56. Costume Change
“Madam, today is Costume Day in Condéshire. Is there any role you would like to dress up as?” Lily asked Ye Zhenzhen as she cleared away the plates.
"This is my first time in Condéshire. How do the noble ladies and wives usually dress themselves?"
“At this time of year, vampires and elves are the most popular.” Lily finished speaking, then looked at the girl’s milky white skin. “Noble ladies like you love these elegant races the most.”
"Then let's go with the vampire look," Ye Zhenzhen casually picked out a dark-colored lipstick from the dressing table, preparing to get burgundy nail polish and a full vampire look later.
Upon hearing this, Nancy quickly pushed aside a mobile clothes rack, which was full of dark-colored dresses.
She was going to spend the whole day in the castle, so in addition to the loose and comfortable light-colored morning robe she was wearing, she also needed to choose a walking dress suitable for an outing, a tea party outfit, and a formal and gorgeous evening gown.
That's too much trouble.
Frowning as if to refuse, Ye Zhenzhen turned her head and saw Gu Tingshen standing tall and straight.
Glancing at the plain morning dress worn by the man, which allowed for easy movement and eliminated the need for frequent changes, Ye Zhenzhen, a hopeless lazybones, sighed. If she could choose, she would prefer to wear men's clothing.
"Madam, what's wrong?" Gu Tingshen stepped forward, bowed his head, and asked softly.
"Can I wear men's clothes?" Ye Zhenzhen tiptoed and whispered in his ear, her eyes full of anticipation.
“I’m afraid,” the man gestured for her to look at him, “my size is too big for you, and besides, your delicate skin can’t handle these rough fabrics.”
Ye Zhenzhen rolled her eyes, her back to the two maids.
"Old, uh, Ting Shen?" Under Gu Ting Shen's gaze, she changed her form of address, deliberately raising her chin and adopting a noble demeanor, pointing to the various crinolines on the clothes rack, "Today I'm going to wear the Imperial Dress and put away those wretched crinolines."
"Yes, Madam." Gu Tingshen bowed and instructed Nancy to put away the clothes with exaggerated skirts.
All three outfits were dark-colored gothic style. Ye Zhenzhen tried her best to decline the dark Rococo dress recommended by Lily. Although the flower-like cuffs were very delicate and beautiful, the bell-shaped pannier skirt really did not suit her aesthetic.
Exaggerated (heavy) hats are a no-go, as are skirts adorned with jewels and gold and silver embroidery....
Ultimately, amidst Lily's regretful gaze, she resolutely chose the simple (lightweight) Imperial dress.
Gu Sinan had already changed into her full outfit and stood next to Gu Tingshen, looking like a miniature version of the man.
However, upon closer inspection, one can see that the fabric and level of craftsmanship of the two people's clothes are vastly different.
Gu Sinan's white linen shirt featured delicate subtle patterns, his double-breasted vest hugged his body's curves, and his morning suit was made of crisp fabric, making him stand straight like a little prince.
Gu Tingshen's coat was decent at first glance, but his clothes underneath were not so good. The white cotton shirt had a low-cut stand-up collar, the single-breasted vest was a dark gray plain-weave design, and the black trousers were fairly neat, but they were not ironed and the cuffs were a bit short.
This outfit is only held up by the man's imposing presence.
Ye Zhenzhen frowned slightly as she watched.
In the short time that followed, Nancy had quickly helped Ye Zhenzhen put on her dress, put her hair up in a high bun, and then put a veiled hat adorned with feathers and gemstones on her head.
Unlike the crinoline dress with its exaggerated hem, the Empire dress showcases classical charm through elements such as a high waistline, long skirt, and flowing cut.
This dress, perfect for an outing, is made of multiple layers of black satin and silk mesh, with the hem adorned with ruffles of the same color tulle, flowing like dark waves as you move.
---
While Lily was painting Ye Zhenzhen's nails, Gu Sinan sat obediently while Nancy combed her hair and An Xiaojianya.
Today he was wearing a scaled-down version of his morning suit, and his bottoms had changed from shorts to black trousers.
His hair was all combed back, revealing a smooth and full forehead, making him look like a little adult, which almost melted Ye Zhenzhen's heart.
"Nan Nan looks so handsome! I'm going to make him a few outfits like this when I get back!" Ye Zhenzhen nudged Gu Tingshen, who was standing next to her, and excitedly whispered.
