chapter 13

Smack!

A little palace maid screamed, falling off her bed.

Two head palace maids each held a candle stick, the light at the tips of the wicks flickering. Half of Aunt Fang’s face was lit, the other half masked in shadows, giving her the appearance of a ghost or demon. Again and again she swung the coarse ruler in her grip, striking the maid curled into a ball on the ground. “Who told you to speak!? Who told you to speak!?”

“Please stop hitting me, Aunt! Please stop!” The palace maid shielded her head with her hands. She sobbed. “I didn’t mean to! I can’t control my snores! Ow, ow!”

While Aunt Fang embarked on a rampage, the other palace maids stayed still in the proper sleeping position. None of them dared to move. The two head palace maids also held rulers as they patrolled the sleeping quarters, watching each of them like a hawk. To see which one of them would become the next perpetrator.

“By palace protocol, one must not make a noise when sleeping. If you make even a peep during night duty, not only will the masters have you beaten to death, but I will also not escape punishment.” Aunt Fang striked the palace maid with the ruler mercilessly. “If you can’t fix this habit of yours, then I’ll hit you until it’s fixed!”

The strikes continued for a while. Perhaps Aunt Fang had gotten tired, for she eventually stopped her hand. She breathed hard, one arm resting on her waist. Then directed her frigid gaze at everyone. “Get up! It’s time to start your duties!”

Those skeptical it was morning peered out the window. A pitch back sky, dark as freshly ground ink. If they reached an arm out, it would be akin to submerging their arm in a vat of ink; even the tips of their fingers would not be discernible.

“A-aunt, it’s just past midnight¹,” a palace maid couldn’t help but say. “The doors to the embroidery workshop haven’t even opened yet.”

But Aunt Fang shot her a glance and she no longer dared to speak, quickly climbing down the bed. Her actions were too forceful, and she almost fell off instead.

From the dormitory, the ruffling of cloth could be heard from the dormitory, the palace maids swiftly putting on their uniforms. They feared if they were too slow, then Aunt Fang or the other head palace maids would strike them hard.

“Aunt, I’m dressed,” said Jinxiu, ever the honor student. This time was no different. She had been the first to finish dressing and then quickly jogged to Aunt Fang. She said obediently, “Are we going to the embroidery workshop now?”

“The doors to the embroidery workshop have yet to open, so what are you going there for?”

Hearing Aunt Fang’s cold response, Jinxiu was put in a daze. “Then we…”

“The tasks provided in the embroidery workshop are jobs. Running errands for me is also a job,” said Aunt Fang, scanning the room. “Who is Wei Yingluo?”

Everyone’s gaze converged at the person in question.

“I am.” Her expression did not so much as change. She broke through the crowd, making her way to Aunt Fang.

Aunt Fang glanced at the two head palace maids that she had brought with her. One of them walked forward. Shoved several sets of clothes at Wei Yingluo’s chest.

“According to Granny Zhang, your skill in embroidery is the best in the group,” said Aunt Fang. “Stitch designs appropriate for each holiday to all of the collars, sleeves, and foot ends of the dresses. Return them to me by daybreak!” Then she raised a hand and pointed to the other palace maids. “You seven, form two groups. You, you, and you, go boil some water. Prepare some soap² and small towels. Every day, I take a bath in the early morning. The rest of you go clean the yard. Make sure each stone tile sparkles. Now hurry!”

Everyone quickly dispersed. Jixiang was appointed to attend to Aunt Fang. In the palace maids’ eyes, this was a good job. It was definitely more relaxed than cleaning the yard. In fact, there was the added bonus: the opportunity to exchange a few words with the person in charge. Those that were given the same job as Jixiang couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces.

However, Jixiang could not muster a smile. In her opinion, Aunt Fang was no different than tigers and other wild beasts. Attending to her in a bath was like removing teeth from a tiger.

“Don’t look so down,” Wei Yingluo lightly said, her gentle voice brushing by Jixiang’s ears. “Learn from Jinxiu. Keep smiling. When you smile, you look very adorable.”

“I can’t be like her.” Jixiang pouted. Then she stared at Wei Yingluo, eyes full of worship. “Older sister Yingluo, you’re amazing. How did you know Aunt Fang was going to come back?”

Both Jixiang and that other palace maid had the tendency to snore. If Wei Yingluo had not warned her beforehand, she would have been the one beat by the ruler. Wei Yingluo’s words had scared her so much that it had kept Jixiang awake until Aunt Fang returned.

Wei Yingluo smiled. “When new officials start the job, they have to assert their dominance. Even if no one snored, she would find another reason to punish people, so that we would fear her and never disobey her orders… Alright, you should hurry up and go. Don’t make Aunt wait for you.”

She watched as Jixiang rushed off, a smile forming on her lips as she shook her head. Then she looked down at the bundle of clothes in her hands.

Professional seamstresses could tell a person’s measurements by just a glance. After Wei Yingluo took her time observing the clothes, she knew they belonged to Aunt Fang. Not only that, Aunt Fang was using the labor of the palace maids under her for her own benefit.

Perhaps to prevent servants from stealing the limelight from their masters, the uniform of palace maids was plain and dull to the max. Furthermore, the uniforms of head and regular palace maids did not differentiate by a lot. The same could be said about the sets of clothes in Wei Yingluo’s hands. No matter how hard one looked, they did not carry any designs, the color itself light.

Women are vain. Those that enter the palace are the same. However, the palace is also a place for women, making the competition between them even more fierce. Wei Yingluo’s thoughts rang clear in her heart.

