The First Jasmine - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Maidservants and Embroiderers

Concubine Zhao returned to her quarters burning with indignation, and as expected, she caused quite a scene. Within less than half a day, the entire Ye Estate learned that Concubine Zhao had gone to the Third Miss's Courtyard of Clear Serenity in an attempt to curry favor and win her over, only to be subjected to a barrage of cold mockery and searing sarcasm from the Third Miss's maidservant, Qingshuang, before being driven right out of the courtyard. Even though Concubine Zhao was currently at the peak of her favor, the Lord Minister merely offered two light, offhanded reminders to the Third Miss during the morning salutations. It appeared that Concubine Zhao was not nearly as heavily favored as the rumors suggested. With such an incident taking place, the concubines of the inner courtyard naturally could not pass up the opportunity to gloat and offer a few sour, mocking remarks. Concubine Zhao, unwilling to show any weakness, fired back with a sharp, nimble tongue. With Madam Wang confined to her own courtyard to instruct Ye Ying, these concubines lacked supervision, rendering the inner courtyard immensely lively and boisterous for a time.

Madam Wang had suffered a catastrophic loss at Ye Li's hands this time—not only had she compensated several ten thousand taels of silver for nothing, but she had also been placed under house arrest by the Old Matriarch. Ye Li had absolutely no interest in how many porcelain vessels Madam Wang had smashed upon returning to her own courtyard. However, she pondered in her heart that the Old Matriarch's so-called house arrest likely carried a fair amount of exaggeration. After all, in a matter of days, it would be the day for the Prince Li Estate to present the formal betrothal gifts. As the primary mistress of the Ye family and the biological mother of Ye Ying, it was fundamentally impossible for Madam Wang to not step outside and receive the guests.

When the Prince Li Estate arrived to deliver the betrothal gifts, Ye Li was sitting leisurely in her own courtyard, selecting servants. The estate staff were quite discerning; while they were busy in the front hall receiving the entourage from the Prince Li Estate, they did not forget the instructions given by the Third Miss. Early in the morning, the head steward's wife brought a group of candidates over for Ye Li to evaluate. Ye Li sat upright in a chair placed beneath the eaves, observing the dozen or so maidservants standing in the courtyard with a calm, unruffled expression. Seeing that Ye Li had not spoken for a long time, the steward's wife looked at her with a trace of unease, assuming the Third Miss was dissatisfied with these choices. Just as she was deliberating whether to suggest bringing in another batch, Ye Li spoke flatly, "Qingshuang, take a look yourself. Keep whichever ones are suitable." Qingshuang felt immense gratitude for her miss's absolute trust and quickly responded in a clear voice, "This slave obeys your command."

Walking among the maidservants and observing their varied expressions, Qingshuang felt a minor wave of unfamiliarity. In the past, her miss had been neglected, and she herself had been ostracized among the servants. Yet at this moment, these individuals stood here entirely for her to pick and choose. Qingshuang meticulously selected a few delicate-looking, docile maidservants and brought them before Ye Li. Ye Li glanced at them and smiled in her heart; this girl Qingshuang was truly far too prone to worrying, expending so much mental effort even when selecting mere maidservants. The steward's wife offered a fawning smile and said to Ye Li, "Will the Third Miss only select these few? Should we choose two more, lest they prove insufficient when the time comes?"

Ye Li's cool, clear gaze fixed upon her with a trace of a smile. "Since that is the case, let us select two more."

Meeting Ye Li's piercingly clear gaze, the steward's wife inexplicably felt a chill run through the depths of her heart, and she hastily averted her eyes.

This time, however, Ye Li did not even bother to look, pointing a finger at random. "Just those two, then."

Qingshuang followed her hand to look. Of the two maidservants standing in the very front row, one possessed an utterly plain, unremarkable countenance, while the other was exceedingly glamorous and coquettish—one look was enough to tell she was not a docile creature. Furthermore, that maidservant actually stared at her miss with a face full of sheer arrogance; she truly did not know the meaning of death!

Dismissing the steward's wife to lead the remaining candidates away, Ye Li carefully evaluated the six maidservants standing before her and questioned in a flat tone, "What are your names?"

"This slave is Yun'er." "This slave is Xiaocui."

"This slave is Jing'er." "This slave is Tian'er."

"This slave is Xueyan." "This slave is... Hanqing."

