These past few days have felt like an eternity for Madam Liu; time seems to have dragged on incredibly slowly, even more so than when she gave birth.
If she weren't still not firmly established in the master's household and if her mistress couldn't do without her, she would have been waiting outside the city gate every day by now.
Why are you taking so long! She calculated the time; you should have been back yesterday!
With something on her mind, Madam Liu became somewhat absent-minded, neglecting her meals and drinks. Not only did she easily get a sore throat, but she also nearly caused her mistress to suffer from one as well. This angered the madam so much that she deducted half a month's allowance from the kitchen staff and even summoned the mistress's roommates for a long time before Madam Liu finally had to pull herself together.
Although she had caused trouble for the people in the kitchen, Madam Liu felt a little guilty. After all, her fever was due to her own overthinking, not because the kitchen staff hadn't taken her food seriously, nor because the maids and servants in the young lady's room hadn't served her carefully.
But would she dare to step forward and admit it now?
Unless she's stupid!
Otherwise, she would never admit to something like this, where it's unclear who bears the primary responsibility.
Not just her, but everyone. She believed no one would be foolish enough to take the blame for their own mistakes. Did they want their pay docked? Or did they want to be scolded? Or did they enjoy being punished? Or being thrown out?
Although she didn't sign a contract of servitude, she still cherished her current status as a "wet nurse." The young lady grew up on her milk, and she would take her with her when she got married, and would even take care of her in her old age. Her status was equivalent to that of the young lady's "half a mother."
So how could she possibly take the blame? What if she lost her position as a "wet nurse"? Wouldn't all her previous efforts have been in vain? What would become of her for the rest of her life? And what about her son's future?
As for her mother-in-law Yue Jiuyue's matter, whether the claim that she was granted the title of a ninth-rank Confucian scholar was true or false, Liu Shi was naturally very concerned about it. After all, this matter was very important, and how could a change of family status not be important!
But no one came, and she had to be careful to avoid any health problems. She had been drinking soup and broth constantly these past few days, and Liu Shi no longer had any symptoms of internal heat. Moreover, she had plenty of breast milk, and she fed her daughter, who had grown two sizes larger, until she was full. This made the other "backup" wet nurse completely useless.
For the first time, Liu experienced what it meant to "long for someone until their eyes are dry with longing."
"Why are you only getting back now? Is that story true or false?"
At the back door, Liu ran over breathlessly. Upon seeing Lin Chaodong, she launched into a tirade of complaints without saying a word, and then asked the question she most wanted answered. As for why Lin Chaodong had taken so long to return, she had no interest in asking further.
The meeting between the two was also arranged in advance. Liu Shi greeted the gatekeeper at the back door, and when Lin Chaodong returned from his hometown, he would tell the gatekeeper that he had come to see her. After receiving the message, she would naturally come out to meet him.
As for why she didn't let Lin Chaodong use this method to find her before, it was to avoid trouble. She had finally become the young lady's wet nurse, so of course she had to perform well. What if the master found her troublesome because Lin Chaodong came to find her every now and then and stopped using her?
“We were delayed on the way. It’s true, Mother really was granted the title of Ninth-Rank Confucian Scholar! Da Zhuang’s mother, tell me, should we go back to the village? After all, Mother’s status is extraordinary now. If we go back, at least we can…”
They can also benefit from it.
Lin Chaodong couldn't say the second half of the sentence because Liu Shi immediately got angry when she heard Lin Chaodong mention going back to the village.
"Lin Chaodong! Do you have any conscience! What am I working so hard to serve people here for? Isn't it to pave the way for our son's future! And you changed your mind after just one trip home! Tell me! Did our mother say something? Did she think I was a disgrace to her by working as a servant here? Humph! What's so great about being a ninth-rank scholar! My son will definitely be able to get me an imperial title in the future, and I'll definitely be of a higher rank than her!"
Lin Chaodong: (#-.-)
This one, you dream about it faster!
It wasn't that he lacked confidence in his son. Of course, he didn't have particularly high expectations for his son to pass the imperial examination and become a high-ranking official. After all, he was just an ordinary farmer, and his son was just a farmer's son. What if his son grew up to be like him and didn't like reading and writing?
Even if his son passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, then a licentiate, and finally a jinshi and an official, could a mere seventh-rank official possibly request a title for his family?
He thought it was highly unlikely; otherwise, wouldn't all the ladies in the capital be high-ranking noblewomen?
He had heard from his two younger brothers that the ladies who came to visit the lotus flowers last time all came from families where someone had taken the imperial examinations and become an official, but none of them were titled ladies. Moreover, the village chief had said that being titled a lady was not easy; only those who had rendered meritorious service could submit a memorial requesting the title, and even then, the emperor might not agree.
Therefore, if Lady Liu wanted to become a Lady of Imperial Decree through her son's efforts, then her son had to study very hard. Even if he did pass the exam and become an official, he would still have to do a lot of good deeds, and they would have to be good deeds that benefit the country and the people, great deeds.
Suddenly, I realized that his son was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders! I wondered if it would break his son's shoulders.
Lin Chaodong sighed and said:
"No, when I went back this time, my mother didn't say anything. This is smoked pork from home, this is salted duck eggs from home, this is cornmeal made from the new corn from home, and this is lotus root dug from the lotus pond at home. Do you want some? We don't have much of this around here. It can sell for more than twenty coins a pound, and many people are scrambling to buy it!"
Lin Chaodong was all alone, so he could only carry one carrying pole and two baskets. Lin Chaodong didn't know what kind of life Liu Shi lived in this family, so he brought as many good things as he could, and he even made room for one basket of lotus roots.
"No sweet potatoes?"
Liu frowned. The most coveted item in the house was sweet potato, yet the family hadn't brought her any.
"No, I didn't mean to bring any. You've already had sweet potatoes. I think lotus root and corn are more special. People in the county are scrambling to buy lotus root. We tried a little cornmeal last year, and you thought it was delicious and you didn't get enough, right? So I thought I'd bring you more, hehe!"
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