Chapter 348 — A Visit
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
Suxin brought out pea flour cakes, rolling donkeys, radish cakes, and other pastries for her.
Qixia was the chief maid in Song Han's quarters, charged with tending his brushes and ink. She too knew a few characters, roughly.
The pastries had been pressed from molds, and on the bottom of each were the three characters for the Imperial Kitchen.
She hesitated a long while, then said, "Suxin, these are gifts from the imperial household, aren't they? If we eat them like this, won't the Madam be displeased?"
Suxin laughed. "Hasn't the Madam had no appetite these past days? The heir only wishes she would eat a little something, so he carts every kind of food into the house. These are the most ordinary of things; we have plenty at home. Left too long, they'd spoil anyway, so the Madam parcels them out by the boxful—a few boxes to this one, a few to that. It was only because I saw the New Year coming and thought they'd make a handsome gift or a presentable offering that I insisted on keeping a few. Eat as much as you like, and if you fancy them, take a few boxes back later for the little maids in the Second Master's quarters to taste."
The sweet, soft, fragrant pea flour cake had been Qixia's favorite, especially the imperial kind—sweet without being cloying, with a lasting savor. But at the thought of the kick she had taken yesterday, the cake in her mouth seemed no longer as delicious as before.
She took a sip of tea and saw a young maid with bright eyes and white teeth come running in, calling, "Suxin!"
Suxin's face darkened slightly. "What is it that you must come flying in like that? If you startle the Madam, you'd better watch your hide!"
The maid drew two deep breaths to steady herself, then reported, "Old Madam Lu and Princess Ninghuai have come to see the Madam. When they heard you were to be married, both ladies wished to give you gifts. The Madam sent me to fetch you to kowtow and thank them."
In a manor as vast as the Yingzhen Ducal household, who would know a mere maid? The gifts to Suxin were but a courtesy to the Madam's face.
Qixia turned this over in her mind as she saw the faintly blushing Suxin out the door.
The little maid looked her over curiously. "Are you Qixia, from the Second Master's quarters? You're really very pretty. No wonder everyone says both of the Second Master's maids are beauties!"
Song Han had two chief maids; the other was called Caiyun.
"You're the truly pretty one," Qixia said with a smile. "Might I ask your name?"
"Just call me Ruozhu," the little maid said, smiling. "I'm a second-class maid in the Madam's quarters, but once Suxin and Sulan are married off, I'll be promoted to first class." She was a little smug. "Then I'll come to the main chambers to play with you, Qixia."
A first-class maid in the Yingzhen Ducal Manor had several second- and third-class maids under her, and, by comparison, had free time of her own.
Qixia knew that the several second-class maids in Dou Yan's quarters whose names began with "Ruo" had all come from Zhending with Dou Yan; they were of Dou Zhiwei's direct line, and though young, they carried considerable standing. Perhaps because ties with Zhending had gradually faded after the marriage into the Yingzhen Ducal Manor, and because the Duke and the heir did not get along, the new little maids taken into Yizhi Hall this time had all been chosen from the Song family's various estates.
She smiled and said, "Very well."
At once Ruozhu began chattering away to her.
What sort of temper Ruotong and the others had, which of them would be promoted to first class this time, how put out the other two "Ruo" girls were, which of the new little maids were restless and would soon be scrambling to ingratiate themselves with the Madam, how Suxin had dealt with those little maids—it poured out like beans from a bamboo tube. Before Qixia could even ask, Ruozhu had told her everything.
Qixia could not help curling her lip.