Ningyuan Residence.
Like Prince Chu, the Princess Consort of Chu detested extravagance and favored simplicity. The rooms contained no gold or silver vessels; the curtains were mostly made of silk in the colors of Ruozhu and Qianbi. Only a layer of slightly worn satin bedding covered the couch, and the palace lanterns hanging from the beams were elegantly understated. No incense burners were placed; instead, when the windows were opened, wind wheels drew in the cool breeze from the pots of mint and orchids planted along the corridor, filling the room with a refreshing fragrance.
After the Qiqiao Festival, the Princess Consort of Chu had not relaxed. She summoned a group of senior maids and matrons to the main hall, where she reviewed the registers and inquired meticulously about household affairs.
“The number of sandeng binü in the Servants' Kitchen and the Beast House has increased by two compared to last month?” She had always been thorough in her attention to detail, remembering not only the number of third-class maidservants but even the count of miscellaneous servants in each room.
“Yes, Princess Consort,” replied Tian Nüshi, who was in charge of the registers.
When Prince Chu established his household and married, the palace bestowed upon him three ninth-rank nüshi and three first-class palace maids to assist the Princess Consort of Chu in managing affairs.
“I remember now. The concubine once mentioned to me granting a favor to Madam Xu’s two orphaned nieces.” The Princess Consort closed the register, her face wearing its perpetual warm smile—too much would be impolite, too little would seem stern. “Since it was the concubine who brought it up, didn’t she tell you to transfer the two sisters to her courtyard?”
Tian Nüshi replied cautiously, “No, she did not. The concubine said that since she became pregnant, she has received much care from the Princess Consort, and the number of servants in her courtyard already exceeds the regulations. She dared not add more.”
“Consort Zhao is too cautious.” The Princess Consort did not mention the matter further. After glancing through the account books a few more times, she waved her hand, dismissing everyone.
“Madam Xu should have sought your permission first for this matter,” said her personal maidservant Bihe as she tidied the registers.
“It’s just arranging two young maidservants. She could have spoken to the steward herself. If she had rushed here in tears, that would have been improper.” The Princess Consort usually had to attend to Buddhist prayers, copy scriptures, accompany Prince Chu into the palace to attend to the ill, and examine the Third Young Master’s studies. If there were weddings or funerals in other households, even if she did not attend in person, gifts had to be sent. She was so busy she could hardly manage everything; how could she have time to deal with the affairs of a wet nurse’s family?
Bihe only considered her own master’s interests: “With all this back and forth, she might start feeling grateful to Consort Zhao.”
“As the Princess Consort of Chu, I must internally appease the concubines and manage the household affairs, and externally serve and show filial piety to the Emperor and Empress, as well as maintain good relations with the matrons of various families. It is indeed not easy. But being a consort is also not easy.” The Princess Consort shook her head.
But after speaking, Bihe added, “Fortunately, Consort Zhao is cautious and meticulous. Since entering the household, she has never overstepped her bounds, unlike others who have taken advantage of your consideration.”
“There’s more to your words than meets the eye.” Recently, the rear courtyard had been unsettled, and the Princess Consort knew Bihe harbored resentment on her behalf.
Bihe sighed softly, “How dare I, your servant.”
The Princess Consort was the daughter of Princess Huyang the Eldest and hailed from the Wang Clan of Taiyuan. However, the two side consorts in the rear courtyard were both noblewomen—one from the Cui Clan of Boling, whose uncle was the Marquis of Xiping, and the other from the Zheng Clan of Xingyang, whose grandfather had served as Zhongshu Ling, a position even Prince Chu respectfully addressed as “Lord Zheng.”
Consort Cui was raising the Second Young Master, who had lost his mother at a young age, while Consort Zheng had given birth to the Fourth Young Master. After years of overt and covert rivalry, as the Princess Consort had lost her son and not borne another heir, their conflicts gradually began to affect her.
Yet, in the face of provocations from Consorts Cui and Zheng, the Princess Consort remained unflappably composed, as if she had not heard even the slightest disrespect spoken in her presence.
Over time, Prince Chu grew to respect the Princess Consort even more and treated the Third Young Master with greater closeness than his second and fourth sons.
