Little Cardamom

1 – Marquis’s Mansion

In the midst of winter, the snow in Shanghai is like goose feathers, and the cold wind swirls around the lanterns in the veranda’s eaves. On the fifth night, the outdoor area is vaguely silvery white.

In Jing’an Marquis’s residence, within the Zhaoshui courtyard, the green plum branches are fluttering with fresh snow.

The sound of the bell that disturbed people’s dreams earlier has been fading away, and the rapid footsteps of the servants and maids in the house have become audible in the still night.

Not long after, there were two knocks at the door of the main house, and someone called softly, “Little Miss.”

It was Zhang Mama, who was serving at Madam Hou’s side.

Su Xin was preparing the breakfast, and when she saw Ming Tan sitting without answering, she passed a look to Lu’e who was standing behind Ming Tan.

Lu’e understood, and put down the hairbrush in her hand. She stepped lightly and went outside to meet people in the open room.

The door was opened by the maid on duty, and when she arrived at the open room, Zhang Mama was leading a group of maids from the brocade workshop and a small group of maids holding chests of drawers to enter.

Through the hazy candlelight, the pale green skirts of the second-class maids of the Marquis of Jing’an’s residence seemed to be rippling out in neat and uniform curves at the door.

“Zhang Mama.” Liu E is eloquent, smiling and greeting.

Zhang Mama glared, and was busy reaching out to help, and glanced at the other side of the screen. She just looked around, Lu’e was here to welcome her, that means the little miss will not come out.

She and Lu’e are fairly familiar, and after a few words of greeting, she guided the maids of the brocade workshop to come forward and introduce the new clothes and headgear made for the banquet at the palace this time.

” …… The leather sent by Madam Hou is shiny, smooth and flawless, it is a rare product of the highest quality. I heard that it was also an imperial gift during the autumn hunt, so it is a great sin not to have it done well. So, our boss is very worried!”

“After thinking about it, our shopkeeper went to invite Mrs. Zhang to do needles in person. Miss Lu’e, you know that Mrs. Zhang doesn’t usually do needlework after she gets married. The shopkeeper spent a lot of money to invite her to do needles.” It took a lot of work. Look, this embroidery pattern, this stitch.”

The maid from the embroidery workshop introduced the cloak, while the maid behind her brought the silver fox cloak to Lu’e for her attention.

Lu’e came closer, looked at it carefully for a while, and her eyes showed appreciation: “It’s full embroidery, and the silver satin is also very well matched, it’s not a waste of the leather.”

She examined it inside and out to make sure it was correct before she said, “This time the palace banquet came suddenly, and yet it was made in such an exquisite manner, your boss is very kind.”

The matron smiled modestly and finally settled down.

The little ancestor served by Miss Lue is Ming Tan, the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Jing’an. Since she was a child, she has been favored by thousands of people, and she has seen many good things, and she is very picky. Even for ordinary things, it is not easy to get the green calyx beside her to nod.

It so happens that this little ancestor has a kindness to her own boss. Today, before dawn, the boss sent her to deliver the clothes of the Marquis of Jing’an, and specially instructed that she had to go personally to the young lady.

Thanks to Lue’s “careful” words, she was finally able to go back to get a good job and sleep peacefully.

On the side of Zhao Shui courtyard, Lu’e collected the clothes, slipped a generous purse, and sent Zhang Mama and her entourage politely out of the Chui Hua Gate.

On the other side in Feng He courtyard, another group of maids and ladies who delivered clothes and headgear were just entering the main house after a slow journey.

Huang Mama, who is also serving at Madam Hou’s side, curtsied and smiled as she introduced the clothes and jewelry to Shen Hua, a cousin living in the Hou residence.

Shen Hua listened and swept her eyes at the beautiful brocade clothes and precious jeweled hairpin in the top drawer, and at the end, she bowed and said softly, “Thank you for making this trip, Huang mama.

Then she passed a wink to her servant girl.

The servant girl understood and took a small step forward, giving Huang mama an exquisitely embroidered purse.

The purse was exquisite, but there was not much reward money inside.

After leaving the Feng He courtyard, Huang Mama gathered her sleeve to weigh out the facts.

She doesn’t care about the reward, but she just happened to meet Zhang Mama who came out of Zhaoshui courtyard, and it just so happens that she and Zhang Mama don’t really get along.

“I have long heard that the reward for working for the young lady was generous, but it is true. I’ll be able to buy the rouge I’ve been looking at in the Lan Cui Pavilion when I leave the house some day.”

Behind Zhang Mama, a small round-faced maid who had just been promoted to second class and was entering the Zhaoshui courtyard for the first time is discussing with her companion beside her.

The taller maid behind Huang Mama listened, and couldn’t help but snort: ” It’s just an ordinary reward. When you go to buy rouge, don’t say you’re from our Marquis’s house, so people won’t think that the ones from the Marquis of Jing’an house have never seen the outside world before.”

The round-faced maid was promoted from third class to second class in just half a year, and her mouth skills should not be underestimated.

She was too busy acting surprised: “This kind of reward is just ordinary……Could it be that the reward given by the cousin girl can buy a rouge shop?”

“You!”

“Okay, don’t take it personally with her.” Someone pulled the taller girl, “We are all from the Madam’s Courtyard. When we go out on business, we only pay attention to being obedient, nothing else matters.”

The taller one was persuaded to calm down a little bit of anger, and followed the words to think of a key point. Instead of being angry, she laughed: “Yes, it’s all about the smoothness of the job, and I’m afraid there is nothing more smooth than going on an errand to the cousin’s house”.

She did not say anything about the tediousness of the young lady’s work there, and the little round faced pretended not to know, and did not respond.

The tall maid added: “It is rare that the cousin girl is so gentle, beautiful and talented. She treats her subordinates so kindly.”

“I think it is even more rare to have a good brother.” Another maid behind Mama Huang intervened.

The tall girl agreed: “That’s right, with Little General Shen around, the cousin girl’s future will not be bad.”

The small round face laughed: “The two sisters are so concerned, Madam and Little Miss are our proper masters. The cousin girl’s future is the cousin girl’s fate, and has nothing to do with you two sisters.”