Two sets of clothes
She couldn't fathom the thoughts of this half-grown child. If it were her subordinate, she would tease them: "You're choosing clothes for your mother, not choosing a girl for yourself. What's with this coy hesitation?"
“Young master, you only know about the Shu Brocade Embroidery Shop in the East Market, but you don’t know that there is a ‘Heavenly Garment Pavilion’ hidden in the West Market. I guess you can find the clothes you are looking for there.”
Li Lanxiu was about to retort that the East Market was the most abundant place for local products in the Southern Dynasty, gathering rare treasures and skilled craftsmen from Wu, the southwest, and even Baiyue. Although it was not as well-known as the West Market, it was the most characteristic market of the Southern Dynasty. If they went to the West Market, most of the goods were from the Western Regions, the Northern Qiang, or even overseas. Although there were some high-priced treasures, Li Chongyu had grown up in the territory of the northern nomadic tribes, and his wife was also a native Han Chinese from Youzhou. Nomadic items were not uncommon for them. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of their trip to the Southern Dynasty?
But when she turned around, she was immediately stunned.
A woman dressed in all black, her face veiled by a heavy veil, stood leisurely by the bridge, watching them with a half-smile.
Although the other party was wearing a veil to conceal their face, how could that veil possibly block Li Lanxiu's sharp, almost tangible gaze?
Although Lady Huachi, Mo Yi Bishuang, had been retired for a long time, Li Lanxiu, who had served in the palace for many years, still recognized her. This was the keen eye of a guard.
She recognized Madam Huachi, but she didn't know if Madam Huachi would recognize her, a mere deputy general. Moreover, both Madam Huachi and they themselves seemed to want to be unrecognized. Therefore, Li Lanxiu hesitated whether to bow to her.
Mo Yi Bi Shuang approached them slowly, smiling, and said, "Young master, shall I take you to Tianyi Yunge?"
Li Chongyu paused for a moment, scrutinized Mo Yibi Shuang with his gaze, and then turned to look at Li Lanxiu, wanting to hear her opinion.
Having spent these past few days together, Li Lanxiu had become familiar with Li Chongyu's temperament. She could tell that Li Chongyu was not averse to the sudden appearance of Mo Yi Bishuang, and was even somewhat curious about her.
This is understandable. Lady Huachi was once the most prominent socialite in the Great Huan Dynasty. Her elegant and charming demeanor had captivated countless powerful and influential officials, who were willing to serve her. This was merely a brief display of her skills, and Li Chongyu was just a naive young boy. Lady Huachi could easily handle him.
After a moment's thought, Li Lanxiu said, "Then I'll trouble you, Madam."
Looking back now, from the moment we left the originally planned route and Mo Yi Bi Shuang changed our destination to the West Market, everything fell under Mo Yi Bi Shuang's control.
Mo Yi Bishuang naturally held Li Chongyu's hand the whole way, chatting and laughing. Their conversation and questions were neither overstepping the bounds of propriety, yet subtly offered guidance and advice. These were the kinds of etiquette, customs, and folk tales that anyone arriving in the Southern Dynasty from the North needed to know.
Li Lanxiu, who was following behind, felt ashamed of herself. She admitted that she lacked the tact and diplomacy of Madam Huachi in dealing with people.
Even the most mundane gossip becomes vivid and interesting when told by her, making listeners forget their weariness.
Thanks to the young Marquis Li Chongyu, this was the first time in her life as a guard that she had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the elegance of Mo Yi Bishuang, the most famous socialite in the Great Huan Dynasty.
Mo Yi Bi Shuang's magic lies in the fact that once you talk to her, it's like a gentle breeze, making it hard to go against her wishes.
Upon entering the imposing building in the West Market with the plaque "Tianyi Yunge" hanging above it, Li Lanxiu suddenly realized why he had never heard of Tianyi Yunge when he had taken Li Chongyu to visit the West Market.
It turns out that you need to have a name tag or handwritten note to enter, and it is not open to the public.
From the outside, this is just a heavily guarded high-rise building; no one would guess that it is a clothing store open for business.
As Mo Yi Bi Shuang led them into the hall, two rows of elegantly dressed, beautiful young maids came forward to greet them. Others brought out tea trays and pastries, which at a glance were all shaped like various flowers, exquisite and delicate.
Li Lanxiu gestured with his eyes, and Li Chongyu immediately understood, so the pastries and tea were left untouched.
Mo Yi Bi Shuang seemed not to notice, but whispered a few words to the head maid. The maid immediately nodded, turned around and said something to the servants behind her.
In a short while, someone presented a piece of new gauze folded on a plate, as white as jade and with a soft, reflective sheen.
Li Lanxiu was greatly shocked after just one glance.
Although she didn't understand clothing and fashion, she knew that the quality of clothing was not primarily determined by whether the design was novel or whether it was covered with intricate embroidery.
The most important thing is the material of the clothes: whether they are light and soft, so that they feel like nothing is on your body, and whether they are warm in winter and cool in summer.
For example, when it comes to military uniforms, looking good is secondary; the most important thing is that the fabric is sturdy and not easily worn out, and it cannot be too stiff, as that would affect training movements.
She happened to recognize the fabric of this garment, for her sworn sister, Zhao Lingying, worked in the Imperial Household Department. Zhao Lingying had recently been ordered by Empress Shangguan to requisition a batch of fabric called "white silk" from the Wu region. It was so light and flowing, unlike anything she had ever seen before. A piece of "white silk" about three zhang long and three chi wide, if crumpled in her hand, would only be the size of a palm. This showed how light, soft, thin, and resilient it was.
Zhao Lingying also explained to her that this material was not only soft but also cool, and even in the height of summer, wearing it would give one the feeling of a cool breeze.
