A large T-stage was set up using the finest redwood board for the girls to walk on. Naturally, seats were placed on both sides of the T-stage in a modern style, allowing everyone to clearly see the girls’ catwalk and their clothing and jewelry.
While Xin He instructed Wu Zhanggui to deliver the beauties’ portraits to the wealthy families in Lian’an Town and even the prefecture city, he also sent invitations, which constituted an invitation to the fashion show that day.
Invitations were also distributed to all the clients in Hua Man Lou by Madam Chen, and they were given for free as a form of reward to the loyal customers.
Who wouldn’t take the chance to see the beauties of Hua Man Lou for free?
Due to limited space, only those with invitations, that is, those from prominent families, could come in. Even so, the entrance of the Winding Pavilion was crowded with people early in the morning.
The common people were also waiting to catch a glimpse of the girls when they got out of the carriage at the main entrance.
After all, they could never set foot in the Golden Cave of Hua Man Lou, and even if they did, they wouldn’t be able to see the faces of the top girls like Ah Lian and Hua Rao. This was a rare opportunity.
Xin He was quite generous. Although she entered through the back door of the Winding Pavilion, she allowed the girls of Hua Man Lou to enter grandly from the front door, which was a feast for the crowd’s eyes. For the girls, it could also fill their vanity.
Therefore, when the line of horse carriages carrying Hua Man Lou’s girls stopped in front of the Winding Pavilion, the crowd nearly boiled over.
"Hey hey hey! That’s a carriage from Hua Man Lou! Can you see it? All the girls from Hua Man Lou are inside, and all of them are here today!"
"Yes indeed! Don’t block my view, let me see the real face of Miss Ah Lian. I haven’t seen her yet."
"Where is Miss Qing Lei? Who is she? Point her out to me!"
Not only was the street filled with crowds, but the second floor of the teahouse opposite the Winding Pavilion was also packed with people who pointed and gossiped.
After all, it was the girls of Hua Man Lou’s first public appearance, and people’s curiosity was always intense.
As soon as the first horse carriage stopped, Madam Chen got off the carriage first with a smile on her face. She was obviously quite pleased with the recent prosperity.
"Who is that?" someone excitedly asked, fearing they might miss a beauty.
"Ha! That’s the old madam of Hua Man Lou."
"Ugh..." A speechless voice sounded from the crowd.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "Look over there! That’s Miss Ah Lian!"
All eyes were drawn to the impossibly beautiful woman getting off the carriage, following Madam Chen’s steps. Dressed in a bright red skirt, her eyebrows and eyes were filled with enchanting charm. With a slight curve on her lips and enticing eyes, she seemed to be capable of hooking one’s soul.
The crowd was gasping, all staring in astonishment.
However, everything was over in just a blink of an eye. Ah Lian turned around and entered the building.
"That’s Miss Hua Rao!"
"Hey, hey, that one in the coral dress of crescent white, that’s Miss Leng Qing!"
"Oh my, isn’t the girl in the lake green skirt Miss Qinglei? Isn’t that Miss Qiaoqiao next to her?"
"Miss Jinghua is so pretty, I noticed her at the first glance!"
The crowd was buzzing with comments, and the noise didn’t stop as the girls got off the carriage one after another. Although most people hadn’t seen the true faces of these girls and didn’t know who was who, there were always a few who could identify them and gave everyone else pointers. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
The crowd was utterly absorbed.
Even though they could only catch a glimpse, it was better than nothing. After all, it was free to watch.
When all the girls had entered the building, the crowd gradually dispersed, but this boosted the reputation of the newly opened Winding Pavilion.
This was part of Xin He’s strategy. By allowing the girls of Hua Man Lou to disembark in front of the Winding Pavilion’s main gate, the large spectacle would inevitably attract many passersby to stop and watch. The name of the Winding Pavilion would be etched into everyone’s memory, an excellent opportunity to enhance their popularity.
Even after people left, the discussions about the Winding Pavilion never ceased, and people everywhere were talking about the new clothing and jewelry store.
When the crowd had mostly dispersed, the invited guests started to arrive in small groups.
Soon, the entrance of the Winding Pavilion was filled with luxurious carriages, some of which had come all the way from the prefecture city.
Luo Tuo, a pageboy from Hua Man Lou, was in charge of greeting the guests and helping them park their carriages. He was amazed at the emblems on the carriages of the guests going in and out. Each of them was from a family more prestigious than the last, which made him swallow hard with surprise.
There were many attendees, but fortunately, Xin He had done all the preparations in advance. Inside, maids with suitable manners led the guests through the hall towards the T-stage at the back.
"What’s this?" Almost every one of the visitors was somewhat taken aback on seeing the strange stage.
"This is where the girls will be showcasing later, my Lord and Madame. Please take a seat, the show hasn’t started yet.", the little maids explained with a pleasant expression.
At this time, the "backstage" literally resembles a stirred pot. The girls of Hua Man Lou had changed into the clothes prepared for the catwalk, and were putting on makeup with the help of the maids.
Xin He was checking their makeup and jewelry one by one to see if anything was amiss.
Xiaoyu was holding a large tray filled with various kinds of jewelry for Xin He to choose from. Occasionally, when they felt that a girl’s jewelries weren’t good, they would change it.
Fortunately, everything was well prepared, and though they were busy, they proceeded in an orderly manner.
"When you go on stage later, there will be noble ladies sitting under the stage watching your show. If you don’t want to lose face in front of others, you must straighten your backs and don’t be petty-minded. They must believe that you have the temperament they want in order to willingly buy the clothes and jewelry you’re wearing understand?", Xin He sternly commanded.
The girls understood clearly. The crucial audience for today’s performance were not the men they used to please, but these women who used to look down on them. This was a tougher task, so they must act in the most dignified, fitting manner and show as much charm as possible in front of them!
Shulan hurried in and said, "Master, it’s time. The guests outside have all taken their seats."
Xin He nodded calmly and then said to everyone, "Alright, as previously rehearsed, once Madam Chen speaks, directly go on stage. Qing Lei will be the lead and Ah Lian the finale, understand?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
