Chapter 27: The Heartbroken Scumbag
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Seeing Wang Ziyu’s furrowed brows, Nanny Gui sneered inwardly. In the end, he was nothing more than a child. No matter how deep his schemes ran, this was all he amounted to!
Nanny Gui muttered under her breath, “At the Dong residence just now, I heard the Grand Madam and the Third Miss discussing some marriage arrangement. And now someone has come to block the gate!”
The moment Wang Ziyu heard that it concerned Tantai Jing’s marriage, he immediately came to his senses and asked ingratiatingly, “What is this nanny saying? Have I interfered with the Third Miss’s marriage?”
Nanny Gui looked him up and down, then regarded him with a half-smile. “This young gentleman is not yet an official, is he?”
Wang Ziyu was displeased by her expression. At his age, how could he possibly hold office? Still, mindful that she was a servant of the Dong residence, he straightened his long robe and said solemnly, “I am Wang Ziyu—the fifteen-year-old scholar everyone is always talking about.”
Wang Ziyu was exceedingly proud of himself. In Zecheng, he was the first of his kind!
Twisting a pink silk handkerchief between her fingers, Nanny Gui covered her mouth and laughed softly. “He is merely a scholar. Forgive me for speaking bluntly, but I fear that no matter what this young gentleman does, he could never interfere with our Third Miss’s marriage!”
Wang Ziyu was mocked to his face and immediately found himself unable to save face. With a solemn expression, he said, “Do not look down on a young man for being poor. I am only fifteen, yet I have already passed the qualifying examinations. My future is limitless!”
Nanny Gui gave a disdainful laugh. “What you say is not wrong, but the future is the future. Our Third Miss is no ordinary person. With your status, you might barely be qualified to set your sights on the other two young ladies of the Tantai household. But as for our Third Miss…”
Wang Ziyu sneered inwardly, a trace of a smile curling at the corner of his lips. What of the Third Miss? She was merely a mute now. If he were willing to marry her, she ought to burn incense and pray to the gods. Once he rose to prominence, granting Tantai Jing the position of principal wife would already be an act of great generosity on his part!
Nanny Gui was remarkably skilled at reading people’s expressions. Seeing the faint smile at the corner of his lips, she rolled her eyes and changed her tone, advising him earnestly, “Young gentleman, you are about the same age as my son. Let this old servant offer you a word of warning from the heart. Do not assume that simply because our Third Miss is mute, you can take advantage of the connection.”
“Our Third Miss is nothing like the Fifth and Sixth Misses of this household. Her maternal grandfather’s family is the Dong residence. What sort of family is the Dong residence? Even in the capital, it has collateral branches supporting it. It is nothing like the maternal families of the Fifth and Sixth Misses, those impoverished households whom no one respects!
“Our Grand Madam has always cherished the Third Miss most dearly. Now that the Third Miss has lost her voice, the Grand Madam is heartbroken. Perhaps before this, she might not have concerned herself too much with the girl’s marriage, but now? The Grand Madam has already contacted her close friends in the capital. She is determined to find the Third Miss a respectable family and will never allow her to suffer the slightest indignity!”
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Nanny Gui added meaningfully, “Our Grand Madam came from the capital. Her close friends there are all Grand Madams of marquis’s households, or women with ties to the imperial palace. In the years to come, the Third Miss… Well, I fear a golden phoenix is about to fly out of Zecheng!”
Wang Ziyu was utterly dumbfounded. Never had he imagined that Tantai Jing could possess such good fortune. Had becoming a mute actually become an asset?
Nanny Gui lowered her voice. “In the capital, only those who cannot speak are incapable of causing trouble. A virtuous wife brings a husband few disasters—surely you understand that, young gentleman!”
Wang Ziyu remained dazed for quite some time without saying a word. Until now, his conviction alone had helped him endure the oppressive heat, but after hearing Nanny Gui’s words, he felt wave after wave of heat surging over him.
Could he no longer set his sights on the Third Miss? What was he to do in the future? He truly did not wish to study so relentlessly anymore.
With a smile on her face, Nanny Gui took two steps back. Just then, Nanny Xu emerged from the side gate and called out to her. Nanny Gui quickly raised her voice. “Nanny Xu, are the Third Miss’s things packed? Then let us hurry and go!”
Wang Ziyu watched Nanny Gui and Nanny Xu disappear into the distance, feeling as though all the spirit had been drained from his body and carried away with them.
Just as Wang Ziyu was about to turn and leave, the side gate creaked open. Suyue emerged with a bright smile and said, “Young Master Wang, my mistress invites you in!”
Wang Ziyu froze. He wanted to turn around and leave, yet his feet seemed unable to move. That was right—he was unwilling to give up!
He felt as though some unseen force had led him inside. So long as he could maintain a connection with the Tantai household, his future would still have some assurance. For some reason, the radiant image of the Fifth Miss suddenly surfaced in his mind. If he could become engaged to the Fifth Miss, that would not be a bad outcome either!
Nanny Xu and Nanny Gui emerged from around the corner and watched Wang Ziyu’s retreating figure.
“Nanny Xu, you arranged everything properly, didn’t you?” Nanny Gui asked with a smile as she turned toward her.
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Nanny Xu nodded. “Do not worry. Zhou had long wished to bring her youngest daughter back to the household, and she had already brought the child home. That Ming girl is clever enough, too. If she cannot handle such a simple task, then she need not serve at the Third Miss’s side in the future!”
Meanwhile, in the Hundred Blossoms Garden, Ming, dressed in a pale green jacket and skirt, cheerfully went to pick peonies.
Tantai Xuan had been confined to the household and could only escape the heat in the Hundred Blossoms Garden. When she saw a little maid picking flowers—and peonies at that, Wang Ziyu’s favorite—anger immediately rose within her, and she ordered Feishuang to drive the girl away.
Feishuang spoke irritably to Ming. “Which courtyard are you from? How dare you come here to pick flowers? Leave at once! These peonies may be used only in the Fifth Miss’s courtyard.”
Tears glimmered in Ming’s eyes as she looked timidly at Feishuang. Pressing her lips together, she said, “I only just returned from the estate. Someone came to Madam’s courtyard and said she liked peonies, so she sent me to pick some for a vase. Sister, please take pity on me and let me gather a few to bring back. Madam is discussing some happy occasion with that young gentleman. If I return without any flowers, I am afraid I will be scolded!”
Feishuang frowned and seized her by the clothing. “Who did you say was in Madam’s courtyard? What happy occasion were they discussing?”
Ming pouted. “I did not see very clearly. He was a tall, thin young gentleman. Madam seemed quite happy, and one of the older maids sent me to pick flowers, so I came. I know nothing else!”
The moment Feishuang released her, Ming darted away like a streak of smoke. Feishuang pondered the matter for a moment, then turned and went back to tell Tantai Xuan what she had just heard.
As soon as Tantai Xuan heard that a young gentleman who liked peonies had come and that he was discussing some happy occasion, she flew into a rage. “I am going to see for myself! It must be Brother Ziyu. Mother cannot do this! If she betrothes Brother Ziyu to that little wretch, what am I to do?”
Feishuang had yet to react when Tantai Xuan had already gathered up her skirts and run out. Feishuang hurried after her, calling, “Fifth Miss, the Master ordered you to remain confined!”
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