That night, after dinner with the Crown Prince, the Emperor left. Once he was gone, Master Lin called Qingqing and Yafu to meticulously instruct them on palace etiquette. He taught them to walk with decorum, to be humble and respectful, not to make the slightest mistake or say anything inappropriate. The next day, Yafu and Qingqing dared not be lax. Before dawn, they were up, preparing. The maids were bustling about, dressing them in palace attire and doing their hair. Qingqing, growing impatient with the fuss, said to her maid, “I’m going to the palace to study, not for a fashion show. Just bring a few more books for me, will you?” The maid, who had always looked down on Qingqing and her mother, replied dismissively.
At this moment, upon hearing Qingqing’s question, she pouted and said, “Miss, you’d better save those words for the master. I dare not make decisions.” Qingqing was about to continue when Yafu, standing aside, laughed and said, “Entering the palace is not like being in our Lin Mansion. Firstly, you must not lose decorum in front of others, and secondly, you mustn’t bring shame to our Lin Mansion.” She kept mentioning “our Lin Mansion,” as if there had never been any past grievances with Qingqing, appearing truly like caring, close sisters. Qingqing stuck out her tongue and fell silent. After finishing their makeup, the two had breakfast with Master Lin and then left with him in the carriage for the morning court.
