In the evening, Jiang Changning personally took a ginseng from the reward and gave it to Old Madam Zhuang. "Old Madam, this ginseng looks pretty good to me, but I can't use it, so I brought it here. How do you use it?"
"This ginseng is probably hundreds of years old, Ning girl, are you really willing to take it out?" asked Old Mrs. Zhuang.
Jiang Changning smiled, "I would be reluctant to give the ginseng to others, but I have no regrets about giving it to the old lady."
Mrs. Zhuang was very satisfied with this answer and asked her maid to put the ginseng away.
Having won her favor, Jiang Changning took the opportunity to say, "Madam, the nanny has taken care of Changning for sixteen years and treated Changning very well, just like her own child. Now she has been away from home for many days to recuperate. Changning wants to go see her."
"She is a patient. You have always been in poor health. If you get infected, it will be serious. Just send the maid to see her." Old Mrs. Zhuang disagreed with her going out.
In the past six years, Jiang Changning has gone out only a few times.
It would be more accurate to say that he was imprisoned by the Zhuang family rather than being a guest at the Zhuang family's house.
"I know the old lady is doing this for my own good. She just asked others to go and see. After all, there is a layer of separation, so we can't know all the details. Changning feels really uneasy, so please allow me to go in person." Jiang Changning said as he knelt down.
Seeing her determined look, Mrs. Zhuang said, "Then go there tomorrow. The sooner you go, the sooner you can return."
"Yes, old lady." Jiang Changning replied respectfully.
After a while, Zhuang Qingyu and Zhuang Qingchan came and thanked Jiang Changning politely.
Jiang Changning smiled and said, "It's just a little thing, how can it be worth your thanks again and again."
"The things were given to you by the Empress Dowager. You are generous if you are willing to share them with us. If someone gets your things but doesn't show gratitude, then he is an ungrateful person." Zhuang Qingyan walked in.
Zhuang Qingmei followed behind her with an embarrassed look on her face.
It was quite obvious who Zhuang Qingyan was targeting.
The second wife's elder sister and illegitimate sister have always been at odds with each other.
Jiang Changning didn't want to get involved in the affairs between the sisters, so she smiled and said, "I've found the pattern book you asked me for last time. I'll have the maid bring it to you later."
"No need for the maid to send me off. After dinner, I'll go back to your yard with you." Zhuang Qingyan loves needlework.
As they were talking, Mrs. Wu came with her two daughters-in-law, and then Mrs. Zou also came.
After lunch, it was already dusk and the old woman was holding a lantern in front to provide lighting.
Zhuang Qingyan followed Jiang Changning back to the yard and took away the pattern book.
The next morning, Jiang Changning took Shufei, Fucui and four little maids to say goodbye to the old lady of the village.
Old Madam Zhuang didn't say much, she just told Shu Fei and the others to serve well.
Come out of Old Lady Zhuang’s yard and go to the second gate.
After passing through the hanging flower gate and the garden, I heard someone calling, "Sister Ning."
Jiang Changning stopped and looked back. It was Zhuang Jike. His brows slightly frowned. This guy had skipped school again.
But she had no say in this matter, so she nodded as a courtesy, "Fourth Brother Ke."
"Sister Ning, are you going out?" Zhuang Jike asked.
"Yes." Jiang Changning replied.
"Sister Ning, where are we going?" Zhuang Jike asked.
Jiang Changning smiled faintly and said, "Go see my wet nurse."
"I'm fine. I'll go with you."
Jiang Changning frowned. Ever since she knew that Zhuang Jike was a man who liked to humble himself in front of women, she kept her distance from him and maintained the proper etiquette between relatives.
She thought that with her distant attitude, Zhuang Zike would also stay away from her.
However, she didn't expect that Zhuang Jike seemed to have a masochistic physique. He kept pestering her again and again, making Wu always feel that she was seducing Zhuang Jike.
Oh my God, she was really wronged!
"Today is not a day off, why doesn't Brother Ke Si go to school?" Jiang Changning asked.
"Although you are on holiday at home, Brother Ke Si should not slack off. Read more books, write more articles, or visit those officials..."
"Sister, you are becoming more and more vulgar." Zhuang Jike interrupted her and left quickly.
"This Mr. Ke has the nerve to say that the girl is vulgar. He is the most vulgar person." Fu Cui looked at Zhuang Jike's receding back and spat lightly.
Jiang Changning smiled and chanted: "Although he has a good appearance, he is full of ruffians in his heart. He is poor and ignorant of worldly affairs, stupid and stubborn and afraid of reading. His behavior is eccentric and his personality is eccentric. He has no hope for his country and family."
I don't remember where I saw this sentence, but it is quite suitable to describe Zhuang Jike.
"What the girl said makes a lot of sense." Su Fei said with a smile.
When we walked through the garden to the second gate, the carriage was already parked there.
Shu Fei took two quick steps, took out a plain purse from her sleeve pocket, and handed it to the driver, "Uncle Biao, you have worked hard driving the car, this is a reward from the girl."
The driver raised his lips and said, "Thank you for the reward, Miss."
He put the small wooden stool away attentively and said, "Cousin, please get in the carriage."
The carriage passed through the streets and alleys and stopped outside a house.
Madam Zhou's two sons, Zhou Chengxin and Zhou Shouxin, were already waiting at the door. When the carriage stopped, they stepped forward and called out, "Young lady."
Jiang Changning held Fu Cui's hand and stepped on a small stool to get off the carriage. "My two brothers, there's no need to be so polite. How is the nurse?"
"Mother is in good health, please come in, young lady." Zhou Chengxin knew that Jiang Changning had a deep relationship with his mother, and he lied for fear that she would be worried.
Jiang Changning entered the house and walked inside.
When they arrived at the courtyard where Nanny Zhou lived, her two daughters-in-law, Miao and Luo, who were guarding Nanny Zhou, heard the noise and came out to greet them.
Seeing the two men's haggard faces and bloodshot eyes, Jiang Changning's heart sank suddenly.
"No need to be so polite." Jiang Changning didn't bother to exchange pleasantries with them. He walked past the two of them in a hurry, lifted the curtain and walked in.
A strong smell of medicine hit his face, and Jiang Changning took two steps at a time and ran straight to the bed.
Nanny Zhou lay flat on the bed with her eyes closed and her face pale. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of her chest, she would have looked like she was dead.
The old man who had taken care of her for sixteen years was now at the end of his life.
"Nurse! Nanny!" Jiang Changning burst into tears.
"Girl, don't cry, good girl, don't cry, nurse will sing a song for you." Nanny Zhou was already confused due to her illness. When she heard Jiang Changning's crying voice, she habitually said the words to coax her.
"Nurse, wake up, wake up." Jiang Changning called.
Nanny Zhou slowly opened her eyes and looked at the person beside the bed, "Young lady?"
"Nurse, your daughter is here to see you, nurse." Jiang Changning burst into tears.
Jiang's mother was frail and sickly and could not take care of Jiang Changning personally.
Nanny Zhou played the role of a mother and treated Jiang Changning as her own daughter.
"Don't cry, my girl. Your eyes will become swollen from crying. Be good and don't cry." Nanny Zhou tried hard to raise her hand to wipe Jiang Changning's tears. "Nanny is fine. Nanny is just tired. Take a rest."
Jiang Changning quickly wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, "Nanny, I'm not crying anymore."
"Be good, young lady. Help me up." Madam Zhou pulled the corners of her mouth and revealed a smile.
Miao and Shufei stepped forward and helped Jiang Changning to help Nanny Zhou sit up.
Mrs. Luo quickly stuffed a large pillow behind Nanny Zhou.
(End of this chapter)