"How mysterious… It was decided you couldn't read when they asked you."
"Yes, I am of humble birth. Maybe they made some mistake?"
(As if I would tell anyone.)
Is what she wanted to exclaim but didn't.
She was entirely playing dumb.
There was a difference in the treatment of maids who could read, and maids who couldn't. Though each were useful in their different ways, it was easier to go about pretending to be ignorant.
The beautiful eunuch was called Jinshi.
Even though he had an elegant smile that couldn't kill even an insect, she felt something squirming for some reason. If it wasn't for him, Maomao wouldn't be standing here with this dilemma like so.
Jinshi told her to be quiet and follow him.
She, the disposable lowly maidservant, had no choice but to meekly follow him, feeling lightheaded to the point that if she shook her head it would fly. Her mind spun. What will happen after this? How would she properly deal with it?
Though it wasn't that she could think up the reason as to why Jinshi was leading her like this, why he exposed that was a mystery.
About the messages she sent to the consorts.
She studied the piece of cloth in Jinshi's hand. There was messy and awkwardly written text on it.
She did not tell anyone that she could write. She was also silent about her pharmaceutical knowledge of poisons. Needless to say, there was no way people would recognise her handwriting.
Although she confirmed her surroundings when she placed it, she was probably seen by someone.
The criterion was for a short maid with freckles.
For starters, no doubt he gathered the ones who could write first, and gathered their handwriting. Altered handwriting would still leave behind distinguishing traces.
If there was no person among the group that matched the criteria, he would then gather those who couldn't write.
The judgement on whether they could read or not was as before.
(What a skeptical person. Rather, he has too much free time.)
They arrived at their destination as she mentally slandered him.
As she thought, it was the palace where Consort Gyokuyou resided.
When Jinshi struck the door, a dignified voice answered with a curt "Come in."
There was a red-haired beauty lovingly holding a baby wrapped in a soft blanket when they walked inside.
The baby had a rosy face, with her mother's pale skin.
They heard the cute sounds of her sleeping, her lips slightly parted. She was the very picture of health.
"I arrive with the person."
"Thank you for the hard work you have done."
It wasn't the same broken-down voice from before.
Her speech and conduct made one know their place.
Maomao lowered her head as Consort Gyokuyou gave her yet a different warm smile to the one she gave Jinshi.
Maomao widened her eyes, surprised.
"I can't receive this type of treatment from someone who outranks me."
She stated that, choosing polite words.
"No. My gratitude goes beyond that. You are this baby's benefactor."
"This must be some kind of mistake. Surely you got the wrong person."
She broke out in cold sweat.
Even if she said it politely, there was no difference in the fact that she denied it.
She didn't want to be decapitated, but she also didn't want to be involved in this. She didn't want to get entangled in a long incident.
Jinshi, who noticed that Consort Gyokuyou was making a slightly troubled face, displayed the flapping piece of cloth to her.
"Did you know that this is the cloth used for the work clothes of maids?"
"Now that you mention it, it looks similar."
She played dumb to the very end.
Even though she knew it was futile.
"Indeed. These are used by maidservants that work for clothes duty."
Palace officials were separated into six duties. Those in charge of clothes wore working clothes; Maomao who oversaw washing duty was placed into there.
The unbleached skirt was the same colour as the cloth in Jinshi was holding.
The interior of the skirt has a section that was hidden by pleats. Examining it would find a strange seam.
In short, the evidence was there.
She didn't think that Jinshi would do rude display before Consort Gyokuyou, but she was left with nothing else she could do.
She had no choice but to prepare herself for the worst.
"What would you suppose I do?"
She got a positive feeling when the two looked at each other.
They both smiled warmly, eyes crinkling.
Under the sounds of the sleeping breath of the restful baby, Maomao, who wanted to disappear, made a small sigh.
The next day, Maomao packed her meagre belongings.
All her room mates and Shaoran were all jealous.
They chased her down with questions on how it happened.
Maomao, with a dry smile, had no choice but to evade it.
Maomao became a lady's maid of the Emperor's Favoured Consort.
Well, this is the so-called promotion.