Chapter 24: Daily Life

Chapter 24: Daily Life

The concubines had the duty to serve the emperor. The last time, Fan Xueyao had fallen asleep from exhaustion and the emperor hadn't called for her. This time, since she was awake, she couldn't stay in bed any longer and got up to help Chu Nan wash and dress.

Chu Nan waved his hand, stopping her. "It's still early. You should go back to sleep. Let the palace attendants take care of me." Last night had been no less intense than their first time. She had even needed assistance to bathe, so why make her get up when there were attendants available?

Fan Xueyao was indeed tired, and she wasn't one to show servility. Why insist on serving him when the emperor himself had given her permission to rest? So, she took the opportunity to continue sleeping.

The commotion inside the room alerted the attendants waiting outside, who immediately brought in the toiletries. A group of palace maids entered with copper basins, pots, mouthwash bowls, towels, fragrant ointments, soap, tooth powder, and toothbrushes. They moved in an orderly manner, serving Chu Nan silently and efficiently, showing their excellent training.

Despite their quiet movements, Yao'niang found it noisy. She listened to the thoughts of everyone, including Chu Nan, as if they were a storm of chaos. The noise gave her a headache, but she couldn't stop listening. She had to sift through the cacophony to find useful information, pretending to be asleep.

As she pretended, the emperor finished his ablutions, and most of the attendants left, leaving the bedroom much quieter. Fan Xueyao remained with her eyes closed and eventually fell asleep again.

When she woke up, it was already half an hour later. Chu Nan had granted her another fragrant bath, this time with the more expensive Seven-Aroma Bath. Last time, without preparation, she had worn the same clothes back after bathing. Although she changed into clean ones upon returning to her own quarters, it still seemed like a lapse in service. This time, the attendants from Hongning Palace went to Spreading Fragrance Hall early in the morning to fetch a new set of clothes for her, ensuring she didn't have to wear the same dirty clothes again.

Seeing their calm demeanor, it seemed like a routine task. Some people might boast about accomplishing such minor tasks, but these attendants performed their duties flawlessly and remained composed. Their indifference to praise or criticism impressed Fan Xueyao greatly.

Indeed, they were close attendants of the emperor, not only attentive and considerate but also possessed a dignity that surpassed ordinary maids. Her own attendants had much to learn from them.

After fulfilling his obligations, Chu Nan could now choose his concubines freely. He alternated between those he had already favored and occasionally called upon new ones. Every few days, he would summon Fan Xueyao.

Over the next two to three months, the situation in the palace settled. It became clear that among the new concubines, although Zhaoyi Changsun and Zhaoyi Wei had high initial ranks, Fan Xueyao received the most favor.

Previously, Wan Zhaoyi and Jie Yu Yu had the most frequent visits, but now it was Fan Xueyao who was summoned the most. Out of ten times a month, seven or eight were for her. Half of the emperor's attention was on her.

Fan Xueyao gained favor quietly. Apart from occasional visits to the empress's quarters, she stayed in Spreading Fragrance Hall, never showing off her status. People outside were curious about her, but little news came out of Spreading Fragrance Hall, leaving many wondering whether she was simply modest or hiding due to fear.

Regardless of the outside world, Fan Xueyao lived her life leisurely. Recently, she had become passionate about embroidery, spending hours each day sewing intricate patterns. Now, everyone could see that she was favored by the emperor, and even if they didn't fawn over her, they wouldn't dare offend her. For example, when she asked Su'e and Zhuzhu to fetch embroidery supplies from the Shang Gong Bureau, they promptly delivered everything she needed—fabric, thread, needles, hoops, frames, scissors, and charcoal pencils. They even included several beautifully designed patterns.

Currently, she was working on a cushion cover made of dark blue satin, with a pattern of flowers and birds she had drawn herself. The design featured magnolias, crabapples, peonies, camellias, lingzhi mushrooms, bamboo, daylilies, cranes, pheasants, sparrows, and magpies.

