The wintersweet in Tingyu Pavilion had begun to bloom. Its cold fragrance drifted in through the gaps in the window paper, yet it could not dispel the musty odor inside the room. Jiang Rou huddled on the bed, staring at the cobwebs on the rafters, her fingertips repeatedly tracing the Twin Lotus embroidery on her cuff—it was her last decent piece of clothing, and the threads were already beginning to fade.
"Qiuju, who delivered the food today?" she asked suddenly, her voice as hoarse as if it were filled with shards of glass.
The maid, who was organizing a basket of sewing supplies, gave a start, and her embroidery hoop clattered to the floor. "Replying to you, Miss, it was Goodwife Zhang, as usual."
Chapter 88