Chapter 203: Wet Nurse

On the blue stone slab outside Mingquan Garden, no snow accumulated. Wang Gui’s forehead was stuck to the stone slab, feeling only the icy cold touch of the stone like a knife, almost splitting open his head.

Wang Gui just knelt there, prostrate, waiting for Chen Ji to appear.

But Chen Ji delayed and did not appear.

Not far from Mingquan Garden was Qunfang Garden, where the maidservants lived. In the bedrooms, some maidservants heard Wang Gui’s shouting voice, put on clothes, and went out to watch the excitement. For a while, several heads were crowded in front of the bedroom courtyard door. On the cold winter night, the little maidservants’ hands were frozen purple, their noses red, yet they were unwilling to miss this good show.

A slender maidservant narrowed her eyes to look, carefully identifying Wang Gui’s back: “Isn’t that the steward?”

A slightly older maidservant disdainfully said: “He is not any steward anymore, just call him Wang Gui.” The slender maidservant said “oh”: “Wang Gui got caned a beating, and is begging Third Young Master. Look at his back, it’s still bleeding. If he kneels much longer, he’s likely to freeze to death.” The older maidservant spat to one side: “Serves him right! These years, except for the Young Masters, Old Master, and Madam’s first-grade maidservants, who hasn’t been groped by him?” Chen family maidservants were divided into three grades.

The first grade served at the masters’ sides, with the highest monthly silver and the highest status. The second grade managed the mansion’s miscellaneous affairs, and were strong servants. Each second-grade maidservant and strong servant managed seven or eight third-grade maidservants, and were considered to live comfortably.

The most miserable were precisely this group of third-grade maidservants, with extremely low monthly silver, living together with twenty or thirty people. If they wanted to marry, they could only marry tenants on the Chen family estate or clerks in shops.

At this time, the maidservants delayed, not seeing Chen Ji, and quietly chattered: “Strange, Third Young Master in the past was the most soft-hearted and weak. Wang Gui is already begging him like this, why hasn’t he come out yet?” The slender maidservant lowered her voice: “Perhaps studying medicine outside for two years changed his nature.” That older maidservant sneered: “Impossible, rivers and mountains are easy to change, but fundamental nature is hard to shift. A person’s nature cannot casually change.” Speaking here, she turned her head to look at a little maidservant behind her, who was wearing simple double buns and had a round face that was still very childish.

The older maidservant said to her: “Xiao Man, you were previously serving at Third Young Master’s side. Now that he’s back, why don’t you go beg Madam to arrange you back to Third Young Master’s side?” That maidservant with double buns, Xiao Man, muttered in a low voice: “Li Qiu jie, I won’t go. Following him day by day only involves suffering cowardly indignation.” Li Qiu, hating iron for not becoming steel, used her fingertip to tap Xiao Man’s forehead: “Useless thing, if you go back to his side, won’t you just become a first-grade maidservant again? Your monthly silver will directly increase by three hundred wen. If you dislike him, wait until you’re older and marry out of the mansion. You can still get a dowry portion, altogether better than us marrying tenants or coachmen.” Xiao Man lowered her head: “I don’t dislike him, I just find him so cowardly, it’s uncomfortable. Anyway, whoever wants to go can go. That three hundred wen monthly silver is still not enough for suffering cowardly indignation… Li Qiu jie, I want to stay in Luocheng. This way, I don’t need to serve anyone and can live out my life here.” “Not marry?”

“Not marry.”

Li Qiu said in a low voice: “You don’t know, Third Young Master now has two thousand five hundred taels of silver from that newly established Preparation Bureau. Things have gotten better.” Xiao Man’s eyes widened: “So much.”

Li Qiu breathed out, rubbing her cold hands, and casually said: “Now, following Third Young Master, although you’ll suffer a bit of indignation, he is soft-hearted. When you marry out, you can properly beg him once, and perhaps get a rich dowry.” At this time, a maidservant softly said: “Third Young Master really could have changed his nature, hardened his heart, truly planning to let Wang Gui freeze to death here.” Xiao Man pouted: “How is that possible?”

