Early the next morning, A’Ru, who had used powder to cover the dark circles under her eyes, came to attend to the Young Madam’s rising.
Qi Yue had already gotten up. Having experienced such an incomprehensible event, she had barely slept. She only dozed off briefly at dawn and was now struggling with the clothes laid out on the bed.
“How does this thing get put on?” Qi Yue muttered while trying to put it on herself. Hearing the door, she quickly pretended to have just woken up.
Surely helping the master dress was one of a maid’s duties.
“Did Young Madam sleep well?” A’Ru asked while pulling open the curtains and raising the bed hangings. Morning light streamed in, and the room immediately became bright and cheerful.
“Well,” Qi Yue said with a smile, sporting two dark circles under her eyes.
A’Ru poured her a cup of hot tea. Qi Yue slowly held it in her mouth while casually observing A’Ru.
A’Ru picked up a small white porcelain vessel from beside the bed and came over.
This was a mouth-rinsing basin? Qi Yue naturally spat into it while marveling inwardly. Last night she had studied it for quite a while – this white porcelain was made so exquisitely, small and adorable. She had thought it was for ornamental enjoyment, not realizing it was merely a spittoon.
The lifestyle of an ancient marquis household was truly extraordinary in every aspect.
After rinsing her mouth, she then drank tea. Qi Yue walked back and forth in the room a few times, stretching her body.
“The weather is nice today,” she said to A’Ru.
The best way to start a conversation was with the weather – this should be universally applicable across all times and places.
A’Ru smiled and nodded.
“After the rain, the flowers and plants outside are so vibrant they make one’s heart flutter,” she said, handing Qi Yue an object.
Qi Yue took it and looked – her heart exclaimed “wow” again. A toothbrush!
Of course it couldn’t compare to modern ones. It was coated with salt. Qi Yue happily brushed her teeth, then A’Ru washed her face and applied makeup.
What a wicked old society… this was too enjoyable…
“That girl A’Hao is being playful again,” A’Ru said, looking outside.
A’Hao was good at styling hair, which was why the Old Madam had originally given her to the Young Madam, so hair styling had always been her responsibility.
“What’s the rush? We don’t have anything urgent to do,” Qi Yue said, experimenting with various hairpins from the jewelry box to arrange her hair in different styles.
“You’re too good-tempered, you’ve spoiled her,” A’Ru laughed, while continuing to clean and tidy the room.
“Do you think this hairstyle I’ve done looks good?” Qi Yue would turn around and ask her from time to time.
The master and servant chatted back and forth in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Just as they were enjoying themselves, they heard arguing voices outside, including A’Hao’s voice.
“Go see what’s happening,” Qi Yue immediately said.
A’Ru had been waiting for this instruction. Upon hearing it, she hurried outside.
As she went out, the courtyard gate also opened, and Qi Yue could hear the conversation outside.
“…I picked this lotus flower first…”
“…Who said you could pick it! Our Concubine said she wanted this early on…”
“…Our Young Madam…”
“…What Young Madam? Don’t ruin this good flower, give it to me quickly, you little hussy. Say another word and I’ll tear your mouth…”
This was immediately followed by A’Hao’s pained cry, apparently she had gotten the worse end of it.
“Which courtyard are you from? How can you hit people?” A’Ru looked at the little maid in front of her who had pushed A’Hao to the ground and snatched the lotus flower from her arms.
Three years ago, during Qi Yue and the Prince’s wedding, for added joy, the household had released a batch of older maids, pairing them with young men in marriage, and most of their duties had changed. A new batch of young maids had come up. After that, she had followed the Young Madam into Qiutong Courtyard and wasn’t very familiar with these newcomers.
Looking at this maid, about twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a half-new, half-old azure cloth shirt and blue cloth pants, with a pointed face and sharp features – clearly a rough servant girl used for sweeping and running errands who couldn’t enter the inner quarters.
Since the Old Madam’s passing, the household rules had indeed become increasingly lax. Hadn’t such maids received any training? Even if she didn’t recognize people, she should recognize A’Hao’s sash. How dare she be so aggressive?
As A’Ru spoke, the little maid paid no attention. Despite her small stature, she was quite agile, snatching the lotus flower in a few moves. She looked up at Qiutong Courtyard with disdain, spat at A’Ru, and turned to run.
A’Ru trembled with anger. Originally, cold words and attitudes were manageable – they could still maintain face when meeting. But now such a rough servant girl had come to cause trouble at their door…
“You stop right there,” she chased after her in a few steps, grabbing the little maid and shouting sternly, “Who taught you such manners? You’re out of line!”
A’Hao also came over and, taking advantage of A’Ru holding her, snatched back the lotus flower.
“Setting aside the question of our respective statuses, I picked this lotus flower first. There’s no reason for you to snatch it halfway. You’re being too domineering. Do you think all the flowers and plants in the entire mansion that catch your eye belong to you, and others can’t pick them?” she said angrily.
“Who do you think you are to lecture me? People say that everyone in Qiutong Courtyard doesn’t even count as cats and dogs,” the little maid said with her nose in the air, trying to push A’Ru away while reaching for the lotus flower again.
A’Ru knew there was much unpleasant talk behind their backs, but she hadn’t expected it to be this ugly.
“The Young Madam was properly married with a matchmaker, personally arranged by the Old Madam, with an imperial decree. Even I, A’Ru, am at least someone who served the Old Madam. To say… to say such treasonous words! Tell me, who said this? I’ll report her immediately and have this lawless, rule-breaking person thrown out,” she trembled like a sieve, gripping the little maid and shouting sternly.
The little maid became frightened, her eyes darting about. Desperately trying to break free but unable to, she simply turned and bit A’Ru’s hand. A’Ru hadn’t expected this girl to be so crude. With a cry of pain, she pulled her hand back and reflexively slapped the little maid.
The little maid covered her face and ran away.
A’Ru was so angry she shouted “Don’t run!” and chased her a few steps but ultimately couldn’t catch up.
A’Hao pulled her back, consoling her as they returned to the courtyard.
“She said she’s from Concubine Zhu’s courtyard…” she whispered to A’Ru, “An outsider… when the roof beam is crooked, the pillars below are slanted… Sister, don’t be angry. Getting angry with her is too beneath you.”
Just two months ago, the Madam had arranged to bring back a woman the Marquis had been keeping outside.