“Ri Yi… hurry up!!!”

“Ah yes, I’m sorry, this is the hairpin!!”

​​

“Young Miss will be late because of you!!”

“Apologies…”

The angry servant took the pin and placed it in her young Miss’s hair. The young Miss was only fifteen years old. She had white fair skin, an oval-shaped face with big round eyes, a small nose, and lips. The beautiful Miss was Lao Fei Yan, the legitimate first Miss of the right Prime Minister, Lao Yun Gi, and his wife Yang Wei Lan.

She was attending a banquet held by the royal family where all officials were invited with they’re wives and children. The banquet was more than a party as it also served as a platform for the princes to find consorts.

Being a polygamous society, the married princes were free to find a second wife or other concubines. Being picked by the princes depended on a woman’s ‘luck’ – if you could call it that.

Miss Lao Fei Yan was attending the banquet with her personal maid, Chun Yang. She was excited about the banquet because she was to be meet up with her fiancé, Crown Prince Zhao Mu Fan.

She had to look her best that evening. Luo Ri Yi watched her Miss fidget with excitement and smiled faintly. Lao Fei Yan fiancé was known to be a notorious playboy. He had many concubines and Tong Fang (bed warmer) in his residence. Luo Ri Yi couldn’t imagine what kind of future he had to offer the young girl. She also wondered why the girl’s family was not against it. If she was in the young’s girl’s shoes, her brother would have already chased the playboy prince with a gun and a bomb, and he would not be the only one to do that… Then again, this was the Jiang Wei Kingdom and he was the Crown Prince.

Lao Fei Yan slightly lifted her skirt and hastened her pace. She had a lot of ground to cover as their estate was big and she didn’t want to be late for the banquet. Her maid, Chun Yan run behind her anxiously as she did not want to be left behind.

Luo Ri Yi maintained her smile as she watched them dash through the hall in a jog until they’re figures disappear behind the gated wall. The young Miss’ eagerness was adorable. Then again, it was expected as the girl was only fifteen and in love.

“Sister Luo, has the young Miss already left?” A twelve years old girl who’s hair was styled int two small buns asked Luo Ri Yi in a childish voice.

“Yes. Just now.” Luo Ri Yi answered her. “Did you need anything, Ci Ci?”

“I need to clean up the Mistress’ room. It is messy inside…” Ci ci stretched out her arms. “At least we can get to rest early tonight.”

Luo Ri Yi chuckled, “You go and rest. Let me clean up the Mistress’ room.”

“By yourself?” Cici gasped. The room was quite big and the young Miss made quite a mess as she was dressing-up.

“I can’t?” Luo Ri Yi asked.

“No, of course, you can… but are you okay doing it alone?” CiCi felt guilty.

Luo Ri Yi treated her very well ever since she joined the manor a year ago. Luo Ri Yi not only helped her do her work but also covered for her when she made mistakes. Like the time Cici accidentally broke an expensive vase from the Mistress room. Luo Ri Yi took the blame and the Mistress cut half her salary for three months and whipped her hands five times with a rattan.

Luo Ri Yi easily accepted the punishment without wailing or crying even when she was whipped. Cici was grateful for what she did. She even kowtowed in front of Luo Ri Yi only to be stopped by her with a gentle smile claiming the punishment was nothing.

“No, Sister Luo, let me help you. It would be faster if we did it together,” Cici said.

Luo Ri Yi sighed and nodded her head as she saw the little girl’s determination, “Okay then… let’s go…”

The two young girls entered the room and start to clean up the messy dresses and jewelry on the table. They worked in silence but moved fast. It took them a few minutes to get the room back to it’s original form.

Satisfied with the room looking nice and tidy, they left the room and headed to the maid’s courtyard situated in the inner part of the manor. The courtyard has a small building with many rooms. Each room housed four to five maids. Personal maids were the only ones who got their own room.

