A/N Suggested look for Chen Li

Xinye's view

I got up with difficulty and glanced around the room, I apparently had overslept as no-one was around and Chen Li's bedding was all folded. I tried to stretch then, doing what moves I could remember from Tai Chi to get the blood flowing and muscles moving. When I had finished, I sat down on the chair again and waited, hunger gnawing at me.

I wonder if I can bath here in some way. I prefer showers but it is unlikely that they have showers here. I wonder if they would allow me that? I wonder how they will use me. There is nothing I can do at the moment, but I would like to help maintain this place at least. Those spiderwebs bother me. If I can train them to be outside...there's dust over most of this place too, the only places that are clean are Fang Xin's study and the sleeping area of Chen Li's.

I looked for a broom or anything that I recognised as a cleaning utensil and, to my disappointment, could not see one anywhere. Chen Li came in then with Ginger tea sweetened with honey and the days wine and water gourds. "Thank you," I bowed at him, "If I can help you let me know."

A confused look swept Chen Li's face, "I guess you are thanking me?" he mused.

I nodded.

"Why can't you speak?"

I nodded and said, "Not Chinese, only English."

I was left to my own devices the next week. In this time, my world was stuck between the chair I was sat on and the toilet. I was able to have an occasional bath in rice water after Chen Li. Chen Li was often busy only appearing to give me tea, as for the General he had left 2 days after my purchase with a "I am going, Chen Li will look after you." All I could do is nod.

I was not given permission to be anywhere else and it was my impression I was not allowed to do anything either. Thus, my inactivity. I could only entertain myself with watching the others or dreaming about what I would clean first and how to clean this room up, if I was allowed. I did not like the smell of incense which was burning, I thought that if the place was clean and vanilla and citronella candles were made there would be no need for the incense. I wonder if there is such a thing yet. If not, I wonder how hard it would be for someone to make them.

As I sat there, I would wait until my hunger pains got too much. I would then drink the wine and fall asleep again. I was ever so grateful I was a one-shot wonder in this time.

Chen Li would try talking with me but I could not respond unless it was a nod or shake of the head. At the end of the week Chen Li started feeding me basic rice in differing forms. I was thankful for the food, whatever it was.

Chen Li had gotten permission from the person she was serving for me to move around in the manor and on seeing its state I asked for cleaning gear. If I was going to be staying there, I needed it clean. Asking for the gear turned out to be a game of charades and let me tell you, trying to get what I wanted was very difficult as some of the things did not exist yet. Luckily, for me, there were things similar enough that I could still clean.

Somehow, I was given vinegar to drink so I used it in the cleaning water much to the horror of Chen Li, but upon seeing the finished product Chen Li brought me more for when I cleaned in future. I put it in one of the empty cupboards I found, along with the broom. I drew a picture of a mob and Chen Li got it made for me as she recognised it would help. She did not explain what it was for to the maker, so the maker thought it was some sort of prop for a play the eunuchs were performing.

It took a while but I finally got rid of all the cobwebs and dirt - I felt like a dirt ball myself, and as I now could access the well, I made myself a warm bath of water and bathed. My mouth by then was feeling like the bottom of a bird cage, so I pulled out one of the 5 toothbrushes I had hidden in my clothing, and cleaned my teeth with the water I had drawn, spitting the dirty water from my mouth into the toilet pit. The toothbrush, I sat in the sun while I had my bath, before returning it to the packet of 5. I did not like the idea but I felt I had to hide the 3 things I had bought with me.

I continued on to having my bath, washing myself with my hands.

To toilet, knowing they did not use paper in this time, I found a rough cloth that I used to wash myself when I went to the toilet and I would wash and dry it as I used it, pouring out the water onto the ground near the vegetable garden near our place, and replenishing the water ready for the next time. As I knew others were not so scrupulous with the cleaning of themselves, I hid the water and cloth bringing them out only when I needed the toilet.

The reason I poured it out next to the vegetables was that poo was nutrient rich, and water was a valuable resource to water the crops. I could not, however, bring myself to pour it on the plants like other people did, I watered the ground around them, but even so I was fanatical about washing the vegetables when they were harvested.

I still had nowhere to sleep except the floor near the chair I was first instructed to sleep on so I slept sitting up on the floor, occasionally I would like down but usually I was sitting leaning against the wall with the windows open. I was struggling with the heat there though as the only place with decent ventilation was up in the corner beside the General's study. There was nothing there but I had to ask the General for permission to move there, and he was still missing and I was starting to be concerned.

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