A Maid Dressed As A Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role (Transmigration) - Chapter 28

Seeing Chen Yue’s hand move, Chao Mu quickly grabbed A’Zhi’s sleeve and pulled her closer. Chen Yue looked at her in confusion. “Huh?”

Chao Mu blinked and said slowly, “A’Zhi is shy and reserved. You shouldn’t tease her like that.”

When it was the princess herself, she had said, “A’Zhi, be bold, don’t be shy and distant!” But when it was someone else, the little princess said, “A’Zhi is reserved and shy, she’s not close with others.”

A’Zhi had a hard time keeping up. But as a maid of the Qi manor and the princess’s personal head maid, it was true that she shouldn’t get too close to another noble’s daughter. When the little princess pulled on her sleeve, A’Zhi stepped behind her. She bowed her head. “The princess is right. I am reserved and apologize if I ruined your fun, Miss Chen.”

The reserved A’Zhi silently pulled her sleeve from the little princess’s hand.

“See? You’re being distant again,” Chen Yue said, not minding at all. She put the melon seed in her own mouth. “Maybe we’re not close enough yet. If we hang out more, you’ll get used to it.”

A’Zhi didn’t think she could ever get used to it. She was a person who wanted to get her indenture back and retire happily. How could she possibly hang out with someone like Chen Yue, the prime minister’s daughter? But Chen Yue had already moved on, happily changing the subject.

“My aunt teaches archery at the Imperial Academy?” Chao Mu held her teacup, her face showing a curious expression. Her dewy eyes widened in surprise.

“That’s right. The Grand Princess teaches us girls archery. She says the Six Arts of a Gentleman aren’t just for men, so anyone who wants to learn archery can.” At the mention of the Grand Princess, Chen Yue held the melon seed in her hand without cracking it. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke to Chao Mu.

“The late emperor himself praised the Grand Princess’s archery, saying that if she were a man, she would be no less than our current emperor. And she was so young then, to be praised so highly by the late emperor shows how much talent she has.” Chen Yue raised her head proudly. Her eyes were full of admiration and longing when she spoke of the Grand Princess, as if she were the one who had been praised. Her already beautiful face seemed to glow.

Of the Six Arts for a Gentleman and the Eight Arts for a Lady, archery was what Chen Yue was best at. It was hard to say she wasn’t influenced by the Grand Princess.

“The Grand Princess?” A’Zhi looked down at Chao Mu.

As if she felt her gaze, Chao Mu looked up and said softly, “She’s my aunt, my mother’s younger sister.” The current emperor had two full sisters. Chao Mu’s mother, Grand Princess Chao Yun, was the older sister, and Grand Princess Chao Yang was the younger one. Because the second Grand Princess was born much later, there was a big age gap between her and the emperor. When the late emperor was alive, she was his favorite. After he passed away, the current emperor doted on her and practically raised her himself. When Chao Mu left the capital as a child, her aunt, Chao Yang, was only eight. Now Chao Mu was fourteen, so her aunt, Chao Yang, was twenty this year.

“You’ve just returned to the capital, so you don’t know how the Grand Princess is slandered,” Chen Yue said, pouting in anger and cracking a melon seed with a snap. People said the Grand Princess was already twenty but refused to marry, staying in the capital instead of returning to her fiefdom, with the intention of interfering in court affairs. They also said that the Grand Princess’s manor kept a number of male and female gigolos and that her lifestyle was wild and immoral.

“Mu Mu, don’t listen to them,” Chen Yue said. “They’re all malicious rumors. It’s just envy, jealousy, and slander! They’re… bad people with pig mouths!”

A’Zhi thought, That’s a very clean curse.

Seeing Chen Yue getting more and more worked up, Zhu Zhu went over and poured her some chrysanthemum tea. “Don’t be angry, Miss. The princess doesn’t believe those rumors, and the Grand Princess herself doesn’t care about what people say.”

“I don’t care, either,” Chen Yue said, so angry she was about to flip the table. “I’m not angry. Do I look angry?”

Everyone else just looked at her.

Chao Mu pushed the plate of melon seeds towards Chen Yue and nodded in agreement. “You’re not angry. It’s all their fault for spreading rumors. It’s on them.”