As the words fell, the courtyard door of Mingquan Garden creaked open.

Xiao Man hurriedly said: “You see, I told you so.”

In the dark night, Chen Ji pulled open the courtyard door, wearing a greatcoat and standing inside the threshold. He calmly asked: “Steward, why have you come to my door kneeling in the middle of the night?” Wang Gui hurriedly said: “This humble one is no longer a steward, Third Young Master can just call me Wang Gui. This humble one came here tonight only to beg Third Young Master to be magnanimous and spare this humble one.”

Chen Ji carelessly said: “Chen adult’s decision was to cane you. It’s no use coming to beg me.”

Wang Gui kowtowed with his head on the ground, hitting his forehead on the blue stone slab until it bled: “Third Young Master has great generosity, all past matters were this humble one’s fault. If you are angry, then beat this humble one once. It’s just that this humble one’s family’s old mother is sixty-seven years old and is still in the capital waiting for this humble one to return. If you do not forgive this humble one, this humble one fears there will be no chance to support her in her old age and see her off.”

Chen Ji was unmoved.

The Ning Dynasty governing the world with filial piety was Taizu’s ancestral instruction. Even figures like Liu Cabinet Elder and Wang Daosheng had to resign their official positions and return home to observe mourning for three years when their fathers died.

Wang Gui, in the cold winter month, stripped naked from the waist up and came with thorns to plead guilt, wanting to return to the capital to serve his birth mother. This truly carried the meaning of genuine repentance and sacrificing one’s life for benevolence.

If Chen Ji accepted Wang Gui’s pleading with thorns, it would be a good story in the Confucian forest, highlighting Chen Ji’s benevolent heart. If Chen Ji let Wang Gui freeze to death here, it would be unbenevolent and damage the Chen family’s reputation when it spread.

Wang Gui was not truly seeking Chen Ji’s forgiveness, but rather performing a bitter flesh scheme.

This bitter flesh scheme was not performed for Chen Ji to see, but for Chen Liqin. The other party’s gamble was that Chen Liqin would consider the Chen family’s reputation and also the affection of a wet nurse.

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: “You have the pure and utmost filial heart of wanting to serve your birth mother, and I am naturally willing to help fulfill it.”

Wang Gui lifted his head, his eyes filled with hope: “Third Young Master, forgive this humble one, and this humble one can follow you back to the capital together.”

Chen Ji smiled and said: “What I mean is, I can send people to bring your mother to Luocheng.”

“Ah.” Wang Gui was momentarily disheartened.

Chen Ji pointed at the Chen mansion: “When we go to the capital, this place will be vacant. I will pay for the carriage and horse fees to bring your mother here. Then you can just place her in my Mingquan Garden. Isn’t that beautiful? Luocheng has beautiful mountains and waters, and talented people, exactly a good place for old age.” “This…” Wang Gui hesitated, his eyeballs slightly turning, and he quickly reacted: “Third Young Master, this humble one’s mother is old and her qi and blood are weak. She fears she cannot withstand the toil of this several hundred li carriage and horse journey.” Chen Ji calculated the time: “If you take a fast boat along the Grand Canal, from south to north, it will arrive in ten days.”

Wang Gui hardened his scalp: “This humble one’s mother gets seasick.”

Chen Ji sighed: “Then there’s no way. I also want to help fulfill your filial piety, but no method works. Quickly go back. If you continue kneeling like this, you will soon lose body heat and die.” Wang Gui again prostrated himself, kneeling for a long time without getting up: “If you do not forgive this humble one, this humble one will kneel to death here.” Chen Ji was silent.

The little maidservants in Qunfang Garden held their breath, their heads stacked one on top of another at the door frame, secretly observing.

Li Qiu sighed: “This Wang Gui is indeed a ruthless person. He is betting on Third Young Master being soft-hearted and not daring to truly take a human life?”

