Chapter 17: The Summoning

Chapter 17: The Summoning

The palace maids had just settled their luggage and assigned their sleeping quarters when Fan Xueyao's dowry arrived. All the newly appointed concubines were allowed to bring their dowries into the palace, though the number of boxes was limited. Although the imperial court provided for all their needs, the quality of these provisions ultimately depended on whether they were favored and how wealthy they were.

Money can indeed make the devil work.

Li Rong, fearing her daughter would lack funds in the palace, had converted family assets to provide a substantial dowry. Because carrying too much cash would be cumbersome and invite ridicule, she exchanged it for silver ingots. Four ingots weighing fifty taels each, ten weighing twenty-five taels each, and sixty weighing six taels each were cast.

In addition to these eight hundred and ten taels of silver, there was also a box containing two hundred taels of smaller silver pieces, ranging from five to one tael.

There was also a package of copper coins, amounting to several thousand. These smaller denominations were intended for tipping palace staff and other immediate expenses.

In those times, three taels of silver could sustain a family of three for an entire year.

When her half-sister Fan Zijing married, her dowry amounted to only one thousand copper coins. This was already generous, given that Li Rong considered her husband's limited offspring and her affection for her only daughter. Other nieces received even less—fifty or sixty thousand copper coins at most.

At home, Li Rong had personally shown Fan Xueyao the contents of her dowry, so she knew exactly what she had. Therefore, she simply called Guo Huaping to inventory and store everything in the storeroom, documenting every item meticulously.

One of the rooms in the western wing of the main hall was designated as the storeroom, while the other was set up as a resting area for the serving maids.

Fan Xueyao led Guo Huaping in cataloging her dowry and all the utensils needed for the Spreading Fragrance Hall. Huaping could read some characters, and whenever she encountered unfamiliar ones, she did not hesitate to ask. Fan Xueyao was always willing to teach her.

After half a day, they finally finished cataloging everything. Items not immediately needed were stored away, while jewelry, clothing, books, and stationery were organized by the maids Qiaoqiao, Zhuzhu, and Su'e. This clear division of responsibilities made it easier to track any discrepancies later.

As Du Qiaoqiao sorted through the jewelry boxes, Fan Xueyao watched. Her mother had commissioned many pieces, including eight matching sets and various individual items. There were gold and silver pieces, but solid gold sets were beyond their means. Despite earning some money, Fan Xueyao preferred to keep it outside the palace for future use.

While she couldn't afford a complete solid gold set, she could manage a few gold hairpins and combs. There were also several silver pieces with gold plating, a pearl set, a gemstone set, and even a decent jade set. She particularly loved a pair of jade earrings with red tourmaline.

The jade was a vibrant green, and the red tourmaline was a delicate shade between deep red and pink, making them exceptionally charming. The jade hoops were adorned with gold threads and red tourmaline, swaying gracefully with every step.

Du Qiaoqiao, trained under her aunt, had rarely seen such exquisite jewelry. Li Rong had hired skilled craftsmen, and some designs were drawn by Fan Xueyao herself. Each piece was a masterpiece, and Du Qiaoqiao couldn't help but admire them.

Once everything was stored, Xiaohong and Xiaojin brought copper basins and towels. Su'e helped Fan Xueyao wash her face and change clothes, while Zhuzhu, the most relaxed, offered her a cup of hot tea. They finally settled down.

"Beauty, it's almost time for lunch. Is there anything you don't eat? I'll inform the kitchen," said Huaping, putting the key to the ledger box in her sleeve.

Fan Xueyao nodded; she was indeed hungry. She had only eaten two fruit cakes that morning and hadn't had anything since. "I have no dietary restrictions except for two things: pepper and ginger must be removed after seasoning. Also, I don't like raw food, such as crab or fish sashimi. Please inform the kitchen accordingly."

"Yes, I'll go right away," Huaping smiled and left. Su'e, Qiaoqiao, and Zhuzhu exchanged glances and smiled.

