Chapter 21: Daily Life

Chapter 21: Daily Life

Fan Xueyao did not rush to pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she glanced at the young palace maid and smiled slightly, saying, "Please convey my thanks to Ma Sishan. She has been thoughtful."

This stonehead fish is actually a yellow croaker. In the twenty-first century, it was not considered a delicacy and was affordable for most households. However, in this era, it was a luxury enjoyed only by the wealthy outside of riverbank areas. The taste was indeed delicious. Whether it was due to the water quality or the cooking method, the fish was exceptionally fresh.

Although it was something she used to eat until she was sick of it, now she could enjoy it thanks to the emperor's favor. It was clear that because she had just served the emperor last night, he immediately bestowed rewards upon her, indicating his fondness for her. Regardless of how long this favor would last, she had earned it.

However, the speed at which news spread within the palace was remarkable. It had only been a few hours since the emperor bestowed gifts on her, yet even the Sishan kitchen knew about it. Ma Sishan eagerly sent over a special dish for her.

Fan Xueyao thought about it but only ate the belly part of the fish and did not touch the rest. Yellow croakers have many bones, and without being fried to soften the small bones, they were inconvenient to eat when steamed. Spitting out the bones was somewhat ungraceful. However, since this dish was specially prepared for her by the Sishan kitchen, sending it back barely touched would be disrespectful. Moreover, this was a rare delicacy she usually couldn't enjoy, and returning it would mean wasting it. It would be better if her own people in the palace could eat it.

She pushed the silver platter with the stonehead fish towards the attendant and said, "Take this fish away. You can eat it later. Even if there's a fishy smell, it doesn't matter. Just rinse your mouth with tea and chew some tea leaves afterward."

Huaping and the others immediately thanked her. They hadn't tasted fish for years, as they avoided any food that might leave an odor. However, Fan Xueyao's kindness allowed them to indulge without worry. This was a stonehead fish, not included in her personal rations, and they were delighted.

They happily carried the fish to the inner kitchen, instructing the young palace maid to keep it warm, planning to share it after serving Fan Xueyao.

After finishing her meal, Fan Xueyao dismissed the attendants to eat their own meals while she took a walk around the courtyard. The attendants hurriedly ate until they were nearly full, then carefully washed and refreshed themselves before returning to serve her.

After practicing in the east wing, Fan Xueyao called for hot water to bathe. Her habit was to bathe daily and wash her hair every other day. Sometimes, using hair oil made her feel greasy, even if her scalp wasn't itchy. She would sometimes wash her hair daily. However, in this era, people were either too poor or too busy, and without hairdryers, they rarely washed their hair. Women especially found it troublesome to dry their long hair, leading to headaches if left damp. Thus, they washed their hair infrequently.

In the Fan family, her cousins often criticized her for being overly particular about bathing and washing her hair.

Before bathing, Fan Xueyao remembered something and called Xiaohong over. "Go ask Huaping to open the black lacquer box with the painting of Chang'e flying to the moon. Inside are several porcelain bottles; bring me the white one."

The box was in the cabinet. Xiaohong told Huaping, who immediately fetched the key, opened the cabinet, and retrieved the box. The box had three layers, with sixteen small square compartments on the top two rows and a long compartment below, containing six identical small porcelain bottles—two white, two celadon, and two blue.

Huaping took one of the white porcelain bottles, closed the box, locked it, and returned it to the cabinet, then handed the bottle to Xiaohong.

"Is this the one, Beauty?" Xiaohong returned, presenting the white porcelain bottle with both hands.

"Yes, this is it," Fan Xueyao nodded, smiling as she took it. The small porcelain bottle fit perfectly in her hand, with her thumb touching her middle finger. Opening the bottle, a strong floral scent filled the air. Taking a deep breath, the fragrance of jasmine permeated her lungs.

"This is..." Xiaohong and Xiaojin were stunned, instinctively sniffing the air. The scent was so real, like actual jasmine flowers, unlike any perfumes or powders.

"It's essential oil," Fan Xueyao explained briefly, tilting the bottle to drop two drops into the bathwater.

A small bottle of essential oil was worth several dozen taels of silver. She cherished it, as she had cultivated flowers on her estate and hired farmers to tend them. Despite careful cultivation, the yield was minimal.

The distillation process in this era was rudimentary, and without greenhouse technology, flower production was far less than in modern times. Pest infestations further reduced the yield, making the oil precious. She used it sparingly, savoring its fragrance. A single drop sufficed to fill the room with scent.

"So fragrant, just like real jasmine flowers, no, even more fragrant," Xiaohong inhaled deeply, trying to absorb all the scent.

Of course, it was fragrant; otherwise, why spend so much on essential oil?

