The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 663 - 625: Hanging by a Thread (Part 2)

Wen Wan didn’t enter, she just stood in the yard.

From late December, the night shift was taken over by Nanny Zhou, Nanny Qian was on the morning shift, and Nanny Qian was on the afternoon shift.

According to previous practices, Nanny Qian should be in the west wing taking care of Qi Bao at this time.

However, due to the incident with Nanny Qin, making it impossible for the three to rotate shifts, Nanny Zhou took care during the night, and during the day only Nanny Qian was available.

Having secretly fed Qing without the mistress’s consent, Nanny Qian felt guilty, and upon coming out, didn’t dare look directly at Wen Wan, standing to the side with her head lowered after greeting her.

Nanny Zhou, who was on night duty, was resting in the room and was awakened by the noise outside. When she heard clearly that the madam had arrived, she was overjoyed, quickly threw off the quilt, got off the bed, and opened the door, "On such a cold day, why did Madam come over?"

Wen Wan said, "Nanny Qin has unfortunately contracted the epidemic. To prevent you two from getting sick, move out. The courtyard has been cleaned up, move now."

Last night, although Nanny Qin confessed her impure motives for coming to the Song Mansion, only the people in Qingteng Residence heard it, and Wen Wan had sealed the news. Therefore, the other servants and the two nannies did not know about Nanny Qin’s relationship with the heir’s wife, only that she had contracted the epidemic and was contagious.

Nanny Zhou had longed to stay far away from that little wretch surnamed Qin. Upon hearing that they could move out, she was so happy that she grinned widely and immediately went back inside to pack her things. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Nanny Qian stood still, looking very hesitant.

Wen Wan asked her, "Why aren’t you going?"

Nanny Qian hesitated for a long time, "This servant, this servant promised earlier to help feed Qing..."

"Then take Qing along." Wen Wan didn’t pursue Nanny Qian’s responsibility.

Nanny Qin was already in this state; she couldn’t take care of her own son and surely couldn’t let Qing starve.

Having been given this clear directive, Nanny Qian’s tense expression immediately relaxed. She thanked sincerely and went inside to pack her things. Being timid by nature, she initially didn’t dare to agree to feed Qing. But when Nanny Qin approached her, she said, "I am seriously ill now and certainly cannot stay in this mansion any longer. As long as you help take away Nanny Zhou when I leave, you’ll become the sole nanny for the young lady, and your family can root here at the Song Mansion for generations. Think carefully."

So, Nanny Qian considered it, and the result of her consideration was undoubtedly tempted by Nanny Qin’s offer, ultimately agreeing to help take care of the child.

Thinking about becoming the sole nanny for the young lady and that her family could secure positions at the mansion because of her, Nanny Qian felt delighted inside.

Two quarters of an hour later, Yun Cai led Nanny Zhou, Nanny Qian, and Qing away from the side room to the newly tidied up courtyard.

Though small, the courtyard at least ensured they wouldn’t be infected by Nanny Qin’s epidemic, and it wasn’t far from Qingteng Residence.

Nanny Zhou was very satisfied, and naturally, Nanny Qian had no complaints. The two chose rooms and began settling in.

After everyone else had left the side room, Wen Wan finally instructed Mrs. Jin to open Nanny Qin’s door.

She stood facing the doorway, and when she looked up, she could see the weak woman on the large kang inside.

Nanny Qin, clutching her chest, coughed a few times. She intended to pay respects, but unexpectedly rolled off the kang, collapsing softly onto the ground. After much effort to get up, she didn’t dare to go outside, only looking at Wen Wan from outside with some difficulty, "At this point, this servant has nowhere to go. Once leaving the Song Mansion, even if not tormented to death by the epidemic, I’ll be silenced by someone. I beg Madam to let me stay temporarily. I can do anything."

Wen Wan pulled out a prescription from her sleeve and waved it between her fingers, "This is a prescription personally prepared by Yun Shiliu. Several of the ingredients aren’t available in the mansion; you’ll have to go out and get them yourself. Whether you can return safely out of this great ordeal depends on how tough your fate is."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Nanny Qin shivered chillingly.

She knew what leaving the mansion meant; it meant Su Yi’s people would come after her. If they learned that she not only failed to harm the Song Family but also got her son involved, they would definitely not spare her.

Wen Wan gave her no time to hesitate, placing the prescription on the nearby stone platform and turning away.

Nanny Qin, like a shadow-dwelling worm with no spine, crawled out slowly to pocket the prescription, exerting much effort to stand up by the stone platform, after which she found a bamboo cane to support herself, inching towards the corner gate.

