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Chapter 341: The War Begins, the Storm is Coming (II)

Translator: Ning LL

Aunt Kang gave a sudden gasp and jumped out of her skin. This was the first time Minglan retorted her with such harsh words. She couldn’t believe that the coward illegal daughter in her memory had treated her like this. Then Aunt Kang snorted, “You truly are a different girl now. Now that you have married to a powerful man, you even talk differently and dare to contradict your aunt.”

Minglan, eyebrows knitted, said proudly, “It doesn’t matter if my husband is powerful or not. As long as I am alive, I wouldn’t let anyone slander my grandmother like that. Aunt, if you are not satisfied, let’s go to Madam Wang to make things clear.” She would like to see which side Wang shi would take.

Aunt Kang pinched her handkerchief so hard that even her knuckles turned white and her face turned purple with anger. Minglan stirred the tea leaves in the cup with a calm look. Seeing the situation turning bad, Old Madam Qin tried to mediate the dispute at once, “Fine, fine, the two of you should stop. Minglan, how can you be like this. Your aunt’s bark is worse than her bite. Don’t you know that? You shouldn’t get angry.”

Minglan looked at Old Madam Qin and said slowly, “I truly don’t know that.”

“You!” Aunt Kang nearly stood up. Old Madam Qin pressed her down at once and said to Minglan, “All right. Save you words. This is your aunt after all.” Minglan sat steadily and smiled with her mouth but not her eyes, “There are some elders that I am close with, and some I am not. I was raised up by my grandmother. If I said nothing when someone talked about her like this, I cannot call myself a human-being.”

Even Old Madam Qin was shocked this time. Over the past year, no matter what tricks Minglan had played secretly, she had always kept on good terms and spoke nicely. It really was rare for her to speak so much sharp words.

Since this meeting was not going to end well anyway, Minglan didn’t even bother to say another word and only put the lid of the cup on the small begonia table. Danju understood Minglan at once and winked to the young maid beside her. That maid turned around and left quietly. After that, Xiaotao reported in time, “Momo Chang is here. Madam, she invites you to go over.”

Surprised, Minglan turned to Danju, thought, ‘This is not we’ve discussed. When do we change the secret signal?’ Danju was more surprised than her. Before she could come back to her sense, Old Madam Qin had already explained to Aunt Kang affably, “Momo Chang is Sister Bai’s wet nurse.”

Hearing that, Aunt Kang snorted, “She’s just a wet nurse, what’s so proud of? Sister, you are too tolerant. How can you let a servant get so insolent? How dare she ask a madam to leave the elders to meet her?”

Old Madam Qin didn’t say anything with a reluctant smile. That worked well.

Minglan said with a dispassionate tone, seeming quite composed, “Aunt, there’s something you don’t know. Momo Chang is from a decent family. Her father used to be a scholar. She only became the wet nurse in the Bai family because her family declined. Also, she never sold herself to the Bai family, so she shouldn’t be called a servant. My Master has said that he didn’t have so many contacts with the people of the Bai family, so he treats Momo Chang as his families. I don’t dare to disobey his words.” Right at this moment, Minglan was sincerely glad that Gu Tingye had been so wise to raise Momo Chang’s status, which made things easier for Minglan now.

“Master always says that when he spent the hardest time at the outside world, this Momo Chang helped him a lot and took a good care of him. Now come to think about it, she is more like a real family to my master. Comparing to those relatives who remain friendly in appearance but estranged at heart and only want to take advantages of my master, Momo Chang truly is respectful. Master told me that I should never slight her.” Minglan’s speech got more and more fluent. As saying this, she also paid attention to the looks on the two women’s faces.

Old Madam Qin still wore that reluctant smile, but Aunt Kang’s face already turned purple.

“Then, I’ll have to bid farewell you.”

