Chapter 130: Fashion Announcement
Translator: DavidT Editor: celllll
Under the gazes of everyone, both the graceful, elegant and beautiful ladies entered into the Heavenly Fragrant Pavilion, heavily surrounded by maids.
Witnessing the arrival of these two individuals, all the madams present stood up respectfully and bowed. Chu Ting’er then took a step back silently and hid behind Ling Ran’s palace maid.
"Ah ah, my fellow sisters, there is no need to be so courteous. This little sister has been looking forward to this meeting for a long time already. My wish can be said to be finally fulfilled today." With a single sentence, Ling Ran had narrowed the gap between her and the others present. Instead of calling them ‘respective madams’, she called them ‘my fellow sisters’. At the same time, by calling herself ‘little sister’ instead of ‘this consort’, it made her seem like a friendly and easily approachable character, making everyone present more relaxed.
Especially those madams who were attending this meeting for the first time, they looked as though a burden was just lifted from their shoulders. They all felt that Consort Ling was an amiable person and wasn’t the least bit overbearing!
Ling Ran’s dressing today was also extremely different from normal. All the madams present were dressed in a buttoned up chinese jacket with long skirts and a shawl around their shoulders, looking wealthy and majestic.
However, this Consort Ling Ran was actually dressed extremely simply. She was wearing a long dress which clung onto her figure nicely, displaying her beautiful figure. The lapels at her chest overlapped each other and were buttoned up neatly; the hem of her dress dangled all the way down to her ankle. The strangest thing was that a small seam was made by her left leg up until Consort Ling Ran’s kneecap. However, it was this small seam, which fluttered in the winds as Ling Ran walked, which brought out her elegance. Every time she took a step, it was the wind blowing past the surface of a lake, creating a small ripple. It made everyone feel like she had reached the epitome of beauty, shining above all other beauties around.
On Ling Ran’s slim feet, she was wearing a strange looking pair of leather boots. The heels of her boots were long and sharp. As Ling Ran stood up, she was tall with an elegant bearing. As she walked, she looked as though she was fluttering in the wind like a willow tree swaying in the wind. Her gentle and enchanting charm exuded out with every single action she took! With a single look, one could not help but praise her for her nobility, grace and poise.
While the madams present were usually dressed extravagantly, their clothes were usually thick robes with large sleeves, completely covering up their beautiful figure. The dress which Ling Ran was wearing, comfortable but yet skin-tight, graceful with a classical beauty, was something unheard of. In that instant, the eyes of all the madams present were drawn to this dress which was unheard of before. Envy could be seen in all of their eyes as they looked down at what they were wearing, inevitably feeling a sense of inferiority.
In that instant, there was an awkward silence in the atmosphere, showing how great Ling Ran’s charm was!
"My dear sisters, it has been a long while indeed." Chu Ting’er stood out with a smile and greeted the rest.
The eyes of all the madams present had already been drawn to Ling Ran’s dress. Hearing Chu Ting’er’s greeting, they only replied with a customary ‘oh’. They did not even notice that the one who was talking was the wife of General Ling, the female head of the number one family in the Sky Bearing Empire! It was indeed a little rude of them.
However, Chu Ting’er was not bothered about that at all. The first time she saw this dress, she also had a similar reaction as those present here today. A dress which is able to completely display the beauty of a lady was just far too attractive to a lady!
Under the envious gazes of everyone present, Ling Ran’s esteem as a female had also been raised to an unprecedented level. She walked passed everyone and walked to her seat. As she walked, her elegance exuded with every step she took, looking as though she was a fairy who had descended from the heavens.
After Ling Ran sat down with a lazy posture, her clothes tightened up further, further revealing all the curves on her body. If a man were to be present here, he would definitely stare with his eyes wide open and mouth drooling. However, if there were really officials present here today, Ling Ran may not have worn this eye-catching dress.
This dress can be said to be the most wonderful dream for every female but also the most fatal nemesis for every male! In that instant, all the madams here could imagine how their husbands would pounce onto them like wolves if they were to wear this dress. All of their faces could not help but turn red as spring filled their eyes.
They all asked impatiently.
"Your highness, did the emperor custom make this dress for you?"
"Your highness is indeed like a beautiful fairy wearing this dress. I wonder which master made this dress of yours?"
"Is this the tribute from another empire?"
"The materials used probably can’t be easily purchased, right?"
Ling Ran replied with a joyful smile, "About this dress, it is rare for it to gain the praise of all you sisters. However, it wasn’t made by me or given by the emperor. This is something which my sister-in-law tailored for me specially."
As Ling Ran said that, the expectant gazes of everyone present were immediately directed to Chu Ting’er. Even madam Yang, who wanted to make use of this opportunity to mock Chu Ting’er had immediately dispelled any thought about that.
