Mentioning Yunniang, Xiao Du’s grip on her hand suddenly tightened. He was slightly stunned before asking with some suspicion, “Why do you suddenly want to ask about this?”
Yuanxi felt even more guilty and quickly lowered her head, her gaze somewhat panicked as she said, “Nothing, I just suddenly wanted to know about some things from when you were little.”
Xiao Du stared at her for a long time, then reached out to gently stroke the top of her head, “Xier, has something happened? We are husband and wife – if something happens, we should face it together.”
Yuanxi’s heart beat somewhat fast. In that moment, she almost wanted to blurt out everything – all her suspicions and unease – but she quickly suppressed this thought. Before finding evidence, she didn’t want him to know that his mother might have problems. So she put on a nonchalant expression, “Really, nothing happened. If you don’t want to talk about it, forget it.”
Xiao Du’s eyes showed a moment of disappointment as he looked at her, but he still smiled, “Fine, since you say nothing happened, I won’t ask anymore.”
His words were gentle, but they made Yuanxi’s heart feel as if it had been lightly tugged. She knew Xiao Du must have noticed something, yet he still chose to trust her and not pry into what she was unwilling to say. This was the greatest tolerance and respect he could give her.
Just as she was sighing in bewilderment, Xiao Du slowly began to speak, “When I was little, I didn’t have anyone particularly close to me. It seems that since I became sensible, the maids and servants around me kept changing. The only one who stayed with me was Yunniang.” Recalling the past, Xiao Du’s eyes also showed some confusion. Only now did he realize that from childhood, he had never had fixed attendants. Then he heard Yuanxi ask softly again, “Is there anyone you remember particularly clearly?”
He lowered his head and saw her face full of earnest expectation. Suddenly he recalled something from long ago and said, “There seemed to be a wet nurse who was already quite old. I remember once seeing her in Yunniang’s room. She pulled me and said she had held me since I was born, but Yunniang said her eyes couldn’t see and her mind wasn’t very clear, so she only took care of me for two years before leaving the residence.”
“Do you know where she is now?” Yuanxi couldn’t help but blurt out. Xiao Du looked at her with increasingly probing eyes but only shook his head, “That time she came back to the residence to get some things. I was very young then and found her somewhat strange, so I didn’t dare get close to her. She left that same day, and I didn’t ask much.”
Yuanxi knew he must be very puzzled inside, so she grasped his hand, “Actually, I just suddenly wanted to know more about your childhood. Now that Yunniang isn’t here, I don’t know who else to ask.” She looked up with a sweet smile, “As repayment, I’ll tell you all about my childhood too, okay?”
Xiao Du pulled her into his embrace, gently resting his chin on top of her head, “Whatever it is, as long as you’re happy. But you must remember – if there’s any difficulty, you must tell me. Don’t try to handle it alone!”
Yuanxi quickly nodded, putting on an obedient expression. Then, feeling it wasn’t enough, she stood on tiptoe and lightly pecked his lips. When Xiao Du couldn’t help but try to catch her for a proper kiss, she blushed and dodged while laughing, “No more – Nanny Li is still waiting outside to serve dinner.” Xiao Du was reluctant, holding her in his arms and lowering his head to gently bite her ear, saying resentfully, “You’re getting better and better at tormenting people.”
However, that night he settled this account with full interest, making her beg for mercy repeatedly before stopping. The next morning, when An’he was dressing Yuanxi, she secretly blushed and couldn’t help teasing, “This servant thinks madam should wear that high-collared silk jacket today, otherwise I’m afraid everyone in the residence will be staring at madam.”
Only then did Yuanxi remember the marks that man had deliberately left on her neck last night. She blushed and turned to pretend to pinch An’he’s mouth. An’he quickly covered her mouth to stop laughing and hurriedly helped her dress properly. While smoothing her freshly arranged hair, Yuanxi said, “I want to go out with Third Miss today to have some fun. You don’t need to follow us, understood?”
An’he hesitated, “But what if…”
Yuanxi knew she was worried about her and smiled reassuringly, “Your miss is already grown up – can’t she go out of the residence by herself? Besides, I’ll have Xuan’er with me, so nothing will happen.”
