A Forbidden Happiness

Chapter 4

Walking through the gates of Xianfugong was like stepping into another world. The sun bounced off the bright gold roof and lacquered red walls. Jiayi took a deep breath. Even the air was fresher here. The courtyard was bustling. Stacks of luxurious fabrics and stately decor were piled around the door of one of the side halls. Eunuchs and palace maids were scurrying in and out. The eunuch, sick of her already, grabbed her shouldered and steered her inside.

"Wang gugu, here's another maid," he pushed her forward and ran off.

Jiayi bowed. You couldn't not bow to The Emperor's chief maid, Wang Langhua. Jiayi had heard of her but never seen her in the flesh. Fairly often, Jiayi gained a bunkmate thanks to Wang gugu. She had no mercy for maids who tried to crawl into the bed of The Emperor or did their mistress' unsightly biddings. The only maid in the palace with more power was Jerjer, The Empress Dowager's chief maid.

Wang gugu barely glanced at her, busy watching the servants scuttle to and fro.

"Rise," she said, "Do you have your uniform?"

Jiayi shook her head.

"Molan!" Barked Wang gugu, "Take this one and have her change into an extra uniform,"

"Yes!"

Jiayi was dragged into what she assumed was the maid's rooms by a short, round faced girl.

"What's your name?" The girl asked as she rummaged through a chest.

"Wei, er, Wei Jiayi,"

"I'm Shang Molan. Nice to meet you. Catch!"

A bundle of cloth hit Jiayi in the face.

Molan didn't mind that Jiayi was stripping down to her underclothes and proceeded to talk Jiayi's ears off about anything and everything.

Jiayi learned that Molan was 15 and a bond servant from the bordered blue banner clan, Cui. She learned that there were two other maids here, Li Ming and Ping'er. She learned that even though Xiang gui ren was going to live in a side hall, His Majesty was decorating her room with things far above her station. The Emperor had even inspected the rooms personally.

"I'm ready," said Jiayi, smoothing down her silken waistcoat. She couldn't keep her hands off of it, it was the nicest thing she'd ever owned.

"Really?" Asked Molan, "You don't have anything for your hair?"

Jiayi reached and patted her plain liangbatou, "I like a simpler look," she lied.

"Simple won't do!" Molan walked over to the foot of her bed and dug around in a small chest. She pulled out a velvet flower hair pin and placed it on Jiayi's hairpiece, "Much better. If I wasn't so sure that Wang gugu wasn't going to come in here and drag us out, I'd do your makeup, too!"

The only response they got from Wang gugu when they returned as a strong glare.

"Who are you?" A skinny girl asked, stepping in front of her.

"Wei Jiayi,"

"Well, Wei Jiayi, make yourself useful and go wipe the walls," the maid shoved a bucket into her chest and stomped away.

Molan huffed and glared at her back, "That's Li Ming. She's miserable here and taking it out on everyone else,"

"Really?" Jiayi took the bucket and began scrubbing. Molan kept herself busy dusting the decorations dotted along the walls.

"Of course! She comes from one of the upper three banners. I heard she was planning to kill herself when she learned who she was serving, but Wang gugu told us that The Emperor would start telling their families that they were punished for adultery,"