"If anyone comes looking for me while I'm gone, tell them I've gone to relieve myself. Help me cover for me," Xu Yuqing instructed Nanny Song and the maids.
Nanny Song and the maids frowned, appearing hesitant, clearly deeming it inadvisable.
"Eldest Miss, please reconsider. This old servant believes it would be best if you did not go out. While we fear not ten thousand possibilities, we must guard against just one. If your sneaking out is discovered and reported to the Consort Dowager and the Princess, they will be very angry, and it will only be more disadvantageous for you," Nanny Song advised again.
"You are so annoying!" Xu Yuqing's brows furrowed impatiently as she glared at Nanny Song. "I already said it won't be discovered, yet you're still babbling on."
"There won't be any 'just one'! Even if the Consort Dowager and Huangfu Yue find out, so what! Can they eat me, or dare to beat me! At most, they'll just scold me a few times!" Xu Yuqing said dismissively.
Recently, that wretched woman, Consort Dowager Zheng, had been scolding her frequently, and she had gotten used to it, no longer fearing another reprimand.
Nanny Song looked at Xu Yuqing with extreme helplessness. She still felt it was wrong for Xu Yuqing to sneak out against the orders of Consort Dowager Zheng and Huangfu Yue, especially to meet with a man who had suddenly appeared. It felt entirely inappropriate no matter how she thought about it.
Nanny Song, still worried, wanted to dissuade Xu Yuqing further, but Xu Yuqing noticed and preempted her, "Nanny, you don't need to say any more. I have already decided to go."
She gave Nanny Song a warning look, a hint of menace in her eyes. Having raised her and knowing her well, Nanny Song understood what that look signified. She was already displeased, and if Nanny Song continued to persuade her, she would fly into a rage. Although she had raised her and they were close, in Xu Yuqing's eyes, Nanny Song was still ultimately just a servant. If she angered her, Xu Yuqing would turn on her without mercy and even lay hands on her. She had even hit her before!
Sigh—Nanny Song sighed helplessly in her heart. Forget it. She truly couldn't stop her, and there was nothing she could do. She could only let her go, hoping that heaven would protect them and that her outing would not be discovered. And...
Nanny Song looked towards Jiang Shangyun. The softness and helplessness she displayed when facing her mistress Xu Yuqing vanished, replaced by a fierce resolve. With a stern expression, she warned him, "You must protect the Eldest Miss well and ensure she returns safely. If anything happens to her, I will definitely inform the Princess, and the Princess will absolutely not forgive you... You know the Princess's capabilities. She will make you suffer as miserably as can be!"
Facing Nanny Song's threat, Jiang Shangyun quickly cupped his hands. "Nanny, please rest assured. I will definitely protect Second Young Madam and ensure not a single hair of hers is out of place. She will return safely."
Having received Jiang Shangyun's assurance, Nanny Song felt slightly more at ease.
Xu Yuqing wanted to hand Huangfu Ying over to Fang'er, but Huangfu Ying grabbed her. "Mother, are you really going out? Can you not go? I'm afraid..."
"What are you afraid of! How can you, this little girl, be so timid? Truly a hen's heart, even more timid than your fourth aunt!" Xu Yuqing looked at her daughter, displeased, and reached out to pull away her daughter's small hand. She had intended to scold her daughter a few more words, but seeing her daughter's pitiful blinking big eyes, her heart softened. She reached out and stroked her daughter's small head, coaxing her gently, "Xiao Ying'er, be good, be obedient. Mother will be back soon. I'll bring you delicious food and fun things then."
Huangfu Ying moved her small lips, still wanting to keep her mother. But before she could speak, she was met with a warning look from her mother.
"I've told you to be obedient, you need to be good and wait for Mother to come back. Don't say anything Mother doesn't want to hear, or Mother will get angry." Xu Yuqing saw her daughter grab her again, realizing her daughter still didn't want her to leave. So she preemptively warned her daughter, putting on a rather fierce expression.
Seeing her mother's somewhat fierce face, Huangfu Ying instantly remembered how her mother had previously lost her temper, glaring at her and scolding her. She was suddenly frightened and dared not say anything more, releasing her small hand that was holding her mother.
Xu Yuqing's expression turned satisfied. She handed Huangfu Ying to Fang'er, instructing, "Take good care of Miss Ying."
"Yes," Fang'er quickly agreed.
"Fen'er, you follow me," Xu Yuqing said, looking at Fen'er.
Fen'er dared not refuse and was about to nod in agreement when Jiang Shangyun unexpectedly spoke up to stop her. "Second Young Madam, I'm sorry, but you cannot bring a maid with you. Only you can accompany me."
"Why?" Xu Yuqing raised an eyebrow and immediately looked at Jiang Shangyun.
Nanny Song and the maids also immediately looked at Jiang Shangyun, all wearing expressions of confusion, awaiting his explanation.
"Although my martial arts are quite good, to sneak out with someone without being detected, I can only take one person at most. I cannot take two people... taking two people will surely be discovered. Therefore, I can only take you alone. Please forgive me!" Jiang Shangyun said with an apologetic expression, cupping his hands.
Xu Yuqing's brows furrowed. She was a bit conflicted. Going out with Jiang Shangyun, a man outside their circle, without a maid—wouldn't that make it a case of an unmarried man and woman, which seemed somewhat improper...
But Xu Yuqing quickly relaxed her brow. There was nothing improper about it. What was wrong with an unmarried man and woman? She wouldn't do anything with him, and surely he wouldn't dare to do anything to her.
Thinking this, Xu Yuqing's expression became enlightened. She said to Fen'er, "Since it's inconvenient for Guard Jiang to bring both of us, and he can only take me alone, you stay here and take care of Ying'er with Fang'er."
"Yes," Fen'er agreed.
Nanny Song, however, showed disapproval. "Eldest Miss, think thrice. You going out alone with Guard Jiang, an outsider, an unmarried man and woman, is truly improper..."
"How is it improper! He and I are purely innocent. Old woman, don't you think nonsense," Xu Yuqing immediately lowered her face, her lovely features stiffening. She angrily interrupted her wet nurse and scolded her.
Seeing her mistress agitated again, Nanny Song dared not say more. She could only sigh inwardly. It wasn't that she was thinking nonsense, but she feared others would! This Eldest Miss, in order to get out, truly disregards everything and is not afraid of anything, completely unaware of how potent gossip can be. Fortunately, this Jiang Shangyun appears to be a decent person. He likely wouldn't, or rather, wouldn't dare to do anything to the Eldest Miss, who was going out with him alone.
"Second Young Madam, time is limited. We must return before the Eldest Miss does. Let's hurry," Jiang Shangyun said. A lot of time had already been wasted. He had to take Xu Yuqing away immediately because they had to bring Xu Yuqing back before Huangfu Yue returned. He absolutely could not let Huangfu Yue discover that he had taken Xu Yuqing out sneakily, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable. If Huangfu Yue found out, she would definitely not forgive him. He was truly gambling his life right now, risking it all! But it was worth it! As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold!
"Yes, let's go," Xu Yuqing nodded.
Watching the receding figures of Xu Yuqing and Jiang Shangyun, Nanny Song, Fen'er, and Fang'er all wore worried and uneasy expressions. Together, they silently prayed to the heavens to bless Xu Yuqing to go and return quickly, and that her secret outing would not be discovered.