The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 658 - 620: Laying a Trap (First Update)
After Nanny Qin left, Wen Wan went to the back garden and only called Wei Qian out when she saw no one was around.
"What does Madam require?" Wei Qian clasped his fist.
Wen Wan’s usual gentle expression was rare in its severity. She said, "I need you to help me with something."
...
Afraid Wen Wan might send someone after her, Nanny Qin first returned home after leaving.
Her husband still hadn’t been released, and her son Qing was with her sister. As she returned now, only her blind mother-in-law and lame father-in-law were at home.
Seeing the elderly couple with mobility issues, Nanny Qin couldn’t bear it on her conscience and rolled up her sleeves to enter the kitchen, planning to cook them a meal before leaving.
Mrs. Li, the mother-in-law, heard the noise and felt her way along the wall to the outside of the kitchen, "Is San Niang back?"
Nanny Qin responded with a "Hey," "Mom, I came back to see Qing."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li sighed, "If I could see, it would be good to help you for a few days. I’m always worried about troubling your family, fearing what they might think."
"It’s no problem." Nanny Qin tugged at the corners of her lips, "Qing is still nursing. Even if you could see, you couldn’t feed him. Don’t worry about my family. I’ll send some silver over regularly."
They were just two sisters; her sister had taken a son-in-law into the family. Her brother-in-law was a butcher, quite simple and honest. As long as her sister was willing to help take care of the child, her brother-in-law wouldn’t have anything to say.
Mrs. Li thought of something and asked, "With New Year approaching, does the family allow you to come back for a reunion dinner? Dalang has been working outside for several months. He should return for New Year, and you two can bring Qing to have a proper gathering."
Hearing this, Nanny Qin paused in her washing.
The matter of her husband being kidnapped was explained to the in-laws as him working outside to earn money.
Looking at her expectant mother-in-law, Nanny Qin said, "The family has many rules. I managed to return this time thanks to a sister who covered my shift. I can’t stay long before I must leave."
To prevent Mrs. Li from overthinking, she added, "Five taels of silver each month, even a day off costs more than a hundred coins. Where else could I find such a high monthly salary? By working more, I can earn extra money to save for Qing’s education in hopes he can rise to prominence and, like the family master, grant you a noble title."
The dream she painted was so grand that Mrs. Li seemed to show a hint of light in her blind eyes.
After dining with her in-laws, Nanny Qin left behind some things she had brought, giving some broken silver to her father-in-law. Only then did she bid farewell to the elderly couple.
She crouched behind the courtyard door, looked outside, and after confirming there was no one following her, hurried toward the alley.
She had barely walked a few steps when she heard urgent hoofbeats approaching from not far away. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Before she could take a closer look, Nanny Qin found herself pulled onto the horseback.
She had never ridden a horse before and was so frightened she almost cried.
Suddenly, a cold sharp dagger pressed against her neck, and Nanny Qin’s cries were caught in her throat, shivering uncontrollably, "Hero, hero spare my life..."
From fear, she babbled on shakily but was greeted by the man’s cold voice, "Shut up!"
Nanny Qin immediately dared not make a sound.
In the chilly twilight sky of December, the cold wind felt like blades scraping against her face, freezing her into numbness.
Held captive while riding on horseback, Nanny Qin dared not sleep even though she was exhausted.
She didn’t know how long had passed when the horse arrived at a small town, stopping in front of an inn.
Finally.
Nanny Qin secretly breathed a sigh of relief, next moment, she was grabbed by her collar and tossed off the horse.
The movement was so swift that Nanny Qin didn’t have time to react. Once she came to her senses, she only felt the pain in her previously numb body, uncertain of where she was hurt.
The black-clad captor had already ridden off without leaving a word.
Feeling bewildered, Nanny Qin was just about to ask a passerby where she was when a cute young maid emerged from the inn’s lobby.
Upon seeing her, the maid seemed uncertain and asked, "Are you Nanny Qin?"
Nanny Qin instinctively replied with vigilance, "Who are you?"
"The Madam sent me to fetch you." The speaking maid named Shanhu scrutinized Nanny Qin closely.
Upon hearing her identity, Nanny Qin relaxed slightly.
"Follow me." Shanhu said before turning and walking inside.
Nanny Qin cautiously followed.
The two went directly upstairs.
Before entering the room, Nanny Qin vaguely heard intermittent coughing from inside.
Shanhu stopped in the outer room and pointed towards the inner room, "The Madam is inside, you may enter."
Even though the man in black didn’t say anything, Nanny Qin knew who she was meeting today, the one who captured her husband and threatened her to work as a nanny at the Song Mansion to seduce Song Wei.
