"Your Highness, this palace dress is made from Eight-layered Brocade. I thought it was exquisite, so I've brought it as a humble gift for you."
As the head of the most lucrative department in the harem, it was both reasonable and legal for Xue Rang to have some rare samples on hand. After all, no matter how fine the tributes sent to the Imperial Palace from various regions were, they could not be used immediately. They first had to be studied by experts to ensure they didn't violate any regulations or taboos. Only after a thorough inspection and approval from the Empress would they finally be distributed to the various consorts as part of their allotted fabrics or as rare gifts for rewards.
The Imperial Palace was similar to a large corporation in that its procedures were incredibly complex.
