Chapter 9: A Turn of Fortune
Among the three coarse maids in the small kitchen, Pear Moon and Autumn Abundance were both clever.
Pear Moon was steadier and more thoughtful, like a little adult, always knowing what she was doing.
Autumn Abundance, however, had only three parts cleverness in her belly, but twelve parts sharpness on her face—all her shrewdness was on the surface, and she was sharp-tongued and unforgiving.
Only Huan Huan was simple and honest, sincere at heart and clumsy with words, always treating the other two as her own sisters.
Thinking of how each of them had their own calculations in mind, treating her as an outsider, her temper flared up.
Immediately, she threw basins and smashed jars, making a huge fuss, sitting on the kang and crying her heart out.
Pear Moon tried to coax her at first, but later, seeing her rolling around and crying, and fearing that outsiders might hear, she scolded her a few times.
The three of them pushed and shoved, pulling at each other’s hair and making a big scene, each looking like a defeated soldier.
“Do you two still want to leave?” Huan Huan pouted.
Pear Moon certainly wanted to leave, but unfortunately, she couldn’t rise to third-rank maid, so wanting was useless.
Autumn Abundance, however, was hungry from the commotion. She jumped off the kang and went to serve rice, greedily eating all the sweetened radish shreds.
“This morning, when you two weren’t here, the cook said they’re going to transfer people to the Tranquil Study.”
Huan Huan pouted, wiping her tears and sniffling.
At this, both Pear Moon and Autumn Abundance were stunned.
Last night, the Young Master got drunk. Although nothing serious happened, Madam Ning was still worried.
In the morning, she sent people to check on him several times and said that with only Jade Ink in the Tranquil Study, it was too inconvenient for the Young Lord to ask for tea or water.
This wasn’t a big deal, so Madam Ning didn’t mention it to her daughter-in-law, Shen Shi. Instead, she sent an old servant directly to the small kitchen in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard to speak with the cook.
She instructed the cook to set up a small stove in the Tranquil Study and transfer a few maids who knew how to brew tea and tend the fire to serve there, so the Young Master wouldn’t be without hot water or tea.
It was all out of concern for her son.
“The cook said she’s sending the three of us.”
Huan Huan wiped her nose and glared at the two of them.
Truly, just when all seemed lost, a new path appeared!
“Will there be monthly allowances?” Autumn Abundance hurriedly asked.
Only third-rank maids received monthly allowances, so this was asking whether they could be promoted.
Pear Moon also wanted to know this most of all.
But Huan Huan shook her head, not knowing.
Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. The Tranquil Study was managed by Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, and brewing tea and heating snacks didn’t necessarily require a promotion.
But the study was a separate courtyard. Even if they couldn’t be promoted by working there, their food and living conditions would be much more comfortable.
What Pear Moon looked forward to most was that the tea stove and small kitchen had their own separate provisions. Once she went there, she could take charge of the stove independently.
Even if it was only for tea and snacks, it was still better than being stuck in the kitchen washing vegetables!
It seemed that the plate of Dongting Spring Dumplings at noon was the cook’s way of testing her skills!
Pear Moon wiped away her tears and smiled. Autumn Abundance and Huan Huan also cheered up.
The three of them stopped crying and busied themselves combing their hair, washing their faces, and tidying up neatly.
In the afternoon, sure enough, the cook called Pear Moon and the other two together.
“Madam has ordered a small stove to be set up in the Tranquil Study to brew tea and prepare snacks for the Young Master. The three of you have trained in the Main Kitchen and have learned how to tend the stove and brew tea. Xiao Yue’s Dongting Spring Dumplings were praised by Madam as very good. Huan Huan and Autumn Abundance are both clean and clever, so Madam is also at ease.”
The cook, surnamed Cao, was a descendant of Master Cao, the renowned chef of the capital’s noble households. She first found work under the Shen family’s patronage, then followed Shen Shi when she married into Ningguo Mansion, taking charge of the stove in the small kitchen of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard.
Aunt Cao was not a servant; she relied on her skills to establish herself in the noble mansion, which set her apart from other accompanying servants.
She was straightforward and fair by nature, disdaining petty scheming and judging people solely by their abilities.
Pear Moon had been doing odd jobs in the small kitchen for several years. Though she had endured many beatings with the broom from Aunt Cao, she secretly admired her.
Hearing Aunt Cao say this, Pear Moon hurriedly knelt and kowtowed.
Autumn Abundance not only kowtowed herself but also pulled Huan Huan down to kneel.
