Chapter 88: Tailored Measurements
Chapter 88: Tailored Measurements
Just as the Princess of Qi was deliberating whether to return to her maternal home to seek advice, the tailor from Jinxiufang arrived to take measurements.
Aunt Qiu welcomed them in and carefully measured Su Su from head to toe.
After taking the measurements, the tailor had a good understanding and nodded to the apprentice who had accompanied him.
The apprentice immediately comprehended and, after bowing to the Princess of Qi, presented a stack of fabric samples.
These were the latest designs and fabrics from Jinxiufang, which needed to be approved by the mistress of the house. She would decide which ones she liked, and they would then determine the materials to be used. This way, they could also commence work back at the shop.
Of course, if she wanted customized outfits, they could arrange for the embroiderers to work overtime.
However, that would undoubtedly prolong the completion time.
The autumn and winter clothes could wait, but Su Su needed her spring and summer wardrobe urgently.
The Princess of Qi was not satisfied with the ready-made clothes that Liu Dafu and the others had purchased from outside.
Therefore, it would be better to replace them sooner.
Regarding the fabrics presented by the apprentice, the Princess of Qi did not make a direct decision.
Instead, she held Su Su in her arms and carefully explained to the little girl the different patterns and fabrics.
Knowing that the clothes were for a child, the apprentice had brought a selection of especially bright and vibrant colors.
There were soft pinks, light blues, and silvery hues, among others.
The embroidery designs mostly featured flowers, grasses, birds, and other playful motifs.
The Princess of Qi thought they were all lovely, and if it weren't for the fact that some of the fabrics and colors bestowed by the palace were too heavy and unsuitable for children, she would have opened her private treasury to let Su Su choose from those as well.
With these thoughts, the Princess of Qi's mind began to wander.
She considered how, in the past, she had not been particular about the colors or fabrics of the gifts she received. Often, the Empress Dowager would choose colors that she deemed suitable for the princess or fabrics that were particularly valuable.
However, going forward, she could proactively request the Empress Dowager to include more vibrant and light colors in her bestowals.
Compared to others, her royal husband's family did have some advantage.
After all, the prince was the Empress Dowager's biological son.
As such, the Empress Dowager tended to be partial to the Qi Wangfu when it came to bestowing gifts and favors.
Thinking of the Empress Dowager, the Princess of Qi also recalled how the former had been unwell recently and had declined audiences, including theirs. She wondered how the Empress Dowager was doing now.
If she had recovered, it would be appropriate for Little Six to pay a visit to the palace and convey their well-wishes.
Su Su had never seen so many bright and vibrant colors, and at that moment, as she was held in her mother's arms, the two of them examined the fabric swatches closely. Su Su couldn't help but exclaim how wonderful her mother's fragrance was, and at the same time, she was captivated by the array of colors and patterns.
She found them all beautiful and...
she wanted them all!
In that moment, Su Su felt like she was being greedy.
She didn't want others to think that she was insatiable.
Therefore, she knew she had to make a choice.
Su Su struggled to decide, not because she had a particularly refined sense of aesthetics, but simply because she was drawn to the brighter and more colorful options.
Fortunately, the Princess of Qi was there to provide guidance, and with the additional input from Feng Xuanrui and his brothers, who enthusiastically offered their opinions, they were able to select quite a few colors and patterns.
The number they chose was definitely more than what the Princess of Qi had initially instructed Aunt Qiu to prepare for.
However, the little girl didn't have a single suitable set of clothes.
It was a process of starting from scratch, so having a few more outfits didn't really matter.
Although there were usually specifications for the clothing and other aspects of life for those in the Wangfu, Su Su had not had a single piece of clothing in the past few years. If they were to make use of this opportunity to stock up, they could certainly create quite a substantial wardrobe for her.
With these thoughts, the Princess of Qi felt more justified in her decisions.
After they had finished selecting the patterns, it was already getting late.
