BDSMST -Chapter 156 A Cotton Jacket Sparks a Fashion Trend

In the capital, at the Eastern Palace.

The Crown Princess, Bai Zhilan, was sitting in the warm chamber, idly flipping through a book of poems. Outside, the cold wind howled, rustling the last few dead leaves on the branches. Inside, fine silver-thread charcoal burned, filling the room with warmth—but the white fox fur coat she wore, made from the soft underarm fur of a whole fox, still felt heavy and stifling.

As the Crown Princess, she had access to the finest things in the world. In winter, only sable or white fox furs were acceptable for keeping warm. These furs were indeed exquisite and priceless, but they had unavoidable drawbacks—they were cumbersome and carried a faint, lingering animal scent. Wearing them made movement difficult, as if she were trapped inside a luxurious cage.

At that moment, her personal maid, Qiao Yue, hurried in carrying a rosewood box half her height, her face bright with excitement.

“Your Highness, Master Bai has sent something—he says it’s a winter gift for you.”

“Jewelry again?” Bai Zhilan said, bored, putting down her poetry book. “Have him register it in the treasury and leave it there.”

Since her brother had become a royal merchant, he sent unusual items into the palace every now and then—priceless jewels, rare gemstones, or exotic spices from overseas. She was long accustomed to such gifts.

“No, Your Highness,” Qiao Yue said, opening the box’s latch. A fresh, subtle scent of plants wafted out. “In his letter, Master Bai said this is the world’s most extraordinary object, guaranteed to make you throw away that white fox coat you’re wearing.”

“Oh?” Bai Zhilan’s curiosity was piqued. Something that could make her discard a priceless white fox fur? Her brother was being a bit audacious. She looked into the box.

Inside lay a neatly folded garment. Its color was a sky-blue she had never seen before—clear and pure, like the sky after rain, soft and elegant, without a trace of earthly dust or tinge. Most surprising was the texture. It looked thick yet carried an indescribable fluffiness. Its surface had fine, delicate fibers that felt smooth to the touch, without the icy cold of fur or the slippery smoothness of silk.

“What is this made of?” Bai Zhilan reached out to touch it. The softness was incredible, as if she were caressing a cloud in the sky.

“The letter says it’s called ‘cotton,’ a type of fluff that grows inside the fruit of a tree,” Qiao Yue replied, taking the garment out and unfolding it before the Crown Princess.

It was a tailored, fitted long jacket with a simple and elegant cut. There was no unnecessary embroidery or decoration—only a few cloud motifs outlined in white cotton thread at the collar and cuffs. Yet it was precisely this simplicity that highlighted the fabric’s natural beauty and the serene elegance of the sky-blue color.

“Your Highness, would you like to try it on?” Qiao Yue encouraged.

Bai Zhilan hesitated briefly but then nodded. She removed her heavy white fox coat and put on the sky-blue cotton jacket.

The moment it was on, her eyes lit up.

First, it was light. This seemingly thick jacket weighed less than a third of her fox fur coat. She felt no burden at all, moving with a freedom and ease she had never experienced in a fur garment.

Second, it was warm. As soon as she put it on, a gentle warmth spread over her. It was a dry, comfortable heat unlike fur, as if wrapped in the soft embrace of afternoon sunlight. Even the usual harsh heat from the silver-thread charcoal seemed blocked out—only a cozy warmth lingered close to her body.

She walked over to a large Western-style floor mirror in the chamber and looked at her reflection. In the mirror, the woman wore the sky-blue long jacket, her waist perfectly defined, giving her a tall and slender silhouette. The elegant, clear color made her naturally fair skin look even more radiant. The overall effect removed some of the ostentatious grandeur she usually carried, replacing it with a gentle, graceful charm reminiscent of misty Jiangnan landscapes.

“This looks amazing, Your Highness! You look so beautiful in this!” Qiao Yue exclaimed sincerely from beside her. “You look several years younger than in that fur coat!”

Bai Zhilan spun a few times in front of the mirror, her face breaking into a genuine smile she hadn’t shown in a long time. She loved this feeling—light, warm, comfortable, and yet so beautiful.

“Pack away that white fox coat,” she instructed Qiao Yue, her tone tinged with slight disdain. “We won’t need it again.”

Qiao Yue covered her mouth to hide a laugh, thinking her brother really hadn’t exaggerated this time.

Over the next few days, the Crown Princess’s new jacket quickly caused a sensation among the noblewomen of the capital.

It started when she paid respects at the Empress’s palace. The other princesses and noblewomen, all wearing elaborate furs of various types, looked at her—venturing out into the cold in a simple blue jacket—with a mix of confusion and disdain. Some whispered privately, wondering if the Crown Princess had lost her sense of propriety, and speculating that the Eastern Palace’s expenses must be tightening.

Yet when they saw her calm and composed, with rosy cheeks and no sign of cold in the warm chamber, their curiosity grew. When a familiar lady-in-waiting finally dared to approach and touch the fabric, the entire circle of noblewomen was thrown into a frenzy.

“My goodness! What kind of material is this? How can it be so soft?”

“Your Highness, Crown Princess, are you really not cold in that? It looks so light and thin.”

“This color is so refined—what dye house made it? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Faced with their questions, Bai Zhilan smiled faintly and explained a few simple points. The more casually she spoke, the more curious and desirous the noblewomen became.

Within just three days, the word “cotton” became the hottest term among the capital’s elite women. Owning a sky-blue cotton jacket like the Crown Princess’s became the most fashionable and coveted thing for this winter.

Soon, the doorstep of Bai Yutang’s mansion in the capital was nearly worn down from constant visitors. Nobles and wealthy merchants came in droves to pay respects, give gifts, curry favor, and place orders for cotton jackets and cloth. Orders poured in from every direction like falling snow, requesting not only sky-blue but every imaginable color, with countless styles and variations.

While handling these enthusiastic clients, Bai Yutang hurriedly wrote a letter and dispatched it to Woniu Village.

When Jiang Suisui received the letter along with a thick stack of orders filled with detailed requirements, she knew that a new, massive business opportunity had arrived.

“Wang, call Li Er and the others here immediately,” she instructed her steward Wang after reading the letter. “Also, go to the village and gather the skilled carpenters and all the women who are currently free at home.”

She looked out the window at the shipyard under construction and her eyes sparkled with determination.

“Tell them that our textile workshop is officially opening. Everyone, get ready to start work.”