A voice answered from within the courtyard, and soon a girl of seventeen or eighteen emerged. Tall and sturdy, she had small eyes and faint eyebrows, with features that could be considered decent. Her fair skin was dotted with freckles, and though she wore a smile, a sharpness still shone through. Adorned with a magnolia hairpin and emerald hair ornaments, she wore a sapphire-blue satin BeiZi embroidered with flowers, a white silk skirt, blue enameled earrings, and a pair of silver bracelets. Though not a beauty, her elegant attire added to her charm.
The girl was Cousin Cao Lihuan. Upon seeing Ying Shuang, her face lit up, and she hurried forward, saying, "Miss Ying Shuang, what brings you here? Come inside and have some hot tea."
Ying Shuang replied, "Didn’t you mention to Taitai the other day that you were short of maids? She kept it in mind, and today, a few new maids arrived at the mansion. One has been set aside for you."
Cao Lihuan clasped her hands in gratitude. "Ah, my dear Taitai, so thoughtful! I only mentioned it once, and she remembered." Then she turned to inspect the maid and, upon seeing her striking beauty, froze momentarily.
Ying Shuang gave Cao Lihuan a meaningful look. "This one was specifically assigned to you by Taitai. She’s new and doesn’t know the rules yet, so you’ll need to train her well. Make sure she doesn’t wander around."
Cao Lihuan’s expression darkened slightly. She thought to herself, "A freshly arrived maid, untrained, sent to me? Clearly, they’re looking down on me." But in an instant, she forced a smile and called out loudly to the old woman at the door, "Granny Liu, take her inside and get her settled."
Granny Liu wiped her hands and led Xianglan into the house. Gauze Snow Dock was small but exquisitely furnished, with few ornaments, each of exceptional craftsmanship. The furniture was new and elegantly designed. The main hall held a calligraphy desk and an Eight Immortals table, while the left room served as a bedroom and the right as a reception area. Granny Liu directed Xianglan to place her bundle in a small cabinet in the corner of the reception room, then pointed to a daybed by the window. "You’ll sleep here at night. There’s a clean set of bedding in the cabinet, freshly aired the other day."
Xianglan thanked her repeatedly. Granny Liu glanced outside, seeing Ying Shuang and Cao Lihuan still standing there, and whispered, "It’s a shame you have to sleep in this little side room. There’s a bed in the warm chamber of the bedroom, but it’s already taken by another maid."
Xianglan smiled. "It’s just a place to sleep. I think this is quite nice."
Granny Liu took Xianglan’s hand and said warmly, "My dear, you speak so kindly and gently, and you’re so lovely—I daresay even the young ladies of the house can’t compare." She then asked in detail about Xianglan’s age, parents, and other matters, which Xianglan answered one by one.
Soon, Cao Lihuan entered, and Granny Liu quickly slipped away. Cao Lihuan sat by the Eight Immortals table in the hall and beckoned Xianglan over. After scrutinizing her again, she finally said, "Do you know why you’ve been sent to me?"
Xianglan was taken aback and shook her head.
Cao Lihuan gave her a sidelong glance, her expression haughty. "You’re too old. Most maids here enter before they’re ten—easier to train and more obedient. At your age, no mistress would want you. And you’re far too pretty. The old madam and Taitai often say overly beautiful maids are trouble—too proud and restless. Clumsy, plain ones are more likable. Ying Shuang just told me that if you don’t perform well, I’m to report to Taitai and have you dismissed. But I think you seem somewhat honest, so I’ve decided to keep you out of kindness. Don’t disappoint me."Xianglan lowered her head and said, "Miss, you must understand, I've never harbored any 'lofty ambitions.' I only wish to serve my mistress diligently and peacefully for a few years before returning home." Though she felt anxious upon hearing she might be dismissed, she showed no sign of it on her face. She glanced at Cao Lihuan and thought to herself, This Cousin started with a show of authority right away—seems like a tough one to handle.
Cao Lihuan stared fixedly at Xianglan. "Just because you don’t have such thoughts doesn’t mean others don’t. While you’re under me, your words, actions, and even how you carry yourself reflect on my reputation. If you make a mistake or bring shame, people won’t blame you—they’ll point fingers at me, saying I failed to discipline you properly. Back at home, I had four governesses teaching me manners and etiquette. Every gesture had to follow the rules. Even my great-grandmother praised me for it. The people under me can’t afford to lower their standards and act like those wild, unruly maids. Don’t embarrass me."
Xianglan quickly bowed and replied, "I will serve diligently, behave properly, and never bring shame to Miss Huan." Yet inwardly, she scoffed at Cao Lihuan. In her past life, Xianglan had been a renowned lady of the capital. Though her circumstances had drastically changed, and she was reborn into a humble family, making her more outspoken, her grace still set her apart. Seeing Cao Lihuan’s mannerisms—clearly those of a petty household—yet putting on airs as if she were a noble lady, Xianglan found it rather ridiculous.
Cao Lihuan, noticing the new maid’s beauty and refined demeanor, felt a pang of jealousy and had deliberately tried to suppress her first. Seeing Xianglan obedient, her expression softened slightly. "My affairs here are many, but the place is quiet. There are two other maids in my quarters—Hui’er, who has served me since childhood, and Huairui, given by the old Taitai. One manages jewelry, the other food. Outside, there’s Granny Liu, who was originally a laborer at Gauze Snow Dock. The household is small, but those who excel can rise quickly. If you truly perform well, I’ll put in a good word with my sister-in-law to promote you sooner. You might even have a bright future."
