A Maid Dressed As A Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role (Transmigration) - Chapter 11

The steward of the Qi household was named Qi Shilei. He was a man in his early forties, lean and of average height. His appearance gave off a kind and approachable air, the sort that made people feel he was easy to get along with.

Perhaps it was because of this amiable nature that he was well-liked throughout the residence. Everyone respectfully called him “Uncle Qi.”

When A’Zhi first arrived, she learned that despite sharing the same surname, Uncle Qi wasn’t actually related to the Qi family by bl00d. Years ago, when General Qi handed over the household to him for management, it was partly because of that shared surname. At some point, rumors started to circulate that Uncle Qi was part of the family. He never denied them, simply smiled when he heard them. Over the years, people came to believe he truly was a member of the Qi clan.

This was why many of the servants treated Uncle Qi as though he were one of the masters of the household, assuming he was some distant cousin of the general.

Compared to Uncle Qi, who had served the household for over a decade, the young mistress Chao Mu, who rarely returned to the capital, felt more like an outsider.

A’Zhi found Uncle Qi in the rear courtyard. He was standing before a group of household staff, going over some inventory with a young assistant by his side.

“The young mistress has just returned to the capital. Make sure everything she eats and wears is properly taken care of,” he was instructing them, hands resting in front of him. “Especially the food. Not even the slightest grievance should be felt after returning home.”

Several carts stood nearby, loaded with neatly arranged bamboo baskets. From the tops peeked fresh green leaves that looked like Chinese cabbage.

Some carts held fruit. A’Zhi, sharp-eyed and well-traveled, recognized lychees and watermelons at a glance.

Compared to meat and eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables were far harder to come by in winter than in summer. Even in the palace, such things weren’t always plentiful. Typically, they were reserved first for the emperor and the empress dowager, then the princes and princesses, and only after that would favored concubines have their share.

It was clear that the fruits Chao Mu received weren’t from Uncle Qi’s doing, but gifts from the palace itself.

“Which courtyard are you from? Why are you standing here?”

A’Zhi had only just taken a step to the side when the young assistant beside Uncle Qi addressed her.

The assistant was a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, not much older than A’Zhi herself. He held a ledger in his hands and quickly shut it when he saw her approach, hugging it to his chest with visible wariness.

As soon as he spoke, everyone turned to look.

A’Zhi, who had been waiting politely for Uncle Qi to finish speaking, had no choice but to step forward and give a respectful bow.

“Steward Qi, I’m A’Zhi, the head maid from the young mistress’s courtyard,” she said calmly and clearly. “The young mistress plans to host a gathering here in five days and asked me to inform you.”

Uncle Qi seemed to have no objections and nodded slowly.

But the assistant next to him gave A’Zhi a once-over and looked skeptical.

“You’re the head maid from her courtyard? You?” he blurted out.

“We’ve met the maids Xiao Yan and Xiao Que before. This is the first I’ve heard of anyone named A’Zhi.”

A’Zhi merely smiled and lowered her gaze, offering a slight curtsy as a greeting.

It was clear, however, that the assistant wasn’t about to let it go. Or rather, he had no intention of letting the young mistress off lightly.

“So are you more unruly than Xiao Yan, or more haughty than Xiao Que? You must have something special to be made head maid. It couldn’t be just because of that bandage on your head, could it? If that’s the standard the young mistress uses to choose her people, then she’s far too careless.”

Laughter rippled through the courtyard. These servants worked behind the scenes, managing various duties of the estate. Most of them had encountered Xiao Yan and Xiao Que before and held a poor impression of them. They believed the young mistress’s courtyard was full of untrained, ill-mannered girls who took advantage of her youth and gentle temper to throw their weight around.

If not for Uncle Qi’s easygoing nature, someone would have stepped in long ago. What kind of insolent maids were being kept in the general’s residence? It was shameful.

They’d heard the young mistress grew up in Jiangnan and didn’t understand the customs or decorum of the capital. No wonder she allowed such unruly servants to run rampant.

As the assistant singled out the maids from Xiangyang Court, everyone chuckled. Their gazes toward A’Zhi turned cold, and there was little respect left in their expressions for Chao Mu herself.

A’Zhi looked toward Uncle Qi. He had just taken the ledger from the assistant and was frowning as he flipped through it, deeply focused, as if he hadn’t heard any of the laughter or insults being thrown her way.

Like Xiao Yan and Xiao Que, A’Zhi was a maid from Xiangyang Court. Once she stepped outside, every word and action represented not just herself but her mistress. The assistant’s ridicule wasn’t truly aimed at her. He simply looked down on the young mistress and didn’t take Chao Mu seriously.

To insult the servant was to insult the master.

A’Zhi glanced around at the others, then smiled slowly and said to the assistant, “I serve the young mistress. You’re neither the master of this household nor its steward. It’s only natural that you haven’t seen or heard of me.”

The assistant’s face paled, and he opened his mouth to argue, but A’Zhi raised her voice and went on, “Otherwise, if everyone in this household were so familiar with every maid in Xiangyang Courtyard, we’d have to wonder whether someone was harboring inappropriate thoughts toward us.”

She subtly turned the tables, suggesting that his fixation on the maids had less to do with discipline and more with personal interest.

The boy’s face turned from white to red in an instant.

