Chapter 6: Cousins

Cao Lihuan cast a glance at Xianglan, her expression haughty, and said lightly: "You are getting older. The maids who come into the residence are usually under ten years old; they are obedient and easy to teach. At your age, even the masters do not want you, and besides, you are too alluring in appearance. The old lady and the madam often say that a maid who is too beautiful is not a good thing, as it is inevitable that she will be high-minded and restless. Only those who are coarse and clumsy are likable. Just now, Weng Shuang told me that if you do not perform well, I should report back to my sister-in-law to have you expelled from the residence. However, I feel that you seem somewhat honest, and out of goodwill, I have decided to keep you. You must not let my kindness go to waste.

At that moment, Cao Lihuan entered the room, and Liu Pozi quickly hid away. Cao Lihuan sat down beside the Eight Immortals table in the hall, reached out and called Xianglan over, then looked her up and down several times before saying: "Do you know why you have come to see me?"

She turned her head to look out the window and saw Liu Pozi holding a large broom, sweeping the fallen petals into the gently flowing stream. Reflecting on her past as a noble lady, she now found herself reduced to a maid, cautious and careful, constantly reading others' expressions. It was as if she were one of those scattered red petals, drifting with the current, with fate entirely beyond her control. This made her feel a sense of melancholy. Yet, she thought again: "My current situation is a hundred times better than being exiled to the frontier and dying in a foreign land. What more could I possibly want? Having already experienced wealth and honor, and having endured the destruction of my family, I have lived another life without drinking Meng Po's soup. If I cannot withstand this little hardship, then those years would have been in vain. Moreover, the world is full of ups and downs, and fate is unpredictable. Who knows what one's circumstances will truly be? When I was the daughter of the prime minister, who could have imagined that I would one day be reduced to dust? Similarly, now that I am just a little maid, how can I be certain that there won't be a day when I rise again?"

Cao Lihuan instructed Huairui to bring a wooden box from the library, which contained more than a dozen brand new handkerchiefs. Cao Lihuan selected two pieces and handed them to Xianglan, saying: "You go and embroider these two handkerchiefs. The patterns were drawn by me yesterday and are on the dressing table. The sewing box is in the drawer of the dressing table." Xianglan immediately took the handkerchiefs and was about to get the patterns when Cao Lihuan called her back, saying: "Once you have the handkerchiefs, go to the side hall to embroider them." After saying this, she led Huier and Huairui into the bedroom.

Xianglan expressed her gratitude repeatedly. Liu Pozi glanced out the window and saw Ying Shuang and Cao Lihuan still standing outside, so she whispered, "I apologize for having you sleep in this small side room. There is a bed in the warm chamber of the bedroom, but it is already occupied by a maid."

Xianglan lowered her head and said, "Miss, please understand, I have never harbored any thoughts of 'high aspirations'; I only wish to serve my master diligently and safely for a few years before returning home." Upon hearing that she might be driven away, she felt a bit anxious, but did not show any signs of it on her face. She glanced at Cao Lihuan and thought to herself that this young lady had come in with a strong show of authority right from the start, indicating that she was quite a tough character, which made things a bit prickly.

Cao Lihuan fixed her gaze on Xianglan and said, "Just because you do not harbor such intentions does not mean others think the same. While you are under my care, your words and actions, your demeanor and conduct, all reflect upon my reputation. If you make a mistake and bring shame, others may not speak of it openly, but they will stab me in the back, saying I am incapable of teaching or guiding you. I had four mothers at home who taught me the rules of propriety and decorum; even my every gesture and movement must adhere to these rules. Nowadays, even my great-grandmother praises me when she sees me. The people under my command must not lose their dignity by emulating those wild and unruly girls. Do not bring disgrace upon me."

Upon hearing this, Cao Lihuan hurriedly asked Xianglan to come closer. After assessing the pattern on the dress, she nodded in satisfaction and said: "Fortunately, I am in need of someone to do embroidery for the illustrated books. Hui'er can only embroider simple patterns, and Huairui cannot handle a needle. Often, I end up sitting and embroidering all day, which is exhausting. If you can embroider, it will save me a lot of trouble..."

