Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I became a first-rank maid serving at the Second Young Lady’s side-the kind allowed inside her rooms to attend to her personally. Compared to before, it was the same as being promoted two ranks in one leap. All the older women I’d worked with in the kitchen came to congratulate me.

A first-rank maid was supposed to accompany her young lady when she married into her husband’s household. At the very least, she could become a steward. If she was lucky, it wasn’t impossible for her to become half a mistress herself.

Since I was already here, I might as well make peace with it. I didn’t dwell on whether I would end up as someone else’s concubine. Even if that day really came, I would have no power to resist. Thinking about it now would only add to my troubles.

Ever since arriving in this world, I had subconsciously avoided the subject of marriage. There were no good choices. Whether as a poor man’s wife or a rich man’s concubine, each path had its own suffering.

I moved into the Second Young Lady’s courtyard and shared a room with Cuixi. Cuixi no longer tried to hit me, but her mouth never showed mercy. Even in front of the Second Young Lady, she was no different. Either she nitpicked about how clumsy I was or she complained that I didn’t understand my master’s wishes.

Nonsense. It wasn’t as if I had grown up with the Second Young Lady like she and Cuilan had, nor was servility etched into my bones. One look from their mistress, and they knew exactly what to do.

Whenever this happened, the Second Young Lady would first scold Cuixi a few times and order her to apologize to me. After Cuixi gave her reluctant apology, the Second Young Lady would then comfort me kindly.

I was honestly sick of this little performance of benevolent mistress and loyal servants, but I still had to act along with the Second Young Lady. Sometimes I even added a scene for myself, arguing a few words with Cuixi so the Second Young Lady could step in and uphold justice.

Getting along with clever people was simple. As long as you gave them the opportunity to freely display their wisdom, listened attentively, and at the right moment expressed, “Wow! You’re truly brilliant,” they would feel that you understood them.

The Second Young Lady treated me better and better. Jewelry and clothes were bestowed on me without end, and she even had me put them on for her to see.

When you worked in the kitchen, the one thing you never lacked was food. I also deliberately wanted to gain some weight, so I didn’t hold back. My round face developed a double chin, and the young lady’s clothes were a bit tight on me.

“If you keep eating like this, you won’t be able to fit into these clothes anymore,” the Second Young Lady said.

She was very satisfied with my glutton persona. Even if a maid like me became a concubine, I wouldn’t steal the spotlight or cause trouble.

“Please spare me, my lady. This servant just loves food. If I don’t have it, I’ll cry.” I put on an aggrieved expression, making the Second Young Lady and the other maids laugh.

“Who knows where this starving ghost came from. In the future, when you follow our young lady into the palace, don’t disgrace the Duke’s Mansion,” Cuixi said, still as sharp-tongued as ever, never forgetting to step on me whenever she had the chance.

“Don’t talk nonsense. What do you mean, into the palace?”

“Why, into His Highness the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace, of course. In the future, this servant won’t dare call you ‘young lady’ anymore. I should call you Your Highness, the Crown Princess.”

“Enough. How could matters concerning the nobles in the palace be something we can discuss? The young lady has arranged to play chess with Third Miss. Hurry and go make preparations.” Seeing that Cuixi had no filter, Cuilan ended the conversation outright. She was steady by nature, and Cuixi listened to her.

The Eastern Palace was indeed a decent place to go. If the Crown Prince’s position remained secure and he successfully inherited the throne in the future, then with my seniority from serving at the Empress’s side, I might be able to work my way up to a managing matron. Managing matrons in the palace could remain unmarried for life.

Besides, the Second Young Lady’s hypocritical, false compassion suited her perfectly for becoming Empress. Hurry up and get married already. I couldn’t wait to become an old unmarried matron.

Who would have thought that before the Second Young Lady entered the palace, I would enter first?

The Empress Dowager sent a matron from her side to summon me to the palace. I didn’t dare delay. I hurriedly bathed and changed, then followed the matron into the palace. Along the way, I racked my brains over what I should say when I met the Empress Dowager.

However, I never got the chance to see the Empress Dowager. As soon as the matron brought me into the palace, she handed me over to two instruction matrons to learn the rules. I had learned rules when I first entered the Duke’s Mansion too, but the rules in the palace were much stricter than outside.

I spent two months learning the rules and lost more than ten pounds from exhaustion and hunger.

In the palace, I was never full after a meal. Meat was rarely seen, and every dish was blander than the last. Even in my previous life, when I was working out, I had never suffered this kind of grievance. At least fitness meals had chicken breast.

Of course, the results were obvious. I could now hold a horse stance for fifteen minutes.

During that time, both openly and in secret, I repeatedly tried to find out why the Empress Dowager had summoned me to the palace. If I was being sent to the Eastern Palace, then fine. At least it was a start-up company, and I might get a little early equity.

But please, please don’t send me to the Emperor. The Emperor was old!

At last, on a bright, sunny day, I was dressed up like a modest, charming young woman from a respectable family and sent into the Eastern Palace under the title of attendant concubine.

My dream of becoming an old unmarried matron shattered on the spot.