"Don't laugh at her either. What's with Zhuzhongjun or not? It's a completely different story. A girl keeps talking about him all day long. How can you be so rude? Go get your hair done."

The rules in Beijing are very strict. Girls are not allowed to make jokes like that, not even mentioning men's names. Be careful what you say when you go out today. Don't think I can't see you because there are so many people around. I'll ask Taoran when I get back," Second Madam Lou scolded her.

Xianyue stuck out her tongue and dared not speak.

Ling Shuang was urged to comb her hair and try on clothes. Her hair was fine; at a flower-viewing banquet like this, the hosts were all respectful elders, so hair and makeup shouldn't be too flashy. After all, being too trendy could make one look frivolous.

She needed to carefully consider her clothes; they should be both exquisite and formal, so as not to be looked upon as rustic.

Second Madam Lou had already prepared a large pile of clothes, spread them across the bed, and waited for Xianyue to choose.

"It's still cold, and everyone's wearing cloaks, so they all look the same. I think we should get three green fox furs for a more polished look. White fox furs are too flashy, and mink furs are too bulky," Xianyue offered, surveying the bedful of clothes.

If nothing else, she was a master at dressing up. Naturally beautiful and enamored with beauty, she devoted her days to her attire. Even Second Madam Lou admired her and often listened to her advice.

"What about the inner clothes?" Second Madam Lou was eager to try them on. "How about those embroidered branches? It's perfect for a debut today, and we'll get a lot of applause."

"It wouldn't be a good idea to start with the embroidered branches. I think Lady Cui is just giving it a head start; the real show will come after spring. Let's save the embroidered branches for now. We'll wear those gold-covered skirts, and a long-sleeved brocade satin gown over them. Anyway, we'll have the fox-patterned cloak outside for warmth, and the floor drapes inside won't be a problem."

"That's fine." Second Madam Lou stood by the bed, picking up the clothes to choose from. "So, you want red?"

"I look good in bright colors, so I'll go with silver-red. Sister should wear the one with willow branches and moon. That color complements her, and the flowing clouds and flowers pattern is beautiful too. Lingshuang looks best in cinnabar red; all of these colors complement the gold.

We can also wear the same shoes, but with cloud-patterned ones. A gown without a cloud-patterned one will feel a bit top-heavy. We'll wear the boots next time we go out to enjoy the flowers."

Xianyue sat on the edge of the bed, combing her hair as she selected her clothes, even picking out her next outfit. "Oh, keep the silver ones too. Gold ones always look a bit rustic, and spring is prone to cloudy and rainy weather, with heavy fog. Silver ones are bright and complement your skin tone. Keep them for when it rains, so you don't have to buy them too late."

Second Madam Lou naturally obliged. After she made her selection, she asked Aunt Huang to put away the rest and have the shop assistant return them to the shop after they left.

Beijing residents valued their reputation and loved to travel. During every holiday, not only the wealthy but even the commoners rented fine clothes for outings, outings, and flower viewing. Second Madam Lou had lived in Jiangnan for fifteen years, and she had sold or rented out all the shops in the capital, leaving only two ready-made clothing shops and half a share in a rouge and powder shop, which she kept for the present.

The clothes the sisters wore were naturally all new, and after they were worn, they were rented out or sold.

Back in Yangzhou, she'd lived like this before. On spring days, when they went to burn incense, the four Lou sisters dressed like four beautiful women. All the women in the city saw them and imitated them, driving Second Lady Lou's shop completely empty of silk and satin.

The capital was naturally full of hidden talents, and the rules were strict. Women were kept out of the spotlight, so their clothes didn't help the shop's business, but they were still much more affluent than those without shops.

It was said that Second Lady Lou had been chosen as a husband through a lottery, and that wasn't an exaggeration. She was truly eager to find a good husband for her daughters, pulling out all the stops to find a good home.

Unfortunately, a rebellious woman had emerged. Ling Shuang had no interest in these matters. She briefly tried on her clothes, then changed them immediately and returned to the table. Second Master Lou was reading a book while eating. Seeing her approach, he calmly pushed a bowl of chicken soup towards her. It had been cold for a while, but now, warm and perfect for her taste. Of his four daughters, he loved Lingshuang the most, and that was no mere pretense.

