Chapter 310: She Ought to Have Someone Accompanying Her
Along the way, Nanny Shi merely followed Wen Yao. No matter what Wen Yao did, she didn’t interfere, simply remaining by her side. Even with Wen Yao’s easygoing nature, she eventually noticed something was off.
“Nanny, what’s wrong with you today?” Inside the horse carriage, Wen Yao couldn’t help asking.
Seeing her ask, Nanny Shi ultimately let out a sigh and said, “Miss, as there is no mistress in the household, there are many matters Miss might not be entirely clear about. Allow this old servant to presume and speak to Miss properly about them.”
“Alright, do tell.” Wen Yao sat up straight at once, looking like a well-behaved child.
This reaction brought a subtle smile to Nanny Shi’s face, her eyes filled with nothing but doting affection as she looked at Wen Yao. After a moment of hesitation, she eventually spoke: “Miss, you’ll be twelve after the New Year. For women in many households, twelve is the age where marriage prospects begin to be considered. Furthermore, the grander the family, the more they care about a woman’s reputation.
“This old servant has been with the Wen family for so long and naturally understands the Wen family’s ways. Miss is also different from those women raised deep in the inner chambers. Yet for the sake of a woman’s reputation, this old servant boldly ventures to say that Miss is a young lady after all. Guard Xun Feng possesses exceptional martial arts and can indeed protect Miss’s safety, but he is a male after all—an adult male at that. It presents many inconveniences.”
Having said this, Nanny Shi knew that with Miss’s cleverness, she would surely understand her meaning.
Sure enough, Wen Yao reacted to what Nanny Shi meant as well.
Although she didn’t harbor any improper thoughts and considered Xun Feng purely a friend, every single time it was just herself going in and out accompanied by Xun Feng. She didn’t feel anything was wrong, and Wen Xiuyi—who had also come from the modern era like her—wouldn’t feel anything was wrong either. Although Old Madam Luo felt it was somewhat improper, she turned a blind eye to it out of trust in Xun Feng’s character.
Yet human gossip was a fearful thing, and continuing like this indefinitely was ultimately not a solution.
Seeing that she had taken it to heart, Nanny Shi spoke again: “This old servant is advanced in age and cannot run around following Miss everywhere at all times. Constantly trailing after Miss like this only drags Miss down, yet this old servant simply must follow.
“Although Master holds only a Seventh-Rank position now, this old servant knows Master’s future official career lies far ahead. Miss is a genuine young lady of an official household as well. If someone with malicious intent spreads rumors disadvantageous to Miss, it will be detrimental to both Master and Miss.
“This old servant knows Miss is kind-hearted and does not care for these formalities. However, the world is as it is, and things are inherently harder for women…”
After reflecting on it, Wen Yao understood Nanny Shi’s painstaking intentions as well and asked, “Nanny, then what do you suggest we do?”
“Miss ought to have a thoughtful maid by her side. That way, when Miss goes out bringing a maid along, no one will be able to say anything even if you take Guard Xun Feng as well. After all, given Miss’s legitimate status as a young lady of an official household, bringing a guard along is by no means excessive,” Nanny Shi said.
Wen Yao finally understood—after circling around such a large loop, Nanny simply wanted her to get a maid.
Yet a personal maid was, plainly speaking, one’s trusted confidante. Where could she find one on such short notice?
Seeming to read Wen Yao’s thoughts, Nanny Shi said, “Broker Deng is a decent broker. The people trained under his hand are bound to be good. Miss need only pick one who looks pleasing to the eye, and this old servant will take her to train for a period of time, allowing Miss to observe her further when using her.”
Saying this, Nanny Shi let out a sigh: “Hua’er is still a bit too young after all. If Hua’er were a few years older, keeping Miss company would be just right. That way, the two siblings—one following Miss and one following the Young Master—couldn’t be better.”
