Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part II - Cosmetics Goddess: 23. Servants

"These lowly servants greet the Young Mistress," was said quite formally as Cui Xi strolled into the inner courtyard, still in her dancing clothes.

"What is this?" Cui Xi asked blankly, looking at the four women and two men who knelt before her.

Actually, she'd completely forgotten about gifts the second after her Master had mentioned them, even though he had purposely reminded her. She stood and stared at the servants, trying to absorb the fact that she had just received human beings as gifts. Two of the girls were dressed in green and the other two were dressed in light blue. They did not seem at all perturbed by her revealing clothes or the fact that they were next door to the Hundred Flower House.

"These servants form part of the gifts your Master left for you," Xiao Yu said in measured tones. She sounded slightly disapproving at the lavishness of it. "He also left six chests...will you accept the gifts and allow Master Tao to introduce them?" she asked, giving the girls a speculative glance.

Xiao Hei had followed her in and the look on his face was unreadable. He simply folded his arms, waiting for her to speak.

"Xiao Yu, I'm happy. I hate that you have to do most of the chores...and Master Tao, I wouldn't refuse a gift from Master regardless," she said, turning to him with a smile.

"Ah...Tao is good enough. As you are Master's only direct disciple, that makes you my 'Young Mistress'. The Master sent a registry and the servant papers," said Tao with a smile. He appeared to be a pleasant young man, smartly dressed in an azure robe, looking to be in his twenties. He introduced himself as her Master's personal servant.

"Mistress, will not you give us names?" one girl blurted out excitedly.

"Quiet!" Tao said sharply. "You've not been given permission to speak!"

"It's alright, Tao. You don't need to observe formality for me. Ah...Xiao Yu?"

"A'Xi, it's customary to choose names for your new servants..."

"Alright then, please stand up. Tell me about yourself..." she directed this to the young woman in front of her. When the woman stood, she was tall and slender like a willow. Her dark eyes were clear and open. From the short sword she held at her side, she was obviously trained in martial arts.

"Mistress, I am He*. I am trained in martial arts, but I also read and write, and have been trained as a maid. I would be honoured to be your body servant," she said and stepped back.

The next girl was a little younger and she was the one who had spoken about naming. Cui Xi could see that she had a sweet and bubbly personality and she grinned as she stepped forward.

"Mistress, I am Hu*. I read, write, and I can do figures. I worked in Master's Eight Treasure Boutique," she smiled charmingly and almost hopped back to her place.

Excellent! Someone for the shop... Master is so thoughtful!

Cui Xi had been spending her days in the shop, doing makeup for weddings and banquets, attending client consultations and visits, dancing at the pleasure house, visiting the palace, and then mixing all night long for weeks...in fact, she was completely exhausted and Xiao Yu had scolded her for falling asleep in the mixing room only yesterday.