Xianglan set down the string in her hand, rubbed her neck, and thought to herself: "Generally, when a respectable family has a new maidservant come to serve closely, they would first reward her with some gifts, whether it be a few pieces of jewelry or some old clothes. Although they may speak harshly to set the tone, they mostly would also show some kindness and consideration towards the lower servants. This young lady has not given a single reward, yet she has scolded me sharply and assigned me a pile of tasks, while laughing and joking with the two maidservants beside her, pushing me into this room. This clearly indicates an intention to exclude me. The two maidservants in the Luo Xuewu, especially Hui'er who has served beside the young lady since childhood, is overly arrogant and lacks humility; she is likely a thorny character. Huairui, given by the old lady, seems to be quiet, yet her relationship with the two of them is harmonious. It seems the young lady holds Huairui in higher regard because she comes from the old lady's quarters and is deliberately trying to befriend her. My father is merely the third manager of an antique shop, without any support in the mansion. If that young lady has a bit of kindness in her heart and considers my future diligence in work, life might not be too difficult; but if she is a difficult master, then it will be hard..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the sound of girls laughing came from outside. One of them said, "It’s better to wear the flowers nicely on your head, why do you insist on plucking the petals? You are ruining the tender flowers." The other replied, "Miss Huan is still in mourning, how can she wear flowers? I see this one blooming so beautifully, we shouldn’t let it go to waste. Even if we can’t wear it, we can crush the petals to make rouge." Xianglan turned her face to look and saw two girls around fifteen or sixteen years old walking in. One was slightly shorter and plump, while the other was tall and sturdy. They were neither ugly nor particularly handsome, dressed simply in plain clothes. One wore a red gold five-fortune hairpin, while the other had a necklace around her neck that was as thick as a little finger made of red gold.

Old Lady Liu held Xianglan's hand and smiled, saying: "My child, your words are pleasant and gentle, and you are so handsome; I fear the young ladies in the mansion cannot compare to you." She then inquired about her age this year, her parents, and other details. Xianglan answered each question in turn.

Cao Lihuan, upon seeing the newly arrived maid, who was beautiful and elegant, felt a pang of jealousy. Therefore, she initially suppressed her with harshness. When she noticed Xianglan's obedience, her expression softened, and she said: "I have many matters to attend to here, but it is quite orderly. There are two other maids in the room; one is Huier, who has served me since childhood, and the other is Huairui, given by the old lady. One of them is in charge of jewelry, and the other manages the food. Outside, there is also an old woman, Liu, who has been working in Luoxuewu. The people here are straightforward, but those who perform well can stand out. If you truly excel, I will speak well of you to my sister-in-law, and help you advance your rank early, which will lead to a promising future."

Huirui wore a stern expression and casually nodded to Xianglan as a form of greeting. Huier looked Xianglan up and down, noticing her old clothes, and a hint of disdain appeared in her gaze. She turned her head away, seemingly not seeing Xianglan, and instead addressed Caolihuan, saying, "Miss, these are the flowers I just picked in the garden, perfect for bathing and making rouge. I also have a few peach blossoms; later, we can arrange them in a vase to enjoy." Xianglan sighed inwardly, vaguely sensing that life in Luoxuewu might not be so easy.

Ying Shuang looked at Cao Lihuan with great significance and said: "This is a special instruction from the matriarch to you. The newcomers do not understand the rules, and you need to guide them more. Do not let them run around."

Xianglan smiled and said, "It's just a place to sleep; I find it quite good here."

