Jian Ruonan picked up a black Facekini. First, she removed the jeweled hairpins from her hair, then briskly pulled it on.
The size was right, and the openings were perfectly positioned. She could breathe freely, and nothing obstructed her vision.
Once she had it on, the emperor and the ministers stared at her, dumbfounded.
!!??
What the hell was that?!
So fucking scary!!
After putting hers on, Jian Ruonan offered the remaining Facekinis to them. "Come on, everyone, pick one. See which pattern you like."
Luckily, Zang Chun had made plenty. Any fewer, and there wouldn't have been enough to go around.
"This peony-and-green-leaf one would suit Minister Pei."
The peony-and-green-leaf pattern looked exactly like the big floral padded jackets worn in the northeast. Minister Pei was from there, so surely he would love it.
Yet Minister Pei of War ignored Jian Ruonan's kind offer.
Minister Pei: If the enemy doesn't move, neither do I. If the enemy moves, I still don't!
"Your Majesty, which one do you like?" Jian Ruonan asked.
[Oh, I nearly forgot. For something like this, the old emperor should get first pick. No wonder Minister Pei isn't moving. He understands rank and hierarchy.]
[A miscalculation, a miscalculation.]
Emperor Deyuan: "..."
Actually, it wasn't that much of a miscalculation. I don't want to pick one at all.
The ministers: "..."
We don't particularly want to pick one either.
The Black Tortoise System: [Xiaosi, the Fifth Miss made those herself. You must be dying to put one on!]
Dantai Mo: [...]
He wasn't.
Seeing everyone hesitate, Jian Ruonan gave them her sales pitch. "These are great. We're going outside later, and it's so cold out there. They'll keep you warm and stop branches and things from scratching your faces."
They were practically divine artifacts essential for stealing