Book 3: Chapter 288: Ying Zi’s Memories

Asra District, Beetle Street.

Dressed in a black gown adorned with blue iris floral ornaments, Sylutia walked along the street, recalling the thoroughfare from her memories, then stopped before a shop.

Looking up, the wooden signboard remained unchanged, merely a bit more weathered.

Wondering whether the shop had changed hands, Sylutia stepped inside and gently rang the small brass bell on the counter. A clear, pleasant chime spread through the air, and before long, the curtain at the back of the shop parted as a familiar figure stepped out.

Upon seeing Sylutia, the woman's expression shifted to surprise. She seemed to circle the young girl with an especially curious gaze, studying her carefully before giving a slight nod.

"You've grown much more graceful and beautiful than before. It seems that advancing really does influence one's state of mind, doesn't it?"

Hearing such praise directed at her, Sylutia tilted her head slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with her fingers. She felt a little embarrassed but quickly recovered, meeting the other woman's gaze with clear eyes once more.

"Senior Ying Zi, the Purple Jacaranda branch you asked me to find back then, I've found it." As she spoke, her fingers reached for the hairpin at the back of her head. A flash of light rippled, and a beautiful flowering branch materialized in her palm.

"This..."

That Purple Jacaranda branch exuded a faint, serene fragrance in the air. It was precisely the thing Ying Zi had spent over a decade searching for.

Taking the branch, Ying Zi caressed it carefully, feeling its texture. Her eyes betrayed a suppressed joy, a deep relief, and a hint of release.

"I've finally gotten my hands on it, haven't I?" She took a deep breath, then composed herself.

"I originally thought that a branch of the Purple Jacaranda wasn't too difficult to obtain, so I made it my chosen treasure for advancing." Tucking the branch away, Ying Zi invited Sylutia inside for tea, then began to speak at a leisurely pace.

"Unexpectedly, it ended up stalling me for over ten years." She poured Sylutia a cup of the crisp, clear tea she had brewed.

"During that time, I wavered, wondering whether I should keep persisting."

"Having one's own unique characteristics and style is something that brings a sense of ease and confidence. But if you sacrifice too much for the sake of such things, it becomes a kind of foolish obsession, and you end up straying from your original intention."

"Back when I studied at the academy, my instructor specifically taught me this lesson. I originally thought I would never make such a low-level mistake, but now I realize that the world is far less simple than I once believed."

"If I gave up at this point, what would those ten-plus years of waiting and searching amount to? Wouldn't they become a regretful waste of effort? If I continued to persist, then what exactly was I holding on to? Was it some obsession with perfection? Was it an unwillingness to admit the mistakes I'd made?"

"Fortunately, your arrival finally put an end to this struggle, giving the decade I spent waiting a meaning that won't be betrayed." After saying this, her fingers gently brushed the branch resting on the table, a whirlwind of emotions surging in her eyes before dissolving into a silent sigh.

"It's truly remarkable. No one directly hurt me or struck me down, yet merely the circumstances themselves caused me such pain and torment." With that, she raised her head and looked at Sylutia.

"Would you mind telling me how Hedra managed to find this branch of Purple Jacaranda?"

"Of course." Sylutia nodded, cradling her teacup as she began to recount her experiences from memory.

...

"So it was in such an inaccessible place." After listening, Ying Zi nodded slightly.

"No wonder I had commissioned others to search for it before, but never obtained any results."

"I'll have to properly thank her, Hedra." Ying Zi looked at the young woman before her, her gaze tracing Sylutia's figure and silhouette.

"Ah, well..." Flustered by the directness of that look, Sylutia opened her mouth to speak.

"What I mean is, I'll make you a set of clothes. But this time, I'll use very fine materials." Ying Zi chuckled, concealing part of her face behind her sleeve. Those violet eyes gleamed between her hair and sleeve, strikingly radiant.

