Chapter 18: Salary quadrupled!
Su Xiaoyu, clutching her small bundle, moved to Moyunzhai as if going to her execution.
This is Xiao Jingheng's study. The bluestone slabs are swept spotless, and the branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree are neatly trimmed, making it more than twice as exquisite as the small courtyard where she lives.
Upon entering, she learned that Xiao Jingheng had gone to the Dali Temple early in the morning and was not at home. A huge weight lifted from her heart, and she felt much lighter.
She was greeted by another servant of the prince, named Yanshu. He told Xiaoyu that his main responsibilities were the daily cleaning inside and outside the study, as well as serving tea and water to the prince after he returned to the mansion.
Yan Shu looked like a clever and steady young man. He led Su Xiaoyu to collect her allowance and maid's clothes.
When the brand-new outfit, made of high-quality fabric and texture, was handed to her, Su Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment.
This material... has a delicate and soft feel, it's made of fine cotton, and it even has exquisite dark-patterned piping.
It was completely different from the ordinary coarse cotton clothes she had worn in the courtyard of the Madam and the Second Miss.
“Brother Yanshu, this dress…” she couldn’t help but touch it.
Yan Shu seemed to see her confusion and explained, "Since you serve by the Prince's side, you can't dress like other ordinary maids. This is the allowance for first-class maids in the Prince's courtyard."
First-class maid?
Su Xiaoyu's eyes widened instantly.
She... not only escaped punishment, but also got promoted?!
Before she could recover from her surprise, Yanshu handed her a small wooden waist tag with the words "Moyunzhai" engraved on it.
"This is your token. With this, you can freely enter and leave the Marquis's residence to purchase the writing implements and other supplies needed by the young master. Alternatively, you can use it to enter and leave on your own."
Yan Shu instructed her, "Keep the tag safe and don't lose it."
Freedom to enter and leave the Marquis's residence?!
Good heavens!
Su Xiaoyu took the heavy plaque, her heart churning with emotion.
Good heavens! Does that mean she can sneak out of the mansion to buy delicious food whenever she wants from now on?
Your Highness, you are not an iceberg at all, but a bodhisattva who saves people from suffering and has the wisdom to recognize talent! I have really misunderstood you before!
She couldn't help but grin foolishly, her heart bursting with joy.
Yan Shu looked at her grinning face and coughed lightly to draw her attention back.
“Miss Xiaoyu, allow me to remind you, in our Moyunzhai, we have always only servants. The young master does not like maids to be close to him. You are the first maid to enter.”
Su Xiaoyu's smile froze for a moment.
The first one? A maid?
What's the meaning.
Yan Shu glanced at her and said meaningfully, "So, there are countless eyes watching you inside and outside the courtyard. You'd better behave well and not break the rules in the slightest. Don't let down the young master's 'exception'!"
"Also, your current monthly allowance is two taels of silver."
What? !
Two taels of silver!
My salary quadrupled!
Su Xiaoyu almost thought she had misheard. This was practically jumping straight from barely making ends meet to living a comfortable life!
"Yes, yes, Brother Yanshu, don't worry, I will definitely act properly and never bring shame to the young master!" She nodded vigorously.
What iceberg! What roll king!
All of that vanishes in the face of tangible benefits.
In short, just do it!
When Xiao Jingheng returned to his residence from the Dali Temple, it was nearly dusk.
As he stepped into the courtyard of Moyunzhai, he saw that the stone bench under the osmanthus tree had been polished to a shine, and even the fallen petals had been swept into a bamboo basket in the corner. The courtyard was quiet, with only a faint fragrance of incense.
He pushed open the study door, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
The files on the desk were neatly categorized and stacked, with those awaiting processing on the left and those already processed on the right. Even the pen he had casually placed on the corner of the desk that morning had been washed and hung back on the pen holder.
The porcelain vases and ancient books on the display shelf were all spotless, and even the angle at which they were placed exuded a sense of order; the concentration of agarwood in the air was just right, neither too strong nor too weak, exactly the amount he was used to.
He glanced at Changfeng by the door.
Changfeng understood and immediately summoned Yanshu.
“Your Highness,” Yan Shu bowed and replied, “this was all done by Xiao Yu, the new maid who arrived today. She was busy for nearly two hours this afternoon. I watched from the side and only moved the desk and shelves. I did not look at the official documents.”
Xiao Jingheng's eyes darkened slightly. Was it her?
Where is she?
"Your Highness, she... is currently in the laundry room in the backyard, saying she wants to wash your official robes, and we can't stop her."
Xiao Jingheng had several sets of official robes, and the ones he changed out of were usually handled by a designated person in the mansion.
His eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
The chaotic scene in the carriage yesterday flashed through my mind instantly; the little girl was crying her eyes out, clinging tightly to his leg, using his expensive robe as a face cloth.
He remembered saying "Don't worry about it" back then, but it seems she didn't take his words to heart at all.
That stubbornness...
She's probably rolling up her sleeves right now, struggling with that robe in the laundry room, or maybe her face is flushed red.
Xiao Jingheng chuckled, pulled himself out of his thoughts, and instructed, "Go tell her that the official robes are washed by a specialist, and she doesn't need to do it herself."
"Have her come and serve tea."
"Yes." Yan Shu acknowledged the order and withdrew.
...
At the other end, the laundry room was filled with steam.
Su Xiaoyu squatted on the bluestone ground, staring at the crimson official robe with worry.
The material had a unique feel, so she didn't dare to scrub it too hard, afraid of ruining it. She could only carefully use a soft brush to gently apply water, making slow progress, and she sweated quite a bit on her forehead.
The arrival of Yanshu was like a savior descending from heaven.
“Miss Xiaoyu, the young master has instructed that the official robes will be washed by a special person, so you don’t need to do it. He wants you to go to the study to serve tea now.”
Su Xiaoyu felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She almost bowed to Yan Shu, quickly put down the brush, wiped her little hands haphazardly, and rushed to the study.
Later that evening, as she carried the freshly brewed tea and tiptoed into the study, she saw Xiao Jingheng sitting behind his desk, his hands slightly bowed, intently reviewing official documents.
His profile was sharp and clean, with long eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes, and his fingers holding the pen had distinct knuckles.
Su Xiaoyu didn't dare to disturb him. She gently placed the teacup not far from his hand, then held her breath and retreated to the side, trying her best to shrink herself into an inconspicuous background.
[Phew... thankfully the young master is busy and doesn't have time to pay attention to me.]
She breathed a sigh of relief, but her gaze involuntarily drifted back to the figure focused on his work.
Upon seeing this, I couldn't help but start my internal monologue again:
[Tsk tsk, from this angle, the young master is truly outrageously handsome! That nose, that jawline... he's way better than those modern idols with their heavily edited photos! No wonder he's the male lead in the original novel, his physical attributes are top-notch!]
Xiao Jingheng was writing at a crucial point when he heard this, and his pen paused almost imperceptibly.
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