Huaping held the handkerchief she had embroidered earlier, admiring it repeatedly. On the ivory-colored silk, a gnarled grapevine curled around, with a squirrel leaping on it, seemingly reaching for ripe grapes. The lively posture and bright eyes captured the squirrel's alertness and eagerness perfectly.

Huaping marveled, "Such exquisite embroidery! It's a shame to use it merely as a handkerchief. Beauty, shall I frame it and hang it on the wall?"

Fan Xueyao sat on her embroidery stool, focused on her work. Hearing this, she straightened up, smiling warmly. Her eyes were clear like crystal, her pupils beautiful like black pearls.

"An embroidered handkerchief can't be framed; it would be laughed at. It's just a piece of embroidery. If you like it, keep it."

"Beauty, you're really giving it to me?" Huaping's cheeks flushed with joy, clearly delighted.

Fan Xueyao turned back, her smile deepening. "Look how excited you are. Anyone seeing this would think I'm being stingy. Just a handkerchief, and you're this happy."

"This is your embroidery, and it's so skillful that even the officials in charge of embroidery feel ashamed. How could I not be thrilled? I won't use it to wipe my face. I want to frame it and admire it every day," Huaping said happily, carefully folding the handkerchief.

Fan Xueyao shook her head, not wanting to argue further, and returned to her embroidery. She planned to create a set of embroidered cushions, starting with the cushion cover. She also wanted to make pillows and backrests to replace the hard armrests.

As the mistress worked tirelessly, her attendants couldn't idle either. While Fan Xueyao focused on the large embroidery, they handled smaller tasks like hemming. The palace provided clothing and accessories, but if one wasn't favored, the quality might suffer. However, with Fan Xueyao's status, they always ensured she received the best.

The palace styles were repetitive, lacking novelty. Fan Xueyao preferred simpler designs, especially for summer. She drew new patterns, making small changes to the collars, hems, and cuffs, creating a more delicate and elegant look.

She designed simple dresses like white gauze skirts with embroidered edges, plain white silk skirts, and light chiffon skirts. Sewing these was straightforward, so she assigned the task to Su'e and Qiaoqiao. Huaping and Zhuzhu were skilled at embroidery, so she gave them the collars and sleeves to work on.

While sewing, Fan Xueyao occasionally glanced at the four main attendants. Zhuzhu was quiet, sitting on a small stool and focusing on her embroidery. Unlike Su'e and Qiaoqiao, who chatted while sewing, Zhuzhu rarely spoke but did her job meticulously.

Her study was always well-organized, with calligraphy papers neatly bound and paintings stored properly. She was reliable, impressing Fan Xueyao with her efficiency.

Huaping was capable and diligent, handling tasks smoothly and respectfully. She never used her position to bully others. Fan Xueyao began to rely on her more, entrusting her with important matters. Huaping managed everything well without overstepping her boundaries.

After observing for some time, Fan Xueyao confirmed Huaping's reliability and promoted her to her chief attendant.

After sewing for a while, Fan Xueyao felt her waist and abdomen becoming hot and stiff. She put down her needle and walked around, stretching. The attendants quickly followed, ready to serve her. Huaping lifted the teacup lid, finding it cold. She was about to replace it with a warm cup, but Fan Xueyao stopped her.

"Beauty, cold tea is bad for your stomach. Let me bring you a warm cup," Huaping advised.

"No need. This will do. It's getting hot, and warm tea is too much," Fan Xueyao said. It was early summer, and she didn't want to drink scalding tea. She took the cup and sipped the lukewarm tea, letting it warm in her mouth before swallowing.

After finishing the cup, she felt refreshed and the heat subsided. She raised her sleeve, revealing her fair wrist, and gently fanned herself.

"The weather is getting hotter. Even sitting still makes you sweat. When will the palace start providing ice for cooling?" Despite the coolness of ancient buildings, summer temperatures could be quite high without fans or air conditioning.