Wei Qian followed with four Hidden Guards.

Not long after leaving the mansion, Wei Qian and the others clearly sensed some other Hidden Guards not far away.

Leaving two behind to continue monitoring Nanny Qin, Wei Qian personally took the other two Hidden Guards to quietly find those people.

...

Nanny Qin, groggy and stumbling the whole way, barely managed to get the medicine and fainted immediately upon reentering the mansion.

Outer study.

Song Wei sat on the birch bamboo-patterned chair, listening to Wei Qian’s report on the earlier surveillance of Nanny Qin.

"Just as you predicted, the group indeed aimed at Nanny Qin, but they did not take direct action and retreated silently in the end."

"Do you know whose people they were?" Song Wei asked.

"Not yet," Wei Qian clasped his hands, "but the subordinates will quickly investigate the matter."

Song Wei was silent for a moment and said, "If you want to investigate, focus on the Liang Family."

"The Liang Family?"

"Yes, Princess Consort Duan’s maternal family."

On hearing this, Wei Qian immediately understood.

In the past, there were many ministers envious and resentful of Song Wei, because despite his humble origins, he frequently appeared before the Emperor, causing some to feel threatened.

But now that Song Wei has become Emperor Guangxi’s nephew-in-law, logically speaking, those who envied him should have let go of their hatred.

At this point, if someone still wanted to eliminate Song Wei, it must be out of deep-seated resentment.

Counting throughout the court and the opposition, none held a deeper grudge against Song Wei than the Liang Family, the maternal family of Princess Consort Duan.

Back then, the Liang Family schemed to assassinate the Crown Prince, hoping to dodge consequences with the word "attempted," but with Song Wei’s intervention, Emperor Guangxi’s anger was completely incited. Liang Ying not only failed to gain a pardon but was sentenced to execution, and Elder Liang was forcibly retired and expelled from the Cabinet.

On the surface, the Liang Family has already collapsed, and even if a few fleas remain, they can’t jump very high. But in fact, they have a strong backing, Prime Minister Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen is Princess Consort Duan’s maternal uncle.

If the Liang Family sought revenge for the loss of their son by appealing to Chief Minister Yang, much of what has happened recently can be explained.

On a larger scale, Song Wei is a key figure in ensuring the Crown Prince’s smooth ascension to the Eastern Palace. Since Prime Minister Yang, as the Second Prince’s maternal granduncle, wants to support the Second Prince, he must clear obstacles for him in advance. In this way, Song Wei undoubtedly becomes a thorn in Prime Minister Yang’s side, intolerable unless removed.

——

Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun returned from the small town, expecting the Young Master’s praise, but instead, each was given a cup of tea that turned them mute. Their throats burned fiercely, and they couldn’t make a sound.

Qiu Yan was stunned, looking incredulously at the man sitting at the head. He propped his head up, his long, narrow eyes slightly squinting, resembling a leopard in shallow sleep, with an unmistakably dangerous aura.

"Since they can’t speak, take them away to do menial work,"

he ordered the two stout women at the door, his tone casual and undisturbed, making Qiu Yan’s eyes almost burst in anger.

Why?

Clearly, it was agreed that if they succeeded in having Qi Hai spread the plague to the Su Family, they would not only stay but also be rewarded. Now, just as they returned, without even a chance to breathe, they were poisoned mute. On what grounds? On what grounds!

Lu Pingzhou seemed to have lost patience, watching Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun, bound up, with no trace of sympathy, just issuing further orders, "In the future, if any of you see them writing nonsense, chop off the hand that wrote it, then collect your reward from the accounts room."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yun rolled her eyes in fear and fainted.

Though Qiu Yan hadn’t fainted yet, she was in a similar state, her whole body shaking like a sieve, experiencing an unprecedented breakdown.

How could she forget, the Young Master has always been intolerant of even the slightest flaw. That day, when she smugly told him she knew the Heir’s wife’s secret and wanted to use it in exchange for staying at the Duke Mansion.

But in truth.

Exchange?

That was merely her wishful thinking.

In Lu Pingzhou’s eyes, it wasn’t an exchange, but a blatant threat, a grave insult to his dignity. How could he easily allow anyone privy to such secrets to stay?

Once those two useless pieces were taken to the storeroom, Lu Pingzhou then ordered someone to invite the doctor he had prepared for Su Yi long ago.

"You will follow him to Suzhou, and there will be someone to give you the prescription for the plague. Do not use your full strength; just keep him alive."