Ruby Hall suddenly raised her head and said, word by word, “Even if I have to marry a leper, a cripple, or a blind man, I will never become someone’s concubine! My mother suffered all her life, and I ended up like this. Though my uncle was greedy, it was also because my mother would rather break off the engagement than marry an ordinary man! She regretted it before she passed, and I don’t want to spend my whole life regretting like her!”

Hearing Ruby Hall’s resolute words, Lauren Brooks finally sat up straight, then reached out to pull her up, and sighed, “I understand. Since you have this resolve, your wish is fulfilled. I just didn’t expect that when I casually used your sleep-talking as an excuse, Lillian Jones would actually go along with it. That’s your good fortune.”

“Lillian Jones has never wanted to be a maid her whole life.” Ruby Hall shook her head and said, “I’ve long known her wish, so when Second Miss wanted her, she agreed right away. I heard Second Madam promised her that after some time, she’d find a way to promote her to be a concubine for Second Master. But that’s still not certain. Now that the Princess of Jin personally came to ask for her, of course she’s overjoyed. She said I was talking in my sleep just because she was afraid I’d go and block her path. But everyone has their own ambitions. As for me, I can only be grateful to her now. If she hadn’t agreed with Miss, today’s matter might not have gone so smoothly.”

Lauren Brooks naturally knew that if she had been the only one to speak up at that time, it would have been in vain. But knowing that Ruby Hall felt only gratitude and no resentment toward Lillian Jones, she was even more satisfied with this maid. Before she could say anything, Ruby Hall suddenly knelt down again and kowtowed three times to her, properly and solemnly.

“From now on, this servant will obey Miss in everything!”

From her words and actions, Lauren Brooks could clearly see her determination. No matter what, gaining Ruby Hall today was enough. It was easy to find clever and quick-witted maids, but one with upright and steadfast character was rare indeed.

Chapter 009: Closeness and Distance

In the blink of an eye, it was the Little New Year on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month. As usual, the various estates sent the annual rent, rice, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables to the Marquis’s residence. The shops also prepared various goods and sundries as offerings to the masters of each household. Even the maids had changed into brand-new winter jackets. According to the Marquis’s household custom, the reward money was always distributed during the New Year’s Eve vigil, so on the night of the Little New Year reunion, only food was given as a customary reward. The leftover dishes were accepted by the wives and old women, while the maids received all sorts of fruits and preserved snacks.

After dinner, except for Julia Brooks, who as always retired early, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Walker, and the grandchildren from each branch naturally stayed to keep Ms. Turner company. This was the usual practice before New Year’s Eve. Compared to the room full of lively young ladies, the few young masters were much more silent. In other noble households, the grandmothers usually favored their grandsons, but Ms. Turner was famous for loving her granddaughters. The titled ladies of the capital often joked that girls born into the Marquis of Yangning’s household were the luckiest.

It was the same now. On either side of Ms. Turner’s warm couch sat Ivy Brooks and Lauren Brooks. In the past, these two seats were either empty or occupied by the two sisters from the second branch. Now, with the sudden appearance of Lauren Brooks from the main branch, the household staff naturally had their own speculations. Even Lauren Brooks herself became more cautious. After all, there is no such thing as kindness without reason in this world. Ms. Turner, her grandmother, had always been indifferent to her before, so this sudden attention in recent days must have another reason.

Compared to the lively and eloquent Ivy Brooks, Lauren Brooks still spoke little, only occasionally joining the conversation. At this moment, Ms. Turner was smiling as she talked about how, after the New Year, the Princess of Jin would again invite the ladies and relatives of various families to the palace to admire the plum blossoms. Ivy Brooks immediately clapped her hands with joy.

“At the beginning of this year, the red plum grove at the palace was absolutely beautiful—fiery red and full of spirit. There were so many people, and it was so lively. I’ve been looking forward to it for days. If Grandmother hadn’t mentioned it, I would have shamelessly begged to join the fun!” As she spoke, she glanced at Lauren Brooks with a hint of provocation, half-smiling as she said, “Speaking of which, Third Sister happened to be ill at that time and couldn’t go, which was a real pity. But last year, when we admired the plum blossoms, everyone composed impromptu verses, and Third Sister just couldn’t come up with anything. Now, after two years of hard study, I hear she still reads even when she’s sick. This time, she should be able to shine.”

Facing the radiant Ivy Brooks, Lauren Brooks replied in her usual calm tone, “Even if I’ve studied poetry for two years, I could never become a talented lady. How could I compare to Second Sister? At most, I’ll just make a fool of myself. Besides, I haven’t been reading poetry lately, just some travel notes and essays from famous scholars of past dynasties that Fourth Brother found for me—just to pass the time, nothing serious.”

The first part of her reply made Ivy Brooks look pleased. But upon hearing the latter part, Ms. Turner suddenly asked, “Why did you think of reading those?”