Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 14 First Visit to the Tang Mansion

Jin Dalang, the turtle claw, looked embarrassed and hid to the side.

Meng Shu gently comforted Chun Ya, then stole a glance at Wei Mama whispering to Steward Tang, looking all humble and submissive. She breathed a sigh of relief, but also wondered why the Tang family would make such a fuss over three young maids who hadn't even entered the manor yet. She felt a little uneasy.

However, having finally escaped the pit of fire that was Chunfeng Tower, she and Fuzi exchanged a smile and felt relieved. Then, they both looked at the dazed Chunya and felt uneasy.

It was so hard to get out, but unfortunately Chun Ya was driven crazy by all the torment. I wonder if the Tang family will take care of her.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Madam Wei put on a smiling face: "You lot have received the protection of the Tang family, so you can go with Steward Tang now." As she said this, her eyes were fixed on Meng Shu, and she thought to herself that it was a pity.

Fu Zi was overjoyed and mustered up her courage to say that she would pack her things. Butler Tang scolded her with a stern face: "Just throw away everything here. The Tang family has no shortage of your clothes."

Meng Shu probably thought that Steward Tang thought Chunfeng Tower was a dirty place, and since he didn't know much about them, he was afraid that they might have brought in something unclean, which is understandable.

But now that she was leaving so suddenly, she felt she had to say goodbye to Huanyun, as she owed her a considerable favor. However, she couldn't bring herself to say it, as she didn't want the Tang family to think she still had connections with the people at Chunfeng Tower. Therefore, she hardened her heart and could only think of herself. Fortunately, she carried all the things her mother had left her with her, and Chen Lin's little rabbit wood carving was also in the purse at her waist.

With mixed feelings, Meng Shu and the other two followed Butler Tang away. Coincidentally, they ran into Huan Yun as they went downstairs. She seemed to have been waiting there. When she saw Meng Shu and the others, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and winked at Meng Shu when Butler Tang wasn't paying attention.

Meng Shu couldn't hold back any longer and deliberately lagged behind to thank Huan Yun in a low voice: "Thank you for your care, Miss. There are two embroidered handkerchiefs in the next room of Tingyunfang. Consider them a token of my appreciation."

Huanyun, dressed in a bright blue robe, was quite elegant. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "It is your good fortune to be able to leave this place. Once you arrive at the Tang residence, be careful with your words and actions, and never mention anything about Chunfeng Tower to anyone."

Feeling grateful for her earnest request, Meng Shu quickly responded, curtsied, and jogged a few steps toward the door.

Dingxiang stepped forward and took Huanyun's arm, "Master seems to care a lot about this little girl."

"His features do resemble those of an old friend." Huanyun leaned against the railing, lost in thought. A young gentleman appeared in her mind, and then she sighed and went up to the third floor.

Outside the Chunfeng Tower, there were two carriages bearing the Tang family emblem. The waiting servants settled Meng Shu and the other two into one carriage, which then swayed and wobbled towards the Tang family residence.

In the blink of an eye, she found herself in a grand mansion. In just over ten days, Meng Shu felt a sense of disorientation.

Chun Ya was sent to a manor in the suburbs. The steward also sent someone to fetch a doctor in the city. She, Fu Zi, and the steward went to the government office to register her indenture. After completing all the formalities, she was sent to the inner quarters.

Butler Tang only mentioned it casually as he was leaving.

“There’s something you should remember from now on: you don’t know Zhao Di.”

This is why they were forbidden to speak out, and the matter of Ju Chang forcing Zhao Di to his death was no longer to be mentioned to anyone.

The stewardess of the backyard, Mama Cao, was waiting early in the morning. She sent someone to take them to the storeroom to get two sets of spring clothes and shoes and socks, and then assigned them to sweep and clean two courtyards respectively.

Meng Shu was assigned to Langya Courtyard, which was a guest courtyard separated from the main residence by a smaller garden. It was a very leisurely job. Only the Tang family's head stewards, who came to report during festivals, would stay in the guest courtyard. No one stayed there on ordinary days; the job was simply to clean and sweep.

There is one old woman assigned to guard the gate in Langya Courtyard, and six low-ranking maids like Meng Shu who are responsible for cleaning not only Langya Courtyard but also the nearby small gardens.

