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The La clan despite its reputation as a family of genius was no less known for their eccentricities. The clan head could never be seen to conform to social norms unless it was his wife who demanded it, and then also half his talks were filled with her praise. His wife was no different, who even when not having the clan’s blood in her veins often overshadowed her husband in clan deliberations. Their heir was just like them, you could almost mistake him for a son for all his obsessions over numbers and mathematical perfection.
So the matter of why the only daughter of a named clan would roam around the rear palace in a servant’s garbs could easily be answered: she simply had the blood of odd people. It’s not something she does often but enough to sooth her mind’s curiosities, for one could not find much to do just wearing dresses in a room. Her ladies in waiting had initially tried to stop her but one look from her was enough to realise she could not be persuaded.
Most of the servant girls were sold to the rear palace by their families who received 20% of their salary. These girls were mostly uneducated village girls who would finish their tenure of two years then look for other work, rarely would one of them catch the eyes of a consort or even the emperor. Though in a place like this, Yingsu could find some joy in teasing the naive or catch wind of some gossip around the court.
It was one such day, a month after her arrival to the rear palace, that led her to meet Xiaolan. Her clothes were obviously one of a servant in charge of washing consort garments if not obvious by the basket at her waist. She was running around asking anyone to read for her the instructions for delivery, it was by pure chance that she had run directly into Yingsu, or rather the maid named “Maomao”.
“Can you read this for me?” She had asked Maomao with desperation and impatience of a little kid who could not wait a minute more for his promised reward. Amused, Maomao had quickly read it for her, who barely spoke a “thank you” before running off again. Yingsu had not given much thought until the next time she had come to find something new as Maomao.
It was a rough hand on her which almost alarmed her to attack her aggressor but she knew better than to jump to conclusions. Rear palace, even with all its eunuchs with their suppressed urges, did not hear of tales of servants getting dragged to the bushes in broad daylight, or at least not enough. She turned to see it was a maidservant from the wardrobe service, it took Maomao a while to recognise her.
“Um.. You were the one who helped me that day, right? I’m Xiaolan, what is your name?” The girl had let Maomao go now, and nervously stood with one hand scratching the other.
“Maomao. I did not think you would remember me seeing how fast you had run away that day." This girl somehow felt different from the others who would usually only call Maomao just to try and off load their work on someone they believed was a poor freckled girl.
After a bit, the maid had now lit up with a smile, “Maomao, like a cat?” Hearing that Maomao couldn't help but smile herself. No more was the nervous girl from before. It almost felt warm like meeting an old friend, quite unusual for someone she had barely seen before.
“Because you helped me that day, would you like me to do something for you?” She spoke with a certainty of an exchange she had been a part of more than enough in her life. Afterall, illiterate girls like Xiaolan depended on others to help them do their jobs.
Maomao thought for a minute before speaking, “Do you know of any rumors around here?”
“Ah! Have you heard that the wise consort has gone into labour today? I’ve heard that other girls had seen the rear palace physician go regularly to her residence these days but he did not return today.”
Maomao did know that as she had tried to keep her ears open to any news of his Majesty’s favourite consorts, especially since both of the one of his favoured ladies had recently given birth to a child. Thankfully, the child had been a daughter so all had remained just the same around the palace.
But with that started a new routine in Yingsu’s day, dressing up as Maomao every few days to meet Xiaolan tell her more of the courtly gossip.
Xiaolan is nervous, it’s unusual for maidservants to be personally requested by a consort.
She’s pretty sure that she has never been or even seen Lady Yingsu who was a middle ranking consort to the Emperor. She was the latest lady of high standing to enter the palace, for it had barely been two months since her arrival.
Xiaolan had heard Lady Yingsu was the daughter of some powerful noble military man, she didn’t know who but it was enough to send a chill down her spine.
What if she had unknowingly upset the lady? What if she had misplaced her clothes or soiled them even? Her arrival was the only notable thing, after the birth of the crown prince, that had happened recently.
Lady Yingsu was not seen outside her chambers according to what Xiaolan heard from the maids usually in her service, but they described her as cruel and unmerciful.
Some even said one look from her was enough for one to want to flee from the rear palace, she was like a curse made human and never could be pleased no matter what. Even the emperor did not seem to visit her chambers.
Xiaolan had heard Lady Yingsu was only seventeen, just two years older than Xiaolan herself. Surely she couldn’t be that bad? Even the chief’s daughter back at her village was known as a witch, but only pulled her hair or mocked her at most. With all the worst thoughts swirling in her head, she knocked on the door of Lady Yingsu’s chambers.
A voice called out from inside, asking her to enter. She had thought a lot of things would happen, but what didn’t expect was Maomao standing in front of her. Maomao wasn’t dressed in a servant’s uniform but fine embroidered clothes you’d only see on consorts or her ladies in waiting. Maybe Maomao was Lady Yingsu’s lady in waiting and had recommended Xiaolan to her!
“Maomao, where is Lady Yingsu?” She kept her voice lower than usual if Lady Yingsu were to show up at any moment whilst keeping her body ready to bow as soon as she could.
To that Maomao laughed at her, she would’ve thought it a pretty laugh if her heartbeat was not beating so fast that it could leap out her chest from fear. “Xiaolan, do not worry but listen carefully for what I am to tell you.”
Maybe Xiaolan should’ve spoken up, asked her what she meant but she didn’t, she stood silent as no words seemed to come out of her mouth. And so Maomao continued, “I am Lady Yingsu, and I wish to make you my lady in waiting, Xiaolan.” If Xiaolan was silent before, she had turned into a statue made of stone now.
In a minute, she recovered when she bowed as deep as she could, “My lady, please do not punish me for my disrespect to you.” Xiaolan was going to die, Maomao, no Lady Yingsu was going to kill her. She had unknowingly disrespected a consort and this would be her end.
“Xiaolan, raise your head. I did not ask for you to punish you, only to keep you by my side as a lady in my service. You helped me a lot as Maomao, your knowledge of court rumours though not always factual, is exactly what I need. Surely you must know how little entertainment exists within these walls?”
To that Xiaolan finally looked straight at her, the tears pooling in her eyes were threatening to spill. But despite it, she felt a sense of comfort hearing Lady Yingsu’s words, for it felt like the words of her friend Maomao and not the latest witch of the court. Being a lady-in-waiting to a consort would surely bring much more money for her family, the kids could eat as much as they want and so could she.
It took time for Xiaolan to adjust to her new role and its perks, she even had a small room to herself now! Maomao was nothing like what the rumors said of Lady Yingsu, she didn’t even scold her for reverting back to Maomao.
“My lady, I heard the precious consort and her ladies in waiting visited the wise consort’s residence today. They might have come out to the courtyard if you wish to see them yourself.”