The kitchen responsible for the emperor, empress, and all the concubines' meals was known as the Imperial Kitchen. There was also a smaller kitchen within each palace courtyard for simpler dishes. In winter, food from the Imperial Kitchen often arrived cold, so the smaller kitchens were used to reheat it.

Usually, concubines preferred food from the Imperial Kitchen because the smaller kitchens were run by inexperienced maids. Thus, the smaller kitchens were mostly idle, preparing only snacks and refreshments. Occasionally, they cooked for guests or favored maids.

Since Fan Xueyao was new, she naturally relied on the Imperial Kitchen for her meals.

Huaping took three maids with her and returned quickly with food boxes. Qiaoqiao, Su'e, and Zhuzhu hurried to receive them and dismissed the maids.

Huaping asked, "Beauty, where should we place the table?"

Fan Xueyao, sitting on the couch in the well-lit room, pointed ahead. "Here."

Huaping agreed and quickly set up the table.

She had already confirmed today's menu, naming each dish as she placed it. Once done, she and the others stepped back to await further instructions.

Fan Xueyao sat up and saw three bowls, two rows, and a fruit platter. The three bowls contained quail soup, lamb tongue rolls, and wild boar ham from Yunmeng.

The two rows included carved golden spices, licorice flowers, and osmanthus flowers.

The carved honey candies were made from carved ginger and bamboo shoots.

The fruit platter had cherries, lychees, persimmons, loquats, dates, and pheasant.

Quail soup was made from quails, lamb tongue rolls were made from minced lamb tongues wrapped in egg rolls, and the wild boar ham came from two-year-old wild boars from Yunmeng, known for their unique flavor.

The carved honey candies were beautifully crafted but more decorative than edible. Fan Xueyao didn't eat ginger, so she focused on the wild boar ham. The other dishes were mainly for show.

She started with the wild boar ham, followed by the lamb tongue rolls and quail soup. She then ate some cherries and lychees before setting down her chopsticks. "Clear the table."

The remaining food was divided among the servants. Palace maids usually ate simple fare prepared by ordinary maids, so leftovers were a treat. To avoid frequent bathroom visits, they drank little water. Fish was avoided due to its smell, which could offend the mistress. Thus, they ate sparingly, ensuring they were full enough.

After eating, Xiaojin and Xiaohong brought clean water for her to wash her hands and tea for her mouth.

Having just eaten, Fan Xueyao didn't rush to rest. Instead, she walked around the Spreading Fragrance Hall, admiring its scenery. After about half an hour, she returned to her chambers for a brief nap.

Upon waking, two attendants led a group of maids to convey the emperor's summons for her to serve him. They also informed her of the etiquette required during such occasions.

This was expected, given that Fan Xueyao was the most beautiful among the new concubines. However, it was surprising, considering there were higher-ranked concubines like Changsun Zhaoyi, Wei Zhaoyi, Zhang Jieyu, Jiang Jieyu, and Shen Jieyu. Their beauty and noble backgrounds made them equally suitable.

Thus, being the first to serve the emperor was somewhat unexpected.

However, it's not bad to be the first to serve in the bedchamber. With fifty consorts, it would take fifty nights just to go through them all, and there were already over a dozen concubines in the palace. It would take more than two months to get around to everyone. After all, the emperor is human too, and nightly revelry is just a beautiful dream. Passion and novelty fade with time, and the first meal is always the most delicious, while subsequent ones become increasingly bland.

Therefore, those who serve earlier have an advantage. The later it gets, the more one tires of rich fare, let alone simple porridge and side dishes.

As dusk approached, the Spreading Fragrance Hall was bustling with activity. Xiaojin and Xiaohong helped Fan Xueyao bathe and freshen up, then used several dry towels to carefully wring out her thick, black hair. They applied just the right amount of pressure—enough to dry her hair without causing any pain to her scalp.