APSIL -Chapter 13 A Temporary Stay Becomes a Permanent One?

After giving Zhu Ying an idea and instructing A-Liu to stand guard at the front gate, Zhang Shou leisurely strolled around to the back entrance of his own house. He gave the back door a push, but it didn’t budge. Realizing it was locked, he looked up at the large tree beside it.

The refined and elegant-looking Young Master Zhang proved to be surprisingly agile. Using the trunk for leverage, he climbed the tree in just a few swift movements, then scaled the courtyard wall before landing lightly in the backyard, completely unconcerned that anyone witnessing the scene would be left staring in disbelief.

Seeing that his hands had picked up quite a bit of dust, he even took his time scooping water from the courtyard vat to wash them before quietly slipping into the main hall through the central doorway.

Finding that everyone was gathered in the front courtyard, he calmly took a seat in the place of honor and, quite contentedly, settled into the role of spectator.

The outer courtyard had fallen completely silent.

In truth, the tiny courtyard was so crowded that there was hardly any room to stand, making Nanny Zhao’s earlier complaints entirely justified.

There were three spirited fine horses, each attended by a groom dressed in identical livery. Then there were four young maids whose clothing was only slightly plainer than Zhanjin’s and Liuyin’s. They looked a couple of years younger, their faces still carrying traces of childishness, yet each stood ramrod straight, neat and composed.

Behind Nanny Zhao, who had just been making trouble, stood two older servant women restraining her. Though dressed more simply than she was, they somehow carried themselves with far greater authority.

Besides them were the two guards, Zhu Hong and Zhu Yu, who had visited before, along with twelve more guards of similar build.

Adding Zhu Ying, who had just entered to speak with Madam Wu, the senior maids Zhanjin and Liuyin, Old Liu and Aunt Liu, and the nearly invisible A-Liu standing by the gate, there were close to thirty people in total, not to mention the three horses.

How could the place not feel cramped?

Zhang Shou couldn’t help muttering inwardly. Although Zhu Ying’s wet nurse certainly had a sharp tongue, judging from the sheer number of people here, the escort sent to bring the young lady back to the manor was truly impressive.

At that moment, Zhu Ying entered as though no one else existed, speaking only to Madam Wu. With that unmistakable display of indifference, the courtyard—which had moments ago been as noisy as a marketplace—fell as silent as a classroom.

Compared with the flattered and slightly overwhelmed Madam Wu, the completely ignored Nanny Zhao wore an expression that cycled through every color imaginable. It was quite a spectacle.

By now, Madam Wu had begun to understand Zhu Ying’s temperament. Snapping back to her senses, she hurriedly smiled and said, “Today’s lunch is thousand-layer meat pies and dumplings in sour soup. The soup is jade ribbon broth, and there’s also sweet lotus seed soup simmering in the pot. If you like sweets, you can have some after lunch—or after your afternoon nap.”

“All right.” Zhu Ying nodded with a smile. “A-Shou is back too. Let’s eat together in a little while.”

A-Shou is back?

Where is he?

Madam Wu was puzzled. Yet Zhu Ying spoke with such certainty that, after a brief hesitation, she chose not to question it.

“The dumplings haven’t gone into the pot yet because of all the commotion just now, and the meat pies still need frying. I’ll go check on the kitchen.”

As she spoke, she firmly grabbed Aunt Liu, dragging away the cook who had nearly started an all-out shouting match with Nanny Zhao and seemed to have forgotten her actual duties. As for Old Liu, the crafty old gatekeeper saw there was no role left for him to play and immediately slipped away with his mistress and daughter-in-law.

Only then did Zhu Ying turn to face the people who had come from the Duke Zhao Manor.

Under her stern gaze, quite a few lowered their heads.

But in the next instant, as she casually glanced into the hall, she discovered Zhang Shou sitting calmly in the seat of honor. Noticing her looking his way, he even smiled and gave her a playful wink.

Unable to help herself, she looked at him a few moments longer before withdrawing her gaze and speaking in a commanding tone.

“I specifically requested that Zhanjin and Liuyin come with me. Xiaohong and those two horses as well. The trunks on the carriage outside are also the ones I asked for. Those people and those belongings are all I need. Everyone else may return.”