“Exactly!” Chen Yue said, pulling on Chao Mu’s sleeve as if she had found a kindred spirit. “When you get into the Imperial Academy, you have to take archery with me. We can do it together.”

Chao Mu looked at her own slender wrist. It looked like it would break with one snap. Then she thought about the heavy bow. Her head began to ache. She couldn’t bring herself to say a simple “yes.” She was good at pitch-pot, but archery was a different story.

Chao Mu looked up at A’Zhi, her big eyes blinking, trying to get A’Zhi to save her.

A’Zhi smiled faintly and looked up at the ceiling. This was not something a head maid could decide.

Chao Mu just sighed.

Chen Yue had already taken both of Chao Mu’s wrists and was looking at her with pleading eyes. “Mu Mu~” Chen Yue was truly beautiful, and no one could look at her and refuse her request.

“…Okay,” Chao Mu said, taking her wrists back and nodding reluctantly. “Okay, I’ll go learn with you.” She would just consider it as supporting her aunt. She hoped her aunt wouldn’t be too harsh on her when she couldn’t even lift the bow.

Chen Yue giggled and pulled her hands back. She rested her elbows on the table and cupped her face. “You’ll see when you go. The Grand Princess is so beautiful. If you hit the bullseye, she’ll smile at you.”

Chao Mu rubbed her wrists, trying to remember what her aunt’s smile looked like. Her eyes were blank. She couldn’t remember at all. In her memories, her aunt’s face was always cold. She was the most honorable and noble princess of the Great Chao, a woman who could make decisive decisions and aim for the throne.

Chen Yue’s eyes curved into crescent moons, and her voice softened. “When the Grand Princess smiles, she has dimples, just like you. So sweet.”

Sweet?

Chao Mu’s lips flattened. She tactically leaned back, subtly moving away from Chen Yue until she was almost touching A’Zhi. How could Chen Yue taste “sweetness” in her aunt’s sarcastic and cold-hearted smile?

Chen Yue’s brow furrowed in disappointment. “It’s a shame the Grand Princess doesn’t smile often.”

The first time she had met the Grand Princess, she was only five years old. She was at the Imperial Academy, and while her father spoke with the dean, she got bored and wandered off. She wasn’t watching where she was going and bumped into someone, falling on her bottom. Before she could cry, the person knelt down.

The crimson-gold hem of a dress fanned out in front of her like a phoenix’s tail, vibrant and beautiful. The person stared at her, watching the tears well up in her eyes. A small smile appeared on her face, and a dimple appeared. “Whose little girl is this, looking so beautiful? Don’t cry. You’re the one who bumped into me, so you’re not allowed to cry.”

Chen Yue immediately held back her tears. She stared at the woman’s face and dress, and said in a small voice, “I’m sorry.”

The person paused, her dimples showing. “You’re such a good girl. I forgive you.”

Five-year-old Chen Yue was so happy to be forgiven. Not only did she get a bruised bottom, but she also held back her tears. She only found out later that the person was Grand Princess Chao Yang, who was studying archery at the academy. In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed. The student had become a teacher, and Chen Yue had gone from a crybaby to Grand Princess Chao Yang’s best archery student. This relationship was probably why Chen Yue felt so close to Chao Mu, even before they met.

Chen Yue was already looking forward to Chao Mu’s admission to the Imperial Academy. Chao Mu just smiled and took a small sip of tea. If she had a choice, she wouldn’t want to go.

Chen Yue lingered at the Qi manor until it was almost dark. Chao Mu walked her to the gate. “Next time, you can just come and play. You don’t have to wait for an invitation.”

Chen Yue sat in her carriage, pulled back the curtain, and waved. “Okay!”

********

When Chen Yue arrived home, she happened to run into her father, the prime minister, who was also returning from court. They met in the backyard, one in a sedan chair and the other in a carriage. Chen Yue happily hopped out of the carriage, her skirts fluttering. She rushed to her father, wrapped her arms around his, and said playfully, “Father, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you so much.”

The prime minister’s round, fair face broke into a wide smile. “Where did you go?” With his hand on his daughter’s arm, they walked side by side.

“I went to the Qi manor, the one I told you about yesterday. I went to play with Mu Mu.” Chen Yue vividly described her afternoon, and her father listened patiently.

