Chapter 4: Moving In

Zhou Jingyun’s residence is located on the east side of the Marquis’s estate.

“The unmarried young ladies all live in the courtyard near the Madam, and the unmarried young masters are all in the large courtyard of the outer study. As for the married young masters, they are assigned separate courtyards; though it’s called a separate courtyard, it’s essentially moving out,” the delicate-featured maid said while pointing out the layout to Zhuang Li. “Walls have been built up on the west side, and the Marquis even had a separate main gate opened for them.”

This was equivalent to establishing a separate household.

“The Heir is different,” Mother Xu added with a smile from the side.

The Heir is the future master of this house.

The maid smiled and agreed, then said to Zhuang Li with a touch of playfulness, “Our courtyard here is very large.”

By now, Zhuang Li had already entered the courtyard. The layout was similar to that of the Marchioness of Dongyang’s side: five main rooms with side chambers facing the entrance, flanked by wing rooms, and a towering tree in the center of the courtyard, though it lacked the wisteria trellis.

Young maids stood under the veranda; seeing them enter, they all stepped forward to greet them.

“This is the main hall, where the Heir spends his daily life,” Mother Xu said. She did not take her inside, but instead headed straight for the side room, passing through a corner gate into the courtyard behind.

Here stood a two-story building. The courtyard contained flower beds, trellises, and piles of Taihu stones.

“This is the residence of the Heir’s wife,” Mother Xu said. As she spoke, she did not look at Zhuang Li, her expression tinged with a sense of melancholy, perhaps thinking of the previous Heir’s wife.

Zhuang Li did not mind and looked around as well, her expression calm.

The maid who had been smiling earlier also fell silent, a trace of sorrow flashing in her eyes.

No one spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat stagnant. Concubine Mei looked left and right, then stepped forward and said, “Let’s go in. It was quite a long walk from the Madam’s place; the Young Mistress must be tired.”

Mother Xu hurriedly smiled and said, “Indeed, do come in.” With that, she personally went to lift the curtain.

Zhuang Li stepped into the room.

“I didn’t know your preferences, and the news came in such a rush, so I had Concubine Mei and Xueliu help me arrange things,” Mother Xu said. “You can have them rearrange it according to your own tastes after you move in.”

Zhuang Li was already seated in a chair, nodding and saying, “Very well.”

Mother Xu choked slightly, unsure if this was a compliment on the arrangement or a statement that she would handle it herself.

This young girl’s behavior seemed somewhat lacking in etiquette, yet also somewhat haughty.

The maid noticed Mother Xu’s awkwardness and supported her, saying, “Mother Xu, don’t worry, I’m here. Do you not trust me?”

Mother Xu felt both melancholy and comforted. She held the maid’s hand and smiled, saying, “How could I not trust you?” Having said this, she held the maid’s hand and looked at Zhuang Li. “Young Mistress, her name is Xueliu; she was left behind by the late Young Mistress.”

The late Young Mistress, Zhuang Li thought, looking at Xueliu.

Xueliu also looked at her, slightly bending her knees in a bow, though her back remained straight.

Mother Xu smiled and bowed to Zhuang Li to take her leave. “If you need anything, just send someone to call for me.”

Zhuang Li nodded. “Thank you for your hard work, Mother.”

Mother Xu retreated.

Xueliu called for the maids to brew tea and personally presented it to Zhuang Li. “Young Mistress, please taste the tea we have here. It is all to the Heir’s taste, which is different from the Madam’s side. If it doesn’t suit you, just tell us to change it.”

Zhuang Li said, “I’m not particular about tea. Anything is fine; no need to change it.”

Xueliu smiled and agreed, then asked, “Has the Heir made arrangements for the maids by your side, Young Mistress?”

Zhuang Li had been sent back by Zhou Jingyun’s arrangements. Along the way, there were family servants, matrons, and maids, but once they entered the gate, they had all finished their duties, and Zhuang Li had gone to see the Marchioness of Dongyang by herself.

She was all alone; Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang had not provided her with any maids.

Zhuang Li glanced around the room. Three maids aged eighteen or nineteen were standing there, wearing different clothes but the same emerald-green belts.

