Maid Beneath the Skirt - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was said that when the Eldest Princess was born, auspicious clouds filled the sky and the cry of a phoenix rang out. The National Master declared that the Eldest Princess was the Guardian Star of the Nation, descended from the heavens-that as long as the Eldest Princess lived, the kingdom would not fall.

The Emperor was overjoyed. Rewards poured down like running water: taxes were waived for three years, and porridge was distributed throughout the capital for three months.

At the same time, an announcement was issued from within the palace: anyone who sent a baby girl born on the same day as the Eldest Princess into the palace would receive fifty taels of silver.

Fifty taels of silver! A newborn baby girl could be exchanged for that much!

Before long, under the blazing sun in a cloudless sky, a line of over a dozen people formed outside the palace gates, each holding an infant girl in their arms.

The babies in the line wailed without end, but one peasant woman wore an irrepressible smile.

“A money-losing wretch can actually fetch silver. Good thing my man didn’t smash her to death.”

After taking the silver, the peasant woman handed the blood-smeared newborn girl in her arms to the guards. Without looking back, she walked away on unsteady feet.

One guard clicked his tongue and used his sleeve to wipe the blood from the baby’s face. A little surprised, he said, “This little girl isn’t even crying. She’s pretty, too. And they still had the heart to give her up…”

He lifted the carriage curtain and placed the infant in his hands into a baby basket.

Once the dozen or so baskets were full, he waved his hand. The palace gates opened, and the carriage rolled steadily forward.

And that was how I entered the palace.

Chapter 2

After we entered the palace, there were fifteen infant girls in total. Five of us, who were proper-looking and had no blemishes or marks, were assigned to the Eldest Princess’s palace to serve as her personal maids and be raised and taught alongside her.

The other ten were scattered among the various offices in the palace. From then on, the Eldest Princess’s food and clothing would only pass through their hands.

Because I had a small birthmark on my shoulder, I was originally assigned to one of those offices. But the National Master suddenly came over, pulled open my collar, and looked me over again and again. Then he replaced another infant girl with me and arranged for me to become a personal maid instead.

Chapter 3

Thanks to the Eldest Princess, the five of us ate and lived with her from the time we were small.

The Eldest Princess’s food was handled with extreme care. She had five wet nurses, and each wet nurse would first hold one of us and feed us. Only after the fishy, sour foremilk had mostly been drunk would they carry the Eldest Princess over to drink the sweet, rich milk that came after.

It was the same with clothing. Each garment would be worn by one of us for a night first, until the fabric had softened and settled, before it was put on the Eldest Princess.

Later, the first sentence the five of us learned to say was, “Peace to the Eldest Princess.”

Five little children in identical clothing knelt and bowed on the floor. At a glance, no one could tell who was who. The Eldest Princess, dressed in splendid robes, sat in the Emperor’s arms, giggling nonstop.

That was the first time I ever saw the Emperor. My heart pounded terribly. I secretly lifted my head for a glance, then quickly lowered it when the Emperor looked my way.

I could not help laughing. Even though the sound was very soft, the Emperor still heard it.

“The one in the middle. What are you laughing at?”

The matron responsible for teaching me was so frightened that she dropped to her knees and slapped herself over and over. “This servant failed to teach her properly. This servant failed to teach her properly…”

I did not understand why Matron had suddenly done that. My joy faded, and I trembled with fear until the Eldest Princess’s soft, childish voice sounded.

“Chenhu, Imperial Brother is asking you a question.”

Only then did I lower my head and stammer, “Chenhu… Chenhu only thought the princess was beautiful. Looking at… looking at the princess made Chenhu feel happy…”

A moment passed, and the Emperor burst into loud laughter. With a wave of his hand, he said, “What wrong has she done? I think you’ve taught her very well. Reward her!”

The matron did not even wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth before she took my hand and knelt again to give thanks for the reward.

The Eldest Princess was delighted, too. Clinging to the Emperor’s arm, she said to me, “Chenhu, raise your head. Imperial Brother, you don’t know this, but Chenhu is very pretty, too. When she’s around, I always feel much happier.”

I raised my head. The Emperor swept his eyes over me. “A little beauty, perhaps, but not as beautiful as Our Changping. Still, if looking at you pleases the Eldest Princess, then that is your good fortune. Serve the Eldest Princess alone, and serve her well. That will be enough.”

I did not quite understand, but I somehow felt that every word carried something that frightened me. The Emperor said nothing more. He accompanied the Eldest Princess while she ate some pastries, pinched her round, tender cheek, and then left.

On the way back with the pastries bestowed by the Eldest Princess, my heart beat very fast, and I felt a little sweet inside. It was not because of that plate of pastries, but because the Eldest Princess had not only remembered my name, she had also said I was pretty and that being with me made her happy.

“Chenhu, you must not let your emotions show on your face.” Matron took the pastries away. “A single plate of osmanthus cakes makes you this happy?”

I pressed down the smile at the corners of my mouth and asked seriously, “Matron, would you be happy because your master praised you?

“Not because of a reward, but the kind where… your master thinks you’re wonderful and likes you very much. That kind of praise.”

For once, Matron did not scold me for talking while walking. “Naturally. For servants like us, our duty is to make our masters happy. Only when our masters are happy can we be happy.”

She paused, then narrowed her long eyes at me. “Chenhu, don’t go raising your tail just because of this. Right now, you’ve tasted a little benefit. But in the future, if you anger your master, no one will even know where you died. Remember this well: you must be careful with every word and action. A clever tongue and a pleasing face may bring you glory for a time, but what comes after that is hard to say.”

I nodded. I kept feeling that something about it was strange, but I could not say what. In the end, I could only understand it as this: as long as I made the Eldest Princess happy, that would be enough.