In preparation for the garden party in the next couple of days, Gyokuyou was finalising her choice of outfit with her maids in the room.


    Gyokuyou-sama, is it too in after all? Infa tilted her head as she matched the essories to the outfit. The colour of the dress was the same hue she wore during her time as a consort, red, but slightly darker. Isnt it kind of dull?


    It goes well with the colours of the banquet. More importantly, were thinking of finding a good bnce with his majesty. Honnyan, who had beenbing Gyokuyous hair, answered. As if she, too, found the shade tooposed, the head maid set down theb and headed for the dressing room. She added another kanzashi hairpin to the essories in Infas hands.


    Moderation was probably difficult.


    If it were the time they were in the inner pce before, it would be natural to steal the march on the other consorts. So, with somemon sense in mind, the maids had looked forward to how they can add some fun to it, but the circumstances were a little different this time.


    Honnyan-sama. Can we add that? Infa looked at the kanzashi Honyan brought over disapprovingly


    Oh my, does it look strange?


    I also think its okay, but hasnt she worn it before? Back then, the empress dowagers maid was scrutinising her outfit.


    We cant use this then. Honnyan returned the kanzashi.


    Fundamentally, outfits worn inrge banquets are not used again in anotherrge one. Extravagant outfits will be altered down to trifling stylish wear for tea parties and such.


    As for small essories, they can be used many times, but they cannot have people think that they only use the same things.


    But itll look too in like this.


    I agree.


    The two of them groaned.


    Gyokuyou didnt not understand their views. Colours aside, I want something that leaves a shy impression. Like arge gem or the like.


    Jade, they have in abundance, but it doesntplement her current outfit. Something more transparent and draws attention would work better.


    Like crystal.


    As well as.


    Like polished diamond from the West.


    Searching for it at this point in time will be difficult. If we do have some, well have to rush an artisan to make it though.


    Though she said that, she was going to take a look. Honnyan headed for the dressing room again. Although Gyokuyou is said to be more modest than other consorts, she is currently the empress nheless. Shell have one or two crystals.


    However


    Its a little boring like this. Gyokuyou stuck out her tongue.


    Amusements have decreased since leaving the inner pce. It was fun to pass the days with her children, and there were various worries from the position of the emperor and empress.


    But Gyokuyou is a woman still not much older than twenty. She still retained her inquisitiveness from her younger days.


    If we must, something amusing would be good. She grinned and got up from her seat.


    And then she stealthily went off to get a certain thing. The two maids didnt recognise what Gyokuyou went to get and where she went.


    Honnyan. Infa


    Yes, what is it?


    The two immediately came over. Gyokuyou showed them the rocks that had been wrapped up in cloth. There were three stones, highly transparent crystal; they could see through to the other side.


    we had crystals like this? Honnyan was bewildered.


    On the other hand, Infas eyes widened and shepared Gyokuyou to the crystal. Gyokuyou winked, and as if she knew what Infa wanted to say, raised her index finger out of Honnyans notice and replied,


    I want it in this shape.


    Gyokuyou went to the table for a brush and drew a simple picture. It was a picture of a kanzashi in the shape that resembled a ground cherry, that resembled antern. Have it in the shape of a cage and have the crystal visible inside it. She added an exnation to the two people and passed the crystal and paper to Infa.


    Infa, go request it at once.


    Gyokuyou-sama, if its a request, I can always Honnyan tried to take the crystal off Infa, but Gyokuyou blocked her way.


    We can have Infa do it once in a while, right? Infa should know what to do.


    Thats true, but Gyokuyou-sama, what are you plotting?


    How sharp. As expected of the head maid. There was also the fact that Honnyan had been keeping an eye on Gyokuyou ever since she was a child.


    However, like how Honnyan knew Gyokuyou, Gyokuyou also understood Honnyan.


    I mean, we cant always leave it all to Honnyan, right?


    Gyokuyou dropped her gaze and looked at Honnyan with upturned eyes.


    Seeing that, Honnyans expression stiffened. No, as Gyokuyou-samas head maid, I have to do my work properly.


    But then you wont be able to get married, right?


    At the words married, Honnyans expression changedpletely. It was like she got stuck by lighting. M-married.


    Honnyan is still healthy and pretty, but she has also passed marriageable age. Where people mostly married when they were in their mid-teens and early twenties, Honnyan is thirty two. Maomao, who has medical knowledge, had said that you can still bear children at that age, but the person herself is impatient.


    Speaking of how impatient, when they were at the inner pce, she had even gone after Gaoshun even though hes a eunuch. By the way, Gaoshun isnt a eunuch, but has a wife from hell who is older than him, so he clearly turned her down.


    Honnyan always does everything on your own. At this rate, once youre gone, I wont be able to do anything. You have to leave some work to the other maids at least.


    As a consequence of being too capable, it was probably too difficult for gentlemen to approach her as well.


    Honnyan came along when Gyokuyou entered court at the age of fifteen. A capable maid was needed when you go to the inner pce, which is, in a certain meaning, an abode of demons. At the time, there were a number of maids older than Honnyan, but they returned to their hometowns one after another, after being subject to getting their lives targeted when Gyokuyou was picked by his majesty. There were some who returned to their hometown for marriage, and others who copsed from food tasting.


    The ones remaining was Honnyan, and Infas groupthe three young and inexperienced girls. Honnyan probably stretched herself thin, thinking that she had to do it all herself.


    Although she had temporarily employed a wet nurse when her daughter was born, Gyokuyou didnt know friend from foe as she had been raised in the desert, so they hadnt taken in any new maids.


    Entering in the middle of that, was Maomao.


    It was fun when that girl was here, Gyokuyou fell deep into her memories, but now wasnt the time to think about it.


    For Gyokuyou to kill time, she had to give her all into misleading Honnyan.


    Dad also mentioned it before. That we have to prepare a good marriage match for Honnayn.


    Gyokuen-sama did. Honnyan was moved.


    It wasnt a lie. Dad had said that Honnyans children will be excellent no matter their gender. And that its toote to have them as foster siblings, but they would serve us well.


    Its also different from then, we have more maids now. You dont need to always get worked up.


    Due to the crown princes birth, three maids hade in from their hometown, and the numbers increased further when Gyokuyou became the empress.


    I understand that youre uneasy. It may not be the inner pce, but this is still a battlefield for women. We dont know what will happen. But, you are no longer alone. Please think more about your future and live.


    Gyokuyou was impressed by her eloquence. This personality of hers is fortunate. She might survive even in the battlefield of women.


    Gyokuyou-sama, you think about me this way Honnyans eyes were damp. I understand. From now on, I will call for Airan and Guien. Ill check to see how much I can entrust my work to them.


    Immediately motivated, she left the room.


    Her side profile was flushed like a maiden.


    When Gyokuyou was left alone in the room, she stretched out her hand for the writing materials on the desk again.


    This goes beyond a joke. She decided to write a letter to Gyokuen in the capital to see if theres a good marriage match.