Chapter 48 - Chapter Forty-Seven: The Lonely Life

Wang Peizhi had forgotten what it was like to simply roll out of bed and put on her own clothes to start the day. Since she entered the palace twenty-eight years ago, every morning was a circus involving many maids and eunuchs.  Her skin was cleansed, creamed, and then cosmetics were applied to keep her face looking eternally young and beautiful.  The little wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were covered, her brow was smoothed, and the dark shadows under her eyes were lightened before pale cheeks were rouged and eyebrows were darkened.  Every dress and robe were heavily embroidered and embellished, made from the finest silks and dyed with the special dyes that were reserved only for the imperial family.  She chose a curated set of jewelry from a massive collection of gold, silver and precious stones, and the process of combing her hair and weaving it through the elaborate headpieces could take more than an hour in itself.