Jiang Yan struggled to lift the bucket full of water from the well and poured it into the wash basin full of dirty clothes.
Jiang Yan is now the lowest-ranking maid in the palace.
She was wearing coarse clothes, her face was sallow and haggard, and her hands were rough.
Compared with her delicate and beautiful appearance a year ago, she is like two completely different people.
Jiang Yan relied on the one hundred taels of silver given to her by Gu Jiu to successfully come to the capital from the northwest and then enter the palace.
After entering the palace, her good luck was completely used up.
She has no money, no background, no connections, and can't even speak Mandarin well. She only has beautiful looks.
In the palace, what is most lacking is beauty, and what is least lacking is also beauty.
Jiang Yan had no money to bribe people, and because of her stunning appearance, she aroused resentment and was punished to work in the laundry department, where she had to wash endless clothes every day.
Jiang Yan pounded her aching waist, her expression numb.
Suddenly, she stopped what she was doing and stared at her reflection in the water.
Is that her?
Is the haggard-looking person in the water really her?
Looking at her own hands again, is this still the same Jiang Yan who was as bright as a flower?
In less than a year, she had become so haggard.
In two years, will her most proud appearance still be there? Will she still have a chance to turn things around?
Jiang Yan suddenly burst into tears.
She squatted on the ground, crying more and more sadly.
She didn't want to die in the laundry, and didn't want to have to wash endless clothes every day.
The severe cold in winter and the scorching heat in summer, if she continues like this, she will soon become an old and ugly woman and will never have a chance to turn over a new leaf.
She can't go on like this.
She didn't enter the palace to wash clothes for others. She wanted to change the status quo and turn things around.
Jiang Yan wiped away her tears, endured the pain, and finished washing the last basin of clothes.
She didn't eat dinner either. She hid in her room and secretly counted the money she had saved.
All his assets amounted to only eight taels and two cents of silver.
What can this little money do in the palace?
It seems like nothing can be done.
But she was unwilling to give up.
After thinking for a while, Jiang Yan took out five taels of silver, put it in her pocket, and then went out.
She gave some money to the gatekeeper and sneaked out of the laundry.
Where to go next?
Jiang Yan thought about it and realized that she was very good at sewing, so if she could go to the needlework bureau, it would be a good opportunity.
Jiang Yan made up her mind, figured out the direction, and hurried to the needlework bureau.
"Are you looking for death? Don't talk."
While walking on the road, Jiang Yan was suddenly pulled into a bush of flowers. She was scared half to death and the color on her face disappeared in an instant.
Her mouth was covered and she could only make whimpering sounds.
The person behind her whispered to her, "If you don't want to die, don't make any noise."
Jiang Yan stared at the scene ahead with wide eyes.
A group of eunuchs and eunuchs passed by with serious expressions, each with a murderous look on their face.
Only after the group of people walked away did the person behind her let go of Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan turned around suddenly and saw that it was a young eunuch, definitely under 20 years old.
If Gu Jiu were here, he would definitely be surprised.
When he was in the northwest, Gu Jiu went to inspect the horse farm. He passed by a dilapidated temple and saw a little beggar. He unexpectedly transformed himself and entered the palace as a eunuch.
"You..." Jiang Yan wanted to blame the other party.
Zhou Miao snorted coldly, "Did you see the people from the Execution Department just go over there? You rushed out like that and bumped into them. You deserve to die."
Jiang Yan shuddered all over.
Even his voice was trembling. "Were those people who just passed by really from the Execution Department?"
"How could this be false?"
In the Execution Department, Jiang Yan’s presence in the Laundry Department has become a household name in recent times.
There was a massive purge in the palace, and thousands of people died, most of them at the hands of the Execution Department.
There was a rumor in the palace that anyone who entered the execution hall should not expect to come out alive.
Instead of thinking about how to survive, it is better to think about how to die more cleanly and suffer less before dying.
Jiang Yan hugged herself with both hands, looking terrified. "Thank you. What's your name?"
