CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 29 FORMIDABLE WET NURSE_2

This is not even the hardest part; the hardest part is that the wet nurse and the cousin just can’t get along. Whenever they meet, no matter how much the cousin tries to yield, the wet nurse just finds her objectionable, openly chastising her as hypocritical, pretentious, insincere, and so on. It’s bad enough that she says these things, but she also insists on agreement, leaving herself stuck in the middle, fed up like a mouse in a bellows.

Letting her go home to enjoy her old age in comfort wouldn’t be too bad.

"You’re right, the wet nurse should indeed go home and enjoy some peace, but," Shi Fengju said with a smile towards Gu Fangzi, half-joking, half-serious: "You’ve never gotten along with the wet nurse, why do you suddenly speak up for her? This is not like you!"

She has always been clear about her grudges and affections, resolute and straightforward; how could she be speaking up for the wet nurse?

Although Gu Fangzi would not dare to confront Mrs. Li directly, she always ended up venting her anger and not relenting towards Shi Fengju afterwards, and it would take all his sweet talk and placation to finally appease her. And Gu Fangzi, indeed clever, would let others know how Shi Fengju would please and coax her to obedience, which Mrs. Li would hear about, leaving her half-dead with anger but helpless!

Feeling both sorry for Shi Fengju’s submissive behavior and annoyed at his lack of spine, letting a woman manipulate him.

Hearing Shi Fengju ask this question, Gu Fangzi immediately got both angry and annoyed, glaring with her narrow phoenix eyes and angrily saying: "Not like my temperament? What do you think my temperament should be? She is your wet nurse after all, can’t I even understand such basic principles? In your eyes, I, I—"

Gu Fangzi’s eyes reddened with grievance, nearly bursting into tears.

"I didn’t mean that!" Shi Fengju hurriedly consoled her: "I was just joking, couldn’t you tell? As you said, she is my wet nurse, I know you respect her as much as I do. Not to mention, you never confront her, that much is clear!"

Gu Fangzi felt somewhat better, gave Shi Fengju a reproachful look with her teary eyes, and sighed softly: "I, what temper do I even have left? Whatever temperament I had, it’s been ground down for you! For you, what can’t I change or adapt?"

Feeling warmth in his heart, Shi Fengju softly sighed and patted her back.

Back at Ningyuan, Shi Fengju indeed discussed Mrs. Li’s situation with Sang Wan, not explicitly stating, but implying through his words that bringing Mrs. Li back wasn’t appropriate, claiming that she was old and shouldn’t continue to strain herself, and that she should stay at home to enjoy a peaceful life.

Sang Wan felt slightly angry in her heart, thinking that in this courtyard everyone treats you like a Buddha, who am I to decide? Whether Mrs. Li returns or not, is it merely my decision?

Sang Wan’s anger was momentary, and she quickly calmed down, realizing that it wasn’t Shi Fengju to blame. If no one had influenced him, he wouldn’t have said such things. Even if he didn’t want Mrs. Li back, he wouldn’t blame her. He was still decent; though his words carried some reprimand, he did not explicitly state it, nor did he lose his temper or ask her to handle it, merely expressing his discontent.

She must be far off from someone’s expectations, right?

Before Sang Wan could speak, Mrs. Li, leaning on a young maidservant, came in weeping, and tremblingly said to Shi Fengju: "Young master, are you sending this old servant away? Does young master despise this old servant for being useless?"

"Wet nurse!" Shi Fengju was taken aback that Mrs. Li had heard, quickly stood up with an apologetic smile, and explained: "I didn’t mean that, I’m just worried about your health! Wouldn’t it be better for you to comfortably enjoy your later years at home? I—"

"It’s all the same!" Mrs. Li, picking up a handkerchief to wipe her tears, said: "You’re just putting it nicely, but in the end, you still despise me for being old! It’s all my own fault for being useless and always nagging, how annoying it must be! Enough, I’ll go then! This old woman is halfway into the loess anyway, what does it matter where I stay? What more is there to hope for!"

With that, she ignored Shi Fengju’s calls, turned around with the assistance of the maid, and left in tears like a whirlwind.

This caused quite a commotion!

Sang Wan and Shi Fengju looked at each other.

Shi Fengju stomped his foot, annoyed, and exclaimed "Oh no," before rushing out the door.

If the wet nurse were really to leave like this, not only would he feel guilty, but his mother would tear him to pieces!

"Darling!" Sang Wan quickly stood up, called out to him, and rushed forward to grab his arm: "Let me go instead. I’ll go and persuade Mrs. Li first, let her cool down, then you can go."

Shi Fengju, meeting Sang Wan’s gentle gaze, nodded: "Alright, you must keep the wet nurse here, we can’t let her leave like this."

"Don’t worry!" Sang Wan smiled. With her tenacity, keeping her there wouldn’t be an issue.

As Shi Fengju anxiously awaited, in just a short while, Liu Ya, who had gone with Sang Wan, rushed back, shouting "Young master!"

"What happened to Mrs. Li?" Shi Fengju’s heart sank.

"Nothing, nothing!" Liu Ya grinned: "Young master, relax, Madame has already persuaded Mrs. Li, she’s not insisting on leaving anymore. Madame sent me to let you know!"

"What? Really!" Shi Fengju was shocked. The wet nurse was not so easily persuaded, Shi Fengju knew it too well. "Madame really managed to persuade Mrs. Li?"

Shi Fengju quickly calculated in his mind; considering the walking time, the words Sang Wan had spoken to the wet nurse probably totaled fewer than five sentences. Could it be so swiftly effective? He’d rather believe there was a problem with his own ears.

"Of course it’s true! You’ll see as soon as you look!" Liu Ya quickly said, inwardly feeling rather indignant.

Shi Fengju didn’t say anything more and started walking.

Arriving at Mrs. Li’s house, indeed, although Mrs. Li’s eyes were still somewhat reddened and her expression not too pleasant, her emotions had calmed down. She was sitting there, not knowing what she was discussing with Sang Wan. Sang Wan, with a smile on her face, nodded from time to time, listening attentively.