“Princess Fu Jia seems like a kind girl,” the prime minister said with a smile. “But next time you visit, remember to send an invitation first. That way, they can prepare the snacks you want, right? It would be boring if you got there too early and the pastries weren’t ready.”

Chen Yue nodded. “You’re right. But Mu Mu and I don’t care about that. She said I can just go over without an invitation.”

The prime minister just smiled and didn’t mention etiquette again. When they were almost at the inner courtyard, he asked casually, “What do you think of Princess Fu Jia?”

“She’s so sweet. It’s like eating a sweet pastry. Just seeing her makes me happy and relaxed,” Chen Yue said with a definite nod. “A’Zhi, who’s with her, is a lot of fun, too.” If Chao Mu was a sweet pastry, then A’Zhi was a clear tea. The two of them together made for a comfortable time. For Chen Yue to say this, it meant she really liked her.

“What about the Sixth Prince?” the prime minister asked.

“Chao Hongji? What about him?” Chen Yue looked confused.

The prime minister chose his words carefully. “Didn’t you talk to him under the plum tree a while ago?”

Chen Yue’s face lit up as she remembered. “I was just asking if the Grand Princess was going to be at the spring hunt next year. I wasn’t talking to him.”

Later, when Chao Hongji said he wasn’t sure, Chen Yue just said “oh” and left. She was just asking a question, completely unaware of the rumors that were spreading about the two of them. Even the prime minister had started to believe them. He would never have known the truth if he hadn’t asked her directly.

The prime minister smiled and shook his head, then walked into the inner courtyard.

Chen Yue was very happy today. “Father, how about I cook dinner for you myself tonight?”

The prime minister’s smile froze. But then it became an exaggerated laugh. “Yes, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy.” He held Chen Yue’s hand. “Don’t work too hard. Just one dish is fine. I’m trying to lose weight.”

Chen Yue was thrilled. “Okay!”

*******

The Chen family was as loving as ever, and Chao Mu was not idle at the Qi manor, either. After seeing Chen Yue off, Steward Qi came to see her.

“Here are the account ledgers from all the Qi family’s estates. I used to manage them, but now that the princess is back, it’s only right that they are handed over to you,” Qi Shilei said, gesturing for a servant to place a thick stack of ledgers on Chao Mu’s table. Steward Qi smiled and bowed. “I’m sorry for the trouble, Princess.”

After Steward Qi left, Cui Cui wondered, “Did Steward Qi just give up his power out of good sense?”

A’Zhi casually flipped through a couple of the ledgers and shook her head. “He wouldn’t be that kind. He’s trying to make things difficult for the princess.”

“Exactly,” Chao Mu said, her hands propping up her head. Her voice was weak and listless. “The entrance exam is coming up soon, and I still haven’t finished memorizing everything.” Steward Qi had brought her this thick stack of ledgers at the worst possible time, clearly hoping to distract her from studying. Besides, auditing was a mentally taxing task. Steward Qi had lost face at the morning meeting, and now he was trying to get it back.

Some people in the manor had been saying he was corrupt, so he was giving her the ledgers to “prove his innocence” and show everyone that his accounts could withstand an audit. At the same time, he wanted to give the little princess a hard time, so she would know that without him, a little girl like her wouldn’t know a thing.

A butler’s power wasn’t limited to the manor. For the Qi family, almost all the masters were away from the capital, but their assets were still there. For example, the shops from the former Lady Qi’s dowry, the various shops that were transferred to Chao Mu’s name after Grand Princess Chao Yun passed away, the estates outside the city, and the land the emperor had bestowed upon them. All of these were the Qi family’s assets.

For years, Qi Shilei had not only managed the manor but also these estates. He knew that when the little princess started auditing, she would be completely lost. Then she would see how much easier it was with him around.

“Is there a problem with them?” Cui Cui didn’t understand ledgers, but just looking at the thick stack gave her a headache, especially with all the tiny characters.

A’Zhi didn’t know much, either, just a little. She put the ledgers back down and stacked them neatly. “Probably not. Steward Qi isn’t an idiot. The ledgers he handed over can certainly withstand an audit.” No one would be stupid enough to hand over evidence of their own corruption.

“Not so,” Chao Mu said, shaking her head. “As long as he did it, there’s always a trace.”

“So, should we check them?” A’Zhi asked.

