Early the next morning.
The rain had passed, and dawn broke in a faint glow.
Inside the West Wing.
Jiang Yuechu slowly opened her eyes.
After a night of regulating her breath, the surging qi within her had fully stabilized.
She called for the two maids.
Soon,
a maid named Cuier came in carrying a copper basin, with Hongxiu following behind her, a rosewood tray in her hands.
"Is Your Excellency awake?"
Cuier set down the basin, deftly wrung out a cloth, and handed it over.
Jiang Yuechu took it and carelessly wiped her face, her gaze falling on the tray.
It was neither the high-waisted ruqun popular in Great Tang nor the fitted outfit she usually wore.
Instead, there was a Su Embroidery Moon-Glaze Brocade Shirt, paired with a Pleated Ruyi Moon Skirt.
The outfit was a pale, elegant lake blue, embroidered with several sprigs of plum blossoms that seemed to lean out from the fabric in silver thread.
It was pretty, all right.
But how in the world was she supposed to wear it?
Jiang Yuechu furrowed her brow. "Don't you have... something more practical?"
Pants would do, too.
The skirt had layer upon layer of fabric. If she got into a fight, wouldn't it tie her hands and feet?
Cuier looked troubled and answered cautiously, "Your Excellency, these are already the plainest clothes in the mansion."
"Our young miss prefers quiet pursuits to activity. She usually enjoys reading poetry and books, so the mansion... doesn't have any women's fitted training clothes."
As she spoke, the little maid stole a glance at Jiang Yuechu's expression.
"If Your Excellency doesn't like them, I can send someone to buy an outfit from a clothing shop. It's just that it's so early, the shops probably aren't open yet..."
Jiang Yuechu sighed.