Chapter 223 - 222: A Way Out
Jin Ling stood under the lamp with her hands hanging down, waiting for Yunluo’s instructions.
Raising her eyes to look at her, Du Yunluo got straight to the point and said, "The Young Master sent me a letter this afternoon, saying Yun Qi likes you very much, and asked if I’ve arranged a match for you."
Jin Ling’s dark eyes tightened suddenly, and her long eyelashes fluttered, her face full of disbelief.
Jin Ling didn’t speak, and Du Yunluo didn’t rush her, only watched her earnestly.
One must admit, Jin Ling’s appearance is truly flawless. Among all the maids in Du Mansion, few can match Jin Ling’s excellence. Not only is Jin Ling good-looking, but she is also diligent in her duties, gentle in temper, and has excellent social relations.
The more she looked, the more Du Yunluo liked Jin Ling. She couldn’t help but hum lightly. This clever Yun Qi really knows how to pick; he picked a good one right away.
Jin Ling was stunned for a while before she came to her senses and said in a timid voice, "Miss, did you say Yun Qi?"
Du Yunlo nodded, beckoning Jin Ling forward a couple of steps, taking her hand and saying, "Just say what you think, don’t hesitate just because Yun Qi is close to the Young Master."
Jin Ling opened her mouth and said, "I don’t know, miss. I want to accompany you."
Du Yunlo gently laughed, her dimples shallow: "Accompany me? How can you accompany me? Even Mrs. Shen Changgen entered the inner courtyard to serve after getting married, and no maid serves the master until they’re in their thirties or forties without getting married first."
Jin Ling grimaced and pursed her lips.
"It’s an important matter, so you don’t have to rush to give me an answer. Go back and think about it more, discuss it with your mother," Du Yunlo reached out and tucked Jin Ling’s loose forehead hair behind her ears, saying, "If you find Yun Qi good, then proceed with discussions. If not, pretend I never mentioned it. In the future, when you follow me to the Marquis Mansion, if Yun Qi causes you trouble because of this, I’ll take care of him. Jin Ling’er, as I said before, I’ll listen to your thoughts and will never randomly marry you off. You and Jin Rui’er both."
Jin Ling bit her lip.
In the main room, Jin Rui held a copper basin, standing still for a long time before raising her voice, "Miss, I’ve brought the water. Would you like to wash up now or wait a little longer?"
The night grew deeper; tonight it was Jin Ling’s turn to guard the night. After attending to Du Yunlo’s rest, she took the lamp stand and walked back to the side room, where she saw Jin Rui standing by the window.
"Aren’t you going to sleep?" Jin Ling asked her.
Jin Rui turned around, sat on the couch where Jin Ling kept watch, and beckoned Jin Ling over.
Jin Ling then tiptoed over, placed the lamp stand aside, and dimmed it a bit, asking, "What’s the matter?"
"Miss just talked to you, I heard it all," Jin Rui said in a low voice.
Jin Ling turned her head, was silent for a moment, then turned back and looked seriously at Jin Rui: "You heard? Then what do you think?"
"Me..." Jin Rui glanced towards the inner room, lowering her voice even more, "That Yun Qi, is he the one who helped you last time? I think he’s pretty good."
"Eh?" Jin Ling widened her eyes; she didn’t expect Jin Rui to say something good about it.
Jin Rui didn’t seem to notice Jin Ling’s surprise, she lowered her head a little and said, "You tell me, as maids, how many paths can we choose in the future?
Becoming a concubine, neither the Young Master nor the Miss would agree, and I certainly wouldn’t agree either, and I know you wouldn’t;
If we are to marry, paired with a household servant, the Miss would sincerely choose a good one for us, but what’s considered good in the end?
Jin Ling, just look at people, the eldest nephew of the Zhao family last time was quite good, his father runs a shop, he can work diligently, and he has an uncle who is a steward in the reception hall. Their family is also quite reputable in our residence, but the Miss didn’t agree because there is a gambler in the family, an insincere aunt, and what if his mother is also difficult to get along with, what would you do then?
You are alone, or if your family doesn’t worry about your needs it’s one thing, but you have a mother, and a younger brother, and they all require expenses. Finding a family you can handle, then nine times out of ten they aren’t reputable, relying on your little monthly salary to support two families, you’ll be exhausted; finding a decent one with silver, if you can’t handle it, how do you support your own family financially?
Then there’s Yun Qi, the Miss said he has no father no mother, just a younger sister a few years younger, so think, when she gets married off, wouldn’t you be in charge of the household?
Even if you won’t be working in the Miss’s room after getting married, there’s still Yun Qi. He serves by the Young Master’s side, earning a lot in monthly salary and reward silver, but without much extra expense. You could also do more needlework, and the silver you save up, you can bring back to your mother and save more for your brother’s wedding.
If he refuses to give you money, doesn’t allow you to support your mother and brother, there’s no need for the Miss to handle him, the Young Master would scold him for the Miss’s sake.
Thinking further, Yun Qi serves the Young Master, so he’d have a wider path in the future, and if he could earn a favor...
Oh, this was something I overheard, nobody else knows about it outside, I’m telling you, don’t spread it around.
Our Mr. Si’s companion Chang An, he studied together with Mr. Si, and was very diligent. Master saw his essay and said he had some insights, but was still a bit inexperienced, and mentioned that if he continues to love studying, and improves more, he could earn a favor to set him free and allow him to participate. Even becoming a scholar or scholar-like someone who made it to higher ranks is a leap for a carp over the dragon gate.
I am a household servant, serving the mansion for generations, and if ever we have a chance to be set free, whether it’s me, my brother, son, or grandson, I’d be happy; your family was newly bought by Madam, and you tell me, our Miss is good, but do you want your sons and daughters always serving in the mansion without an end?"
Jin Ling lowered her eyelashes, feeling particularly heavy-hearted.
Jin Ling knew that Jin Rui was straightforward, she was decisive when disciplining maids and grandmothers in the courtyard, and rarely spoke at length, let alone have a long talk with her.
But Jin Rui’s words made sense, each one striking a chord with Jin Ling.
She remembered Madam and Miss’s great kindness, and she was willing to serve the Miss her whole life. As for grandchildren, she hadn’t thought about it, she was always thinking about her mother and brother.
One was blind, and one was a sickly person. If she couldn’t handle the household’s silver, what about her mother and brother’s livelihoods?
As Jin Rui said, if she encountered a domineering mother-in-law who knew she was using money to support her own family, could her days still be stable?
Jin Ling pressed her fingers to her brow: "I need to think about it."
"You should think carefully. The Miss also said you should ask your mother; she can consider things more comprehensively than us." Having said that, Jin Rui didn’t stay long and returned to the west wing.
That night, Jin Ling slept very restlessly, while Jin Rui slept through till dawn.