In the year since little Hua’er arrived at the Wen household, she had grown quite a bit, yet she remained merely an innocent, ignorant child. Her greatest awareness was simply that she was a servant and Wen Yao was the mistress. Beyond that, she couldn’t do much. Never mind having her attend Wen Yao—even when having her pour tea or fetch water, one had to worry about the girl spilling it and scalding herself. That wouldn’t be her taking care of Miss, but Miss turning around to take care of her.
Yet Hua’er was an obedient girl, learning whatever Nanny Shi taught her, always obediently following Lu Jiang’s wife or Aunt Lu to do whatever chores were within her capacity.
Give it a few more years. After a few more years when she grows up a bit more, she can be assigned to attend to Miss.
With Nanny Shi putting it this way, what else could Wen Yao say? Lifting the carriage curtain, she instructed Xun Feng to head to Broker Deng’s agency.
Xun Feng had actually overheard most of their conversation from outside, understanding Nanny Shi’s intention as well, and drove the carriage straight to Broker Deng’s agency.
Arriving at the agency, the shop assistant caught sight of Wen Yao and hurriedly ran over to greet her, then ran to the back courtyard to call Broker Deng.
“Aiya, Yao Yao has arrived!”
Wen Yao nodded: “Hello, Uncle Deng. I’m troubling you again.”
Broker Deng smiled and stroked his beard. He had long known that the Wen family’s future fortunes would be grand, and he had indeed judged correctly. Wen Xiuyi had become an official—even if the rank was minor, he was still an official. Furthermore, who in Yunwu Town didn’t know about the new high-yield crops? His future prospects were boundless.
Thus, upon seeing members of the Wen family, Broker Deng treated them with extreme courtesy, desiring only to forge a good relationship with them.
“What talk of trouble? What is it? Is there anything Uncle Deng can help with? Just say the word,” Broker Deng said with a smile.
Wen Yao cast a glance at Nanny Shi, who spoke up: “Manager Deng, long time no see.”
Broker Deng raised his eyebrows. Seeing Nanny Shi’s current attire, he figured she was living quite well in the Wen household.
“Nanny Shi looks to be living quite well,” Broker Deng remarked.
Nanny Shi offered a slight curtsy: “Our masters are considerate toward us, so our days are naturally good. However, we haven’t come today to catch up with Manager Deng.
“It’s like this: do you happen to have a suitable young maid here? She needs to possess a good character, be able to endure hardship, and naturally have a simple mind as well.”
Wen Yao was the sole mistress in the Wen household; Master and the Eldest Young Master were both single. If they brought back someone with impure thoughts, it might throw the household into turmoil. Thus, Nanny Shi placed heavy emphasis on good character and a simple mind.
Broker Deng caught her drift in a flash.
“Alright, I’ll take you to have a look.” Broker Deng nodded, leading Wen Yao into the back courtyard, winding around a corner before reaching a standalone small courtyard. He said to Wen Yao, “The girls here have been raised by me since they were young, trained right from the start to become personal maids. Take a look first to see if there’s any you like. If none are suitable, Uncle Deng will pick others for you.”
Although Wen Yao didn’t agree with this method of selecting people like choosing cabbages, she had to follow local customs. In any place, one had to abide by its rules, or one would become the odd one out.
At this thought, Wen Yao looked at Broker Deng and said, “I trust Uncle Deng’s judgment. Help me pick two, Uncle Deng—one to follow me, and one to follow Nanny to serve as her assistant.”
Hearing this, Broker Deng understood and nodded: “Alright.” Saying that, Broker Deng instructed an older servant woman who had been attending off to the side when they entered: “Go call Mingyue and Minglan over.”
The woman curtsied and went to call the girls.
Before long, the woman returned to the courtyard with two young girls of thirteen or fourteen in tow. Neither looked particularly glamorous, yet both possessed delicate, neat features. Standing in the courtyard at this moment, both displayed exceptionally respectful attitudes, standing quietly without moving an inch, waiting for the master’s next instruction.
