Amidst a dense flock of peacocks, Mu Wan Yun saw a woman who looked to be in her twenties, carefully cradling a lustrous peacock feather in her hands.
"Hong Luo, do you think His Majesty will visit today? Why hasn't His Majesty come to see me in so long?"
"My Lady, His Majesty is occupied with official duties and has no time for the rear palaces, but you are truly in his heart."
Hearing the palace maid's words, Mu Wan Yun's heart tightened. 'Lu Jingxing has concubines already?'
'But Lin Siming and the others clearly said there are no masters in the rear palaces yet...'
Hong Luo spotted Mu Wan Yun and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here at Kongque Pavilion?"
Hearing the words of the palace maid called Hong Luo, Mu Wan Yun quickly curtsied and said:
"This servant is a new palace maid from the Clothing Bureau. I don't know my way around the palace and got lost. I apologize for disturbing you, My Lady."
Hong Luo said, "The Clothing Bureau is to the southwest. Just keep heading in that direction."
"The Clothing Bureau? Did Qin Siming send another garment for me? Hong Luo, quickly, help me change into it."
The woman holding the peacock feather walked up to Mu Wan Yun.
Hong Luo said, "My Lady, she is just a young maid who lost her way. The clothes His Majesty prepared for you are still at the Clothing Bureau..."
Hearing this, the woman flew into a temper. "You're lying! The Clothing Bureau hasn't sent me any clothes in a very long time!
"That slut Qin Siming, relying on Mrs. Mu to dare ignore me! We are both Imperial Concubines, so on what grounds does Mrs. Mu always get to be one step above me?
"When His Majesty arrives, I will make him see that slut's true colors!"
Listening to the woman, Mu Wan Yun noticed that her pupils were vacant and her behavior was not that of a normal person. A flicker of curiosity appeared in Mu Wan Yun's eyes.
"Hong Luo, take a bowl of chicken soup to His Majesty for me. You must bring him here today."
Hong Luo tried to coax Princess Consort Xian, "My Lady, please rest assured, His Majesty will definitely come. Why don't you go inside and do your makeup first? That way, you can show His Majesty your most beautiful side!"
Only then did Princess Consort Xian go inside. Hong Luo frowned at Mu Wan Yun and said, "Why haven't you left yet?"
Mu Wan Yun asked Hong Luo curiously, "Elder sister, who is that lady inside?"
Hong Luo said, "That is Consort Xian, who once received the most favor in the Six Palaces. After she fell from grace five years ago, she was sent to the Cold Palace and went mad. *Sigh*."
Mu Wan Yun asked again, "Then why are there so many peacocks here?"
Hong Luo explained, "Six years ago, when Princess Consort Xian was favored, she loved peacocks and their feathers.
"The late Emperor ordered people to search far and wide, gathering over a hundred peacocks for her. He even built Qifeng Palace to house them for her.
"Later, after she fell from grace, these peacocks came with her to the Cold Palace. The Cold Palace was then renamed Kongque Pavilion. *Sigh*.
"These peacocks are probably the only reminder of the great favor Princess Consort Xian once enjoyed, so they've been kept here ever since."
Mu Wan Yun suddenly felt a wave of sorrow. Seeing the peacock feathers, a bold idea formed in her mind.
"Elder sister, could I have some of the peacock feathers here?"
Hong Luo said, "If you don't mind the mess, go ahead and pluck the peacock feathers yourself."
"Thank you, elder sister."
Mu Wan Yun had plucked chickens before, so she mustered her courage and went forward. She reached out and plucked a vibrant green feather from a peacock.
The moment she pulled one out, the peacock's sharp beak lunged toward her.
Terrified, Mu Wan Yun quickly shielded her face with her hands. 'It can peck me anywhere, but not my face!'
Seeing this, Hong Luo laughed. "It'd be strange if it didn't peck you for plucking its feathers like that. Doesn't it hurt when someone pulls your hair? Aren't there plenty of feathers on the ground? Just pick those up and wash them when you get back."
Mu Wan Yun repeatedly apologized to the peacock she had plucked from as she gathered the feathers from the ground.
She returned to the Clothing Bureau, hugging a large pile of peacock feathers.
As dusk fell, Mu Wan Yun saw a small spring nearby. She threw the feathers into the spring to wash them. As she was scooping the clean feathers out, she was surprised to find that the water here was hot.
After scooping up all the peacock feathers from the spring, Mu Wan Yun left.
Right after she left, Lu Jingxing, having just finished his official duties, came to Longtang Hall to bathe. He noticed a strange smell in the water. He never liked to be attended to while bathing.
