"Ah?"
"What are you 'ah'-ing about? Hurry up now. Nanny doesn't like people dawdling." The maidservant finished speaking and left.
Lüdou hurriedly helped Duoduo down from the bed platform, took out a large wrapping cloth, and began to pack their things.
Duoduo also trotted along busily, helping to gather their daily items and place them on the cloth.
The two of them finished packing their bundle in a flurry and immediately rushed towards Bamboo Retreat.
By the time they arrived, Nanny Li was sitting in the room drinking tea, her face stern.
"Your servants, Lüdou/Duoduo, pay our respects to Nanny Li."
Nanny Li set down her teacup. She did not tell them to rise, but first scrutinized the two of them.
Lüdou and Duoduo knelt properly, not raising their heads.
"Get up. The room next door is for the two of you."
"Go put your luggage away first, then come back."
"Yes."
Lüdou pulled Duoduo up. Curious, Duoduo stole a glance at Nanny Li.
It happened that Nanny Li was also looking at her. Duoduo quickly lowered her head.
She didn't see Nanny Li give a slight, almost imperceptible shake of her head.
Lüdou pushed open the door to the room. Although it was a side chamber, it wasn't small.
Duoduo cheered and ran inside.
"Lüdou, we can sleep in the same bed like before!"
By the window, there was a large bed spread with brand new bedding.
Lüdou was taken aback for a moment, but Duoduo quickly lay down on it.
"Lüdou, this bedding is so soft! Come lie down and try it!"
Duoduo waved at Lüdou with a beaming smile. Lüdou smiled back.
"You rest for a bit, Duoduo. I'll organize our things."
Hearing this, Duoduo bounced off the bed.
"I'll help too!"
"Alright."
Lüdou opened the wrapping cloth and began sorting out all their commonly used items, putting them away properly.
"Alright, let's go. We need to go back to Nanny."
Lüdou took Duoduo's hand and they returned to the neighboring room.
"All settled?" Nanny asked upon seeing them enter.
"Reporting to Nanny, yes," Lüdou answered.
"How old are you? Who is left in your family? Are you literate? Do you have any particular skills?"
Nanny Li's tone was like that of someone interrogating a prisoner.
"This servant is ten years old. My family all perished in a famine. I am not literate. I know a little mending and sewing."
Lüdou's voice grew softer towards the end.
She had been sold to the Song household by a relative when she was six. Seeing her dressed in rags, the mistress had directly assigned her to Duoduo's side.
Back then, she thought from then on she would live a good life.
Little did she expect that even in a prominent household like the Song residence, there would still be corners where one went hungry and cold.
Fortunately, she had learned from a young age to scavenge for food everywhere; otherwise, she wouldn't have been the only one in her family to survive.
When she followed Young Miss Duoduo to the Prince's mansion, she thought the young miss had finally left hardship behind and could live a happy life. Instead, the young miss became a servant.
To Lüdou, Duoduo was like a younger sister. She hoped Duoduo could live a happy life.
All these years, she had been focused on finding ways to keep Duoduo and herself from starving. When did she ever have time to learn anything?
Even her sewing skills were only honed because she had to try every possible way to make clothes for Duoduo.
Nanny Li nodded, then turned her gaze to Duoduo.
"And you?"
Duoduo saw Lüdou looking at her encouragingly. "This servant is four years old. My family..."
Duoduo's eyes reddened, tears welling up and swirling in her eyes.
Nanny Li raised a hand. "Enough. No need to speak if you don't wish to. What's with the crying? Wipe those tears away!"
Lüdou hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped Duoduo's tears.
"Starting today, you will rise at mao hour (5-7 AM). At chen hour (7-9 AM), you will learn characters. At si hour (9-11 AM), you will learn etiquette."
"At wei hour (1-3 PM), needlework. At shen hour (3-5 PM), practicing writing. At you hour (5-7 PM), cleaning. At xu hour (7-9 PM), rest. Do you understand?"
Lüdou was somewhat stunned.
Servants in the Prince's mansion could actually read and write?
She remembered back in the countryside, only the sons of the landlord and the village chief could go to school.
Was she now like the landlord's son?
"Ahem. Do you understand?" Nanny Li from above seemed somewhat displeased.
"This servant understands!"
Lüdou hurriedly replied. Seeing this, Duoduo also nodded repeatedly.
"Very well. I have no tasks for you here now. Return when it's time for the evening meal."
Lüdou and Duoduo withdrew from the room.
"Lüdou, what should we do now?" There was still half a shichen (about an hour) until the evening meal.
Since the courtyard had been thoroughly cleaned today, Lüdou looked around and saw there was nothing urgent to do.
"Come, let's go back to our room. I'll continue making your clothes."
Lüdou led Duoduo back to their room, took out the fabric, and began cutting.
Duoduo watched Lüdou work with great curiosity.
"Lüdou, will we really get to read and learn characters tomorrow?"
Duoduo was thinking about the writing she had seen. She wanted to understand what it actually said.
Lüdou didn't stop her hands as she nodded.
"If Nanny Li says so, it must be true."
"I could hardly believe it either just now. Back home, only the landlord's and village chief's sons could read and write."
"I heard the tuition for a year costs more than my selling price."
"Hehe, from now on, we're scholars too! Once we learn, we'll go take the imperial exams and become top scholars!"
When Lüdou was little, she often heard adults say that reading and writing was for taking the imperial exams.
After becoming a top scholar, you'd have endless silver, more delicious food than you could ever eat, and never go hungry again.
Duoduo also laughed.
"Become top scholars! Duoduo and Lüdou become top scholars together!"
Lüdou and Duoduo laughed happily, their hearts full of hope for the days to come.
"Young Miss, even though the Prince seems difficult to get along with, both he and the Princess are good people."
"We must work hard to repay their kindness. You must not hold any resentment towards them."
Duoduo looked at Lüdou strangely.
"Why would I hate them?"
Lüdou paused her hands for a moment. "I heard the Prince originally intended to adopt you as his goddaughter."
"But because they misunderstood you, you couldn't become a young lady of noble birth. Instead, you became a servant like me."
"Young Miss, I believe the Prince and Princess will see your goodness one day."
"Promise me you won't resent them, alright?"
Duoduo rested her chin in her hands.
"I don't resent them! Father sold me anyway!"
"Lüdou, don't worry. I like the Princess, and I like the Prince too, even though... I'm a little scared of him."
"The Prince is so pitiful, he can't even walk. If only I could cure his legs!"
Duoduo lightly furrowed her brow.
"To heal people and save lives, you need to know medicine."
Lüdou gathered the cut fabric pieces, took one, and began to sew.
Duoduo, still chin in hands, asked, "Lüdou, do you think Nanny Li knows medicine?"
Lüdou shook her head.
"I don't know. Why do you ask, Young Miss?"
"I was thinking, if Nanny Li knows, I'll ask her to teach me!"
Lüdou put down her needle and thread. "Then let's go ask her now."
Duoduo bounced down from the chair. "Lüdou, I'll go ask by myself."
And like a gust of wind, Duoduo ran out.
