Muxiang was one of Matriarch He's most trusted handmaids. How could Chu Lian accept her offer?
She shook her head. Her bright eyes glimmered, full of spirit and affection.
"Grandmother, I'm not lacking for help. Furthermore, I'm the only one they have to serve in Songtao Court since my husband isn't around. There's no need to have so many servants just for me alone. Before Sanlang went off to the northern border, he even sent over Wenqing, Wenlan, and even Senior Servant Zhong for me. Even if Mingyan is going away, Wenqing can just take her place."
After some thought, Matriarch He came to the same conclusion. Chu Lian did have more than enough people to serve her since Wenqing and Wenlan had been added in. Since that was the case, she dropped the issue.
"Alright, since you have enough people on your side, Grandmother won't give Muxiang to you then. You did very well today. Even if that Mingyan decides to come back later on, think of a way to dismiss her from her service anyway. At least that other girl Xiyan seems to be more grateful." Matriarch He completely exposed Chu Lian's intentions in offering that choice to her handmaids.
Chu Lian smiled sweetly. "Grandmother's eyes are as sharp as ever!"
Upon seeing her sweet smile, Matriarch He reached out to poke her the forehead. "I wasn’t aware you were so good at reading people. That's good. These handmaids are meant to be our trusted servants; we can't keep those who harbour straying thoughts by our sides."
Chu Lian nodded in agreement.
After they finished their conversation, Chu Lian returned to Songtao Court with Xiyan in tow.
Xiyan felt a sense of pride welling up in her as she followed behind Chu Lian. Third Young Madam really trusted her now.
When they returned to Songtao Court, in just a short moment's time, the news that Mingyan had stayed behind to take care of Old Duke Zheng had spread. All the maidservants in the courtyard had uncertain expressions on their faces as all sorts of thoughts ran through their heads.
Chu Lian handed down some orders to Senior Servant Gui and Xiyan before heading into her bedroom for some rest.
Mingyan wasn't here anymore, so there was an empty position of a first-ranked handmaid to fill. After Senior Servant Gui and Senior Servant Zhong discussed the matter, they let Wenqing take up Mingyan's place. Her new responsibility was to take over Mingyan's work.
Wenqing and Wenlan had been second-class maidservants. Now that Wenqing had been promoted to a first-class personal handmaid, Senior Servant Gui promoted a few more third-class maidservants to second-class to fill the gap. In the end, even the little menial servant girl who had been in charge of sweeping the courtyard, Baicha, had been promoted to third-class by this ripple effect.
Baicha hadn't thought she’d ever get such an unexpected windfall. The moment it was announced, she looked like she was going to cry tears of joy right then and there, but was ultimately persuaded not to.
Now that the ranks of the courtyard had been settled, Senior Servant Gui dismissed everyone with a wave of her hand and they all returned to their duties.
Chu Lian's handmaids usually took turns in shifts. Xiyan and Fuyan were originally paired together while Mingyan and Jingyan took the other pair. However, now that Mingyan had been left in the Zheng Estate and Xiyan had just come back from serving Chu Lian, today's shift was taken up by Fuyan and Jingyan.
It was in the middle of the afternoon and it wasn't time for afternoon tea yet, so most of the servants in Songtao Court were resting in their own rooms. Chu Lian was also having a nice nap in her own room.
Senior Senior Servants Gui and Zhong brought Wenqing and Wenlan over to Xiyan's room with the intent of asking about the details of what had happened at the Zheng Estate.
In a small room off to the side of Chu Lian's bedroom, Fuyan and Jingyan were sitting on standby while drinking tea and eating some snacks.
Jingyan sipped a mouthful of sencha before sighing in a brooding manner. "Mingyan's so lucky."
She and Mingyan had both been sent to Chu Lian to serve as part of the dowry right before the wedding. The two girls weren't family servants and had been bought from an outside slave trader.
Chu Lian’s stepmother had bought her a pair of outsiders. On initial glance, it was a kindness, but it was actually the reverse! Why would Chu Lian's stepmother be so nice as to give her valuable servants from the Ying family’s pool? Servants who would be loyal to the Chu Family as well as already educated on noble family customs and manners? She wasn’t. Hence, Chu Lian ended up with Mingyan and Jingyan as part of her dowry.
