Chapter 74 Nanny Xu Blocked Outside
Chapter 74 Nanny Xu Blocked Outside
Soon, Chen Hu entered the room to report to Ji Yuntang: "Princess, I've found that Nanny Xu has indeed gone out, heading toward the yamen. Do you think she's really going to report us to the officials?"
On ordinary days, besides protecting Luo Junhe's safety, he also had the task of keeping an eye on Nanny Xu and Liu Linlang's every move.
If there was any unusual behavior, he would notify Ji Yuntang.
Ji Yuntang sneered, "Let her go. I'd like to see what the officials can do to me, the Princess."
A servant suing their master—how ridiculous!
If Nanny Xu wanted to court death, she wasn't going to stop her. At worst, she would spill the beans on all of Nanny Xu's misdeeds in Prince Ye's Mansion to the public, and see where she could hide her wrinkled old face then.
By then, even Luo Junhe might not be able to save her.
Nanny Xu did go to report her. She knew very well that since Ji Yuntang had just won the top prize in the medical competition today, if she could tack on a case of bullying subordinates to the mix, the good rep Ji Yuntang had built up would take a huge hit.
If the matter escalated further, it would reach the ears of the Emperor and Empress, painting Ji Yuntang as some heartless tyrant. Maybe in their anger, they'd have her divorced.
Then Prince Ye's Mansion would be hers again, all of it, including the twenty thousand taels of gold, all dropping right into her hands.
Thinking this, Nanny Xu felt all giddy, and her steps got even bouncier.
Little did she know, a bunch of people had already got their eyes on her.
When Nanny Xu reached a corner, a few guys dressed as shop assistants surrounded her.
Out of the crowd came a tall, sharp-looking middle-aged man in a gray robe. Seeing him, Nanny Xu's face went pale, and her fat jiggled uncontrollably.
"Manager Cui, isn't the repayment date still two days away? I've been trying to find a way. Why are you stopping me like this?"
Manager Cui looked at her, a sly glint in his eyes. "Fifteen thousand taels of silver, with a one-year term, and only two days left—no, not even two days, exactly one day and three hours. If you can't repay this sum, then I'll have to go to Prince Ye's Mansion to collect the debt."
"After all, the IOU isn't signed under your name, Nanny Xu, but under Prince Ye, Luo Junhe."
Hearing this, Nanny Xu's legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
"Manager Cui, please give me a few more days. I'll definitely gather the silver and repay you."
"Please keep this matter confidential and don't let Prince Ye know."
Manager Cui smiled, his expression suddenly becoming kind: "Easy, easy. Since you claim you can repay the debt, I'll give you another three days. As long as you can gather the sum, then our Jincheng Bank won't give you a hard time, Nanny Xu."
With that, Manager Cui suddenly pulled out an abacus from his belt and started fiddling with it in front of Nanny Xu.
"Oh, and I forgot to mention, the principal of fifteen thousand taels, plus interest, now comes to nineteen thousand eight hundred and sixty-two taels of silver. If you keep stalling, the interest will double. If you don't want to end up in prison, Nanny Xu, you'd better pay up quick."
With that, Manager Cui waved his hand and left with his guys.
Once they were gone, Nanny Xu collapsed to the ground. She felt that in just the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, her back was drenched in sweat.
No one knew that a year ago, she'd borrowed fifteen thousand taels of silver from a bank outside, using Luo Junhe's name.
Luo Junhe, bedridden and clueless, had no idea. Nanny Xu had figured that with the silver she'd embezzled, plus what she'd skimmed from Prince Ye's Mansion, she could pay off the debt.
But Ji Yuntang showing up had messed up all her plans.
Now, she was desperate to get her hands on Ji Yuntang's gold—partly because of Liu Linlang's face, and partly because this debt was coming due.
Thinking this, Nanny Xu lost all interest in reporting to the officials and instead turned her mind back to that twenty thousand taels of gold.
"No, I have to go back and think of a way. I gotta make that bitch cough up the gold."
Nanny Xu returned to Prince Ye's Mansion. Chen Hu thought she'd come back from reporting, but after watching for a bit, he saw she was alone.
There wasn't a single official behind her.
Chen Hu reported this to Ji Yuntang: "Princess, I just saw Nanny Xu come back. There were no officials following her, so it looks like she didn't go to report. But her face looked awful. I don't know what happened out there, but she came back in a panic."
Ji Yuntang raised an eyebrow, thinking fast. "Keep an eye on her. Report anything to me right away. As long as she doesn't cause trouble in the mansion, don't bother with her."
Ji Yuntang knew damn well that given Nanny Xu's nature, she wouldn't give up easily.
She had to give her a chance to show her true colors, so she could gradually change Luo Junhe's view of her.
That debt of gratitude had to be worn down slowly. Only then would Luo Junhe realize that Nanny Xu's character was vile and nothing special.
She wasn't worth his high regard.
When Nanny Xu fell, it'd be time for Ji Yuntang's people to take over the mansion.
During this time, Ji Yuntang could sense that she and Luo Junhe had many enemies. Besides the obvious Crown Prince and Prince Qi, she also had to deal with the Marquis Yongning's estate.
In this life, she wanted both power and money!
That evening, Ji Yuntang cooked for Luo Junhe herself, making a bowl of soft, well-cooked tomato and egg noodles, adding greens and lean meat. The aroma was enticing and whetted the appetite.
His stomach had improved, and he could now eat some semi-liquid stuff, so Ji Yuntang added more dishes to his daily menu.
She let the noodles cool a bit before serving them to Luo Junhe, placing them on the small table in front of him as usual.
Thinking his hands could now move, Ji Yuntang took out a three-piece set of utensils from her space—chopsticks, a fork, and a spoon—so Luo Junhe could use whichever was most convenient.
"A He, I made you noodles tonight. Now that your arms are recovering, you should try eating on your own from now on. It'll help exercise your arm muscles and flexibility. I've put the chopsticks and fork by your hand, and the spoon is in the bowl for soup. Use whichever you like."
Luo Junhe's eyes were still blind. After Ji Yuntang spoke, his hands groped around and found three cold, hard objects.
Ancient utensils were usually made of wood or porcelain, so this texture was new to Luo Junhe.
"A Tang, are these the chopsticks you mentioned? They feel smooth and slippery, a bit different from the ones we usually use?"
Ji Yuntang knew that since he had lost his sight, he was curious about everything he couldn't see, so she smiled and began to explain.
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