"Zhou Miao, in ten years you will have to call me Eunuch Zhou."
Jiang Yan laughed. "You're quite ambitious. Why did your parents give you such a name? Zhou Miao, sounds like a girl's name."
Zhou Miao looked unhappy and said, "Why do you care what name I choose?"
He was originally a little beggar without a name. Others called him "Hey, hey, hey". He didn't care when the little beggar called him that.
It was not until he arrived in the capital that when someone asked him his name seriously for the first time, he remembered Mr. Zhou who had accompanied him in the dilapidated temple, and he took the initiative to change his surname to Mr. Zhou.
Mr. Zhou once said that he was a good seedling, so he named himself Zhou Miao, which means Mr. Zhou's good seedling.
Zhou Miao looked at Jiang Yan and said, "You look good, but how did you end up like this? How can you make a name for yourself in the palace like this?"
Jiang Yan was filled with sorrow. "Do you think I want to make myself like this? It's because I have no other choice."
Zhou Miao has been hanging around in the streets since he was a child, and his ability to read people's expressions is much better than Jiang Yan's.
He asked, "Where do you work?"
Jiang Yan wiped her tears and said, "Laundry Department."
Zhou Miao tutted his words twice. "No wonder. The palace gates are about to be locked, and you're still wandering outside. What do you want to do?"
Jiang Yan bit her lip and said, "I want to look for an opportunity at the Needlework Bureau. I'm very good at sewing."
Zhou Miao laughed sarcastically, "Looking for an opportunity with your appearance? Are you kidding me?"
"I have money. I brought money with me."
Zhou Miao asked, "How much money did you bring?"
Jiang Yan said embarrassedly, "Five taels."
Zhou Miao chuckled twice. "You want to jump from the laundry department to the needlework department for five taels of silver? Do you think the people in the palace are crazy because they are poor? Have you never seen silver before? You are such an idiot."
"I'm not stupid. My daughter used to praise me, saying I was smart and could understand things quickly. I could read and write faster than other people."
Zhou Miao was surprised. "So you can read? You used to have a master, so why did you run to the palace?"
Jiang Yan remained silent.
Zhou Miao sneered, "You're really stupid. What's with sewing? Is that something a human would do? Do you want to go blind at such a young age? Since you can read and write, don't you know that this is your greatest asset, more useful than your face?"
Jiang Yan was confused. "I, I don't know. No one has ever asked me if I can read or write."
When Jiang Yan first entered the palace, faced with an unfamiliar environment and strict rules, she only remembered to abide by her duties and avoid causing trouble. Her former cleverness was not utilized at all.
By the time he came to his senses, he had been sent to the laundry department, and it was extremely difficult for him to turn his life around.
When she arrived at the laundry, she was busy washing clothes every day, and naturally she did not think that reading and writing were her greatest asset. It was a pity that her beautiful face became increasingly haggard.
"Sure enough," Zhou Miao said with disdain. "Like me, because I can read and write, I found a backer and got a good job as soon as I entered the palace."
Jiang Yan was anxious. "What should I do now? Xiao Miaozi, I'll give you all the five taels of silver. Can you help me think of a solution? Judging from your accent, you are also from the northwest, right? I am from the northwest too, so we are from the same hometown. Can you help me?"
Zhou Miao looked at the five taels of silver in Jiang Yan's hand with disdain, "Don't try to call me a fellow villager. The Northwest is so big, where are you from?"
"I'm from Jinzhou, and I used to work at the Jinzhou Governor's Office."
When Zhou Miao heard about the Jinzhou Governor's Mansion, his heart moved. He had not forgotten that the little girl who cursed Mr. Zhou in the dilapidated temple was from the Jinzhou Governor's Mansion.
Because of those words, Mr. Zhou changed his ambition and rekindled his fighting spirit.
Because of those words, he came to the capital and completely changed his destiny.
Zhou Miao looked at Jiang Yan again and decided not to ask about the affairs of the Governor's Mansion.
