Chapter 42: Worthless
The Empress Dowager smiled and scolded the silly child, then patted her back very gently.
Yuan Siyin could no longer tell whether these words were addressed to her aunt or to herself.
Yeting—
Yuan Siyin sat calmly on the bamboo rattan chair brought by a palace maid, holding a leaf in her hand. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaf, reflecting on her and giving her a golden halo that dazzled the eye.
"Miss Yuan, these are the people you selected according to your instructions. Do you find any of them pleasing to the eye?"
Granny Gui tucked her hands into her sleeves and eagerly led over a dozen palace maids, followed by a fair-skinned girl who looked quite young.
"They are all newcomers to the palace and haven't been properly trained yet. They are ignorant and might offend the young ladies with their clumsiness."
"Young lady, you might want to take a look at my goddaughter; she's clever, obedient, and utterly adorable."
As she spoke, the old woman pulled the timid girl out from behind her, "Hurry up and greet the girl!"
"This servant greets you, young lady."
The girl's voice was barely audible, but she was impeccably polite.
Yuan Siyin squinted and looked her over a few times. She was dressed in plain clothes, and her head was clean with no ornaments. She looked quite well-behaved.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Qingzhi."
What will it do?
"This servant can play music and knows a few words."
"Take him away, I don't need anyone like him around."
Yuan Siyin waved her hand, turned her head away with little interest, and began to scrutinize the palace maids waiting with their heads bowed below the steps.
"Young lady, are you really not going to take another look? This old servant..."
"Are you choosing the people, or am I choosing them?"
This delicate girl, who can't lift a finger or carry anything heavy, is actually sent to serve in Changbai Palace. I wonder if she'll be taking care of the innocent girl or the innocent girl will be taking care of her.
That won't work.
Yuan Siyin pursed her lips in displeasure and simply stood up and walked down the steps.
Granny Gui was humiliated and couldn't save face, but she had nowhere to vent her anger, so she turned around and slapped Qingzhi hard across the face.
Qingzhi covered half her face, lowered her head in grievance, and sobbed softly.
Yuan Siyin had no interest in meddling in other people's business, nor did she care. She continued to do her own thing, but the old nanny, seeing that she didn't react, became even more arrogant and aggressive. She cursed and swore and showed no mercy when she hit her: "You little hussy, it's one thing for you to be so rough on ordinary days, but today you've angered Miss Yuan. Just wait and see how I deal with you when we get back. You're getting more and more tactless!"
Qingzhi's body was covered in bruises from being pinched, and she couldn't bear it any longer. She stumbled and knelt down in front of Yuan Siyin, almost hugging her leg: "Miss, you saw it too. The nanny beats and scolds me every day."
Qingzhi begs the young lady to have mercy and accept her as a servant. She is willing to serve the young lady like a slave, doing whatever the young lady commands!
The old woman's face stiffened, clearly not expecting her to say such a thing: "You little hussy, spouting nonsense!"
"To be treated like a beast of burden?"
"Yes, this servant will certainly serve you wholeheartedly, Miss..."
Ignoring the furious old woman, she stared at Yuan Siyin, a glimmer of hope rising in her eyes.
If this person agrees... she'll have climbed the social ladder.
"I said I don't need you, you have no value to me."
Yuan Siyin was somewhat confused. She walked around to another maid and pointed at her with her finger: "You're not bad. What's your name?"
"My name is Bai Tu."
The woman answered calmly and without hesitation.
"Come with me."
Qingzhi was dumbfounded. Forgetting all etiquette, she grabbed the folds of her skirt and stood up, shouting, "She! What she can do, I can do too!"
"Will you sweep, serve tea and water, and wash clothes?"
Seeing that she was still persistent and clung to her like a leech, Yuan Siyin was completely amused. "Don't you think it's unconvincing that you don't have any calluses on your hands?"
I told you, you have no value to me, and I don't need you to be my slave.
Bai Tu, come with me.
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