The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Song Ci gave a few instructions to Madam Song before letting her go busy herself, while she called someone to bring Dan Ge over to play.

Dan Ge has been soaking in the medicinal decoction prescribed by Master Buhui. Now, he is over eight months, nearly nine months old, growing more clever and robust, with a face full of vitality and strength. With his bright black little pigtail at the back of his head, and his rosy little face, no one would believe he was a difficult childbirth.

Upon seeing Song Ci, Dan Ge immediately broke into a smile, waving his hands and feet toward her, babbling and calling.

”Oh dear, our Dan Ge has gotten heavy again,” Song Ci teased while holding him. ”By the time you turn one, even your grandmother won’t be able to hold you.”

Dan Ge grabbed her hand, took the opportunity to exert strength, and stood on the Arhat bed with her support, excitedly bouncing and drooling, calling, ”Grand, grand...”

Song Ci was very surprised, as if discovering a new continent, and supported him, saying, ”Ah, Dan Ge can speak now, is he calling grandmother? Call again, let’s hear it.”

”Grand-grand...”

Song Ci smiled, letting out a sound of agreement, her eyes squinting with delight, saying, ”He really can call now, when did he start speaking?”

Beside her, Nanny Deng curtsied briefly, and with a smile reported, ”It’s also today, I heard it earlier, though it sounded a bit unclear, just one word popping out.”

”Regardless, our Dan Ge has opened the door to speaking, able to call people now. Slowly but surely, he will speak more words,” Song Ci said to Deng, ”The child has reached this age where he slowly starts to learn and recognize things. You need to explain whatever you see to him daily. With the illustrated books I gave you, no matter if he understands or not, just read and show it to him.”

When choosing the nanny, it was done with care to select someone literate and from a good family background. These were Madam Song’s close maidservants who were either past marriageable age or already married but not yet mothers, missing the opportunity to nurse Dan Ge.

Otherwise, if a close maidservant turned into the steward’s wife and just had a baby, many would have wanted to be this nanny.

Hence, Nanny Deng was indeed lucky. Serving well now, her whole family was respectable, and when Dan Ge grew up, if they were capable, they would likely be his trusted aides.

Therefore, Nanny Deng was extremely attentive and diligent with Dan Ge, and having received Song Ci’s instructions, could only comply without refusal.

”Well, it’s nearly March, and as the weather turns warmer, I have nothing else to do here. Apart from when Dan Ge needs to sleep, just bring him over to play with me daily,” Song Ci said.

Nanny Deng smiled and agreed.

Song Ci played with Dan Ge for a good half-day, and only when he seemed sleepy did she allow Nanny Deng to take him back to sleep.

Nanny Gong brought tea over, asking, ”Isn’t your own health not that great? Yet you accompany the boy every day. Can you manage?”

Song Ci laughed, ”I’m idle anyway, just keeping him by my side and speaking a lot with him. I can spend each day with him as long as possible. Children grow up quickly, and as for me, I’m aging. If I don’t cherish this time with my eyesight and hearing still clear, what should I wait for—when my eyes and ears fail?”

Nanny Gong helplessly said, ”You’re speaking ill-omened words again.”

”It’s just boredom,” Song Ci sighed deeply, looking out the window at the young maidservants playing and laughing, saying, ”The women in Great Qing have limited views, spending most of their lives in one courtyard and house. If they don’t find something to do, how do they pass the days?”

Nanny Gong was silent for a moment, then said, ”Supporting husbands and teaching children, managing household affairs—some women find even a whole day not enough.”

”You’re right,” Song Ci agreed, falling silent for a while, then asked, ”Nanny Gong, if I were to leave, would anyone remember me?”