Unlike the blossoming intimacy between Tang Mo and Xin An, the atmosphere within Spring Blossom Courtyard was far from harmonious. First, Tang Rong had locked the two chests of newly acquired wealth inside his study without handing them over to Tao Yiran. He even gave some silver directly to Qing Mo for gathering intelligence.
To Tao Yiran, this was nothing short of mistrust—and sorrow gathered silently in her heart.
Secondly, Nanny Cai was still confined. Tang Rong soon uncovered the full story. Though displeased, he held back his anger and asked Tao Yiran for an explanation. Tao Yiran replied that Nanny Cai was coarse and ill-mannered. Tang Rong took a deep breath and said,
“Nanny Cai does speak loudly, but that’s hardly new to you. I asked you before if you wanted to manage the household, and you declined, handing everything over to her. Yet now you dismiss her without proper cause and even said such harsh things. What are the others to think? How will you command respect going forward?”
Challenged so directly, Tao Yiran’s eyes instantly reddened. “Are you blaming me?”
“I know Nanny Cai was your wet nurse, which is why you’ve always relied on her. She managed all the affairs in the courtyard. But the more I interacted with her, the more issues I discovered. If she were merely crude and ignorant, I might have tolerated it. But she also skimmed off the monthly stipends of the servants, defied orders in private, and constantly boasted that she had raised the heir of the house.”
“The Heir is the rightful heir of the Marquisate, and she is but a servant of the household. How dare she claim to have raised him as if she were his mother? If word got out, our entire household would be mocked. I had no choice but to deal with her. As for what I said, it was in a moment of urgency, after she shouted at me in defiance. If you think I was wrong, I’ll personally apologize to her.”
She sat with lowered eyes, wiping away her tears in silent grievance. Then Nanny Liu stepped forward and listed every misdeed Nanny Cai had committed—including the embezzlement of servant stipends.
“Every servant in this courtyard is required to give up twenty percent of their monthly allowance to Nanny Cai,” Nanny Liu reported. “She constantly brags about raising the Heir and having his ear. Her arrogance makes the others think these demands come from the Heir himself.”
Tang Rong frowned deeply and ordered Qing Mo to summon several maids for questioning. The girls, trembling, confirmed the accusations.
Tang Rong inhaled slowly, guilt surfacing as he looked toward Tao Yiran. Nanny Liu quietly withdrew with her people, a subtle smile playing on her lips. All her scheming—gathering dirt on Nanny Cai, advising the Young Madam—had paid off. Starting tomorrow, she would take over as the stewardess of Spring Blossom Courtyard.
Tao Yiran, after a bout of tears, softened her tone and clutched Tang Rong’s hand anxiously.
“My body is frail—I cannot help you shoulder burdens. Had Nanny Cai been trustworthy, I would not have acted so decisively. But she dared speak so self-righteously in front of me, as if she truly believed she had motherly authority over you. That’s no different from treating herself as your mother. How could I let that pass?”
Her words struck their mark. Tang Rong gave up on Nanny Cai entirely. Perhaps he too was ashamed of her ignorance and coarseness. If word spread that someone like her had been his wet nurse, where would his dignity go?
And he had begun to sense that Nanny Cai’s ambitions had grown beyond her station.
A quarrel that might have erupted was quietly quelled by Nanny Liu’s evidence and Tao Yiran’s tears. Yet while Nanny Cai waited anxiously, hoping Tang Rong would come to her rescue, what arrived instead was a notice of her honorable discharge from the household.
“Such matters outside the estate require trustworthy eyes. Nanny, I’ve always placed the utmost trust in you. There’s no one else I would feel at ease entrusting with this task.”
Nanny Cai could hardly believe her ears. Was this truly a dismissal?
“My lord… is it because the Young Madam cannot tolerate me?”
Tang Rong shook his head. “The household is under my mother’s jurisdiction, and Spring Blossom Courtyard has little of real consequence. Do not worry, your husband and son will retain their posts as before. Have them keep a close watch on matters beyond the residence.”
