Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 204 Marquis of Lin'an

Inside the Yunyi Palace.

Hua Yan and Consort Chun, along with their servant, were unaware of Tang Xian's return, and naturally, they were also unaware that the Emperor's decree of bestowal had reached the Tang residence.

Consort Chun showed no dissatisfaction with her rank as a concubine. Seeing Hua Yan and the others kneeling and bowing, she smiled and said:

“Everyone will be rewarded. Mengzhu, go to the storeroom and get the jewelry box. Let each person choose a few pieces.”

Ruizhu and Donggua's eyes lit up, and they kowtowed to express their gratitude, led by Huayan.

The jewelry box that Consort Chun mentioned was not part of her dowry. It was a sample that Yongbaolou sent to the mansion every season. The designs were novel, and some were even unique and not for sale to the public.

In addition, they were also used as rewards.

Each time, it was personally delivered to the mansion by Manager Gong's wife, and Hua Yan also received a portion, as ordered by Madam Yun herself.

However, Madam Yun was meticulous, and the gifts she sent were naturally befitting her status as a chosen concubine, not overly extravagant or valuable. Huan Yun had mentioned it briefly before, saying that Yongbao Tower had specially summoned craftsmen to make jewelry for both the Second Miss and herself...

This gesture was so heartfelt that Hua Yan refused it twice, but Madam Gong remained unmoved and continued to send it to the mansion.

Mengzhu carried the box into the study. Aunt Mei pointed at Ruizhu and said with a smile, "Don't be shy, this is Her Majesty's thoughtful gift."

Hua Yan stepped forward and took a look, praising, "Your Majesty, Mengzhu is becoming more and more meticulous in her work."

Consort Chun frowned slightly when she saw that the jewelry in the box was all plain and inconspicuous. She said, "Mengzhu is more composed now, but you all know your limits. It is not wrong to reward her with some bright colors. You can wear them after the national mourning period."

According to the ritual system of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the mourning period for the deceased emperor was twenty-seven days, during which officials of the outer court were required to mourn and pay their respects morning and evening.

In reality, the entire funeral procession would last for several months. During the national mourning period, civil and military officials had to remove their accessories, wear plain clothes, and there were rules such as not being able to hold banquets, get married, or shave their heads within 100 days.

For women, things will return to normal after 100 days.

Mengzhu finally received praise from her master and Huayan, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

Ruizhu and Mingyue each picked one item. When Consort Chun saw this, she shook her head and said, "In that case, this reward will be made up later. As for Chun'er and Xiao Nianzi outside, Aunt Mei will reward them with two months' salary according to the precedent."

Aunt Mei nodded in agreement, bowed, and withdrew.

The sunlight outside the window was intense. Ruizhu looked at the sky and went to the outer room to change the ice basin.

Consort Chun took the prepared dowry list from Hua Yan and wrote and marked some things on it.

Hua Yan glanced at it and nodded secretly.

"Most of these dowries wouldn't be used in the palace, so only the circled items were sent to Huining Palace. The others that were marked were sent by palace servants to the Tang residence for safekeeping, to be used as part of Fifth Sister's coming-of-age dowry. As for the rest..."

Consort Chun put down her brush and ink, looking at Mengzhu, Ruizhu, Mingyue, and Donggua. Her thin lips pursed slightly, and after a moment she spoke again:

"After you turn twenty-five and leave the palace, your mother will choose a good match you know well, and that match will be used as part of your four dowries..."

Hua Yan had the status of a concubine, and from then on, he would share weal and woe with her, so there was naturally no need to prepare a dowry for Hua Yan.

Upon hearing this, Mengzhu's eyes instantly reddened, and she disregarded all decorum, interrupting him with a tearful voice:

“I will not marry. Before entering the manor, I promised to serve you for the rest of my life. You can’t just send me away.”

Ruizhu echoed her sentiments, but she said it with a smile.

"Serving Miss is a blessing I earned in my past life, and being able to enter the palace with Your Highness is an even greater blessing. What's so good about getting married? I have no desire to serve anyone else."

