Eight Treasures Trousseau

1-5

Chapter One: The House of Hua has a Daughter

府 fu: compound, estate or mansion; usually the residence of a noble or powerful family

Winter had left and spring had arrived. The first-ranked servant girls of Yi'an Marquis Fu took off their thick cotton jackets and put on their tender green girdled dresses. This caused the entire marquis fu to look alive and filled with the presence of spring.

Inside the green silk curtains, the cotton blanket was raised. The person inside seemed to have gone through a long conflict before a pale white arm came out of the blanket. The servant girls waiting outside the silk canopy were joyful and assumed that the person on the bed was going to come out of bed. Then they saw the arm pat around the border of the bed and then retreat again.

夫人 furen: mistress or madam/lady. This appellation is used for both married women and titled women.

"Miss, it is three quarters after seven." Bai Xia confirmed that the person on the bed did not have any intentions of coming up and bowed slightly, her voice holding mirth. "Furen has ordered that you need to rise early today. She said that the dressmakers of the Fragrant Spiral Pavilion are going to measure you for spring attire."

"Didn't the people of the Cloth-making Room in the fu make a few sets for me already a fortnight ago?" The person on the bed sat up with the blanket wrapped around her, her hair spilling down following her actions. Even though it had not been combed, it was still as smooth as silk.

Hong Ying who stood next to Bai Xia raised her silk curtain for her and explained with a smile, "Furen has said that the cloth of Fragrant Spiral Pavilion is not the best, but their handiwork is exquisite, so it is not important if some clothing is made."

Hua Xi Wan rose up from the bed and allowed the servant girls to serve her in washing her face and rinsing her mouth. She sat in front of the mirror and covered her mouth as she yawned. She put her chin in her right hand and said lazily, "They say spring sleep is 'til the morning, do not let down sleep. Bai Xia, you are disturbing my dreams."

"Bai Xia is asking for forgiveness from Miss." Bai Xia put down the wood comb in her hand and bent her knees in a curtsey to Hua Xi Wan. However, the smile on her face did not disappear. "Please do not be angry."

The four chief servant girls had followed her for a few years, and Hua Xi Wan knew that they were not people to act of their own accord. There probably was something going on this morning that Mother would have them wake her up early. Therefore, she curled her fingers to indicate for Bai Xia to stand before continuing to prop her chin on her hand and allowing the servant girls to serve her in dressing.

The servant girls knew that their miss was of a lazy personality that would say as little as necessary. After dressing her, they carried out several boxes of hairpins and jewelry for Hua Xi Wan to pick.

Hua Xi Wan reached out to point at a few before standing and letting the servant girls change her clothing. She took over the brow liner from Hong Ying's hands to draw her brows before saying lazily, "Let's go."

氏 shi: clan/maiden name. A married woman is known by her maiden name of __ with a shi (氏) after it to show she is married.

Coming out of the small yard, Hua Xi Wan took her servant girls along to the main yard. Entering the door, she saw her mother Lu shi flipping through a long list. She seemed to find there was not enough on the list and was ordering the people beside her to add more.

"Daughter bids good morning to Mother. Did Mother have a good sleep last night?" Hua Xi Wan walked towards Lu shi with a smile. Before she could bend down, Lu shi's most used servant girl caught her.