22 Washing ones hands with a Gold Basin (1/2)
”Madam, are you awake yet?” The voice of a young maidservant asked shyly.
The girl was just outside the door, carrying a golden basin filled with water. She had a painfully shy expression on her face. As if she did not know what she should do. Coupled in the maidservant's dress, she looked precisely like a new worker on her first day of work.
Since Feng Yun had left, no one really knew how to take care of Madam Lin, and there were no other maidservants who had any experience in doing it, all the servants had no idea what to do. Thus, this girl was chosen to serve Madam Lin when she awoke.
”Uh…” Madam Lin slightly moaned as she groggily tightened herself in her thick quilt. ”I'm up.” She said as she rubbed her eyelids.
”I'll be coming in madam.” The girl said as she pushed open the doors, to see the figure of Madam Lin, wrapped in the thick blankets, just like a cocooned silkworm.
She had no choice but to set the basin to the side and wait until Madam Lin fully woke up.
”You're Ru An, am I right?” Madam Lin, who was in the bed suddenly spoke. Her eyes were cleared as she looked upon the girl's features.
”Madam is right, this servant is Ru An.” The girl said in a gentle voice, her head bowed slightly. She was quite surprised that Madam actually remembered her name. She was only one of many servants within the manor. She was sure there were even some servants who didn't know her, yet madam knew her name.
”Help me get ready.” Madam Lin said as she pushed the heavy quilts off her body, and sat upon the bed.
”Yes.” The girl bowed as she brought the golden basin to the table next to Madam Lin. After dipping a towel into it, she wrung the water from it in an awkward manner.
As Madam Lin watched Ru An's actions, a hint of playfulness flashed in her eyes.
”Are you expecting me to wash my hands in the golden basin?” She asked Ru An, who was trying to predict if Madam Lin would say if the towel was too wet or too dry. But what she heard was unexpected.
Ru An looked at the golden basin, as thoughts swirled endlessly in her mind.
How could she have been so, to actually pick the golden basin for madam? There was the copper basin, the wooden basin, the jade basin. Out of everything, she actually picked gold.
How could she have forgotten that the golden basin was used as a symbolic way of people of the jianghu to retire and live a secluded life, away from all worldly matters. Washing their hands clean of everything they've done in their old way of life and starting anew.