The Princess of Qi looked at the group of children who were still gathered together and frowned slightly. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?" she asked.
As soon as these words left her mouth, the children stiffened unconsciously.
The older Feng Xuan Cang had already politely excused himself, indicating that he should get going.
"If we don't leave now, we might be late, and Master will get angry!"
Skipping classes had already become a habit for Feng Xuan Bin, and at this moment, he was clearly dragging his feet, reluctant to go.
After being away for over a month, Feng Xuan Rui's heart had grown wild.
"Go to class?
I don't want to!"
His grades weren't that great anyway.
As for the grandiose statements he had made before about wanting to study hard and teach his sister?
Well, what Feng Xiao Liu had said yesterday certainly held no bearing on today's Feng Xuan Rui!
If a student like him had such self-awareness, he would've excelled by now!
With two of the children dragging their feet and unwilling to go, even the academic underachievers of the Wangfu were influenced and didn't feel like going.
Watching this scene unfold, the Princess of Qi could only feel amused and slightly exasperated. "Off you go, don't keep Master waiting," she said.
Feng Xuan Rui knew that he couldn't avoid going to class.
However, he still hadn't given up and thought of asking softly, "But Mother, isn't Sister coming with us?"
After asking, considering that Su Su couldn't read yet, Feng Xuan Rui's confidence grew, and he added, "Sister can't read yet. She should be going to class."
As for the notion that girls shouldn't study alongside boys?
If Feng Xuan Rui heard anyone suggest that, he would likely open his mouth to spray them with his words.
"What if she doesn't know how to read and write? How will she manage the household in the future, blindly letting others deceive her?" Hearing Feng Xuan Rui's words about Su Su not knowing how to read, the brothers all shot him sympathetic glances.
In that moment, the several brothers even began contemplating how they could take turns teaching their sister.
Su Su would definitely need to learn how to read and write.
It wouldn't do for a young lady from the Wangfu to be an illiterate dunce. How embarrassing would that be if it got out?
However, the little girl had just returned, and the Princess of Qi hadn't spent enough time with her yet. How could she bear to let her go?
Thinking of this, the Princess of Qi waved her hand. "Su Su can go later, after she's rested some more. As for you, hurry along now. If you're late and Master punishes you, don't come crying to me."
Feng Xuan Rui and his brothers took their leave, glancing back repeatedly as they went.
Su Su gazed longingly at the departing figures of her brothers, feeling envious.
To be able to read and write—what a wonderful thing that would be!
Su Su actually wanted that too.
However, she knew that one shouldn't be too greedy. If one was, they might end up with nothing.
So, not knowing how to read and write was fine.
There were so many people in the village who couldn't read or write, and they were all living just fine, weren't they?
Moreover, she still had Le Le.
Su Su quickly consoled herself, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly, revealing two shallow dimples.
When she was thinner, with less flesh on her face, the dimples hadn't been noticeable.
Now that she had gained some weight, faint traces of them could be seen.
The Princess of Qi noticed them and couldn't resist reaching out to gently poke at one, "My Su Su, you're so adorable!"
With bright, lively eyes and faint dimples, which other young lady could compare to her?
The Princess of Qi had already unconsciously donned the motherly filter.
Regarding the matter of Su Su envying her brothers going to class, the Princess of Qi also gently explained, "Su Su, there's no need to rush. Once we've taken good care of you, you can go to class with your brothers."
As she spoke, the Princess of Qi gently pinched the little girl's thin arm, "It's not just literary classes at school, there are also physical education classes. If your body isn't strong enough, you won't be able to handle it."
Su Su listened, tilting her little head as she tried to understand, but ultimately, she didn't quite get it.
However, Mother was so gentle and soft-spoken.
She liked Mother, and she liked hearing Mother speak.
So, whatever Mother said was what it would be.
Just like with her brothers!
Su Su obediently nodded, and just as she was about to quietly snuggle up to her Mother for a moment, she saw Aunt Qiu hurrying over.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
