Chapter 35 (2/2)

It was not reasonable for her to leave without her own maidservant, was it not?

“Liu Ya, I would like to speak with you.” Sang Wan gazed at Liu Ya with an expression full of seriousness.

“Young Mistress?” Liu Ya could not help but tense up and put her grin away. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, she twirled her fingers around each other.

“No need to be afraid,” Sang Wan smiled before telling her the whole story regarding how Second Old Master s.h.i.+ wishes to have her.

Before even asking for Liu Ya’s opinion, Liu Ya had already fallen onto her knees and crying in front of Sang Wan’s feet. “Young Mistress, Young Mistress, please save this servant! This servant doesn’t want to, this servant doesn’t want to ah!”

“Keep your volume down, quickly, get up!” Sang Wan put her finger onto her lips to gesture Liu Ya to be a little softer before leaning forward to help her up. Gently, Sang Wan asked, “I’m telling you these because I would like to hear your opinion. Since you refuse to go, I have other plans to handle this. However, you must think carefully; are you sure you do not want to? As Second Old Master fancies you, the moment you go over to him, you’ll become his concubine. Are you really sure you do not want to?”

“I don’t want to, I don’t want to!” Liu Ya shook her head desperately and quickly expressed herself, “Second Old Master already has two concubines and three maidservants who’ve done the deed with him! This servant even heard from a servant serving there that those three maidservants were nothing but just a front. In fact, there are several other girls who’ve slept with him but were not given any t.i.tle! This servant would rather not marry in this lifetime than go over there!”

She truly was well-informed!

“Are those words from your heart?”

“Yes, if this servant is lying, this servant deserves to be punished!”

“Well,” Sang Wan nodded. “We’re sisters so it’s natural for me to help you. You just have to listen to me and follow my instructions. When this matter is over, the events in the future are just events which we’ll overcome in the future, how about it?”

Liu Ya wiped her tears and repeatedly agree, “This servant will listen and follow everything Young Mistress says!”

Sang Wan then revealed her solution to Liu Ya before sighing, “Lord’s heart only has Cousin Fangzi. Me suffering on my own is already enough and I do not wish to implicate you. I’ll request for him to help us and confuse others to let this matter pa.s.s. Once that is over, I’ll give you a sum of silver to help you marry officially to a foreign land. This idea is better than letting you become a person of low standing! With this kind intention, I hope you will not blame me for keeping any selfishness, right?”

In Sang Wan’s past life, even though Liu Ya was suffering under the Second s.h.i.+ family, she still remembered Sang Wan and would occasionally visit her stealthily, send her food, help her with several tasks, and would once in a while comfort her. Just by that goodwill, Sang Wan could not ignore the disaster that was about to befall upon her. However, what Sang Wan was even more afraid of was her thinking that she was reluctant to let her become s.h.i.+ Fengju’s concubine and would end up holding a grudge against her. Only when the disaster was imminent did Sang Wan realize how difficult it was to put them into words, but if Liu Ya were to actually fancy s.h.i.+ Fengju, then all she would be doing was welcoming resentment!

Still, what had to be done had to be done.

That was because Sang Wan was clear. She was clear that even if she were to willingly let s.h.i.+ Fengju take in Liu Ya, he would refuse her. Chances were, he might even think that she was trying to break his relations.h.i.+p with Gu Fangzi. But since what they were doing was just an act, then it all ends up to forcing him to help!

And instead of letting s.h.i.+ Fengju outright refused Liu Ya, it would be better for her to give a thorough explanation first. Otherwise, once an ally would become an enemy.

“Young Mistress,” tears flowed down from Liu Ya’s eyes as she spoke, “this servant never had feelings for Young Master! This servant has this saying in her heart and wishes to tell Young Mistress: ‘Rather a poor man’s wife than a rich man’s concubine’. This servant would never, this servant would never… This servant would rather serve Young Mistress for a lifetime and not get married than become a person of low standing! Those are words from the heart, may Young Mistress discern!”

Sang Wan’s heart could not help but ache. Holding onto Liu Ya’s hand tightly, she blinked her wet eyes and nodded, “Liu Ya, if there’s a bowl of rice for me, half will always be yours! Rest a.s.sured!”

Liu Ya desperately nodded as her tears continued to fall.

“Enough, quickly dry your tears!” Sang Wan lifted her handkerchief and dabbed her eyes dry before giving a smile, “if Nanny Li were to see us now, it’ll definitely be met with suspicion. Pretend to be a little happier, en, with a little bit of bashfulness.”

“Young Mistress!” Liu Ya broke into laughter. Hearing Sang Wan’s words, it was difficult for her to continue hanging her head low, and sure enough, there was a little bashfulness in her.

The master and servant gaze at each other and smiled.

Not too long later, the supper Nanny Li had someone prepared was ready. Sang Wan opened the food box and took a look inside. It was steaming and the fragrance inside the food box was excellent. There was a large bowl of noodles with chicken soup, accompanied with several other side dishes such as leafy vegetables, mushrooms, ham, scallops, etc. Both color and smell complimented each other perfectly.

Sang Wan placed the lid back onto the food box and handed it over to Liu Ya. Two servants lit the lanterns before leading the way forward to s.h.i.+ Fengju’s study room.

In order to show enough concern towards s.h.i.+ Fengju, in front of Nanny Li, so long as he had to remain in the study room until late at night, Sang Wan would either have someone send food over or have that done personally by herself. Seeing that Sang Wan had arrived, s.h.i.+ Fengju did not mind her and nodded to have her place the food at a side.

Having sensed that Sang Wan did not have any intentions to leave, s.h.i.+ Fengju finally raised his head and gave her a puzzled look.

After listening to what Sang Wan had to say, s.h.i.+ Fengju became furious and shouted ‘absurd!’. That word was however not meant for Sang Wan but for his own uncle.

Second Uncle s.h.i.+ was lecherous and liked to raise goldfish and birds which s.h.i.+ Fengju already knew but did not mind. That was because it was after all a personal hobby which a rich family like the s.h.i.+ family could sustain. Compared to other families whose elders knew nothing of business but insists in being part of it just for the gains, Second Uncle s.h.i.+ was already considered good!

Note: The word ‘Second ~’ is referring to the Second family.

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