Threading a needle, Wei Yingluo set aside the first set of clothes. She embroidered a cluster of wisteria on the collar and ends of the sleeves, still connected to its branches. Such a design gave off the impression of a mature woman. In a flash, the clothes that used to be mundane now seemed to have risen a level. And it was very suitable for Aunt Fang’s status; it would not steal the limelight from the masters.

So suitable, even people as strict as Aunt Fang wouldn’t find fault with it.

Rather, Aunt Fang inspected the clothes with a discerning eye, flipping them back and forth to examine every angle, her gaze finally settling on the wisteria. That she found it agreeable was obvious from her expression. Aunt Fang caressed the clothes for a long while. Eventually, she took her time as she said, “It’s not bad. Do the same with the other sets, but use a different flower for each.”

“Yes, Aunt,” Wei Yingluo said obediently. “Starting now?”

Aunt Fang watched the sky above her to check the time. Although she felt impatient for the product, she couldn’t be too excessive when borrowing the palace’s staff to run personal errands. She shook her head, albeit feeling a bit unwilling. “Go have your meals. After you’re done eating, head to the embroidery workshop.”

Wei Yingluo stifled a smile. “Yes.”

The desire to wear the finished set of clothes burned within Aunt Fang, hungry to show off to her colleagues. Wei Yingluo watched her quickly departing figure.

“Look at her. She found herself another big supporter,” said Jinxiu, out of Wei Yingluo’s sight as she gossiped with other palace maids once again. “She’s really a natural-born servant. If we want to pass our days well, we need to learn from her.”

At those words, Jixiang could not keep her anger at bay, bent on arguing with Jinxiu. Before she could, however, Wei Yingluo pulled her aside.

“Older sister Yingluo, aren’t you angry that she’s talking about you like this?” said Jixiang, fuming.

Wei Yingluo smiled. Her time was precious, so why should she waste it on someone like Jinxiu?

“Jixiang, can you help me with something?”

“Sure, just say it.” Jixiang didn’t even ask what the favor was, agreeing in a flash.

“I’m not going to eat breakfast. Please bring me a bun later,” said Wei Yingluo. “I have some things to do, so I’ll head to the embroidery workshop first.”

Currently, the embroidery workshop was akin to a sleeping person. Still and silent.

By the front entrance were several wisteria trees. As such, the floor was covered in purple petals of varying hues. Wei Yingluo wasted no time in getting to work. She swept the floor, gradually clearing the piles of fallen petals by the doors. Lingering on the broom was the slight scent of flowers.

“Why are you here so early?” said someone behind her.

The broom stopped. Wei Yingluo turned around, a smile gracing her lips. “Good morning, Granny Zhang.”

She had purposely came early so that this meeting would occur.

Granny Zhang worked in the embroidery workshop, the first to arrive and the last to leave every day. Therefore, if Wei Yingluo skipped breakfast and waited by the door, she would definitely come across this person.

But she would never admit her plan. Wei Yingluo’s smile did not falter. “Today is my first day assigned to work at the embroidery workshop. I was afraid I’ll be late so I came early.”

Elders liked diligent and rule-abiding children. Granny Zhang was no different. Her usual expression was serious to the point of being cold, yet a small smile appeared on her lips. “You are quite a rule-abiding child.”

Wei Yingluo was in fact someone who followed the rules.

For the next two weeks, she woke up early and helped Aunt Fang embroider her clothes. Wisteria, orchid, carp, green bird. The designs were never the same each time. Not only that, Aunt Fang would wake the palace maids before dawn to do chores, before rushing them to the embroidery workshop upon sunrise. Wei Yingluo wouldn’t even have the time to eat breakfast.

There were also people who wanted to copy her, but after four to five days, they could not continue.

“She really is a natural-born servant,” said Jinxiu to the people next to her. “I can’t imitate her.”

She was unable to copy her, and unwilling to copy either. For she failed to see any benefit to what Wei Yingluo was doing.

Each day, Wei Yingluo ran personal errands for Aunt Fang, and also received corporal punishment from her. Before the crack of dawn she would sweep the yard outside the embroidery workshop, yet Granny Zhang did not show her any favoritism. Moreover, the amount of clothes she had to embroider was the same as everyone else, sometimes even more.

This caused many people to mock Wei Yingluo behind her back; what’s the point of suffering so much without receiving any benefit?

Despite this, Wei Yingluo continued on her path, ignoring what everyone said. Although she did not receive any benefit on the surface, Aunt Fang’s and Granny Zhang’s gaze when looking at her was no longer as cold, even leaning on the slightly soft and gentle side. Especially Granny Zhang. When she wasn’t busy, she’d go to Wei Yingluo for a chat.

Wei Yingluo mostly listened without speaking. Sometimes, she’d give a word or two, asked a couple questions that weren’t too important. Granny Zhang, seeing that she was so obedient and perceptive, would casually respond.

“Granny, should I be using red or green thread here?”

“Use red. Red is more festive.”

“Granny, for Noble Lady Yu’s handkerchief, should I embroider a koi or an orchid?”

“A koi, since it gives good fortune.”

“Granny, whose embroidery is better, mine or Wei Yingning’s?”

“Yingning’s is better.” So used to answering her questions, Granny Zhang answered this one out of reflex. It stunned her for a moment. Then she turned her stare at Wei Yingluo.

Wei Yingluo returned her stare with a smile.

In one month, each time they met, the palace maid would ask her questions that didn’t hold much importance. It was all for this purpose, to trick Granny Zhang in answering this one question.

But Granny Zhang backtracked. “I misheard you. I don’t know this Wei Yingning person you speak of.”