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Dantai Kanan rose and led Liu Wuyi into the inner chamber. Standing before the folding screen, he parted his legs slightly and spread his arms, looking at Liu Wuyi as he lifted his chin slightly.

“Measure.”

Today, he wore a crimson silk robe with a round collar, adorned with a flying fish insignia on the chest and a jade belt at the waist. The gold-embroidered threads shimmered brightly under the candlelight. Even with his expressionless face, Dantai Kanan appeared both handsome and imposing, leaving Liu Wuyi feeling that such a magnificent man deserved vibrant colors.

Liu Wuyi suddenly felt that the fine silk she had bought was too plain; such a splendid beauty should wear something bright and dazzling.

She twirled the measuring tape delicately between her fingers and spoke cautiously, “You’ll need to remove your clothes for the measurement.”

Dantai Kanan wanted to say that the maids in the household were measured just like this, but seeing how she almost fainted with every extra word, he restrained himself silently.

In a few swift movements, apart from the flying fish robe, he was left in just his inner garments. Dantai Kanan said, “Measure it like this.”

Liu Wuyi leaned in, hesitant to meet his gaze, and tried to slip behind him, but he deftly avoided her.

“I am a martial artist; I’m not accustomed to having anyone behind me,” he said simply, dispelling her doubts.

Understanding dawned on Liu Wuyi, mixed with surprise—Dantai Kanan practiced martial arts? That was rare among eunuchs. She decided she must carefully measure his chest circumference.

That night, when the lights were out, she was too embarrassed to look at anything but his face, never once noticing what his body looked like.

The vivid scene replayed in her mind, warmth rising to her cheeks, though her expression remained composed.

Lowering Dantai Kanan’s arms to rest naturally at his sides, Liu Wuyi faced him, standing on tiptoe to place one end of the measuring tape on his shoulder. When she tried to pull it down, she found her reach insufficient.

“My lord, please press it down for your servant.”

Dantai Kanan raised his hand to help.

Drawing close, a faint, pleasant fragrance emanated from him—a scent she had noticed when he carried her back from the outer courtyard, and quite liked.

That was why, when he asked what else she wanted to buy yesterday, she had blurted out, “Some scented balm.”

Her thoughts drifted as she recorded the measurements. She turned to the side table to jot them down before returning to continue measuring. After several repetitions, only the chest circumference and crotch depth remained unmeasured. She knew well that Dantai Kanan would never cooperate with measuring the crotch depth.

So only the chest circumference was left.

Liu Wuyi glanced up quietly at Dantai Kanan, noting the faint impatience in his expression, though no sign of displeasure.

“My lord, please lift your arm so your servant can measure your chest.”

Dantai Kanan frowned. “I am not a woman; why measure my chest?”

Liu Wuyi’s innocent almond-shaped eyes widened. “But you are a martial artist, and your physique is stronger than most. To ensure the clothes fit well, the measurements must be precise.”

No one had ever said such things to Dantai Kanan before. He had worn his clothes well for so many years, so what difference could it make?

“Better be as you say, so the clothes fit perfectly in every way.”

Dropping this sarcastic remark, he still cooperated by raising his arm.

Standing on tiptoe to reach his chest, Liu Wuyi adjusted the tape repeatedly, sometimes misaligned, sometimes askew, each time falling closer into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and back.

His soft body pressed against him, making Dantai Kanan deeply uncomfortable. He raised his hand and took the measuring tape from her.

“Where exactly should I measure?”

Liu Wuyi, also anxious, gestured to her own chest. Dantai Kanan glanced at the full curve and quickly averted his gaze.

Though he was a eunuch, he still counted as a man, and this woman’s shamelessness astonished him.

With a sullen face, Dantai Kanan hurriedly completed the chest measurement as instructed, then wanted to send her away.

Noticing his obvious displeasure, Liu Wuyi quickly slipped away with the paper bearing the recorded measurements.

Walking along the corridor, she mused that aside from his delicate demeanor and pale, translucent complexion, Dantai Kanan hardly resembled the eunuchs others spoke ill of.

People often described eunuchs as filthy, noting their missing parts, the constant discomfort leading to an unpleasant smell, and other unsavory rumors that made listeners frown.

But Dantai Kanan simply didn’t fit any of those associations.

Back in her own courtyard, she sat down. The sky was still early, so she decided to start cutting the fabric according to the measurements.

She called for Chuntao to bring the fine silk and enlisted Chun Yue’s help. The three of them chatted and laughed as they worked busily.

When she reached the waistline, Liu Wuyi suddenly realized that Dantai Kanan’s waist was about as slender as hers, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. No wonder she always felt he looked several times more elegant than others in any garment.

Throughout the measuring, Liu Wuyi had cautiously tested Dantai Kanan’s tolerance and was pleasantly surprised by his patience.

He was a reasonably sensible man—if given a good reason, he would listen.

When he was first seized and thrown into the Zhaoyi Prison, it was truly a misunderstanding. No woman claiming to bear a eunuch’s child would be believed.

Dantai Kanan was still formidable, but Liu Wuyi had found a way to coexist with him.

They had a lifetime ahead of them living together, and she intended to gradually increase his tolerance toward her—at least until the child was born, when he would surely be more accommodating.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During the day, Liu Wuyi stayed in the warm room making clothes, listening to Chuntao and the others discuss recent events in the capital. At night, she waited for Dantai Kanan’s return to dine together.

This winter month’s snow fell heavily. After the first snowfall, a large section of thatched huts collapsed in the outer city, killing many poor villagers. Fortunately, the court’s disaster relief arrived swiftly, and within half a month, most had been resettled.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau predicted more snow, so the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Capital Magistrate preemptively relocated some remaining villagers from the thatched huts, preventing casualties during the second snowfall.

The common folk said the sun had risen from the west—Dantai Kanan had surprisingly done a good deed. Of course, this wasn’t gossip from the maids but Liu Wuyi’s own conclusion.

Seated at her dressing table, with Chunhua arranging her hair behind her, Liu Wuyi’s thoughts wandered to the Precious Dragon Pavilion.

“Mistress, would you prefer to wear this ruby headdress or the one with mutton-fat jade?”

“What ruby, what mutton-fat jade?” Liu Wuyi looked confused, following Chunhua’s gaze to the jewelry box.

The once-empty four-tiered sandalwood cabinet was now filled with jeweled flowers, pearls, and various gold and silver ornaments, alongside three brocade boxes containing complete sets of accessories.

One set was the currently fashionable gold cloisonné enamel inlaid with colorful gems—light and lively in appearance. The ruby and mutton-fat jade headdresses Chunhua mentioned were even more luxurious.