"First Miss, time to get up," called Manni. "Come on, or you'll be late to greet the Lord and Madam."
Meili peeked her eyes open. It could barely be called dawn. She snuggled back into the warm blankets.
"You'll miss your brothers if you dally," Manni threw back the curtains, letting in the meagre sunlight.
"Ooohhh," Meili complained, as she stretched and slid to the edge of the bed, eyes still closed.
Tricky-Wu, who'd been sleeping on the floor beside her, came over and nudged her slippers towards her.
"Thank you, Tricky," she mumbled sleepily.
She splashed her face and hands in the rose-scented water Manni had prepared.
"Does it have to be this complicated pink one," Meili complained, as her maidservant dressed her in a soft confection of baby pink trimmed in light blue.
"Everyone says I have excellent taste," sniffed Manni, with justifiable pride.
Manni's taste was widely acknowledged by the other household servants, to be first-rate. She'd been personally trained by the Madam to ensure Meili looked perfect every day.
Meili yawned. "A dress like this is wasted on my face and figure. You should just let me choose."
Manni stilled and her face fell. "Everyone knows that if you choose, you'll dress like a boy," she said with forced brightness.
How ridiculous to allow her gorgeous mistress to think she was ugly. She'd never agreed with this silly lie.
Working at the Mei Mansion meant swearing an oath to maintain the façade. Manni had served the Young Lady since they were both small, and she would never do anything to jeopardise that.
"Remember that time you dressed like a grassland's girl? The Madam got very upset with you."
Meili scowled. How could she forget? She'd lost her right to choose her own dresses after that incident.
Manni efficiently pinned a silver and pearl ornament into Meili's intricate half-up, half-down hairstyle, and finished off her work with matching earrings.
"There. All done. You hurry off to the hall, I'll get Tricky ready."
Tricky looked most disgruntled to be captured by Manni for his morning brush and collar while his mistress left him behind. He barely tolerated Manni.
He chuffed at Manni in discontent. The Young Lady called it 'Chownese'.
"Last as usual, Momu," said Fifth Brother, when she arrived at the main hall to greet her parents.
"Sleepyhead," Third teased, as she passed him.
She knelt.
"Good morning, father. Good morning, mother."
"Sit down Meili," her father said affectionately. "No Tricky this morning?"
As he spoke the dog tore into the hall and skidded to a stop beside his mistress. He was getting big now, though he was less than a year old.
"Speak of the devil and he will appear," her father chuckled.
Although Tricky-Wu only loved Meili and had some affection for Third Brother, the whole family adored him because of the devotion he had for their only daughter and sister.
"That dog gets more and more like a bodyguard every day," First smiled.
"What's happening at school today?" asked their father.
The boys were tutored by masters at Hanlin Academy, along with other sons of the nobility.
"We're studying poetry in the morning with Master Li, then calligraphy after lunch with Master Ni, father" First replied respectfully.
"Hmm. What about military strategy?"
"That's tomorrow, with Master Liu."
"Good," their father grunted with approval. "Master Liu is one of the greatest. Take care to listen to him and be on your best behaviour."
"Yes father," they all nodded dutifully.
"Meili," he smiled dotingly at his daughter, "what does your day look like my dear?"
"Father, I also wish to study poetry and calligraphy today, if you and mother will allow it?" she asked hopefully.
How she wished she could attend the Academy with her brothers, but given she was barely allowed to leave the inner courtyards, that was as likely as flying to the moon.
Being born a girl was brutal…
"Meili will be working on her embroidery with Nanny this morning, then she has singing classes this afternoon," her mother answered for her.
"Yes dear, you know best," Lord Mei patted his wife's hand lovingly. "I'll leave matters of the inner courtyard to your mother, Meili."
"Yes father," Meili replied sadly.
Third looked across and gestured at her to turn her lips back up. He couldn't bear to see her upset.
"Time to go, or we'll be late for Master Li," said First, leading the brothers out.
"That old goat, what would he know," the Lord muttered under his breath, so only his wife could hear him.
She slapped him on the arm playfully.
"Now, now, Tian Yun."
"I'll bring you home one of your favourite egg tarts meimei," Third called, ruffling Tricky's fur as he strode past. The dog gave him a quick lick.
"My brothers get more handsome every day," Meili said wistfully, watching the five of them leave together.
"Yes," said her mother proudly. "They've grown into five very handsome young men." She looked down at her daughter. "It's a pity that handsome face doesn't look so well on a girl. Dear, there's too much of you in her," she said to her husband. "The yang's very strong in the Mei line."
"Yes, dear," her husband replied dutifully, looking quizzically at his daughter's exquisite face. "But she's the pearl in my palm. I wouldn't change one thing about you Little Sixth. You're perfect as you are. Never change."
"Thank you, Pappa."
Meili rose to serve her father a cup of tea before leaving.
"You spoil her rotten, Tian Yun."
"If not me, then who dear?"
"Her five brothers, and everyone in this Mansion," his wife rolled her eyes.
It was true, as the only daughter, she was very spoilt.
And she knew she was lucky to be allowed to train with her brothers. Most noble girls would never be allowed to do archery and horse riding like she did. Her father had convinced her mother to allow it.
Because of their military lineage, there was a history of Mei women being skilled in these arts, especially under the prior dynasty.
After Meili had left the hall, the Lord turned to his wife.
He sighed. "Now that she's had her coming-of-age ceremony, I think we should stop pretending she's ugly."
"No dear. You're too soft. Modesty's an important female virtue. We must preserve her 'as-she-is' for her future husband. Compliments about her physical charms will put her in harm's way. Not to mention if word gets out about her beauty. Can you imagine what type of man will beat a path to our door seeking her hand in marriage? She'll be at risk of being called to the Palace, too."
"Yes, yes, of course you're right," he nodded sadly.
Tapping into their protective instincts worked best with her husband and sons. Yu Yan knew this well by now.
She had been a great beauty herself in her youth, and this was how her parents had raised her. There was an element of superstition involved. It was thought to ward off evil spirits to hide a beauty from the world.
It did mean that Meili had no friends outside the family and almost never left the Mansion, except for a handful of festivals, where she was always veiled.
Still, Yu Yan trusted it would be for the best for her daughter in the long run.
Meili was modest, kind and virtuous, and completely innocent of the world. She would be eaten alive in the harem. Somehow, they must secure her a dispensation from the concubine selections.
She would make a good man a wonderful wife. And in the meantime, she led a sheltered and happy life, pampered by her father and brothers, cosseted by the servants, very proficient in the feminine arts ... and in riding and shooting, despite her mother's misgivings about the latter.
She shook her head in dissatisfaction.
Her husband gave in to her on most things, but on that count, he would not budge.