Princess Lingling was ushered into the reception hall at the Mei Mansion with some formality, as she was accompanied by guards, eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting on this occasion. Very different than her usual less formal visits with her brother, the Second Prince.
"Your highness, we're very pleased to see you," bowed Madam Yu, seating the Princess in the highest position.
First and Second Brothers were also in attendance.
"Please rise," she smiled at them all. "Hello Mei Renlong, Mei Renhu," she greeted First and Second Brothers before getting down to business. "Madam Yu, I have an invitation here for you. It bears the Emperor's seal."
Yu Yan felt a tendril of fear in the pit of her stomach. This couldn't be anything good.
They knelt to receive the invitation, which was read aloud by a eunuch.
"The Emperor and Princess Zhu Lingling are pleased to invite Mistress Mei Meili, who has come of age, to a flower viewing ceremony at the palace in the Empress's Garden on the day after tomorrow."
The invitation was placed into Yu Yan's raised hands by the eunuch.
"Our thanks to the Lord Emperor," they intoned.
"You may rise," the eunuch called.
Her sons, on either side of her, helped her to her feet.
"Thank you for the kind invitation, Princess," Yu Yan said faintly. "Of course, Mei Meili must attend if the Emperor has invited her."
"Mother," said Second in concern.
She quieted him with a look.
"That's wonderful news Madam Yu," said the Princess. "I really look forward to meeting the Young Mistress of the Mei family. I won't keep you any longer Madam Yu, I have preparations to supervise. Mei Renlong, Mei Renhu," she inclined her head, and the two brothers bowed.
Tan Bowen entered the Mansion as the Princess and her retinue were leaving.
"Princess," he greeted her cheerfully. "Is your brother here?"
"No, regrettably he's not with me today."
"Oh, you're here on your own?"
"Yes, I came to give Madam Yu an invitation for Mei Meili," she said, leaning forward conspiratorially.
Tan Bowen's ears pricked. "I thought Mei Meili never left the inner courtyards? What's the invitation for? Have her parents agreed to let her attend?" his words tumbled over each other.
"It's for a flower viewing in the Empress's Garden, and Madam Yu had to say yes; the invitation has Emperor Father's seal on it," she smiled.
Tan Bowen smelled the Second Prince behind this little ploy.
"Princess, I've always wanted to meet Mei Sunren's baby sister, I would very much appreciate joining you?" he pressed her. He could be thick-faced where Mei Meili was concerned.
"Oh, I don't see why not Tan Bowen, I'm sure my brother would be happy to have his friends join him. In fact, it might be just the moral support he needs. I'll send an invitation to Bai Li also. The young ladies will thank me for it."
"Thank you, Princess, I look forward to seeing you there," Tan Bowen bounded off to see Fifth Brother, with a spring in his step.
He couldn't wait to see the Prince's face when he and Bai Li turned up at his romantic flower viewing event.
Manni had dressed her young mistress particularly beautifully for the visit to the Palace. She wore a dress of pale gold that glittered in the sun and hugged her figure gracefully. Her hair cascaded down her back in waves with two small braids woven with tiny gold bird clips nestled into her lush tresses. A matching gold veil covered her face.
"Keep your veil in place Meili," her mother reminded her tearfully, as she climbed into the palanquin.
"I will mother, don't worry so much," she called cheerfully, absolutely buzzing with excitement to be out on her own, with just Manni to accompany her.
Tricky-Wu was to stay behind, and he looked very mournful. He lay on the top step with her mother, breaking her heart with his sad expression.
"Bye Tricky, love you," she called to him.
The dog turned his back to her and let out an exaggerated sigh.
It was a short trip to the palace, but she enjoyed every minute of it, peeping out from behind the curtains, despite Manni's protests.
She was overwhelmed but exhilarated by the bustling sights, noise and strangers, and they arrived all too quickly.
The young ladies' palanquins were checked by the entry guards and waved through the palace gates. Once inside, they were placed down, and the ladies all exited and looked one another up and down. Outfits, hair and make-up were silently and expertly assessed.
Meili was far too busy looking at the huge palace walls, the guards and the eunuchs, her eyes wide as saucers as she stared around at this place that she'd heard so much about, but never expected to see with her own eyes.
The eunuchs each accompanied a young lady, taking them on the long walk through the palace to arrive at the Empress's Garden.
Meili was so distracted looking around that her eunuch had to keep stopping to wait for her to catch up. They were well-behind the others, despite his best efforts to move her along.
Many of the other girls seemed to know each other, and had formed groups, gaily chattering to one another along the way.
"Oh my goodness, how beautiful," Meili exclaimed to no one in particular as she arrived at the Empress's Gardens.
The Second Prince and Princess Lingling stood at the entrance, greeting their guests as they came in.
The Prince spotted her before she saw him. He'd started to worry that she wasn't coming when all of the other guests had arrived, and she was not among them.
He watched her join the back of the greeting line and his mood soared.
He continued greeting the other young women with perfunctory nods.
"Good afternoon, Princess," it was her best friend, Tan Bowen's sister, Tan Wentian.
"Tan Wentian," the Princess greeted her with obvious delight, "and Tan Bowen," she greeted the young poet.
"What's he doing here?" her brother growled in her ear.