Chapter 13: Four new maids

Chapter 13.
After this incident, Gu Yu Qi was not in much of a mood.

Liang-shi brought her to find a few women in the servant market and she bought a few girls who looked quite proper, all of whom were about the same age as Gu Yu Qi.
Originally, Liang-shi wanted a few older people to take care of Gu Yu Qi, but Gu Yu Qi refused.

In her previous life, there were also several beautiful maids in her yard but they had all been sent by Liu-shi.
When Gu Yu Qi went to be Yun Ke’s concubine, she did not bring any of those maids, only Yan Zhi. 

Since she was determined to live a good life in this life, the people around her should not be sloppy and it was best to cultivate them from an early age.

Gu Yu Qi asked and asked about the background of these people.
After confirming again and again, she nodded and asked her mother to pay for her.

These girls were all death contracts.
Liang-shi gave the contract to Gu Yu Qi and told her to keep it well.
Then they brought the people back to the residence.

Liang-shi was worried about these newly bought girls, so she asked Chun Xing to stay in Gu Yu Qi’s Da Xia courtyard and teach rules to the new girls.
Liang-shi was still uneasy and asked Nanny Li who personally waited on her to go and keep watch as well.
Nanny Li was Liang-shi’s nanny, so she was naturally devoted to Liang-shi and Gu Yu Qi.

After Gu Yu Qi returned to her room and changed her clothes, she called everyone to the parlour.

The newly bought girls were led by Yan Zhi to take a bath and change into the clothes of the Marquis’ residence.
They wore turquoise jackets of third class maids.
Although they were only servant clothes, they were many times better than what the girls had to wear when they were in the hands of traffickers.
It turned out that these girls that looked proper in rags were now even more beautiful.
It was just that they were a little yellow and thin, and looked malnourished.
Thinking about it, the family would not have sold them for death contracts unless they really could not afford to raise them.

Gu Yu Qi sat on the carved mahogany chair.
Underneath her was a soft, padded red begonia cushion.
Since it was winter, there was a fireplace in the parlour and it was warm.
In her hand, she held a small golden hand stove with enamelled lilies.
To prevent burning, the hand stove was wrapped in a plain brocade mat.
Nanny Li stood beside her and on the other side stood Chun Xing sent by her mother.
Yan Zhi stood beside Chun Xing.
Chun Xing and Yan Zhi wore the clothes of first class maids which were pink with thin silver edges.
They looked a little more refined than average maids of other households.
Nanny Li wore a blue and black long jacket with embroidered round flowers and a black pleated skirt.
The skirt was also embroidered with silver thread.
She came from General Zhen Guo’s residence and was also older, so she had a natural sense of dignity.

As soon as these four girls came in, they were frightened by the momentum in the hall.
They were children from poor families.
Where would they have seen such a situation like this? They felt that even though Gu Yu Qi was young, she was majestic when surrounded by people and sitting on the main seat.
After they curtseyed, they all knelt down in front of Gu Yu Qi and bowed their heads low.
They did not even dare to look around.

Gu Yu Qi silently watched the four newly bought girls.
“Do you know where this is?” She said slowly.

When the four girls entered the mansion, they had already been told that this was the Ding Yuan Marquis’s residence.
However, when Gu Yu Qi asked such a question, they still glanced at each other a bit.
They knew that it was the young miss of the Marquis’ residence sitting there, and to them, she was like a heavenly existence.
Originally, they had panicked at the servant market for fear of being sold to some dirty place where they would be ruined for life.
Being chosen by a noble like Gu Yu Qi to bring back to the residence, they all had an indescribable gratitude in their hearts.

The few girls looked at each other quietly for a few times, then a bold one answered first, “Replying to the Young Miss, the servants know that it is the Ding Yuan Marquis’ residence.”

During the time they had entered the residence to bathe, Nanny Li had taught them basic etiquette.
They were young, but they were all chosen by Gu Yu Qi, so they were naturally intelligent and learned things quickly. 

“Good that you know,” Gu Yu Qi nodded, “To enter the Marquis’ residence is your good fortune.
It’s a thousand times better than being sold to some dirty place.
You have to cherish your luck.
Since you’ve entered my courtyard, then you’re my people.
I’m easy to get along with.
As long as you’re loyal to me, I won’t make things difficult for you and I’ll be good to you.
However, I won’t allow a single grain of sand in my eyes.
If any one of you has any thoughts that should not be thought of or if you do something that shouldn’t be done, I won’t let you off lightly.
” 

Gu Yu Qi was young now but she had crossed over and had been reborn again, and had even entered the imperial palace before.
Her tone of voice was naturally different from the ordinary young misses of Marquis’ residences.
Her words were articulated clearly and calmly, with a majesty that could not be ignored.

The four girls said in unison, “This slave wouldn’t dare.” 

After Gu Yu Qi coaxed and frightened them with that speech, she also loosened her arms.
It was really tiring to sit like this.

“Alright.
Just remember what I just said.
From now on, we will all live together, so don’t be too ill-at-ease.
” Gu Yu Qi smiled slowly and said, “By the way, don’t use your previous names anymore.”

The girls glanced at each other, and the daring leader said, “Please bestow us with names, Young Miss.” 

“You can all look up.” Gu Yu Qi carefully looked at the four newly bought girls.
She thought for a bit.
She already had a Yan Zhi beside her.
She spoke again, “You already have Yan Zhi as an elder sister.
Why don’t you be Dai Mei?” She pointed at the bold girl and said.

That girl’s eyebrows were really good, thick and not sparse.
It was a beautiful willow leaf shape and it was great for her to be called Dai Mei.

“Thank you, Young Miss,” Dai Mei received a new name.
Although she did not know how to write it, she felt that it was much more elegant than her previous Hua’er name, so she was very happy. 

Gu Yu Qi turned to look at another who was relatively petite.
Her skin was as white as snow, “You will be called Bai Fu.”

Bai Fu thanked Gu Yu Qi.
Her voice was also soft.

The third girl’s eyes were clear, and Gu Yu Qi named her Ran Mo.

The fourth girl was the youngest, one year younger than Gu Yu Qi, with baby fat on her face.
Gu Yu Qi called her Run Ying. 

Having received names chosen by Gu Yu Qi, Nanny Li ordered the servants in the mansion to make nameplates for them.
Then they were taken down to be taught (harmoniously) first.

Gu Yu Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Although these four people had entered her yard, they could not compare to Yan Zhi.
She still needed to think about the future.
However, now that her Dan Xia courtyard had gained four girls at once, it was a little more lively.

Gu Yu Qi took out a little jade rabbit pendant and played with it in her hand.
It was one of a pair and she had forced the other one into that child’s hand at the servant market.

Du Xia, the name of the future Zhen Guo Marquis.
The human traffickers in the servant market today would never have imagined that the bullied little boy in their hands would become the backbone of this country in the future, breaking the earth and becoming a Marquis.

It was a pity that she had been intercepted halfway by that scoundrel, however, it was also fine this way.
At least he went along the path he should have, following by Yun Ke’s side and first serving as a secret guard before making military contributions at the frontier.
She believed that he would go along smoothly on this path like the previous life.

Gu Yu Qi thought about it and suddenly, her face changed slightly.
She stood up from her chair instantly.
She had found a very serious problem.

It would take ten years for Du Xia to achieve success and ten years later, she would already be 20… This was a very fatal issue! This was because in her previous life, she had become Yun Ke’s concubine when she was 15.

Du Xia was in the border town where Gu Yu Qi went after she got married.

It was over!