Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Xiao Luolan returned to her room, one among many on the second floor, opposite Master Zhou and Mr. Qingshan's room. Lei Hu and the others seemed to be scattered around, leading Xiao Luolan to suspect they had booked the entire second floor, as she hadn’t seen any strangers there.

The position of her and her daughter's room was well-arranged, facing south and backing north, with good lighting. Opening the window, one could see sparse lights flickering in the summer evening.

Xiao Luolan closed the window tightly, then locked the door and bolted it.

The room was divided by screens; the front part was for sleeping, with a bed and wardrobe against the wall. In the middle, there was a round table with a small box of clothes sent by Master Zhou, and near the window was a dressing table with a copper mirror, not as clear as the ones they used before but sufficient for reflection.

"Mom, come here quickly to wash your hair and bathe."

Xiao Qingxue cheerfully called from behind the screen.

Xiao Luolan walked around the screen to see two large buckets filled with hot water brought by Lei Hu, alongside the room's two bath tubs, nearly filling the space.

Xiao Qingxue swiftly moved the stool and copper basin inside.

Sitting on the stool, she held out her hand with a grayish, pellet-shaped object: "Mom, look what I found. This is an ancient bath bean for washing hair and bathing. There are several more on the wooden rack."

Xiao Luolan picked it up and smelled it, detecting a fragrance of herbs and wood.

"Sit still, I'll wash your hair," Xiao Luolan said as she untied her daughter's hairband, smoothed her hair with a wooden comb, then scooped hot water from the bucket with a wooden ladle to wet her hair. After soaking her hair, she picked up a bath bean and carefully rubbed it into her daughter's hair.

Xiao Qingxue expressed contentedly, "Mom, this feels so nice."

Xiao Luolan chuckled, then used a coarse cloth from the wooden rack to squeeze out the excess water after washing.

After towel-drying her hair, Xiao Luolan poured the water into an empty bucket.

Xiao Qingxue, feeling her hair still damp, longed for modern conveniences: "If only we had a hairdryer."

"Mom, sit down, I'll wash your hair now."

The mother and daughter helped each other wash their hair and then took a bath, emerging wrapped in coarse cloth towels.

"Ah, that's much more refreshing," Xiao Qingxue opened the box, looking at the clothes inside: "Mom, are these all sent by Master Zhou?"

"Yes," Xiao Luolan recounted to her daughter the help Master Zhou had requested of them.

Xiao Qingxue mused thoughtfully: "Master Zhou wants to learn Mandarin to go to Chang'an? I wonder where this ancient Chang'an is. It would be great if we could get a map or some books."

"It's strange, though, that the language of Chang'an in this world is actually Mandarin."

Xiao Luolan voiced another concern: "But can we understand the ancient books here?"

Xiao Luolan's worries lingered: "Can we even understand the books from this era?"

Xiao Qingxue faltered for a moment, then said, "We should be able to. If we don't recognize some words, we could ask Mr. Qingshan to teach us, right?"

With her hand on her cheek and a frown, Xiao Qingxue pondered, "Master Zhou and the others think we are nobility because of our clothes. But if the nobles of this era are expected to be literate, wouldn't our ignorance give us away? No, that won't do."

Xiao Luolan sighed inwardly, realizing that living in ancient times was more challenging than she had thought.

Recalling the afternoon's events, Xiao Luolan shared with her daughter the question asked by Master Zhou and her own response, to keep her in the loop.

After hearing this, Xiao Qingxue gave her mother a thumbs-up: "Mom, you are so clever!"

"Really?" Xiao Luolan felt her lie was full of holes and couldn't believe it herself.

"Master Zhou thinks we are nobility, right? In their eyes, your husband would be someone of equal status. We are alone now, but just in case," Xiao Qingxue pouted, "if someone has ill intentions towards us, they might think twice because of our absent father."

Xiao Luolan considered this and realized there was some truth to it.

"Let's get dressed," suggested Xiao Qingxue, pulling out the clothes. They found two sets, one light green and the other purple, both of soft, smooth fabric and not too flashy.

