Chapter 616: Self-Recommendation

Qin Yuan nodded and said, "Let her in."

Hong Mian had been sent by Cui Ming to work in the sewing room and must have suffered quite a bit of磨练; Qin Yuan wondered what she meant to say this time.

Hong Mian arrived quickly. She stood outside the curtain with her hands folded, first saluted and greeted, then said, "Madam, this maid has an important matter to report."

"Speak."

Hong Mian said, "These days this maid has been behaving herself in the sewing room. Sister Cui Ming said she wouldn’t make things hard for this maid on account of Sister Hong Ye’s affair, but that if this maid had any ability, she should find her own way to get ahead."

"Mm."

Qin Yuan only gave a vague response.

Hong Mian went on, "This maid is not good at needlework, and in the sewing room there are the former Mrs. Lu, the present Mrs. Li, and Sister Cui Ming. Where would it ever be this maid’s turn? I heard Mr. Songshan is recruiting people for Feiyun Pavilion, and Wan Accountant recommended quite a few old soldiers over there, who were all kept on. This maid also wants to go serve in Feiyun Pavilion."

Seeing Hong Mian had this drive to advance, Qin Yuan naturally would not stop her. She smiled and said, "If you can rely on your own ability to get into Feiyun Pavilion, that would be ideal. I won’t stand in your way, and neither will Cui Ming and the others."

Hong Mian understood what Qin Yuan meant and said, "Madam, this maid has said so many idle words not because she wants to ask Madam to assign her there."

"Oh?" Qin Yuan raised her brows.

Hong Mian lowered her voice and said, "This maid wants to earn some merit before going to Feiyun Pavilion, but being stuck in the sewing room, there’s nothing she can do. Just yesterday Gu Mansion burned; the Old Madam has settled Mr. Gu’s family into the guest rooms, and the sewing room received quite a few errands. This maid volunteered to go measure the rooms in the guest quarters, and saw the two young masters come back and send Xiao Hong away so they could talk."

"This maid knows that back then Mrs. Zhao turned the whole residence upside down, and now Gu Mansion has suffered disaster again, and this isn’t even the first time; so this maid grew a bit suspicious and hid behind the flower rack against the pillar."

Qin Yuan nodded. "Go on, what did you hear?"

Hong Mian hurriedly said, "This maid heard them say they can’t delay any longer, that they must think of a way to win the Marquis’s favor, that they would take action during Mid-Autumn, and said they needed to ask someone for some medicine. Some of what they said this maid didn’t really understand; it didn’t sound like what we Han people usually say, it was quite odd, but this maid memorized it all."

Qin Yuan was taken aback.

Marquis Gu’s heart had already grown cold toward Pang Cheng and Pang Yu; he only meant to use them as bait, yet she had not expected the two of them to hate enough to act.

Truly, those who are not of our kind must harbor different hearts.

Separated by a sea of blood-debts, how could they ever be raised to loyalty.

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and said, "As it happens, I was about to look for Mr. Songshan to discuss matters. You wait outside; in a moment I’ll take you over."

Overjoyed, Hong Mian withdrew and waited under the corridor.

After Qin Yuan finished her breakfast with the service of a few little maids, she took Hong Mian with her to the front courtyard to seek out Mr. Songshan.

Seeing that there were fewer big maids in the courtyard today and only the little maids were following at Qin Yuan’s side, Hong Mian inquired, "Why don’t we see the elder sisters? Have they gone to oversee the housekeeper mamas?"

The little maid glanced at Qin Yuan before saying, "They went out with Madam as guests yesterday and were accidentally injured; they’re recuperating."

Hong Mian fell silent.

Qin Yuan asked, "What did you think of?"

Hong Mian started: "I suppose those people are of a piece with the ones who burned Gu Mansion yesterday. They were all brought in by the two young masters; it might well be connected to Mrs. Zhao."

"And what else?"

