That “who is it” came from an unfamiliar voice she’d never heard before.
It wasn’t realistic for Mo Zi to turn and leave at this point, so she replied, “I’m Mo Zi.”
The door opened very cautiously. A maid slowly poked her head out, looking her up and down. “Sister, you look very unfamiliar. Who are you looking for?”
Huh? Mo Zi blinked, wondering if Qiu Sanniang had really moved.
So she answered according to the order of the questions: “I’m looking for Third Madam.”
“Third Madam?” The little maid immediately looked somewhat guarded. “Where are you from, Sister?”
“…From Mozi Residence.” What was going on here?
“But isn’t this Mozi Residence? Sister, please don’t joke around. Third Master said that Third Madam is unwell and needs quiet rest for this period. No matter which courtyard Sister is from, just go back and relay that message.” With that, she actually started to close the door.
Mo Zi pushed against it with one hand, showing a smiling face. “I’m from our Mozi Residence too. You’re probably new and don’t know—I watch over the bamboo grove across the way.” They haven’t moved—Xiao San has confined her?
The little maid’s eyes widened in surprise as she made way for Mo Zi to enter. “Someone living in the bamboo grove—I did hear Sister Hong Mei mention it, but I’ve been here half a month without seeing anyone, so I thought it was an old woman.”
“I normally don’t come unless there’s a reason. But now my rice and grain are used up, so I wanted to ask Bai He for a couple bags, and pay my respects to Madam while I’m at it.” Mo Zi walked inside. She didn’t see any of the familiar faces from before—there were more servant women and matrons now.
When those people saw her, they stared hard.
She stared back, then remembered she should lower her eyes submissively. After being outside for so long, her heart had grown wild—she’d forgotten how to act like a proper maid. Looking at the blue brick floor, she mentally reviewed the rules of great households.
A sharp-eyed, thin-lipped servant woman stepped forward, poking the little maid’s head with her fingertip, saying displeased, “Third Master instructed that Madam sees no visitors. How did you let someone in? Just yesterday I praised you for being sensible, and today you dare disobey the master. Are you being foolish or have you been bribed? If you don’t want a beating, hurry and send her out.”
The little maid looked wronged. “This is Sister Mo Zi who watches the bamboo grove across the way—she’s from our own courtyard, not a visitor.”
The servant woman paused, looking askance at Mo Zi. “Watching the bamboo grove? How come I’ve never heard Third Master mention this? I’m so short-handed here, yet they’re keeping idle people over in that bamboo grove. Really, I don’t know who was managing things before. You’re called Mo Zi? Hurry and pack up your things in the bamboo grove—move back tonight. Tomorrow I’ll assign you work.”
Mo Zi smiled and raised her head slightly, seeing the woman wearing a deep blue silk skirt and a bright blue orchid-embroidered vest—clearly a manager. She gave a slight curtsy. “I’ve been watching the grove all summer. I know nothing about courtyard affairs, only that there are many unfamiliar faces. I wonder how to address this Sister?”
“My husband’s family name is Zhong. I serve the Master directly.” The woman crossed her arms. “No wonder you don’t know—someone watching the bamboo grove naturally wouldn’t come bother Madam often. Because the maids were negligent some days ago and caused Third Madam to fall seriously ill, Third Master was furious and sent all the second and third-rank servants elsewhere, replacing them with clever, capable ones. I’m the head servant’s wife of Mozi Residence. From now on, personnel assignments in the courtyard are under my arrangement.”
A complete purge! All of Qiu Sanniang’s previous efforts to win hearts wasted. Mo Zi’s expression didn’t waver. “I just wonder if the head maids by Madam’s side were also replaced?”
“Three of the four are Madam’s dowry maids, and one was given by the Old Madam—how could they be replaced? The inner garden—Madam needs quiet rest, and Third Master most dislikes noise. A rough-work maid like you shouldn’t wander around carelessly when there’s no reason.” Madam Zhong warned.
“But before, every time I came, Madam always had to see me and say a few words. What I lacked, what I needed—she personally inquired about everything. Please ask Sister Zhong to announce me and see if Madam wants to see me. Otherwise, if she finds out I came but didn’t pay my respects, I’m afraid Madam will be angry and blame me. When that happens, it won’t just be me who gets scolded—it might implicate Sister Zhong as well.” Mo Zi didn’t want to immediately invoke her status as a dowry maid to pressure anyone. Besides, she was still a “demoted” maid.
“You said it yourself—that was before. Now things are very different. Madam doesn’t like managing these trivial matters anymore and has delegated them to us subordinates. Even when the Princess Consort wanted Madam to continue managing household affairs, Third Master declined, saying Third Madam is frail and must rest properly for a year or so.” Madam Zhong urged Mo Zi, “Stop dawdling. Once you move back and work in the courtyard daily, are you afraid you won’t see Madam?”
Hearing “work in the courtyard daily,” Mo Zi’s brow furrowed. Physical labor had to be divided into what she was willing to do and what she wasn’t. This was clearly a sign of backsliding. She had to stand firm—she stood there refusing to budge.
Madam Zhong grew somewhat impatient and reached out to grab her.
“Mo Zi.” Xiao Yi emerged from behind a corridor pillar.
“Mm.” Having finished gathering intelligence, Mo Zi nimbly skirted around Madam Zhong and walked over. “Is Madam in?”
“Where else would she be if not here?” Xiao Yi pursed her lips.
Even this normally taciturn one was using rhetorical questions—showing how angry Qiu Sanniang must be. Mo Zi smiled. “In just these few days, everything’s changed beyond recognition. I thought I’d come to the wrong door.”
