Chapter 9 Grinding Ink
Stepping outside the beaded curtain, she could vaguely see a slender figure sitting inside, writing something on a piece of paper with her wrist suspended. Hongzhu lowered her head and knelt down firmly, her voice calm:
"This servant, Hongzhu, sends her regards to Fifth Miss."
The person inside made a soft rustling sound as cloth rubbed against paper, followed by the crisp sound of a pen being put down. Hongzhu heard a gentle, soft voice:
"Come and grind the ink for me."
Hongzhu paused slightly. When she first arrived at Baozhen Courtyard, Xiao Yuyao had also ordered her around in the same way. However, not long after, Xiao Yuyao discovered that she could imitate handwriting and wanted her to copy the homework of the girls' school. Hongzhu had her own set of principles and refused to bow her head, so she was kicked out of the main room to serve and was instructed by Xiao Yuyao to make things difficult for her in every way.
Her heart was filled with desolation; it seemed that those days were about to begin all over again.
It turns out they jumped from one fire pit into another.
She lowered her head, sneered as she got up, dragging her injured kneeling leg, trying her best to make herself look less lame. She numbly stepped forward, brushed aside the beaded curtain, picked up the ink stick, added water, and mechanically slid her wrist in the inkstone to grind the ink.
Although Hongzhu has lost her memory, her long-standing habits allow her to do many things subconsciously, such as grinding ink and writing. Occasionally, a few lines of poetry will pop into her mind. Hongzhu has some guesses about her origins, but filling her stomach is the priority right now, and she is not in a hurry to find her relatives.
While she was lost in thought about her future, she didn't notice that Xiao Yuxuan was secretly observing her.
The future Princess Min-young, now known as Hong-joo, is only ten years old, but looks only eight or nine. Her hair is dry and yellow, her cheeks are thin, her skin is fair, and her eyes are large and bright. However, she is listless and quiet, without a trace of a girl's liveliness and beauty.
Xiao Yuxuan withdrew her gaze. She wanted to take care of her, but she couldn't make it too obvious. For now, having her serve the ink and brush was the easiest job. In the future, Hongzhu might not become the decisive and ruthless Princess Minying, but she also wouldn't become ruthless and unscrupulous after experiencing hardships, ultimately meeting a bad end.
She knew she wasn't some great philanthropist trying to save the world, but she couldn't stand by and watch someone die. Even if she had a second chance, she wouldn't truly remain aloof, never speaking up unless it concerned her, and feigning ignorance when asked.
"You grind ink so well, it's clear you received a proper education in your youth. How did you end up as a maid in the Xiao household?"
Hongzhu, unsuspecting, continued her work. Xiao Yuyao had asked her the same question before, so she repeated her previous explanation:
“My family suffered a disaster, and I was tied up by human traffickers. After escaping, I met Zhang the matchmaker. Knowing that the Xiao family treated their servants well, I volunteered to come here to work.”
Xiao Yuxuan gave an "oh," dipped her brush in the inkstone, and continued practicing calligraphy. After about half an incense stick's time, she rubbed her wrist, pretending to be tired, and said:
“Your sister Bihui is literate, but she has many things to manage. It’s a waste of her talents to grind ink for her. From now on, you will serve me with writing brushes and ink. You don’t need to do anything else. Just take the allowance of a second-class maid. I’m tired. You can go now.”
Hongzhu put down the ink stick, her expression still indifferent: "Yes."
After seeing the person off, Bihui announced that Hongzhu would be promoted to a second-class maid to serve as a servant. She also personally gave her a box of ointment, telling her to take good care of her knees so that she could serve the young lady.
A group of teenage girls were filled with envy and jealousy, but that's another story.
The next morning, after Xiao Yuxuan had breakfast, Li's mother arrived.
Seeing that she had already dressed up, Li's mother looked satisfied.
