Chapter 632: Not the Same Ancestors

When Mrs. Dai returned to the inner chamber, Pang Cheng fixed his gaze on Hong Mian, not blinking at all: "Isn’t Sister Hong Mian deeply valued by your foster mother in Wutong Garden? How could your foster mother bear to part with such a beloved one?"

A flicker of unease crossed Hong Mian’s face. She lowered her eyes and sighed mournfully: "It’s better not to speak of it."

"Why can’t you say it?" Pang Yu pressed.

Hong Mian hesitated: "Everyone has their own karma. I offended Hong Ye, whom the madam brought from her maiden home, and was driven to the needlework room to work for a long time. These days my eyes are almost stitched blind, and my hands are covered with needle pricks. Cui Ming, wanting to vent for her, assigned me endless tasks. The madam favors the two of them, so I just have to endure it."

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand for the twins to see.

Pang Yu looked at it, feeling sorry, and tilted her little face up: "I also don’t want to learn embroidery. The needle is hard to grip, and it hurts so much when it pricks the skin. I threw a fit out of displeasure, so now Mother doesn’t force me to learn it anymore."

Hong Mian smiled bitterly: "You are the masters, while I have to seize the chance when both Hong Ye and Cui Ming are unwell and not on duty to seek the madam. That day I followed the madam all the way here, and when she saw I could exchange a few words with the young masters, she let me come here to serve."

As soon as she finished speaking, Hong Mian knelt down and knocked her head on the floor three times, her eyes reddened as she looked back at Pang Cheng: "If it weren’t for the two young masters, I’d still be sewing curtains in the needlework room. In the future, if I don’t act according to the masters’ wishes, please reprimand me, but I beg not to be sent back."

Pang Cheng frowned and leaned slowly back in his chair: "You’re saying we bestowed a favor upon you?"

"Of course," Hong Mian nodded emphatically.

Pang Cheng, adopting a mature demeanor: "Then you should be obedient, I won’t treat you unfairly."

Hong Mian quickly pledged her loyalty.

"I will certainly heed the master’s words. I’m not like Xiao Hong and Zihe, who long to return to Wutong Garden; I have no wish to go back."

Pang Cheng nodded, instructing Pang Yu to help Hong Mian up, and said slowly: "From now on, you will be a first-class maid by my side. Besides handling my affairs, you’ll also help look after my sister."

Hong Mian was overjoyed and promptly said: "Master, don’t worry. I am willing to give my all for the master, until death."

Pang Cheng was also very pleased and generously promised: "With you, it’s like having an additional arm, an extra set of eyes. When I grow up, I will surely reward you generously."

...

Xiao Hong and Zihe rushed back to Wutong Garden and asked as soon as they entered the courtyard: "Is the madam here?"

Hong Ye saw them from a distance and waved them over with a smile: "Hurry up, the madam is waiting. She wants to settle things for you, then she’ll take her afternoon rest. There’s still a pile of things to do in the afternoon."

Xiao Hong cheered but slowed her steps as she approached, trying to appear more composed: "Sister Hong Ye, do I look alright like this?"

"Yes, there’s nothing wrong," Hong Ye chuckled slightly, comforting her: "The madam said you did well over there."

"That’s good," Xiao Hong whispered: "I was worried the madam might blame me for not completing my tasks."

Hong Ye said: "You’ll know once you meet with the madam."

Zihe then came over, and Hong Ye said: "You two go in together. From now on, you’ll be working together."

Upon entering the inner chamber, Qin Yuan noticed their bundles were still on their backs and couldn’t help but smile: "Why not put down your bundles first; there’s no rush."

Xiao Hong spoke crisply: "I was anxious, dragging Sister Zihe along just in case the madam changed her mind. That would be terrible."

Qin Yuan laughed: "How could that be? A gentleman’s word cannot be revoked."

Then, looking at Zihe, she asked: "I intend to have you serve in Wutong Garden with the same first-class stipends as Hong Ye and the others, would you be willing?"

Xiao Hong quickly tugged at Zihe’s hand, signaling her to agree.

Zihe hesitated for a moment before saying: "I am a second-class in the main house, assigned by the Old Madam to serve Mrs. Zhao, alongside Bai Que, who has since been released to marry... "

Pausing, she continued: "In a couple of years, I’ll be of age too. To be candid, I wish that when it comes to my marriage, the madam would allow me to choose once I’ve met the person, and not agree merely because there’s an external proposal."

Qin Yuan immediately replied: "Serving in Wutong Garden, you needn’t worry about that. Even Hong Ye and Cui Ming, I’ve not arranged engagements for them. If you find someone you like, just have someone propose."

Zihe breathed a sigh of relief.

She had vaguely heard at the Gu Mansion about Hong Ye and Gu Shiliu being betrothed by the Marquis and Madam, which displaced the engagement between Hong Mian and Gu Shiliu.

Realizing she was of marriageable age, she dreaded her marriage might be used by the masters as a bargaining chip.

She had feelings for a distant cousin she grew up with, who worked in a shop belonging to the Marquis Mansion, and they shared a childhood friendship.

Seeing her expression, Qin Yuan figured she likely had someone in mind.

Then she said: "Since you’re willing to stay, go get your things settled. Have Hong Ye and Cui Ming guide you."

Zihe kowtowed to express her thanks.

Xiao Hong hurriedly asked: "How will the madam arrange for me?"

Qin Yuan smiled: "You’ll follow the instructions of your Sister Hong Ye and the others. Start as a third-class maid, and as you perform well, you’ll gradually be promoted."

"Thank you, madam," Xiao Hong respectfully kowtowed, then asked: "Should I go put down my bundle now and inform Nanny Rong at the main house?"

Qin Yuan nodded: "You may go; there’s nothing urgent for you. Just make sure you greet the sisters in the courtyard properly."

Zihe and Xiao Hong retreated and went about settling in.

Only then did Qin Yuan take her afternoon rest, and half an hour later, Cui Ming came to call her: "Miss, Xiao Dong is here."

"Xiao Dong is here?" Qin Yuan asked groggily: "Why does he come every day?"

As soon as she spoke, she recalled Xiao Dong must have come for Yelv Xianyong, and quickly got up to wash, internally grumbling about Doctor Li sending Xiao Dong around in circles to avoid her.

After dressing and grooming, she went to the outer room and instructed someone to bring Xiao Dong in for a talk.

Xiao Dong, holding two rosewood boxes, dashed over and placed them by her side, saying: "Elder sister, look quickly. One is the incense chosen by the master, and the other is the Jade Beauty Cream concocted by him."

Qin Yuan first opened the incense box for a look and asked: "What did the master say?"

Xiao Dong was about to discuss it. Ever since Gu Shiba delivered the incense, Doctor Li had been restless.

"The master was laughing and sighing, gesticulating wildly, alternately slapping his thigh and head. I couldn’t make sense of him. Finally, when he calmed down, he grabbed me to talk for a long while."

Qin Yuan asked: "What did he say?"

Xiao Dong bashfully replied: "... Ahem, he said things like comparing us, claiming you’ve achieved something remarkable, creating innovations on your own, and if I don’t improve, I would be letting down our ancestors."

Innovations?

Doctor Li indeed recognized the unique blend of the detox incense she formulated and noticed the changes in her ingredients.

A thought occurred to Qin Yuan, prompting her to ask: "Aren’t you and the master of the same ancestry?"

Xiao Dong said: "I’m not even surnamed Li, so indeed we’re not, not even five hundred years back would we share an ancestry."