Chapter 9: The Arrival of Glory and Grace

Zhao Ximei was a little stunned.

Her father was a prime minister, her second uncle was wealthy in Chang'an, and her third uncle was stationed in the Western Liang. She never expected that there was also a fourth aunt who became a consort in the palace...

It seemed that the prime minister's mansion was even more complicated than she had imagined.

Zhao Ximei's heart stirred, and she asked indirectly, "I heard that the two palaces are not on good terms. Is Consort Shufei doing well?"

"Exactly!" Yin Bao frowned and said, "It's because the empress dowager doesn't like the noble consort that she summoned our aunt into the palace. But rest assured, His Majesty really likes Consort Shufei!"

Mentioning the emperor, Yin Bao covered her mouth and lowered her voice, "You don't know, since the empress passed away, His Majesty has not favored any consort until Consort Shufei entered the palace..."

Zhao Ximei's heart sank, feeling even more uneasy.

The Zhao family was already at the peak of power and glory, and now there was a favored consort...

She was about to ask further when a voice outside the door interrupted, "Miss, the prime minister has sent someone to deliver something."

Zhao Ximei hurried out to see a guard in royal blue attire delivering a wooden box.

Upon seeing Zhao Ximei, the guard clasped his fists and solemnly said, "I am Changsong, and the prime minister instructed me to deliver these to you."

Zhao Ximei quickly returned the gesture and thanked Changsong, who then relayed a few words from the prime minister before hastily leaving.

As soon as Changsong left, the maids and servants in the courtyard were all shocked.

The prime minister never concerned himself with the affairs of the inner courtyard. Even if there were any, they would be handled by the old lady or the madam. At most, a message would be sent through the head maid in his chambers.

As for the attendants by the prime minister's side, they were all involved in court affairs and their status was not something that the women of the inner courtyard could compare to.

Now, the prime minister had personally sent his personal attendant to deliver something for Miss, indicating how much importance their new mistress held!

Once Changsong left, several maids curiously gathered around. The box was quite large, requiring the effort of four people to carry it into the room.

Upon opening the box, everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

The prime minister had actually sent a box of books to Miss.

A few maids exclaimed, "Miss, the prime minister wouldn't want you to copy these books, would he!?"

Jinxiu, with a keen mind, said, "Miss, the fact that the prime minister sent you so many books shows how much he values you."

Zhao Ximei took a look and saw various types of books, including classics, strange tales, and regional records.

She casually picked up a book and opened it, only to see a vermilion seal with the name Shen Mu, her maternal grandfather.

Shen Mu was a great scholar of the Wei Dynasty, in charge of the Imperial Academy, and had countless students. Zhao Ziyi, her father, was his most proud student.

As Zhao Ximei lightly brushed the yellowed yet neatly arranged pages, she occasionally came across a few lines of vigorous and youthful calligraphy, earnestly marking explanations.

It must have been read by her father before.

She felt unfamiliar yet reverent towards this father.

On a rainy night, when she sought help by stopping a sedan, his eyes were cold and his posture was as imposing as a pine tree. His dignified bearing made her dare not look directly at him.

On the way back home, he remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking to her with great seriousness:

"The Zhao family is not like ordinary households. Your return will surely cause a stir. The court affairs are busy, and I cannot always pay attention to you. When you return home, remember to act wisely. Madam Xu has a bad temper but a kind heart. She often acts and speaks according to her own emotions, so do not confront her head-on. The servants in the mansion may not readily submit to you at first, so you must be cautious and gradually establish your authority.

But if anyone dares to openly oppress you, you don't have to endure and retreat. You must learn to actively protect your own interests. For matters you can handle on your own, make your own decisions. For those you are unsure about, I will handle them for you. Remember not to keep grievances to yourself."

His gaze was affectionate and gentle, "Since I have decided to bring you back to the mansion, I will be your support in everything. You must trust your father."

Zhao Ximei stood in the study, recalling her father's earnest advice, and a warm feeling gradually spread from the depths of her heart.

She suddenly felt that fate had not been so unfair to her. Although she had suffered for over a decade, she had now returned to her father.

Even though her grandmother was wary of her, her stepmother disliked her, and her younger sister schemed against her, she still had a father who truly cared for her.

She had lost her mother, but she still had her father.

She had to cherish this hard-won affection and strive to live well...

"Miss, dinner is ready," Pearl stood at the door and reported, "When should we serve the meal?"

"Right now," Zhao Ximei suddenly felt hungry, "Serve it in the warm pavilion."

As she lifted the door curtain, Jinxiu approached with a soup pot, "Miss, it just stopped snowing today, be careful not to catch a cold."

Zhao Ximei smiled and said, "I appreciate your concern."

Jinxiu held her hand and smiled, "It's what I should do."

Zhao Ximei smiled and did not reply.

As a newcomer, the servants in the mansion were adept at observing and flattering. After the prime minister's personal attendant came, everyone became more attentive to her.

The art of managing people lies in winning their hearts; the art of managing subordinates lies in balancing kindness and authority.

These four maids were from the main madam's courtyard and were sent to serve in this remote small courtyard. It was unlikely that they would readily pledge their loyalty to her.

So, she needed to manage them carefully.

For maids like Jinxiu, who had a keen mind, she needed to maintain a certain distance and authority to instill awe in her.

Once Pearl brought the copper basin, Zhao Ximei washed her hands and took the embroidered handkerchief handed to her by Yulan, carefully wiping them dry.

But suddenly, Yinpao heard a furious shout, "The kitchen is really going too far!"

A bowl of cabbage, a plate of tofu, and a large bowl of soup without a trace of oil, with various vegetable leaves floating on top.

The maidservants all had different expressions.

They had known that the new mistress would not have an easy time, but they hadn't expected it to be this difficult...

Is it really too much to ask for a hot meal?

Putting on airs and looking down on others was a common problem in the grand mansions. On her first day back at the mansion, the kitchen was openly oppressing her...

Yinpao rolled up her sleeves and was about to leave, "These despicable people, I'm going to demand an explanation from them!"

The other three's faces changed drastically, and Jinxui quickly stopped her, "What's the rush!"

"They've gone too far, can you just sit back and take it?" Yinpao was held down by the others and sat in a chair, "The women in the kitchen have always been bullies, and the mistress can't come forward because of her status, but what about us servants? Do we have no dignity at all?"

Jinxui anxiously called out "Madam," and hurriedly advised, "Don't cause trouble for the mistress! She only just returned to the mansion today, and you want to go and make a scene in the kitchen. What about in the long run? Are you going to fight with the kitchen every day?"

"What should we do then? We can't just keep enduring this in the future, can we?" Yinpao pursed her lips and fell silent, looking at Zhao Ximei with her round eyes.

Everyone else also looked at her blankly.

How would their new mistress solve this problem?