Nanny Zhao could no longer hold back. Rushing forward, she cried tearfully,

“My dear young lady! When have you ever lived in a filthy countryside like this? What nonsense engagement is this? It’s all a lie! Do you want every noble young lady in the capital laughing at you? If Madam were still alive—”

Before she could finish, Zhu Ying shouted to the two composed servant women behind her, “Nanny Li! Nanny Jiang! Grandmother sent the two of you here. Was it really so that my wet nurse could make such a disgrace of herself?”

Seeing Zhu Ying’s face darken with genuine anger, Nanny Zhao panicked. She dropped to the ground with a thud and immediately began wailing.

“Heavens above! I served Madam for so many years and raised the young—”

Before she could finish, a wad of cloth was stuffed straight into her mouth, cutting off the rest of her cries.

The previously motionless Nanny Jiang sprang into action with astonishing speed. Offering Zhu Ying an apologetic curtsy, she swiftly twisted Nanny Zhao’s arms behind her back and dragged her away without ceremony.

Only then did Nanny Li hurry forward and bow deeply.

“Please forgive us, Young Lady. Nanny Zhao brought four men and intercepted us on the road, insisting on following. Since we were on a busy street and she kept shouting that you were the most precious thing in her life and absolutely couldn’t live outside the manor, we feared causing a public disturbance in the capital. Left with no choice, we had to let her come.”

As she spoke, her gaze swept across the guards.

Almost instantly, several of the burly men behind Zhu Hong and Zhu Yu suddenly sprang into action.

In barely any time at all, four guards were pinned to the ground by the remaining eight, gagged, bound tightly, and dragged out of the courtyard together with the furious yet helpless Nanny Zhao.

The entire sequence unfolded in mere moments.

Soon, the courtyard that had been packed to the brim suddenly had a large open space.

Watching everyone switch sides as quickly as turning the pages of a book, Zhang Shou rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Just as I suspected… something’s definitely fishy.

From what he’d heard earlier, Nanny Zhao had forcibly intercepted the carriage and insisted on coming.

Judging from the martial skills displayed by that servant woman just now, stopping Zhu Ying’s wet nurse would have been effortless. Those four guards had also proved no match for the Duke Manor’s eight guards.

If they had truly wanted to keep Nanny Zhao from coming, they could have stopped her long before Zhu Ying had to speak.

So this was deliberate…

Were they trying to show Zhu Ying that country life wasn’t nearly as peaceful as she imagined? That troublesome people could come bothering her at any time?

Then the next step should be persuading this young lady to hurry back to the manor.

Yes… that has to be it.

Seeing Zhu Ying remain silent with a stern expression, Nanny Li continued respectfully, “The Dowager has never been at ease with you staying here, Young Lady. Now you’re leaving only Zhanjin and Liuyin by your side. If word spreads, won’t people think the Duke Zhao Manor can’t even provide enough attendants for its eldest young lady?”

“Besides, if someone could persuade your wet nurse to come here and cause trouble today, they may well send others to make trouble another day. Please understand the Dowager’s good intentions. Apart from Zhanjin and Liuyin, allow these four diligent young maids to remain and help with chores. Let Zhu Yu, Zhu Hong, and the other guards stay as well. It will be much safer and won’t burden the host as happened just now.”

At that moment, Zhang Shou could hardly believe his ears.

Yesterday, Zhu Ying had insisted on staying and demanded a mountain of belongings. Zhu Hong and Zhu Yu had been unable to oppose her, which could still be explained as them yielding to the young lady’s stubbornness before hurrying back to report to the manor.

But from the way things now stood, the Dowager of the Duke Manor not only intended to let Zhu Ying continue staying here, she was actually using the earlier incident as an excuse to leave even more people behind.

Are they seriously planning to turn a temporary stay into a permanent residence?

What kind of joke is this? Even if there’s a marriage agreement between us, we’re only betrothed—not husband and wife!

After hearing Nanny Li’s perfectly reasonable persuasion, Zhu Ying was overjoyed.

She had always felt that her grandmother understood her better than anyone else. Now it seemed that “understood” wasn’t nearly enough.

If her grandmother were standing here at this very moment, Zhu Ying would have wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around her and shout, “Long live Grandmother!”

Just then, she heard Zhang Shou’s voice.

“It is only natural that the Dowager of your household would be worried about the young lady living in the countryside.”