High-class maid

Chapter 157 The twelfth lunar month 28

The next day, the Emperor summoned Xiao Jiuchuan for an audience. No one knows what they discussed, only that the day after Xiao Jiuchuan returned to the Minister's residence, the Emperor issued an edict bestowing upon the Minister's eldest daughter, Xiao Luosheng, the title of Crown Princess. The engagement would be arranged for an auspicious day after the New Year.

In addition, Yu Lianzhou, the daughter of a Grand Secretary, was bestowed upon His Highness the Crown Prince as his Crown Princess.

Fang Yingqiu, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, was bestowed upon the Third Prince as his princess consort.

As soon as the news broke, everyone in the capital was talking about it, even the maids who were usually kept in the dark were discussing this joyous occasion in the capital.

"I never imagined that our young lady was betrothed to the Second Prince. I thought she would be the Crown Princess," Shan Tao said to Shen Xing'er while wiping the table in the hall.

"Shh, you can't say things like that. No matter who the Emperor bestows the young lady upon, we'll all be happy," Shen Xing'er said, covering Shan Tao's mouth. This girl is getting bolder and bolder; she even dares to gossip in the old lady's room.

"Oh dear, that's not what I meant. I just think our young lady is kind, beautiful, and proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She could even be the Crown Princess," Shan Tao explained, pouting.

"Alright, you can't say that outside. If your mother hears you, she'll punish you by not letting you eat again," Shen Xing'er said.

Now Shan Tao is almost old enough to grow taller, but she hasn't grown as fast as she did a few years ago. Chen Shan's wife is afraid that she will get fatter and fatter, so she won't let Shan Tao eat dinner whenever she makes a mistake.

"Good Xing'er, how could I dare tell anyone? I may be clumsy, but I'm not stupid, okay!" Shan Tao snapped at her waist angrily, holding a dripping rag in her hand, looking utterly comical.

"Okay, okay, hurry up and wipe them, otherwise the water will get cold and your hands will get cold too."

Shen Xing'er looked at her cracked hands. It was already cold in December, and she'd been doing double the usual work every day, so her hands hadn't gotten any better. Madam Wang had given her a bottle of white jade ointment, saying it would relieve the pain, but she hadn't had a chance to test it yet. She'd try it on after she finished wiping the room.

"Speaking of which, there will be three great happy events in the capital after the New Year. Which young lady do you think will have the largest dowry?" The two returned to the house, and Shan Tao, applying the white jade cream that Shen Xing'er had given her, gossiped.

“Every young lady is the apple of her parents’ eye, and they certainly won’t surpass the Crown Princess in status,” Shen Xing’er said.

Yamamoto nodded in agreement.

The days at the Minister's residence passed by in a flurry of activity, and before they knew it, it was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.

"These are clothes that the old lady gave you. Wear them tomorrow for a festive occasion," Danxue said to the maids in the courtyard.

"Wow! The old lady is so generous. She gave us a new set of clothes as soon as the twelfth lunar month started, and now she's given us another set."

"Yes! I think it's red, it will be very festive to wear tomorrow."

"You know what, these new clothes aren't cold at all, they're actually quite warm."

The maids in the courtyard whispered among themselves, clearly surprised that the old lady would be so generous.

Danxue looked at their happy faces with satisfaction, and then said, "The third-class maids will each have a pair of garnet earrings, the second-class maids will each have a pair of earrings and a garnet hairpin, and the rest of the cleaning maids and the people in the tea room and kitchen will each have a garnet ring."

When everyone heard that there was also jewelry, their smiles became even more genuine.

Shan Tao whispered to Shen Xing'er in the crowd, "Xing'er, why are they all made of garnet?"

Danxue heard Shantao's words and said, "The old lady is getting old and likes to see you young maids dressed in festive clothes. Garnets are red and have a good meaning. This is jewelry that the old lady specially ordered to be made for the young maids in our courtyard."

"I see, the old lady is so kind," the crowd murmured.

"The old lady's leniency towards the servants doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. With the New Year approaching, I've turned a blind eye to some people's mistakes, but if you escalate your behavior, I'll have to beg the old lady to punish you! Do you understand?"

Danxue used both kindness and strictness to prevent some people from getting too cocky and causing trouble for the old lady during the New Year.

"Yes, we understand." Everyone replied, indicating that they were very obedient.

Laughter filled not only the old lady's courtyard, but also the courtyards of the other masters. Everyone received rewards from their masters to varying degrees, which was a tacit rule in their Minister's Mansion.

Compared to the bustling scene outside, Qianying's place was desolate.

After Xiao Yi'an's engagement, she caught a cold, but being strong-willed and short of money, she refused to see the family doctor and instead toughed it out.

The cold came on so badly, and she wasn't eating well. Her once round face now looked incredibly withered, and she even looked older than a woman who had given birth.

"Cough cough, everyone else's rewards have come down, why haven't mine? Have they forgotten about me?" Qianying gasped for breath after each sentence, muttering to herself in broken sentences.

"Is Miss Qianying here?" Madam Wang called out from the doorway, looking at the desolate courtyard.

"Coming, coming." Qianying hurriedly sat up, hastily applied some lip rouge to her lips, lifted her skirt, and went out.

"Wang Mama is here, come in quickly." Qianying finally realized that someone remembered her, and this person was a favorite of the First Madam, so she said ingratiatingly.

"No need," Wang said politely. "The end of the year is approaching, and I need to visit other courtyards."

"I wonder what brings Granny Wang to my courtyard? Does Madam have any instructions?" Qianying was somewhat disappointed to see that no maidservants were following behind Madam Wang.

"Madam wishes to see you, so I'm troubling you, Lady Qianying, to come all this way with me," said Madam Wang.

"Then, then let me go back to my room and change my clothes." Qianying touched her clothes with a sense of inferiority. She rarely went out, but now that she was going to meet her mother-in-law, she should dress up a bit.

"My lady, please come with me. Madam is very busy with many affairs of state. It is already difficult for her to find time to see you. How can we keep her waiting?"

Qianying thought that what Wang said made some sense, so she didn't change her clothes. She put on a cloak and went out with Wang.

She hadn't left her courtyard for a long time. Now, seeing everyone in the mansion wearing thick cotton-padded coats and jewelry, the servants, who had worked hard all year, were all dressed up in a festive manner, even though they couldn't leave the mansion.

"Slow down, slow down, hang the lantern here."

"Oops, it's crooked, let's put it on again!"

"Let's hang the flowers I cut out with paper on the tree."

"You're wearing a red hair tie today, where did you buy it?"

"Wow, this year's lanterns are even prettier than last year's!"

"I just passed by the kitchen, and it smelled so good! Looks like we'll have meat today."