was filled with regret. "I should have understood this earlier, then you wouldn't have suffered such a setback."
"It's useless. Even now I still don't understand why the Zhu family is like this." Madam Xu gently pressed the corners of her eyes, her words barely a whisper, "I want to see whether it will be their fourth young miss who can remain arrogant in her maiden home forever, or me who will become the true mistress."
"Yes, there's still a long road ahead!"
Master and servant exchanged glances, falling silent as they heard footsteps outside. Madam Xu lay back down on the bed, quietly waiting.
"Greetings to the second young madam."
The familiar voice startled Madam Xu. She sat up straight and looked - it really was Lady Li!
Lady Qin's face changed even more dramatically. Lady Li was different from other ladies - she was Madam Zhu's most trusted household manager. In the Zhu family, while Steward Zhou managed external affairs, Lady Li managed internal affairs.
And she hadn't brought anyone with her - surely the madam couldn't be... couldn't be sending her own head manager to serve in the second household.
"Lady Li, why have you come? Does mother have some instructions?" As she spoke, Madam Xu was about to get out of bed.
Lady Li quickly stepped forward to stop her, curtsying beside the bed, saying, "The second young master came to speak with the madam, saying you only had Lady Qin to rely on and she couldn't manage everything inside and out. He asked the madam to send more help. This put the madam in a difficult position - as you know, we didn't bring many people from home, and the household is currently short-staffed. So, she had no choice but to send me."
Madam Xu's heart tightened, but she forced a smile, "Lady Li manages so many important matters, how could we dare to have you serve here? I'll go speak with mother right away. Though Lady Qin is busy, she can manage. We shouldn't trouble mother."
Lady Li smiled, "The madam says there aren't many household matters at present, she can manage. She wants me to serve the second young madam for a while. Once the household has more staff, you'll have people to serve you, and then I'll return to the madam's side to report."
Madam Xu was about to say something when Anan's kitten-like cry rang out in the room. Lady Li immediately went over to pick up the child and pat him gently, her movements practiced and skilled, leaving Lady Qin standing awkwardly to the side, not knowing what to do.
Soon the child fell back asleep. Placing him gently back in the cradle and rocking it, Lady Li smiled, "Young master Anan looks just like the second young master when he was little."
Madam Xu could only smile, not knowing how to respond.
Lady Li clearly wasn't trying to establish an emotional connection. She stood up and turned to Lady Qin, asking, "With me here to serve the second young madam, can Lady Qin rest assured?"
Lady Qin could only nod, "Yes, completely assured."
"That's good. You need to pay special attention to the second young madam's meals. All the doctor's prescribed tonics must be prepared and given to the second young madam at the proper times. You mustn't be careless or perfunctory - the master's health is more important than anything."
"Yes."
"The second young madam didn't bring many clothes from home, and her figure has changed after childbirth. The madam has several good pieces of fabric - I'll ask her permission to bring them, and you can take new measurements to make several sets of clothes for the second young madam."
"Yes."
"The second young master goes out often, so he needs several sets of clothes ready. He mustn't lose face."
"Yes."
"By the way, I noticed the branches and vines outside are a bit messy. Go tidy them up. When the weather is good and the second young madam takes some air in the courtyard, seeing everything in order will improve her mood."
"Yes."
"Also..."
"Yes."
"That..."
"Yes."
"In the afternoon..."
"Yes."
"..."