Seeing her mind was made up, An’he could only nod in agreement, thinking she should discuss this properly with Nanny Li later. Just as she had this thought, Yuanxi had already stood up and quickly walked toward the door. An’he watched her hurried departing figure and didn’t come to her senses for a long time.
The tea leaves slowly unfurled in the pale yellow tea, then gently swirled as the cup was shaken. Zhou Jingyuan’s gaze moved away from the teacup in Yuanxi’s hands, looking quite embarrassed as he said, “Why does madam suddenly want to ask about this?”
Yuanxi showed an embarrassed expression and lowered her head, “Because I’m thinking that I’ll have that day someday too, so I want to find some suitable candidates in advance so I won’t be flustered when the time comes.”
Zhou Jingyuan finally understood and quickly said, “Madam, rest assured. Our marquis’s residence always has wet nurses ready – we absolutely won’t neglect you and the future young master.”
“That may be so, but I think since she was able to be A’Du’s wet nurse back then, she must have had some exceptional qualities. I thought it would be good to seek her out for advice first. Besides, A’Du did drink her milk for several years – as his wife, I also want to see how this wet nurse is doing now.” Yuanxi looked up and smiled at Zhou Jingyuan, “I heard that after leaving the residence, this wet nurse was settled in a house provided by the marquis’s residence. Uncle Zhou must know where she lives, right?”
Zhou Jingyuan’s expression became embarrassed again. After trying to deflect with several sentences and seeing he really couldn’t avoid it, he had to take out a register and check for a while before saying, “That wet nurse is surnamed Fang and now lives in West Fourth Alley in Chongren Ward. This is the address.”
Yuanxi quickly leaned over to write it down, then smiled at Zhou Jingyuan, “Thank you, Uncle Zhou.”
Zhou Jingyuan still worriedly cautioned, “This wet nurse cannot see and is now old with an unclear mind. It would be better if madam didn’t go.”
Yuanxi was in a good mood now and stood up easily, “I understand everything. Uncle Zhou doesn’t need to worry.”
Zhou Jingyuan saw Yuanxi out, somehow feeling that something would happen, but when he thought of that wet nurse’s condition, he shook his head and blamed himself for overthinking. Even if madam really found this wet nurse, she probably wouldn’t be able to get any information from her.
West Fourth Alley was inhabited by the lowest class of common people, so it was full of marketplace atmosphere. Therefore, when an imposing carriage passed through, it inevitably drew many glances.
The carriage slowly stopped in front of a small courtyard. Two noble women wrapped in thick cloaks got down from the carriage. The older one walked to the driver’s side and said a few words to him quietly. The driver nodded and drove the carriage to wait at the alley entrance.
The woman was naturally Yuanxi with Xiao Zhixuan. They looked at each other in front of the door, then stepped forward to knock on the wooden door. A somewhat simple-looking man poked his head out from inside. Seeing two women with the appearance and bearing of figures from a painting standing at his door, his eyes went straight as he stuttered, “You… who are you looking for?”
Xiao Zhixuan had never seen such a rough marketplace man and couldn’t help lowering her head and stepping back. Yuanxi gently squeezed her hand and smiled at the man, “May I ask if there’s a granny surnamed Fang here who used to be a wet nurse at the Marquis Xuanyuan’s residence?”
The man had a sudden realization and called out, “You’re looking for my mother!” His eyes suddenly lit up, “Did the marquis’s residence remember my mother? Although my mother can’t see, she’s in great health. Of course, for nursing… that’s not possible anymore, but she can handle any other work.”
Yuanxi was somewhat dumbfounded and really couldn’t bear to listen to him continue. She quickly took out silver from her sleeve, “We are indeed from the marquis’s residence. We have some old matters to ask Granny Fang about. Please do us this favor, big brother.”
When the man saw the silver in her hand, his eyes went even straighter. Before she finished speaking, he quickly reached out to snatch it, his face blooming into a flower-like smile. He called out a plump woman from inside and whispered some instructions in her ear. The woman immediately beamed with joy and led Yuanxi and Xiao Zhixuan to a small room.
