"Xiaoman pays respects to His Highness, and to Her Ladyship!"
Lü Wan opened the door for Xiaoman. Xiaoman stepped through the outer hall and into the inner chamber, bowing in greeting.
Nan Shiying waved her hand, signaling her to sit and report.
Xiaoman obediently sat on a chair. Nan Shiying handed her an orange. Children grew so fast. It had only been a few days, and she had grown taller again, estimated to be nearly one meter fifty. Nan Shiying felt a sense of relief. If her wet nurse were still alive, she would be able to rest easy.
Her wet nurse rarely spoke of her mother, fearing it would upset her. After Nan Shiying integrated her memories, she found no information about her mother. She had actually summoned Xiaoman to ask if the wet nurse had ever mentioned anything to her.
"Xiaoman, did the wet nurse mention my mother to you?"
Xiaoman held the orange and nodded affirmatively, "She did!"
"What did she say?"
Xiaoman frowned in deep thought. She was young then. Her grandmother had spoken to her for a long time about her lady, but she only remembered her saying she spoke a lot. However, she couldn't recall the specific details.
She was still young then and always hungry. When the hunger became unbearable, she would go to collect meals for her lady in advance, hiding by the garbage chute outside the kitchen and rummaging for food scraps from the waste bins.
One day, a maid from Li Wan Residence saw her. She was severely beaten, and they said that even pigs wouldn't be fed the kitchen scraps, let alone her.
They had cursed her a great deal, but Xiaoman only remembered that one sentence.
She didn't actually want to be angry, and she wasn't angry now. It was just that the memory had surfaced, and she wanted to stuff those who had bullied and beaten her into the garbage chutes, forcing them to eat and drink their own waste in the bins.
She gripped the orange tighter and tighter, almost squeezing the juice out.
Children were not good at concealing their emotions. Nan Shiying reached out and took Xiaoman's hand, gently prying her fingers apart and taking the orange. Feeling the warmth enveloping her hand, Xiaoman returned to reality from her painful memories. She looked up, her gaze meeting a pair of gentle and calm eyes. She felt the deep affection and concern radiating from them.
Xiaoman's nose began to sting.
She was just a lowly maid; how could she deserve such love and care from her lady?
Nan Shiying peeled the orange. The sweet fragrance of the fruit spread out. She placed the peeled orange back into Xiaoman's palm and said, "This orange was transported from Lingnan. The flesh is delicate, sweet, and delicious. If you can't recall, then don't think about it for now."
If past memories were too painful, it was best not to dwell on them. Even she could not forget the suffering Nan Shiying endured, nor could she forgive people like Liu Shi, let alone a child.
Xiaoman lowered her head, staring blankly at the orange in her hand. Lingnan, yes, Lingnan!
She suddenly stood up, waving the orange in her hand with a face full of joy. "My lady, this servant remembers! It's Lingnan! Madame is from Lingnan!"
Her grandmother had said that Lingnan oranges were the sweetest.
Once, she had found half an orange in a garbage bin. The orange was sour and bitter, mixed with the smell of fermented food. But she still ate it happily. After finishing it, she took a dust-covered steamed bun thrown to her by a kitchen servant and happily returned to the courtyard.
Her grandmother peeled the dirty outer skin off the steamed bun for her to eat before handing the clean bun to her lady.
As she ate the steamed bun skin, she cheerfully boasted to her lady and grandmother about the orange she had found that day. When her lady asked if the orange was delicious, she shook her head, "It's not good, it's sour and bitter. Why do those noble people like to eat such things!"
Her tone was actually tinged with joy, the kind of joy one felt from having eaten an orange that even her lady hadn't tasted. She thought she had hidden it well, but recalling it now, her grandmother must have understood the meaning behind her words, which led her to say the following: Her grandmother said, "No, oranges are very sweet and juicy, especially oranges from Lingnan."
"Very sweet? Sweeter than sugar?"
"Sweeter than sugar!"
"Are the oranges eaten by the concubines and ladies in the mansion all from Lingnan?"
"Of course not!"
"Since Madame's death, Nan Chaoyin no longer sends people to Lingnan to buy oranges."
"Why?"
"Because it is Madame's hometown, and it is also where they met."
Madame was the most favored person in this mansion. If Madame hadn't died, their young lady would be wearing brocade and silk, eating exquisite delicacies, and even oranges would be sweeter than others.
Xiaoman was secretly delighted. At that time, all she thought was that if she could eat a Lingnan orange once in her life, she wouldn't mind dying the next moment.
But now, holding an orange from Lingnan in her hand, she wished her grandmother were still alive.
Nan Shiying was slightly stunned.
Lingnan?
Her mother was from Lingnan?
Wasn't that where Medicine King Valley was located?
"Xuan Yi, send people to Lingnan to investigate secretly!"
Lingnan was a rather special place. Although a mere place name couldn't reveal much, if the rumors were true and her mother-in-law was indeed Nan Chaoyin's unrequited love, then judging by Nan Chaoyin's character, the woman who could make him like this would likely not be from an ordinary family.
"Yes!"
Xuan Yi accepted the order.
As for how to search, it seemed she could only borrow Liu Shi's portrait.
"My lady, this servant..."
Xiaoman quickly popped the orange into her mouth, took a step back, and was about to bow and take her leave. Nan Shiying grabbed Xiaoman's wrist, glanced at Ji Jinmo, who stood up, took out a stack of clothes from a cabinet, and placed them by Nan Shiying's hand.
Nan Shiying released Xiaoman's wrist, measured Xiaoman's size with her hand, and let out a slow sigh. "Fortunately, I had someone make the clothes a bit larger before. Otherwise, they might really be too small."
"Here, take these!"
Nan Shiying handed the clothes to Xiaoman.
"My lady, this servant has clothes!"
"Black clothes all year round?"
Nan Shiying had been too busy before. It wasn't until New Year's that she realized Xiaoman's wardrobe was extremely limited in variety and color. Why would a young girl wear such dark colors?
"But this servant is a Shadow Guard!"
Nan Shiying turned and glared at Ji Jinmo.
Ji Jinmo, who was peeling an orange, paused slightly. His voice devoid of emotion, he said to Xiaoman, "The first rule of a Shadow Guard is obedience."
Xiaoman straightened her body. "Yes!"
"Then, my lady, this servant will take her leave!" Xiaoman asked Nan Shiying, holding the clothes.
Nan Shiying waved her hand speechlessly. "Go, go!"
"This servant takes her leave!"
Xiaoman backed out to the outer hall with the clothes, then turned and left.
"Alas!"
Looking at the closed door, Nan Shiying sighed.
Ji Jinmo seized the opportunity while her mouth was open and placed an orange segment into it. Nan Shiying closed her mouth and began to chew.