Fuyan shot a glance at Jingyan. "It's all up to luck for these kinds of things. We didn't know there would be such a great chance for us before Third Young Madam left for the Zheng Estate."
That's true! If she had known earlier, she would have fought to be one of the servants accompanying Third Young Madam today.
Jingyan pressed her lips together in frustration. If she had taken Mingyan's place and followed Third Young Madam out today, she would have been the one left behind.
This was House Zheng they were talking about! Furthermore, she would have been put in charge of Old Duke Zheng's meals! She knew how to cook all the same dishes that Mingyan knew, too!
Setting aside how rich House Zheng was, Old Duke Zheng was someone that even the Emperor respected! If she served him well and received the old duke's favour, she might even be adopted as his daughter! And even if she had to return to the Jing'an Estate, she would have a higher status. She wouldn't just be a simple maidservant like Xiyan and Fuyan.
Other than that, House Zheng only had a single son for three generations. This son was the current Heir Zheng, who also just happened to be in the prime of his life! A ripe time for marriage!
Heir Zheng was currently studying in the Imperial College. He had a carefree and elegant bearing. The last time he had come to the Jing'an Estate as a guest, he hadn't entered the inner court. Otherwise, she would have definitely found a chance to peek at him.
Fuyan sent a disdainful look at Jingyan; she was looking down on her for being short-sighted. It couldn't be helped since she was bought from outside. Just a little bit of wealth had completely mesmerised her. She wasn't fit to carry heavier responsibilities at all! What a waste of Third Young Madam's guidance.
Due to Jingyan's depression, she couldn't even bear to continue eating her snacks.
Sh sounded just as down as she looked. "Fuyan, don't you want to go to the Zheng Estate too?"
Fuyan tossed the remaining fried fish skin and peanuts she was holding back into the porcelain dish on the table. She dusted off her hands and stood up. "I don't want to, I've been serving by Third Young Madam's side since I was little. Who would bother with that little bit of credit from serving Old Duke Zheng? Only you girls who came later would be so short-sighted."
Then, she turned around and went back to the outer chamber of Chu Lian's room to wait for her master's orders.
Jingyan hadn't expected Fuyan to speak like that. It lit a fuse in her, making her grit her teeth in frustration as she pointed a trembling finger at Fuyan’s departing back. However, she didn't dare to scold Fuyan either. There were quite a few other maidservants outside, after all.
In the end, Jingyan could only scold Fuyan in her mind for being a fake. Fuyan was clearly dead envious on the inside, but on the surface, she still acted like she could care less. What a fraud!
What could they gain from staying here in the inner court of the Jing'an Estate? Their young master was far off at the borders, and the main branch of this family wasn't close to theirs, either. The young master of the second branch only came back to the estate once or twice a month, so they didn't even have the chance to get close to him. Later on, when they came of suitable age, if Third Young Madam was happy with their service, she would bestow them to a steward of the estate. If she wasn't happy, then she might even marry them off to some menial manservant, to toil away for the rest of their days in poverty.
Mingyan was so lucky to have met such a good chance. Even if she couldn't get into Heir Zheng's bed, she might be able to get married to a minor official instead and become an official's legitimate wife.
As for her, she could only stay by Third Young Madam's side, toiling away her days in this Songtao Court. What kind of future could she have?
Mingyan's sudden departure had caused all sorts of hidden thoughts to surface in Jingyan's mind.
Meanwhile, as Fuyan continued walking towards the parlour, she kept up her calm exterior despite no longer being in front of Jingyan. But in reality, how could she not be boiling with jealousy of Mingyan?!
However, there were other thoughts in her mind that kept her more patient than Jingyan.
When she thought of He Changdi's outstanding figure and his handsome looks, as well as that strangely attractive cold demeanour and sombre air of his, Fuyan was filled with excitement. She was going to wait, no matter how many years it took. She was going to wait until the day that Third Young Master returned. With that letter in her hands, she was certain that she would be able to get Third Young Master's favour.
