I was a queen in ancient times, no, a maid!

After eating, Dingxiang went to Nian'an Hall.

Cheng Yu saw that the kitchen was dirty and messy, so he didn't go in and said he would wait a moment.

Dingxiang was still shouting, asking her to hurry over.

Cheng Yu knew that tonight was New Year's Eve, and the masters of each room had to reward their servants with money. Even the maids who did the rough work outside could receive a lot of rewards today.

Seeing that Cheng Yu was not leaving, Ding Xiang said angrily, "You are a blockhead."

But when there are a lot of people around, he doesn't come closer.

Several maids in the kitchen were clamoring to go to the front yard, but Cheng Yu didn't go. She cleaned up the things on the stove.

"How can a chef like you do these trivial things?"

Lotus said as she reached out to take the pots and pans, "Put them down, someone will naturally do it."

"Why didn't you follow him to recite Andang just now?" asked Hehua.

Cheng Yu asked back: "What about you, why don't you go?"

Lotus laughed, "I am just a kitchen helper. I may not be able to see the master even if I go there. If I can't see the master, it will be difficult to get rewards. I am already very satisfied with the meat and rice tonight."

Cheng Yu watched Lotus doing the washing.

"Lotus, I'm asking the mistress for a favor. I'll take you in to learn how to cook. Once you've learned well, you can cook for the old lady in the big kitchen. Are you willing?"

He Hua thought for a moment and said, "Yu'er, I know you are doing this to help me. I really want to learn cooking from you, but I can't go. In this big kitchen, there is Chef Gao and Mother Li. In addition to Mother Li, there are two other cooks. No matter who they are, I dare not offend them."

"If I learn to cook and start cooking for the old lady, I'm afraid I won't know how I disappeared."

"Lotus..." Cheng Yu looked at Lotus in surprise, "I'm sorry, I didn't think about that. I just thought that if you learned cooking, maybe you could live a better life."

Lotus smiled and said, "Actually, this is pretty good. I can do some odd jobs and have an easy job."

"Yu'er, you have the mistress's protection. You are the mistress's maidservant. For this reason, others dare not offend you easily. But I am different. I am a servant bought by the Lu family. Even if the Lu family beats me to death, the government will report it. There will be one less person named Lotus in the world."

Cheng Yu suddenly felt that an invisible fate was pressing down on him, it was very heavy and depressing.

She was extremely grateful that she was Zhao Rulan's maid, and a maid who caught Zhao Rulan's eye.

"If you need any help from me in the future, just tell me."

"Okay." Lotus smiled.

Lotus did not say that she was good to Cheng Yu, nor did she say that she wanted Cheng Yu to repay her immediately. What she thought was that being kind to others would one day accumulate virtue for herself.

Whatever Hehua wants to learn, Cheng Yu is willing to teach her.

But Cheng Yu also took into account Hehua's worries.

She didn't want to stand out in the big kitchen and become the target of Chef Gao or Mother Li. She was afraid that at that time, even if Mother Li didn't care, Chef Gao would not allow a chef who was as important as him to appear in the big kitchen.

Lotus and her little follower were busy in the big kitchen, cleaning the stove.

Fireworks were going off outside. Lotus's little follower went outside to watch the fireworks. Lotus called Cheng Yu to go out and take a look.

Cheng Yu calculated that it was getting late, so he asked a familiar maid and learned that the mistress did not stay for tea or watch over the night after the New Year's Eve dinner, and went back early.

Cheng Yu said something to Hehua and went straight back to the orchid garden.

As soon as I arrived at the gate of the orchid garden, the gatekeeper, Aunt Ma, laughed and called out, "Miss Yu'er, Happy New Year."

Cheng Yu said, "Happy New Year, Aunt Ma."

She walked towards Yunjinyuan where Zhao Rulan lived, and happened to meet Dingxiang walking out with a bright smile.

