“I know right?” Ruilan finally relaxed enough to laugh as well. Just as they were chortling happily, the door to the room opened with a creak. Both of them jumped, but assumed it was the little servant girl. They were about to yell but froze when they caught a clear glimpse of the visitor.
This skinny, beautiful girl wearing a beige damask cloak... wasn’t this the Qin Yining that the two were smearing? Their gazes met, and Ruilan could detect a murderous intent from Qin Yining’s cold eyes. The faint smile on her mistress’ lips made Ruilan’s neck prickle, and she scrambled to put her shoes on, ignoring how much pain the action caused her.
“You’ve returned, Fourth Miss.” Ruilan curtseyed.
“Fourth Miss.” Yuxiang’s expression was quite ugly as she also dipped in a greeting.
“I wouldn’t dare accept this greeting of yours. After all, I’m just a crude country hick. With Miss Yuxiang’s temperament, you may very well have been promoted to a concubine had you stayed in Garden of Tranquility.” Qin Yining walked to the bed with her hands clasped behind her back, looking down at the fine silverfrost charcoal and the charred melon seed remnants in the brazier with a smile. “Well? Did Jin-mama give the two of you enough charcoal? Shall I send for some more?”
Ruilan’s heart skipped a beat and she immediately sank to her knees. She heard everything we said! This was a mistress who wouldn’t even blink if she had to kill someone. And if she killed two maids, nothing would come of it either! All she had to do was pin some random crime on them and hand over ten taels of silver when she made her report to local law enforcement.
As much as the old dowager disliked her real granddaughter, the matriarch wouldn’t begrudge that little bit of silver to make a problem disappear. Ruilan trembled in fear, trying to recall if she’d said anything too offensive. Thankfully, it’d been Yuxiang who’d run her mouth. She herself hadn’t said much. Thus reassured, Ruilan kowtowed. “Please don’t be angry, miss.”
“Don’t be angry? I’m not angry, so what makes you say that?” Qin Yining ignored Ruilan and looked at Yuxiang. She smiled slightly, leaving no clue to her mood.
When Yuxiang saw how meek this mistress of hers seemed, she lifted her chin arrogantly. The maid was showing more spine than one usually expected. She lifted her chin arrogantly,. “You’re joking, miss. Who made me a concubine?”
Qin Yining carefully looked Yuxiang up and down, the look in her eyes like a sharp knife tempered in ice. It was enough to instantly deflate the maid’s confidence as she too started to tremble. She might actually be in for it now. What is this Qin Yining going to do to me? She’s only just returned to the manor and doesn’t understand the rules of a noble family yet. She probably won’t do anything to me, maybe just hit me once or twice. Yuxiang felt much reassured when she was done reassuring herself.
Just as Yuxiang was thinking of how to get word out to her mother for help, Qin Yining smiled mysteriously. “I need to copy ‘The Classic of Filial Piety’. Ruilan, grind ink for me.”
She’s not going to punish me? Yuxiang smiled gleefully. Ruilan also breathed a sigh of relief and rose with a murmured word of assent. She gasped in pain when the movement tugged at her wound. Yuxiang reached out to help her fellow maid and lectured her mistress with dissatisfaction, “You’re too heartless, miss. How can Ruilan help in the study like this? Let me go grind the ink for you, let Ruilan rest.” Her tone had completely flipped, as if she was the mistress instead.
Ruilan began shaking all over as she hastily denied, “This servant is fine. I will go help in the study immediately.”
Yuxiang glared at Ruilan, fully bent on sticking up for the latter today.
“Ruilan will help in the study and Yuxiang will go boil water. I want to take a shower.” Qin Yining found Yuxiang to be quite amusing.
Yuxiang’s eyes widened, taken aback at the command. She was the child of a servant, [1] and her mother was an overseer in the outer residence. She was an elite among servants, and was frequently on call to serve at the side of the masters and mistresses. When had she done any grunt work like boiling water?
“Miss, you’ve just returned and probably don’t understand how things are done. Us servants have our own area of responsibility. Everyone has their own job. The serving girls are in charge of grunt work such as boiling water. No one’s ever made a maid at their side boil water. Out of consideration for your reputation, I’ll go help you in the study.” Not only was the maid expressing her displeasure, she was even blatantly mocking Qin Yining for not understanding the rules.
