Chapter 8: A Minor Skirmish

Early the next morning, A-Ru, having covered the dark circles under her eyes with powder, came to help the Young Mistress get up.

Qi Yue was already up. Because she had experienced such an unbelievable event, she had barely slept, only drifting off for a short while until dawn, and was currently struggling with the clothes laid out on the bed.

"How is this thing supposed to be worn?" Qi Yue muttered to herself while trying to pull it on. Hearing the door creak, she quickly assumed the posture of someone who had just woken up.

Presumably, helping the master dress was one of the maid's duties.

"Did the Young Mistress sleep well?" A-Ru asked as she pulled back the curtains and hooked up the bed hangings. Morning light spilled in, and the room instantly brightened.

"I did," Qi Yue said with a smile, despite the two dark circles under her eyes.

A-Ru poured her a cup of hot tea. Qi Yue held it in her mouth slowly, pretending to look at A-Ru casually.

A-Ru picked up the small white porcelain basin by the bedside and walked over.

*Is this a spittoon?* Qi Yue thought, spitting into it quite naturally while marveling inwardly. She had studied it for quite a while last night; this white porcelain was crafted so beautifully—small and cute—that she had thought it was for display or play. She hadn't expected it to be nothing more than a spittoon.

The households of ancient marquises really were extravagant in their daily necessities.

After rinsing her mouth, she drank the tea. Qi Yue paced back and forth in the room, stretching her body.

"The weather is nice today," she said to A-Ru.

The best way to start a conversation is with the weather; that should hold true across all times and places, right?

A-Ru smiled and nodded.

"After the rain, the flowers and plants outside are so fresh and bright it makes one's heart tremble," she said, handing something to Qi Yue.

Qi Yue took it and looked; once again, she let out a silent "wow"—a toothbrush.

Of course, it couldn't compare to modern ones; it was coated with salt. Qi Yue brushed her teeth happily, and then A-Ru helped her wash her face and apply makeup.

*Truly a wicked old society... this is just too indulgent...*

"That girl A-Hao is being playful again," A-Ru said, looking outside.

A-Hao was good at styling hair, which was why the Old Mistress had given her to the Young Mistress in the first place, so hair-styling had always been her job.

"What's the rush? We don't have anything to do anyway," Qi Yue said, trying out various hairpins from the jewelry box to style her hair in different ways.

"You have such a good temper; you've spoiled her rotten," A-Ru laughed, her hands never stopping as she tidied the room.

"Do you think this hairstyle looks okay?" Qi Yue turned to ask her from time to time.

The mistress and servant chatted back and forth, the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant. Just as they were enjoying themselves, they heard an argument outside, including A-Hao's voice.

"Go take a look, what's going on?" Qi Yue said immediately.

A-Ru had been waiting for those words. Hearing them, she hurried out.

As she went out, the courtyard gate opened, and Qi Yue could hear the voices outside.

"...I picked this lotus flower first..."

"...Who told you to pick it! Our Aunt Mistress said she wanted this long ago..."

"...Our Young Mistress..."

"...What Young Mistress? Don't ruin such a good flower. Give it here, you little hoof! If you keep blathering, I'll tear your mouth apart..."

Immediately after, A-Hao let out a cry of pain; she had clearly come off worse.

"Which courtyard are you from? How can you hit people?" A-Ru looked at the young maid who had shoved A-Hao to the ground and snatched the lotus flower from her arms.

Three years ago, when Qi Yue and the Heir were married, to add to the joy, the manor had let a group of older maids go to marry young men, and most of their duties had changed. A new group of young maids had come in, and since she had followed the Young Mistress into this Qiutong Courtyard, she wasn't very familiar with these newcomers.

The girl looked to be twelve or thirteen, wearing a half-new, half-old blue cloth tunic and trousers. She had a sharp, pointed face—the look of a low-level maid used for sweeping and running errands.

Ever since the Old Mistress passed away, the rules in the house had become increasingly lax. Had these kinds of maids not been trained at all? Even if she didn't recognize the person, she should at least recognize A-Hao's sash. How could she dare to be so aggressive?