Hong Mian thought a bit more and added, "This maid boldly guesses, could it have something to do with Duke Zhen’s Mansion? After all, we went to their house as guests and ended up injured; it must mean the host didn’t entertain us properly. If it were some small household, that might still be; but Duke Zhen’s Mansion is strict in its rules—who would dare stir up trouble in their house? Could it be they are also in league with Mrs. Zhao?"

Qin Yuan said, "We cannot say that yet."

Hong Mian’s eyes turned, and she knew she had guessed seven or eight parts right.

Hearing Qin Yuan had arrived, Mr. Songshan finally lifted his head from the piles of paper, rose, and offered her a seat. "What brings Madam here?"

Feiyun Pavilion had only just put together a makeshift team. Now that it was running, they were so busy their feet scarcely touched the ground; even in broad daylight they needed little sticks to prop their eyelids open to work.

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "I came to have a look. I gave such a large sum of Silver; I can’t very well be a hands-off shopkeeper."

Mr. Songshan pointed at the stack of case files on the table. "You and your husband are so afraid of wasting that big sum of Silver that you keep tossing piles of matters over here. Just look at how much I’ve got stacked up here, how much!"

Grumbling was grumbling; he did not mention a word of what the actual matters were.

Qin Yuan dismissed the little maids, leaving only Hong Mian behind. She said, "This maid used to serve in my courtyard. Because of some matters she was sent off to the sewing room. She heard some news that may be useful."

Mr. Songshan took up paper and brush. "Go ahead and tell it."

Hong Mian repeated everything in detail, even the parts she didn’t understand, mimicking them exactly as she had heard.

Mr. Songshan nodded. "This girl has a pretty good memory and is quick-witted."

Qin Yuan merely looked at Hong Mian and smiled.

Hong Mian understood, and immediately gave Mr. Songshan a deep bow. "I heard Mr. Songshan is recruiting people here. This maid’s ancestors followed the Old Marquis onto the battlefield. This maid is also literate and can keep and read accounts. She can do some needlework and some kitchen work as well. I wonder if she might be able to seek a future at Feiyun Pavilion."

Seeing she was quick on the uptake, Mr. Songshan asked her a few questions and had her write a few characters, then said, "Go back for now. Things here have just been set up, and everything is in a jumble. Once things settle down in a few days, if I need people I’ll ask your mistress for someone."

Not having it settled on the spot left Hong Mian rather disappointed, but since Mr. Songshan had not turned her down outright and had given her some hope, she still felt somewhat heartened.

After Hong Mian withdrew, Mr. Songshan asked Qin Yuan, "I remember she used to serve close at your side, didn’t she? What did she do to be driven out?"

Qin Yuan gave a rough account, then said, "Don’t you still have that Brother Qi at your side? He’s just like his mother, very good at ferreting out news. Whatever else is behind this, you can have him look into everything thoroughly. Hong Mian is clever and quick; keeping her in the inner quarters is almost too much ability for that place. If you don’t have use for her, I plan to grind down her temper a bit and then put her out to manage a shop. She and Hong Ye fell out over Gu Shiliu; I only thought to separate them to reduce trouble. For the moment there wasn’t any good post for her, so I sent her to the sewing room."

Knowing she meant to punish Hong Mian for a time, Mr. Songshan said, "Then let’s leave her where she is for now. I intend in future to make use of some clever women as well, regardless of age. The Marquis will not be stirring up anything small; we’ll only ever be short of hands, and it’s not worth refusing to use someone over some trivial branches and twigs."

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "She came running over first thing in the morning and said plainly she wanted to earn a merit to join Feiyun Pavilion. Don’t be fooled by her youth; her mind is very nimble, and her ambition is broad. If she’s used well, she’ll certainly be a capable hand. Only, Hong Ye and Cui Ming are also my right and left arms; everything must be kept in balance. If I favor her too much, wouldn’t I hurt others? But if I don’t use her, I’m afraid I’ll block the way for those who come after."