Previously, she’d only met with the servants, so this was the first time she was meeting the person in charge, making Nanny Qin understandably anxious.
She shuffled her way into the inner room and looked up to see a woman reclining on the bed. The woman was veiled, making it hard to ascertain her age, but the faint coughing and wheezing hinted at her serious illness.
Nanny Qin immediately knelt in greeting, "Servant greets Madam."
Su Yi glanced at her with a half-smile, "Do you know who I am?"
Nanny Qin feigned ignorance and shook her head.
Su Yi caressed her red nail polish, "The silver from the Song family that you’re earning is all thanks to the opportunities I’ve given you."
Nanny Qin hurriedly knelt again, "Servant thanks Madam for her great kindness."
"Indeed, you should thank me," Su Yi chuckled coldly. "Despite all this time, there’s been no progress. If it weren’t for my generosity, do you think you’d still be alive?"
Upon hearing this, Nanny Qin’s face turned pale, "Madam..."
It’s not that she didn’t want to, but Mrs. Wen was too shrewd, as if she had eyes everywhere. Every time she tried to approach Song Wei, Mrs. Wen would appear suddenly, coincidentally ruining her plans.
Su Yi’s cold and sharp gaze swept over her, sneering, "Useless waste!"
Nanny Qin trembled, "Please forgive me, Madam."
Su Yi seemed to be frustrated, "Tell me, what have you done during your time at the Song Mansion?"
Nanny Qin stammered, "The rules at the Song Mansion are strict, not allowing us to roam freely. Servants either stand duty or stay in our rooms."
"What about Song Wei? Has he noticed you?"
"Well..."
Nanny Qin was unsure what to say. He had certainly noticed her. The day Madam gifted the water-red jacket and skirt to her, she wore it to meet her, and as it happened, Song Wei came out and stared at her for quite a while.
But whether that attention meant anything, Nanny Qin was very uncertain.
Seeing her unable to answer for a long time, Su Yi closed her eyes tiredly and gestured to the stool by the table, "Don’t kneel, stand up. There’s tea on the table."
Nanny Qin obediently sat by the table and drank the tea.
Su Yi watched as she drank most of the cup, a cold smile curled under her veil.
It was the tea set she had just used.
When Nanny Qin looked up, Su Yi quickly hid her emotions, sighing, "Fine, if you don’t have the destiny to be a master, just fulfill your duties, and when the time comes, leave the Song Mansion with your money."
Nanny Qin was taken aback. Even without pressure, becoming Song Wei’s concubine had become her long-held wish, and hearing the master call off the plan now left her feeling empty, "Madam, may I ask why the plan was suddenly canceled?"
Su Yi didn’t spare her the sarcasm, "You’re too stupid and only ruin my plans."
Nanny Qin quickly said, "Madam, if you give me time, I can definitely do it."
"How will you do it? Sneak into Song Wei’s bed at night or drug his food to seduce him?"
Nanny Qin choked at this.
Drugging wasn’t easy with Song Wei. He didn’t eat lunch at home; it was prepared by the kitchen early in the morning. Dinners were eaten in Mrs. Wen’s room, attended by several sharp maidservants, where would she find the opportunity to drug him?
Su Yi snorted disdainfully at this.
It’s her fault for being naive. To eliminate Song Wei and Wen Wan’s suspicions, she chose someone with an inconspicuous background, without considering that such a poor woman had never seen wealth, so even if great riches were offered right in front of her, she might not have the ability to fight for them.
"Go back now," Su Yi waved her hand, "Do as I said, and don’t bother trying to get close to Song Wei anymore. Do what you’re supposed to, and leave Song Mansion when the time comes."
She emphasized once more, "If you mention me to anyone upon returning, be careful your son’s life isn’t spared."
Sweat rolled down Nanny Qin’s forehead, she dared not look at Su Yi again, "Madam, rest assured, today I’m only returning home to see my son, not meeting anyone else."
——
Leaving the small town, Nanny Qin visited her parents’ home and spent a day with her son before returning to the Song Mansion.
Entering Qingteng Residence, she wanted to visit the main room to see Madam, but was informed by the maid that Madam is taking a nap and visiting is not allowed.
So Nanny Qin went to the west wing, from afar hearing the cries of the little baby. The on-duty nanny was nowhere to be seen.
Strangely, Nanny Qin felt today’s crying was different from the usual.
She quickened her pace, pushed open the wing door, followed the noise to the inner room, and picked up the baby from the crib to nurse him.
After feeding most of the milk, Nanny Qin suddenly remembered that the food at her parents’ home wasn’t right, and she shouldn’t nurse after returning. She panicked and was about to put the baby back when she realized the child in her arms wasn’t Qi Bao but her own son, Qing.