The room reeked of staleness and was so dark not a ray of light could be seen. The woman said somewhat embarrassedly, “My mother-in-law can’t see, so the room is a bit dark. Should I get you a lamp?”
But Yuanxi waved her hand, “No need to trouble yourself. Please prepare some food for us, big sister. Of course, we’ll pay for the meal later.”
Hearing there was more silver to be earned, the woman desperately suppressed her grin that was about to fly off her face. She repeatedly praised her own cooking while muttering things like “you’ve come to the right place” before backing out of the room.
Yuanxi certainly didn’t want to eat – she just wanted an excuse to send the woman away. Now that the room was finally quiet, she and Xiao Zhixuan both sighed with relief and tentatively approached a figure in the corner.
But the figure suddenly moved, and a pair of dark but lifeless eyes turned directly toward them, “Who is it!”
Yuanxi quickly smiled, “Is this Granny Fang? We’re from the Marquis Xuanyuan’s residence.” She thought for a moment and added, “Yunniang sent me to find you.”
Granny Fang was startled, then immediately called out joyfully, “Yunniang! She still remembers me!”
Yuanxi sighed inwardly but still smiled, “She often mentions you to us, saying you put in a lot of effort when the young master was born. The young master’s success today owes much to your contribution.”
Granny Fang’s aged face immediately lit up, making her appear much younger. She gently tapped her already stiff knees and curved her lips, “That’s natural. The young master was placed in my arms as soon as he was born and grew up drinking my milk.”
Yuanxi keenly caught the strange part of her words and quickly asked, “The young master was placed in your arms as soon as he was born? What about the princess? When did she take the young master back?”
Granny Fang was still immersed in her memories, “After returning to the residence, the princess naturally took the young master back, but the nursing – that could only be done by me.”
Yuanxi heard her speaking incoherently and had to patiently continue asking, “Why do you say ‘returning to the residence’? Wasn’t the young master born in the residence?”
Granny Fang was confused by her string of questions. She frowned and thought for a long time, then suddenly shook her head, “Can’t remember, can’t remember. It was a red house, the place with lanterns hanging.”
Then she seemed somewhat agitated and began walking around the room, constantly muttering, “The princess hates cherry blossoms and wants to cut down all the cherry trees! Young master, the cherry blossoms are gone, stop crying… The young master cried for so long, Yunniang, go quickly and call the princess… So many people crying, so noisy!” She suddenly covered her ears and screamed, startling Yuanxi and Xiao Zhixuan, who quickly tried to calm her down. At this moment, the man pushed the door open and rushed in, supporting Granny Fang, “Mother, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?”
However, Granny Fang continued swaying, muttering under her breath. Yuanxi and Xiao Zhixuan understood they wouldn’t get any more information and could only sigh, leave some loose silver, and take their leave.
The two remained silent all the way until they returned to the marquis’s residence. Xiao Zhixuan dismissed the maids from the room and said with some disappointment, “So that wet nurse really can’t remember anything clearly. It seems this trip was wasted.”
But Yuanxi’s face looked rather grim as she said quietly, “No, she told us many things.” She clenched her somewhat pale knuckles and took a deep breath before continuing, “A’Du told me he was born in May, but Granny Fang just said the young master wanted to see cherry blossoms. How could there still be cherry blossoms in May?”
Xiao Zhixuan followed her reasoning and also gasped, “That means big brother’s real birth date should be before May.”
“Exactly.” Yuanxi nodded, “So that year when A’Du was born, they had to leave the residence, so no one in the residence would know his real birth date. And if we speculate this way, they must have stayed outside for more than a month. Why, according to Granny Fang’s words, did the princess only want to hold A’Du after returning to the residence? Why did the young master cry for so long and the princess wouldn’t go to him…”
The remaining words stuck in her throat. After a long pause, she finally looked up and said tremblingly, “Xuan’er, I suspect your big brother… might not be the princess’s biological child.”