"You!"
Madam Wen was rendered speechless. She glared at Young Madam Wen with a flushed face and a thick neck.
Young Madam Wen was not afraid at all. She retorted righteously, "Mother, did I say something wrong? We don't have the ability to handle this now, so we have to compromise!"
"Now that Song Zhaoyang has Eldest Brother's protection, she will never give in to you as she did before. Instead of making the relationship with her worse and worse, it's better to ease the relationship with her earlier. We can settle the score later!"
Madam Wen fell silent. After a while, she waved her hand and said, "Let me think it over. You can go."
Young Madam Wen wanted to say something else, but seeing Madam Wen looking so tired, she had no choice but to compromise and took her leave.
In the villa, Song Zhaoyang received a letter from Madam Luo.
In the letter, Madam Luo said that Yan Yazhang was very good at teaching, even better than the female tutors they had hired before.
A faint smile played on Song Zhaoyang's lips.
Although Yan Yazhang was not as experienced as in her previous life in teaching, she was capable and would surely not disappoint anyone!
She nodded in satisfaction and stood by the window, lost in thought.
The wet nurse brought Little Yaoyao over. Little Yaoyao's babbling sounds brought Song Zhaoyang back to her senses.
She turned her head, smiling as she looked at her precious daughter, then reached out her hands and held her in her arms.
"Did Yaoyao sleep well last night?"
The wet nurse replied respectfully, "Reporting to Madam, the young miss slept very well last night and didn't wake up until dawn."
Hearing this, Song Zhaoyang smiled and gently poked her chubby cheeks, saying, "You're such a considerate child."
Yaoyao seemed to know that her mother was praising her. She grinned happily, looking extremely satisfied.
Looking at her daughter's bright smile, Song Zhaoyang proudly curved her lips.
Sure enough, her little treasure was the best!
Recalling her previous life, Xue Yunning had tortured the wet nurses terribly. After she was born, she had been crying all the time. They had changed several wet nurses, but it didn't work.
Moreover, her cries were so loud.
Whenever she cried, the whole yard could hear her shrill cries, which made Song Zhaoyang unable to sleep well.
She wondered how the child was doing in the Second Branch this life.
Just as she was thinking, Nanny Xia suddenly walked in and respectfully said, "Madam, Steward Lu is here!"
Song Zhaoyang raised her eyebrows. "Why is he here?"
There was a hint of amusement in Nanny Xia's eyes. "It's because the old madam is not feeling well and wants to invite you back to the mansion. But in this old servant's opinion, the old madam can't manage things anymore and wants you to go back and take charge."
"Humph!" Song Zhaoyang sneered. "She has some nerve!"
Nanny Xia nodded in agreement and reminded her, "Madam, don't fall into her trap. Once you go back, you'll have to take over this mess."
Song Zhaoyang waved her hand and said indifferently, "I'm not that stupid. Ask the steward to come and see me!"
Nanny Xia understood and immediately invited the steward over.
It had only been a few days since they last met, but the steward looked much thinner.
Seeing this, Song Zhaoyang joked, "Steward Lu, have you been ill recently? You look so much thinner."
Hearing this, the steward forced a bitter smile. It wasn't that he was ill, but that he had been tortured so much.
He bowed to Song Zhaoyang and said, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. This servant is not ill. It's just that recently the old madam and the second madam have been unwell, and the second master is not at home. There is no master in the mansion who can make decisions. So the old madam sent this servant here to invite you back to the mansion."
Hearing this, Song Zhaoyang raised her eyebrows and said, "I've already handed over the right to manage the household to Mother. Even if Mother is ill, the stewards can still do their jobs."
The steward looked embarrassed. He sighed and said, "Most of the stewards are on sick leave."
"That serious?!" Song Zhaoyang pretended to be surprised.
But she was secretly happy. Madam Wen was quite something. She even made the stewards fake illness and not want to do their jobs. It seemed that she had tortured them a lot during this period.
The steward nodded heavily and looked at Song Zhaoyang expectantly. "So, Madam, please pack up quickly."
Song Zhaoyang concealed the surprise on her face and said expressionlessly, "Steward Lu, I'm not a doctor. Going back won't help. Here, take my token and go to the Imperial Hospital. Ask the imperial doctor to come and see the old madam."
The steward wanted to cry but had no tears.
The reason the old madam sent him to the villa was to ask the madam to go back and manage the household. But he didn't expect the madam to directly ask him to invite the imperial doctor. This would expose the old madam's lie.
For a moment, the steward was in a dilemma.
When the two masters were at odds, it was the servants who suffered.
Song Zhaoyang ignored the steward's embarrassed expression. She picked up the teacup and motioned for the steward to leave.
The steward cast a pleading look at Nanny Xia.
Nanny Xia said, "Steward Lu, what are you still standing there for? Hurry back and invite the imperial doctor. Look at our madam. She's not a divine doctor either. She can't make the old madam recover immediately. It's better to invite the imperial doctor to the mansion earlier. That will be more useful than anything else."
Steward Lu had no choice but to take his leave.
Nanny Xia saw Steward Lu out. At the main gate, she sighed and said, "Steward Lu, it's not that this old servant doesn't want to help you. Do you know why our madam doesn't want to go back to the mansion?"
Although Steward Lu knew that there was a rift between the mother - in - law and daughter - in - law, as a servant, he was not good at interfering in the master's affairs. Hearing Nanny Xia's question, he pretended to be confused and asked, "I don't know."
Nanny Xia said, "It's all because of the premature birth of the young miss! The madam has a grudge in her heart, but the old madam doesn't take it seriously."
As she said this, there was a hint of resentment on her face.
"At the beginning, when our madam first married into the Xue Mansion, the old madam couldn't wait to hand over the right to manage the household to our madam. Our madam thought the old madam valued her, but she didn't expect to take over a mess!"
As she said this, she gave Steward Lu a meaningful look.
Steward Lu stiffened and broke out in a cold sweat.
Nanny Xia said with a half - smile, "Steward Lu, over the years, it's our madam who has been using her dowry to subsidize the mansion. Think carefully about who really deserves your loyalty. It's getting late."
She took out a token from her bosom and handed it to Steward Lu. "Hurry up and take this token to invite the imperial doctor. The old madam's condition can't be delayed."
Steward Lu hesitated for a moment, then took the token Nanny Xia handed him and took his leave.
Madam Wen was leisurely sipping tea.
Young Madam Wen looked at Madam Wen's calm appearance and asked hesitantly, "Mother, do you think Song Zhaoyang will come back?"
Madam Wen said indifferently, "I've already said I'm ill. Can she still stay in the villa and not come back? If so, I'll spread the word about her unfilial behavior! Even if it gets to the palace, she won't be in the right!"
Young Madam Wen nodded in agreement.
Just then, Steward Lu came over with an imperial doctor.
"Old Madam, this servant has invited the imperial doctor!"
Madam Wen slammed the teacup on the table and said dissatisfiedly, "When did I say to invite the imperial doctor?"
Steward Lu respectfully said, "This servant went to the villa to report to the madam that you were unwell. The madam said she was not a doctor and gave this servant a waist token, asking this servant to go to the Imperial Hospital to invite the imperial doctor to see you. Do you want the imperial doctor to feel your pulse?"