"Oh my, what a beautiful dress!" Yan Tu fingered the soft silk fabric of a yellow dress.
"Miss Yan, would you please try it on. The seamstress would like to make the last few adjustments before sending it to your home."
The young lady who worked in the the fabric and clothing shop, Du's Fabric Shop, smiled as she held her hand out to the back changing room. Yan Tu followed her direction, while the lady carried the tray with the folded dress behind her. The other Yan sisters as well as Lu Meiwan were also in the shop to see how their dresses were coming along and make any last minute alterations.
Three other young ladies also stood with trays and dresses folded neatly on top. They waited while the girls admired the artwork put into each outfit, done by the request of each one for their own dress.
"How do you like your dress Miss Lu? Are there any other steps we might take to improve it to your liking?" The young lady's voice was soft and kind.
"Yes, quite." Meiwan looked up to the lady and nodded her head excitedly. "It's just how I wanted it. I do believe you discovered my preferences with me having to say anything!" At her response, the lady beamed at the praise for her work.
Lu Meiwan glanced down the row at her cousins and their dresses. They stood happily while examing every inch of the fabric. They were just as pleased as Meiwan felt, as she now looked to the tray before her. She had chosen a light and unnoticeable color, but still something that showed her character. The silk was such a light green it almost looked white. It wasn't bold or dramatic, but quiet and calm. Yet the color was also strong and nature inspired, with hints of darker green in the ribbon and embroidery as well.
Her cousins had also chosen colors and dresses that suited their styles. Yan Wei had chosen a sky blue fabric and straight cut dress, it was more plain and modest than what most girls in the capital chose, but it's elegance made it far above them. Yan Shi on the other hand had obviously picked her favorite color red, and had the dress designed to allow for ease of motion.
"Thank you Miss Lu, I'm happy to hear you like the design!" The young lady bowed quickly, while holding the tray steadily. "After the other ladies finish with their dresses, we'll make sure to send them to Yan mansion immediately!"
"Thank you."
A few minutes later, and Yan Tu exited the backroom along with the young lady who attended her. Her smile glowed as she glanced back at the dress, now folded neatly on the tray.
"I'm ready, shall we continue shopping?"
Yan Wei sighed while Yan Shi nodded, Lu Meiwan smiled and waited for one of her cousins to make the first move. Minutes later, the four were strolling down the busy street and visiting the stalls that interested them. There were stalls that sold all sorts of different things, and sometimes games for shoppers to stop and play. The enviroment was lively and exciting.
"Sister! Come and see what they have!" Yan Shi waved Yan Tu over to a side stall that sold exotic jewelry and headdress. The man wore a turban from the western countries and orange colored jacket. His look was as equally exotic as the items he sold.
"See what I sell, I sell what you see!" He waved his arm dramatically over the table. "A peice of jewelry, a wrap for your hair, will help you marry, and have an heir."
His accent was thick and his rhyme mysterious sounding. The other Yan sisters and Meiwan were interested and drew closer to the stall. The man's eyes were wild and bright, as he looked to each girl.
"Look at this, I've never seen anything like it before!" Yan Shi picked up a strange peice of jewelry and held it up to further examine it. "What is carved from, and what type of special stone is embedded in it?"
"That is a hairpin carved by special wood only found in my homeland," The man glanced at the girl's face. "That is an obsidian stone, it's black and smooth look are highly valuable. It is also protective, like an amulet."
Yan Shi smiled at the stone as the sunlight reflected off of it. Without asking the price, she tossed a few peices of silver on the table and walked away, while placing the jewelry in her hair.
Yan Wei and Yan Tu each picked up and object and turned them over in their hands, studying them in greater detail. Their expressions were approving yet not overly impressed. They both then set them down and thanked the man.
Meiwan stared at the table, her eyes admiring each item, but was deeply attracted to the white head wrap that the man displayed on a wooden head. It's fabric looked silken and the sun caused the intricately woven threads of rainbow colors to shine. A pearl was sewn into the front where the fabric twisted and smaller ones lined the bottom, shaping the face.
"May I try this on?" She asked the seller, but she felt like she was in a trance as she spoke.
The man tipped his head to the side and studied her for a moment before noddding and removing the wrap from its stand. He held it out to her and she took it, carefully in her hands before placing it on her head. As she did so, her two cousins watched and praised its beauty.
"A'wan, you have good taste." Yan Wei said approvingly.
Meiwan finished tucking the the loose fabric over her shoulder and behind her ear. She felt giddy for some odd reason, and her heart pounded.
"Can I try it on too?" Yan Tu asked.
But Meiwan brought her gaze to meet the man's. "How much for this?"
"Ten taels." His voice turned raspier as he held his hands out, all ten fingers put out.
Yan Tu gasped and Yan Wei frowned, yet Meiwan didn't find the price to be too much. She fingered the fabric once more before reaching for the small bag tied to her waist and fished out the silver.
"A'wan, you can't be serious?! This man is swindling you for far more money than its worth!" Yan Tu pulled at Meiwan's hand.
"Miss, you've chosen well. So I'll tell you a secret." The seller leaned in and lowered his voice, his eyes peircing Meiwan's. "This head wrap you've chosen is blessed, yes blessed."
Meiwan's eyes widened, and she took a breath. She needed a blessing, her thoughts told her. Her mind wasn't quite her own all of a sudden, and she didn't know how to control herself.
"You'll find you freedom in the husband you choose, and your children will be strong and powerful. You don't have to wait long, god will send you the right one soon. Just wear this hat when you meet him, and you'll know." After telling her this, the man let off into hysterical laughing, and he pocketed the money.
"Why did you do that?" Yan Wei pulled Meiwan's hand and led her away from the stall and the strange man.
Meiwan shook her head, and she felt she could think straighter now. She glanced back at the stall and felt her breath catch when the man gave her a quick and sudden frightening look. It made her shiver from head to toe, and she eagerly joined her cousins in catching up with Yan Shi ahead.
"Really." Yan Tu said somewhat disapprovingly. "Sisters, lets hurry home."
The four ending up stopping at another stall and buying a few items for the gathering at Yan mansion before riding in their carriage home. By now, the sun was setting and they each had supper in their rooms due to the late time.
Back in her room, Meiwan had removed the white cloth from her head and placed it on an upside down pot she'd found, and set it on her beauty table. She stared at it in wonder, asking herself why she'd felt so strongly about buying it. Looking at it now, it didn't seem that special. Of course, the fabric was rare, and not many skilled weavers could accomplish the same effect, but it wasn't something she needed.
"Why did I buy that?" She brought her eyes away from it. "The money I'm given here is not enough for me to squander like this. And some of it's Zhanyi's too." She sighed. "What am I going to do with myself?!"
Later, after she went to sleep, her dreams were filled with the white fabric and pearls. It made her night restless and long, and she woke in the morning damp with sweat.
One more day, and it was the big event.