After entering the hot spring, he found the smell was even stronger. He reached out and his hand touched a peacock feather.
Lu Jingxing looked at the peacock feather and tossed it aside with disgust.
The more he washed, the stronger the smell on his body became. Utterly repulsed, Lu Jingxing got up.
He returned to Ganlu Palace and washed five or six more times before he finally got rid of the smell.
When Mu Wan Yun returned to the embroidery workshop hugging the dripping-wet peacock feathers, many of the palace maids were stunned.
Xiao Tang, holding a steamed bun, walked over to Mu Wan Yun. "Wanyun, what are you doing? Why do you have so many peacock feathers?"
"I'm using them to sew the Big Sleeve Shirt," Mu Wan Yun didn't hide it from Xiao Tang.
Nearby, Rushui let out a soft, sarcastic laugh. "Sister, look at her. Who knows where she found so many peacock feathers. Making a dress for the Lady of the Duke's household out of hemp was already ridiculous enough, but now she's using bird feathers. Heh."
Ru Yan shot Rushui a glare. "Don't say that. This is Wanyun's hard work, after all."
Rushui snorted with laughter. "If Miss Wei sees her dress, she'll probably die of anger."
Mu Wan Yun ignored Rushui's mockery. She didn't even change out of her damp clothes.
She took out her needle, thread, and scissors and began to sew the peacock feathers, cutting them and attaching them to the original Big Sleeve Shirt.
This was much faster than embroidering a pattern. A single person could finish it before the birthday celebration.
Mu Wan Yun sewed until Chou Hour. Seeing that Ru Yan next to her was still embroidering, she yawned and forced herself to continue.
When Lin Siming passed by the embroidery workshop, Nanny Zhong, who was beside her, commented, "Lin Siming, this Mu Wan Yun doesn't seem so bad after all. She's quite hardworking.
"But if Miss Wei really chooses the dress she made, are you really going to make her the Chief? She's a newcomer. It will be hard for her to win everyone over if she becomes the Chief!"
Lin Siming replied, "That will all depend on her own fortune."
Mu Wan Yun pushed on until Yin Hour but couldn't stay awake any longer. She returned to her room, planning to sleep for a couple of hours.
After she left, Rushui spat. "Xiao Tang, you really wasted that steamed bun on her. A newcomer, the daughter of a convicted official, and she thinks she can compete with my sister for the position of Chief?"
"To think Miss Wei let her make the dress. Isn't she afraid of being tainted by her poor, rustic stench?"
Xiao Tang whispered, "But I don't think Wanyun did anything wrong. The position of Chief is supposed to be based on merit."
Rushui said angrily, "Whose side are you on anyway?"
Xiao Tang focused on her embroidery and sighed.
...
「The day before Old Madam Wei's birthday banquet.」
Mu Wan Yun and Ru Yan followed Lin Siming out of the palace to the Duke Wei Mansion. The place was filled with a festive atmosphere. They entered Wei Minlan's courtyard.
When Wei Minlan saw Mu Wan Yun arrive, she stepped forward and asked, "Where is my dress?"
Mu Wan Yun took the garment from the tray and hung it on a rack. "Miss Wei, this outfit is called the Cloud Robe Feather Dress. It is sewn from peacock feathers. It's brilliantly lustrous and will also make your skin appear exceptionally fair."
Wei Minlan's eyes lit up when she saw the exquisitely beautiful feather robe.
"I heard that Princess Anyang made a feather robe back in the time of the founding emperor, but I have never seen it. I imagine this one is no less impressive. I am very satisfied. Tell me, what reward do you want?"
Mu Wan Yun said, "It is this servant's duty to make clothes for you, Miss Wei. However, it would be even better if you could reward me with two chicken legs. We never get to eat chicken legs in the palace..."
The food for palace maids wasn't bad, but for some reason, there were never any chicken legs.
Mu Wan Yun hadn't eaten a chicken leg since leaving Yangzhou, and she missed them dearly.
Wei Minlan said, "Of course you can. Not just chicken legs—I will also grant you permission to attend the birthday banquet tomorrow."
Mu Wan Yun glanced at Lin Siming. Lin Siming nodded at her, so Mu Wan Yun accepted, "Thank you for your reward, Miss Wei."
Seeing this, Ru Yan, who was standing to the side, quickly interjected, "Miss Wei, the Clothing Bureau has also prepared a magnificent gown, the 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.' We hope you will take a look and choose between them.
"The embroidery and materials of the 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' gown are far more exquisite than the feather robe, and it will better accentuate your grace and nobility..."