Shi Lan sat on a cushioned stone bench, swinging her little feet, looking at the scattered flower branches in the garden, her mood improved. Then, looking at the bright tiled roof that was almost invisible among the flowers and trees, she had a different idea.
"Cuizhi, go to our courtyard and pick someone clever to come over," Shi Lan said, aimlessly scanning the garden scenery, her dark eyes darting around mischievously.
Cuizhi responded and found a passing maidservant to go to Lanxiang Courtyard to deliver the message.
Shi Lan leaned her elbows against the stone table, a smile playing on her lips, her mind churning with mischievous ideas, finally settling on the one most suitable for her current age.
Half an hour later, Cuizhi came to report, "Miss, the person has arrived."
Shi Lan turned her head and looked at the little maid next to Cui Zhi, whose eyes were extremely bright. She recognized her as the one who had grabbed her hand and asked her what she wanted when she woke up. "It's you. What's your name?"
The young maidservant knelt respectfully and said, "This servant is Er Ya."
Shi Lan looked at the double buns on her dark hair and chuckled, "They suit her quite well."
Cuizhi rolled her eyes inwardly and whispered in Shi Lan's ear, "Miss, Er Ya is her real name. If you don't like it, you can give her a different name."
Shi Lan tilted her head to look at Cui Zhi, touched her belly, and said, "Then you can be called Sweet Apricot."
The young maidservant immediately kowtowed deeply and said loudly, "Thank you, Miss, for bestowing this name upon me."
Shi Lan waved her hand and said, "Get up. I have something to ask of you. If you do it well, I will promote you to a second-class maid."
Tianxing was just a third-class maid who did trivial chores before. Upon hearing that she had been promoted, she was overjoyed and smiled from ear to ear. "Miss, please give me your orders. I promise to do them perfectly for you."
Shi Lan beckoned her closer, raised her chubby little hand, pointed to the side courtyard and said, "Go and keep watch over this courtyard for me. If there is any disturbance, come and report back immediately."
Sweet Apricot nodded and said in a crisp voice, "Just you wait and see, Miss." After saying that, she crouched down and ran away in a flash.
Seeing her nimble and light movements, Shi Lan nodded silently.
Hearing her instructions, Cuizhi was startled. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asked, "Could it be that something is wrong with the Second Miss?"
Shi Lan jumped off the stone bench and hopped down the steps. "You saw it today too. Do you think Shi Yi, who can talk to me like that, would be so scared that she would bump into the artificial hill?"
Cuizhi was standing with her arms outstretched, watching Shilan's steps, afraid that she would fall. Upon hearing her words, she couldn't help but stop and recall the scene just now. Then, thinking about the rumors in the manor, she shook her head.
Jumping down to the last level, Shi Lan grinned and turned around with a chuckle: "You don't think so either, do you? Something's definitely fishy."
Cui Zhi's expression turned serious. "Miss, this matter is of great importance. Perhaps we should inform Madam?"
Shi Lan shook her head. "No need. This is just my guess. I'll tell Mother when I find the evidence, so she won't keep saying I'm just making things up."
Cuizhi frowned, wanting to persuade her, but Shilan skipped ahead. Cuizhi hurriedly chased after her, repeatedly telling her to be careful and watch her step.
A few days later, the atmosphere in Lanxiang Courtyard became more lively as Shi Lan's condition improved.
When Shi Lan woke up from her afternoon nap, she heard the little maids outside chatting and laughing in hushed tones. Curious, she asked Cui Zhi, who was combing her hair, "What are they saying?"
Cui Zhi strung a string of pearls the size of lotus seeds around her small hair bun and looked at her closely, saying, "Liu Mama's daughter-in-law came to visit her and brought some silk flowers for the little maid in our courtyard."
"Does Mrs. Liu have a son?"
Liu Mama was the head housekeeper who came with Shi Mama as part of her dowry. She was very easygoing and treated the original owner very well. In the original owner's memory, Liu Mama was always alone and she never heard of any relatives by her side.
“There is one, but he is not in our mansion. Madam is kind-hearted and let him go out a few years ago. I heard that his small business is doing quite well. Madam originally wanted to let Liu Mama go out to enjoy her son's happiness, but Liu Mama herself was unwilling and has stayed by Madam's side.”
Cuizhi smoothed the stray hairs at Shi Lan's temples, looked at her, and put down the comb with satisfaction. She said, "Miss, the sun is high in the sky right now. There's ice in the study, so it's very cool. Why don't you go and practice some calligraphy?"
Shi Lan pouted. She had practiced martial arts half the night while the maids were asleep, and she was feeling quite tired.
Cuizhi rolled up her sleeves and straightened them. Seeing her reluctance, she said, "Bicao just came to tell you that Miss will come over to help you with needlework in a little while. But you are asleep, so I need her to come later."
Shi Lan puffed out her cheeks, got off the armchair without a word, and strode to the study with her short legs.
Cuizhi shook her head and chuckled. She knew that compared to needlework, her mistress would still prefer practicing calligraphy.
As the sun began to set, Shi Lan rubbed her aching wrists and turned to look at Shi Xi, who was calmly and skillfully sewing. "Sister, it's too stuffy in the house. Let's go for a walk."
Shi Xi embroidered a few more stitches, perfectly finishing the orchid and long leaves she had just embroidered. She stood up and stood next to her, looking at her wild and unruly handwriting, and said, "You need to be calm to practice calligraphy well. Look at what you wrote. What is this called? Don't let anyone know that your father taught you calligraphy."
Shi Lan gave her a disapproving look and stacked the large characters on the table.
Although she knew that her handwriting was not as neat as before due to the original owner's emotions, she did not think it was as bad as Shi Xi said.
“Then write one and let me see,” Shi Lan spread out a sheet of snow-white Xuan paper, casually ground the ink a couple of times, and stood aside to look at Shi Xi provocatively.
Shi Xi smiled confidently, raised her delicate hand, and with a slight turn of her wrist, a graceful and elegant character "静" (jing, meaning quiet/still) appeared on the paper.
Shi Lan leaned closer to take a look and had to admit that Shi Xi's small regular script was far superior to her own.
Shi Xi put down her pen, picked up the embroidery frame again, and began to embroider.
Shi Lan glanced at her, picked up her pen, and began practicing silently.
There was a soft murmur of voices outside the door. Cuizhi walked in quickly. When she saw Shixi, she paused, and the words she was about to say stopped in her throat.
Shi Lan disliked people who beat around the bush, so she looked up and said, "Just say what you have to say."
Cuizhi glanced at Shixi and said, "Tianxing said that Zhang Pozi, who manages the back gate of that courtyard, bought some Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus today."
Shi Lan put down her pen and asked curiously, "Why is she buying medicinal herbs? Is someone over there sick?"
Cuizhi shook her head. "I haven't heard about it. I saw Cherry smiling happily yesterday. If something happened in that courtyard, she probably wouldn't be smiling so cheerfully."
"Then what did she buy it for?" Shi Lan sat in the chair, propping herself up with her little arms and swinging her short legs, deep in thought.
Seeing the confused looks on their faces, Shi Xi sighed, "Go ask the kitchen staff if they still want chicken."
Shi Lan turned her head and looked at Shi Xi with a confused expression.
Cui Zhi, who had some cooking skills, understood immediately. "Yes, Miss is really amazing. She knew it was going to be chicken soup just by hearing the ingredients," she said, lifting the curtain and going out, presumably to inquire.
Shi Lan clicked her tongue. She only knew the basics of cooking. As for medicinal cuisine, she mostly ate what was already prepared and had no idea what it actually contained.
(To be continued.)
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