Luo Ri Yi’s room housed four girls. They all slept on a small bench with an old blanket, they’re living conditions were quite harsh by modern standards. However, for these maids, it was considered a luxury to have daily meals, nice clothes, a roof over they’re heads, and a salary. What they had there was all they wished for.

A tired Cici quickly fell asleep once her head touched the mattress. Luo Ri Yi watched the little girl snore and smiled. She covers the girl with a blanket before leaving the room.

“Are you already finished your work?” A middle-aged man with grey hair and stoic faces asked her when he saw her.

“Yes, Mr. Mu,” Luo Ri Yi calmly responded.

The man, Mu Han, was the housekeeper who served the Luo Family for three generations. Even the prime minister gave him face. The good thing was Mu Han did not abuse his authority. He didn’t clash with servants who did their jobs well. The only time he clashed with Luo Ri Yi (Lory) was when she covered for Cici.

In all honesty, Mu Han liked Luo Ri Yi’s character as she never made a fuss and did her job diligently. She never whined or gossiped about there master or their family matters. She usually finished her job quickly and quietly. Her only problem was her habit of covering for the youngest maid, Cici.

Mu Han nodded and left Luo Ri Yi. He could easily guess what the girl was up to. Every night, she would make tea with a slice of lemon and sugar and pour it in a big cup she called ‘mug’. She would then sit on the porch in the maid’s courtyard and gaze at the moon until midnight. She only slept for three or four hours a night and woke up before sunrise. She would complete her job before sunrise and only to sit at the same place to watch the sun slowly rise.

Luo Ri Yi was quite odd if you were to compare her to other maids. She was not illiterate. She loved to read any kind of books when she had time. She also liked to paint. Her paintings were unique and not like general paintings everyone saw. She was nice to everyone and always smiled with everyone including the new maids. Luo Ri Yi did not cry endlessly like the other maids when the Mistress or anyone scolded her.

She just looked down and took it in whenever her Master shouted on her. She remained silent when she was beaten or whipped as punishment. You would only know she was hurt after her punishment when you saw the wounds.

Luo Ri Yi was not someone you could call beautiful. You could describe her looks as average. Not too ugly and not too beautiful. She had tanned skin, a small oval-shaped head, small eyes, and natural shaped lips. She was sixteen years and was considered old for an unmarried woman.

Her body was shaped like a bamboo; she didn’t have curves, her chest was small and her butt was flat. The only thing that stood out was the way she carried herself. She was graceful. There was grace when she walked, sat, read a book or drunk tea. One could not help but look at her twice when they saw her carrying out these activities.

It was a good thing that Luo Ri Yi was not beautiful or else she would have been preyed on by the young Master and old Master. The Master at first thought she came from a fallen noble family when she joined his household. He had her background investigated but nothing suspicious come up.

All he discovered was the fact that she came from a small village that was destroyed by an avalanche. The Master confirmed her identity with her remaining living relatives and ended the investigation. She was then seen as the weird girl in Lao Manor. No one cared at the end of the day as she was just a lowly maid.

Currently, the weird girl was holding her mug drinking warm tea as she gazed at the night sky. There was a full moon. The soft pale moon illuminated the small porch and courtyard. The cold breeze gently caresses her long black hair.

Her finger gently tapped the mug making the soft sound. Suddenly, a small white bird flew towards her and perched on her shoulder. The girl did not budge. It was like she did not see the bird.

The time moved slowly. Her gaze was melancholic. She opened her mouth slightly as though she wanted to say something but changed her mind. She was as still as a statue. The only movement was from her blinking eyes.

“CLANK!!!”

The sound startled Luo Ri Yi. Taking her away from her daydream. She frowned slightly she and wondered what made the sound. The maid’s courtyard was near the wall fence. The wall was about three meters high. Security in the area was a bit loose as it was the maids living quarter.

“BRAGGGGHH!!!”

The sound was coming from behind the wall. It sounded like a heavy person had fallen and broken something. Curious, Luo Ri Yi placed her mug down and approached the wall as she waited for another sound. She placed her ears on the wall to listen in… she soon heard something.