When the master wants to see you, a mere servant has no reason to refuse.
Qu Fulan was pulled out of bed by Hai Xia.
"Blame me for insisting on passing by that courtyard and getting called to deliver a message. It's Miss Zheng from the Zheng Family, saying she wants to see you. I told her you're ill, but she insists on seeing you. She even said if you don't go, she'll come to see you herself. Isn't that just bullying? I came immediately to find you."
Today, Hai Xia was responsible for delivering messages all over the mansion, running here and there. As it happened, she took a shortcut and ran into those noble ladies.
"How do they know about me? Did someone mention my name?" Qu Fulan was perplexed.
"I don't know either. When I got there, I didn't recognize any of those noble ladies, and I didn't see anyone else. I was just muddledly passing along the message, completely unaware of what was happening."
What Hai Xia didn't know was that before she appeared, Hai Yue had already seen her from a vantage point. Then she made an excuse to leave, telling Miss Zheng to just find any servant girl to run errands.
This is how Hai Xia got stopped as soon as she passed by.
Qu Fulan, after taking medicine, was feeling a bit weak, and her face showed signs of illness.
Hai Xia offered to support her, but she refused. Otherwise, if someone saw them, they might think she was putting on airs.
As Qu Fulan walked through the courtyard and entered the waterside pavilion, she was hit by a strong fragrance. Looking up, she saw a dazzling display of flowers inside.
About six or seven noble ladies, elaborately dressed, sat in the pavilion. Each holding a round fan, they exuded elegance and luxury, gazing across the water and trees toward distant guests.
This waterside pavilion was slightly elevated, allowing a view of the mansion's scenery below.
They half-covered their faces with the fans, whispering and suddenly bursting into coquettish laughter, having seen something amusing.
Qu Fulan interrupted their murmuring, "Maid Haitang greets the ladies."
The noble ladies turned, curiously assessing the newcomer.
Qu Fulan's sickly state was evident, yet while illness might diminish others' beauty, her condition only made her look like a Xi Shi in illness to the onlookers.
"Her face like a silver plate, eyes like watery apricots, lips red without rouge, eyebrows green without make-up. I never expected even a servant girl from the Pei Mansion could be so outstanding."
One of the ladies remarked.
Miss Zheng heard this, and her brows slightly furrowed, "Are you the Haitang who received the calligraphy and paintings from the Heir Pei?"
Is it related to Heir Pei's gift of calligraphy and paintings?
Qu Fulan then understood. With Heir Pei's stature, many noble ladies must admire him. These ladies, having come to the Pei Mansion with great effort, were surely probing for information on Heir Pei. This inquiry naturally led to the matter of the calligraphy and paintings.
"Indeed, I am."
"So, Heir Pei treats you well?"
"The Young Master is always kind to everyone."
A noble lady couldn't help but laugh, "This girl knows how to talk, not leaking even a word, no wonder even Heir Pei would give her calligraphy and paintings."
Miss Zheng added, "Come over and speak to me."
Qu Fulan started coughing, softly at first, then more violently, as if on the verge of coughing up a lung. Only after finishing her coughing fit did she slowly walk towards Miss Zheng.
At this, the noble ladies showed looks of disdain. Seeing her approach, they instinctively moved away, fearing contagion. Miss Zheng said, "Alright, you can just stand there."
Qu Fulan stood weakly, not daring to move.
Miss Zheng said, "How is it that for no reason, the Young Master would gift you calligraphy and paintings?"
"I served Mrs. Pei to her satisfaction, and the Heir rewarded me. It wasn't just me; other servants who pleased Mrs. Pei would also receive rewards. The Heir is fair in his rewards and punishments."
Qu Fulan dared not mention Mrs. Pei's health status; such matters were not to be indiscreetly spread, especially not by a mere maid like herself.
Upon hearing this, Miss Zheng felt much relieved, realizing it was merely due to the Heir's fairness.
"It seems you are very adept at pleasing the Pei Mansion's Mrs. Pei. How long have you been serving by her side?"
"For half a year."
This included the time her predecessor had been in the mansion.
"Has Mrs. Pei ever mentioned the Heir's marriage prospects?"
As bold as Miss Zheng was, her cheeks still flushed at asking such a question. The other noble ladies, hearing this, quickly covered their faces with their fans.
"Never," Qu Fulan replied.
Miss Zheng's face showed disappointment but then said, "I want you to do something for me. If it gets done, I'll reward you greatly. Are you willing?"
"I dare not."
"It's just a matter of passing a message; what's so difficult about that?"
Without waiting for a response, she took it upon herself to continue.
"Next month, my brother will host an elegant gathering at the mansion. Invitations will definitely be sent to the Heir. However, I'm afraid, with so many invitations to manage, he might overlook the one from the Zheng Family. So, I'd like you to pass a message to the Heir, saying 'The eldest son of the Zheng Family sincerely invites him to attend the gathering.'"
This task was not troublesome, especially since the matter of reminding about invitations was basically within the duties of a servant.
Yet Qu Fulan did not immediately agree, "I am a maidservant in Mrs. Pei's courtyard, not serving directly by the Young Master's side, so I do not see the Heir often. If I have the chance, I will surely remind him; if not, there's nothing I can do."
Miss Zheng was clearly dissatisfied with this answer but had no alternative.
The head maid by Mrs. Pei's side was beyond her influence, and the other maids did not have access to the Heir. Only this girl, who received the Heir's gifts, might have a chance to see him.
"Just do your best, and if successful, I will certainly reward you handsomely."
"I dare not."
Miss Zheng felt this little maid was too timid, hesitating about everything, and promptly lost patience, waving her fan, "Alright, you may leave."
Her good friend was overly concerned. What was there to fear from a timid and overly-cautious maid who couldn't even approach her master?
There's no shortage of fair ladies in this world. If it's merely about outstanding looks, don't the courtesans in brothels abound? Still, in the end, they're just arms for countless others to rest upon.
Women, after all, need to rely on family background; otherwise, they can never make a mark.
Qu Fulan withdrew.
At this time, the banquet in the Pei Mansion had reached its midpoint, and many guests who didn't drink wine began to wander in groups of threes and fours around the mansion, using the opportunity to socialize while strolling through the gardens of the Pei Mansion.
To avoid encounters with the guests, Qu Fulan had to take a deserted corridor.
Weak body made her feel dizzy and light-headed, thinking she'd be fine after taking medicine and a good sleep back home.
Her pace was slow, but just as she turned a corner, she bumped into someone, rushing over.
Qu Fulan did not raise her head, immediately bowing and apologizing.
"I was rushing to do something for my master, excuse my rudeness, please forgive me!"
The other person stood still.
Qu Fulan, keeping her head down, felt a twinge of anxiety, had she accidentally stumbled into some important event?
From her viewpoint, she saw the other person's elegant white boots; looking up, she noticed the luxurious moon-white brocade robe.
And further up, she met a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes.