At 7:45 a.m., the vermillion gates of the Jingnan Marquis Mansion slowly swung open amidst the morning mist. Gold-plated beast-head door knockers held wreaths of mugwort, releasing the scent of the Dragon Boat Festival into the streets. Jiang Wan, dressed in a long gown of Cinnabar Brocade with silver bracelets jingling at her wrists, walked side-by-side with Lu Jingyuan across the Zigzag Bridge. Dewdrops rolled off lotus petals on the lake, reflecting the dot of cinnabar between her brows—a "flaw" drawn to mimic the mark of the Remnant Plum Pavilion.
"Heir's Consort, your brocade gown today is truly the most elegant in the entire Capital," the Marchioness Jingnan said, approaching them. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the tiny, embroidered remnant plum at Jiang Wan’s cuff, her smile not reaching her eyes. "Though this pattern... it does seem to be a favorite among the merchant caravans from the Northwest."
Jiang Wan chuckled, her fingertips brushing the sachet at her waist, which held not spices, but a powder that would cause the Remnant Plum Pavilion's eyes and ears to miscalculate. "You are too kind, Marchioness. I find the lotus flowers particularly vibrant today; they remind me of the plum blossoms at Cien Temple. It is a pity that plum blossoms wither so easily. While the lotus is in full bloom now, one still worries about a sudden rainstorm."
Chapter 275