"Good morning, Fifth Miss. Madam is waiting for you two in the flower hall in the front yard. Oh, and the eldest young master is also coming today."
Today is the Jici Temple fair in the suburbs of Beijing. Madam Xiao had long ago instructed that the two girls be taken to pray for blessings, so Xiao Yuxuan got up very early.
Madam Li was Madam Xiao's right-hand woman, so she didn't need to do such errands. In her previous life, Madam Xiao was ill, and even with makeup on, her poor health was still evident. Madam Li meant well by wanting the family doctor to come and take a look, but Madam Xiao thought she didn't want her to attend the temple fair, and Madam Li got angry and complained.
"Why did you have to trouble Mother Li to come in person? Has Fourth Sister gone to her place?"
Xiao Yuxuan winked at Bihui and slipped her a purse of tea money. Li Mama accepted it without saying a word: "The weather is nice today, and it's nice to run errands. Lanting Pavilion is closer, so this old servant will go to Baozhen Courtyard now."
"Take care, Aunt Li, I'm going to the front yard now."
Half an hour later, Xiao Yuxuan was talking with Madam Xiao when someone announced that Xiao Yuyao had arrived.
Today, Xiao Yuyao was dressed in a particularly unusual way. In the past, she preferred bright and lively colors, such as red and pink. But today, she wore a moon-white dress. Her skin was fair, and the dress added to her delicate and frail beauty, making her look as fragile as a porcelain doll that could be broken at the slightest touch.
She curtsied and said, "Yuyao greets Mother."
Madam Xiao immediately pulled her closer and tenderly touched her thinner face. "My darling, I finally gained some weight, and you've lost it all in just a few days. You're breaking my heart."
Xiao Yuyao knelt on her lap and called out hesitantly, "Mother, it's my fault for being useless. I've caused you so much trouble taking care of me. I'm so unfilial..."
After exchanging a few words, Xiao Yuyao seemed to just notice Xiao Yuxuan quietly drinking tea beside her, and smiled somewhat embarrassedly: "Fifth Sister, I'm sorry you had to see this."
"I used to treat my mother like this, you won't be unhappy, will you..."
However, Xiao Yuxuan's eyes lit up as she looked at the tea leaves floating in the teacup and exclaimed, "Good tea!"
Receiving no response, she bit her lip and looked at Madam Xiao, "Mother, wasn't it said that my eldest brother was going with us? Where is he?"
“I could hear Yuyao thinking of me even when I was outside.”
Before he arrived, his voice preceded his arrival. Xiao Jue slowly walked in from outside the hall, greeted Madam Xiao with a smile, and then patted Xiao Yuyao's head.
Xiao Yuyao turned her face away, her earlobes turning bright red:
"I'm not a child anymore, big brother, you can't touch my head anymore."
Xiao Jue smiled gently, then glanced to the side and saw Xiao Yuxuan standing there. His smile faded, and his voice became somewhat indifferent: "Fifth Sister, are you going to the temple fair too?"
Seeing his unfriendly tone, Madam Xiao frowned and was about to speak when she heard Xiao Yuxuan ask in return, "What do you mean by that, elder brother?" After asking Xiao Jue, she looked at Madam Xiao with clear eyes, "Mother, surely it's not that elder brother doesn't want to go to the temple fair with me?"
All the children were born to Madam Xiao, so how could she not know about their disagreements? It was nothing more than the incident that day when Yuyao and Yuxuan fell into the water, which made Jue'er dislike Yuxuan.
"Alright, I've already said that the incident of falling into the water that day should be considered a misunderstanding. No one in the manor is allowed to mention it again. Jue'er, you're an official now, why are you still arguing with your sister about these things?"
Xiao Jue sneered, staring at Xiao Yuxuan: "Mother, you are mistaken. I am just worried that Fifth Sister will insist on going to the temple fair before she is fully recovered. I don't want her to feel unwell and then say that it was because of saving Fourth Sister."
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