"Remember this feeling, now practice. Practice a full hundred of them."
"Alright!"
Duoduo picked up her brush and began to practice with great concentration.
Pangya was startled. Writing a hundred characters? Wouldn't her hand be ruined?
Mammy Li shot her a look but said nothing, then went inside.
Pangya was instantly delighted.
It must be because she wrote so well that the mammy didn't demand the same from her.
Pangya put down her brush and ran outside to play.
Duoduo glanced at her with envy, then lowered her head and continued practicing.
Pangya first went to find the maid she was closest with, to tell her she had been transferred to the Bamboo Lodge.
The other girl was stunned for a moment, then said she was busy and shooed Pangya away.
Pangya wasn't angry. She knew her bosom friend had a lot of work, and it was both tiring and dirty.
She thought for a bit and decided to head to the kitchen.
Her first reason for wanting to go to the kitchen was to snag some pastries for her friend.
Her second, and main reason, was to go and see the miserable state Lüdou was in there.
After all, being a kitchen handyman was practically inhuman work.
Tending the fire, running errands, chopping wood, washing vegetables... it was all done by the handymen.
And anyone who was too busy could order a handyman to help.
If the meals turned out well and the masters gave rewards, it was all divided among the cooks.
The handymen did all the dirty, heavy work but got none of the benefits.
They couldn't even leave a good impression with the masters, doomed to a life with no chance of advancement.
Pangya swaggered into the kitchen. It wasn't busy at the moment, so someone spotted her as soon as she entered.
"Well, well, has Pangya come to inspect the kitchen?" someone immediately sneered.
Pangya looked and saw it was the cook who usually clashed with her the most.
She glanced around and spotted Lüdou washing vegetable leaves in the courtyard.
Pangya walked over, planting her hands on her hips with an air of triumph.
"Mammy taught me to write today. She even praised me for writing quickly and well."
Lüdou looked at Pangya with an expression full of envy, making Pangya even more pleased with herself.
"Actually, I should thank you for giving such a good opportunity to me!"
"A maid who can read and write can eventually leave to become the proper wife in a scholarly family."
"When that day comes, I'll definitely invite you to the feast."
"Whoosh!"
A basin of pot-washing water was dumped directly onto Pangya.
"What filthy thing has wandered in here? How dare any dirty, stinking creature come into our kitchen?"
"If it later contaminates the masters' food and offends them, we'll all be in serious trouble!"
"Ah! Ah! My new clothes!"
Pangya hadn't expected anyone to throw water on her. She was drenched.
"Li Da's wife! I'll fight you! You owe me for my new clothes!"
Seeing the oil stains all over her clothes, Pangya felt as if the sky had fallen.
This outfit was the only presentable one she had, made with months of saved-up wages she had entrusted to someone.
She was so happy today she had specifically worn it for the occasion.
And now, after only half a day, it was ruined.
Pangya charged at Li Da's wife.
Li Da's wife wasn't about to indulge her. She slapped Pangya across the face, then grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground.
Pangya, just a young girl, was no match for a woman used to years of heavy labor.
Pangya landed squarely on her backside, right in the middle of the basin Lüdou was using to wash vegetables.
Water splashed up, spraying Lüdou in the face.
Pangya burst into angry tears. She grabbed vegetables from the basin and hurled them at Li Da's wife.
Li Da's wife stepped forward, hauled Pangya out of the basin, and slapped her hard twice across the face.
"Shameless little tramp, coming to my turf to show off!"
"Still so young and already thinking about men? Shameless vixen, I'll beat you to death!"
The other cooks finally snapped out of it and hurried over to pull the two apart.
"Li's woman, enough, enough. If this gets any bigger, the steward will come and we'll all get scolded."
Pangya covered her cheek with one hand and pointed at Li Da's wife with the other.
"I'm going to tell the steward you hit me!"
"Go ahead! If you don't, you weren't born of a woman!" Li Da's wife shouted, jumping with rage.
The old woman holding Pangya let go. "Don't forget, you were the one who came here picking a fight."
"Besides, you're not part of the kitchen anymore. You're supposed to be on duty at the Bamboo Lodge, yet you come to the kitchen to cause trouble."
"Do you think the steward will punish you or her when he finds out?"
"And if the masters heard what you just said, do you think you could still stay in the prince's manor?"
Having said her piece, the old woman went back to her own work.
Lüdou hurriedly picked up the vegetable leaves from the ground and put them in a nearby basket.
Then, she fetched fresh vegetables and began washing them again.
In the kitchen, everyone went back to their own tasks. No one paid any attention to Pangya.
Pangya sat alone, covering her face and crying for a while.
She secretly swore to herself that she must rise above her station. One day, she would make all of them look at her with new respect!
Pangya climbed up from the ground and strode off with a defiant air.
Lüdou washed the vegetable leaves absentmindedly.
She also wanted to learn to write, but sadly, she had missed her chance.
Even just recognizing characters, she had only learned twenty.
Lüdou recalled how the mammy had written, tracing the characters with her finger on the water's surface, reciting the ones she had learned.
"Thump!"
A pumpkin was thrown into the water, splashing Lüdou's face.
Lüdou looked up, startled.
"If you're dreaming of men, go do it somewhere else!" Li Da's wife stood with her hands on her hips, looking thoroughly displeased.
Lüdou stood up. "I wasn't."
"You weren't? Then why does it take you an hour to wash a few leaves?"
"Is there writing on those leaves? Or silver hidden inside?"
"Sorry, I'll finish right away!" Lüdou quickly squatted down and began washing diligently.
Li Da's wife was the kitchen manager, so none of the other cooks dared to intervene.
Li Da's wife grumbled and cursed her way back inside. An old woman sidled up to Lüdou.
"She's not really targeting you. It's just... her mouth isn't the best. You'll understand once you've been around longer."
"What's all this useless chatter? Are the vegetables for the stove chopped? Not doing your work properly, just thinking about taking the masters' silver for nothing?"
Hearing Li Da's wife yelling again, the old woman quickly slipped away inside.
Lüdou bit her lip. A single tear slid down into the water.
Back at the Bamboo Lodge, Pangya crept into the courtyard, trying to stay hidden.
Fortunately, Mammy Li was resting in the inner room, and Duoduo was still bent over her writing practice.
Pangya slipped along the wall and into her own room.
She first took off her clothes and changed into another set, washed her face, and then sat down at the dressing table.
Seeing her swollen face, she cursed bitterly under her breath.
Li Da's wife was strong. Some spots on Pangya's face were already broken and oozing blood.
Pangya grew anxious. She still had to attend to the mammy later. How could she go looking like this?
If the mammy found out she had gone to the kitchen to provoke a fight and gotten beaten up by a cook,
Mammy Li would surely punish her severely.
Pangya paced around her room, trying to think of a solution. Finally, as time was running out, her gaze fell upon a small box.
