How deep are the courtyards? Cloud windows and misty pavilions are often locked, but willow tips and plum blossoms are gradually becoming distinct.

In this double spring intercalary second month, the drizzling rain continues incessantly, pattering onto the bluestone road.

Tanzhou, An City.

A detached residence, West Courtyard.

Mu He set down a basket of fresh flowers still carrying water vapor, went around the screen, and gently gathered the layers of light gauze.

The room was filled with high-quality incense, the smoke curling like clouds, and the watery red gauze curtains swayed slightly. An intricately carved rosewood canopy bed was placed in the very center of the room, taking up most of the space.

Deep inside the canopy bed, through the rouge-colored curtains embroidered with flying birds, one could faintly see a woman lying on the bed. Her eyelids were tightly closed, her expression serene and tranquil, clearly fast asleep.

Seeing this, Mu He helplessly shook her head, turned around and deftly gathered the light yarn and silk used to block the light in front of the window. Immediately, beams of light entered the room through the delicate latticed windows, and the originally dim room suddenly brightened.

Disturbed by the sudden burst of light, the woman on the bed moaned softly, and a slender, fair hand reached out to cover her face. Seeming uncomfortable, she lowered her hand again, tugged at the quilt, and slowly turned to face the inside, but after only half a breath, she quickly fell asleep again.

Mu He covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She glanced at the closed lattice window, and seeing that the woman was well-covered, she felt relieved and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind her. After a while, she pushed the door open again, carrying a copper basin. The upper part of the copper basin was filled with smoke, and the air was filled with a warm, slightly astringent smell. Obviously, this basin of hot water was not simple.

She placed the copper basin on the rack, and the slight movements caused by the bumping disturbed the woman on the bed again. The woman moaned softly and turned over, but this time she did not continue to sleep soundly, but sat up.

Seeing this, Mu He finally spoke.

“Miss?”

“What time is it?”

“It’s almost Chen Shi (7-9 AM). Does the lady want to get up?”

Mu He asked, and seeing Xu Wanning nod, she turned around and propped up one of the windows, so that fresh air from outside could come in.

“Well, I slept really comfortably last night!” Xu Wanning touched her neck, hummed twice, lifted the quilt, looked at the weather outside through the half-opened lattice window, and said, “The weather is pretty good today too!”

“It rained in the middle of the night, and the sun came out as soon as the rain stopped! The weather is not cold or hot, it’s rare for the lady to sleep so soundly. If it weren’t for the time, this servant would have wanted to let the lady sleep longer!” Mu He said, carefully gathering the curtains, and after Xu Wanning put on her shoes and socks, she immediately went to tidy up the bed!

“It rained?” Xu Wanning leaned out and looked carefully at the outside near the window. Sure enough, the outside air was fresh, the leaves were moist, and the ground was not completely dry!

“Look at the fallen flowers and leaves all over the courtyard, the rain must have been heavy!” Looking at the fallen leaves all over the courtyard, she sighed.

“The wind blew all night, the rain fell all night, and it didn’t stop until dawn. Now the outside is very messy. Except for the main road and the main gate, which are important places that have been cleaned, the people below haven’t had time to sweep the rest!” Mu He wasn’t surprised by this. After breakfast, the outside would definitely be clean.

“If the lady wants to go to the courtyard, she has to wait a while,” Mu He said, tidying up the bed and going to the top cabinet next to her to get clothes.

Xu Wanning had to get up every day at Chen Shi to practice martial arts, and she usually came into the room around this time.

Well, according to the lady, it’s called exercising, but she thought it was clearly practicing martial arts, otherwise why would she get up early every day.

“It’s okay, if it’s inconvenient, I just won’t go out. It’s not a big deal!” Xu Wanning didn’t care about this. She got up early every day to go to the courtyard just to exercise her body. This was her habit.

She exercised for no other reason than to have a good body, at least not like the original owner, who would pant after three steps and rest after five.

Fortunately, this era doesn’t advocate the bad habit of foot-binding, otherwise she really felt that the sky was about to fall!

“Lady, which set of clothes do you want to wear today?” Mu He looked at Xu Wanning and asked.

“Didn’t the sewing room just send a new set of clothes a few days ago?” Xu Wanning asked.

Becoming the Young Master’s concubine, at least the treatment was much better than when she was in the Prefect’s residence.

The Young Master’s concubine could make five sets of clothes per season, at least two sets of gold and silver jewelry per year…and twenty taels of silver per month for expenses.

Yes, that’s right, the Young Master’s concubine could have twenty taels of silver every month. Xu Wanning was shocked when she found out.