The batch of fabrics in the palace only arrived at the beginning of the month. It turns out that "Tianyi Yunge" also has the same fabric. Either the owner of this pavilion is well-informed and quick-witted, and immediately collected the same fabrics from Wu, or she actually has a way to get the inner supplies from the Shaofu.
Regardless of the reason, it is clear that the owner behind Tianyi Yunge has an extraordinary status and is closely connected with the palace.
As expected, Li Chongyu's eyes lit up immediately upon seeing the silk material piled on the lacquer tray. Although he didn't speak, Li Lanxiu knew that he approved of it.
But this added another layer of hesitation to Li Lanxiu's mind.
Although this white silk fabric was of high quality, it was only suitable for dancers to use to create a special effect by showcasing the flowing movement of their skirts, and not for everyday wear. The clothing of noblewomen in the Southern Dynasties, to highlight their noble status, often used luxurious and expensive satin fabrics adorned with large-scale, intricate embroidery. In other words, if a lady wore no embroidery, it would appear as if she were poor.
However, white silk is too thin and light to be embroidered on, as it is easy to snag the needle and cause the entire fabric to break.
In short, the essence of a dancer's costume and a lady's costume are different. How could one use the fabric of a dancer's costume to make a plain dress for Lady Li?
She was about to offer a word of advice when Mo Yi Bi Shuang did something even more unexpected.
She took off her straw hat, lifted the silk fabric in the tray with one hand, letting it spill down, then spread it out with the other hand and wrapped it around herself, before gracefully spinning around in place.
The other corner of the white silk robe, like a veil, was draped over her hair bun.
Her languid face, revealed through half a veil, was beautiful yet mysterious, and inexplicably carried an exotic charm.
Li Lanxiu could imagine what it would look like on a foreign woman after the snow-white fabric was made into a hooded silk robe. She would look just like Mo Yi Bishuang before him, mysterious and agile like a desert elf.
Mo Yi Bi Shuang simply held the fabric up to her body, then took it off and placed it back on the plate. A maidservant then went to fold it up.
She put her conical hat back on, and her lips moved beneath the veil as she asked, "How is it?"
This time, Li Chongyu didn't need to wait for Li Lanxiu's signal before replying, "Very good. That's settled then."
He said yes, but his face had turned deathly pale.
Li Lanxiu found it strange, but couldn't say anything. After all, she was only responsible for accompanying Li Chongyu on his shopping trip, and as long as Li Chongyu nodded, she had no objections.
But she was still a little uneasy, so she had to ask again, "Are you sure this dress is for Madam? Can it be delivered within fifteen days?"
When she asked the question, her eyes were not on Li Chongyu, but on Mo Yibishuang.
Because Li Chongyu was still a child, he might not be familiar with the etiquette and rules of clothing. However, given Mo Yi Bishuang's skill and experience in socializing with noble ladies from various countries, she could naturally judge whether it was appropriate or inappropriate to give this white silk garment to Madam Li.
At this point, she no longer doubted that Mo Yi Bi Shuang was well aware of the young man's identity.
Furthermore, it seems that she and Li Chongyu have reached some kind of unspoken understanding. This understanding is something that even she, who has always taken care of and protected Li Chongyu, could not achieve.
Therefore, there are those who, though old, remain as friends, and those who meet for the first time feel like old acquaintances.
Mo Yi Bi Shuang smiled and calmly said, "It's for the young master's mother. It will be made within fifteen days, which will definitely be in time."
Li Lanxiu was still not at ease, so he asked Li Chongyu again, "Should we measure your size again to match my figure? You once said that your figure is similar to mine."
Mo Yi Bi Shuang said confidently, "No need. Just as I possessed her, so too will your mother possess her. Rest assured, young master."
Li Lanxiu glanced at Mo Yi Bishuang again; she was taller than him. If he tried to imitate Mo Yi Bishuang's posture just now, it would probably be too long, wouldn't it?
Li Chongyu finally raised his head, looked at Mo Yi Bishuang, and said firmly, "I want two sets. One is the white gauze you just tried on, made into a long robe with a hood, tailored to your size. The other is the formal dress that ladies of your Southern Dynasty usually wear," he glanced at Li Lanxiu and said, "tailored to General Li's size."
Mo Yi Bi Shuang seemed unsurprised, and simply smiled and nodded, saying, "Does the young master need to inspect and choose the style of the formal attire himself?"
Li Chongyu shook his head and said resolutely, "I believe you can do better than me."
Mo Yi Bi Shuang simply smiled, but a sharp look of appreciation flashed in her seemingly gentle eyes. She immediately beckoned a maid to come forward and take Li Lan Xiu's measurements.
Li Lanxiu was utterly confused. Two sets of clothes, different sizes, with distinct Han and non-Han styles. Was Young Master Li really giving them to the same person?
But this was no longer her concern. All she could say was, "I'll pay the deposit."
Mo Yi Bi Shuang smiled and said, "No need. I can afford to give you two pieces of clothing. Consider it a gift from me, Mo Yi Bi Shuang, to the Li family of Youzhou."
When she uttered the words "Mo Yi Bi Shuang" and "Youzhou Li Family," Li Lanxiu saw Li Chongyu's expression change instantly. Without saying anything more, he simply said in a low voice, "General Li, we must leave this place immediately."
Without saying another word, and without even looking at the fabric on the table, he immediately led the way out and hurried downstairs.
Li Lanxiu couldn't understand why he reacted as if facing a formidable enemy and hastily retreated upon hearing the name Mo Yi Bi Shuang. However, protecting Li Chong Yu was her duty, so she couldn't worry about anything else. She immediately left a gold ingot as a deposit for the clothes and hurriedly chased after Li Chong Yu.
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