Xianglan replied humbly, "I seek no grand future. Serving you well and living peacefully is blessing enough for me." Yet inwardly, she was puzzled. Even if she’s a cousin seeking refuge with the Lin family, if her own family had fallen into decline, having only one maid would make sense. But the Lin family only assigned her one maid from the old Taitai’s quarters—that speaks volumes.
Cao Lihuan asked, "How are your needlework skills?"
Xianglan quickly answered, "Miss, please look—the embroidery on my skirt is my own work."
At this, Cao Lihuan motioned for Xianglan to come closer. After examining the floral patterns on the skirt, she nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I’ve been in need of someone skilled in needlework. Hui’er can only manage simple patterns, and Huairui can’t even hold a needle properly. Often, I have to sit and embroider all day myself—utterly exhausting. Since you can embroider, that’ll make things much easier..."Before the words were finished, the sound of girls' playful banter came from outside. One said, "Flowers should be properly pinned in your hair, but you insist on plucking all the petals off. Such tender blossoms are being wasted by you." The other replied, "Miss Huan is still in mourning—how can she wear flowers? I think this one is blooming beautifully; we shouldn’t let others have it. Even if we can’t wear it, we can crush the petals to make rouge." Xianglan turned her head to look and saw two girls of about fifteen or sixteen entering. One was slightly shorter and plump, while the other was tall and sturdy. Neither was particularly beautiful nor plain, dressed simply, but one wore a red-gold Five Blessings hairpin, and the other had a red-gold necklace as thick as a little finger.
The two girls paused when they saw Xianglan standing in the room. Cao Lihuan beckoned and said, "This is Xianglan, the new maid who arrived today." She pointed to the shorter, plumper one and said, "This is Hui'er," then to the taller one, "And this is Huairui."
Xianglan smiled and said, "Sister Hui'er, Sister Huairui."
Huairui kept a solemn face and nodded absently at Xianglan as a greeting. Hui'er looked Xianglan up and down, noticing her old clothes, and her gaze revealed a hint of disdain. She turned her head away as if she hadn’t seen Xianglan and said to Cao Lihuan, "Miss, these are the flowers I just picked in the garden—perfect for bathing or making rouge. There are also a few peach blossoms; we can put them in a vase later for enjoyment." Xianglan sighed inwardly, faintly sensing that her days at Gauze Snow Dock might not be easy.
Cao Lihuan instructed Huairui to fetch a wooden box containing over a dozen brand-new handkerchiefs. She picked out two and handed them to Xianglan, saying, "You’ll embroider these two handkerchiefs. The patterns I drew yesterday are on the dressing table, and the sewing kit is in the drawer." Xianglan immediately took the handkerchiefs and was about to fetch the patterns when Cao Lihuan called her back, saying, "Take the handkerchiefs and go to the side hall to embroider." Then she led Hui'er and Huairui into the bedroom.
Xianglan lowered her head and replied, "Yes." She then took the items and went to the side hall, sitting on the soft couch. She took out the needle and thread and began embroidering according to the patterns. The designs were simple—one was a treasure vase, and the other was a longevity peach. Xianglan carefully selected the colors and worked swiftly with her needle. Suddenly, laughter came from the bedroom, and when she pricked up her ears, she could hear murmuring voices.Xianglan set down the embroidery hoop in her hands and rubbed her neck, thinking to herself: "When respectable families take in new maids for close service, they usually bestow some gifts first—be it a few pieces of jewelry or some old clothes. Though they might speak stern words to discipline, most would still show kindness and consideration to the servants. But this Cousin hasn't given a single reward; instead, she scolded harshly, assigned a pile of tasks, and then chatted and laughed with her two maids while sending me off to this room. Clearly, she means to exclude me. Of the two maids in Gauze Snow Dock, Hui'er, who has served Cousin since childhood, is more arrogant and domineering than humble—likely a troublemaker. Huairui was given by the old madam and seems quiet, yet she gets along well with both mistress and maid. I suppose Cousin values Huairui more because she came from the old madam’s quarters and deliberately befriends her. My father is merely the third manager of an antique shop, with no backing in this household. If Cousin had even a shred of kindness, considering how hard I’ll work in the future, life wouldn’t be too difficult. But if she’s a harsh mistress, then it’ll be tough..."
She turned her gaze out the window and saw Granny Liu wielding a large broom, sweeping fallen petals into the babbling stream. The sight reminded her that she, too, had once been a noble lady of high standing, now reduced to a lowly maid, treading carefully and enduring others’ moods—just like those scattered red petals drifting with the current, her fate entirely beyond her control. A wave of melancholy washed over her. But then she reconsidered: "My current situation is a hundred times better than being exiled to the frontier and dying in a foreign land. What more could I ask for? I’ve already experienced both wealth and glory, as well as the ruin of my family. Having lived another life without drinking the Mengpo Soup, if I can’t see past these small hardships, then those years would have been wasted. Besides, life is full of ups and downs, and fate is fickle—who knows what twists and turns lie ahead? When I was the daughter of a grand secretary, how could I have imagined I’d one day be trampled into the mud? By the same logic, though I’m just a little maid now, who’s to say I won’t rise again someday?"
After this self-consolation, the earlier wistfulness dissipated like dust in the spring breeze. Spirits lifted, she picked up the embroidery hoop and resumed stitching, needle and thread moving steadily. (New book needs love—comments, bookmarks, and votes appreciated! Currently updating daily ^_^)
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