The time it was known that the crown prince had passed away was during dinner when the black bands were delivered.
Signifying mourning, it was to be worn for seven days.
During those times, the meals that hardly had any meat anyways now none. She craved the taste of meat then.
A lowly maidservant's meals were two times a day, consisting of cereals and soup. Sometimes, as a treat, there would be one vegetable dish. For the overly skinny Maomao that amount of enough, but she always thought it was lacking.
There were obvious things when the maids were all lumped together.
If there were those who were born as peasants, there were town girls too. Though their numbers were few, there were also the daughters of officials. Of course, with their parent as officials, they had better treatment, though their reasons for working and the issue of how the person was raised was another thing. Those who could not read or write had no way of becoming consorts with rooms.
A consort is an occupation.
(In the end, it was meaningless?)
Maomao knew about the cause of the crown prince's illness.
Consort Rifa and her attendants used the white face powder lavishly. It was a high-class item that cannot be obtained by commoners.
It was also used by the brothel's high-class prostitutes. For those prostitutes who earn a farmer's lifetime of silver in a single night, they buy it themselves. It could also be received as a present.
The prostitutes ruined their body by copiously applying this white powder to their face and neck, and several had died from it.
Even though dad had told them to "stop it", they continued on with it.
Maomao had also seen many of these prostitutes die from weight loss and weakness by her father's side.
By trying to have both life and beauty, in the end they lost both.
That was why she tied a simple message on a short stick and placed it at the two consorts' place. Alas, she didn't think that they would believe the warning from a lowly maidservant who had no paper, pen and supplies.
When the mourning ended, the time when the black bands could no longer seen, she heard a rumour about Consort Gyokuyou. With the crown prince lost, it appeared that the broken-hearted emperor was affectionate to the surviving princess.
She heard nothing about him going to Consort Rifa who lost their child.
(How convenient.)
After gulping down the soup that had small bits of fish in it, Maomao went to her work station where she was to tidy up the tableware.
–
"A summoning, is it?"
Maomao who was carrying a laundry basket stopped at the eunuch's call.
It was to come to the Chief Palace Official's room in the middle area.
Palace officials are one of the three sections that divide the inner palace, a low ranked court lady so to speak. The other two were Inner Officials, the consorts with rooms, and the Eunuchs, who were equivalent to a department of attendants of the inner palace.
(What do they want?)
The eunuch also spoke to the maids around her. Looks like it wasn't just her.
It must be that they don't have enough people.
Maomao left the basket in front of the room and followed after the eunuch.
–
Of the four gates that connect the inner palace to the outside, the Chief Palace Official's building is close to the main entrance. When the emperor visits the inner palace, this is the door that he must go through.
Although she was summoned, it really didn't seem like a comfortable place. The reason was that it felt haughty.
While it somewhat paled in comparison to the building of the Inner Palace Chief next door, it was a structure more extravagant than the buildings of the middle-ranked consorts. Each handrail was carved, and on the red pillars, lifelike dragons entwined around it.
When she was urged inside, she saw that the room only had a single large desk. It was tasteless beyond expectations. There were about ten maids gathered within, not counting Maomao's group. Their expressions ranged from uneasiness and anticipation, to excitement.
"Yes, that is all. All of you can return now."
(Huh?)
It was cut off weirdly for some reason. Only Maomao entered the room, and the remaining maids quizzically left.
Even though the room was still spacious enough to fit people.
Maomao tilted her head. She noticed the gaze of all the court ladies around her were fixed to a single point.
(Mm?)
Shoulders were wide for a woman. Wearing simple clothes. Hair gathered in cloth, with the rest down.
(A man?)
He looked at the court ladies with the tender smile of a celestial maiden. The Chief Palace Official was getting red.
I see. I understand why everyone is blushing.
Maomao thought that this man must be the beautiful eunuch from the rumours.
He was just as beautiful as a painting of a celestial maiden with silky hair, flowing features, almond eyes, and brows like willow.
(Such a waste.)
You lose your thoughts when you are taken in by the face, would be one way of saying it. (??) As he lost his most important thing, he cannot make children. If that man had children, they would be excellent specimens no matter what.
However, with just that otherworldly face, the emperor would also ensnare him. While she was thinking of such disrespectful things, the man stood up elegantly.
The man showed his note, smiling sweetly.
Maomao froze.
'The girl with the freckles. You're staying overtime.'
In summary, that was what was written.
Perhaps he noticed that Maomao hadn't moved.
His entire face was smiling.
The man, placing down his note, clapped twice.
"We are done for today. You can return to your rooms."
The maids while puzzled, left the room, the backs of their hair shining. It was because they were unable to understand the meaning of that note from before.
The maids who left the room were all short. Maomao didn't notice if they had faces with freckles that stood out. However, the ones who made no reaction to what was written on the note probably couldn't read it.
That note didn't single out Maomao.
When she planned to leave with the rest of the maids, a firm hand landed on her shoulders.
She timidly looked back. She saw a brilliant gaze with the smile of celestial maiden.
"You can't do that. You're working overtime."
Needless to say, she couldn't refuse.
T/N: One more chapter and that’ll be the end of the first chapter of the manga :>
I am honoured by the amount of thanks I’m getting. No, no, thank you for taking the time to read my translations.
Of course, since I am a newbie to translation, I’m open to any suggestions. Feel free to point out any typos, grammar issues and any of those wonky things. And if anyone has a better way to phrase something… please 😀