C6 Hanging up the Concubine 2

"Nanny, do you believe in me?"

"Absolutely!" Regardless of what the young lady might say or plan to do, the Nanny's belief in her was steadfast.

Mu Yunhua cherished the Nanny's blind adoration. Although her predecessor had a reputation for being unreliable, she was resolved to ensure that her word would be her bond from this day forward.

"Nanny, I will treat you well from now on. You'll have a good life, I promise you that!" she declared.

"Yes, yes, yes. We're going to have better days," the Nanny quickly said, wiping away tears and nodding, a smile spreading across her face. Just one promise from Mu Yunhua, even though it had been made and broken countless times before, was enough to lift her spirits.

Indeed, it was the simplest of people who were most vulnerable to exploitation, with no means to fight back.

But things were going to be different from now on!

"Nanny, what delicious things have you brought?" Mu Yunhua knew that the machinations of the Mu Mansion were not yet over, and she needed to regain her strength as soon as possible. Despite not looking forward to the estate's offerings, after several days of eating little and feeling dizzy, she was truly hungry.

"Oh my, how could I have forgotten?" The Nanny hurriedly brought out the food from the box.

Inside was a small bowl of chicken soup with the broth barely covering the bottom—a sorry amount. However, the sight of a large, golden-brown chicken drumstick in the bowl was a redeeming feature!

"Look, Miss, the kitchen had chicken soup today. I made sure to get a big drumstick just for you. Eat quickly before it cools; it won't taste as good then."

"Did Old Mrs. Zhang suddenly have a change of heart?" Mu Yunhua regarded the chicken leg with suspicion.

Old Mrs. Zhang, who managed the kitchen, was Concubine Wan's lackey. Their meals had been at the mercy of her moods for years, with meat sightings being a rarity. And now, this unexpectedly large chicken leg...

Mu Yunhua couldn't imagine what great fortune must have come Old Mrs. Zhang's way.

"Why worry about her reasons? If she's given it to you, just enjoy it," the Nanny said, pushing the bowl closer.

After a moment's thought, Mu Yunhua realized it was senseless to question a chicken leg. She had wanted the Nanny to share it with her, but the Nanny wouldn't hear of it. With no other option, Mu Yunhua decided to enjoy the chicken leg herself.

I had just bitten into the chicken, savoring the flavors in my mouth, when a burst of laughter came from outside the door.

"Hey, blockhead, how's that chicken leg tasting?" Before the echo of her words faded, a young girl, about twelve or thirteen years old, leaped out from beside the door.

She was clad in a soft pink dress with green embroidered shoes—a combination that surprisingly didn't clash at all. Instead, she looked like a lotus in early summer, ready to bloom, beautiful and unpretentious.

If it weren't for the unmistakable look of disdain in her eyes, even Mu Yunhua might have admitted she was quite adorable.

"Good day, Third Miss," the nanny said, bowing respectfully. But Mu Yuyao, the third daughter from Mu's Mansion, didn't even spare her a glance.

Curling her lip and lifting her chin, Mu Yuyao prodded, "I asked you a question, you dimwit. How's that chicken leg?"

"Who are you calling a dimwit?" Mu Yunhua chewed thoughtfully before swallowing the meat.

"Obviously, I'm talking to you!" Mu Yuyao replied, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.

"Oh," Mu Yunhua responded, nodding as she tore off another piece of meat. "What did the dimwit want to know? Say it again, I didn't quite hear you the first time."

"I was asking you—" Mu Yuyao began, but was interrupted when her maid, Little Apricot, nudged her and whispered, "Miss, she's mocking you."