"What style would you like? No, wait, I shouldn't be asking you that." She suddenly shook her head.

"I'll make you a formal garment suitable for official occasions or grand ceremonies. That would be more appropriate."

"Let me rephrase, what floral ornaments and colors do you like?"

"This one..." Sylutia tilted her head to the side, touching her chin with her fingers as she pondered.

"Could it be made as a magnificent robe with moon-white as the main color, embroidered with silver thread floral ornaments, and black on the sleeve edges and hem?"

"Oh? It's that kind of style?" Ying Zi's expression showed a hint of surprise.

"Um, is it not possible?"

"It's not that. Actually, the style you're describing is very familiar to me. In fact, my graduation piece was exactly that kind of design."

"In the eastern dynasties, unmarried princesses would wear this kind of ceremonial court robe. Its tailoring must follow many protocols and has various detailed, stringent requirements. After all, it represents the model of the dynasty, not just an individual but the dignity and prestige of the royal house itself."

"Precisely because the requirements are so numerous and demanding, it became the benchmark for testing one's knowledge and skills."

"I'm just curious. You've clearly never been to the Sixth Continent, yet you can so fluently state such requirements. Though wearing this kind of attire in the East without the corresponding status is a major taboo, here on the Fourth Continent, no one will care about such things, and probably no one can even identify the subtle differences." She said slowly.

"This..." Sylutia was merely describing the style of clothing she had worn in her childhood according to her memories. She had no idea there were so many intricacies involved. But such matters were difficult to explain, because doing so would drag in countless other things she couldn't reveal.

"Perhaps I happened to see similar descriptions and paintings somewhere. I wasn't aware of these taboos." Sylutia shook her head.

"Then let's not go with this style after all."

"It's fine. I'll just tweak a few details, and then it won't overstep. And unless someone is extremely familiar with Eastern ceremonial protocols, they won't be able to tell the difference." Ying Zi smiled and agreed.

"The imperial court would occasionally bestow such ceremonial robes upon distinguished noble families. Of course, to avoid overstepping, they would deliberately cut off a small corner of the skirt or remove one of the floral ornaments."

"Such bestowals didn't cost much, nor were they high-stakes positions of power that could bring harm. But after the gift, the children of important ministers could enjoy treatment similar to that of princes and princesses. This allowed them to maintain their dignity and standing when facing royal descendants, so they wouldn't appear too humble. That's why many nobles favored this arrangement, sometimes even proactively requesting that their significant meritorious contributions be rewarded with this instead. It was also a way to protect their descendants." Ying Zi recounted from memory.

"The academy I graduated from, the 'Song Gao Academy,' was a place that nurtured talents capable of assisting rulers. Many of my teachers had once been important ministers of the dynasty, and I had seen their children and grandchildren dressed in such attire."

"Just give me some time. As for Hedra's measurements, I've already noted them down." With that, she blinked playfully, signaling Sylutia not to worry.

"Alright." Originally, after hearing Ying Zi's explanation, Sylutia had considered changing her choice, but seeing how enthusiastic the other woman was, she abandoned that thought.

Come to think of it, now that Ying Zi had obtained the key treasure for her advancement, she would probably return to the East after completing her breakthrough. She couldn't help but think of those fragmented memories.

"Do you know 'Princess Azure'?" That was the only person whose name and image she could recall clearly.

"That one? She's the eldest princess of the dynasty. When I left, she should have been serving in the palace assisting the Grand Empress, in charge of imperial edicts and the golden seal. She has also represented the dynasty in diplomatic visits to various parties. Her status is extremely high, and she's likely the most well-known member of the royal family among residents of other continents."

However, Ying Zi had never held a position within the palace, so her knowledge was quite limited. The two chatted for a while longer about old times before Sylutia prepared to leave.

Before she departed, Ying Zi asked about Sylutia's exact departure date.

"No problem. I'll rush the work and finish it before you leave." With that, the two waved goodbye.