At the beginning of the rabbit hour, the sun had barely poked its head out when loud, urgent clacks of a bamboo clapper rang through the Rainbow Garment Courtyard.
Baozhu was deep in a muddled sleep when the piercing noise jolted her awake. Her roommate gave her a hard shove. "Get up!"
Mi Moyan had already washed and dressed. He tossed her a wooden comb and urged, "Hurry and comb your hair. No makeup needed. We only practice dancing in the morning, not perform."
Baozhu had no choice but to get up. With considerable effort, she gathered her tangled long hair and braided it. After having her hair repeatedly yanked as she was shoved around yesterday, her scalp still ached.
All the dancers in the Rainbow Garment Courtyard hurried through their washing and grooming. Within moments, they had assembled in the yard, standing in a dense mass as though an invisible whip were driving them.
Accompanied by four serving women, Zhao Shi stood beneath the veranda of the north building, holding a bamboo ruler two fingers wide and counting heads. The dancers held their tongues and scarcely breathed, plainly terrified of her. After counting, Zhao Shi frowned. "Where is Jade Ewer?"
Someone below answered, "Auntie, she stayed up late entertaining guests over wine yesterday and only returned before dawn. She's catching up on her sleep."
Zhao Shi sneered. "She thinks that now she's climbed onto the young master's lofty branch, she can become his concubine and escape this courtyard. Has she never considered whether Madam would look favorably on a lowborn household courtesan who dances for a living?"
None of them dared answer. Zhao Shi turned, lifted her chin, and asked Baozhu, "What's your name?"
Baozhu gave the name she had decided on yesterday. Zhao Shi frowned in distaste. "What