What about me?
"What?"
Gu Tingshen bent down to hand her a cup of black tea, then leaned close to her ear and asked with a smile, "Am I handsome?"
"Not handsome at all," Ye Zhenzhen took the bone china cup, rolled her eyes at him, "Wait until you get scolded downstairs, then let's see if you'll still be able to laugh..."
Upon hearing her words, the man's smile deepened, and he stood up straight with an air of nonchalance.
Gu Sinan looked up and saw this scene in the mirror.
I feel like Dad's expressions are much richer than before...
After Lily and Nancy bowed and left the room, Gu Si turned back to her parents, who were sitting side by side, and asked, "Mom, when I leave the bedroom, can I still not call Dad?"
“Yes, in front of outsiders, Dad can only pretend to be our male servant,” Ye Zhenzhen winked at him.
---
"Zhenzhen, you chose the Imperial Dress today?" On the sofa in the lobby, Wang Liqing was adjusting Yan Xu's shirt collar. "Isn't it much more comfortable now?"
"Yes, I feel very relaxed today." Ye Zhenzhen nodded with a smile and pulled Gu Sinan over.
He then lifted his skirt, sat down next to Wang Liqing, and looked her up and down at her outfit.
She was wearing a light purple high-count cotton shirt dress, with a beige gauze scarf wrapped around her chest. The only thing holding her waist together was a wide dark purple satin ribbon. Her thick black hair was simply curled, and her hat was the same color. She looked fresh and elegant.
"Sister Liqing looks beautiful today, are you a dressed-up fairy?"
“Yes, look at these ears.” Wang Liqing turned her head to the side, tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing her pointed ears.
"It looks so real! Isn't it uncomfortable to wear? Xu Xu is wearing one too!"
"It feels like silicone, very soft, you can't really feel anything." Wang Liqing looked at her gothic-style black dress and guessed, "You look like a vampire in that outfit?"
“Yes,” Ye Zhenzhen smiled, showing her her sharp little fangs.
"These fangs are so cute, not scary at all." Lanno happened to walk in at that moment and smiled when he saw Ye Zhenzhen.
"Hey, Sister Lan, what kind of look is this?"
Lanno was dressed in a dark black robe, covering himself from head to toe.
"You're not a vampire, are you?" Ye Zhenzhen looked at her heavily disguised attire with suspicion.
"I knew you'd need a prop to dress like that, right?" Zhang Siqing appeared at the door at some point, dressed in men's riding attire, with short hair on her head, looking dashing and heroic.
She held a red apple in her palm and offered it to Lanno, saying, "Here, your poisoned apple~"
"Oh~ witch!" Ye Zhenzhen and Wang Liqing exclaimed in unison.
"No, it's the Queen!" Zhou Jingyi, dressed in a Snow White dress and wearing little leather shoes, came running over, grabbed her mother's black robe, and argued logically, "This is the Queen disguised as a witch!"
"Wow, then you must be Snow White!" Wang Liqing hugged the little girl tightly, loving her dearly.
"Where is Sister Siqing?" Lan Nuo handed the black robe to the maid, revealing a dark green high-waisted skirt underneath. The V-neck accentuated her long neck, and a thin veil covered the silk robe. She also wore long gloves on her arms.
They all turned around curiously and looked around.
"Cough, cough."
A "man" wearing a flat-topped, rolled-brimmed hat walked up behind the group. As the three turned around, he took off his hat and gave an exaggerated bow.
Good morning, ladies.
"Ah! Sister Siqing, where did you get these men's clothes?!" Ye Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise.
"Hey, I'll borrow all those clothes you prepared for Liu Wei," Zhang Siqing said with a smirk. "Isn't he handsome?"
"Handsome!" the three praised in unison, and then burst into laughter because their voices were so synchronized.
By the window where the men were gathered, Liu Wei shook his head with a wry smile, facing the gazes of the other two.
He couldn't beat them, so what could he do?
"Ladies and gentlemen, a banquet will be held at the castle tonight. Since you have traveled a long way and are not very familiar with the etiquette of Y country, today we will have a brief lesson on everyday etiquette, table manners, social etiquette, and so on..."
