High-class maid

Shen Xing'er followed the group to the Xiao residence. It was located in the east of Jinling City. The gate and walls of the Xiao residence stretched for the length of the entire street. The bustling street fell silent as soon as it entered this street, truly a quiet oasis in the midst of the noise.

Upon entering, one is greeted by a winding covered walkway, with a cobblestone path leading down to the courtyard. The mansion is surrounded by white walls, spacious and magnificent, with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent in gold. One can only marvel at the grandeur of a high-ranking official.

"Grandma, look, this is the peach tree you planted yourself. I've always taken good care of it, and these are the branches I cut yesterday!"

"This is the swing that the young lady used to sit on when she was a child. This old servant has people wipe it clean every day, just in case the young lady comes back one day and wants to sit on the swing."

"Madam, this old servant knows you love lotus flowers. Yesterday, I instructed someone to plant some lotus flowers. Would you like to go and see if you are satisfied?"

The butler spoke eloquently, as if he were very proud, and that everything in the Xiao family mansion was under his control.

"Hmm, you did a good job, thank you for your thoughtfulness." The old lady looked at the Xiao residence, which was no different from what it had been many years ago, and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's all as I should do. It's my honor to be satisfied with my masters."

The steward's respectful demeanor pleased the second master, who said, "Old Zhu, you have worked diligently all these years. Thanks to you, we were able to go to the capital with peace of mind."

Hearing the Second Master's absurd words, the Second Madam felt ashamed and gave an awkward laugh, saying, "Hehe, Mother, let's go eat. Your daughter-in-law misses the fish from Nanjing."

"Yes, we haven't had a proper meal after traveling for days. Let's go." The old lady was also hungry and nodded in agreement.

Jinling is not like the capital; the rules are not as strict. When the old Minister was alive, he enjoyed lively gatherings, so his mansion in Jinling had a special dining area where the whole family would eat together every day.

"This old servant has already instructed the kitchen to prepare your favorite sweet and sour fish, as well as some new dishes developed over the years. We're just waiting for your word to cook," Butler Zhu said with a smile.

The old lady nodded, then turned to the group of maids and servants and said...

"You've had a hard time traveling these past few days. The kitchen will prepare two extra meat dishes for you at noon today. Also, you don't need to work this afternoon. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the environment. You'll start work tomorrow."

Quiet cheers rose from the crowd, and then Danxue summoned the maids from the Xiao family and led them to the maids' room.

"Sisters, you two will stay here." A young girl, also dressed as a third-class maid, led the two of them into the room and helped them pack their belongings.

"Little sister, how old are you? You still look so young," Shen Xing'er asked, looking at the little girl who was wiping the table for them.

"I'm not little anymore, I'm eight years old," the little girl replied, without stopping her wiping of the table.

"Are you a domesticated child?" Yamamomo asked curiously.

"Yes, my mother guards the back gate of the mansion, and my father guards the front gate. You can just call me Xiaoju."

Xiaoju enthusiastically introduced the two women to the Xiao residence, showing them the locations of the kitchen, tea room, and small kitchen, as well as the names of the maids in the old lady's courtyard.

"By the way, Xiaoju, that steward was quite impressive today. He was so meticulous in everything he did. No wonder the masters trust him." Shantao, the quick-witted girl, started talking about the masters.

"Okay, sisters, rest here. I'll go get your food. You must be tired after traveling for days." Xiaoju, unusually, didn't reply and quickly left the room as if fleeing.

"This person is so strange. She was so enthusiastic just now, but suddenly she's ignoring us. What did I do to offend her?"

Yamamoto watched Xiaoju's flustered figure, puzzled.

Shen Xing'er felt that something was wrong, as if there was something in front of her covered by a white veil, something that wanted her to see but couldn't.

After packing her bags, Shen Xing'er finally had some free time to take a closer look at the small house where she would be staying for several months.

The maids' quarters in Jinling were not as large or luxurious as those in the capital. There were two small beds separated by a table, and a box at the foot of the bed. That was all their belongings.

Several days passed peacefully, and apart from occasionally wandering into the wrong courtyard, everything was much the same as when we were in the capital.

That day, Shen Xing'er and Shan Tao, who were not on duty, were eating in the house.

"Xing'er, although Jinling is not as good as the capital, it is still a famous city. Besides, our Minister's Mansion is a large and wealthy family. How come the food here is so unpalatable?"

Looking at the bowl full of potatoes in front of her, Shan Tao thought for a long time and could only say the three words "unrefined".

“Yes, we’ve been eating potatoes for two days now. Is it because they’re cheap?” Shen Xing’er asked, puzzled.

At first, Shen Xing'er thought she had offended someone, but today she saw that Dan Xue was also taking away potatoes, so she couldn't help but become curious.

"Why don't we ask Xiaoju tomorrow?" Yamamo suggested.

"Forget it, all the maids in Jinling want to show off in front of their masters. They already see us as a thorn in their side. It's best not to cause any more trouble. Let's observe them a bit more," Shen Xing'er said cautiously.

“There must be something fishy going on here. I don’t believe that such a large mansion as the Minister’s residence can only afford potatoes!” Shan Tao said with certainty.

"Alright, eat up. Don't say that in public," Shen Xing'er comforted her.

"I'm not tired at all. Ever since we arrived, the maids in Jinling have been incredibly diligent, finishing all my chores as if afraid their mistress wouldn't notice." After eating and drinking her fill, Shan Tao lay on the bed chatting idly.

Shen Xing'er sighed and continued, "Who says otherwise? They spend all day guarding the empty courtyard, and now that their masters have come, they all want to get more reward money."

Meanwhile, inside the old lady's room, the old lady and the eldest master were discussing the ancestral worship arrangements for the next day.

“Mother, I will return to the capital after the ancestral worship ceremony. I will come to pick you up again in two months,” Xiao Jiuchuan said.

"In my opinion, you should return to the capital tomorrow. There are many matters to attend to at court. Although the Emperor has granted you permission to stay a few more days, it would be better for you to return as soon as possible," the old lady nodded in agreement.

"No, I've been dreaming about my father these past few days. I guess he misses me because I didn't go to burn incense on the Double Ninth Festival this year. Tomorrow I'll take everyone from the manor to see my father, and he'll be very happy."

The magistrate rarely showed a sad expression; he recalled the scene when the old minister was alive.

The old lady was also touched by his words. She wiped her tears with her handkerchief and said, "That's enough. We've stayed for so long, one more day won't make a difference. Tomorrow, let's go see this old man. He loves liveliness the most."

The mother and son sat together and grieved for a while. The old lady asked with concern...

"That day when you played chess with the Second Prince, did you observe what kind of person he was?"

"Mother, despite his young age, the Second Prince is quite shrewd, yet not overly so. He acts with great discretion, and I even suspect that he is hiding his true abilities."