Daylight struggled through the thick fog, pouring in from the port side to let people know that early morning had arrived.
In the corridor, a group of maids lowered their heads and cast their eyes down, walking in single file without making the slightest sound until they reached the dwelling of Cold Smoke Lady.
Two people stood there: the head housekeeper and the guest's servant named Xusheng, making the passageway look much narrower. Through the thick wooden boards of the cabin, some strange sounds filtered through to a degree, yet both of them acted as though they heard nothing. The head housekeeper half-squinted her eyes with her lips moving slightly, presumably reciting scriptures to ward off misfortune, while Xusheng looked like he was closing his eyes to rest his mind, standing like a dead wooden stake without the slightest sign of life.
The leading maid bowed to the two of them and uttered a greeting of "Housekeeper."
Seeing them approach, the head housekeeper opened her eyes, sighed for some reason, listened intently for a moment longer, motioned for the group to enter, and further exhorted, "Qingnang, the mistress is in her period of weakness, so you must all serve her well. Of course, do not neglect the distinguished guest either."
Qingnang gave a low murmur of assent and pushed the door open first. When the door swung wide open, the previously blurred and intermittent sounds instantly became clear, scarcely leaving any room for blockage, and right away several people blushed. Fortunately, all the maids had undergone specialized training by the brothel. Although they had no prior experience on this ship, going about their work did not cause the slightest bit of disorder.
Especially Qingnang, who had spent many years working on a courtesan's painted boat and deeply understood matters of