You know, the Prefect’s daughter only had ten taels of silver for monthly expenses, and her monthly allowance as a concubine was worth two Prefect’s daughters!

No wonder everyone was doing their best to climb up. The saying that “even a seventh-rank official in front of the Prime Minister’s door is powerful” is indeed true!

Even if a little leaked out from between their fingers, it would be enough for her to eat her fill.

“Does the lady want to wear new clothes today?” Mu He asked, her hand already opening the top cabinet of the top cabinet, looking at the neatly stacked new clothes inside.

This set of clothes was made of iridescent brocade, which is famous for its color transitions and colorful patterns, and the weave is gorgeous.

The iridescent brocade is complicated to make, and the colors used in the production process are extremely complicated. A skilled embroiderer can’t weave a few pieces a year. In Jiangnan, the most plain iridescent brocade costs at least one tael of gold, but because the output is limited, even in the capital where nobles gather, it is difficult to find a single piece.

Xu Wanning’s spring clothes are still made of Jade Purple, a bright color, which is even rarer, but it was made into a set of daily clothes for the concubine for quarterly changes, which shows the Young Master’s wealth and status.

“Just wear it!”

“Okay!” Seeing that Xu Wanning had decided, Mu He took the clothes down and hung them on the rack. The new clothes didn’t have many wrinkles, but because they were folded, there were still some.

Seeing that there was still time, Mu He went to get the iron.

What a hardworking girl!

Looking at Mu He, who was busy, Xu Wanning sighed in her heart, stopped thinking, and began to wash!

She dipped the toothbrush in some tooth powder and brushed for about half a cup of tea, then spit it out. There was a wooden basin next to the shelf specifically for spitting water.

After Xu Wanning washed her hands and brushed her teeth, Mu He had time to stand aside, waiting for the time to hand her a hot towel that had been dampened and wrung out to wash her face and hands.

The hot water for washing her face and hands was warm water made from boiled herbs and cooled. In early spring, the weather was cold, and the wind was harmful to people. Washing with these herbal waters did not hurt the skin and had the effect of dispelling cold, but the disadvantage was that it was troublesome.

However, Xu Wanning had Mu He to serve her, and there were also special maids and matrons to boil water, so it was much simpler.

“With your daily meticulous service, I suddenly feel a lot lazier, huh? I seem to have gained weight!” After washing up, Xu Wanning suddenly felt much clearer. She sat in front of the dressing table and looked at the delicate woman in the bronze mirror, realizing something was wrong.

She had gained weight?

Didn’t gaining weight mean getting fat?

“I’m fat!” Xu Wanning held her face, her hands full of softness, and couldn’t help but frown.

“The lady was a little thin in the past. Now it’s just right to gain some weight.” Mu He raised her eyes and glanced at the person in the bronze mirror, and smiled, “The lady’s beauty is like a flower, and anyone who sees it will call her a peerless beauty. Where is she fat!”

“Well, you’re right, I’m not fat!” I can’t deny that Xu Wanning was comforted.

In a good mood, she immediately threw her worries about her figure behind her, picked up the facial cream on the table and applied it to her face, while Mu He stood behind her to comb her hair.

“The lady’s hair is really well-grown, dark and smooth.” Touching the silky smooth hair in her hand, Mu He couldn’t help but sigh.

She really envied the lady, not only her appearance and figure were excellent, but even the delicate places like her hair and skin were so enviable.

Unlike her, her hair looked very dark, but it was very dry and had broken hair. Her skin was only white from a distance, but in reality it had become dry and rough because she had not taken care of it.

“What’s the use of dark and smooth hair? It still has to be tied up and some hair accessories are inserted, and then you can’t see anything!” Xu Wanning didn’t feel anything about the quality of her hair. After all, she was tired of the pain of tying and untying her hair every day.

Washing it every three days, protecting it once a month, and keeping the hair that reached her knees refreshed was even more painful!

If it weren’t for Mu He, and if her current status didn’t allow it, she would definitely take a pair of scissors and mess it up.

“Good hair means the lady is healthy and has enough blood. Otherwise, how can you prove that the lady is a dexterous and quick-witted person!” Mu He disagreed with Xu Wanning’s words. She thought that the lady’s hair was good, which meant that her body was healthy. Only a healthy body could have the mind to learn other things, otherwise there would be no lady today.

It’s fine if her appearance is good, but she also knows a lot. She is proficient in everything from playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, poetry and lyrics, and also knows flower arrangement, dance, tea ceremony…