Outside the imperial harem's walls, merchants lined their stalls with vibrant silks and glittering ornaments. The once-quiet courtyard buzzed with life as attendants and concubines browsed through trinkets they'd only dreamed of seeing before.
Rui walked among them, her simple robes a stark contrast to her station. She paused at a silk merchant's stall, running her fingers over a bolt of azure fabric while chatting with the vendor about his travels. Around her, concubines gasped and whispered in delight at their newfound freedom to browse and purchase items directly.
The changes Rui implemented transformed the stifling atmosphere of the imperial harem. Gone were the arbitrary rules about which foods certain ranks could eat, or how many times one should bow when greeting others. The relaxed regulations allowed genuine relationships to form between the women.
