Seeing Nanny Zhang’s face quickly darken, Xie Pan’Er knew there was no room for negotiation.
She reckoned she couldn’t bargain with Nanny Zhang anymore, fearing it would displease her. But she couldn’t stand by and watch Nanny Zhang stray further down this unyielding path. She had to find a way to make Nanny Zhang abandon this notion.
With that thought, she turned to find Elder Madame Ji, or perhaps Huo Xing’Er or Zhu Xiuxiu—anyone who might be able to persuade Nanny Zhang.
However, just as she was about to move, she heard Nanny Zhang’s cold, stern voice.
"Miss Xie, teaching the Eldest Princess is my duty. You sympathize with her youth, as do I, but you must also consider the future. She is the Eldest Princess of the Great Han and may attain an even more noble status in the future. If she doesn’t master etiquette and decorum now, the reputation of our Great Han will be at stake. Do you still intend to stop me?"
Xie Pan’Er opened her mouth, wanting to say more, but Nanny Zhang spoke again before she could.
"If Miss Xie insists on obstructing me, then I shall go and request Eunuch Ling to reassign me to the Palace. I will ask Eunuch Ling to send another imperial Nanny to instruct the Eldest Princess!"
A threat, an undisguised threat! Xie Pan’Er knew Nanny Zhang had seen through her intentions. Feeling utterly helpless, she could only force a smile and say, "Nanny, it is only right that you teach the Eldest Princess the grand rites of kneeling and bowing. How could I possibly stop you? I was merely thinking of finding a suitable place for you, that’s all!"
Only after Xie Pan’Er said this did Nanny Zhang’s expression soften slightly.
However, she still said, "There’s no need to find another location for practice. The Hall in the Princess’s Courtyard will do! It’s spacious!"
Xie Pan’Er’s scalp tingled, and she quickly said, "That won’t do, it won’t do at all! We must change locations!"
Nanny Zhang’s expression changed faster than one could flip a page as she looked at Xie Pan’Er.
Xie Pan’Er steeled herself against Nanny Zhang’s questioning gaze and said, "Don’t you think the Garden outside would be more appropriate? I feel the Garden is more spacious and brighter."
The main thing is, if lightning strikes in the Garden, it won’t cause too much trouble! But if the Princess’s Courtyard were struck by lightning, that would be difficult to explain later.
Nanny Zhang took a deep breath, repeatedly suppressing the anger welling up inside her. This Xie Pan’Er is not only deeply liked by the Eldest Princess, but she also has the favor of Elder Madame Ji, as well as the Second and Third Madames of the Ji Family. Antagonizing her would be unwise, even though she thoroughly disliked this person’s interference in her teaching curriculum!
So, she nodded and then proactively stood by the doorway, waiting for the Eldest Princess, who was currently eating breakfast.
Xie Pan’Er watched Xiaosuisui finish her meal and wash her hands in the copper basin Yun Duo brought over. Then she began giving instructions. "You, go to Zhiwei Restaurant and buy the Eldest Princess’s favorite preserved fruit. Have Yunxiang go to Bright Moon Pavilion and fetch the newly made clothes for the Eldest Princess."
Yunxiang nodded, cleared the table, and then went out.
Xie Pan’Er called out, "Xiaobai!"
Xiaobai darted out from somewhere.
Xie Pan’Er placed Xiaobai on the table and said to Xiaosuisui, "You play with Xiaobai for a bit. I need to step out for a moment. Don’t go out to learn etiquette with Nanny until I return, understood?"
Xiaosuisui didn’t quite understand Xie Pan’Er’s arrangements but nodded in agreement nonetheless.
Seeing Xie Pan’Er exit the Hall, Nanny Zhang’s gaze fixed on her. She stared so intensely it was as if she wanted to bore a hole right through Xie Pan’Er’s body!