He simply accepted Jiang Yan's money and said, "Alright, since you're from the same hometown, I'll help you this time. Go back and wait for news."
Jiang Yan held him back and asked, "Where can I find you?"
"You can't find me, so I'm the only one who can find you. If you don't trust me, take these five taels of silver back and spend the rest of your life washing clothes in the laundry."
"I……"
Jiang Yan gritted her teeth and said, "I believe you won't lie to me. This is my last bit of silver. If you really lie to me, I won't let you go even if I become a ghost."
Zhou Miao sneered, "With such a beautiful face, why would you want to become a ghost? Don't worry, there will be news in ten days at most."
The two separated and left at night.
Jiang Yan returned to the laundry and found that the bed had been obviously turned over. Fortunately, the silver was hidden secretly and no one had found it.
Jiang Yan was so angry that she was shaking all over and glared at the palace maid who lived in the same room with her.
The other party looked arrogant and had rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight at any time.
Jiang Yan's small frame was no match for the opponent, who was a big, strong man with a lot of strength. He could knock Jiang Yan down with just one move.
Jiang Yan thought about it and swallowed her anger.
Once she leaves the laundry, she will find an opportunity to take revenge.
Zhou Miao was very efficient. Within ten days, someone came to the laundry department to call Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan left the laundry with an uneasy mood.
She walked further and further, and finally entered Ganlu Palace where Concubine Xue lived, and became a palace maid in charge of sweeping.
The palace maids who sweep the floors are not much higher than the palace maids who work in the laundry department.
However, Ganlu Palace and the laundry bureau are completely different.
Jiang Yan cried with joy. Zhou Miao did not lie to her. She finally escaped from the laundry department and took her first step.
…
After the funeral, the Xie family began to busy themselves with matters related to the division of the family property.
In order to divide the family, Xie went to the Xie Mansion every day.
Lord Gu did not stop her, considering that her brother had just died.
Upon hearing that the Xie family was splitting up, Lord Gu was also happy to see it.
He warned the two brothers Gu Cheng and Gu Gong, "Stay away from the Xie family in the future."
Gu Cheng bowed and accepted the order.
Gu Gong was a little absent-minded. "My uncle is gone, and we are so far away from the Xie family. Will it seem like we are taking advantage of someone's misfortune?"
"Nonsense!" Lord Gu was furious. "The Xie family is an upstart. There's no need for me to kick them when they're down. Someone will come and step on their feet. If I hear you talk nonsense again, I'll give you a beating."
When Gu Gong heard that he was going to be beaten with a stick, he was so scared that he dared not say anything anymore.
Lord Gu was in a bad mood, so he went to the backyard to find Aunt Bai.
Aunt Bai was the most gentle, so Lord Gu stayed in Aunt Bai's room at night and asked Aunt Bai to take good care of him.
But the twelfth brother was sick. In order to take care of him, Aunt Bai did not sleep all night and her face became haggard.
When she heard that Lord Gu was coming, she felt unusually irritated.
She was busy getting herself ready and going out to greet Lord Gu.
When Lord Gu saw Aunt Bai, he was stunned. Why did she become so much fatter?
The twelfth brother is already a hundred days old, why is Aunt Bai still so white and plump?
Aunt Bai was also helpless. Since giving birth to her twelfth brother, she had not been able to take good care of herself and had to worry about the child all day long.
Not only did he look haggard, but his weight didn't decrease and he was actually gaining weight.
Some time ago, Aunt Bai used the excuse that she was not well and refused to see Lord Gu.
Now that the child is over a hundred days old, she can no longer refuse Master Gu.
But Lord Gu's gaze made Aunt Bai's heart skip a beat, and she had a bad feeling.
She asked timidly, "Master, have I become ugly?"
Lord Gu wanted to say, yes, you have indeed become ugly, and not just ordinary ugly, which makes this official have no interest in you.
However, Lord Gu still gave Aunt Bai some face.
He coughed twice and asked, "I heard the child is sick. Is it serious?"
