Chapter 258: I Will Raise Your Sister-in-Law Myself; Do Not Worry

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For Fang Baihua, Shao Shi, and Chen Miao Zhen, who had just entered the palace and had no maidservants at all, they certainly did not know how to serve the emperor at night.

But it did not matter, because soon the Night Service Matron Wang Chuchu arrived with a large group of palace attendants to assist the three women.

Not only had Fang Baihua and Shao Shi, who came from the countryside, never experienced being attended by so many people, but even Chen Miao Zhen, who had once been a daughter of a wealthy family, had never seen such a grand spectacle.

From bathing to hairstyling and makeup, every step was attended to with meticulous care by the palace attendants, as if reshaping them into the most exquisite porcelain of the imperial court.

The bath attendants' techniques were expert; warm water gently brushed their skin, petals swirled with the flow, washing away not only the fatigue of worldly life but also seemingly erasing their rustic airs, adding a touch of courtly elegance.

Fang Baihua was initially very uneasy, but as the warm water enveloped her weary body, her tension gradually gave way to comfort. She closed her eyes, letting her soul drift away with the rising steam, as if she were beside a village stream, free and tranquil.

Shao Shi was equally astonished. She had never imagined bathing could be a pleasure. The attendants gently washed her body, each touch bringing her unprecedented comfort, and she silently marveled, 'Is this what life in the imperial palace is like?'

As for Chen Miao Zhen, though born into a wealthy family and well-traveled, the scene before her still left her quietly amazed. She sat quietly before the mirror, allowing attendants to comb her waterfall-like long hair with delicate combs, each strand carefully woven into an intricate coiffure, adorned with glittering pearls and jade, enhancing her naturally clear beauty with added nobility and grace.

The Night Service Matron spent every day thinking and planning how to make Zhao Yu enjoy himself at night.

To achieve this goal, the Night Service Matron had to find ways to highlight the beauty of the concubines, emphasizing their strengths and concealing their weaknesses, so as to better arouse Zhao Yu's desire.

For many years, the Night Service Matrons had become masters of this art.

This made them itch with excitement whenever they saw a woman who could showcase their skills.

For example, Fang Baihua.

In the past, they would not have known how to dress such a tall woman.

After all, Song Fu style favored simplicity and subtlety, with women's clothing featuring narrow sleeves and fitted waists, emphasizing slender, delicate figures; petite frames easily displayed the beauty and charm of such attire, but on a tall woman, it looked like a grown adult wearing a child's dress, devoid of any aesthetic appeal, instead highlighting their extraordinary height and uncommonly large stature.

Fortunately, Zhao Yu preferred tall women and was willing to visit tall women; the harem already included several tall women such as Guo Ting, Wei Xianfei, Liang Damei, and Liang Xiaomei.

Later, after many Night Service Matrons experimented and summarized, they finally learned how to dress tall women.

For instance, they discovered that tall women wearing the 'invented' horse-face skirt by Zhang Chun—those over three chi in length—paired with a simple solid-color short top, such as a white modified Song Fu, accentuated the waistline and showcased the tall woman's proportions; alternatively, pairing them with traditional Song Fu long robes created an air of grandeur and elegance.

Once, a Night Service Matron dressed Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei this way, and Zhao Yu approved—he visited Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei for three consecutive nights.

For women who had already been visited by Zhao Yu, this was extremely rare.

Thus, that Night Service Matron became famous overnight.

Speaking of this, there was a small story.

After seeing Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei dressed this way, Zhang Chun never wore a horse-face skirt again.

This made the Night Service Matron who dressed Liang Damei and Liang Xiaomei fear for a long time, afraid Zhang Chun would retaliate.

Later, when the plagiarizing matron saw that Zhang Chun showed no intention of holding a grudge, she vigorously promoted this style, even boldly copying Zhang Chun's 'invented designs.'

Zhang Chun always came up with outfits that dazzled the eye, setting trends in Zhao Yu's harem, making her the undisputed top fashion authority in Zhao Yu's harem.

This time, Wang Chuchu's outfits for Fang Baihua, Shao Shi, and Chen Miao Zhen were derived from Zhang Chun's 'invented designs.'

And Fang Baihua's outfit was one that Zhang Chun had worn only recently during her own night service.

A long red modified qipao, with a high slit highlighting her tall figure and perfect curves, increasing leg exposure to avoid an overly heavy silhouette; its unique pattern added Eastern charm, while the golden snake-shaped earrings beneath her ears echoed the design, revealing a noble queenly aura, fully showcasing Fang Baihua's physical advantages and making her appearance instantly stunning.