Fan Xueyao's eyes curved into a smile, beautiful beyond measure. While expensive, the benefits were significant. Otherwise, she could simply wear jasmine flowers for fragrance. Essential oil provided a stronger scent and remained aromatic year-round if stored properly. Unlike natural jasmine flowers, which bloomed for only a short period.

Moreover, essential oil lacked the severe side effects of incense pills. Incense pills were fragrant but contained ingredients unsuitable for prolonged use. Historical figures like Feiyan and Heduo suffered infertility from using scented pills. No matter how favored they were, without heirs, their favor was fleeting.

Fan Xueyao sought both imperial favor and children. She wanted her glory to extend beyond herself to her descendants, ensuring future emperors of Daliang descended from her lineage.

After bathing, Fan Xueyao applied a nourishing and whitening cream. Her flawless skin relied not only on milk baths but also on various skincare routines. This improved cream was crucial for maintaining her smooth and fair complexion.

Applying the cream required effort, ensuring even coverage and massaging it in. At home, Yanran and Lengxiang assisted her, but in the palace, four attendants took over this task.

Among the four attendants, she entrusted this duty to Huaping.

Following Fan Xueyao's instructions, Huaping washed her hands thoroughly with fragrant soap, then moisturized them, warming them before applying the cream.

Inside the brightly lit hall, screened off, Fan Xueyao undressed and lay on the couch. Huaping knelt beside her, carefully scooping a dollop of cream and applying it to her neck and back. Starting from the neck, she covered every inch of skin, gently massaging it in.

Her body, curvaceous and fair, glowed under the candlelight, resembling snow under the moon. The four attendants were mesmerized, their faces flushed and hearts racing, yet unable to look away. When a woman is too beautiful, even women of the same gender are captivated.

The process was both lengthy and comfortable, almost lulling Fan Xueyao to sleep. However, she had to turn over, facing the bright candles, preventing her from falling asleep.

Afterward, Fan Xueyao put on her silk nightgown and went to bed. The nightgown was spaghetti-strapped, reaching her calves, with a crescent-shaped hem. She also had a matching robe, which she wore when moving around the room, tying the belt to cover herself modestly.

When she changed into the nightgown, Huaping and the others were stunned, unsure whether to object or remain silent. Ultimately, fearing she might be punished for wearing such revealing clothing, they timidly reminded her it was inappropriate.

Fan Xueyao patiently reassured them, continuing to wear the nightgown. Their concern raised their standing in her heart.

While she intended to wear it regardless, their advice showed their loyalty. It was better than ignoring her, which would be sycophantic. Though honest words may be harsh, they come from a good place. Whether to heed them was her choice.

At night, Fan Xueyao kept only Huaping awake, dismissing Qiaoqiao, Zhuzhu, and Su'e to rest. Huaping laid a felt mat against the wall, sat cross-legged, and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. The uncomfortable position ensured she would wake easily at any sound.

If Fan Xueyao needed water or had to get up during the night, Huaping could immediately light a lamp and assist her.

She woke early, dismissed everyone, and practiced her exercises alone in the bedroom. After stretching and sweating, she called for assistance to wash and dress. Since she didn't need to go out, she opted for a simple hairstyle, letting Zhuzhu create a small piled cloud bun without a heavy false bun. She chose a butterfly-themed set of jewelry, including a gold hairpin with colored gems, a pearl-embellished green turquoise flower pin, and four small flower pins with pink tourmaline stamens. She put away the remaining accessories. These were genuine gold pieces, heavy and worn only on special occasions.

The pine-green lotus-patterned brocade jacket made her appear gentle and noble. The overall look was elegant and lively, making her feel comfortable and presentable.

After breakfast, Su'e massaged her shoulders and cautiously mentioned that the emperor had summoned Wei Zhaoyi, the niece of Empress Dowager Wei, the previous night. Fan Xueyao was unsurprised, having predicted the emperor would summon someone else after her. The likely candidates were Changsun Zhaoyi, Wei Zhaoyi, Jiang Jieyu, Shen Jieyu, and Zhang Jieyu. Whoever it was, she wasn't surprised.

She had never met Wei Zhaoyi closely, only seen her from afar. She seemed attractive, though her personality was unknown. Rumored to have the temperament of a noble lady, it was common among aristocratic women.

Reflecting quickly, Fan Xueyao smiled gently and spoke calmly, "You haven't left the palace since yesterday. Where did you hear this?"

Su'e spoke more cautiously, choosing her words carefully, "Chuntao and Hong Xiao mentioned it earlier, and Hong Xiao later told me."

"Oh?" Fan Xueyao was surprised and asked, "Chuntao serves in the front hall, right? How did she find out?"

"I don't know, Beauty. Should we call Chuntao to ask her directly?"