"I don't mind, so why should you be angry? Let the two of them go as they please." The Princess Consort of Chu, thinking of the various dramas in the rear courtyard, still wore that smiling face. She ordered Bihe to fetch scriptures from the bookcase, took a deep breath, and silently began copying the sutras.
At the entrance of the Beast House, Shen Hui waved to Shen Wei, raised her head, and stepped over the threshold without showing any fear, setting an example for her younger sister.
After just a few steps, a maidservant bowed to her.
"Hello, sister. My name is Qi'er. Look over there—those two wings are where the cats and dogs are kept. We miscellaneous young maidservants all live in the attached baosha next door. The lynxes and leopards are kept in the small courtyard at the very back of the Beast House." The young maidservant named Qi'er was clever and well-mannered. She took Shen Hui's bundle and introduced the Beast House to her. Turning past a wall, there stood a two-story small building. "Under the corridor of this small building, parrots and other birds are kept. You'll live on the lower floor, while Aunt Duan lives upstairs."
"I live alone?" Shen Hui was slightly surprised.
"Yes, our Beast House has few people. Aunt Duan said to let you live alone for now. Later, if any miscellaneous maidservant is promoted, they can move into the lower floor of the small building to live with you." Qi'er opened the door and took down a Qingbu Shanqun and Banbi from the rack. "These are issued by the wangfu for third-class maidservants. I've ironed them for you. But if you prefer to wear your own clothes, you can wear them in the Beast House—no one will mind."
"Thank you." Shen Hui casually gave Qi'er a few coins and a piece of candy. She had anticipated needing to give tips and had prepared them in her purse, which came in handy now.
"Aunt Duan wants to see you, sister. I'll take you there. There are three rooms upstairs, so I'm afraid you might get lost." Qi'er, however, only accepted the candy, though her expression grew even warmer.
Shen Hui was no fool. She didn't show her personality on her first day of duty. After obediently changing into the maidservant's attire issued by the wangfu, she followed Qi'er to pay respects to Aunt Duan.
Aunt Duan lived in the central room upstairs. She was younger than the usual supervisory senior maids, seemingly not yet thirty, amiable and kind, yet with an unmistakable sharpness in the corners of her eyes and brows.
"How old are you this year?" Aunt Duan excused Shen Hui from formalities.
"Reporting to Aunt, I am twelve," Shen Hui thanked her but still performed the bow steadily.
"You seem well-mannered and have a decent appearance. It's a pity that my Beast House is famously the most leisurely place in the wangfu. Your coming here truly wastes a great future." Aunt Duan's smile deepened, and her probing intensified. "In the past, before the wangfu established the rule that relatives are not allowed to serve in the same place, you could have followed your aunt to serve by the Third Young Master's side."
"I dare not," Shen Hui kept her eyes downcast, pretending to be dull and not taking the bait. "This servant is young and clumsy, with rough hands and feet. I only hope Aunt will not find me unworthy."
Aunt Duan observed her, slowly sipped half a cup of tea, and finally nodded. "Education knows no bounds. Since you've come under my charge, I will not be stingy with my guidance. You must be tired—you may go now."
Truly worthy of being Madam Xu's niece.
Steady and intelligent, her words left no openings. When faced with matters, she only spoke of her own clumsiness, appearing dull and foolish on the surface, yet her eyes were clear and bright—clearly a case of great wisdom appearing as folly.
It seemed this transaction had worked in her favor.
Originally, she had worried that Madam Xu's niece, having been raised on a manor estate, might be crude and unrefined, like rotten wood that cannot be carved. Who knew her aptitude would be even better than that of the palace maids in the Liu Shang?
Then there was no need to worry about training her.
"Aunt is kind. This servant takes her leave." Shen Hui breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
Madam Xu, fearing that her young niece might become impatient and restless, did not reveal her intention to recommend her for the position of a nüguan. Instead, she simply instructed her niece to learn diligently under Aunt Duan's guidance.
Aunt Duan had come from the palace, rising from a third-rank palace maid to first-rank in just five years, and was later assigned to manage the storerooms at Chu Wangfu.