“Very well—pack your things and leave at first light tomorrow.”
How could Nanny Cai not understand now? It was clear Tao Yiran and Nanny Liu could not tolerate her. The Heir had lent his ear to their slander and now sought to cast her out. All these years, her heart had been wholly devoted to him—yet this was the end she received.
Years of service had taught her one thing: pleading would be useless. Tang Rong had a soft heart, and the only way forward was to retreat in order to advance. She drew a deep breath and said,
“Since His Lordship has made his decision, this servant shall obey. I will do my utmost to keep an eye on affairs beyond the estate, and should anything arise, I’ll have my son return to report it at once.”
Tang Rong nodded in satisfaction and handed her fifty taels of silver, thus settling the matter.
“I must trouble you not to speak of our relationship outside the residence. If word spreads, it may hinder your work gathering information.”
Now calm, Nanny Cai’s mind raced. She understood what Tang Rong meant—but she did not blame him. All her hatred was reserved for Tao Yiran.
She could leave for now—but she could not allow herself to go quietly.
Two silent tears fell as she lowered her gaze. “From the day His Lordship was born, this servant has served by your side. At times, I could not help but feel what I should not. Leaving pains me, but I know my station. This day was bound to come.”
“There are only two requests I dare to make—may I ask His Lordship to grant them?”
Tang Rong nodded. “Speak.”
“Xueyu is still on the estate’s country manor. She carries your flesh and blood, and I worry for her deeply. I beg Your Lordship to allow me to tend to her from time to time.”
Tang Rong was moved. Xueyu came from humble origins, and even if she bore him a son, the child would be no more than a concubine-born heir—not destined for greatness. Yet Tao Yiran was delicate in health, and the future was uncertain. In matters of heirs, no detail could be overlooked. Truth be told, he could not say he was indifferent to Xueyu’s child.
Realizing that Nanny Cai was, after all, someone who had always sided with him, Tang Rong’s dissatisfaction toward her softened.
“Trust you to think thoroughly. Very well—I’ll entrust her to your care.”
Thus, Nanny Cai gained another foothold. Concealing her glee, she bowed with even greater deference.
“And then there’s Yingyue. That girl’s heart is true—I have seen it clearly. When Your Lordship was injured, she wept in secret more than once. She has only refrained from tending to you openly out of fear of offending the Young Madam. Yet the Young Madam’s health is fragile, and I fear she cannot care for you properly. Having someone attentive by your side would put my heart at ease.”
“This servant dares ask—please grant the girl a proper title.”
Tang Rong recalled Yingyue’s gentle and thoughtful care. She would be no more than a concubine, and Tao Yiran, being the principal wife, should by tradition raise no objection. In fact, she ought to have brought up such a matter herself to demonstrate her magnanimity. Remembering this, he felt Tao Yiran had failed in her role.
In the end, he consented to both requests.
Nanny Cai knelt and kowtowed deeply.
“Now that Your Lordship has someone to tend to you closely, I can rest easy. May Your Lordship take great care of yourself.”
Tang Rong was moved and nodded. “You must also take care.”
That night, Tao Yiran was especially gentle.
She could tell from this incident just how much Tang Rong favored her. Just a few soft-spoken words from her had led him to cast aside the very nursemaid who had raised him. Even Nanny Liu remarked,
“His Lordship has truly taken you to heart. But I fear he may still harbor some resentment—you should soothe him well.”
As for what that “soothing” entailed, Tao Yiran understood all too clearly.
Juju’s Note:
About the comments… I (belatedly) realized that the comment reCAPTCHA wasn’t working 😭 I tried fixing it multiple times, but technology won this round. So, I’ve disabled it so everyone can comment freely now! That also means… hello, spam 😩 I’ve been tricked a few times—got excited over new comments, only to find out they were spam bots dropping weird links 😂
While we’re here…
If you haven’t rated this novel on Novel Updates yet, please consider doing it! Every little boost helps the project reach more readers. 🤎
Oh! I was just thinking it would be great to comment!
Anywho, Nanny Cai really knows how to retreat to advance huh.