Only at this moment did Shao Shi and Chen Miao Zhen confirm that Song Jiang and the others had not made a mistake in offering Fang Baihua to Zhao Yu.

Yes.

Fang Baihua was very tall, standing at eight chi five or six—in this era, an extremely rare height for a woman.

Yet precisely this unusual height, when carefully adorned, became her unique charm.

This long red qipao seemed tailor-made for Fang Baihua; every inch of fabric clung to her slender frame, outlining breathtaking lines; the high slit artfully revealed her long, fair legs, and each step she took swayed gracefully, the glimpse of skin through the slit adding mystery and allure, making it impossible to look away.

Dressed in this long red modified qipao, Fang Baihua walked with steady, elegant steps, like a sovereign queen—possessing undeniable authority yet retaining feminine softness and allure.

Such Fang Baihua seemed to declare to the world that height was not a flaw, but a distinctive charm and grace.

Fang Baihua herself had never imagined she could be so beautiful. Looking at her reflection, utterly transformed, she was spellbound: 'Is this really me?'

Yet the outfit she wore felt slightly improper. The qipao's slit reached the upper thigh, revealing endless charm and showcasing her tall figure perfectly, yet it also made her feel a hint of shyness and unease. She instinctively tugged at the hem, trying to cover the excessive exposure. She whispered to Wang Chuchu beside her: 'Is… is this really acceptable?'

Wang Chuchu, gazing at her masterpiece, said confidently: 'If the emperor does not visit you three times tonight, I lose.'

Upon hearing this, Fang Baihua's face turned bright red.

Many virgin girls felt shy during their first night service; Wang Chuchu, having served as Night Service Matron for over a decade, was long accustomed to it. She removed Fang Baihua's hand and said: 'In the harem, the emperor is the only man. What do you have to fear?'

Wang Chuchu kindly reminded Fang Baihua: 'A little hesitation now is fine, but when you meet the emperor, do not act this way—show every bit of your beauty, reveal all your talents, and do not hold back. In short, make the emperor remember you, and you win; otherwise, among thousands of palace attendants, how could he ever think of you again?'

Fang Baihua was no ungrateful fool; she could clearly hear Wang Chuchu's goodwill. Besides, she still hoped to secure amnesty for her family—she certainly agreed with Wang Chuchu's words.

Thus, Fang Baihua quickly said: 'Thank you, Madam, for the reminder.'

Wang Chuchu nodded and added: 'Look at how the others are dressed—you simply follow the customs here.'

Fang Baihua looked around and noticed many attendants wearing qipaos; some even slit them up to their armpits, nearly exposing their entire chests—far more revealing than she was.

Even Chen Miao Zhen wore a qipao.

But Chen Miao Zhen wore a blue short qipao, revealing her two long, slender legs.

This outfit not only accentuated Chen Miao Zhen's graceful curves beautifully but also blended her gentle temperament with youthful shyness, making her noble and elegant yet full of lively charm.

As for Shao Shi, she presented an entirely different style.

She wore a fitted dress that perfectly outlined her alluring figure, showcasing her mature allure to perfection. Her inner garment had a slightly open collar, revealing delicate collarbones and hinting at her bosom, displaying feminine softness without losing elegance. Black silk stockings paired with her fair skin created a striking contrast—mysterious and deep, the faintly visible leg lines were alluring yet dignified.

Seeing each other's transformations, Fang Baihua, Shao Shi, and Chen Miao Zhen all felt a sense of awe and wonder. They had never imagined they could radiate such unprecedented beauty in this way.

In nervous anticipation, the three women waited until nightfall, when someone came to inform Wang Chuchu: 'The emperor has chosen Zhaiyu Palace.'

Upon hearing this, Wang Chuchu hurriedly led the three women to Zhaiyu Palace to await Zhao Yu's visit.

In this unfamiliar place, the three women could only follow Wang Chuchu's instructions.

Soon after, the three women were carried into a palace with nine rooms, inscribed with 'Zhaiyu Palace.'

Next, the three women continued to wait.

The three women never expected that their wait would last another full hour.

Candlelight flickered, illuminating the golden splendor of Zhaiyu Palace, yet adding a touch of loneliness and endless length.

Fang Baihua and Shao Shi were anxious. They both looked forward to Zhao Yu's arrival and feared what would surely happen when he came.

Time seemed to freeze; each passing second was as agonizing as a blade cutting into flesh.

As someone who had been through it, Shao Shi had never imagined that doing something like this could be so exhausting.

To be honest, it was nothing like she had expected. She had thought she would simply lie down, close her eyes, endure it, and it would be over.