Cold sweat began pouring down Ruilan’s forehead. She quickly spoke up, “This servant is fine. I can help you in the study, miss.”
These words set Yuxiang off in a tizzy as she gave Ruilan a vicious pinch. What’s wrong with her?! I’m speaking up for her and she’s ruining all my good intentions! Ruilan frowned fiercely from the pinch, almost shedding a tear.
“I wonder who the mistress in this yard is? Does Miss Yuxiang want to be the one in charge?” Qin Yining was done playing and turned to leave. Her tone brooked no opposition, “Yuxiang will go boil water, the rest will follow.”
“Understood.” The maids in the covered hallway chorused. It was only then that Ruilan and Yuxiang discovered Zhu-mama, Qiulu, Liuya and the others all standing in a neat row outside the small room. No one knew how long they’d been there.
Ruilan quickly took her place while Yuxiang, with pursed lips, sullenly went off to the kitchen in the rear facing rooms to boil water.
Liuya and Qiulu busied themselves with lighting the lamps in the main residence, while the serving girls distributed charcoal to braziers according to Zhu-mama’s instructions. Qin Yining took a seat in the rose chair[2. A piece of traditional Chinese furniture that was a small, delicate chair, usually made from fragrant rosewood. https://baike.baidu.com/item/]. Adorned with pale-green seat cushions, it was right next to a black lacquered table that had delicate wisps carved into it. Ruilan immediately placed within hand’s reach a porcelain tea cup set, decorated with carps playing amongst the lotuses, and offered up an exquisite hand warmer. “Miss, why not start writing after your hand is warmed?”
Qin Yining found this new behavior quite entertaining. She’s become quite proactive after being beaten! So it would seem that those who were kind would only be bullied!
The room warmed slowly and Ruilan fetched the four treasures of the study. She laid out the paper properly and carefully ground the inkstick into the inkstone. Qin Yining randomly selected a brush made of weasel fur and tested the tip with a pale finger. As the servants busied themselves around her, she spoke softly, “It is indeed quite the hardship for you all to come serve me. This sets your future back greatly.”
“These servants wouldn’t dare think so.” Zhu-mama led the pack as all the servants in the room stopped their activities and knelt.
Qin Yining laughed lightly, flashing her pearly whites. The illumination from the lamp light made her beautiful features all the more stunning.
“Since we reside within the manor, it is only right to observe its rules.” She put the brush down as her gaze fell on the group on their knees in front of her. Her eyes sparkled radiantly as she spoke thoughtfully. “Since Jin-mama sent you to Snowpear Courtyard, you could be considered my people now. I’ve just arrived in the manor and there is much I don’t know. I don’t know many of the rules that noble ladies are supposed to know either. But, the mama to teach me rules and my teacher will arrive tomorrow. Do you think I’ll always remain in the dark?”
“The miss speaks too severely, these servants wouldn’t dare think so.” The group kowtowed as enlightenment sparked in their collective minds. There had to be a limit to their bullying! Their miss was the lord’s only child after all, it was only a matter of time before she found her footing and soared to new heights!
Qin Yining’s words created a shift in their attitude to her, one that edged towards respect and perhaps care. But more importantly, it instilled a new sense of belo
nging. They didn’t feel that the future was dark anymore, not if they followed this miss!
Qin Yining had spent a great deal of time in the city, and understood well that both kings and peasants moved for profit. If she wanted this group to follow her faithfully, she had to reassure them that they wouldn’t lose their backing at the drop of a hat. She’d actually turned that little speech over many times in her mind before delivering it. She didn’t have experience in ordering people around or lecturing them, but that wasn’t her main worry. She was simply trying to avoid saying the wrong things.
* * *
A position that placed her much higher than someone who was brought in from the slave markets
Chapter 12: Grandmother
Chapter 12: Grandmother
Judging from everyone’s reactions, she had accomplished her goal. Qin Yining’s lips curved slightly with pleasure. “Not to mention, which noble house has a rule where servants could bully their masters? Even a ‘barbarian’ like me knows this, so those of you who grew up in a noble house would know too.”
