Meiwan let the maid shut the door behind her while she looked at her new room. Like everything else in this mansion, the bedroom was far larger and more grand than her previous one. It was a three part space, meant for sleeping, entertaining, and studying. Her bed was to the left, and beautiful, sheer pink curtains draped down over it. Next to it, placed before an open window, was her vanity which held all the latest powders and perfumes.
The center of the room, where she stood now, was a miniture version of a hall. Her own kang was against the backwall, and two chairs were placed on either side of the empty floor before it. Looking to her right was a low desk and cushion, and all the writing tools she needed were neatly placed. Behind the table were several bookshelves, already stocked with books and scrolls, as well as a few decorative peices.
Beads formed a sort of curtain between each section of the room, providing an illusion of an actual house, by making it seem as there really were multiple rooms within a smaller space.
Meiwan let her pack fall from her shoulder and hit the ground, and moved around the room in awe. As she further inspected each aspect and detail of her new living quarters, a new maid, dressed in a light green uniform, silently entered with a tray of cakes. She stood and waited for the young miss to acknowledge her.
But after several minutes, Meiwan had not noticed the girl's entrance, so she spoke up.
"Miss Lu, master has sent me to bring you snacks. I'll set them on the table."
The sudden voice brought Meiwan out of her stupor and she quickly approached the maid, personally taking the tray before she could put it down.
"Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't hear you enter." Meiwan tipped her head. She stared at the small cakes, they had been dyed green, and judging by the smell of them, they were filled with lotus seed paste. A flavor she didn't particularly enjoy. She glanced back up at the maid before setting the tray down.
"And please thank my uncle." She expected the maid to leave, but instead she stood and their and bowed.
"Yes miss." She stood straight. "Miss Lu, I am Xiao Bi. Master has sent me to serve you. If you need anything, please notify me and I will handle it. I'll go now to send your message to master." She bowed again and then turned towards the doors.
"Wait a moment, Xiao Bi." Meiwan called her new maid. "Can you tell me about the Yan Mansion?"
"Yes miss. What would you like to know?" The girl returned.
Meiwan took a seat at the small table that sat in the center of the room and patted the seat next to her. The maid, unsure of her mistress' intentions, cautiously sat on the edge of the stool.
"Start with the family. What does uncle do? Why do my aunts live in the Yan mansion? Why is this family so unusual and different from the wealthy families of the capital?" Meiwan leaned forward.
"Um," The maid folded her hands in her lap. "Master is a fourth rank official, promoted by the numerous contributions he's made for Great An. He passed the spring exam and became a servant of the court before he married, about twenty five years ago."
Meiwan's lips pursed. Her uncle was an official, and not a business man? She had never heard of this from her mother. And also of the fourth rank?
"Master believes the best people are raised in an unrestrained household, thus he prefers to let Yan family be unique." The maid leaned in and whispered. "Yan Mansion is the talk of the capital, no other family has ever allowed such loose restrictions to be carried out in the home. This practice has kept the Yans very happy, and much more like a loving family." She smiled.
These were all good words to hear. At least she could expect her new family to not place any rules on her that would restrict her
Xiao Bi glanced at her hands. "Your aunts..." She abruptly came to her feet and gave a quick bow, "Xiao Bi believes it best for miss to personally ask the family."
Meiwan could see that the maid didn't feel comfortable talking about the family secrets, so she didn't force her. Instead she smiled and thanked Xiao Bi.
"You may go now."
Left alone again, Meiwan considered her new situation. It was far more favorable than she'd hoped, and her and her brother would be safe and happy here.
...
"Meiwan?" A girl's voice called from the other side of her door.
Having just finished dressing for the day, Meiwan slid a hairpin into her low bun and opened the doors. Outside waiting were her three cousins, uncle Yan's daughters.
"Sisters?" Meiwan looked at the elegantly dressed girls. "Are you looking for me?"
"Yes, may we come in?" The eldest, as she recalled, asked.
