Once again she found Ming Jai Lin alone in the garden with a pile of work in front of her. Annchi sighed and shook her head. How was this girl going to survive the inner workings of the court without being trampled?
“Let me guess; Moa Moa had something suddenly come up and needed your help to finish her tasks.”
“She just went to get us food. I’m sure she will be back any moment. “ Ming Jai Lin explained with a fragile smile. Annchi could tell the older girl didn’t believe what she was saying either. She sighed.
“Give me the simple mending. My stitchwork might not be as beautiful, but it’s passable. If we hurry we’ll be able to finish with enough time to get food. Lady Mei Lan said we need to eat before meeting her for practice.”
“Here, these are for the lower maids. I can take some of the items to the courtyard tonight and finish. I need to finish the handkerchief before this evening because there will be a moon viewing.”
“Was the task assigned to you?” Annchi demanded knowing that Lin Moa Moa was placed in the decoration bureau, because of her skilled needlework.
“No, Moa Moa was assigned to do the finishings. She complained all afternoon that she wouldn’t be able to finish the handkerchief because the work on the gown was taking her so long. I offered to help, but then she disappeared.” Jai Lin confessed on verge of tears.
“Is that the handkerchief? Finish that so our Lady won’t lose face the rest of this is going back into Lin Moa Moa’s pile. If she complains about it send her to me.” Annchi started to bundle all the work together. If Jai Lin wouldn’t say no to that spoiled brat she would.
“Annchi you know she’s going to go straight to the Madam Chin. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“Leave this to me! Besides we have practice with Lady Mei Lan. Would you like for me to inform our Lady you can’t come because you needed to finish a task not assigned to you?” Annchi saw the older girl wilt in defeat. There was no way to finish all the work and keep practicing with her mistress. She grabbed the bundle.
“Fine just this then we can eat. Can you grab food while I finish?”
“Yes and we can eat on the way to Lady Mei Lan’s.” Annchi grinned already forming a plan in her mind. She was going to teach Lin Moa Moa not to saddle others with her work. She scurried back to their room and tucked the bundle of laundry into the other girl's blankets; sure she would see them when she was gathering her clothing to bath. Next, she tracked down one of the older girls in charge of heating the baths to inform her that she wouldn’t be in the storeroom if she needed burn balm.
“That’s okay I might have enough to take care of my leg tonight.” Xi Kai was a sweet, but clumsy girl. Annchi would feel guilty, but no one would think of doubting the girl.
“The burn will still heal even if you forget to treat it for a day, but the stiffness will make it difficult for you to work tomorrow. There is always a maid that ends work really early. Send her to get the medicine from me. I’ll be in the viewing area where Lady Mei Lin takes her tea.” The other girl nodded assuming Annchi was assigned cleaning again. She was often sent to different areas since the plants needed for the workshop were spread out throughout the Jade Pavilion.
“Thank you I’ll make sure to send her. I won’t tell her it was your idea, because she hates being sent for stuff. I‘ll take the blame.” At her word, Annchi shook her heed internally. Xi Kai was too sweet and naive to last long. She hope the girl would fade to the background in a few years. Lady Mei Lan was good at keeping her people safe. That was the only reason Annchi could think of for Xi Kai lasting this long. Annchi nodded at the girl and left to fetch Ming Jai Lin.
By the time she had the food and returned the girl was already finished with the handkerchief. She could understand why Lin Moa Moa would pass her work to Jai Lin and take the credit. Jai Lin’s needlework was much better. While Moa Moa’s work was good it didn’t possess the same flow. In Jai Lin’s work, one could believe the design was really the motion breathing life into the image.
“Your work looks better when you're trying to finish an entire mountain of it.” Annchi praised.
“I put more into it since it’s for Lady Mei Lan. She treats us too well for us to not apply ourselves for her. I hope it goes well with the dress Lin Moa Moa is working on.” Jai Lin’s words sparked a worry in Annchi’s mind. Perhaps her scheme was not the only one afoot. Lin Moa Moa was placed with Madam Cho due to her skill. Yet ever since she was given the task to work on Lady Mei Lan’s gown for a party she’s been piling her work onto Jai Lin. No one had seen the gown, but all of the embellishments had been inspected. Each of them had been completed by Jai Lin, not Moa Moa. Yet the only people who knew this were Lin Moa Moa, Ming Jai Lin, and Annchi. Annchi needed to talk to Sister Ming Shu before the other girl’s trap sprung, but she had the unsettling feeling it was too late."
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