Aunt Bai looked worried. "Master, could you please ask Doctor Hu to come over and treat my twelfth brother? I don't think the other doctors are very good."
Lord Gu walked into the room and took a look at his youngest son. The child was very small and didn't look very grown up.
Aunt Bai followed in and picked up the child. "The child has been sick and vomiting these past two days, and has lost some weight."
Lord Gu said, "Doctor Hu may not be available. I'll have someone inquire about a better pediatrician in the capital. Don't worry too much. Leave everything to the servants. Just take care of yourself."
Aunt Bai shook her head and said, "I'm worried about leaving the child with the wet nurse."
When Lord Gu saw this situation, he knew what was going on. His idea of having Aunt Bai serve him tonight was ruined.
Never mind, he's not interested anymore anyway.
Lord Gu sat for a while and then found a reason to leave.
The maid Cui Liu came to Aunt Bai and asked, "Aunt, why don't you keep the master here? It's a rare opportunity for the master to come."
Aunt Bai laughed at herself, "How could I keep him? The way the master looked at me when he first came in made my heart freeze. He only stayed with me for a few moments out of respect."
"Aunt, please don't say that."
Aunt Bai shook her head. "I know myself well. I know exactly what kind of dignity I have now. The master likes women with slim figures, and my current appearance has nothing to do with slimness."
Cui Liu hurriedly said, "Auntie, you can't take care of the child all night long. You have to take good care of yourself. My brother still relies on you."
Aunt Bai looked at the child in her arms and said, "I know everything, but I don't trust others."
"Why don't you let me take care of you tonight?"
Aunt Bai frowned. "You're exhausted all day, and you still have to take care of the children at night. How can you handle this?"
"The maidservant and the wet nurse will take turns. Auntie, don't worry, I'll have the maidservant watching over the wet nurse."
"That's the only thing we can do now."
The look Lord Gu gave her sounded the alarm for Aunt Bai. She couldn't go on like this.
She had to take care of her body quickly, restore her previous figure and appearance, and win back Lord Gu's heart.
Lord Gu left Xiangsiyuan in a very bad mood.
Aunt Hu? Aunt Wei?
He shook his head and said that neither of the two concubines could do it.
Lord Gu sighed. He just wanted to find someone to drink with him, but he couldn't find anyone.
He had only three concubines in his backyard, and all of them had lost their beauty over the years. Even the gentle and charming Bai concubine had become ugly after giving birth.
Lord Gu was very upset. What kind of life was he leading as the prefect of the capital? Not to mention a beautiful woman, he didn't even have a beautiful wife.
Lord Gu snorted coldly and simply went out to meet up with three or five colleagues for a drink.
As soon as Mrs. Xie returned home, the servants reported to her that Lord Gu had gone out.
"You're still going out so late?"
The servant said cautiously, "I heard that the master went to drink wine."
Xie was stunned. "Are you sure you're drinking wine?"
The servant nodded.
Xie frowned. Since returning to the capital, Master Gu hadn't even gone out for a drink. What happened today that suddenly made him want to drink wine?
Xie asked, "What's going on?"
"The master went to Acacia Courtyard to visit Aunt Bai. He only stayed for a cup of tea and then left. Then he went out to drink wine."
Upon hearing this, Xie burst into laughter.
She asked Chunhe, "What's happening with Aunt Bai now?"
Chun He said, "I heard that she is busy taking care of the children every day and doesn't go out. Twelve Brother has been sick again these past two days."
Xie raised her eyebrows and smiled, "What a coincidence today. Come with me to Acacia Courtyard. As my legitimate mother, my twelfth brother is ill, so I have to go and see him in person."
"Madam is so kind." Chunhe praised.
Xie came to Xiangsiyuan with her maids and servants in a grand procession.
Aunt Bai got the news and asked, "What is she doing here? Is she here to laugh at me?"
The maid Cui Liu urged, "Aunt, please go out quickly. It's too late. I'm worried that Madam will find fault again."
Aunt Bai snorted, stood up, and went out to greet Mrs. Xie.
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