Yun shi was greatly alarmed, "This..."
"Just be more careful in your actions from now on. I suspect she's merely planting an informant and won't do anything for now. We've only just returned, and she wouldn't be so foolish as to act against us at this point," Qi Zhenzhen said.
Ting Lan Yuan was some distance from Jing Hua Yuan, and not under the Marquis's wife's direct supervision. Naturally, she had to arrange for people to keep an eye on every move made in Ting Lan Yuan. Using the opportunity to arrange maids was perfect, but she didn't know which one would be her informant.
Although Yun shi was helpless, she could only accept it.
The next day, after paying respects, Yun shi and Qi Zhenzhen returned to Ting Lan Yuan.
Qing Shui called all eighteen maids to the courtyard.
A table was set up in the courtyard, with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones prepared, and two chairs were brought over. Yun shi and Qi Zhenzhen each sat in one.
The eighteen maids looked at the two mistresses with some surprise, unsure of what was happening.
"You have all come to Ting Lan Yuan, and it can be considered fate. You will all be living together for a long time. We need to get to know each other. Why don't you start with self-introductions? Let's begin from the left of the first row. State your surname and given name, age, hometown, how many people are in your family, why you sold yourself into servitude as a maid, what you are skilled at, when you were sold, how much you received for your indenture, and how much money you have on hand. You must tell us everything, no detail spared. I will record everything you say to serve as a reference."
This way, they would know each other thoroughly.
Some of them looked somewhat unwilling, but they had all signed binding contracts and were assigned to Ting Lan Yuan, meaning they were now part of Ting Lan Yuan. And these two were now the mistresses of Ting Lan Yuan, so they dared not defy their mistresses.
"Think carefully before you speak," Qi Zhenzhen cautioned again before starting the questioning. "If any of you fabricate anything and I find out later, I will suspect you of having ulterior motives."
The maids' expressions varied, and those who had planned to muddle through quickly abandoned their intentions.
For the first few, Qi Zhenzhen had to keep asking questions. Later, the maids had figured out the pattern and, without Qi Zhenzhen needing to ask, they laid themselves bare from beginning to end.
Some had lost both parents and, not wanting to be mistreated by their uncles and aunts, had cruelly sold themselves.
Some came from families that had suffered disasters and couldn't afford to eat, so their families had cruelly sold them just to survive.
Some had brothers in the family who couldn't get married, so they were cruelly sold by their parents for money.
Qi Zhenzhen closed the booklet. "I will personally read to you the rules that maids in the mansion should follow. For the next three days, you don't need to do anything else but memorize the mansion's rules until they are deeply ingrained. If anyone violates the mansion's rules, neither I nor the concubine will forgive them lightly. Secondly, let's talk about the rules of our Ting Lan Yuan. Once you enter Ting Lan Yuan, you are people of Ting Lan Yuan. You rise and fall with me and the concubine. Neither the concubine nor I are people who mistreat our servants, but we are also not people who can be easily manipulated. If someone finds a high-ranking patron and wishes to leave, we will not stop them! But if you are in my territory and still have your eyes on the outside, do not blame me for being impolite. In short, if you are loyal, we will all have a good life. If you are not loyal, I have my ways of dealing with disloyalty."
Her words were spoken gently and soothingly, but the meaning behind them was far from gentle.
Qi Zhenzhen was essentially giving these people a preemptive warning, ensuring they would have some reservations even if they tried to curry favor with the Madam.
Yun shi's maids were given new names, but their ranks were not immediately assigned, with the decision deferred until after a period of observation.
Qi Zhenzhen, on the other hand, retained the maids' original surnames, changing only those names that were too crude, leaving the pleasant-sounding ones as they were.
First-rank maids could serve in the rooms, while second-rank maids could also come forward to serve when the mistresses had instructions. Third-rank maids were for sweeping and doing rough work, with opportunities for promotion if their performance was good. Furthermore, maids of different ranks received different monthly stipends. First-rank maids received a full tael of silver, second-rank received only six hundred wen, and third-rank only four hundred wen. The fabric for their seasonal clothing also differed, from high to low. These were the superficial differences; what was more enticing was that first-rank maids served directly before the mistresses, and any favor shown by the mistresses would generally benefit them. Aside from various rewards, there was also the point that serving in the rooms meant they would not be exposed to the elements and would live comfortably.
Among Qi Zhenzhen's maids, there was one named Fei Xu. She was intelligent and literate. She memorized the rules Qi Zhenzhen read after hearing them once, so Qi Zhenzhen asked her to read the rules to the rest of them.
Fei Xu's surname was Liu. It was said that when her mother gave birth to her, willow catkins were flying everywhere, so her father, who had studied for several years, gave her such an elegant name. He also valued Fei Xu greatly and had her study with him from a young age. Unfortunately, neither Fei Xu's parents were long-lived. When Fei Xu was fourteen, her parents were going out in a ox cart when the ox was startled, the cart overturned, and both their skulls hit stones, killing them instantly. The person driving the cart sold the ox and the land to raise fifty taels of silver for Liu Fei Xu. However, the Liu family's uncles and aunts, under the guise of arranging the funeral rites for Liu Fei Xu's parents, openly took the money. They then put on a charitable facade, saying they couldn't delay Liu Fei Xu's future and intended to marry her off during the mourning period. Saying "marry off" was more like "sell off," as the suitor was a widower in his forties who had buried several wives. Liu Fei Xu, who had studied since childhood and appeared delicate, had her own ideas. Rather than be sold for money, she preferred to be her own mistress.
Thus, Liu Fei Xu found herself standing here today, having sold herself.
This girl's eyes were clear and cold. Such a person possessed backbone, and Qi Zhenzhen was almost certain she would not be the Marquis's wife's informant.
Furthermore, due to her difficult past, Qi Zhenzhen felt a touch of pity and showed her a degree of favoritism.
Qi Zhenzhen, however, had a plan. After observing for a period, she intended to promote her to a head maid, to serve in the rooms alongside Lian Bei.
Soon, three days passed. Qi Zhenzhen patiently tested each of them on their grasp of the mansion's rules. Seeing that everyone had studied diligently, she was very satisfied. Regardless of their intelligence, at least they had shown the right attitude.
"I have devised a method. You will pair up, two by two, and serve as head maids before me and the concubine for two days. Then, we will have a better idea of who is most suitable," Qi Zhenzhen calmly told everyone.
Yun shi thought she was being overly cautious, but Qi Zhenzhen did not agree. First-rank maids served closely, and if they were not selected carefully, it would be their own misfortune. These first-rank maids represented the mistresses' dignity, and they could not be careless.
This was a matter of great importance to their future, and the maids were all eager to gain this honor.