Old Liu wiped her hands with a cloth and led Xianglan into the room. The Luo family residence was narrow, but the interior was elegantly furnished. Although there were not many decorative items, they were all exquisitely crafted. The furniture was quite new and the designs were clever. In the main hall, there was a table for calligraphy and painting, along with an Eight Immortals table. To the left was a bedroom, while to the right was a guest reception area. Old Liu instructed Xianglan to place her bundle in a small cabinet in the corner of the reception area, then pointed to a soft couch by the window and said, "You can rest here tonight. There is a set of bedding in the cabinet, freshly washed and aired out just a couple of days ago."

Cao Lihuan said, "How are your needle and thread?"

Xianglan engaged in self-reflection, and the slight feelings of melancholy and sensitivity she had just experienced were blown away by the spring breeze, dissipating into thin air. She gathered her spirits and picked up the thread in her hand, beginning to embroider stitch by stitch.

Xianglan was taken aback and shook her head

Cao Lihuan recited a line from Buddhist teachings: "My dear grandmother, truly considerate of others, I only mentioned it once, and she actually remembered it." As she spoke, she began to scrutinize the maid, and upon seeing her beautiful appearance, she was momentarily taken aback

Cao Lihuan's expression changed slightly, thinking to herself that the maid who had just entered the residence had not yet been trained or taught, yet she was sent to me, clearly looking down on others. In an instant, a smile returned to her face as she called out loudly to the old woman at the door: "Liu Pozi, take her inside and settle her down"

Xianglan lowered her head and said, "Yes." Then she took something and walked into the side hall, sitting on the soft couch. She took out her needle and thread and began to embroider according to the pattern. The pattern was quite simple; one was a precious vase, and the other was a longevity peach. Xianglan carefully selected the colors, deftly stitching away. Suddenly, laughter came from the bedroom; she perked up her ears to listen and could hear someone chatting softly.

Ying Shuang Dao: "Did you not tell the eldest lady the other day that you do not have enough maids to command? The eldest lady has been thinking about it, and today, coincidentally, a few maids have arrived at the residence, just in time to leave one for you"

Xiang and the book Lan smiled and said: "Sister Hui'er, Sister Huairui."

Xianglan respectfully said: "I do not seek any future prospects; as long as I can serve the young lady well, living in peace and safety is my blessing." Yet, in her heart, she was astonished. After all, she was a cousin who had come to seek refuge with the Lin family. If the family had fallen into decline, it would be understandable to have only a single maidservant by her side. However, the Lin family had only sent one maid from the old lady's quarters to serve her, which carried a deeper significance.

Xianglan quickly bowed and said, "I will serve well, act with propriety, and not bring shame to Miss Huan." However, she felt quite disdainful towards Cao Lihuan in her heart. In her previous life, Xianglan was a well-known lady in the capital. Although her life had dramatically changed and she was reborn into a humble family, she had become much more assertive, yet her demeanor remained distinct from others. She found it somewhat laughable that Cao Lihuan, whose behavior was merely that of a woman from a small household, insisted on presenting herself as a wealthy heiress.

The two girls were taken aback when they saw Xianglan standing in the room. Cao Lihuan waved her hand and said, "This is the new maid Xianglan who has come to serve today." She then pointed to the short and plump one and said, "This is Huier." Finally, she pointed to the tall and sturdy one and said, "This is Huairui."

Xianglan hurriedly said: "Miss, please take a look, the flowers on my skirt are embroidered by me"

Someone in the courtyard responded, and shortly after, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen emerged. She was tall and strong, with small eyes and faint eyebrows, her features reasonably well-defined. Her skin was fair, though slightly freckled, and despite her smiling demeanor, there was an unmistakable air of authority about her. She wore a headpiece adorned with magnolia and a green tassel, a royal blue satin dress with floral patterns, and a white silk skirt. Her ears were adorned with blue enamel earrings, and she wore a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists. Her attire was elegant and pleasing to the eye; although she was not conventionally beautiful, she possessed an added charm.

The young lady named Cao Lihuan, upon seeing Ying Shuang, smiled brightly and approached her, saying: "Miss Ying Shuang, what brings you here? Please come inside and have a cup of hot tea."