Entering the palace to meet the Emperor is a major event. The court sent matrons to each household to instruct the young ladies in basic court etiquette.
Yan Xiao'er had practiced these rituals before, so she learned quickly. Before arriving at the Yan Estate, the matrons had heard that the Yan daughter was wild and difficult to teach, but their actual experience proved to be quite the opposite. Regardless, their feedback would be reported to the palace, serving as a form of assessment, whether overt or covert.
By the third day, the curious residents of the capital had gathered early outside the palace gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of this rare and grand spectacle. Twenty young ladies of high birth were on the ranking list, and twenty carriages were lined up in sequence before the palace entrance. Since royalty was involved, the others had to proceed on foot, so the only chance to see the beauties was when they stepped out of their carriages.
Chapter 36