After Lingshuang finished her bowl of chicken soup, Xianyue and Qingyun had also finished theirs. Second Madam Lou hurried over to eat. She herself had clearly not eaten a single bite. She watched a maid serve the food while directing, "Everyone, drink a bowl of chicken soup first. It's got ginger in it, so you don't catch a cold. Don't eat spicy food. Eat more snacks to fill you up; snacks will keep you full. Don't just drink porridge..."

Lingshuang teased her, "How come Madam Cui treats us and doesn't even provide food? You have to eat a full stomach?"

"What do you know? Do you think you're invited to a banquet like this?

There are so many eyes watching us. Don't show any shyness in your every move. Be polite and respectful. Of course, don't be silly and refuse to eat; that's just family behavior. Just be normal. Just don't panic and act like a country bumpkin..." Second Madam Lou patiently instructed.

Xianyue wanted to quip, "It's just like back home, so Lingshuang is going to be the boss?" but she got burned by the chicken soup and didn't get a chance to speak. Second Madam Lou continued, "If you ever find yourself in a situation where you don't know what to do, just look at Qingyun and learn from her."

Xianyue curled her lips at Lingshuang, who also made a face, imitating Second Madam Lou's commanding presence. They both chuckled. Qingyun, with her honest nature, said, "Don't just copy me. It's the same if you copy me. I learned everything from me."

"You flatterer," Lingshuang said quickly.

Second Madam Lou patted her on the head and said to Qingyun, "Silly child, how can you copy me? I'm the wife, and you're the ladies. How can we have the same rules?"

"I can drink and play finger-guessing games, but you can't."

"Can I?" Xianyue added.

"Just once, how long do you have to wait to count?" Second Madam Lou glared at her and added, "Don't interrupt. Let's eat, then put on our makeup. When the time comes, have your maids bring in your dressing boxes, and Ah Si will look after them. Banquets usually have several rooms prepared for the ladies to change clothes, style their hair, and touch up their makeup. If you can't find one, you can share. Xianyue, Lingshuang, you two, please don't play tricks on me now. Yuexiang, Taoran, you three, you need to be smart today..."

The maids naturally agreed in unison.

Second Madam Lou went on to lay out a host of rules, a lengthy book, even including the possible dishes. No wonder she placed such importance on them. As Xianyue had said, today was the opening day, the day for everyone to make a debut. A good debut might not bring any immediate benefits, after all, the main event was yet to come, but a poor one could affect the entire spring.

Lingshuang finished eating first. Looking at her mother chattering away, she suddenly smiled and said, "A poem just came to mind."

"What poem?" Second Master Lou became interested.

"The small building listened to the spring rain all night. Mother must have listened to it all night last night."

"What do you mean by spring rain or not? It didn't rain at all last night. I slept soundly. What are you talking about?"

Second Madam Lou was puzzled, but she knew her daughter well enough to know she was a bit of a lawless person. She immediately said sternly, "Lingshuang, let me make this clear: you have to be more restrained today. Be a good girl and don't say anything weird. This concerns the lives of your sisters. "

Mr. Lou simply smiled, and the father and daughter exchanged a knowing glance.

But Xianyue was a snitch.

She took what she heard to heart, and when she went out, she saw an apricot tree nestled against the courtyard wall. Its branches were as hard as iron, but perhaps thanks to the warm southeast sun, a few small blossoms had actually appeared. She immediately understood.

"Mother, you listened to the spring rain all night in the small building, and you'll be selling apricot blossoms in the alley tomorrow. The third son was scolding you, saying you listened to the spring rain last night and are going to sell your daughter today."

Mrs. Lou, after hearing this, thought for a moment and, instead of being angry, smiled.

"Apricot blossoms symbolize good fortune. All flowers compete for spring, but only apricot blossoms are blessed. It's also a good omen." "

She said with a smile, then turned back before leaving, picked up a branch of apricot blossoms, and pinned it in Qingyun's hair.

Qingyun lowered her head slightly, her face flushed, her hair ablaze with beauty. In the courtyard across the way, Third Lady Lou was taking her daughters, Yuzhu and Bizhu, to their sedan chairs, and they were both stunned.

"Third sister, you're leaving so early too," Second Lady Lou said with a smile.

"Yes," Third Lady Lou also smiled.

But neither of the two sisters-in-law mentioned whether they should travel together. The three sisters took the sedan chair, while Tanxue and Second Lady Lou took the carriage, and together they headed for Old Lady Cui's residence in the south of the city.