The next day, the Fourth Master got up early and left before the maids in Madam Nian's room opened the door. Therefore, they did not realize that the Fourth Master had stayed in Madam Geng's room the day before.
After taking a nap, Nian felt much better. Lying in bed, she thought about what had happened the day before and realized that perhaps the Fourth Master was truly considerate of her pregnancy and was afraid that if she stayed with him, she might be tempted to go to London and harm the baby in her womb.
Alas, sometimes, a woman's self-deceptive spirit is truly powerful; it's what allows her to get through countless lonely days.
"Cui Ling, get up." Madam Nian felt much better immediately. Thinking of the child in her womb, she was still happy.
When the maids outside saw that Madam Nian had been called to get up, they immediately came in to serve her. Some tucked in the gauze curtains, some fetched water, and some fetched clothes, preparing to serve Madam Nian as she got up.
With Cui Ling's help, Nian Shi put on a light blue cheongsam. She stretched out her arms, letting the two maids pull at her clothes. Her beautiful face was like a full moon. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, Nian Shilan's confidence slowly returned.
"Cui Ling, go to the front and see if Master is here. If he is, please invite him to have breakfast together," said Madam Nian.
"Yes, this servant will go right away," Cui Ling replied hastily.
As she walked out of the north room, she found that Lülan was also coming out of the east room. The two walked together to the middle of the road, glanced at each other, but did not speak.
As Cuiling walked, she couldn't help but say, "Are you going to get breakfast for your princess?"
Green Orchid originally didn't want to pay attention to Cuiling. She always looked down on people and was too lazy to talk to her. But now that she took the initiative to ask, she said, "Yes, I suppose you are also serving meals for Princess Nian."
Cui Ling smiled smugly and said, "I advise you to wait a while before going. Otherwise you'll just be waiting there for nothing."
Seeing that her words sounded strange, Lülan couldn't help but ask, "Why? Is it because your princess's belly is so big that she's going to eat the whole kitchen's breakfast?"
Seeing that she dared to mock Nian Shi for her large belly, Cui Ling said coldly, "The entire kitchen is busy preparing breakfast for the princess and the master. Where would we find the time to prepare breakfast for your Geng Gege? You really have no sense of propriety."
Seeing that she was mocking her, Lülan couldn't help but laugh and said, "You're the one who has no sense. I'm going to the kitchen to see if they'll actually make breakfast for our princess."
When Cuiling saw that she had actually talked back to her like that, she immediately got angry. After thinking for a moment, she thought that it wouldn't take much time for her to go to the kitchen first, so she glared at Lülan and said, "Fine, I'll go then, hmph!"
The two chatted as they walked toward the kitchen.
As soon as they entered the kitchen, they saw Chef Wang directing several of his apprentices to prepare breakfast.
"Uncle Wang, is our princess's breakfast ready? Millet porridge and crystal buns." Green Lan called out as soon as she saw it was Chef Wang.
When Master Wang turned around, he saw that it was Green Lan and said warmly, "It's been prepared for a long time. Madam Geng's breakfast is the easiest to make, and she's not as picky as some other masters."
Upon hearing this, Cui Ling immediately became displeased, feeling as if the words were directed at her own princess.
"Master Wang, today you must prepare breakfast for our mistress and master first. Otherwise, if the master blames us, can you bear the responsibility?" Green Lan, used to being domineering with Madam Nian in the Nian household, always favored Nian Shilan. Consequently, Cui Ling couldn't help but feel that her mistress was different wherever she went, and her words were often unpleasant. Actually, this was also Madam Nian's fault for bringing too many maids with her when she entered the household, and she only used the maids she brought, leaving the ones the head maid had sent to serve her outside to do menial tasks. Otherwise, if a well-mannered maid had reminded them, perhaps these maids wouldn't have acted this way.
Master Wang felt uncomfortable seeing that it was that arrogant girl again, but he knew that her mistress was pregnant and he couldn't be slow. So he had to suppress his temper and said, "Madam Nian's breakfast has been prepared, and the head steward's is also ready. It can be served at any time."
When Cuiling heard Master Wang say this, she immediately felt that she had lost face, so she said to Master Wang in a bad mood, "Our lady is pregnant now and her appetite is not good. I haven't even come to order the meal yet, how come you have already prepared it? Besides, the master and our lady will eat together, so it will definitely be different. Why did you make yesterday's breakfast again?"
Cui Ling knew that Chef Wang must have prepared the meal for Nian based on yesterday's meal, so he said that on purpose.
Upon hearing this, Master Wang immediately became displeased. "Then what would Madam Nian like to eat?"
Cui Ling had only said that much; she still had to invite the master, and the final decision on what to eat would be made by the princesses. She dared not suggest it now, lest Madam Nian lose her appetite and she would be scolded.
“Our lady hasn’t decided yet, she’ll talk about it later,” Cui Ling said angrily. “You people are really... you have no sense at all. The master and our lady haven’t even ordered breakfast yet, and you’ve already made breakfast for others. No wonder you’re cooking here.”
Upon hearing this, Lülan couldn't help but say, "Master Wang, the late-night snack our mistress and master made last night was really delicious. The mistress said she would reward you."
Master Wang could tell that the two maids were competing with each other. He genuinely enjoyed making breakfast for the tactful Madam Geng, and naturally disliked the picky Madam Nian. So he cooperated by saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam Geng. It was so late last night, did you enjoy your meal, Master Manager?"
Cuiling listened to their back-and-forth conversation and understood the gist of it: "So, the Fourth Master went to Madam Geng's room last night?"
"It smells so good! Master said he wants to do that again next time," Green Lan said with a smile.
Cui Ling stomped her foot in anger, turned around and left, which made the people behind her laugh. She felt that they were all laughing at her, so she quickened her pace.
What should I do? Should I go back and tell the princess? If the princess finds out that the master didn't go to accompany me but went to Princess Geng's place instead, who knows how angry she'll be? I'm pregnant, what if she gets upset and something happens to me? Wouldn't that be my fault?
Thinking of this, Cui Ling decided to pretend to be stupid for the time being, and act as if she had not heard about it. She went to the front yard as usual, invited the Fourth Master, and repeated what Nian Shi had said.
Fourth Master hadn't had breakfast yet, so he agreed to have it with Nian Shi. Cui Ling breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Fourth Master agreed so readily. If Fourth Master's son hadn't agreed to have breakfast with the princess this time, and had gone to Geng Gege's place last night, things would have been really bad.
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