Shen Xiangwan knelt down with a plop and raised her face, pain was clearly written over her tear-stricken face.
“Responding to the concubine, in fact, this slave girl’s mother was also a despondent and helpless backyard woman. As a result, this girl couldn’t help but think about her own mother while looking at the concubine. In the girl’s heart, she just wants the concubine to live happily and have a smooth life. Besides that, there is no bad idea in the girl’s heart.”
Concubine Mei blankly looked at this kneeling tear-stricken little person.
The little girl’s big eyes were shedding large tears and her little face was distorted in pain, brought over by her memories. The small body was even trembling because of it. Such a girl caused her heart to be inexplicably soft. ‘Wasn’t her Ming’er also so helpless back then…’
She raised her hand and gently fondled and rubbed the little girl’s head.
“It’s also a pitiful one. I’ve heard from Mama that originally you were also a young lady of an official family.”
“Responding to the concubine, now, the girl is just a slave servant of the concubine.”
The person was small, but she could clearly distinguish the facts and face the reality.
Although Concubine Mei was very satisfied with her clever appearance, she liked her answers even more. The more she looked at the girl, the more pleasing the girl appeared to her eyes.
When she talked to the girl again, the tone of voice was much softer.
“Get up and talk, concubine will not punish you. Your eyes are so firm at this small age. Concubine just needs such a sincere and steadfast girl.”
“The girl is willing to be a wishful stick in the concubine’s hands.” Her words caused Han Xiao to be stunned. The Concubine was even more puzzled, and in the end, all came to a bit of a realization.
This girl was sensibly making her intentions clear, telling them that she would grow up to be the stick that concubine wanted, and hit wherever the concubine would point at.
Concubine Mei smiled with satisfaction, and her eyes were deep as she said, “Well, it’s good!”
Zhi Hua looked at that innocent face with the clear eyes of a child, and then lowered her head slightly, ‘This girl, if she can grow up…’
A sudden flash of light appeared in her eyes and she secretly clenched her fists.
***
In the young master Ming’s room, several gorgeous girls, about 13-14 years old, were waiting attentively. There, a 13-14 years old boy was surrounded by many beautiful girls. Although the girls were courteous, they all were eager to take the initiative to embrace the boy. Although he was still young, he looked like a veteran who was very good at playing in the sensual field. He touched a girl’s face while sniffing close to another girl’s face. The seemingly immature face was stained with a lot of rouge.
However, young master Hua just glanced at the girls, but didn’t take any further action. Noticeably, he was not very interested anymore. Young master Ming unhappily stared at the pageboy standing by his side. The frightened pageboy grimaced while trying to figure out what kind of girl to find to bring in.
At that very moment, a petite figure walked in.
Lavishly dressed young master’s eyes swept over, and when he glimpsed the little girl’s solemn and serious face, his lips hooked up with a touch of interest. He said, “Ming, this girl looks good.”
Ouyang Qingming was stunned, and immediately understood, “So, Hua likes this kind of green girl!”
As he spoke, the girl beside him hurried forward. Smiling and reaching over for Ru Yue’s hand, she said, “Little sister, come, serve this gentleman. Be sure to serve him well.”
Ru Yue’s small face remained poised. She smiled at the young master of Hua mansion and went forward, gently curtsied…
***
After coming out of Concubine Mei’s house, Shen Xiangwan breathed a sigh of relief. She guessed that her extraordinary performance today had already attracted the attention of Concubine Mei. In the future, it is all about the struggle to redeem the family to get freedom.
Unfortunately, in the previous life, she only fought for that nasty person and paid little attention to the affairs of the Marquis of Murong’s residence. In this life, many things could only be changed according to the circumstances.
Without the command from the front, a slave turned from an official’s family member wasn’t easily able to be a good citizen anymore.
However, it all depends on the people. Shen Xiangwan believed that as long as the family was united, they would seize the opportunity to get amnesty and would redeem their freedom.
This was an important goal for her, Ru Yue, her mother and Master Jiang.
*
After dinner, Shen Xiangwan went out of the courtyard as usual.
The Concubine and the young master would gather for a cup of tea, and this was also the time when the other servants could take a walk.
As usual, as she passed by an indifferent looking woman, both of them slowly moved towards the dark shaded area.
“I’m afraid Ru Yue’s situation is not very good. She went to serve young master Ming today and when she returned, her walk was a bit unsteady. Her expressions were even more mournful.”
“……” Shen Xiangwan’s heart thumped down and she secretly clenched her fists for a long time before she could breathe. “Mother…”
“Call me Mama Yi.”
“Yes, Mama Yi.” Shen Xiangwan’s heart trembled.
Neither she could acknowledge her mother nor could go close to her relatives. This was their reality now.
“I’ll get a chance to see her. In the future, you should try to stay away from that calamity of a young master Ming...ahem...”
Yi Xuan couldn’t bear it, but she had to make these harsh truths clear to her daughter.
The Shen family had fallen, and as slaves, they couldn’t go close to each other. In order to be with her children, she abandoned her long-cherished treasure. She bought the broker and gathered them together as strangers, and especially inquired about this powerful Marquis house, to enter the house in order to plan for the future.
However, having chosen this path, the way forward was bound to be full of bloodshed.
However, their lives could only make a new path in the barren forest where there was no road but was full of beasts...
Shen Xiangwan didn’t know how she walked back to the room, but through the broken words and off-handed remarks, she learned that Ru Yue had been injured some time ago, and had injured her vitality. More news, however, was that many of their group of newly-admitted minions had been played to death, or were crippled.