He clearly hadn’t expected to be teased by a maid and immediately pointed a trembling finger at her. “You—”

A’Zhi stood unmoved. “Me? Oh, I’m afraid I’m not available. I’ve no plans to marry anytime soon. You might consider Xiao Yan or Xiao Que instead, since you seem to know them so well.”

The courtyard erupted in laughter. The others even started jokingly praising Xiao Yan and Xiao Que, as though they were genuinely trying to matchmake them.

“I didn’t—I wouldn’t—how could I be interested in a maid from Xiangyang Courtyard?” the boy blurted out in a panic.

Only then did A’Zhi’s smile vanish. Her expression turned cold. “Watch your words.”

Uncle Qi’s hand paused mid-page. He looked up at A’Zhi with narrowed eyes.

She met the assistant’s gaze head-on, now seizing the upper hand. “Do you think you have the right to judge what happens in the young mistress’s courtyard? Who are you to make such comments?”

The young mistress was the most noble person in the household. Her maids shared in her status, second only to the steward himself. What gave a mere assistant the right to say who was worthy or not?

The assistant stammered, “I meant the maids, not the young mistress—”

“Whether it’s the mistress or her maids, you have no place to speak like that,” A’Zhi cut in sharply.

She scanned the crowd, her voice steady and deliberate. “Let’s be clear about where we all stand.”

Those final words were what she had truly intended to say.

The courtyard fell into a stunned silence.

When A’Zhi had first arrived, everyone saw only a young, fresh-faced maid and paid her little mind. But now, after a few clever remarks and firm retorts, none of them dared meet her gaze.

The once proud and confident group suddenly felt small before her.

It was only then that Uncle Qi finally closed his ledger and tried to ease the tension with a chuckle. “How did this get so serious? Young people bicker sometimes. It’s nothing to take to heart. Zhi Yuan, apologize to Miss A’Zhi. There’s no need to start off on the wrong foot.”

The assistant’s name was Zhi Yuan. Though still indignant, he gave a small nod. “Sorry. I spoke without thinking. Don’t take it personally.”

A’Zhi wasn’t about to make things worse over a few words. Besides, she knew this argument wouldn’t hold much weight in the long run.

Seeing that Uncle Qi wanted to smooth things over and Zhi Yuan had backed down, she wisely let the matter go and offered a faint smile.

“We’ll leave it at that. I only spoke out of loyalty. I can’t bear to hear others speak ill of our young mistress.”

Zhi Yuan’s face looked very pale, but he stayed quiet and stepped back behind Uncle Qi.

Uncle Qi chuckled. “A’Zhi, your loyalty is admirable for a head maid.”

He waved the rest of the servants away. “Go on, back to your duties.”

Then he turned to A’Zhi. “I’ve noted the banquet request. In fact, I was just thinking about it while going over the ledger. Since you’re the head maid of the young mistress’s courtyard, why not take charge of organizing it?”

He smiled warmly with a kind tone. “If you need anything, you can come find Zhi Yuan.”

He left her no room to refuse. “Now don’t decline. Young people grow by taking on challenges. This banquet will be a good opportunity. Don’t you agree?”

A’Zhi was only a maid brought into the household by the steward himself. She had never worked in another noble house and certainly had no experience planning banquets. It was clear that Uncle Qi meant to make things difficult for her.

This would be Chao Mu’s first banquet since returning to the capital, with many eyes watching. If it went poorly, the shame would fall squarely on her.

And if Uncle Qi swooped in to “save” the day, the young mistress’s reputation and that of her courtyard would be trampled.

A’Zhi met the old fox’s smile and nodded. “If you say so, then I’ll speak to the young mistress first. If she agrees, I’ll do my best.”

Uncle Qi nodded. “Good.”

He had a servant bring out some of the freshly delivered lychees for A’Zhi to take back. “Let the young mistress have a taste.”

After she left, the smile on Uncle Qi’s face slowly faded. He glanced sideways at Zhi Yuan. “Now do you understand why she’s the head maid?”

She was thorough, calm under pressure, never flustered when challenged. In just a few words, she had turned the situation in her favor, defending her mistress’s honor without making enemies.

Compared to her, Xiao Yan and Xiao Que were nothing more than noisy birds.

No wonder last night’s situation had quieted down so smoothly. She clearly had some skill.

Uncle Qi looked intrigued. “I underestimated her.”

At first, she seemed mild, like a plain bun. Now he realized she was more like a hard crusted one, not easy to chew.

She knew how to hide her strengths. The only question now was whether those hidden strengths were real.

“We’ll find out in five days,” he said, testing her with the banquet.

Zhi Yuan perked up and followed after him. “What if she messes it up?”

Uncle Qi raised an eyebrow. “If she can’t even manage this banquet, how could she possibly stay in this house?”

Zhi Yuan grinned and whispered, “You’re sharp as ever, godfather.”

Uncle Qi gave him a look but didn’t scold him. He only said, “Mind who hears you say that. We don’t want people accusing me of favoritism.”

Zhi Yuan quickly nodded. “Of course. I won’t say a word in front of others.”

Everyone knew that Uncle Qi took special care of Zhi Yuan, thinking it was out of kindness for his poor background. After all, Uncle Qi had a family of his own and a son. No one suspected there was more to the relationship than met the eye.

Certainly not that he had a godson.