As A-Ru spoke, the young maid ignored her completely. Despite her small frame, she was very agile. She snatched the lotus flower in a few moves, glanced at Qiutong Courtyard with disdain, spat at A-Ru, and turned to run.

A-Ru was trembling with rage. If it had just been cold words, she could have let it slide for the sake of appearances, but now a mere low-level maid had come to their doorstep to bully them...

"You stop right there!" She chased after her, grabbed the girl, and shouted with raised eyebrows, "Who taught you these rules? Have you lost your mind?"

A-Hao had also come over and, taking advantage of A-Ru holding her, snatched the lotus flower back.

"Not to mention our difference in status, I picked this lotus flower first. There is no reason for you to snatch it halfway. You are too overbearing. Does every flower in the manor you set your eyes on belong to you? Can no one else pick them?" she said indignantly.

"Who do you think you are, trying to lecture me? People say that the people in your Qiutong Courtyard aren't even worth as much as cats and dogs," the girl said, turning up her nose. She tried to push A-Ru away to grab the lotus again.

A-Ru knew there was a lot of nasty talk behind their backs, but she hadn't expected it to be this bad.

"The Young Mistress was married in through a proper match, decided by the Old Mistress herself, and sanctioned by the Emperor's decree! Even I, A-Ru, have served the Old Mistress for years—how dare you say... how dare you say such treasonous things! Tell me, who said that? I will report her right now. I must have someone this lawless and unruly thrown out!" She was shaking like a leaf, grabbing the girl and shouting sternly.

The girl grew afraid, her eyes darting around. She tried to break free but couldn't, so she simply bit A-Ru's hand. A-Ru, not expecting such savagery, cried out and pulled back, instinctively slapping the girl across the face.

The girl covered her face and ran off.

A-Ru, too angry to let it go, shouted for her to stop and chased a few steps, but couldn't catch her.

A-Hao pulled her back, persuading her to return to the courtyard.

"She said she's from Aunt Zhu's courtyard," she whispered to A-Ru. "She's from the outside... the upper beam is crooked, so the lower ones are askew... Sister, don't be angry. It's too shameful to get angry with her."

Just two months ago, the Mistress had decided to bring back a woman the Marquis had been keeping outside.

"Yes, even that kind of person has entered the house, what rules are left..." A-Ru murmured. Her indignation was replaced by sorrow, and her expression turned dejected. *Yes, the Old Mistress has been gone for three years. In these three years, so much has changed...*

A-Ru didn't go inside. She told A-Hao to inform the Young Mistress so she wouldn't worry, while she herself used the excuse of preparing breakfast to slip into the small kitchen nearby.

A-Hao entered the room, showing no signs of dejection. Instead, she placed the lotus flower in a vase with a hint of triumphant pride.

"The lotus in the lake blooms late; only the ones near the lake-center bridge bloom early. I had my eye on this one for a long time, knowing that after yesterday's rain, it would surely bloom today. I ran over first thing in the morning, and sure enough..." she said happily. "Young Mistress, don't you think it's beautiful?"

Qi Yue smiled and praised her. A-Hao's face beamed, though her hair was a bit disheveled from the scuffle, which looked rather comical.

"Someone saw it and got jealous, trying to snatch it from me. I've caused you worry," she said, remembering what A-Ru had told her to report.

"If it's a good thing, what kind of good thing would it be if no one tried to snatch it? It just shows you have a good eye," Qi Yue laughed.

A-Hao bowed happily to thank her.

"I'll help the Young Mistress style her hair..." she said, reaching to undo Qi Yue's casually tied hair. Before she could even pick up the comb, there was a loud *bang* at the gate.

"A-Ru, get out here!"

A woman's voice rang out from outside the gate. Along with the shout, the half-closed gate was kicked open, and four or five people surged in.

Leading them was a girl of seventeen or eighteen, wearing a thin, fish-white tunic with small floral patterns, a pink skirt, and a red belt at her waist. She was tall with a pretty face, her sharp chin slightly raised as she stood in the courtyard.