Xiao Qingxue picked up a garment resembling a bodice, held it up for sizing, then looked down and back at her mother, clearly envious.

Feeling her daughter's gaze, Xiao Luolan blushed: "Stop looking, let's just get dressed."

Neither of them were familiar with ancient clothing. After putting on the bodice and then the snow-white underpants, Xiao Luolan pondered if the presence of pants was historically accurate. Giving up on overthinking, she put on a light green straight-collared blouse, a red and white skirt, embroidered socks, and silk shoes, taking a few steps to test the fit.

Xiao Qingxue, quick in her movements, had finished dressing while her mother was still putting on the underpants.

Xiao Qingxue, somewhat familiar with ancient clothing, named the garments and helped her mother get dressed.

Xiao Luolan looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in a deep green cross-collared blouse and a high-waisted purple skirt that fell straight down.

It seemed she was going to wear more skirts here than she ever had in the first half of her life.

"Oh, is there something else in here?" Xiao Qingxue picked up a small brocade box from the bottom of the chest and opened it, finding it strangely familiar.

Xiao Luolan saw that the brocade box contained the jewelry she once gave to Master Zhou, including the jade bracelet her daughter had bought for her, but the pearl earrings were missing.

"Mom, Master Zhou has returned your belongings."

"Maybe he really is a good person."

Xiao Qingxue muttered to herself, while Xiao Luolan removed the door bolt.

Soon, an attendant from the inn came to tidy up the room, and before leaving, placed a wooden bucket and incense in a corner behind the screen.

After they left, Xiao Qingxue went to check and found it was an ancient toilet, with thick layers of plant ash underneath.

The mother and daughter exchanged glances and sighed in unison.

"Madame Xiao, young mistress Xiao, are you there?" The loud voice of Lei Hu resonated outside their door.

"It's Lei Hu," Xiao Luolan said to her daughter before opening the door.

Xiao Qingxue peered at the robust and broad Lei Hu.

"Lei Langjun," Xiao Luolan greeted Lei Hu with a smile, using her unpracticed Youzhou dialect, "Is there something you need?"

Originally, Xiao Luolan addressed Lei Hu as Mr. Lei, like she did with Mr. Qingshan. However, after Lei Hu reacted as if stung, waving his hands rapidly, Mr. Qingshan laughed and then explained that she could directly call him by his name or as Lei Langjun.

Xiao Luolan felt it was impolite to call someone directly by their name, so she opted to call him Lei Langjun.

Lei Hu handed a piece of paper to Madame Xiao, speaking gruffly, "Madame Xiao, this is a deed of sale, officially registered with the authorities. It's for you."

Xiao Luolan was confused, holding a slightly yellowed paper stamped with a red seal, not fully understanding what it was.

Lei Hu stepped aside, revealing a young girl around eighteen or nineteen, dressed in plain but neat and clean blue clothes, though she appeared thin. She bowed respectfully to Xiao Luolan and Xiao Qingxue.

"Fang Yun greets Madame Xiao and young mistress Xiao."

"I thought you might need a personal maid, so I bought her from a broker," Lei Hu explained. "See if she suits you, Madame Xiao and young mistress. If not, I can return her."

Although she didn't fully grasp the language, Xiao Luolan understood what was happening.

Had Lei Hu brought her a person?

Holding the light paper in her hand, Xiao Luolan suddenly felt breathless, and Xiao Qingxue was equally shocked.

"I..." Xiao Luolan's voice was dry, instinctively wanting to retreat into the room.

Fang Yun, nervously clutching her clothes, had cleaned them meticulously to make a good impression. But as the silence dragged on, she grew increasingly anxious and fearful, finally kneeling down desperately, pleading, "Please accept me, noble ones! I will serve you well! Please accept me!"

Fang Yun knew if she were sent back to the broker, her fate would be worse. She had fled to Cang County in Youzhou with her parents during the great drought in Buzhou. The benevolent county magistrate allowed them into the city, but her elderly parents fell ill from the journey. She voluntarily sold herself into servitude to a household in the county, using the money for her parents' medicine. Despite her efforts, they passed away after a year.

