Chapter 22: The Indenture

The carriage stopped at the side gate of the Duke of Wei's manor. Having received word long ago, Tang Wen was waiting nearby.

Qiu Yu stepped down from the carriage. "I am Qiu Yu, a first-class maid serving by the side of Her Excellency the County Mistress. May I ask which steward is in charge?"

Watching the three individuals being carried out of the carriage, bound tightly like zongzi, Tang Wen's attitude became even more respectful. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Tang Wen, the head steward of the front courtyard."

Qiu Yu bowed. "Greetings, Steward Tang. I have come by the command of Her Excellency the County Mistress to seek an audience with the Second Madam."

Tang Wen led the group from the Prince's manor into the front courtyard. "Please wait a moment, Miss. I shall go inform the Madam."

"Thank you."

Inside Shenning Garden, the Second Madam, Lady An, was drinking her prenatal medicine. Hearing Tang Wen's message, she set the jade bowl down heavily on the table and sneered, "Fine. Before I could even demand an explanation, that little wench dares to send people to my door. Bring them in! If I cannot deal with that little wench, can I not at least teach a servant a lesson?"

Nanny Zhao hurried to soothe her. "Why bother arguing with a mere servant, Madam? Do not lose your temper so much; be careful not to harm the young Heir in your womb."

Ever since Lady An's reputation had been dragged through the mud, the child in her womb had become her only hope.

"Then what am I to do? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch that little wench ride over my head and run wild?" Lady An's eyes turned red with hatred. "When I first entered the manor as a concubine, even that wench Song dared not humiliate me like this."

"That was because Lady Song was kind-hearted," Nanny Zhao sighed. "You were simply fortunate, Madam. Though you entered as a concubine, your aunt was your mother-in-law, your cousin was your husband, and the primary wife was a benevolent woman without schemes. That is how you enjoyed nearly twenty years of peaceful days."

But looking at that eldest young lady—no, she was now Her Excellency the County Mistress—she was not someone to be trifled with.

"Madam, the fact that the County Mistress sent people this time is surely to cause you trouble. If you lose your temper, not only will you harm your own health, but if you accidentally harm the young Heir, it will be disastrous."

Lady An dazed for a moment upon hearing the title "County Mistress," only then realizing it was the way to address that little wench, Tang Zhao. Thinking of how that little wench had snatched her wealth and caused her to lose face, while instead rising high to be titled a County Mistress, Lady An gripped her handkerchief tightly, her eyes bloodshot.

But Nanny Zhao was right. Her aunt had already stripped her of the management rights, and the Duke was about to return from his military campaign. She didn't even know how the capital would punish her once they heard the news. If she lost the child in her womb as her protective charm...

Lady An could not stop trembling. "Nanny is right," she said, tears of grievance streaming down her face. "No matter how great the humiliation, for the sake of the child in my womb, I will endure it."

Nanny Zhao felt a pang of heartache. She never imagined that the Madam, who had been in glory for ten years, would be driven to such an extent by someone she had once casually bullied and scolded, yet they could only retreat step by step.

The word came from Shenning Garden that they were to receive guests. Tang Wen, who had been waiting for a long time, breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to invite them in.

Nanny Zhao assisted Lady An with her washing and grooming before supporting her to the main courtyard.

Qiu Yu knelt in greeting. "I am Qiu Yu, a first-class maid serving by the side of Her Excellency the County Mistress, Zhaoshan. I pay my respects to Madam."

Lady An feigned drinking tea, intentionally ignoring her for a while. Seeing that the girl remained calm and composed with a smiling face, Lady An felt as if she were punching a ball of cotton, and a sudden sense of chest tightness washed over her.

"Rise," Lady An frowned. "Why have you returned so suddenly?"

She admonished, "A daughter married out is like water poured out; do not return to your maiden home so easily, lest people gossip."

Qiu Yu curled her lip but did not respond to the remark, instead saying on her own, "I have two matters to disturb Madam with this visit."

Lady An frowned. "What matters?"

