Chapter 3: A New Home and a Roommate

Three days after the matter of delivering the tonic box. I found myself fully swept into the days of training to become a proper attendant palace maid.

Mama Tĩnh and several other mamas took turns teaching me all manner of rules and customs. How to change the incense in the hall so the smoke would spread evenly without growing too heavy, how to brew a cup of tea at just the right warmth to present to the Empress.

How to arrange the study exactly according to Her Majesty's preferred order. And how to keep careful, detailed records of every item Her Majesty used each day.

It sounded simple enough to hear, and yet the moment I set something down in the wrong place, or left out a single line in my notes, I would have to start all over again from the beginning.

There was one day I brewed tea three times in a row and was still told it was a touch too strong. By the time I finally managed a cup that met approval, my arms ached from the effort. I thought to myself, I never imagined being a palace maid required such painstaking effort.

That afternoon, after finishing wiping down the writing desk, Xuân Đào put away her cloth while muttering to herself.

"In a few days Her Majesty the Empress will be going to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers. We'll have to start preparing again."

Thanh Trúc, standing beside her, let out a long sigh, looking visibly worn out.

"I hear the guard unit will be adding more men on watch too."

Before I could even ask more, Tiểu Thuận Tử, a young eunuch often sent running about the palace on errands, came rushing in from outside, his voice urgent.

"Everyone. Don't go by the west path this afternoon."

Xuân Đào's head shot up, and she asked curiously why. Tiểu Thuận Tử braced his hands on his knees, panting hard as if he had just run a long distance.

"The guard unit is changing shifts. Walk through there and you're likely to get an earful."

Hearing this, I only smiled and nodded along, privately thinking it best to steer clear. After all, palace maids like us had no business getting mixed up with the affairs of another unit.

The group of girls gathered to chatter a bit more about the upcoming flower viewing before finally scattering to their own tasks.

By the time the day's work was done and the other maids had taken their leave one by one, I suddenly remembered something important, that I still had no idea where I was supposed to sleep.

I hurried after Mama Tĩnh and asked softly, scratching my head.

"Mama, I still don't know where my quarters are. Could you help me?"

Mama Tĩnh paused for a moment, looked at me, then laughed and nodded.

"I nearly forgot. Follow me."

The two of us left the main hall and walked along the eastern corridor, crossing a small courtyard filled with jasmine in bloom, its fragrance rich in the air, the surroundings noticeably cooler than the main hall had been.

Mama Tĩnh explained as we walked, her tone calm and even.

"The attendant maids who serve Her Majesty directly don't stay with the cleaning maids. You'll be in the quarters behind the Palace of Eternal Spring. That way, if Her Majesty needs something at night, it's easier to call for you."

After walking a short distance further, she stopped in front of a row of small but very clean rooms, the tiled roofs shaded by trees, the windows left slightly ajar to let in a bit of the late afternoon light. She pointed.

"Here. Your room is at the end of the row. You'll be sharing with one other person."

She then pushed the door open gently. Inside, a girl sat by the window, absorbed in embroidering a handkerchief. At the sound, she quickly stood and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Mama."

Mama Tĩnh made the introduction.

"This is An Ninh. She came to the Palace of Eternal Spring a year before you. The two of you will share a room from now on."

An Ninh smiled very gently, her warm eyes looking at me.

"Hello. I've heard Xuân Đào mention you. Your things have already been brought over."

She pointed toward the bed beside the window, where a small wooden trunk and a few sets of my clothes sat neatly arranged, clearly someone had already carried them over in advance.

I looked around the small, cozy room, and a strange warmth welled up inside me, as though I had finally found a corner of my own truly belonging to me within this vast, forbidden place.

Mama Tĩnh looked at the two of us, her voice softening considerably compared to her sternness earlier in the day.

"The Palace of Eternal Spring doesn't have many harsh rules. But there is one thing you must remember. Don't stir up trouble, don't meddle in the affairs of other palaces, and do your own work well. Her Majesty will not treat you unkindly."

Having said her piece, she turned and left, leaving just the two of us girls alone in the room.

The last light of day slanted through the window, bathing the small room in a warm golden hue, and it seemed to settle my heart as well.

An Ninh walked over to the small table, poured a cup of hot tea, and set it before me, her movements gentle and thoughtful.

I sat down, and unable to hold back my curiosity, I asked right away.

"An Ninh, how long have you been serving the Empress here, and what about your family?"

An Ninh smiled softly, a smile touched with a faint trace of wistfulness. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her gaze dimming slightly before she answered.

"I entered the palace at fourteen. It's been three years now. Her Majesty is very kind hearted, as long as you work carefully, you won't suffer any injustice."

When it came to her family, she gently smoothed the half finished embroidered handkerchief in her hands, her voice slowing.

"My parents are both still living. My family is outside the city. Each year... only on the days we're permitted to leave the palace, or when someone brings a letter in, do I learn how things are at home."

She paused for a moment, then continued with a wistful smile.

"Everyone who enters the palace misses home. It's only a matter of how much."

Hearing those words, my heart sank for a moment, but I quickly gathered myself again, thinking that since I still had the chance to leave the palace someday, there was no need to feel so sorrowful.

I took hold of An Ninh's hand and smiled brightly to reassure her.

"I'm sure you'll get to go home for a nice visit soon enough. Besides, now that you have me sharing your room, you'll be far less lonely. I promise I won't let you sit around with too much time to think."

An Ninh laughed aloud, her eyes brightening at once, and she nodded in reply.

The two of us sat there talking until night had fully fallen. From the rules of the palace to the small, ordinary matters of daily life.

The sound of our laughter and chatter filled the little room, chasing away every last worry of a girl who had only just set foot, still unsteady, into this strange and forbidden place.