“In fact, a few of those slightly crippled servants who have been played with can be utilized. I will instruct the people who came in with me to take care of them and lead them some. Just give a light, and these people...can actually go further. Don’t underestimate anyone in this house; when the time is right, they will be of unimaginable use to us. Only if we make a path, in the future Ru Yue, and the things you have recently witnessed in the shadows, will not fall on us. So, girl, this is a path that you must walk with a straight back and a smile on your face…”
The words of her mother, who was now Mama Yi, were still ringing in her ears, causing chaos in her head. After returning to the room, she soaked her head in cold water before clearing some of her thoughts. When she thought of Ru Yue, the little one that she had saved from the cold man…her heart throbbed again and again. Ru Yue was just a slave to others, but to her, their love was as deep as sisters.
This time, it was said that the guest of the young master Ming left Ru Yue alone after the time of two incense sticks. No one can know in detail what happened. When Ru Yue got better, she just innocently smiled at Mama Yi...
It didn’t seem to have the slightest effect.
But Shen Xiangwan knew that with Ru Yue’s temperament, she would not reveal her emotions easily.
She was anxious to know whether Ru Yue was alright or not. Doing this also caused her slight smile to be filled with a little unhappiness.
***
On this day, she finally got a letter. Knowing that Ru Yue was going to wait on Mama Zhao, she also sneaked into Mama Zhao’s house.
As a slave, it's not just good to serve the master.
Young girls like them, who had a low position and were newcomers, were often called on by the old ones to wait on them.
It was elegantly called, “discipline!”
In fact, it was to serve these senior people and casually get a beating by them.
Ru Yue and Shen Xiangwan neither of them had escaped from serving such a 'senior people' that was Zhao Mama.
*
In the room, Zhao Mama beautifully half leaned on the reclining couch and enjoyed Ru Yue’s neither light nor heavy pounding “I know all about what that gentleman did to you last time.”
Ru Yue swept her long eyelashes and gave a soft courtesy “here”.
“Hum ah…” However, in the twinkling of an eye, Ru Yue’s wrist was pricked with a needle, and the blood beads were drawn out with the needle tip. Zhao Mama blew on the tip of the needle in satisfaction, “Be more mindful while talking to people.”
Ru Yue trembled and responded in a soft voice, “Here…”
“Ah…” It was another needle. Ru Yue was too pained to wipe her tears, she just crawled on the mat. Mama watched her as if watching a mole cricket, blew the tip of the needle gently and slowly said, “Answering in too soft of a voice, the master can’t hear. While a loud voice is disrespectful.”
“Here…” This time, it was not stabbed. But Ru Yue deeply hated her. Their group of servant girls, plucked under the rule of Deputy Steward Lin, were already dead, injured, or maimed. Even though she was a hundred times attentive, she was still criticized in various ways. Allowing this Deputy Steward Lin to take over the position to replace the original Steward, their situation... She was afraid that their situation was worrisome!
“Don’t we all come here like this. If the masters are happy, we will do well. If the master doesn’t like it, we have to give up our lives. You are a wise and sensible person at a young age. From now on, if there is something good, mama will never miss you.”
“Mama misunderstood me, the last time that gentleman Qingfeng just let me play the role of a meimei (younger sister). He kept asking me to call him gege, and even the slave had to feed him snacks before he let the slave servant go.”
“Oh…” Zhao looked at her suspiciously, as if she didn’t believe this reasoning. However, even if you want to say what exactly the masters do in the house, you can’t say. No matter what they do, as slaves, they wouldn’t dare to peek into it easily. Now that Ru Yue was talking like this, she didn’t say anything more.”
“I’m tired. Let me take a little nap for a while.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Ru Yue carefully fanned her.
Looking that Zhao Mama was asleep, only then did she cover up the small blanket leaving quietly.
However, just after leaving the courtyard, she was violently dragged into the woods by a hand that sprang out from the dark.
“Ru Yue it's me.”
Seeing the visitor, Ru Yue was secretly relieved.
She tightly gripped Shen Xiangwan’s hand from the back, which was holding her hand tightly and said, “Little...fat...gently…”
“Little Fatty!” Shen Xiangwan corrected, and Ru Yue smiled astringently.
“Your hand…” Looking at the obvious bruises and red spots on it, Shen Xiangwan immediately became angry, “That old lady abused you again!”
Ru Yue gently waved her hand, “It doesn’t matter, I’m still quite good. It was said that Xiao Li, who served her yesterday, was beaten to lie on the bed. She had no food to eat and her legs were also slightly damaged. Poor Xiao Li is only seven years old.”
After hearing this, Shen Xiangwan’s mouth was wide open in shock, unable to say anything else. In fact, it seemed like a lot of slaves had been picked recently, but yet, many of them had been abused extremely badly. The ones that were alive were also mostly bruised and battered.
“Recently in the house, Deputy Steward Lin is said to going to be promoted to Head Steward of the backyard, so the people under her...are a bit more arrogant.
In front of us newcomers, there are times when they want to gain face, then they would use the power gained from the support of Deputy Steward Lin. Let’s be patient for a while.”
Shen Xiangwan sneered, “Patience? This way, when will it end? All of them think that that person will take the position of the main steward of the backyard, what if she doesn’t?”
Ru Yue was shocked, “Little girl ah! …..you are thinking?”
Shen Xiangwan nodded slightly, “Rather than allowing such a brutal backyard steward to take the position, it is better to pull her down when she’s not yet on the top. And it will also allow us to believe a little more that there is always a way…”
The two of them were silently sneaking together behind the bushes farther ahead from the path. In the courtyard, even if you want to say something private, you have to hide it well.
Just after these two little mouses arrived at such a good place, they heard the scolding and muffled grunting sounds coming from the nearby thicket.