Meanwhile, Chu Lian was lying in her soft bed, covered in a fragrant, light blanket. She was deep in a comforting slumber, without any mind to care about what the maidservants in her courtyard were thinking about.
In the following days, Chu Lian was kept busy with the opening of Guilin Restaurant. Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and before they knew it, there was only one day left before the first of September, the day of Guilin Restaurant's reopening.
Mingyan had already been left in the Zheng Estate to take care of Old Duke Zheng's meals for about six days.
After eating the delicious food that Mingyan had personally cooked, Old Duke Zheng's spirit was back. In just a few days, he had already recovered to his usual state of health. By the fourth day, he was already able to get out of bed and move around. When it came to the sixth day, he could get up in the morning to practise the five-animal exercises of qigong.
On this day, Heir Zheng had come over to his grandfather's courtyard early in the morning. Old Duke Zheng had just changed into a short-sleeved tunic and was about to do some morning exercise when he saw that his grandson had come to visit him. He cheerfully extended an invitation to him and said, "Tiancheng, come and practise some techniques with me."
Upon receiving his grandfather's invitation, Heir Zheng grinned widely, showing off his teeth. He immediately took off his outer robe and tossed it to his manservant. Then, he strode over to his grandfather's side and started practising some morning exercises with Old Duke Zheng.
"You brat, why have you come over to grandfather's place so early in the morning? Are you here to steal a free meal?" Old Duke Zheng harrumphed.
Heir Zheng was a talkative one. "Grandfather understands Grandson the most! But Grandson isn't here just to fulfill some simple appetite today."
"Oh? What's the matter? Tell me."
Old Duke Zheng was full of energy. His punches were brimming with power. There was no trace of the man who had been on his deathbed just six days ago after almost starving to death.
The power of gourmet food was really quite miraculous.
"House Jing'an's Third Young Madam, otherwise known as Honoured Lady Jinyi, is about to open up a restaurant tomorrow. If Grandfather would like to go and take a look, Grandson happens to have two invites here."
"Honoured Lady Jinyi is that girl who came to our estate with Matriarch He the other day?"
"Indeed she is. That favoured maidservant you have here was left behind by Honoured Lady Jinyi."
"That does sound interesting. Leave one invite for Grandfather then!"
Heir Zheng was so happy that even his eyebrows were beaming.
After grandfather and grandson finished an hour of exercise together and took a shower, a senior servant entered the room to inform them that breakfast was ready.
Old Duke Zheng brought his grandson to the parlour, where the table had been laid out with a variety of dishes. There were steamed rice cakes, flower rolls, steamed dumplings, fried breadsticks, and also some steaming hot pork porridge.
They could the smell the tempting aroma of the food even from the entrance of the parlour. The two men were already starving, so they quickly walked right in and sat at the table.
As Old Duke Zheng looked over the table laden with breakfast foods he had never seen before, a passionate fire seemed to be burning in his eyes. He shot a look at Mingyan, who was waiting by his side. "Mingyan, quick, tell me what all these are."
After Old Duke Zheng spoke up, Heir Zheng turned to look at Mingyan, who was standing by the table. When Mingyan caught sight of Heir Zheng's gaze from the corner of her eyes, a faint blush covered her cheeks. However, she still managed to say, "Replying to Old Duke Zheng and Heir Zheng, the plate over on that end contains a dish called 'Double Golden Spears'. It's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside..."
Mingyan's gentle voice resounded within the parlour, but as Heir Zheng continued listening, he sensed something wrong.
Although this girl was introducing the dishes properly, there wasn't any mention of Honoured Lady Jinyi in her descriptions. By excluding her, Mingyan was trying to imply that she had been the one to invent all these dishes. How was that possible!
Heir Zheng's brows furrowed together as he took another look at Mingyan. This time, Mingyan also turned to meet his gaze. Her eyes were flush with desire, like a soft autumn wind.
Heir Zheng stiffened and quickly turned his gaze away.
Of course, all these little interactions had fallen into Old Duke Zheng's sharp eyes.