Some of the ladies chose Zhou Baiying's team, while others picked different teams.
Finally they wrote down their choices and folded the paper, then focused on watching the race.
It wasn't direct racing from the get-go; there was an opening ceremony with a few decorated boats gliding across the river. On these boats, people sang and danced, and scattered flower petals along the banks—quite a delightful sight.
Meanwhile, dragon boats of various colors lined up on the water's surface, each boat displaying its own flag clearly marked with team names for spectators to cheer and support.
On each boat were a drummer, a helmsman, twenty rowers, and a gong player, adhering to official competition standards.
It was said that the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were outing to watch the excitement today, no wonder the surrounding Imperial Army stood guard at every step; the emperor's safety naturally couldn't be overlooked.
