A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

At 3:45 AM, the morning dew had not yet dried.

The maids hurried along, carrying copper basins of hot water and dressing utensils, moving about silently.

Linglong personally helped Li change into a simple lotus-green dress with intertwined floral patterns, with only a white jade hairpin in her hair, exuding a calm and serene demeanor.

The blue silk carriage was already waiting outside the second gate, with two guards and two old women standing quietly to the side. When the lady came out, everyone bowed in silence.

Inside the carriage, Linglong sat quietly beside her, only offering a gentle hand support when the train lost its balance.

Li closed her eyes to rest, slowly turning a string of sandalwood prayer beads in her hand, her brows showing the peace of having fulfilled her wish.

It's only April, not yet the season for flowers to bloom, but the fields on both sides of the official road are already covered with a layer of green. The sky is clear and bright, and for Linglong, who usually stays in the mansion, this scenery has a unique charm.

The wheels made a regular rumbling sound on the official road, and the carriage was quiet.

Looking out the window at the fields passing by, Li suddenly sighed softly.

"Now that An'er is growing up, we have to start arranging his marriage. I looked through the marriage proposals of a few girls the other day, and they are all quite outstanding."

She paused slightly, her tone carrying a hint of subtle criticism, "But I always feel that it's just a little bit lacking when it comes to our An-ge'er."

Linglong was serving the tea when she heard this, and a perfectly timed smile immediately bloomed on her face. She softly echoed her wife's words:

"What you say is true, Madam. How could an ordinary young lady be worthy of a talent like our young master?"

"I've heard that those truly scholarly and noble families value a young man's academic achievements when choosing a son-in-law. Our young master entered school at sixteen; a young man of such talent is the best in the entire capital. A good marriage naturally requires careful selection; it cannot be done casually."

Madam Li took the teacup, this time holding it steadily in her hands. She nodded slightly, "That's true. But the thought that he will only inherit the title of earl is ultimately unfair to him. If I don't handle the marriage carefully, I will never be at peace."

Linglong understood immediately that Li was not truly frustrated, but rather wanted reassurance.

She immediately replied, her voice gentle yet carrying a firm strength: "Madam is overthinking it. Our Marquis's family is a founding noble family with deep roots. How can we compare to ordinary nouveau riche families?"

With such a promising young master, becoming a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations) is just the beginning. In the future, he will become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations) or a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the metropolitan-level imperial examinations). That will be the real golden road to success.

By then, even a princess might be within reach, let alone others. Right now, he's merely a dragon hidden in the abyss, a perfect opportunity to observe carefully and find a truly virtuous and talented noblewoman who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the young master.

Although these words were flattering, they also made some sense. Li's tense expression relaxed.

She glanced at Linglong, a faint smile finally appearing on her lips, and took a satisfied sip of tea:

"You're so good with words."

"You and Amber practically grew up with Brother An. When the young mistress enters the mansion, you will go directly to serve her in her room. After she gives birth, you will be promoted to concubines. Once you two have a place to settle down, it won't be in vain that you served me."

Linglong lowered her head deeply, concealing all emotions in her eyes. Her voice was as gentle and melodious as ever, coupled with the shyness that should accompany these words:

"I understand your kindness, Madam. I will certainly do my duty and serve you, Madam, Young Master, and the future Young Mistress well."

After the results of the imperial examinations were announced, the eldest young master's marriage was arranged in earnest. Linglong paid close attention to it, as the young mistress's temperament would determine her future quality of life.

Linglong was completely unable to muster any resistance at this point. Since Madam Li had decided that she would be a concubine's maid, she had no right or reason to refuse.

After all, in everyone's impression, it was an honor and a favor from the master for a maid to be able to serve the young master. With such a status, a lot of maids in the mansion would be waiting in line to compete for her.

With the eldest son's wedding underway, Madam Li suddenly became very busy, attending spring banquets at one house and polo matches at another, and also taking time to invite people to host flower-viewing banquets.

Linglong has been extremely busy lately.

Despite Li's pride and her constant airs of being a noblewoman, the decline in their noble title still has a significant impact. With no connections in the court, it's impossible for them to ask for a daughter from a high-ranking noble family right now.

And so, with banquets one after another and invitations one after another, time flew by and it was already the end of summer.

The sun outside the window was still scorching. Li Shi leaned against the chaise lounge by the window, with two invitations and a nearly empty cup of hot tea spread out on the small table beside her.

Qiuyue stood quietly to the side, gently fanning herself, while Linglong tiptoed forward and replaced the cup with freshly brewed Junshan Silver Needle tea.

Amidst the fragrant tea, Madam Li rubbed her temples and said, "The other day, the Lady of Zhenbei Marquis came to visit, and from what she said, she seemed to really like our An'er."

She tapped one of the gold-painted invitations with her fingertip, "His second daughter, born of the main wife, is quite lively and has a pretty face."

Linglong followed up on the conversation and said gently, "The Zhenbei Marquis's family is of equal social standing to ours. If we could form a marriage alliance, it would be the icing on the cake and a wonderful thing to do."

Yes, Madam Li also preferred the second young lady of the Zhenbei Marquis's family, but she knew very well that the Marquis and the old lady were definitely more satisfied with the other one.

Li reached out and touched another invitation, from the eldest daughter of the Wang family of the Office of Transmission.

She wasn't unaware that Lord Wang had a good reputation and real power, but the fact that he was from a fourth-rank official family made her feel inferior, and it would be somewhat embarrassing to talk about it.

Just as she was pondering this, she heard footsteps outside. It was rare for the old lady to come to her courtyard today, and the Marquis was following behind her.

Madam Li hurriedly got up and handed over the two invitations, which the old lady took and examined carefully.

After a moment, the old lady slowly spoke, but her words were addressed to the Marquis:

"I heard that His Majesty summoned Wang Tongzheng for a private audience just the other day, indicating that he is a man favored by the Emperor. His family is of upright character, and his eldest daughter is well-educated and sensible; she will surely be a virtuous and capable wife for An'ge'er in the future."

Li's heart skipped a beat, and the smile on her face faded. She couldn't help but softly retort, "But the Marquis of Zhenbei's family is a long-standing friend of ours, and we are of equal social standing. I also think that child is very good."

"Foolish!"

The Marquis's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

"Precisely because they are family friends, they know each other well. How much influence do they still have in the Ministry of War? A marriage alliance is not only to strengthen the ties between two families, but also to find a powerful ally! There's no need to discuss this further; I think the Wang family is a good fit."

All of Li's words were cut off, and a feeling of frustration welled up in her chest.

She looked at the Wang family's invitation that the Marquis had picked up and placed on top, and then glanced at the Zhenbei Marquis's invitation, which was neglected to the side and represented "respectability" in her heart. She felt extremely annoyed.

Ah well, although a fourth-rank official position is not high, Lord Wang holds an important position. With such a supportive family in his wife's family, An'er's future will surely be even brighter.

The three were talking inside the room. Bing withdrew from the room, but Linglong still vaguely heard some of it. After looking at Li Shi's expression, Linglong roughly understood what was going on.

It seems they've chosen the eldest daughter of the Wang family, the Director of the Court of State Affairs. Linglong thought to herself, "That's good."

The new mistress comes from an ordinary family and is certainly no match for the madam when she first enters the household. Therefore, the maids chosen by the madam should not be subjected to any abuse to establish her authority.

As for whether Lord Wang's official rank will rise higher and higher in the future, Linglong never worries about the future.