Having stood up elegantly, Minglan held her belly and walked out happily with Danju’s support. After she asked Xiaotao at the outside, she then knew that the latter hadn’t changed the secret signal randomly. Momo Chang truly had come. Minglan chuckled at once. These days Momo Chang always came over to chat with Minglan and tell some funny antidotes in the countryside. Listening to those things truly helped Minglan kill time.

“By this time next year, Little Master will be able to crawl on the ground.” Momo Chang stared at Minglan’s belly beamingly.

“Momo, how did you know that it was a boy?” Minglan rubbed the back of her waist. Ever since Gu Tingye had left, her belly got more and more swollen. Before, she hadn’t been showing in loose clothes. Now her belly was already very big.

“Madam, you condition show that it’s a boy. Your belly is pointy and your pelvis is round. The baby is very possible to be a boy.”

Minglan burst into laughter and asked puzzledly, “Momo, you know how to see this?”

Momo Chang picked up the needle in the basket and said complacently, “I have been observing people for decades. My eyes are sharp!” She tilted her head, seeming to have remembered the past. Then she said proudly and also sadly, “At that time, due to my family’s difficulties, we just wanted a steady feed. After I got into the Bai family and became the wet nurse of Eldest Lady Bai, Old Master Bai was very generous to us so our lives have turned better. Speaking of that, Nain’s father is only three months younger than Eldest Lady Bai. Alas, now, they were both…” As mentioning of that, she couldn’t help but get distressed.

Minglan held Momo Chang’s hand and said gently, “Momo, these days must be so difficult to you. You have been through so many things over these years. There is justice in this world. You have already come to the end of your tribulations. You’ll always enjoy happiness from now on.” Momo Chang wasn’t a sentimental person. Minglan’s words enlightened her at once. Minglan then said, “Momo, thanks for visiting me so often. It’s so kind of you.”

Momo Chang waved her hand, “It’s nothing. Even Tingye hasn’t told me to come before he had left, I would still come here often. Yanzi has already got married and Nian is busy with study now. I’ve got nothing else to do at home. Besides, I could have free meal here.”

“How’s Nian’s study lately?”

“Great, very great, everything’s perfect.” Momo Chang beamed, “His tutor is a knowledgeable man and his classmates are all great boys, especially Changdong from the Sheng family. That boy treats others very nice and never puts on airs even though he is a noble master. He has even come to my house to eat.”

Minglan said with a smile, “My other two brothers both got married and settled down. Fourth brother must be bored at home. It is the best that he could study with a boy at his age like Nian.” As saying this, Minglan and Momo Chang both laughed.

Momo Chang had been through numerous hardships and seen the fickleness of human nature. She had heard all kind of compliments and slanders, which made her the toughest and most sensible person. Minglan felt pleased to talk with her. Now that everything was calm and smooth, she also stayed gentle and soft. Minglan nearly forgot this woman’s brilliant records. However, soon, she had a chance to witness that.

As Aunt Kang visited Old Madam Qin more and more frequently, Momo Chang also knew about the former’s existence. Xiahe told Momo Chang secretly, “That Madam Kang truly is annoying. She always calls our Madam to go there to accompany her. After our madam declined her for a few times, Old Madam Qin started to speak ill of our Madam.” Momo Chang buried those words in mind. One day, right after Aunt Kang arrived, Momo Chang came in a hurry too.

Minglan had just sent Mama Xiang away. The latter had stayed in House of Auspiciousness for half an hour and kept putting pressure on Minglan. Minglan ignored everything she had said. In Minglan’s view, the virtuous reputation meant nothing compared to her health.

After Momo Chang knew about that, she went straightly to Daylily Garden.

As Aunt Kang saw Momo Chang, she sneered the latter right away. Momo Chang wasn’t irritated at all and said politely, “Please let me take advantage of my seniority. I’ll have to apologize for my Madam. She’s pregnant now and feel inconvenient to move. You are both her families, I think you’ll show understanding for her.” Aunt Kang kept snorting, “Is she the only woman who’ll give birth to a child? She just puts up the front and shows disrespect to the elders relying on the baby in her belly…”