Xiao Man pouted: “If it were me, I would definitely let him kneel to death here. Watch, Third Young Master will definitely swallow this cowardly indignation. If he didn’t have this nature, he wouldn’t have been taken advantage of in previous years.”

In front of the door of Mingquan Garden, Chen Ji lightly asked: “Steward, you really don’t plan to get up?”

Wang Gui said: “Third Young Master doesn’t forgive this humble one, so this humble one won’t get up.”

Chen Ji nodded: “Okay, I will take you into the room to warm up first. At least you can’t die at my door.”

The next moment, Chen Ji walked out the door, lifted Wang Gui with both hands as if lifting a little chicken, and carried Wang Gui back into the room.

“Eh Third Young Master.” Wang Gui struggled, making sounds like a pig being slaughtered: “Put me down! What are you doing!” However, no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free from those iron pliers-like hands.

With a bang, the courtyard door closed.

The maidservants outside the door looked at each other. Li Qiu was surprised and uncertain: “I didn’t see wrong just now, did I? Third Young Master just lifted Wang Gui inside like that.”

Xiao Man leaned sideways against the door frame and murmured: “He actually lifted him inside…”

They had imagined ten thousand kinds of endings, such as Chen Ji soft-heartedly forgiving, Wang Gui himself unable to endure and leaving, or Chen Liqin arriving.

Yet, they had never thought that Chen Ji would actually lift Wang Gui into the room with his own hands to warm him up.

Just at this time, Li Qiu pulled the maidservants back and motioned for them to shrink their heads: “Quick, quick, go back to the room! Old Master is here!”

Chen Liqin strode forward and shouted at them: “Stop, where is Wang Gui?”

Xiao Man hurriedly said: “Steward Wang is warming up in Third Young Master’s room. He’s fine.”

Chen Liqin was doubtful: “He went inside?”

In the room, Chen Ji sat beside the charcoal basin, using iron tongs to flip the bottom layer of silver wire charcoal, letting sparks float in the air.

Not far away, Wang Gui knelt blankly on the ground, feeling the warmth in the room, somewhat at a loss.

Chen Ji looked at the charcoal fire, his head not turning, and asked: “Warmed up a bit?”

Wang Gui subconsciously answered: “Warmed.”

Chen Ji smiled: “Steward Wang has wholeheartedly managed things for the Chen mansion for more than twenty years. Why must you go against your own life? Life is your own.” As he spoke, Chen Liqin walked in.

Chen Ji stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: “Chen adult came really quickly.”

Chen Liqin was speechless for a moment, then looked at Wang Gui and angrily said: “What madness have you come with?”

Wang Gui crawled on his knees to Chen Liqin’s side, incessantly kowtowing and admitting his fault: “Old Master, this humble one knows his wrong, this humble one knows his wrong, ah. Please, do not leave this humble one in Luocheng. You also know that my family’s mother is old, and she cannot be without someone to take care of her.” Chen Liqin frowned. Wang Gui continued: “Mother mentions you every time, saying you are the most benevolent and reasonable, that at three years old you knew to give the biggest pear to your elder brother and mother. She also mentioned taking you to walk the Lantern Festival, saying that at four years old you could guess all the lantern riddles…” Wang Gui cried: “Old Master, she accompanied you until you were fourteen years old, taking care of your diet and daily life day and night. How can you bear to see her end her life alone?” Chen Liqin was annoyed: “Enough!”

Wang Gui shut his mouth.

The so-called wet nurse was not only responsible for feeding milk, but also for taking care of the young child’s diet and daily life, imparting enlightenment knowledge, and accompanying them until adulthood.

In deep palaces and large mansions, wet nurses made up for the absence of mothers. Many officials and nobles, after adulthood, even treated their wet nurses as half-mothers to support.

The Ning Dynasty palace always kept around forty wet nurses, living in elegant places, carefully cultivated by the Ceremonial Directorate Wet Nurse Bureau. At the same time, they also selected eighty wet nurses as reserves, called ‘point mao wet nurses’.

The former emperor once praised his wet nurse as “compassionate, wise, and gentle, holding ritual classics, a female model and mother teacher, uniquely high in gentleness.”