As the three young maids thanked her in unison, Aunt Cao’s expression suddenly darkened. “Don’t celebrate yet—Young Master and Madam haven’t given their approval!”
Pear Moon’s heart skipped a beat.
But then Aunt Cao continued, “The two white plum trees in our Phoenix Ripple Courtyard are in full bloom. Madam is in the mood today and wants to invite Young Master to admire the blossoms. The snacks for the viewing will be left to you three to prepare. If you do well and earn Young Master and Madam’s approval, then you may go.”
So this was a test of their skills!
Huan Huan and Autumn Abundance couldn’t help but pull long faces, but Pear Moon was eager to try.
Admiring plum blossoms in early spring was an elegant pastime among noble households. The refreshments served during such viewings were limited to a few types: plum blossom porridge, fallen plum pastries, plum tea, and plum wine—none of which were particularly difficult to make.
Every maid in the Main Kitchen of Ningguo Mansion knew how to prepare at least two of these.
Thinking of this, Pear Moon felt not the slightest fear but rather a surge of enthusiasm.
Seeing her like this, Aunt Cao felt both appreciation and fondness, and her stern expression softened slightly.
“Do you dare to take on the task?”
“If Auntie trusts Xiao Yue, then I dare to do it!”
Pear Moon smiled as she kowtowed, then quickly urged the other two to start the fire.
Thus, they busily and eagerly began preparing the plum-viewing snacks.
Meanwhile, in the Dressing Room of Shen Shi in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, Granny He had entered again and was starting to nag.
“Although Madam Ning dotes on her son, it’s the husband and wife who are a pair. The Tranquil Study falls under the management of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, so adding servants and allocating resources should be Madam’s decision. For Madam Ning to directly summon Aunt Cao from the small kitchen to request personnel—where does that leave Madam?”
Shen Shi was in the midst of arranging her hair before the mirror and cast a sidelong glance at Granny He.
“Mother is still the Lady of the Ningguo Duke and oversees the household’s internal affairs. It’s only proper for her to attend to matters concerning the study. With Young Lord returning, having only Jade Ink in the Tranquil Study is indeed insufficient for proper service. In my opinion, we should add personnel and allocate resources as well. Since Mother spoke up on my behalf first, there’s nothing inappropriate about it.”
Shen Shi was the eldest daughter of the Grand Secretariat Chief, and her father was a renowned scholar of Neo-Confucianism. She was a woman who adhered strictly to rules and propriety.
As a daughter-in-law, one should only be filial and obedient to one’s mother-in-law—how could there be any reason to blame her for being meddlesome?
Shen Shi was reasonable, but this Granny He kept trying to stir up trouble.
Granny He had always been at odds with the cook, Aunt Cao.
That morning, when she went to the kitchen, Aunt Cao had once again shown her disrespect.
This grievance had festered within her for a long time, and she had long been looking for an opportunity to sow discord before Shen Shi.
So Granny He shifted the blame onto Aunt Cao.
“That may be so, but a household is not the imperial court—there must still be some consideration for human relations and social customs. For a mother-in-law to constantly extend her hand into her son’s courtyard is ultimately improper. Still, since Madam Ning dotes on her son, an extra word or two can be overlooked. In the end, it’s the cook Aunt Cao who is muddle-headed and doesn’t know how to handle matters. Aunt Cao is a dowry servant from the Shen family—how could she directly agree to Madam Ning’s request? She should have reported to Madam first before acting. It’s not that this old servant is trying to stir trouble, but if Aunt Cao, relying on her skill at making a couple of dishes, starts acting on her own, what will become of things in the long run?”
“Don’t worry too much, Granny. Aunt Cao is a straightforward person—aside from matters of the stove, she’s muddled about everything else. You are a sensible person, so please don’t blame her.”
Granny He had been Shen Shi’s nanny since childhood, always by her side teaching needlework, so Shen Shi showed her some respect.
But she was also growing more long-winded with age, and Shen Shi sometimes found it tiresome.
Shen Shi finished her toilette, still feeling her complexion was too pale, and added a touch of rouge to her lips.
She knew there had long been some discord among the servants, but she did not wish to dwell on such matters.
Seeing her mistress intent on smoothing things over, Granny He felt naturally displeased and quietly glanced at her granddaughter, Angelica Orchid.
Eager to speak, Angelica Orchid hurriedly took a pair of clustered plum blossom gold hairpins to secure Shen Shi’s hair at the temples and seized the chance to say:
“What you say is true, Miss. Aunt Cao may be skilled at cooking, but she may not understand other matters. For instance, the little maid she chose for the Tranquil Study—if you knew who it was, you might not be satisfied!”