Liu Ruyan was once a woman of breathtaking beauty, with lips naturally red without rouge and a face fair without powder. Yet after years of hardship, even the most exquisite looks could not withstand the erosion of time.
Gazing at her reflection in the silver mirror, Liu Ruyan saw that her delicate features still retained an ethereal grace, but fine wrinkles had begun to appear at the corners of her eyes. Her lips no longer held the rosy hue of her youth, and her entire being exuded weariness from within.
She needed cosmetics to restore a semblance of her former beauty.
After dressing and adorning herself, Liu Ruyan, accompanied by her palace maids, made her way to Yongchun Palace for the coming-of-age ceremony.
Under the blazing sun, Yongchun Palace was already bustling. Scarlet silk curtains hung high, and potted flowers adorned every corner of the courtyard, brimming with vitality. The noblewomen invited to witness the ceremony had arrived early.