“Hey!” Madam Zhong quick-stepped to catch up and grabbed Mo Zi. “Miss Xiao Yi, the outdoor staff should be under my management. Please tell Madam I’m transferring Mo Zi back to work here. In any case, there’s nothing to guard in the bamboo grove, and we’re short several people here.”
Mo Zi’s eyes flashed. So Xiao San had chosen an obedient, useful, formidable character—did he want to completely isolate Qiu Sanniang and her few dowry maids?
Xiao Yi stepped forward and grasped Madam Zhong’s wrist, applying slight pressure. The formidable manager cried out in pain and hastily released Mo Zi’s sleeve.
Mo Zi patted Xiao Yi, signaling her to show mercy, and smiled at Madam Zhong. “Sister Zhong, Xiao Yi is naturally strong—she didn’t mean it. I know you’re wholeheartedly thinking of Madam and don’t want to bother her with small matters. However, Third Master is your master, but isn’t she also your master? You can’t favor one over the other. Mozi Residence is the inner quarters, and matters of the inner quarters, large or small, should be managed by the mistress. No matter how capable you are, if you decide things on your own authority, no master will appreciate it. Originally, Madam sent me to the bamboo grove. Whether I should return now naturally depends on Madam’s wishes. If Sister Zhong truly needs staff urgently, then tell Madam. In such a large Prince’s mansion, would there really be a shortage of maids?”
Madam Zhong was left speechless by Mo Zi’s words.
Xiao Yi looked on coldly and added, “Dowry maids aren’t under your management.”
Now Madam Zhong was greatly shocked. “You’re also Third Madam’s dowry maid?” Then how did she end up watching the bamboo grove?
“Sister Zhong, don’t take offense. I’m the one who was too embarrassed to admit it. I offended someone as soon as I arrived and was punished by Madam.” Mo Zi tugged Madam Zhong’s hand, acting very familiar. “When there’s a chance, let’s have drinks, play cards, and chat. Now that we’re all in the same courtyard, we’re family—we can’t be as distant as today.”
Madam Zhong couldn’t help being led along by Mo Zi’s manner, nodding in agreement. Watching her and Xiao Yi enter the inner garden, she thought to herself that this maid was truly clever.
“Xiao Yi, has the young master moved in?” Mo Zi asked.
Xiao Yi tilted her head to look at her. “So you deliberately listened to that woman’s nagging?”
“When people don’t have their guard up, they’re easiest to extract information from. Looking at her, she should be taking orders from the young master, not from others. At least that’s some peace of mind.” Qiu Sanniang’s troubles weren’t just the single problem of Third Young Master Xiao—there was also Jin Si waiting to make her move. “If all the maids were replaced, then Jin Si’s side—” They had originally planned to use counter-espionage.
“The young master didn’t keep a single one—sent them all away.” The matter of investigating Jin Si’s background would have to be set aside. “Tell me, he wouldn’t be conspiring with that golden canary to harm Miss, would he?”
When people’s physical movements are restricted, their minds become free. Xiao Yi was a case in point. She normally didn’t like to talk or think much, yet she could imagine Xiao San colluding with Jin Si—clearly the product of too much boredom.
Mo Zi laughed. “Don’t wrongly accuse the young master. If he were conspiring with Jin Si to harm our Madam, why go to all this trouble? It’s obvious he refuses to let her go.” As she spoke, she had already entered the study and saw Qiu Sanniang working an abacus.
Qiu Sanniang wasn’t angry or gloomy, but appeared quite content. She glanced up at Mo Zi, said “you’ve come,” then lowered her head to continue checking accounts.
Mo Zi knew Qiu Sanniang’s work habits. She didn’t speak either, but poured herself a cup of tea. The long-missed fragrance of rose tea—Bai He had sun-dried it herself. It felt like the taste of home.
The taste of home? She was startled in her heart as gossamer-fine, intricate thoughts arose.
“Is it good?” Having finished going through one account book, Qiu Sanniang saw Mo Zi holding the tea in a daze. “I think the flower fragrance is too strong, but I’m afraid if I mention it, Bai He will work day and night figuring out how to make it lighter. So I’ll just make do.”
“Use buds instead.” Although Mo Zi had told Bai He about flower tea, she herself had almost no knowledge of tea.
“You tell Bai He later. If I say it, she’ll overthink.” Qiu Sanniang sniffed her own cooled rose tea and ultimately drank it all in one go. “Looking at her, she’s probably reached the age to marry. Lately she’s been nagging endlessly—sometimes she’s even fiercer than me.”
Mo Zi laughed aloud. “Madam is talking about Bai He? I’ve only been gone a few days, and apparently everything’s turned upside down. But speaking of marriage, Bai He could already be considered an old maid.”
Qiu Sanniang was silent for quite a while before rising to push open the window. Some leaves on the tree in the garden were yellow, some red—autumn colors. When she turned back, her face was still brilliantly beautiful.
“You finally deigned to return?” Her smile was gorgeous, tinged with slight mockery. “As soon as I let go, you became a rabbit with legs, running until you vanished without a trace.”
“Aren’t I helping my employer earn money? Would silver grow on its own if I stayed here?” Mo Zi spoke now with the identity of a manager, with much less constraint. Of course, even when she was a maid, she hadn’t been very constrained either.
“You take advantage of my love of money. I’m waiting for you to hand over five thousand taels so I can present your indenture contract with both hands.” It was almost—already a foregone conclusion. “Speak then, what wind blew such a busy Manager Mo here?”
Mo Zi smiled somewhat helplessly. “I didn’t control this mouth of mine—I may have caused trouble.”