After finishing her makeup, Liu Ruozhu walked out of the inner room and saw Yun Shu outside, taking a close look at her for the first time.
With almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her face was delicate and refined, yet her figure was graceful and alluring, seemingly exuding a hint of seductive charm.
In reality, however, Yun Shu was not known as a seductress, and her reputation and popularity among the servants were excellent.
“This servant greets the young mistress,” Yun Shu knelt and bowed respectfully.
“Mm,” Liu Ruozhu responded, then said to her, “First, serve the tea.”
At this moment, a maid handed a teacup to Yun Shu.
Yun Shu took it and respectfully presented it to Liu Ruozhu.
Liu Ruozhu accepted it, took a sip, and placed it aside.
This acknowledged her status as a Chamber Maid.
“Now that you are also a person of the Heir Apparent, it is no longer appropriate for you to stay in the servants’ quarters. You should move into Concubine Zhou’s courtyard first. Her courtyard is larger, with more rooms, so it won’t be crowded when you move in.”
Liu Ruozhu made the arrangements,
“You may have one rough maid to serve you. If you have someone familiar in mind, you can request them, just report it to me.”
“Thank you for your kindness, young mistress,” Yun Shu expressed her gratitude.
“You worked hard serving the Heir Apparent last night. This is a reward for you,” Liu Ruozhu then had a maid bring a tray to her.
Yun Shu accepted it, thanked her again, and sighed inwardly.
Not only was she not given any trouble when serving the tea, but her working conditions were immediately upgraded. This leader truly left her with nothing to complain about.
In fact, the young mistress had always had a good reputation, and the servants liked her very much.
The young mistress came from Zhenguo Gongfu as the eldest legitimate daughter. Whether in terms of personal talent or her skills in managing the household, no one could find any fault with her. She was a perfect match for the equally brilliant Heir Apparent.
The only issue was that she had not borne any children in the three years since her marriage.
In fact, after failing to conceive in the first year, the young mistress had actively arranged for the Heir Apparent to take a concubine, who was now Concubine Zhou.
She was the daughter of a ninth-rank official, literate, and quite refined.
By the second year, seeing that she still hadn’t conceived, the young mistress again arranged for the Heir Apparent to take another concubine.
This time, it was Concubine Guo, the daughter of a royal merchant. Because her family was wealthy, she dressed elegantly and had a lively personality.
Now, three years had passed, and the Heir Apparent still had no children, leading to rumors outside that he might be left without an heir.
“Rise, no need to kneel any longer,” Liu Ruozhu said softly again.
“Thank you, young mistress,” Yun Shu stood up, slightly lowering her head and standing respectfully.
Shortly after, Liu Ruozhu glanced at her once more and waved her hand, dismissing her.
“Nanny, what do you think of Yun Shu’s conduct?” Liu Ruozhu asked.
Nanny Qin was somewhat unsure of the young mistress’s meaning. She thought Yun Shu was quite well-behaved, showing no signs of arrogance or pride after attending the bedchamber.
Thinking this, Nanny Qin said as much.
She was the young mistress’s wet nurse and closest to her, so she could speak more freely.
“It is precisely because she is so well-behaved that we must not underestimate her,” Liu Ruozhu said softly.
“When she served by my mother’s side before, I only knew she was good-looking, articulate, and somewhat clever. I didn’t expect her to be more than just a little clever—she knows how to assess the situation. The key is that her emotions are too steady.”
“Does the young mistress think she is a threat?” Nanny Qin asked with concern.
"You jest, Madam. She's merely a chamber maid. With the Shizi's temperament, even those concubines vying for favor find little room to maneuver."
Liu Ruozhu smiled faintly, but her thoughts turned to the worrisome issue of heirs, and she sighed softly.
"All I hope for now is good news—anyone, as long as she conceives."
With the Heir Apparent lacking an heir, she bore the greatest pressure of all!
