Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 284 Snow Cloud Silk

Consort Mei arrived late, dressed in a pomegranate-red silk palace gown with gold peacock patterns, and wearing a plum blossom crown made of gold, jade, and pearls. Several golden plum blossoms surrounded a large pearl in the center, attracting everyone's attention as soon as she entered the hall.

Consorts of lower rank, including Hua Yan and Consort Song, rose to pay their respects. Consort Mei paused briefly, glancing around at the hall's layout, her gaze lingering on the carpet. She then took an ivory-bone peony fan from Liuli and went straight to the front seat.

As they walked, a faint floral fragrance wafted over, and everyone noticed that a gold-inlaid, openwork incense ball was hanging from the handle of the round fan held by Consort Mei.

It seemed to be the scent of plum blossoms, possessing a cool and ethereal charm that, combined with Consort Mei's makeup, was truly pleasing to the eye.

Consort Song's seat was next to Consort Mei's. She managed to spare a few glances at Consort Mei's attire for the day. When she turned her head, she saw Consort Chun enter the main hall and was momentarily stunned.

In terms of appearance, Consort Meng is undoubtedly a beauty, but Consort Chun is also exceptionally outstanding today.

Consort Chun wore a light blue gauze robe with a moon-white silk skirt underneath. The gauze robe was embroidered with delicate bamboo leaf patterns in silver thread, which were faintly visible, as if she were wearing a bamboo forest on her body.

Not only that, Consort Chun held a bamboo-ribbed, green gauze fan in her hand, with an ink bamboo painting on the fan surface, which echoed her clothing and showed her elegant demeanor.

The material of the gauze dress is similar to that of the shimmering brocade, but there are also obvious differences.

Apart from Consort Mei, who remained seated, Hua Yan rose and bowed along with the others. Seeing everyone's reactions, a smile crept onto Hua Yan's lips. In her heart, she couldn't help but admire Madam Yun's thoughtfulness—Madam Yun truly sees a hundred steps ahead in a single step; there's something I can learn from her.

The gauze garment worn by Consort Chun was made by Manager Qi of Yongxiu Cloth Shop. It was based on the Fuguang Brocade and incorporated the weaving method of Danyang Yun Brocade. It was dyed with Lingnan yam and took more than three years to develop. It was finally completed before the new year and was personally named "Xueyun Gauze" by Lady Yun.

Having received the fabric from Manager Qi, Madam Yun had kept it until now, only sending it to the palace on the eve of the first banquet for the newly selected concubines. Now, with the new and old concubines together, Consort Chun, dressed in a gauze dress made of snow cloud brocade, naturally became the focus of attention.

Madam Yun was meticulous in her actions and naturally made several outfits for Hua Yan. However, Hua Yan did not wear them. It was not that she was ungrateful, but rather that Hua Yan intentionally wanted the Emperor's attention to be focused on Consort Chun in this scene.

Consort Mei also noticed this. Perhaps it is a woman's innate instinct to like fabrics and jewelry, and there was a hint of envy in Consort Mei's eyes.

"The gauze dress that Consort Chun is wearing is quite exquisite; I've never seen it before."

After Consort Chun sat down, she nodded slightly and made no further response.

Consort Mei looked displeased. When her eyes fell on Hua Yan, she said with a half-smile, "Consort Meng and Consort Chun are like sisters, yet you are still so plain. Now that Consort Meng is still favored, how come you are still like a maidservant by Consort Chun's side?"

Consort Chun placed the round fan on the table, about to speak. Hua Yan spoke with a hint of a smile: "Consort Mei's plum blossom crown is magnificent, but the Imperial Workshop has had many flaws recently, especially with pearls. Your Highness should be careful."

The expression on Yu Mama's face behind Consort Mei changed slightly, and a coldness suddenly rose in Consort Mei's eyes.

The head of the Imperial Kitchen directed the eunuchs to carry the ice chest, carved into the shape of a dragon boat, into the hall. Palace music began, and the Empress and the Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, walked side by side to the throne in the main hall.