“Of course,” Chao Mu nodded. She looked at A’Zhi seriously. “Whether it’s in court or in business, the first thing to check when you want to know if someone is corrupt is their ledger. You look at where their money is coming from and where it’s going. That’s irrefutable proof.”

At that, A’Zhi remembered the charges of “treason” against the Qi family in the book. The problem had been with the accounts, which eventually revealed that they had been using the money to secretly recruit soldiers and buy weapons. The Sixth Prince, in his rage, had charged the Qi family with treason, and everyone was executed. She figured the Qi family’s downfall in the book was probably related to Steward Qi, the traitor. At that time, the little princess was already dead, and General Qi, after returning to the capital, wouldn’t have been concerned with internal affairs. Besides, the Qi family relied on Steward Qi, who had dutifully managed the household for years. It would never have occurred to them to audit the manor’s accounts.

A tiny hole can sink a big ship.

A’Zhi looked at the thick stack of ledgers on the table, lost in thought. Ever since she woke up in this body, she hadn’t considered changing the ending of the book. She didn’t think she, a mere maid, had the ability to do so. Besides, she had no feelings for the Qi family. There was no reason for her to meddle in their affairs. Her life experiences had taught her to mind her own business.

But… A’Zhi glanced at Chao Mu, who was propping her head up and memorizing her books, and then she looked again.

Chao Mu suddenly looked up at her, her eyes clear and moist with a faint smile on her face. She recited softly, “‘A husband and wife, bound by righteousness and affection.'” Her voice was gentle and her tone was slow. Ever since A’Zhi had first seen the little princess, she had used this steady, soft voice to give her a foothold in a strange world.

A’Zhi lowered her eyes and clenched her fingers. She nodded in agreement. “The princess should definitely look at these ledgers and check the accounts of the estates.” It would be good if they could find the problem early.

Chao Mu first nodded in agreement, then her face scrunched up in distress. “But I don’t have time,” she said. She suddenly looked at A’Zhi. “Why don’t you help me?”

A’Zhi’s eyes widened. She felt like she was looking for trouble. “I don’t know much about it,” she said.

“It’s fine. I’ll teach you.” Chao Mu picked up two of the ledgers. “I’ll teach you from the beginning.”

So now you have time?

A’Zhi was a little hesitant. She didn’t think she was up for it. She wasn’t a noble lady, nor was she the mistress of a grand household. As a commoner who would eventually have no estate of her own, why would she need to learn how to audit accounts? She could count her own small sum of money with her fingers; she didn’t need a ledger.

Chao Mu smiled. “I’ll pay you, too.” She held up her index finger and wiggled it in front of A’Zhi. “A hundred taels of gold.”

A hundred taels of gold?! A’Zhi didn’t hesitate for a second. She took a step forward, her voice firm. “I will study hard and do my best to help you, Princess!”

Chao Mu propped her chin in her hand and looked at A’Zhi, her eyes twinkling with a faint smile. “A’Zhi~”

A’Zhi’s face was a mask of stoicism. It wasn’t shameful to make money, after all. And she was offering gold! A hundred taels of gold! A’Zhi didn’t want the job, but the little princess was offering too much. It was hard to refuse.

Compared to Cui Cui, A’Zhi had a little foundation in accounting, but it wasn’t much. But hard work makes up for what you lack. After two days of looking at the ledgers, A’Zhi felt like she had learned a lot. For example, she could tell that there were errors in the fake ledger. A few numbers didn’t match up. If she hadn’t looked at them carefully, she wouldn’t have noticed. But that was as far as her ability went.

At night, after washing up, Chao Mu sat cross-legged on the bed in her nightgown. Her long, dark hair was loose, tied with a pink ribbon at her waist. In the warm lamplight, she looked like a delicate white flower.

“A’Zhi, hurry, hurry. This isn’t the first time you’ve gotten on my bed. Why are you so slow?” Chao Mu complained, gently patting the empty space in front of her.

A’Zhi thought to herself, That sounds so weird, like I’m the kind of maid who gets on beds! She was getting on the bed for a good reason!

Chao Mu hugged the dry book and climbed onto the bed. “I added a few more charcoal basins. It’s colder tonight.” She was afraid Chao Mu would be cold. Now, the room was warm. With the thick bed curtains drawn, it was warm enough to sit in her cotton nightgown with a hand warmer.

