When she saw Li Consort Fujin again, it was two days later.
Autumn was drawing to a close, but the garden was still dotted with blooming chrysanthemums. On a whim, Ye Zao made her way to the garden.
At this time, there were hardly any people in the garden. Ye Zao strolled for a while and, feeling tired, she sat down in the pavilion: "I will take a break before I go back."
In fact, she was quite hoping to bump into someone. She cast a sideways glance at Hong Tao; this maid was acting strangely.
Before she had served in the bedroom, everything had been fine, but after a few times, things started to become odd.
It was better to send her away quickly than anything else.
Sometimes, things just go smoothly.
While sitting, she saw a group of people approaching from the opposite direction.
From the look of it, they were not princesses; a princess would at most have four people accompanying her.
Ye Zao quickly stood up, only to see Li Consort Fujin's eunuch, Zhao Fuguo, leading the way.
She hastily said, "Is Consort Fujin Li coming? This servant will make way immediately."
"Miss is not in a hurry, Consort Fujin said she wanted to see Miss," Zhao Fugui said with a smile.
Ye Zao followed with a smile: "Please convey my thanks to Zhao Gonggong."
As she watched Li Consort Fujin approach, Ye Zao knelt without hesitation: "Paying respects to Consort Fujin."
Lady Li did not respond, but rather settled herself with the support of her maids, and then lowered her head to look: "Oh, isn't this Lady Ye?"
Ye Zao rolled her eyes inwardly, Are you blind? Idiot!
"This servant pays her respects to Consort Fujin." Ye Zao kept her head down.
"I've heard you've been quite favored recently?" Lady Li still did not rise, her voice indifferent.
"This servant has served the master a few times, but dares not claim to be favored. When it comes to favor, Consort Fujin Li is certainly foremost," Ye Zao spoke in a low voice.
Lady Li gave a snort, not seeing through this fox charmer!
"Lady Ye, as long as you know your place, that's good. Stand up," Lady Li said, perhaps thinking Ye Zao had shown enough submission for now.
Ye Zao thanked her and stood up, not daring to move.
"What's the matter? Won't you serve tea to me?" Lady Li looked at Ye Zao with contempt; after all, she's just a servant who could not rise above her station, right?
"Yes, this servant will serve Consort Fujin tea right now," Ye Zao thought, adding another tally to her mental ledger against Lady Li. Not to worry, they would settle scores slowly, in time.
Ye Zao stepped forward, poured the tea for Lady Li, and offered it to her.
Lady Li, however, did not accept it, and Ye Zao did not dare to move, holding the cup steadily.
But Lady Li just would not take it, until Ye Zao's hand started to tremble.
Lady Li suddenly rose to her feet: "Since you cannot serve tea properly, just kneel."
Ye Zao, startled, responded with an affirming "Yes."
Lady Li then walked away with her entourage.
Qiu Yue came over and took away the tea cup: "Miss, do not be angry. Our mistress is pregnant and sometimes feels out of sorts. Please be understanding."
Her words carried an unmistakable disdain. What was there for her not to understand?
"This servant dares not," Ye Zao lowered her head.
Soon, Consort Fujin Li strode away. It was nothing to her to have punished a concubine by making her kneel in the garden. What did it matter to her?
Once Consort Fujin Li had gone, Hong Tao, who was also still kneeling, snorted: "She's just pregnant."
Ye Zao remained silent.
After a while, Hong Tao said: "You're so spineless; she tells you to kneel, and you just kneel."
She probably knew very well that Ye Zao couldn't resist; it was just that having to kneel alongside her made her resentful.
Ye Zao lightly raised an eyebrow, the thought of driving Hong Tao away growing ever stronger in her heart. Such a gossipmonger was a disaster waiting to happen.
After kneeling for a very long time, perhaps a full Shi Chen later, someone from the main courtyard finally came, "Is the young lady still kneeling? Fujin said you may rise now, here is the ointment for you. Consort Fujin is with child, and Fujin felt it wouldn't be right to have you rise immediately, you were to kneel long enough to make a point."
Ye Zao expressed her gratitude, withstood the soreness in her knees as she stood up, and took the ointment, "This servant is already immensely grateful."
Hong Tao also stood up but didn't help Ye Zao; instead, she rubbed her own knees.
The maid from the main courtyard delivered the ointment and then went on her way.
Ye Zao glanced at Hong Tao and broke off a slim branch from a nearby tree.
After a few gestures, she drew it across her face.
Of course, her hand was light. It was just a scratch, barely breaking the skin—not needing ointment, it would heal in a few days, and after a few more, the mark would vanish.
It looked quite ferocious, especially near her ear.
Hong Tao was startled, "What... what are you doing?"
"What do you think I'm doing?" Ye Zao gave her a look and, without further attention, started walking towards Jinyu Pavilion.
Hong Tao turned pale with fright, lagging several steps behind, looking at Ye Zao's back the whole way, various thoughts whirling in her head.
Back in Jinyu Pavilion, Ye Zao didn't bother with the cut on her face, soaked her feet, and then applied the ointment to her knees.
Her knees were somewhat bruised, the skin too tender.
Hong Tao waited a long time for Ye Zao to make a move, pondered for a while, then stamped her foot and went to the rear.
The person in charge of household matters was Sister Sun, and Hong Tao went straight to her.
Upon seeing Sister Sun, Hong Tao knelt down, "Sister, when Miss Ye fell ill, I was assigned to serve her. Now that she is well, may I find a new place to serve?"
Sister Sun had sharp eyes and ears; she naturally knew about the incident where Miss Ye had been punished by kneeling.
In her heart, she felt no fondness for Hong Tao. Even though Hong Tao wasn't a proper mistress, after living together for so long, it showed a lack of loyalty...
"Where would you like to go? If you leave Jinyu Pavilion, I'm afraid the only position available would be as a common cleaner," Sister Sun said indifferently.
Hong Tao bit her lip and hesitated, but then recalled how Ye Zao, foolishly overstepping her bounds, tried to frame Consort Fujin; she was so terrified, her legs trembled.
She had witnessed with her own eyes the execution of servants by cane in the Imperial Household Department—a pain that was distressing even to think about.
"I have made up my mind, please arrange it, Sister. Lady Ye is but a concubine; she shouldn't have someone to serve her," Hong Tao said through gritted teeth.
"Since you're so determined, go back and pack up, then you can go to the laundry room to serve," Sister Sun couldn't be bothered with further discussion; it was up to her.
After thanking Sister Sun for the grace, Hong Tao hurried back to pack.
Ye Zao didn't inquire a word, and when Hong Tao finished packing, she gave her ten silvers, "You took care of me when I was ill, I thank you for that."
It would be best if they took separate paths from now on. If Hong Tao dared to cause any more trouble, Ye Zao wouldn't show mercy.
"After I leave, you... take care of yourself. Endure whatever Consort Fujin does to you—don't... don't do anything rash; a concubine is just a concubine," Hong Tao said with an unexpected hint of concern as she left.
Ye Zao only smiled, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
This behavior only solidified Hong Tao's resolve to leave immediately; fearing that if she didn't leave now, she would eventually be dragged down by Ye Zao's own determined plans.
After watching Hong Tao rush away, Ye Zao let out a sigh of relief. The first battle was over, and she had succeeded.
Once Hong Tao had left, she wouldn't come back.
Even with her lowly status, she would never employ someone who had left and then returned.
At last, her surroundings were peaceful.
"Aunt Song, I'll fetch our evening meal; let's spend a few silvers for some good food tonight," Ye Zao said brightly to Old Madam Song who was cleaning the courtyard.