Ye Li nodded. Their names bore nothing unseemly, and she lacked any inclination to change them arbitrarily. Shifting her gaze to the final two she had personally pointed out, she asked, "Xueyan, where did you serve previously? I do not seem to have encountered you before." The maidservant named Xueyan displayed a thoroughly calm and unhurried composure within her plain features. Offering a curtsy to Ye Li, she replied, "Replying to the Third Miss, this slave was originally a second-class maidservant in the Old Matriarch's courtyard. Lacking the merit to appear before distinguished guests, it is only natural that the Third Miss has never seen me." Ye Li smiled and said, "You do not look like someone who lacks merit. Since that is the case, you shall serve by my side alongside Qingshuang."

Serving directly by the master's side meant becoming a senior personal maidservant. Xueyan froze slightly at Ye Li's sudden elevation, yet she did not allow surprise to make her lose her manners, replying, "Deepest thanks to the Third Miss for the elevation. This slave will certainly serve Miss with absolute devotion. I beg Miss to bestow a name upon this slave." Generally, a senior personal maidservant would have her name personally bestowed by her master, which served as both an honor and a sign that changing her name severed all ties with her past affairs, leaving her to owe allegiance solely to her current master. Ye Li arched her delicate eyebrows and, after a moment of deliberation, said, "You shall be called Qingxia."

"Qingxia thanks Miss for her monumental grace." Having performed her salutations, Qingxia stood respectfully to the side with her hands lowered in a proper, disciplined posture.

"Hanqing... do you know how to embroider?" Ye Li questioned.

A flash of sheer arrogance flitted through Hanqing's eyes as she replied in a crisp voice, "Naturally I do. This slave's embroidery ranks among the absolute best within this estate."

Ye Li appeared thoroughly satisfied with her response, nodding as she said, "Very well. Since that is the case, you shall serve within the needlework department."

"Reporting to Miss, this slave is not a professional embroiderer!" Hanqing's countenance shifted instantly, her eyes glaring at Ye Li with absolute discontentment as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Presumptuous! There is no place for you to offer rebuttals to Miss's commands!" Qingshuang rebuked angrily.

Ye Li did not display the slightest anger, nodding with a smile as she said, "I know you are not a professional embroiderer; if there is any truly critical embroidery work, you won't be required to perform it anyway. The role of an embroiderer is by no means easy to fulfill; which exceptional embroiderer does not possess at least a decade, if not decades, of fundamental training?" This creature named Hanqing did not look like someone capable of quietly applying herself to needlework regardless of how one viewed her.

Hanqing's lovely face flushed bright red with fury, her gaze glaring death at Ye Li. How could Ye Li ever place such a creature in her eyes? Rising to her feet, she spoke to her with a gentle smile, "These coming days will likely be somewhat hectic. If you find yourself overwhelmed, go seek out the head steward. Once we depart for the Prince Ding Estate, the staff within the needlework department will naturally be plentiful. Furthermore... your name must be altered. Let it be... Jingwen."

"Deepest thanks to the Third Miss, but this slave is entirely satisfied with her own name!" Hanqing declared, her face completely flushed.

Qingshuang gave a cold snort and countered, "Presumptuous! What utility is there in your own satisfaction? Our miss is dissatisfied." This maidservant possessed a thoroughly seductive aura yet bore such an unseemly name; did she mistake the Courtyard of Clear Serenity for a brothel or a tavern? Qingshuang remained entirely incapable of understanding why her miss had selected such an individual.

"Alter your name, or turn around and depart from my Courtyard of Clear Serenity. Or perhaps... you ought to go back and consult your previous master?"

Hanqing's countenance shifted instantly as she bit her lip and muttered, "This slave offers thanks to Miss for bestowing a name."

Ye Li's gaze drifted flatly across her frame, turning her face away to look at her no longer. "Since you have entered my Courtyard of Clear Serenity, so long as you remain honest and dutiful, I am not a person fond of making things difficult for others. If you harbor any alternative schemes, it would be best to depart at the earliest opportunity. Otherwise... those individuals who endured the strokes of the board outside the Hall of Harmonious Joy a few days ago shall serve as your example. Qingshuang, reward Qingxia with ten taels of silver, and give the rest five taels each."

"Yes, Miss."

"This slave offers profound thanks to Miss!" The group quickly thanked her in unison. To these young maidservants whose monthly allowance did not even amount to a single tael, five taels of silver was an immensely substantial sum. Hanqing—no, Jingwen—though a trace of disdain lingered within the depths of her eyes, knew she could not provoke Ye Li at this moment, and followed the others in offering thanks.

Leaving Qingshuang behind to handle the aftermath, Ye Li turned around, intending to return to her room. However, the voice of the steward's wife requesting an audience drifted in from outside the courtyard walls, "Third Miss, the Virtuous Grand Dowager Consort requests your presence.”