By the end, Qin Yining’s tone had dropped to a dangerous low, and Zhu-mama and Ruilan led the others in a kowtow as soon as she paused. “Yes, we understand.”
Nodding with satisfaction, Qin Yining’s tone returned to normal as she continued, “Speaking of rules, morning and evening greetings to grandmother every day is a rule, all of you greeting me whenever you see me is a rule, and me teaching Qin Huining a lesson for stirring the pot is also a rule. When grandmother found out about this, she had both of us copy ‘The Classic of Filial Piety’. This too is a rule. All of you are smart people, and I’m sure you’ll understand the right and wrong of this matter without needing me to explain further.”
Her next words shocked everyone present. She’d thoroughly beaten up Old Dowager’s most beloved Miss Huining, but her only punishment was to copy a classic work?! Moreover, Miss Huining had been the one beaten, but she had to share the punishment as well?
None of them were fools and instantly understood that there was more than met the eye in this matter. Perhaps Miss Huining wasn’t as innocent as she’d always came off as, and the old dowager didn’t look down on Fourth Miss as much as they’d all thought.
Zhu-mama, Liuya and the others instantly had a new opinion of their miss’ sharpness. It’d been less than a day since she’d stepped foot in the manor and she’d already coolly given Miss Huining such a setback! Ruilan was even more fearful! Miss Huining had been the apple of the old dowager’s eye, but now she resembled a pig with her swollen face.
And even then, the old dowager had only punished Fourth Miss with some lines! And the two of them were being punished together! Ruilan herself was just a servant, the old dowager was such a lofty existence that she would never deign to take note of Ruilan, but wasn’t Yuxiang courting death in wanting to cry for justice tomorrow?!
When her thoughts reached that point, Ruilan kowtowed heavily again. “Miss, this servant knows her wrongs! I will serve you with the best of my efforts in the future and won’t dare breathe a word of complaint. If I go back on my word, may my head be covered in sores and the rot spread throughout me to my stomach!”
The severity of her oath was a testament to Ruilan’s sincerity and further shocked those around her. Ruilan had been a favorite of the senior madame before, but now even she was wholeheartedly devoted to Fourth Miss. Were any of them stronger than Ruilan? Following her cue, all of them curtseyed and expressed their loyalty.
Qin Yining smiled and waved her hand. “Forget it, all of you can rise. I say this only for you to understand what’s happened. After all, my mother was provoked by Qin Huining into exchanging angry, callous words with my father before returning to her parents. My mother has no fault in this. If anyone asks you about this, you should know what really happened.”
How manipulative of Qin Huining, creating such discord between the senior madame and the lord! The servants kept her words carefully in mind and assented in unison.
“As for Miss Yuxiang, none of you are as good at boiling water as she is. She’ll be the one working tonight. But all of you should learn from her example, you may end up in charge of it in the future.”
The servants assented again, but they were well aware that the miss was forbidding them to help Yuxiang. Her last sentence hinted clearly that Yuxiang wouldn’t even have the opportunity to boil water in the future…
Qin Yining dismissed the servants, keeping only Ruilan by her side. She picked up the brush again, recalled “The Classic of Filial Piety”, and quietly started writing from memory.
Zhu-mama, Liuya, and Qiulu left with the three serving girls, all of them exchanging a glance when they cleared the doorway. In the distance, the little kitchen had a small trail of smoke coming its chimney. As they watched it be whisked away the wind, all of them felt goosebumps prickle their arms. This miss is too strong! We’ll have to serve her carefully in the future!
Just as things came to a close in Snowpear Courtyard, the news of the fight between née Sun and Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Huining’s savage beating at Qin Yining’s hands spread on the back of wings. Before long, every branch of the family had their own version of the story, each one born with a fresh retelling.
……
In the depths of the night, the usually quiet Duke of Ding Manor saw a burst of uncharacteristic liveliness. The Duchess of Ding, née Zheng, listened to the servants babble their news. She comforted the irritated Duke of Ding, flung on a padded cotton jacket and made her way to the warm receiving hall.
