Youli felt utterly miserable inside.
She strongly suspected that the Heir had taken her as a Bedchamber Maid simply so he could indulge his fantasy of playing schoolmaster—rapping her palm whenever he pleased.
Youli cautiously extended her hand.
Though she had been sold into the household as a child, first working as a sweeping maid and later being noticed by the Old Madame and transferred to serve in the courtyard, she had been valued for her fine needlework and never did heavy labor. So her hands were beautifully kept—white wrists with rosy skin, fresh and dewy, like scallions tinged with cardamom.
“Heir, please be gentle.” Youli closed her eyes and turned her head away.
She still remembered the last time the Heir struck her palm with the ruler—it had turned red.
Though it was only one strike, she could never forget that instant of pain.
But the expected pain never came. Instead, she felt something cool on her hand. Youli opened her eyes and looked—it was a green jade bracelet of the finest translucency.
Such a bracelet suited her perfectly, making her skin look frost-pale, as if they were made for each other.
Youli was overjoyed. “Heir, is this for your slave-servant?”
The Heir’s expression was indifferent. “Work harder on your writing in the future, and there will be plenty of rewards. My maid cannot be a fool.”
“Thank you, Heir.” Youli curtsied with smiling, crescent eyes.
Good heavens, what a divine master this was.
Teaching her to read and write, with incentive gifts included.
She was so happy!
“This bracelet rewards you for studying diligently.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“And this hairpin…”
The Heir took out another box from his wide sleeve. “It’s a gift for your promotion to Bedchamber Maid. Last night, you were wronged.”
As he said this, his expression visibly became somewhat awkward.
Youli froze, then numbly accepted the box he handed over. Opening it, she found another exquisite hairpin of the finest green jade, perfectly matching the bracelet on her wrist.
This life—it was all worth it!
In Youli’s view, compared to a master’s ever-changing favor, money and valuables were far more reliable.
Youli had truly received gifts until her hands went soft today. She curtsied once more, her voice cheerful. “Thank you, Heir.”
No matter how happy she was, she couldn’t forget proper etiquette.
The Heir valued etiquette above all.
Seeing that she was reasonably composed, the Heir nodded in satisfaction and gave her a calligraphy copybook by a famous master, telling her to practice her writing diligently when she returned.
Youli took her gifts and the copybook and withdrew, feeling wonderful—only to run into Lv Liu.
Lv Liu had come back to the courtyard to pack her belongings and had made a point of informing the Heir, planning to use the opportunity to act sweet and pitiful, hoping the Heir would keep her.
As long as she could stay in Songtao Courtyard, she would have a chance.
The two met under the covered walkway, and Lv Liu’s eyes turned hostile.
In Lv Liu’s view, the position of First-class Senior Maid at the Heir’s side should have been hers.
She was a modern woman, destined to be the focus and center of this era.
She had read plenty of transmigration novels—transmigrators were favored by heaven, and every one of them thrived spectacularly. Some became princess consorts, some empresses, some even female emperors…
She had the looks and the wits. Aiming to at least become the consort of an Heir with a Hereditary Peerage wasn’t asking too much, was it?
There was no reason someone as brilliant as her couldn’t succeed. Those finishing-school classes hadn’t been for nothing.
She certainly couldn’t lose to Youli, a pure woman of ancient times.
Ancient people were so ignorant!
Their heads full of feudal thinking, hopelessly foolish—how could they compare to her advanced modern mind?
As long as the Heir of the Marquis’s Estate could truly spend time with her, he would see what made her different, and he would surely be drawn to her shining, exceptional qualities.
Lv Liu puffed up her proud chest, just about to give Youli a good dressing-down, when she suddenly noticed the bracelet on Youli’s wrist.
