The idea for this cooling bead came from a young maid named Yuezhi in Qingzhi Courtyard. She was originally a Han Chinese, and her father loved to do business in spices. She had been exposed to it since childhood and learned a lot from him, and she was also good at making incense.
Changning was pregnant again, and a new group of people was to be transferred to her side. She was sweet-talking and clever, so she was selected. She was also eager to do a good job and make a good future.
I heard that my mistress is most intolerant of the summer heat, and pregnant women shouldn't eat too much ice, so I thought of this refreshing fragrance.
It is mainly made of pine needles, mint, sandalwood, borneol, tea leaves, and spikenard. She wanted to please her master, but she was troubled by the lack of these precious ingredients, so she had to tell the head maid, Chuixue, about it first. Then Changning heard about it and found it novel, so she ordered her to make this cooling bead.
The main reason is that the whole courtyard, from top to bottom, is particularly hot, and so are the children.
In winter, they are not afraid of the cold. They are physically strong, active, and sweat easily, especially their sons, who are like little furnaces. In summer, after walking around outside, their clothes will be soaked with sweat.
Changning felt that he inherited this trait from Yinzhen; he was particularly sensitive to heat, yet he always wore so many layers that he developed heat rash all over his body. If she hadn't forced him to wear a vest and slippers, he probably would have been unbearably hot by now.
Therefore, she had the highest expectations for this cooling bead. Seeing that their mistress was looking forward to it, the maids did not give her any other tasks, but only asked her to make the incense she wanted.
She lived up to expectations and got it in just three to five days.
Yuezhi suppressed her excitement. She was confident in her skills, and even her father praised her talent for incense making.
So as long as this cooling bead can win the master's favor, then she can be considered to have finally made it through.
Granny Zhang led Yuezhi into the inner room and presented the prepared perfume powder to Changning.
Changning observed that the powder was like mica, the color of ice and snow, and the texture as delicate as a tender hand. It had a cool smell, and even before it was burned, the summer heat was already gone.
She nodded in approval: "Yes, it smells wonderful. Chuixue, try burning some in your incense."
Fubuki hurriedly stepped forward to take it, then brought over a whole ivory incense burner, added a spoonful of incense to it, and burned it over the burner. After a while, the fragrance gradually spread.
Granny Zhang smiled and said, "Don't worry, my lady. Bai Zhu has already checked it. This incense will not affect your pregnancy. On the contrary, some medicinal herbs have been added to it, which can prevent heatstroke and fight off diseases."
Changning savored the fragrance. First, there was a faint scent of fresh grass that had been baked at high temperatures, which was very refreshing. Then, there was a scent of Chinese herbal medicine, mixed with the cool aroma of borneol. What was rare was that it did not stimulate the nerves or make one feel refreshed. Instead, it made one feel comfortable all over.
Seeing the satisfied and comfortable expression on their master's face, the group breathed a sigh of relief.
"My lady, are you adjusting well?" Chuixue asked cautiously, afraid of affecting the prince and princess in her lady's belly.
Changning smiled: "I've gotten used to it, it's really good. It smells much more comfortable now, and I don't feel nauseous anymore. This fragrance is nice. My second sister-in-law is pregnant and it's been tough for her, so I'll make some more and send some to her. By the way, what's your name again?"
Seeing that her master had noticed her, Yuezhi was overjoyed. She knelt down, kowtowed, controlled her facial expression, and raised her voice while holding her breath: "Your master, this servant is Yuezhi."
"Yuezhi? That doesn't sound like a name given by an ordinary family. Did your father and mother say anything about its meaning?"
Yuezhi was afraid that if she laughed too loudly and showed her teeth, it would startle her master's dignity, so she tried her best to hold it in, and her voice sounded a little strange: "Reporting to my master, I am a Han Chinese. My father is in the spice business. He said that the fragrance of Yuezhi can ward off epidemics when burned, and the fragrance can last for nine months even if burned for a hundred miles. That's why he named me Yuezhi."
Oh ho ho, my master asked me my name!
My master asked me my name!
The Moon Branch really wants to beat its chest and stamp its feet, run three laps outside, and jump up and shout a couple of times to feel better.
Ever since she entered Qingzhi Courtyard, the other young ladies who had entered the manor with her have been sarcastic and mocking, saying that she had risen to a higher social status and that a mere Han Chinese could serve a master, and that she would probably be kicked out in a couple of days.
She was born with a strong competitive spirit and was determined to prove herself, wanting to show everyone that she also had some real skills and that she could definitely establish herself in Qingzhi Courtyard.
Now, we can finally hold our heads high.
Changning watched as the little girl below changed her expression two or three times. She wanted to laugh but held it back. Her subtle excitement and smugness were enough to make anyone laugh.
She gave Fubuki a wink and rewarded her with two agate bracelets. The beads on them were large and round, but some of them were not of good color, appearing whitish or dark. These were specially reserved as rewards for subordinates.
Yuezhi's eyes widened in disbelief. She had never seen such exquisite jewelry before; it could be her dowry!
Seeing that the girl was having so much fun that she forgot about home, Chuixue coughed twice, and Yuezhi quickly came to her senses, knelt down and kowtowed, and then bowed to Changning and withdrew.
Changning couldn't help but laugh when she thought of her adorable appearance.
Zhuiyu grinned and said, "Master, look at her. She's clever, but also a little silly."
Changning glanced at Zhuiyu with a leisurely air: "Her personality is a bit like yours back then."
Zhuiyu scratched her head: "Really? I remember being pretty smart!"
"You call yourself clever? Granny Zhang spent three months teaching you how to serve tea." Changning showed her no mercy, exposing her pretense in one sentence.
Zhuiyu's face turned red, and Chuixue, seeing that the atmosphere was just right, teased, "Well, when Zhuiyu first entered the manor, she spent all her time trying to find out where the biggest fish was for the master, and she got a good scolding from Granny Zhang."
Seeing that everyone was starting to tease her, Zhuiyu simply let loose. Anyway, she had a thick skin, and Changning couldn't help but laugh.
Granny Zhang, however, was thinking a little more deeply: "Does Master like this girl?"
Changning nodded: "I've been in the manor for ten years now, and the maids around me have been with me for quite some time. Now that Hongyan and Hutuli are grown up, it's time to find them some marriage partners."
Besides Chuixue and Zhuiyu, Tingfeng and Pinhua are the first-class maids who have been with Changning the longest and have always been loyal. She also wants to find them good marriages.
“I wasn’t in a hurry to let them go before because I have too many children, and the situation is too chaotic, so I really couldn’t spare any manpower. Now I have to think about them too. I can’t let Yuzhu keep serving Tuantuan and let Yuxia keep making clothes.”
Upon hearing their master mention the matter of releasing the maids to marry, Zhuiyu and Chuixue stopped their playful fighting and became serious.
Zhuiyu immediately pledged her loyalty: "Master, I have served you since I was a child, and I can never be separated from you in this life."
Fubuki was equally resolute: "Master, I have long ago decided that I will never get married in this lifetime."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