A familiar male voice rang out, and director Jiang Wei, dressed in a morning suit, began to introduce the day's schedule in a pretentious manner.
Zhang Siqing opened her mouth to tease him, but Lan Nuo reached out and grabbed her, whispering a reminder: "Don't be out of character."
She glanced at the maids and servants in the corner of the room and silently swallowed the words she was about to say. She thought to herself, "Fatty Yan, I'd like to see what kind of manners you can teach."
After Jiang Wei finished his introduction, he extended his right hand and invited the three people behind him to come out.
One was the butler we'd met before, another was Tom, a brown-haired guy wearing the same clothes as Gu Tingshen, and the last was Amanda, a blonde woman with a serious face.
"These three will temporarily act as etiquette teachers for everyone. After the training, the teachers will assess everyone's learning outcomes. There will be a surprise reward for passing, and punishment for failing."
After introducing the three teachers, Jiang Wei turned and left.
The guests were then divided into three groups.
The man, the woman, and Gu Tingshen.
That's right, the butler taught the men etiquette, the blonde lady taught the female guests, and Gu Tingshen was taught male servant etiquette by the brown-haired chief male servant.
Under the guidance of their teachers, they arrived at the high dome of the hall and practiced the first item: walking posture.
Ye Zhenzhen followed behind the group, lifting her skirt, her brows furrowed tightly. The thought that the man might have to shuttle through the venue all night, serving every guest, made her feel uneasy.
Gu Tingshen didn't come here for a trip; he came purely to suffer.
As Gu Tingshen passed her, he quickly grasped her hand, gave her a reassuring look, and mouthed "Don't worry."
"Ladies, please walk slowly and carefully, and do not let your skirt sway too much. Lift the hem of your skirt gently, not too high, just enough to show the toes of your shoes."
Amanda wore a coffee-colored high-necked long dress, with matching long gloves on her arms, and even the hat on her head was exquisite down to the tip of every feather. She spoke and demonstrated at the same time, her movements unhurried, elegant and composed.
Then she stood to the side and let everyone practice in turn.
The children who got the hang of it the fastest were Wang Liqing, Lan Nuo, and Jing Yi. After walking around twice, they brought a satisfied smile to the usually serious Amanda's face.
Ye Zhenzhen lifted her skirt and took a step, but was stopped by someone.
"Oh, madam, was your glove left in the room by the careless maid?"
Ye Zhenzhen glanced at Teacher Amanda, then looked down at her bare arms and sighed helplessly, "I put it in my room this morning, thinking I wouldn't be going out, so I didn't wear it."
“That won’t do,” Amanda shook her head. “You must never take off your gloves except when you’re eating; it would be very impolite.”
After she finished speaking, she waved to the maid who was waiting in the corner.
A moment later, Lily returned carrying a tray, and knelt down to present it to her, on which were her black silk gloves.
Ye Zhenzhen thanked him in a low voice and picked up the gloves to put them on.
Lily winked at her, smiled, and stepped back.
Lifting her skirt again, Ye Zhenzhen finally passed the test smoothly this time.
After she stood still, Amanda gave her a few simple instructions on how to move, but she didn't listen at all.
Ye Zhenzhen was glancing out of the corner of her eye at the other side of the hall.
Dressed in crudely made servant's clothes, Gu Tingshen practiced standing and walking quickly while holding a silver tray with goblets on it with one hand, under the scrutiny of the senior male servant.
Tom, with brown hair, held a thin wooden stick in his hand and occasionally poked Tom's arm and thigh to create distraction and test his stability.
The man remained incredibly calm in the face of the huge change in his identity after "time travel".
"No, don't even think about it!" A low, indignant roar interrupted her thoughts.
She turned around blankly and saw Liu Wei clinging to a pillar in the hall, refusing to come down.
Zhang Siqing was grabbing his collar and tearing it downwards with all her might.
? ? ?
"What's wrong? Where's Amanda?"
“Amanda just asked Siqing to change her dress, but Siqing refused. However, there’s a waltz later, and she wants Liu Wei to change his dress…” Lanno said helplessly.
Her mind was racing, and a scene instantly appeared in Ye Zhenzhen's mind: Zhang Siqing, dressed as a man, was holding Liu Wei, dressed as a woman, spinning, jumping, and twirling around.
Ye Zhenzhen: This scene is too beautiful, I don't want to look...
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