"Madam Ling, ah ah ah, you really have good skills…"
"Eh, sister Chu, you are really beautiful today…"
"Hehe...Madam Ling, what do you think…"
"I was here first, why are all of you so near to be? Ah ah ah, sister Chu…"
The refined and serene Heavenly Fragrant Pavilion had suddenly become a loud marketplace. The originally serious and dignified madams present had green light shining out from their eyes, fighting to squeeze by Chu Ting’er’s side.
The seat which Chu Ting’er had chosen was also extremely special. Opposite her was Madam Yang, and to her left was the wife of the Minister of Rites, mother of Wei XuanXuan, Madam Wei.
Making use of this opportunity to advertise the new product of their Ling family was also one of Chu Ting’er’s goal. As she saw how all of the madams present were so excited, Chu Ting’er was elated in her heart, and could almost see a pile of gold right in front of her.
"Err, my dear sisters, please be quiet." Chu Ting’er stood up and said, "This dress is something which I asked someone in the family to make specially for Consort Ling Ran. As for the design of the dress, it was something which I came up with after racking my head." Chu Ting’er said calmly and slowly, claiming all the credit for the dress without hesitation.
"I never imagined that it would attract so much love from all of you. If that’s the case," Chu Ting’er paused for a moment, "after this little sister returns home, I will instruct them to rush out a batch. When they are done, it will be sold to the public at our Ling family’s shop. But due to the lack of time, I will not be able to make many. Then again, the rarer something is, the more precious it is. If there really is too many of these dresses, it would destroy the beauty of it. I hope that those sisters who wishes to buy it would be there early. However, the material used for this dress is strictly chosen, thus the price would be a little high…"
As Chu Ting’er said that, all the madams present let out a cheer. These women were all extremely wealthy individuals who could not be bothered with those few hundred taels of silver. The most important thing would be for the dress to look good on them! Thus, they all completely ignored the last two sentences which Chu Ting’er said. Is that even a problem? If price is really a problem, we don’t have to stay in the Sky Bearing Empire anymore.
"However, sisters have also seen it for yourselves that the dressed must be accompanied by the boots which Consort Ling Ran is wearing to bring out the full beauty of it. If, ah ah ah…" As Chu Ting’er said that, she did not complete her sentence.
However, everyone present understood what she meant. The few smaller sized madams present nodded their head in agreement. If they were too short, they would not be able to bring out the beauty of the dress. However, with that high heeled boots, it would be a completely different story!
In that instant, the discussions of everyone revolved around the topic of the dress and boots. Ling Ran also ignored her status as a Consort and joined in the conversation as well. At times, she would model the new dress for the madams present with a proud smile. Every time she does so, the various ladies’ eyes would shine with envy as though they wished they could strip her naked to wear the dress on the spot.
The imperial family’s thanksgiving gathering had completely become the fashion announcement gathering for the Ling family. All the madams present rubbed their hands anxiously, ready to be the first to buy this dress back the moment it appears on the shelves. There were even some who planned in their heart to send their servant to the doors of the Ling family’s shop to stand guard, buying the dress back the moment it is released! If they were to arrive late and miss out on the dress, wouldn’t they lose a great deal of face? Not having something which everyone else has, wasn’t this akin to saying that they do not have enough silver at home?
After pacifying everyone with much difficulty, Chu Ting’er, whose mouth was dry from talking, did not bother with resting. Instead, she inched nearer to Madam Wei beside her, "Ah ah, elder sister Wei, I have not seen you for such a long time. You are still as beautiful as ever and do not even seem to be growing older. Just how did elder sister maintain your youth? This skin is even smoother than most young ladies."
Madam Wei replied with a bright smile, "Younger sister praises me too much. Older sister is already old and my face is turning yellow. I am already an old lady"
"Haha, how can that be? If elder sister is an old lady, then that old saying should be changed to, ‘The beauty of a female captivating even the fishes and animals, face of an old lady’..." Chu Ting’er replied with a laugh.
Madam Wei was overjoyed in her heart as she heard that and the both of them began to chat. The more they chatted, the more they felt similar to each other, actually seeming as though they hated the fact that they did not meet earlier.
"Elder sister, that young lady at your place is called XuanXuan right? She really is a good lady and came to my place to find Tian’er two days ago. Ah ah, this little sister liked her the moment I saw her. At that time, I felt that in this capital, no one apart from you will be able to give birth to such a beautiful lady. Without asking, I already knew that she must have been your daughter." A short while later when Chu Ting’er saw that the atmosphere was about right, she began to praise Madam Wei’s daughter.