Mingyue blinked her big eyes, utterly puzzled: "We haven't even entered the palace yet, how come we're already talking about leaving? My master and I were appointed by the head of the household, the madam, and my master. If you're going to send me away, my senior sister will take my place..."

Mingyue couldn't bear to leave, otherwise she wouldn't have the chance to eat the winter melon dessert!

Consort Chun and Hua Yan exchanged a glance, both bowing their heads and smiling faintly.

It was Donggua's turn to speak. Ruizhu looked at Donggua nervously and coaxed him gently, "Donggua, you don't want to leave Miss, right? You haven't figured out how to make that spicy eggplant yet. Once you enter the palace, Miss might even find you a job in the Imperial Kitchen. Being a lady-in-waiting is so prestigious!"

Winter Melon was confused.

She truly didn't know what to do. If it came down to personal feelings, whether she was in the Prince's mansion or later in the palace, the only person she cared about from beginning to end was Meng Shu.

If it weren't for Meng Shu, she wouldn't have had the chance to show her face in the Tang family, and she might not have been valued by Steward An and taken as his apprentice. Or perhaps she would have been tricked by the people in the small kitchen long ago.

Seeing this, Hua Yan stepped forward to wipe away Meng Zhu's tears and said gently, "You're still a long way from twenty-five. Your Majesty always thinks of you more."

Mengzhu forced an awkward smile and gripped Huayan's hand tightly. "This servant can't get rid of you no matter what."

Consort Chun's heart softened, and Mengzhu's actions brought tears to her eyes. Hua Yan, wanting to ease the tension, said:

"The head of the family will return to the capital in the next few days. Just now, before leaving, Eunuch Jing delivered a message that His Majesty will send Consort Min from the palace tomorrow to accompany the Empress back to her residence for a visit."

After Hua Yan finished speaking, Consort Chun, Meng Zhu, and the others all fell silent.

This also means that once Consort Chun enters the palace, she may never have the chance to return to her parents' home again.

......

In the afternoon, news that Tang Xian had been granted the title of Second-Class Marquis reached the Prince of Jin's residence, and everyone in Yunyi Palace was overjoyed.

Upon hearing this news, Jiang Jie was so shocked that he accidentally broke a set of official kiln teacups. Half an hour later, Ruyi Palace hurriedly sent someone to fetch Imperial Physician Sun...

Tang Xian, a member of a collateral branch of the Marquis of Huai'an's family, was forced to leave the capital in the twenty-fourth year of the Qianyuan era. In the forty-seventh year, he and his family returned to the capital. Two years later, on the day he returned to the capital from the northwest, he was granted the title of "Marquis of Lin'an," a hereditary title with a fief of a thousand households.

This move was unprecedented and caused a sensation in the capital.

This is because among the eighteen marquises of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Tang Xian was the first to be granted a title without merit.

Aunt Mei wept with joy. She had served Madam Yun since childhood and was Madam Yun's head maid.

The marriage that Madam Yun was engaged to the Rongxing Earl's family was taken over by her stepsister. Later, although Madam Yun was the granddaughter of the Minister of Revenue, she was married to Tang Xian, a merchant, and suffered ridicule from the noble ladies of the capital.

Aunt Mei had only thought that Miss had made the decision on impulse, but now, many years later, she finally realized that Miss had a good eye for people.

"For more than twenty years, the head of the family has never disappointed his wife."

Tonight, Aunt Mei was extremely sentimental, chatting casually in her bedchamber. When Consort Chun and Hua Yan took the opportunity to ask for a pot of fruit wine, she unusually refrained from offering any advice.

Hua Yan, however, grabbed the amber wine cup from Consort Chun's hand and poured most of it into her own cup.

"Your Majesty is returning to your residence to visit your family tomorrow, so it would be best if you drank less."

Consort Chun opened her eyes slightly, "...Tomorrow you will be able to see Uncle Zhou, and you will have a lot to say, but you should not drink too much."

Aunt Mei snapped out of her daze and swept the two cups together in front of her. "It's getting late. Hua Yan should help Her Highness get some rest."

The master and servant both simultaneously said, "..."