72 Chapter 13: Imperial Dr. Yen, Spring Garden Party Part Two (1/2)
Yen just to stand there from hearing the course of the events of the Garden Party from Hong. The woman attended last year's Spring Garden Party,
”Even though I was relieved there wouldn't be one this year,” Hong said with an affected sigh. There was nothing they could do there. It was beautiful to stand there. In the end, all a consort had to do from a guest's perspective was to accompany the emperor. Their maids would do the same. It was good to just view programs from military exercises to dance performances, and poetry recitals to erhu performances, eat served meals and turn around smiling at officials who greet them at appropriate times. In the outdoors with the freezing, drying winds. The garden was, well, pointlessly extensive as if it was proportionate to the emperor's power. It will require thirty minutes if you want to go out to wash your hands for a bit.
If the emperor, the guest of honor, decides to remain in his seat, the consorts would have no choice but to follow suit.
”You'll need bladders of steel.” Yen commented silently. Instead of going to the Garden Party that was at the beginning of Spring, she wondered what Winter would be like.
Therefore, Yen got underwear with many pockets so that she could fit hand warmers in them. Also, she made candy from boiling fruit juice, sugar, and finely shaved ginger and mandarin peel.
When she showed Hong the underwear and the candy, the woman requested her with teary eyes to make a share for everyone. While she was in the middle of making them, the leisurely eunuch came by and told her to make some for him too. His attendant looked like he wanted to say something, so she reluctantly made another one for him as well. Again, it seemed that Consort Gina told the emperor during his nightly visit, and the next day, the emperor's seamstress and the one in charge of his meals came by to learn how to make it.
Indeed, it was quite a penance.
Thanks to that, it wasn't until the Garden Party when she finished her side job. As it was last night when she was finally freed up from work, she decided to make medicine from the medicinal herbs she had on hand.
”You look beautiful, Gina-sama.” What Yao had said wasn't flattery. The consort, who emanated a foreign air, was wearing a red skirt and a light crimson outfit. The large sleeves she wore on top were the same red with golden embroidery. Her hair was tied up into two large rings, with two flowers kanzashi hairpins and a crown placed right on the center. The flower kanzashi was a long silver hairpin with a decorative red silk tassel and jade gem dangling at the end of it.
The reason these clothes have never been worn despite the showy design was because of Consort Gina.
The consort, with her fiery red hair, was said to be the person who was most suited for red. Also, her glittering jade colored eyes within her redness also harbored a mysterious air about her.