She shouted, "All the servants in Lan Garden, whether maids, servants, or old women, come to Yunjin Garden. The mistress has given you money."

After seeing Cheng Yu, Ding Xiang said, "It's a pity that you didn't go to Nian'an Hall. The old lady only gave rewards to a few masters, but not to the maids."

"Our lady is in a good mood today. She said now that no matter how late it is, she will give you the reward tonight."

Cheng Yu chuckled and said, "Madam is so nice."

"Come on, follow me in. The lady likes you the most right now. Maybe she will give you a bigger reward."

This is something Cheng Yu didn't dare to think too much about.

The rewards she received were already more than enough. Whether it was the prince or the lady, the rewards they gave her were more than other maids could earn in their entire lives.

The most valuable thing about people is contentment.

Greed is written on one's face.

Cheng Yu followed Ding Xiang into the house. The maids and servants were standing in two rows outside the door waiting. Even though it was a very cold day, they were standing outside the door with expectant smiles on their faces.

Cheng Yu also saw Taozi in the crowd.

When Taozi noticed Cheng Yu looking at her, she smiled at her.

"Madam, Yu'er is back."

"Come to the inner room quickly."

In the inner room stood Ziwei, Zhijin and Xiangling.

"Today's New Year's Eve dinner has exhausted you, I have a reward for you as well."

Cheng Yu hurriedly said, "Madam, the old lady has given you a reward."

Zhao Rulan said in a good mood: "The reward was given by the old lady, which is different."

"Xiangling, bring me my jewelry box."

Xiangling turned and went into the bedroom, bringing out an exquisite packing box.

After opening it, it was placed next to the mistress Zhao Rulan's hand.

The jewelry box contains hairpins, bracelets, earrings, hairpin flowers, rings and other items.

Zhao Rulan chose a pair of orchid-shaped hairpins.

"You don't usually dress up, but your hair is always clean. I'll give you this pair of hairpins, so please wear them carefully."

Xiangling said hurriedly, "Yu'er, come over quickly. The lady likes this pair of hairpins the most."

Cheng Yu said: "Thank you for the reward, madam."

"I'll ask Ziwei to get you two sets of my dowry clothes from the sewing room. You should wear them now because of your figure. Don't wear gray clothes all day. I know you have an unmarried brother at home, and you want to save some money for him to get married and start a family in the future, but you can't let yourself suffer."

Cheng Yu never said this in front of the lady.

She glanced at Dingxiang, saw the way she was looking at her, and nodded slightly, thinking that it was Dingxiang who said that in front of the lady.

She hurriedly agreed, "Yes, I will listen to you, Madam."

"Lilac, give out all the rewards I asked you to prepare. I'm very sleepy today, so I won't stay up with you to celebrate the New Year."

"Also, give some things to the girls in the second master's backyard. Deliver them there later. Tell them that they don't need to come too early tomorrow morning."

On the first day of the new year, the young lady in the courtyard came to pay her respects and wish a happy new year.

Zhao Rulan was too lazy to get up early to deal with them, so she simply asked Dingxiang to tell them directly in advance.

"Yes, my lady, please have a good rest. I will not have to worry about what to do."

"I feel relieved that you are here. The hairpins in the jewelry box will be given to you and Ziwei, and the earrings will be given to Xiangling and Zhijin. The maids below will each receive a reward of one tael of silver and two feet of cloth."

"Madam, you are kind-hearted. Listen, the first wife only gave the people below a few hundred coins, but you gave one or two taels directly. This is twice as much as last year."

Last year, the people inside the house only gave one or two taels, but this year everyone outside the house gave one or two taels.

There are more than twenty people in the orchid garden.

Zhao Rulan said, "Tell the people below that if I live well, everyone else will live well too. So do your work well in the future."

Once these words are spoken and the reward is given, who would not be a loyal servant?

As a servant, it doesn't matter who you serve. If you follow a good master, you can enjoy a comfortable life.