“Just follow the Heir’s arrangements here,” she said.

Xueliu pointed to a tall, slender maid with an oval face in the hall. “This is Chunyue. If you have any tasks, Young Mistress, you can instruct her.”

Chunyue bowed to Zhuang Li.

Zhuang Li took a sip of tea and set it down. “You all must be tired, too. Go and rest.”

Xueliu smiled and agreed. Concubine Mei, who had been silent since they were at the Marchioness’s place, hurriedly bowed, and the two retreated.

“Are you a mute?” As soon as they were out of the courtyard, Xueliu said to Concubine Mei, “Why didn’t you say a word?”

Concubine Mei raised her head. Although she was a concubine, she acted more like a maid in front of Xueliu.

She had, after all, been a maid herself.

Asked this by Xueliu, Concubine Mei replied sheepishly, “I… she is so young, I didn’t know what to say.”

Xueliu smiled enigmatically. “In the Heir’s rooms, what does age matter? Even if she is young, we must show respect regardless of our own age.”

Concubine Mei hurriedly said, “I know, I will show respect.” Looking at Xueliu’s features, she added ingratiatingly, “She isn’t much younger than you; you two are about the same.”

Xueliu seemed somewhat amused. “Concubine, you don’t need to be so afraid. You have served the Heir since you were young; even if you don’t respect her, no one can drive you away.” Having said this, she sighed lightly. “I am different. My mistress is gone, and I am an outsider.”

Concubine Mei hurriedly waved her hands. “Don’t say that. The Young Mistress entrusted the Heir to you before she passed away; you are no outsider…”

Xueliu interrupted her. “Concubine, don’t talk nonsense.”

Concubine Mei was startled, looking anxious, as if she didn’t know what nonsense she had spoken.

Xueliu looked at her and said softly, “You must address her as the late Young Mistress. The current Young Mistress is not my mistress.”

With that, she looked back, her delicate brows filled with sorrow.

Things are truly not what they used to be.

……

……

The sound of water echoed in the bathroom, followed by the rustling of fabric. Outside, Chunyue immediately walked over a few steps.

“Are you finished washing, Young Mistress?” she asked. “Shall we come in to serve you?”

A woman’s voice came from inside: “Come in.”

Chunyue hurriedly led two maids inside. The room was filled with steam. Zhuang Li had already stepped out of the wooden tub, wrapped only in a cloth, revealing her smooth shoulders and slender legs.

Whether it was the dim light or the fact that the woman was no longer wearing simple, plain clothes, Chunyue felt that the woman before her possessed a certain grace and nobility.

And yet, she still had that same slender figure.

Chunyue lowered her gaze and took a cotton cloth to wipe the water from Zhuang Li’s legs and feet, while the other two maids wiped Zhuang Li’s long, dark hair.

Once dried, she changed into casual robes.

“These were newly made by the embroidery room,” Chunyue said. “Please make do with these for now; later, we will have the seamstress come to take your measurements.”

Zhuang Li nodded and walked out. The maids in the room had already set up the incense burner.

“What kind of incense does the Young Mistress like?” Chunyue asked, pointing to a row of incense boxes.

Zhuang Li said, “Green tangerine, perhaps.”

The maids there tossed dried green tangerine peels into the incense burner. The scent of orange peel spread through the room. Zhuang Li reclined on the Luohan bed by the window, letting the maids gently dry her long hair as she slowly closed her eyes.

Chunyue looked at the woman reclining with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep, a trace of surprise in her eyes.

Regardless of anything else, the Young Mistress had just arrived today, coming to such an unfamiliar place and being served by unfamiliar maids, yet she showed no signs of restraint.

This could no longer be called poised; it was simply serene and self-possessed.

She looked at the woman with closed eyes, enveloped in the heat of the incense burner. She didn’t know if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but it all felt surreal, like a dream.

Zhuang Li kept her eyes closed, feeling her body gradually becoming ethereal.

Zhuang Zhou dreams of a butterfly, the butterfly dreams of Zhuang Zhou; who am I, and who is who? A dream within a dream, a dream of a dream.