Unexpectedly, she was implicated in the conflicts between the two side consorts, Cui and Zheng. Tian Nüshi reported the matter to the Princess Consort of Chu, resulting in her cousin Granny Duan being exiled to a manor estate, while she herself was transferred to the Beast House, losing her former glory.
Thus, Madam Xu struck a deal with Aunt Duan, promising to put in a good word for her in exchange for her guidance in mentoring Shen Hui.
Unaware of these arrangements, Shen Hui was puzzled, unsure of what she could learn from a Beast House supervisor. Nevertheless, she obediently strived to leave a favorable impression on Aunt Duan.
"Qi'er, come here." After taking her leave, Shen Hui did not return to her room but instead displayed a diligent and earnest attitude. "Although I am new here, I cannot afford to be idle. What tasks are there for me to do in the Beast House?"
"This servant does not know." Qi'er pondered deeply but could not come up with an answer. "Perhaps… there is nothing for you to do, sister."
Shen Hui was taken aback. "Why?"
"The birds' food is allocated monthly. Once it's fed for the month, you just need to refill the bowls in the cages when they're empty. The cats and dogs are fed three times a day, and they've already been fed. The lynx and leopards are fed twice a day, and they've been fed too. The rabbit, chicken, and mutton they eat are prepared and delivered by the Servants' Kitchen, so we don't need to handle that." Qi'er counted on her fingers. "The waste is cleaned daily at mao hour by the laborers, which isn't your responsibility, sister."
"So… I have nothing to do?" Shen Hui asked again, unable to believe it.
Could it really be this good?
She clenched her jaw, suppressing the corners of her mouth that threatened to twitch with joy.
She had come to the right place—this was a perfect spot to lie low!
"Hmm, probably." Qi'er, noticing her suspicious expression, asked, "Sister, what's wrong?"
"Oh… I'm just worried about my younger sister, A Wei." Shen Hui once again slipped into her dramatic persona, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "A Wei was transferred to the Servants' Kitchen. She has never been apart from me since childhood, and I fear she won't adjust well there."
"Sister, don't worry. The Servants' Kitchen is just as leisurely as the Beast House." Qi'er hurriedly reassured her. "The kitchens in the wangfu are usually crowded, but the Servants' Kitchen is different. Besides the supervisor, Nanny Zhang, there isn't even a first-rank maid—only six cooks and maids who receive second-rank maid wages."
"With over two thousand servants in the wangfu, how can six people possibly prepare enough food?" Shen Hui pulled Qi'er to sit down and took out an oil-paper-wrapped Hufan from her bundle to share.
Hufan was not rice but rather a rolled flatbread.
Thin hubing was wrapped with roasted mutton, strips of Suan Guazu, and served with pickled Shuiqin. This was specially prepared for her and Shen Wei by Qing'er, who had the kitchen make it. The mutton was high-quality meat bought from the West Market, with a perfect balance of fat and lean, roasted until juicy and flavorful.
Qi'er had never tasted such delicacies before. With each bite, she grew fonder of Shen Hui, her eyes sparkling.
She explained in detail to Shen Hui: "How could it not be enough? The supervisors eat at home, the favored servants eat with their masters, and the rest of us only get stewed radishes. There's no need for cooks to prepare that, sister. I'm not afraid of you laughing, but even the young maidservants and laborers eat worse than the cats and dogs."
The lynx and leopards in the Beast House ate raw meat, while the cats and dogs ate cooked meat—stewed chicken leftover from the master's kitchen, shredded and mixed with white rice.
The hunting dogs were raised more meticulously than the cats, fed boiled bones and meat broth every few days.
Hearing Qi'er's words, Shen Hui immediately understood the status of the Servants' Kitchen.
It was akin to a cold pit within a bustling gate.
"Then can I go see the leopard?" Shen Hui wasn't good at comforting others, so she could only give Qi'er a few more sugar lumps.
Qi'er carefully tucked away the sugar lumps, looking at Shen Hui with an enthusiastic gaze: "Of course! The leopard was a birthday gift from a certain princess to the princess consort one year, named Jinyun. Now that it's grown old and hasn't hunted with anyone for a long time, it's lost all its wildness and is actually quite endearing."
Author's note: