At the first quarter of Mao hour, the morning dew still clung to the leaves in Qinghe Courtyard, and the gatekeeper's page was already waiting in the veranda holding a stack of calling cards a foot thick. When Wanqing lifted the quilted curtain, she saw Jiang Wan inserting a plain silver hairpin before the bronze mirror. The intertwined lotus embroidery on her moon-white ru skirt was faintly discernible in the morning light.
"Miss," the page stepped forward holding a red-lacquered tray, "the Liu Mansion in the South City, the Zhang Mansion in the West City, and even the wife of the Minister of Personnel have all sent gifts, saying they heard your zither playing yesterday and came specially to express their thanks."
Jiang Wan raised an eyebrow, her fingertips gliding over the gilded calling card on top: "The Liu Mansion? Is that the family that gave the Second Miss a jade bracelet last year?"
Chapter 17