Upon arrival, she was greeted by the sight of her daughter’s reddened eyes and tear streaked face. It was enough for her brows to wrinkle into a frown.
“Daughter Han, what are you on about this time?!” Née Sun’s full name was Haihan, and frequently referred to by her “Han” character as a nickname.
When née Sun heard her mother’s familiar voice, she paid absolutely no attention to the content of her mother’s words and burst into aggrieved sobs. She launched herself onto her mother and enveloped the latter into a bear hug. “Mother, you need to seek justice for your daughter! The bastard Qin Meng is going to bully me to death!”
The duchess reeled backwards from the sheer momentum of her daughter’s lunge, and if it hadn’t been for a quick-witted Bao-mama reaching out and subtly bracing her mistress with a hand, both mother and daughter would’ve ended up on the ground.
“Look at you, how old are you? Still flying off the handle like this, think of the sight you present! And look at the time. Why aren’t you at home? What are you doing here, and why are you crying as soon as you see me? So tell me, how big is the matter? Is the sky falling in?” The duchess was unhappy enough to start lecturing immediately. Her head ached as she looked at née Sun’s tearful, sniffling self.
The duchess had been preoccupied with being a good wife when she was young and personally tended to all the various matters, large and small, of the house. She busied herself with personally teaching the sons, and could only give her daughters to the care of her mother-in-law. Who knew that her mother-in-law would just spoil the girls to no end? Look at what daughter Han has become now.
Her daughter had always been headstrong and demanded her way in all things. As a child, it had been labeled as emotional honesty and explained away as the ignorance of youth, but daughter Han was almost forty years old now! How could this still be the endearing ignorance of the young? Even the duchess was troubled her daughter’s behavior, much less her son-in-law.
Née Sun had come back to loudly vent her grievances, but who knew she’d be in for a round of lecturing before she could manage a word in her defense? She felt more and more like a victim as she sat there and decided to sprawl on the luohan bed off to the side for a good cry. As she listened to her daughter wail, the duchess rubbed her throbbing temples.
Bao-mama immediately came to née Sun’s side with a handkerchief and patted her back lightly, finally coaxing her into silence. The old servant ga
ve née Sun a bowl of warm water before discreetly retreating to the side.
The duchess tightened her collar, prompting Bao-mama to immediately come over with a hand warmer. The duchess allowed the hand warmer to soothe away the cold for a while before asking slowly, “Alright, what is it this time? What momentous occasion has sent you scrambling back like a headless chicken?”
Née Sun sniffled, but didn’t answer immediately. Rather, she grabbed her mother’s hand first. “Mother, you have to help me!”
“Tell me first.” The duchess furrowed her brow ever so slightly.
“I, I want to find someone!”
“Who do you want to find?”
“I, I suspect that Qin Meng has a mistress outside the manor!” Née Sun spilled the beans without the slightest hesitation as she’d broached the subject of her distress, speaking with increasing speed. “I told mother before right? That Qin Meng’s men found a child near Liang that looks very much like him? He brought the child back today, and she looks just as handsome as he did when he was young. Qin Meng dotes on her as the apple of his eye, but that child bears no resemblance to me at all! I suspect that Qin Meng is secretly keeping a mistress outside. That child is definitely a bastard!”
She rose at this point and spoke through gritted teeth, “Then I questioned Qin Meng today and he actually talked back to me! Although he didn’t touch me, he looked like he wanted to eat me alive! He did all this to me for a girl of unknown origins! Am I supposed to take any random child he brings home as my daughter? He can keep dreaming! I demand an investigation!”
The duchess pursed her lips, falling silent as she allowed her daughter to vent. Off to the side, Bao-mama also lowered her head in thought, occasionally glancing at née Sun sideways with a look of unknown intention.
Née Sun drew closer to her mother, pulling on her hand and pouting cutely when she saw that her mother wasn’t speaking. “Mother, help me~ Give orders to have your people investigate if Qin Meng has a mistress. It’s not like I don’t allow him to take concubines! If he really has a mistress, father has to teach him a good lesson! And, I want to conduct a test between that girl’s blood and mine and see if she really is my child! I can’t just believe whatever people tell me!”
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