The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 37 - Rivalry

Nanny Qin was probably around fifty years old, but she maintained herself so well that she looked like a woman in her thirties, with her eyebrows and eyes revealing a shrewdness that was carefully restrained.

At this moment, she looked at Song Chuning, her lifted brows and sharp gaze exuding an oppressive intensity. She casually took a sip of tea from the little nun's hand, waved her hand, and gave Song Chuning a meaningful smile: "But whether this news is good or bad, I can't guarantee anything for you, Eighth Miss Song."

Her piercing gaze didn't shy away as it fixed on Song Chuning, who seemed less like a wet nurse and more like the prince's real mother.

Such scrutiny made Song Chuning feel irritated. She forced a smile and exclaimed, then pretended to accidentally spill the tea the little nun had handed her.

As the scalding tea threatened to spill all over Nanny Qin, a little maid beside her swiftly lifted the tablecloth, causing the teacup to tumble to the ground.

This was clearly a deliberate provocation that made Nanny Qin's smile vanish. She suppressed her anger and scolded, "What do you mean by this?!"

Song Chuning didn't even glance at her, lazily toying with her nails. When Nanny Qin raised her voice to ask again, she finally turned her head to look at Nanny Qin, coldly curling her lips: "It means nothing."

Lady Fang discreetly pinched Song Chuning's arm, warning her in a low voice, "Don't go too far; this is..."

Before she could finish, Song Chuning laughed and brushed Lady Fang's hand away, turning to stare at Nanny Qin and saying in a low voice, "Didn't Lady Fang tell you that I've never liked being looked at with dead fish eyes?"

Nanny Qin could no longer contain her fury. In her eyes, Song Chuning was just an inexperienced little girl who couldn't discern the gravity of the situation, and now, she was publicly humiliating her, which ignited a fire within her.

"If Nanny wants to take it out on me, she might as well pay more attention to her daughter who is lying sick in bed at home," Song Chuning said with a charming smile, leaving Nanny Qin momentarily speechless. "Otherwise, if a couple of months pass and she's gone, you might not even have tears left to cry, don't you think?"

Nanny Qin's daughter was a concubine of Prince Duan and had been a lady in her own right. After giving birth to a daughter two years ago, she has remained bedridden ever since.

Though renowned physicians had been consulted, they all said her condition was due to postpartum neglect and wind exposure, advising her to take good care of herself. And so, she had been taking care of herself all this time.

Nanny Qin could not tolerate anyone mentioning her daughter's short life. As soon as Song Chuning spoke, it was like lighting a firecracker, instantly igniting the anger she had just been holding back.

"Impudent!" Her face twisted slightly as she pointed a long, sharp-nailed finger at Song Chuning, her expression twisted in rage. "Don't act like a spoiled young lady in front of me, or I'll make sure you don't even know how you died!"

If someone else had said this, Song Chuning would have merely scoffed and dismissed it. But when Nanny Qin spoke, it was not something to be taken lightly—after all, she was a unique presence who could influence Prince Duan's decisions.

Lady Fang grew anxious and stepped forward to support Nanny Qin, turning to Song Chuning with a quiet admonition: "You're young and naive, don't you know what you should and shouldn't say?! Quickly apologize to Nanny Qin!"

Song Chuning remained relaxed, casually sitting in her chair. She began slicing a bright orange, and after finishing, she wiped her hands and let out a cool sigh.

"If Nanny Qin truly believes what those quacks say, thinking that the lady is really suffering from postpartum complications, then she's truly not far from death."

Lady Fang's expression changed dramatically as she looked at Nanny Qin, whose veins were throbbing with rage, wishing she could rush over and cover Song Chuning's mouth.

But Nanny Qin suddenly calmed down, staring at Song Chuning with wide eyes. She suddenly realized why this little girl was valued by Prince Duan—it was all based on her so-called foresight.

"Why don't you explain it to me, so I can understand?" Nanny Qin instantly grasped the key point, putting away all her anger and dissatisfaction, as if she were a completely different person from the one who had just been furious. She spoke calmly, "If you can truly help me with this predicament, it would be very beneficial for you in the future, wouldn't you agree?"

Song Chuning finally swallowed the piece of orange that had been in her mouth, smiling slightly as she meaningfully reminded her, "For such a clever person like you, Nanny Qin, why have you never suspected who it was that invited the physician for the lady? I've only heard that the physicians from the Imperial Medical Institute all have the same way of speaking..."

Nanny Qin's expression grew serious, raising her head as if still unwilling to believe, "We've also invited famous physicians ourselves..."

What she meant was that the physicians invited by the princess had all said nearly the same thing—that it was due to postpartum complications, and that with proper care, it would be fine. But after all this care, the lady's health had only gotten worse...

The room was filled with the fragrance of the navel oranges. Song Chuning took over Nanny Qin's words, smiling coldly, "After all, the inner residence of the Wang family is the princess's domain. Even the lady and you, Nanny, hold her in high regard, don't you?"

Indeed, otherwise, they wouldn't have entrusted the child to the princess's care.

Nanny Qin suddenly stood up, her whole body trembling with rage—if it really was Princess Consort Duan who had done such a thing, then that would truly be...

Seeing Nanny Qin calm down, Lady Fang also released her grip, pondering before cautiously suggesting, "Sister, why don't we... secretly invite a physician to come into the residence to take a look at the lady...?"

"Nanny, it's best not to harbor any fantasies about sisterly affection. Just look at how many people have turned on their own kin; it's not just cousins—there are even sisters who fight against each other. Just look at my relationship with my sister; doesn't that make it clear?"

Princess Consort Duan came from the third branch of the Qin family in Hanshui, which was also the most prosperous branch. Nanny Qin, on the other hand, was the matriarch of the second branch of the Qin family, and her daughter—the current Lady Rui—was a cousin of the Princess Consort Duan.

If it weren't for her status as the Princess's maternal aunt and wet nurse, the Qin family might not have produced a princess at all. However, it was unexpected that this niece would be so capable as to set her sights on her own family. Yet after careful consideration, Nanny Qin couldn't help but find a reason—Lady Rui had always been favored and had given birth to the only daughter of Prince Duan... Meanwhile, Princess Consort Duan still had not borne any children, and it was unfortunate that she had been married into the royal family for three to four years already; it was only natural for her to feel anxious.

After reflecting on these twists and turns, her expression finally softened, and she gently nodded to Song Chuning, "Thank you for the reminder, Miss Song."