Cui Yingying, eldest daughter of the Cui clan, was the first of all the young ladies to arrive in Dragon City.
Over the following month or so, the various princesses and misses came one after another.
The original round of invitations had gone out to one hundred, and ninety-eight had come; two were said to be ill and unable to make the journey. Whether they were truly ill or merely feigning it, no one could say.
Of the ninety-eight, no fewer than nine were imperial or royal princesses.
Across the three courts, many high officials, generals, and titled nobles had sent their daughters and granddaughters, which accounted for the considerable number. The Five Surnames and Seven Clans were no exception — every single house had sent a girl, for they were the most eager of all in such matters. A handful of daughters from great merchant families with deep ties to the various courts had come as well.
In short, none of these ninety-eight young women was ordinary. They could be counted among the most nobly born misses in the world. Had they never come to Dragon City, the very least any of them could have expected in life was to become the principal wife of an official of the third rank or above.
When the invitations had first gone out, word had been passed along that the lodgings here suited twenty or thirty attendants at most. Most guests had therefore brought roughly that number. Even the most modest among them had arrived with no fewer than ten, while the most extravagant — a certain great merchant's daughter — had brought over a hundred.
Yet that same girl occupied, it could be said, the lowest rung of status among the entire company. Frightened out of her wits, she dismissed more than half her retinue that very day and dashed off a letter to her father, scolding the unreliable man for nearly getting her singled out.
Many others did the same. Seeing that they had brought more attendants than the princesses themselves, they were frightened out of their wits. What was the meaning of this — putting on airs? Having more servants than a princess?
Jinxiu, who oversaw such affairs, heard about it all and let out a long sigh. So many fewer people — what a shame. Go ahead and bring all the attendants you like; bring ten thousand to wait on you, and I'd be nothing but delighted.
At the same time, she was rather vexed by certain things.
For some had actually sent calling cards to the Zhao household, bold enough to request an audience with the Master.
Shameless little minxes. Did they really think they could fool these sharp eyes of mine? Take a good look in the mirror first. Even the Emperor himself has been turned away when he wished to call on my Master — what makes you think you have any right?
Of course, Jinxiu knew she was only grumbling. In all likelihood it was the girls' families, acting on orders from their own masters back home and overstepping on their own initiative.
"Have all the young ladies who are expected arrived?"
"Miss, they have all arrived. Two are said to be unwell and unable to come at present — they will make the journey once they have recovered."
"Is the club on Qingxiu Street ready?"
"Everything has been prepared."
"Very well. Send invitations to all the ladies. Three days from now, I will host a banquet for everyone at the Qingxiu Club."
"Yes, Miss."
Zhao Baihui was enjoying a foot massage when he spoke. "Jinxiu, you must take this to heart. We are choosing wives for your brothers — women they may spend the rest of their lives with."
"Try to find ones with good temperaments, easy to get along with — ideally uncomplicated souls, so we're spared trouble down the road."
"That said, if any of them fall for someone whose character is less than ideal, there's nothing to be done about it. Who can argue with love?"
"Understood, Master. You needn't worry yourself on that account. The workings of a young woman's heart — that is something you simply don't understand."
…
Three days later. The Qingxiu Club.
One young lady who had arrived early stepped down from her carriage with a few maids and matrons in tow, and was led by a female attendant to the entrance of a grand hall.
"Miss, the main reception hall is just through here. You may enter on your own. Inside you will find the other ladies and no one else but attendants — if you need anything at all, simply ask anyone present."
"The rest of your party, please follow me to the adjoining lounge."
The matrons accompanying the young lady were formidable women in their own right, yet here they were perfectly docile, doing exactly as they were told. Watching their mistress step into the main reception hall alone, they had no choice but to follow the attendant into the other room.
"Ladies, there is food, fruit, and drink — please help yourselves to anything you like."
"When your mistress comes out, she will come to find you, or we will send word. And if you need anything in the meantime, the attendants here are at your service. I must go receive the other guests now."
"Please, don't mind us — go right ahead," the head matron said cordially, watching the attendant depart. She turned around to find one of the young maids already reaching curiously toward some unfamiliar delicacy, about to pop it into her mouth.
The matron hurried over and rapped the girl's hand.
"Have you lost your senses? Has your mistress ever left you hungry or thirsty at home?"
The little maid cradled her hand and said plaintively, "But they said we could eat whatever we liked…"
"Because they said so, you just go ahead and eat? If someone from another lady's household sees you behaving like this, what will they say about you — and about your mistress? Disgraceful creature!"
Nearby, an attendant noticed the commotion and approached with a warm smile.
"Forgive the interruption — these things were prepared especially for you all. Please, feel free to help yourselves."
"This here, for instance, is a local specialty of Dragon City — quite delicious. Do give it a try."
"Like this."
Not wanting the guests to feel embarrassed, the attendant took a paper dish, helped herself to a small portion, and ate a little by way of demonstration.
"The food in the main reception hall is exactly the same as what you have here. Please, enjoy everything."
The matron, not wishing to seem ungrateful, took a paper dish and helped herself. That was all the young maids needed — they snatched up their own dishes with delight, and once they started eating, they could not stop.
In the main reception hall, meanwhile, more and more young ladies had arrived. Each had come punctually ahead of the appointed time; not one dared put on airs by arriving late. They gathered in small clusters of three and five, all eyes fixed on the entrance, waiting for the figure who was the envy of every young woman in the world to appear.
The hour came. The attendants drew the great doors open once more, and a figure appeared.
Jinxiu entered with two attendants at her side, dressed in a magnificent gown, draped in a great cape of snow-white fur. She strode in like a model on a runway, cutting a dashing figure as she swept down the aisle and mounted the dais at the far end.
An attendant stepped forward and lifted the cape from her shoulders.
She stood at height and swept her gaze across the room below.
Every young lady there, without exception, lowered her eyes in shame. Beside this woman, even a princess felt unworthy.
Here was one of the most powerful women in the world — and a power that was hers by her own hand, her own ability.
She was also among the wealthiest women in the world, commanding fortunes beyond measure.
And she was this beautiful, this commanding — as she had walked in just now, it had seemed as though ten thousand soldiers marched at her flanks, as though walls of iron and bronze parted before her.
It was said by many that even the emperors of all three courts would stand a head shorter in her presence.
This was one of the pillars of Dragon City.
Miss Jinxiu. Zhao Jinxiu.