Chapter 8: Being a Master for the First Time
Zhao Ximei, who had no idea that her marriage had been arranged, was standing at the entrance of a courtyard.
The door was a weathered wooden one with copper rings and green embroidery.
The walls were covered in dry vines, with fallen leaves and the occasional chirping of sparrows.
This was her new home...
Although she had mentally prepared herself, it still took her by surprise.
She had just passed through several gardens, filled with flowers and serene green water, giving the impression of great wealth and prosperity. Who would have thought that there would be such a desolate courtyard here?
With a creak, Aunt Song pushed the door, causing it to sway and release a cloud of dust and debris.
Aunt Song, clearly unprepared, coughed several times and then forced a smile, saying, "This courtyard looks a bit old, it's just been uninhabited for a long time. Once spring comes, we'll clear the weeds, and the flowers on the wall will be pink and tender, with butterflies and bees flying around. Miss, you will surely like it."
"..." Zhao Ximei remained silent.
Her gaze fell not far away.
The old lady wasn't entirely insincere; there were indeed two vegetable gardens in the courtyard.
Several plots of Chinese cabbage, radishes, and some fresh green vegetables were growing, all cold-resistant seasonal vegetables.
It seemed that she would be living a self-sufficient, pastoral life in the prime minister's mansion.
Seeing that she didn't have much of a reaction, Aunt Song nodded inwardly.
This new miss was quite easy to talk to. If it were any other young lady, being treated like this, she would have at least put on a sullen face, if not thrown a tantrum.
She smiled and called out to the servants outside the courtyard, "Come in."
"Yes." Several maids and old women approached, each with an unwilling expression on their faces.
Aunt Song sternly reprimanded them, "From now on, Third Miss is your legitimate mistress. You must serve her well and not make any mistakes. If anyone dares to think that Third Miss is new and tries to deceive or cause trouble, they will be expelled from the mansion and never allowed to return. Do you understand?!"
The servants lowered their eyelids and replied reluctantly, "Yes..."
Zhao Ximei furrowed her brows slightly.
The servants in the mansion were used to flattering and belittling others, and Aunt Song was used to it as well. It wasn't worth offending anyone for a new miss, so she pretended not to notice their reactions and scolded, "What are you standing there for? Come and pay your respects."
"Yes..." they replied hesitantly, and four of them took a step forward.
"We, Jinxiu, Zhenzhu, Yulan, and Yinbao, greet Third Miss."
Zhao Ximei nodded.
After she responded calmly, the remaining servants came forward to pay their respects, saying, "We, the servants, greet Third Miss."
Among them was a slightly older woman, dressed in a simple and decent manner, which caught Zhao Ximei's attention.
Aunt Song, with keen insight, explained, "This is Mama Liu, who was sent by the Third Madam to serve you. The Third Madam instructed that Mama Liu used to live in the countryside and is excellent at farming and weeding. She will definitely keep this courtyard clean and tidy."
The Third Madam had really done her a great favor.
The courtyard was filled with dead vines and weeds everywhere. Without a capable old woman, she might not have been able to rest well tonight.
Zhao Ximei showed a grateful smile, "I will definitely thank the Third Madam in person for her thoughtfulness."
After Aunt Song finished her instructions, Zhao Ximei turned around, her smile fading slightly, and her expression becoming more aloof.
As a newcomer, if she didn't show some authority, she might not be able to manage the servants.
Her gaze swept slowly over the faces of the servants, and she felt a little relieved when she saw them all lower their heads in guilt.
After all, she was only sixteen or seventeen, and the youngest of the servants was probably fourteen or fifteen, while the oldest was at least in her thirties. If she tried to control them from the beginning, she really had no idea how to do it.
But fortunately, these servants weren't particularly difficult.
She decided to be straightforward.
"I won't bother with pleasantries. Aunt Song has already made it clear. From now on, I am your mistress. I don't have any major requirements for you. Just work diligently and be honest... On the other hand, if anyone tries to deceive or cause trouble, I won't forgive them."
"Yes." Perhaps this speech had an effect, as the servants' voices were more orderly than before.
After all, no matter how bad the mistress was, she still held the power of life and death. If she was unhappy, she could sell them off.
Zhao Ximei nodded lightly, "I won't beat around the bush. Aunt Song has already made it clear. From now on, I am your mistress. I don't have any major requirements for you. Just work diligently and be honest... On the other hand, if anyone tries to deceive or cause trouble, I won't forgive them."
"Yes." Perhaps this speech had an effect, as the servants' voices were more orderly than before.
After all, no matter how bad the mistress was, she still held the power of life and death. If she was unhappy, she could sell them off.
Zhao Ximei nodded lightly, "I won't beat around the bush. Aunt Song has already made it clear. From now on, I am your mistress. I don't have any major requirements for you. Just work diligently and be honest... On the other hand, if anyone tries to deceive or cause trouble, I won't forgive them."
"Yes." Perhaps this speech had an effect, as the servants' voices were more orderly than before.
After all, no matter how bad the mistress was, she still held the power of life and death. If she was unhappy, she could sell them off.
Zhao Ximei smiled again and said, "If you don't have confidence, you can tell me directly, and I will send you back."
Once these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
Being sent back like this, what good outcome could they expect?
With just a few words, everyone was brought back to their senses.
This job, whether done properly or not, must be done!
Several people nodded and said, "I am willing to serve the young lady well."
Zhao Xi nodded slightly, and her gaze calmly swept over each person's face. "Since the decision has been made, don't think about anything else in the future. Whether the days are good or bad, it's up to us. As long as you do your job well, I, as the mistress, will not let you suffer."
The voices of the crowd responded with more confidence than before, "We will listen to everything the young lady says."
Zhao Xi completely let go of her worries.
Only when she had confidence in them would they be loyal.
For her now, whether the personal maidservants were smart or capable didn't matter. The most important thing was their loyalty.
Perhaps her words had an effect, as the maidservants worked especially hard after they left.
By dinnertime, the desolate and dilapidated garden had been completely cleaned up.
The dry vines and wild grass along the walls were all removed, the unsightly moss on the steps was gone, and the vegetable garden was lush and vibrant, making people feel relaxed.
Zhao Xi sat down at the dressing table, and Yinbao came over to help her untangle her hair.
Seeing that Zhao Xi's ears were empty, she took out a pair of silver-white earrings and said with a smile, "Miss, your skin is fair, and these pearls will look the best on you. Tomorrow morning, I will style your hair into a lotus bun, and I guarantee you will like it."
Zhao Xi looked at herself in the bronze mirror and smiled, "I didn't expect you, at such a young age, to have such a skill."
Yinbao looked proud, "Of course, my skills were taught by the young lady herself before she entered the palace!"
Zhao Xi was surprised, "Your sister entered the palace?"
"Miss, you may not know, but our fourth aunt in the mansion became a noble consort in the palace. And my sister used to be the noble consort's senior maidservant. When the noble consort was selected to enter the palace, she followed to serve her."