She no longer wished to go out and socialize. The noblewomen either looked at her with pity or with the gleeful schadenfreude of watching her misfortune.
She, Liu Ruozhu, had been the center of attention since birth. Gifted with intelligence and blessed with graceful beauty, she had long enjoyed widespread acclaim.
When she married Lu Jin Yan, they were praised as a match made in heaven, envied by countless noble maidens.
Yet who could have foreseen that after three years of marriage without bearing a child, she would become the laughingstock of the entire capital?
To avoid adding to the ridicule, she maintained a composed and unhurried demeanor in public, saying that when the time was right, a child would come naturally.
But the bitterness and anxiety in her heart were hers alone to bear.
In a couple of days, she would visit the temple again to pray to the Child-Granting Guanyin, beseeching the Bodhisattva to swiftly bless them with a child.
Leaving Wutong Yuan, Yun Shu hadn't gone far when she encountered the Fourth Young Master, Lu Feiyang, near a rockery.
"Greetings, Fourth Young Master." Yun Shu curtsied to him, her internal alarms ringing loudly.
Because of her striking beauty and alluring figure, workplace harassment was an extremely distressing matter for her.
Especially from the Fourth Young Master!
Although this Fourth Young Master was born of a concubine, his birth mother, Concubine Zhu, had been the Duke's confidante since her youth and was deeply favored.
She remained highly favored to this day; whenever the Duke was in the residence, he spent half his nights with Concubine Zhu.
Concubine Zhu's persona was also one of delicate beauty and frailty, seemingly incapable of managing on her own—the type who neither contended nor made a fuss. The Duke, a rough-hewn man, adored her precisely for this.
Concubine Zhu had not only given birth to the Fourth Young Master but also to the Second Young Master, Lu Feiyu, and a sixth young lady who was soon to be married.
With the Duke's favor on top of that, Concubine Zhu's status within the residence was self-evident.
While serving by the Duchess's side, Yun Shu had heard most often of the Duchess's disdain and wariness toward Concubine Zhu.
"Yun Shu, with the Shizi being as he is, he's surely incapable. Why not follow me instead? I could give you a child." Lu Feiyang leaned close to her ear, speaking with frivolous insolence.
Yun Shu quickly stepped back, inwardly cursing incessantly. Her expression turned cold as she rebuked sharply,
"Fourth Young Master, mind your words! This servant will pretend not to have heard such nonsense. If there is a next time, this servant will certainly inform the Duchess."
With that, Yun Shu turned and walked away, her face stern.
Lu Feiyang watched her graceful departing figure, his heart itching with desire. Such a beautiful flower, yet plucked by the Shizi!
Lu Feiyang gritted his teeth, then sneered.
So what if the Shizi had slept with her? He couldn't even father a child.
Given a little more time to wear her down, he would surely make Yun Shu follow him, secretly conceive his child, and then have the Shizi acknowledge it. If it were a boy, perhaps he could even inherit the title.
Just thinking about it was exhilarating.
Yun Shu had previously been the Duchess's head maid. For the convenience of serving her mistress, her servant's quarters were also located near the Duchess's courtyard.
Therefore, after storing the gifts from the young mistress in her room, she went to check in with the Duchess.
Although she had been transferred to a new position, she couldn't neglect her former superior.
Showing up daily to check in and report on her activities was still necessary.
She even needed to act more affectionate and dependent, continuously expressing her loyalty, saying she had always been the Duchess's person.
This was also the plain truth.
Given her background as a house-born servant, if she wanted to climb higher and gain status and position, it certainly wouldn’t be achieved just by bearing children.
No matter the circumstances, the Duchess was her reliance and support within the household.
She had to hold on tight!
“Your servant pays respects to the Duchess.” Yun Shu entered the room and bowed to the Duchess.
Madam Mu, the Duchess, smiled and beckoned her over. When Yun Shu drew near, she said,
“Yesterday, you served the Heir Apparent well. What reward would you like?”