Ever since Chao Mu had said she would teach A’Zhi to audit accounts, she had taught during the day and tested at night. Now it was time to test A’Zhi again.

“Grandmother said that you have to be motivated to study.” The two of them sat facing each other, cross-legged. Chao Mu took out a small jar the size of a chess container from under the blanket. She opened it and placed it between them. Inside were sparkling gold melon seeds. “How do you like this, A’Zhi?”

A’Zhi’s back straightened instantly. “Don’t worry, Princess. My motivation is at its peak.”

Chao Mu pinched a gold melon seed. “You get one for every correct answer.”

A’Zhi didn’t hesitate. “Okay.”

“You lose two for every wrong answer.”

“…”

Chao Mu picked up a ledger. She started by asking for the names of the estate managers, then asked about the estates they were in charge of, the size of the estates, the yearly income, and the profits and losses for the past two years. A’Zhi answered everything fluently, which showed how much she had studied. For the past two days, A’Zhi had been looking at ledgers whenever she wasn’t sleeping. She had a strong suspicion that the little princess was making her study because she was tired of studying herself. The little black-hearted princess… her little gold nugget!

A majority of the gold melon seeds had been given out. A’Zhi’s face was visibly happy, and she was already moving the gold melon seeds towards her side. She was making so much money.

Chao Mu toyed with a gold melon seed and slowly blinked, asking, “A’Zhi, do you know everything?”

A’Zhi answered with a touch of reserve. “I know most of it.”

“Oh~” Chao Mu was interested. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Then how about I ask you something else?”

A’Zhi was on high alert, but her ego was inflated. She blurted out, her eyes shining, “Please do, Princess.” She would win all the gold melon seeds in the jar!

Chao Mu thought for a moment. “What’s Steward Qi’s name?”

“Qi Shilei.” Easy.

“How old is Steward Qi?”

“Forty-three.” Too easy. A’Zhi held up four fingers and then three.

“When is my birthday?”

A’Zhi opened her mouth and raised her hand, but then she froze.

The air fell silent. She didn’t know that. She only knew the princess was fourteen this year.

Chao Mu pouted. “You know Steward Qi’s age, but you don’t know your own princess’s birthday.” As she grumbled, she snatched two gold melon seeds from A’Zhi’s pile and gave her a gentle glare.

A’Zhi felt guilty. She lowered her head and didn’t say a word.

Chao Mu asked again. “What’s my least favorite vegetable?”

A’Zhi was silent again. She hadn’t paid attention to that. She had the impression that the little princess wasn’t a picky eater and ate everything. She didn’t dare look at the princess’s face. She had been too careless. Who would have thought she would be tested on personal preferences?

Chao Mu pouted and said wistfully, “A’Zhi, A’Zhi.”

She said the name, but A’Zhi’s ears heard, “A’Zhi, A’Zhi, you’re doomed!”

A’Zhi’s eyelid twitched. When she saw Chao Mu about to take her gold melon seeds, she instinctively lunged forward, grabbing Chao Mu’s hand. Whether it was to protect her gold or because she was afraid the princess would get angry, she didn’t know.

A’Zhi’s face fell. “Princess, can you ask something a little simpler? Something that I can find the answer to?” She held the little princess’s hand. “Something about our daily life, I’ll definitely know the answer to that.” She wanted a chance to prove herself.

“Something about our daily life?” Chao Mu’s gaze moved from her hand, which was being held, to A’Zhi’s face. A’Zhi nodded vigorously while still holding her hand. Chao Mu’s dimples deepened mischievously. “Oh, you said it yourself.”

She thought for a moment, and then she decided to tease her. “Then why don’t you guess what color my undershirt is? If you get it right, I won’t be angry anymore.”

A’Zhi froze. Her eyes unconsciously followed Chao Mu’s words and landed on her chest. Chao Mu was wearing a plain white undershirt, and the collar was folded over. She was fully covered. Chao Mu smiled beautifully. She leaned in and looked at A’Zhi, her eyes blinking.

 “What are you looking at, A’Zhi? Do you want to take off my clothes and look?” Her finger, on the hand that was being held, gently tapped on A’Zhi’s wrist. Her voice was soft. “But A’Zhi, that would be cheating.”

A’Zhi’s face flushed. Her eyes widened. She wasn’t, she didn’t, and she wasn’t a man!