In Yuehua Courtyard, all the young ladies and gentlemen of the three households had gathered. Everyone was dressed up meticulously, and the young ladies were especially looking forward to winning first place at today's flower-adorned banquet. However, they did not expect that the youngest, Shen Mingzhuang, would be so stunningly beautiful in her finest attire.
She is truly envied by even the most beautiful birds and nightingales; her beauty is beyond compare!
A hint of unease flashed across Lin's face. She lowered her head, took a few deep breaths while sipping her tea, and barely managed to suppress the displeasure in her eyes.
Shen Mingshu sat to the left of Madam Lin, holding a small official kiln famille rose dish. Madam Lin's personal attendant, Granny Jiang, was applying something to her forehead.
It must be a floral design.
Upon closer inspection, Mingzhuang realized that all her sisters had hibiscus or peony flowers painted on their foreheads. Each of them was a young woman of the right age, and at first glance, they were indeed more beautiful than the flowers.
Granny Jiang painted a peony on Shen Mingshu's forehead. Unlike the other sisters, the peony was made with gold powder mixed in with the rouge. When the sunlight slanted into the room from outside the window, it reflected a gorgeous brilliance.
The sisters had all finished drawing. Granny Jiang glanced at Shen Mingzhuang and looked at Madam Lin, waiting for her signal.
Madam Lin flicked her sleeves, stood up, and smiled, saying, "It's getting late. Mingzhuang arrived too late. Let's hurry to the Pei residence first. On such a grand day, we can't let anyone say that our Shen family has lost its manners."
Having served Madam Lin for so many years, Granny Jiang immediately understood what Madam Lin meant and chimed in, "Yes, it's time to go out."
Mingzhuang smiled faintly and gracefully bowed in agreement. She then stepped aside to wait for Madam Lin to pass by.
Only then did everyone shift their gaze from Shen Mingzhuang and follow Madam Lin out of the courtyard in an orderly fashion. The third branch of the family usually didn't have any major affairs and each managed their own affairs, but today they were all going to the Pei residence for a banquet, so naturally they had to go together.
The First Madam, along with her only son Shen Anqing, had already paid their respects to the Old Madam at Shou'an Hall. The Second Branch of the family had also arrived. Judging from the First Madam's expression, they must have been waiting for a while.
Second Madam Gu, on the other hand, was quite unfazed. She waved a round fan embroidered on both sides of a blue gauze and greeted Madam Lin with a smile.
Almost every time the morning and evening greetings were held, the third branch of the family was the last to arrive. The old lady came from a prominent family and already looked down on her daughter-in-law, Lin. Seeing that she was also late on such an important day, she looked rather displeased.
However, she had no intention of disciplining Lin. Before Lin could even take a sip of her tea, the old lady said in a deep voice, "It's getting late, we should head to the Pei residence."
She was getting old and didn't like crowded and noisy places like this. So, the three Zhao women, along with many younger relatives, bid farewell to Meishou Hall and headed to the Pei residence.
April is a time when all things are full of vitality, with flowers blooming and leaves flourishing, and grasses turning green. As horse-drawn carriages travel along the roads, one can hear the calls of flower vendors hawking their wares by the roadside. The wind carries a gentle fragrance of flowers, unlike the strong scent of powder, its delicate and lingering aroma possessing a unique kind of romance.
The people of Tianzhong are second only to the Spring Festival in their enthusiasm for the Flower-Wearing Festival. Today, almost everyone on the street, regardless of age, wears flowers, turning the entire capital city into a sea of flowers.
This was the first time Shen Mingzhuang had ever witnessed such a grand spectacle, and he was deeply impressed.
Later generations of men admired masculinity and felt that wearing flowers was too feminine. They would probably only see such a magnificent sight once in a hundred years.
The carriage swayed and stopped halfway through the journey. Shen Ming'e, who was riding with her, immediately couldn't contain her impatience and asked outside, "What happened?"
Amidst the commotion, the coachman shouted, "There's a traffic jam ahead! Several large horse-drawn carriages are blocking the way. Everyone, please wait."
Huh? Traffic jams still exist these days? Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed that the Flower Hairpin Festival was much more lively than she had imagined.
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