"Of course, this is your home!" Meiwan didn't want to sound ungrateful, or leave her cousins with a bad image of her. She moved aside and let the three girls enter, guiding them to sit at the table.
Meiwan took her seat last, between Yan Tu and Yan Wei, while Yan Shi sat opposite her. The three sisters were dressed in lovely light colours with flower hairpins adorning their lavish hairstyles.
"My sisters and I would like to personally welcome you." Yan Tu spoke, reaching for Meiwan's hand in her lap. "I understand that you may feel uncomfortable and sad after everything that's happened, but the Yans are kind, and we'd love you to join our family."
The other two girls nodded.
"Thank you, for being welcoming." Meiwan felt her heart dance at the warmth. "I hope you'll take care of me and my brother."
"Of course!" Yan Shi nearly shouted. Judging by her demeanor, Meiwan could tell that the youngest daughter was energetic and outspoken.
She looked at her other two cousins. Yan Tu sat tall and straight, her smile soft and kind. She seemed intelligent, a proper eldest young lady. Yan Wei hadn't spoken yet, her silence showing her to be more reserved and shy. However, all three girls, different as they were, were all very happy to have a new sister.
The four girls chatted, the Yan sisters informing Meiwan of the capital's fashion trends, and who the most eligable bachelors were. Spending the afternoon with each other was like a bandage on Meiwan's heart after being torn from home and family. Listening to the three girls talk, made her feel real joy.
Later, after the cousins returned to their own courtyards, Meiwan asked Xiao Bi to show her around the mansion. It was indeed luxurious, a home befitting a higher ranking official. There were around fifteen personal courtyards, over fifty servants, multiple gardens, a large stable, and a tall wall enclosing the massive dwelling.
Meiwan feared that it would take several days to memorize the entire mansion's layout, for her to walk around easily. Then lastly, she made her way to her Zhanyi's new courtyard.
As a younger child, her uncle had been careful to place him nearby to the other family member's dwellings. A wise thought, the older sister acknowledged. Her brother's yard was smaller, but had all the makings of a boy's paradise. Trees with low hanging branches, a shallow pond, and a raised platform to practice swordsmanship made the front yard. A small rack of toy wooden weapons was the only thing on the high floor that decorated it.
His sister walked through the doors and into his yard, stepping from one stone to the next, staying on the pathway. Now later in the evening, her brother was preparing for the later meal.
"Zhanyi?" She called.
Her brother rushed from the small house, his outer robe only half on. He wore a large toothy smile and plowed into his sister.
"A'wan! Have you seen my new courtyard?"
"Hmm," She smiled and hugged him. "Very impressive!"
His face sunk a little, and Meiwan released him. Guiding him to the table that was placed in the grass, the two sat down.
"Not happy?" She asked.
Zhanyi shook his head. "I know we're only here because mother and father have been..." He paused for a long moment. "Have been sent to prison." His voice faltered.
Indeed, it had felt so quick. Arrested one night, sentenced the next morning, and off to live with their uncle Yan the day after. Now, here they were a week later. They had each been given wonderful courtyards, been welcomed like close family members, and their futures were looking bright. Meiwan could only feel a type of guilt, as if she had betrayed her parents. She so easily accepted the love and home of a new family, it was unfilial of her.
Looking over at her younger brother, she guessed he must be feeling the same way. Meiwan leaned against the stone table, and examined the fading bruise on her brother's face. It was much better.
"Zhanyi," she spoke softly. "All we can do, is make the best of our situation. Mother and father would want us to live well. Of course, that doesn't mean we need to forget them."
"But..." Zhanyi began but Meiwan cut him off.
"Remember what Magistrate Fang said? Mother would be released after ten years! You'll only be twenty-two then, and time will fly fast! Until then, let's live normal lives and wait for their return. After that, we'll go back home and be a family again."
At her words, Zhanyi nodded reluctantly.
"Alright, get ready for the evening meal." She pointed him towards his room.
It was time to make another good impression.