Fine, fine, fine—she’d taken advantage of her, not only seducing the Heir into her bed but also receiving rewards at every turn, while she herself was being transferred to serve some difficult young lady. Jealousy turned her eyes red on the spot, and her tongue grew even sharper:
“You’re quite the actress, spinning the Heir around your little finger. Don’t think that makes you a mistress now. A Bedchamber Maid is a Bedchamber Maid—nothing more than the Heir’s plaything, something that can’t be shown in public. When the proper wife comes through the door, who knows how she’ll torment you—she might even sell you off to a brothel…”
Lv Liu just wanted to vent and frighten Youli, trying to make her lose sleep day and night even after becoming a Bedchamber Maid.
But Youli hadn’t been raised on fear. She responded calmly, “Thank you for the reminder, Sister Lv Liu. I will certainly be more careful with my words and actions, and serve the Heir well…”
She was now the Heir’s Chief Maid as well as his Bedchamber Maid, so she had to observe proper decorum all the more. She couldn’t lose her composure and give outsiders something to laugh about.
“You little bitch…” Lv Liu felt the helpless frustration of punching cotton.
What a Dead Green Tea—a little white lotus through and through.
Not only had the original owner been fooled; even she herself had nearly misjudged her.
Just then, Second Young Lady Gu Wanyue appeared before them with her own maids. Youli bowed in greeting, and seeing this, Lv Liu followed suit.
Gu Wanyue had a cool, elegant bearing and stunning beauty. Her cold eyes fixed on Lv Liu. “Say those words you spoke just now to me one more time…”
Lv Liu’s face changed. She lowered her head, eyes darting about, and stammered, “This slave-servant… this slave-servant has forgotten…”
This was bad—she had run into the most difficult young lady in the entire estate.
How would she ever have an easy time of it hereafter?
Gu Wanyue gave another cold laugh. “Forgotten? My elder brother has always valued his peace and quiet—everyone in the estate knows that. I used to think you merely lacked manners, but now you’ve grown utterly shameless. In broad daylight, acting like a shrewish woman, gossiping and clamoring here, your words coarse and spiteful—there’s not a trace of a proper maidservant about you. Instead you put on the airs of a mistress. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were the lady of the house of our Marquis’s Estate!”
“This slave-servant wouldn’t dare—Second Young Lady has misunderstood this slave-servant…” Lv Liu seethed with hatred inside, but could only swallow her grievance and beg for mercy.
“My ears aren’t deaf. It’s clear you were gossiping about your masters behind their backs. You can’t manage any proper work on ordinary days, but you’re expert at gossip and scheming. If you look down so much on being a Bedchamber Maid for my elder brother, then why bother at all?” Gu Wanyue paused to catch her breath, pressing a handkerchief to her lips with two light coughs, then continued her rebuke:
“The Madam sent you to serve in my courtyard, but I cannot bear such ‘honor’ from you. Go back where you came from—I cannot accept you…”
Shamed by the scolding, Lv Liu covered her face and ran off crying on the spot.
Though the crying was feigned to make her escape, the humiliation was very real.
Youli secretly rejoiced—thank goodness she hadn’t argued with Lv Liu just now.
When she first entered the mansion, the steward mama had taught her that the Yongan Marquis Mansion was a family of hereditary nobility, a truly distinguished household. Anyone serving there must be cautious in word and deed—loose talk leads to mistakes. If one gave others cause for gossip, the lightest punishment was a beating with the rod or being sold off, and at worst, one could be beaten to death. She had always kept this firmly in mind.
Gu Wanyue flicked her sleeve, still clearly displeased by the insolent behavior of the servant.
Youli hurried to soothe her. “Second Young Lady, why trouble yourself with anger over Lv Liu? It’s not worth it. The Internal Affairs Office just delivered some Jinshan Emerald Buds tea—you’ve always loved it the most. Let this slave-servant brew you a cup…”
As a proper First-class Senior Maid, she had to keep her masters’ preferences constantly in mind.
And since the Second Young Lady was the Heir’s own younger sister, she had to be all the more attentive.
Gu Wanyue’s expression softened a little. “I’ll drink it in a while. Where is my brother?”
“He’s practicing his calligraphy in the Inner Study…”
Gu Wanyue had always liked the dutiful Youli, so at this point she said, “I hear you’ve become my brother’s Bedchamber Maid?”
Youli nodded shyly.