Meng Shu settled into the back room; it was nearly dusk.

Because there were few servants in the guest quarters, three people shared a room. Although it was still a room with a reverse-facing structure, the interior was not simple. Not only were there smooth floor tiles, but each bed also had a small low table next to it, with a camphor wood chest with a lock hanging underneath for storing personal belongings.

The two maids living together had extreme personalities. One of them, who was slightly older and pretty, harbored a subtle hostility towards Meng Shu and did not respond when Meng Shu greeted her. The other, a round-faced girl, was much more enthusiastic.

Since Meng Shu only had two sets of clothes provided by the manor, the enthusiastic maid, Green Willow, pointed to the wooden basin, towels, and toiletries in the corner of the room and introduced them:

“Every day at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), the end of the hour of Si (9-11 AM), and the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), we go to the main kitchen in the back house. We have half an hour to eat. We can eat in the main kitchen dining hall or get food and eat it back home. If there are guests, we must take food, tea, fruit, seeds, etc. according to the rules.”

"It's late tonight, so have some food with me first. The steward gives you tasks every day, mostly in the courtyard and the outer garden. You'll understand tomorrow."

After listening to Green Willow's explanation, Meng Shu felt reassured and thanked her gratefully. Green Willow then served two side dishes and gave Meng Shu a plump steamed bun.

Another girl named Biyu snorted and took her food and ran away. Meng Shu didn't care. She never cared about other people's opinions or attitudes. Before, her stepmother in Mengjiazhuang was always putting on airs in front of others, and Meng Shu suffered a lot because of this. In the end, she developed a carefree attitude towards everything.

While eating, Green Willow said, "Don't mind her. Biyu doesn't like anyone. She was born into a family and was implicated because of her family's mistakes. She's been a thorn in the side ever since she was assigned to the guest quarters."

Meng Shu smiled but didn't speak, focusing intently on the dishes before her. Two long, rectangular containers contained stir-fried vegetables and pan-fried tofu, respectively. The vegetables appeared to be stir-fried with lard, with a few bits of pork fat scattered among them. Lü Liu ate with a beaming smile. Seeing her like this, Meng Shu couldn't help but think of Dunzi. She should be working in the kitchen now; perhaps she'd see her tomorrow.

The next day, I did see Dunzi, but not in the main kitchen. Instead, Dunzi slipped away to Langya Courtyard to look for Meng Shu when he wasn't busy.

The two sisters were very happy to see each other again after being separated for many days. Meng Shu had some doubts in her heart, so she took the opportunity of cleaning the garden to hide in a corner and talk with Dunzi.

Through Dunzi, Meng Shu finally understood why so many of the maids had treated her that way when she appeared in the main kitchen this morning, seeing her unfamiliar face.

Disdain, contempt, cold indifference, mixed with a hint of pity.

Most people in the mansion knew about the brief period when the property was resold to Chunfeng Tower.

"You mean Manager Jushang was demoted to the estate?" Meng Shu's fingers, which were gripping the broom tightly, turned a little red.

Dunzi (later referred to as Donggua) took out a bean cake wrapped in oil paper from his bosom and gave it to Meng Shu. "I heard it from Mama An. She also told me that you were working at Langya Courtyard. Mama An is a very kind person. She even brought some snacks for me to come and talk to you."

After listening to Donggua's account for a while, Meng Shu gradually pieced together what had happened, but her doubts only deepened.

Although she was somewhat pretty and knew a bit about poetry and literature and could embroider, it didn't seem like enough to make Master Zheng and Madam An each write a letter mentioning her. Although she had only been at the Tang residence for a day, she had already observed the maids eating in the dining hall that morning and realized that there were plenty of beautiful women among them.

Am I any more special?

Knowing she was young and not exceptionally beautiful, she feared there might be some reason she didn't yet understand. However, she was deeply grateful that it was thanks to Zheng Dongjia's letter that she had avoided ending up in a brothel.

She could also feel the kindness from her mother.

There's plenty of time ahead. Meng Shu knew that being sold meant she was like a drifting duckweed, but she wouldn't be in a desperate situation forever. As long as she was alive, there was always a chance for things to turn around.