At this time, Chen Liqin recalled the past, and subconsciously looked at Chen Ji: “You… he seems to have regretful intentions this time.”

Chen Ji seriously sized up Chen Liqin: “Chen adult’s meaning is?”

Chen Liqin was silent for a long time: “His mother is indeed old… Previously, he was confused for a time and committed wrong, but he has already been caned, and now he is pleading with thorns again, so he surely knows to repent. Of course, I will not let him continue as a steward, just follow us back to the capital together, what do you think?”

Chen Ji smiled and cupped his hands: “All depends on Chen adult to decide.”

Chen Liqin relaxed a breath, lowered his head to the kneeling Wang Gui and angrily scolded: “Still not quickly roll away, losing face here! Roll back to your home, and before returning to the capital, do not appear in front of Chen Ji to annoy him.” Wang Gui hurriedly stood up: “This humble one understands, this humble one understands!”

Wang Gui returned to his bedroom to put on clothes, and limped out from the side door of the Chen mansion. He turned through several small alleys and knocked on the door of a household. The courtyard door opened, and a beautiful woman joyfully said: “Master, it’s not a rest day today, why have you come back at midnight?” Wang Gui tremblingly said: “First, help me inside.”

The woman supported him, worried: “Master, what’s wrong, why are you limping?” Wang Gui’s face was iron blue. He didn’t explain a word, only softly instructed: “Pack up. In a few days, prepare to return to the capital.”

The woman supported Wang Gui to lie on the bed, and used her hands to rub his icy cold arms and legs, helping him warm up.

She saw the wounds on Wang Gui’s back and buttocks, felt heartache, and shed tears: “Master, what is this, ah? Who beat you like this? We should report to the officials!”

Wang Gui did not speak, letting the woman rub him for a while, then finally eased a breath.

“You are not allowed to report to the officials. The officials cannot manage this matter,” he closed his eyes and commanded: “Pack up the gold, silver, and fine things at home properly. Tomorrow, call the foot carriers to come, and find an escort bureau to escort them and transport them to the capital. You do not follow the Chen family together, separately transport the fine things to the capital and hand them to my mother.”

The woman said “ah” and agreed.

Wang Gui opened his eyes and said: “That day of soldier disaster, I moved a box back, where is it? I want to see it.”

The woman bent down and with effort pulled out a wooden box from under the bed and opened it. Inside, it was full of gold and silver jewelry, and the Liang family’s once most treasured phoenix crown and blue flower *dian* headdress also lay prominently inside.

That day of the Liu family’s soldier disaster, Chen Liqin and Zhang Zhuo were confined in the government office, and the Liang family hid at their outer city estate.

Wang Gui took the opportunity to collect quite a few valuables, and later pushed all the responsibility to the Liu family armored soldiers, secretly embezzling this box of gold, silver, and fine things himself.

At this time, seeing that the box of gold and silver jewelry was still there, he sighed a long breath.

Wang Gui’s gaze stopped on the phoenix crown and blue flower *dian* headdress. This was what the Liang family wore when they were married.

After a moment, Wang Gui’s eyes were gloomy and uncertain: “You wear this headdress.” The woman said “ah”, her face joyful, but her mouth humble: “Master, what do you want me to wear this phoenix crown headdress for? I am not worthy to wear such good things.” Wang Gui angrily said: “Let you wear it then wear it, where did all this nonsense come from!”

The woman aggrievedly sat in front of the dressing table and faced the brass mirror to put the headdress on her head.

Wang Gui narrowed his eyes to look. In the dim room, the woman’s face could no longer be seen clearly, only the phoenix crown headdress shining brightly in the weak candlelight. The woman had just put on the headdress when Wang Gui crawled out of bed, disregarding the pain in his body, pressed the woman dead on the dressing table, and lifted her skirt from behind. “Master, don’t do this, you still have wounds on your body…”

“Shut up.”

“Master, there seems to be a calico cat watching us on the window lattice.”

“Shut up!”

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