"First, to return these people to Madam." Qiu Yu clapped her hands, and the guards from the Prince's manor dragged Nanny An and the other two into the room, throwing them onto the floor. "These three have dishonest hands and feet; they have stolen the County Mistress's property multiple times. Their crimes are truly heinous. Out of respect for the fact that they are servants bestowed by elders, Her Excellency finds it inconvenient to punish them herself, so she is sending them back to the Duke's manor for Madam to dispose of."

Nanny An was pinned to the ground, making muffled noises through a rag stuffed in her mouth.

"The servants must be able to distinguish right from wrong," Lady An said unpleasantly.

Nanny Zhao stepped forward and removed the rag from Nanny An's mouth.

"Madam, I am wronged! I am wronged!" Nanny An wailed. "I have served by Madam's side for over twenty years, being nothing but honest and dutiful. I have never stolen a single needle or thread! It was that little wen—" Under Nanny Zhao's fierce glare, she changed her words, "It was the County Mistress! The County Mistress framed me!"

Lady An shot her a sidelong glance. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Qiu Yu said unhurriedly, "May I ask Madam, do you believe Her Excellency, or this old servant?"

Lady An was choked up. Who did she believe? Naturally, she believed Nanny An, but she could not say so!

"Of course, I believe the County Mistress," Lady An said through gritted teeth.

"Indeed," Qiu Yu gave Nanny An a provocative look. "Would a dignified County Mistress really frame a mere servant?"

Nanny An wished she could rush forward and smash that triumphant, pretty face of Qiu Yu's, but she was held firmly in place by the guards and could only cry out for help, "Madam, Madam, I am wronged!"

"What is it you want?" Lady An was burning with rage.

"Nanny An is Madam's dowry nanny, so naturally, she is returned to Madam for disposal," Qiu Yu offered a way out. "The County Mistress said she guarantees this matter will not be known to outsiders."

Lady An's exquisite brows nearly stood on end. The little wench's meaning was clear: if she took back her spies, the little wench wouldn't frame Nanny An for theft; if she didn't, the little wench would make the theft a certainty.

Nanny An was her dowry nanny; if a servant stole, the mistress's character would also be questioned. Since she wasn't the biological mother, people would eventually bring up the topic of a stepmother lacking kindness!

This little wench had her by the throat!

Lady An's voice trembled with rage. "Someone, come! Nanny An has been disloyal to her mistress. Drag her to the woodshed to await punishment!"

"And what about these two?" Qiu Yu reminded her.

Looking at the coral and emerald-like faces—pitiful yet beautiful—Lady An felt nothing but disgust. These were sent by her maiden family after she became pregnant. "Drag them away together!"

Seeing that everything was going according to her lady's expectations, Qiu Yu's anxious heart settled significantly. "For the second matter, I ask Madam to gift a few indentures."

She pointed out Song Kai and the others. "The County Mistress has few useful people by her side. It is rare to find people who are both loyal and favored by Her Excellency. Thus, the County Mistress has commanded me to thick-skinedly ask Madam to part with them."

Lady An gave a fake smile. "With hundreds of dowry stewards and servants, how can I just give away these few?"

Qiu Yu replied, "The County Mistress also wished to keep them, but since they are single-mindedly devoted to Madam, Her Excellency is unwilling to force them. Therefore, she is letting them return to continue serving their former master."

"The Duke's manor has no need for such people now," Lady An said, intentionally provoking Tang Zhao. "Since they were given as dowry to the County Mistress, they are naturally her people. How can there be any reason for them to return?"

"Nanny Zhao, go and bring all the indentures of the servants given as dowry to the County Mistress," Lady An took a sip of tea. "Either take them all away, or leave them all here."

"Miss Qiu Yu, you decide!"

Qiu Yu gritted her teeth. Her lady certainly didn't want those ungrateful traitors, but if she didn't take them, Lady An would certainly not relent on the indentures for Song Kai and the others.

What was to be done?

(End of Chapter)