All food, clothing, and expenses in the palace were recorded. She had been very careful to replace the spices and rouge originally sent by the Imperial Household. She also feigned an interest in blending fragrances, which gave her cover to "concoct" scents unavailable from the Imperial Household.
She now favored two types of scents. The first, which she used before bed and when attending the Emperor, was a gentle, sweet fragrance with no trace of aggression. It helped calm the nerves and made it easier to fall asleep, which in turn eased her anxiety.
When she was awake, she used a fragrance akin to aged sandalwood. The top notes were rich and aromatic, but the base notes carried a biting spiciness, reminding her that she could never let her guard down.
In the blink of an eye, the lingering aroma of food was swept away by the cold evening wind, vanishing without a trace.
Jiang Xian had also finished changing her clothes.