Behind her followed several maids of the same age, wearing green or yellow sashes, all of them looking furious.

A-Ru walked out of the kitchen and looked at the girl.

"It's Su Mei. What do you want with me?" she said, a hint of surprise at seeing an acquaintance in her eyes.

The newcomer pulled a young maid from behind her.

"Is it her?" Su Mei asked.

The young maid was the one who had snatched the lotus earlier. Dragged by Su Mei, she glared fiercely at A-Ru.

"It's her," she said.

A-Ru understood what this was about, and the joy on her face vanished.

"Su Mei, I heard you were serving in Aunt Zhu's courtyard..." she said.

Before she could finish, Su Mei stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the courtyard. Everyone inside and out was stunned.

A-Ru covered her face, looking at the person before her in disbelief.

"Where I serve is none of your concern," Su Mei sneered. "To beat a dog, one must look at its master. Sister A-Ru, you served the Old Mistress for so long; she's only been gone for three years, have you already become muddled?"

She emphasized the words "Old Mistress" and "gone."

Tears welled up in A-Ru's eyes as she stared at the girl, who was younger than her. She could almost still see the timid, ingratiating look she had worn back then.

*"Whatever you need me to do, Sister, just say the word."*

*"...Sister, teach me, I'm ignorant..."*

*"...It's my good fortune to be able to help you, Sister..."*

Her tears finally began to fall, drop by drop.

"That is very well said."

A woman's voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone present looked toward the sound. Standing at the doorway was a woman. She hadn't styled her hair, was draped in an outer robe, and was slowly picking at her nails with a hairpin, looking over with a half-smile.

Over the years, everyone had kept their distance from Qiutong Courtyard, and since the Young Mistress had been recuperating and never left, people were beginning to forget her appearance. But when they truly saw her, they recognized her at a glance; after all, the Young Mistress had a face that was hard to forget.

"Young Mistress," Su Mei bowed her head, though there was little fear on her face. Just as she was about to speak, Qi Yue spoke first.

"A-Hao, slap her." She said it flatly.

A-Hao, who had been standing behind her trembling with rage, rushed out immediately upon hearing this and delivered a heavy slap to Su Mei's face.

Just like A-Ru, who hadn't expected the newcomer to start hitting people the moment she opened her mouth, Su Mei hadn't reacted in time and took the blow squarely.

A-Hao had poured all her new and old grievances into this slap. Adhering to the principle of "getting your money's worth," she didn't hold back her newly grown fingernails. With that one slap, Su Mei not only screamed in pain, but there were also two scratch marks on her face alongside the red welt, and blood began to seep out.

"You, you dare hit me!" she shrieked, feeling the burning pain on her face. She reached up to touch it and felt blood—she was disfigured!

Her looks were her life! Su Mei nearly fainted. The maids who had come with her surged forward, wanting to grab and beat A-Hao.

A-Hao had received her orders beforehand; having succeeded in her strike, she didn't linger and ran back to Qi Yue's side in a few steps.

"Kneel down!" Qi Yue raised her voice.

The chaotic maids were startled into silence. They stood there, staring blankly at Qi Yue, who was leaning against the door.

"You said it yourself: to beat a dog, one must look at its master. What are you things? Running to my doorstep to beat and curse my maid?" Qi Yue slapped the doorframe and shouted, "Are you blind, or is this mistress of yours dead!"

The *thud* of her slap made the maids tremble. The Marquis's manor had strict hierarchies; out of habit, one of them couldn't help but kneel. Once one knelt, the others followed suit out of herd mentality. Su Mei, though extremely reluctant, had no choice but to kneel as well.

Qi Yue took the opportunity while the maids were looking down to take two quick breaths and shake her hand.

*I used too much force; I nearly broke my hand. It's because this is my first time acting in a scene like this; I'm not skilled yet...*

*I should have thrown a teacup, a teapot, or a vase, but in Qi Yue's eyes, those were all precious antiques and fine official kiln ware. The psychological pressure was too high; I couldn't bring myself to do it.*