The head of the household, Li Lao Ye, was a lecher. Even though she avoided him, she was still sold by the mistress. Hearing of someone wanting a personal maid for a noble young lady, Fang Yun wore her most fitting clothes, hoping to be chosen. Luck wasn't always on her side; if not chosen this time, she might end up somewhere worse next time.

Seeing Fang Yun's forehead bruised from kneeling, Xiao Luolan hurriedly helped her up, flustered, "Don't..."

"Please, madame, accept me," Fang Yun pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Annoyed, Lei Hu said, "Stop crying," then turned to Xiao Luolan, "Madame Xiao, if you are not pleased, you can return the deed of sale to me."

Seeing the girl's look of despair and her pale face, Xiao Luolan closed her eyes briefly, then said, "No, it's alright. She'll stay."

Fang Yun's face lit up with joy, wiping away her tears, "Thank you, noble ones."

Seeing that Madame Xiao had accepted the girl, Lei Hu didn’t linger, bowed, and took his leave.

Fang Yun followed her new masters with a mix of happiness and apprehension.

Xiao Luolan sat on a stool, staring blankly at the dimming sky outside.

"Mom," Xiao Qingxue called softly.

Xiao Luolan took a deep breath and gently embraced her, "Mom's here."

Fang Yun realized her new masters were the strangest she had ever encountered. There were two of them: Madame Xiao and young mistress Xiao. Both spoke gently, albeit with a strange accent, as if they were from another region.

After doing their hair, Fang Yun took the initiative to find work. She was stunned by the clothing the ladies changed out of and apologized profusely once she came to her senses. Madame Xiao simply inquired about her past, and after hearing her story, remained silent for a while before unexpectedly patting her head.

Fang Yun widened her eyes, feeling the warmth and softness of Madame Xiao's hand.

Xiao Qingxue took out some ointment given by the inn's medicine boy, sitting opposite her mother. Xiao Luolan saw the bruise on her daughter’s forehead had faded but still gently applied some ointment on it.

After applying it, Xiao Luolan saw the bruise on Fang Yun's forehead and motioned her to come forward, applying some ointment there too.

Fang Yun looked at her new masters, feeling as if she were in a dream.

Night fell quickly in summer, with a deep blue twilight in the distance.

Fang Yun carefully gathered her masters' clothes to wash. The riders, knowing she was Madame Xiao's maid, were polite and even showed her the way.

Just as she descended the fifth stair, Fang Yun saw a portly figure at the inn’s entrance.

Anyone who had seen the county magistrate, Dou, would remember him easily, for his size was quite unmistakable!

However, at this moment, the county magistrate Dou appeared quite different from the figure Fang Yun had seen before. Just as Li Lao Ye had been in the presence of Magistrate Dou, now Magistrate Dou seemed equally diminished.

His portly body, followed by two or three others, hurried into the hall and quickly up the stairs, moving so fast that even the innkeeper didn't react in time. Fang Yun, afraid of colliding with the magistrate, quickly stepped aside. Magistrate Dou rushed past her like a gust of wind but suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Fang Yun recognized the voice of the person who had bought her from the broker.

Lei Hu, with a fierce look in his eyes, lifted Magistrate Dou like he was a small chicken: "Where's your business card?"

Magistrate Dou hastily handed over his card to Lei Hu.

Lei Hu set him down, intending to first present it to the master.

Unexpectedly, the magistrate of Cang County behind him suddenly bowed deeply, his face a mix of red and white, his voice trembling: "I, Dou Yaoming, humbly greet the Governor!"

The three men behind him also bowed and did not rise.

Fang Yun, who had never seen the highly esteemed county magistrate now behaving like a lowly servant, pleading and humble, kneeled instinctively as the group approached, her elegant dress scattering on the floor.

A pair of black boots stopped in front of the blue silk skirt, the hem trailing down the stairs.

Fang Yun's mind went blank, her body covered in cold sweat, as a deep male voice sounded above her.

"Has Madame Xiao eaten yet?"