Consort Chun and Consort Mei were the first to rise and lead the others in kneeling and bowing.

After everyone was seated, the Empress's fingertips traced the filigree gold peony on her phoenix robe. When she looked up, she saw the plum blossom crown on Consort Mei's hair, which shimmered with a dazzling halo under the lamplight. Then, she fixed her gaze on Consort Chun's gauze dress.

The Emperor's gaze first fell on Hua Yan, and he frowned upon seeing her attire. When his eyes fell on Consort Chun, his eyes brightened and a smile appeared on his face.

"Wan'er has put in a lot of effort, and the arrangements for the first banquet are very well done. Thank you for your hard work."

Consort Chun rose to thank the Emperor, and the Empress seized the opportunity to say, "Consort Chun's green bamboo gauze dress is extraordinary; it doesn't seem to be a common fabric in the palace."

"Your Majesty, this is Xueyun yarn, a new material recently developed by the embroidery workshop that was part of my dowry."

"Oh? The Floating Light Brocade was presented by the Tang family, but the newly produced Snow Cloud Gauze seems even more exquisite." The Emperor became interested and summoned Consort Chun to step forward.

Jingming, being quick-witted, beckoned several eunuchs to arrange Consort Chun's desk next to the Emperor's throne.

The Emperor lifted Consort Chun's wide sleeve, his fingertips gently tracing the texture of the gauze, his eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the candlelight.

“When I was young, I read in the ‘Records of Lost Tales’ that the mermaids of the South Sea wove silk from water. This snow cloud gauze is ‘as white as flowing wind and swirling snow, as light as clouds veiling the moon.’ It is not only three points better than mermaid gauze, but it also complements Wan’er’s makeup today.”

Consort Chun blushed and, following her mother's advice in the letter, replied softly, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. Snow Cloud Gauze is not made of silk, but it is cool and easy to obtain, and can be used by the common people. I have already ordered it to be sent to the palace, and I will discuss it with Your Majesty later."

The Emperor was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Consort Mei and the others were also quite shocked, and their gazes towards Consort Chun were somewhat ambiguous. Consort Chun's words were clearly intended to reveal the method of weaving Xueyun yarn to the public...

The water clock dripped from the corner of the palace until the hour of You (5-7 PM).

"Sound the applause—the rising star is to be presented!"

Jingming's chanting pierced through the carved lattice doors, and nine young ladies, led by Consort Rong and Consort Xie, filed in to the strains of the "Entering the Broken Gate" music.

"—Perform a kneeling salute."

Rong Meiren wore a light blue diamond-patterned silk robe and a gold filigree hairpin inlaid with rubies. When she performed the kneeling ceremony, the seven-jeweled glass bracelet on her wrist was extremely luxurious.

Consort Mei was still reeling from the shock brought by Consort Chun. At this moment, she paid no attention to the kneeling maiden. Consort Chun was of the same rank as her, but she was now sitting below the emperor's throne.

An indescribable feeling welled up in her heart. When she looked away, she noticed that Xia'er was standing behind Hua Yan, and she was taken aback.

In the past, Xia'er was just a little girl named Green Willow. When did she start to be valued by Consort Meng?

Green Willow was in the side hall at this moment, standing side by side with Aunt Mei, watching the palace servants coming and going. When Aunt Min Rong led her people in, Green Willow began to stare at her intentionally or unintentionally out of the corner of her eye.

This was what Hua Yan instructed last night, and Lü Liu did her best.

.......

Donggua busily prepared the banquet menu, which was divided into six parts: twelve meat dishes, eight vegetarian dishes, eight cold dishes, twelve desserts, ten fresh fruits, wine, tea, and so on.

The order of the meals was different, with "four kinds of dried fruit" and "four kinds of candied fruit" as a prelude. After the ladies-in-waiting were seated in the main hall, Donggua directed a group of palace servants to enter the main hall.