Chapter 77: I should have a heart for this matter
Nanny Xue smiled and replied, "Madam, he was born on New Year's Eve, so his nickname is Xibao. He will be two years old in about two months."
She paused, her tone adding a hint of sadness, "A while ago, there was a sudden outbreak of an epidemic in Yuezhou. The young lady was busy in the medical tent all day long, with little time to close her eyes. She really had no time to take care of other things, so she stopped breastfeeding."
The old lady nodded. She had also heard about this matter. She didn't expect that the girl could hold her own in it. She was more capable than those young ladies who were just pampered in the mansion.
"Is this child born at full term?"
Hearing the old lady's sudden question, the nanny was stunned for a moment, then answered truthfully, "I never asked about the date of the birth of the girl. I just saw that she was very strong when she was born, so she must be a full-term baby."
The old lady pondered secretly when she heard this. According to the information she had sent people to inquire, the girl had just gotten married and was sold to the Marquis' Mansion by the Liu family the next day, with almost no gap between the two.
In this case, whether the baby is full-term or not doesn’t seem to mean anything.
What matters is whether her grandson will marry this girl after she enters the mansion. This is the most crucial thing.
The old lady's eyes darkened, and she twisted the Buddhist beads with her fingertips with unconsciously increased force.
She said to the nanny beside her, "You have raised the Marquis since he was a child. Look at this child. How much does he resemble the Marquis when he was a child?"
Nanny Xue clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly, and a look of panic instantly appeared on her face.
Everyone knew that the child was not the Marquis's bloodline. The old lady asked this question at this moment, and she really didn't know how to answer it properly. She hesitated for a long time and didn't dare to say a word.
"Just tell the truth." The old lady glanced at her, her tone unable to tell whether she was happy or angry.
The nanny finally gathered herself and whispered, "I dare not hide it from you, Madam. Ever since this child's eyebrows and eyes began to grow, I've felt that he resembles the Marquis as a child... not exactly, but at least about 70%."
She paused and added, "I've mentioned this to you before, and you just said that the world is so big, and there are many people with similar looks, so it's nothing strange."
The old lady twirled her Buddhist beads, her gaze fixed on Xi Bao's bouncing figure. "They are both still young, after all. That girl has never seen the Marquis as a child, so how could she understand all these twists and turns? Besides, the Marquis himself wouldn't remember what he looked like when he was two years old."
As she spoke, the old lady gave the nanny a meaningful look. "But you and I are different. We've both watched the Marquis grow up. We've lived for most of his life. At our age, we should have some understanding of this matter."
The nanny had been watching this child for two years, hanging around him every day. She should have noticed that his eyes and eyebrows were very similar to the Marquis, but she just thought it was a coincidence and didn't think about it in depth.
There was a hint of blame in the old lady's words just now.
Nanny Xue stood aside, her heart pounding.
How could she not hear the weight in the old lady's words?
"Madam, Madam, you mean, this child and the Marquis..."
I didn't dare finish the rest of the sentence, I was so excited that a thin layer of sweat broke out on my back.
The old lady didn't respond to her question, saying, "It's too early to say whether it's true or not. I should ask the Marquis myself about this matter to know for sure. You just keep an eye on the child and don't let a single word of what we said today slip out."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Xue quickly bowed and responded, "Don't worry, Madam. I understand."
…
During the few days Wen Ning stayed in the Marquis' Mansion, she was taken care of very well.
The clothes and bedding she wore were made of the softest brocade material, which was smooth to the touch without even a trace of friction, for fear that the rough texture would rub against the unhealed wounds on her body.
In the kitchen, different ways of stewing nourishing soup were made every day, and it was always warmed up on a small charcoal stove. Wanqing and Yunxiu would feed her a bowl from time to time.
The maid who delivered meals to the courtyard every day was also specially arranged by the Marquis, and it was Chun Xing.
I haven't seen her for two years. The Chun Xing who used to have a chubby face has now grown into a graceful young lady.
With her hair combed into two neat buns, her eyes and eyebrows had lost their former childishness, and instead had a touch of quiet elegance.
When Chun Xing saw Wen Ning for the first time, she almost dropped the food box in her hand. Her eyes immediately turned red, and her voice was filled with uncontrollable joy, "Miss, you're finally back!"
The two of them came together, as if they had endless things to talk about.
When setting the table yesterday, Chun Xing lowered her voice and said, "Miss, you don't know that after you left, some people in the mansion kept gossiping and saying things that were unpleasant to the ear.
Later, when the Marquis was about to go to the border town, he specially arranged for the housekeeper to send away all the servants who had bad intentions and loved to spread rumors. Now the mansion is much quieter.
When Wen Ning heard this, she felt an inexplicable uneasiness in her heart. After all, she and the Marquis were not people who could be together. If it was for her, he didn't need to do this.
…
Early that morning, Wanqing and Yunxiu came in to help her wash and dress.
The person reflected in the bronze mirror had cheeks that were as red as a newly blossomed crabapple, and the corners of her eyes and eyebrows were filled with a moist glow.
Yunxiu combed Wen Ning's hair and couldn't help but praise her, "Young lady, your complexion is even brighter than before you were sick!"
Wan Qing nodded repeatedly, her tone filled with joy. "Just now, the Marquis came to see you before going on duty. He stood by the bed and looked at you for a long time. His eyes were as if they were nailed to the ground and couldn't be pulled away!"
Wen Ning's cheeks flushed slightly upon hearing this, and she glared at Wan Qing in disapproval, "You're becoming even more unruly. You even dare to make up stories about the Marquis."
The person in the mirror is indeed a little plumper than a few days ago, with a bit of unconscious liveliness.
She was going to see the old lady today. Firstly, because she had been bothering her at home for many days and it was time for her to pay a formal visit. Secondly, she wanted to tell the old lady that she would move out with Xibao soon after she found a place to live.
So I specially picked out a lilac soft satin long skirt. The main body of the skirt was plain and simple, with a few small orchid leaves scattered sparsely on the hem. The neckline and cuffs were rolled with a circle of light beige plain silk, which added a bit of gentleness.
Wen Ning came to the old lady's Yi Fu Hall. As soon as she entered the yard, she saw Xi Bao lying on the old lady's lap, with a piece of lotus cake in his chubby hand and about to put it into his mouth.
Her heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward and bowed, "Wen Ning greets the old lady, and hopes she is well."
After the old lady nodded in response, she whispered, "Xibao, why are you so rude?"
As she said this, she was about to hug him. She didn't expect the child to run here and disturb the old lady's peace.
The old lady waved her hand, smiled and patted Xibao's back gently.
"I let him sit next to me. This kid is so soft and wants to have fun next to me."
As he spoke, he looked at Wen Ning carefully, his gaze pausing on her.
The lilac-colored skirt fell like flowing water, making her skin look even more radiant. Although there was a hint of respect between her eyebrows, it could not conceal the freshness of being well-nourished. Her small face, like jasmine, exuded a warm light from the inside out.
Compared to two years ago, she has become more flexible and graceful.
Nanny Zhou next to her also nodded secretly. This girl doesn't look like someone who has given birth to a child.
Her figure is perfectly proportioned, neither the thinness of her youth nor the burden of plumpness, she is clearly still a pretty girl.
The old lady raised her hand to signal Wen Ning, "Hurry up and sit down. Look at your complexion. You are better than before."
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